Buxom

I have a few of the Bare Essentials Buxom lip glosses and thought they were alright so I picked up a few new samples with my latest Sephora purchases.

Amber (not pictured) was a nice peachy/red. Wasn't too impressed. Wouldn't buy it.

Dolly (pictured) was, again, just alright. No purchase there either.

These glosses feel a bit like the old school Lip Venoms. I don't like how they make my lips feel super tingly and ridiculously cold. The gloss is also quite sticky.

Eh.

Urban Decay Pocket Rocket in Doug

I am horrified. This was the stickiest gloss I have ever tried. The second I brushed it on my lips I quickly wiped it off with a warm wash cloth. There is absolutely nothing else to say about this gloss. Unless UD totally changes their gloss formula I will never purchase a pocket rocket. Two thumbs down. This is unfortunate because the packaging is rather clever and fairly cute. There is just nothing that I detest more in a gloss that pure stickiness, especially with a long walk to work where my hair sticks to my lips with the slightest hint of messy gloss.

Boo.

Rosebud Salve...IN A TUBE!

Buy it online here

My favorite lip balm of all time (ever!) now comes in a tube!! The original Rosebud salve has been in my purse for as long as I have been old enough to actually carry a purse. The only downside of the balm, in my opinion, is that it comes in a pot because it A) gets gross from so many dipped fingers and B) easily melts when left in warm temperatures. The tube would fix both of those problems actually making this an unstoppable lip product.

I haven't been this excited about a product in so long!

Benefit Lip Gloss in Zone Out

Benefit Lip Gloss in Zone Out:

NEW OBSESSION ALERT!

I am in love with this product. I realize that my lip product accumulation has gotten a bit out of hand in the past few years so I rarely buy glosses unless they are absolutely fabulous. That should tell you a tiny bit about how amazing this gloss really is. It can only be described as a peachy golden champagne color with lots of sparkle. It makes my lips look dewy and adds just the right about of shine. It's not very sticky and it actually feels super moisturizing on my lips. I am in love! I have to keep my hands to myself now and not buy another one of these in a different color...maybe.

MAC Lipstick Wish List

Colour me Coral (Left) and Victorian (Right)

MAC Lipstick Wish List:

In light of my last post I thought I would also mention a MAC lipstick or two that I have been dying to get my hands on. I am loving the color Victorian and I hear that it is the perfect blend of pink and coral. I have seen it on a few people and it really is a fabulous color for spring. It looks so bright and punchy! It is part of the Spring Forecast Collection. Speaking of this collection...I am also craving Colour me Coral which looks much more pink than Victorian, but I am still a fan.

I'll keep you posted as to whether I can justify buying one more makeup product. My parents keep asking me what I want as a college graduation gift (just 1.5 months away...yikes!) and all I ever really want is makeup, but I should say something practical like future rent money. Well, luckily my birthday is just two weeks after my graduation so maybe I can have the best of both worlds? We shall see...

MAC Lipstick in Laugh a Lot

MAC Lipstick in Laugh a Lot:

I have a confession to make. I actually stole this from my mom! We were at the MAC store the other day when I happened to be home for an appointment in NYC and I wanted to pick up a few things. My mom snagged this lipstick and in the tube it looked just like what she wears. Mauve/pink/ muted and boring. However, she put it on at home and it looked much more pink than the colors that she usually wears. I completely forgot to pack ANY lip colors when I came home that weekend and I needed something to wear to my city appointment so I rumaged through my mom's lip products and picked this up. I figured I may as well try it.

Turns out that I fell in love! The color is a deep pink, but when you apply, blot, apply, etc. for a little while it turns into a truly impressive shade of pink. Check out the difference from the swatch to the tube. They look like two completely different products. Yet another reason why first appearances can be deceiving (in makeup products at least). I may or may not have tucked it into my purse and forgotten to give it back. I wish I had found this shade a few months back because it feels like a cool weather product to me, but I can wear it out at night anytime.

It is a MAC lustre lipstick which I am a huge fan of and it is really moisturizing. I never would have picked it out myself so I have to give my mom props for her selection! It is limited addition so get your hands on one while you still can!

Tarte Natural Lip Stain Pencil in Amused

Tarte Natural Lip Stain Pencil in Amused:

I realize that I am months behind in buying this stain, but in my defense it was out of stock at three Sephoras that I visited AND online! So I finally got my hands on one and let me start by saying that I LOOOOVE the color. Yes, it requires capital letters and all of those o's to describe my love for this hot pink hue. It is bold, fun, sexy, and youthful. I feel dressed up when I have it on even when I'm wearing sweats and the color really does last for hours. It is seriously natural, leaving out parabens, petro-chemicals, phthalates, sulfates, preservatives, glycols, gluten, and GMO's. It also has LipSurgence technology which supposedly gives a "6,000 increase in lips' moisture content" or so says the packaging. Here is where we hit a snag. I have never in my life put a more drying product on my lips. How is this possible? 6,000 times the moisture! That's a lot of moisture! Well, I suppose not all products react with everyone in the same way. I am seriously bummed about the way it sucks out any moisture my lips seemed to have retained in this dry winter air. The color, however, is absolutely worth it. I will just wear a clear gloss on top and reapply as my lips get dry!

Now I just need to find this in every color...

Rimmel Lasting Finish Lipstick in Airy Fairy

Rimmel Lasting Finish Lipstick in Airy Fairy:

I had been hearing raves about this Rimmel lipstick shade on YouTube tutorials (it's the fav color of fafinettex3) and thought I would give it a try. I love the way that the neutral/pink has just a hint of gold reflects. It goes on my lips very smoothly and is a great all around daytime color for me. It shows up as almost nude. I would really need to be in the right lighting for the pinky/gold to show up on my lips, but I needed a nice neutral lipstick so I am definitely not disappointed. I should have known it was a little bit bland for me when my mom exclaimed that she needed to buy it for herself when she saw it on me. We always joke that she had a million lip colors all in the same neutral/blah shade. Her absolute favorite lip color of all time is MAC's SlimShine in "Bare" so I think that says it all. I'm really liking the texture of this lipstick though. Not too chalky or cakey and it really does last.

Overall verdict? I will enjoy it while it lasts, but probably won't repurchase.

CoverGirl ShineBlast Lipglosses

CoverGirl ShineBlast Lipglosses in 835 (on the left) and 805 (on the right):

These two glosses were a must-have for me as soon as they hit shelves. Anything with Pat McGrath's name attached to it is okay in my book! McGrath is the creative design director of Proctor & Gamble Beauty and CoverGirl, being a Proctor & Gamble brand, gets the McGrath touch on it's products.

I find the 835 peachy/coral color to actually be a great nude/clear gloss. There is really no color apparent when applied to my lips...bummer. Then I tried on 805, which looks just as great in the tube as it does on my lips! It shows up, after a few coats, as a racy hot pink with just a bit of glittery shimmer. Absolutely fabulous for a night out, or if you just feel like having a little extra something going for you on a Monday morning.

I can tell you right now that 805 will be on my lips for weeks to come!

CoverGirl Lipslicks in Clear

CoverGirl Lipslicks in Clear:

Cheap Thrill Alert!!

I have a little obsession with this product. It is like a glossy chapstick that smells semi-waxy (which I happen to love) and keeps my lips super smooth. I go through many tubes of this because I keep one in my top desk drawer and am constantly applying it while I work at my desk. It gives the sheerest shimmer to lips and is ultra cheap. It can be found at any drugstore!

Only downside? In my opinion, it tastes absolutely awful. So don't lick your lips and wipe it off before eating!

Vincent Longo Rosewood Luster Diamond Lip Gloss

Vincent Longo Rosewood Luster Diamond Lip Gloss:

A sparkly pink gloss that won't disappoint! If you're in the market for a gloss that will really add some shine to your lips, this will do the trick. I like it better than MAC's Dazzleglass line of glosses because I find that the shimmer in those can be gritty on my lips. The sparkles in this formula are super fine so the gloss is smooth, yet shiny! The soft pink is seriously punched up with gold reflects so it's perfect for an evening look.

Vincent Longo Pearlessence Lip/Cheek Gel Stain

Vincent Longo Pearlessence Lip/Cheek Gel Stain:

This stain is such a pretty pinky/purple color. It has a hint of shimmer in it that gives your lips and cheeks a soft glow. It is different than any other stain I have tried in that it is easy to apply, lasts until I attempt to get it off, and has just the right amount of shimmer. It's a good way to mix up my normal pink or red lip looks because it has just a bit of purple undertones. Other stains that I've tried have made my cheeks look like I just ran a marathon or exited a sauna because of the amount of redish pink pigmentation in them, but the purple in this stain stays away from that issue without being noticeably purple on your face.

What's your favorite stain?

NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Roman Holiday

NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Roman Holiday:

This formula is so incredibly creamy that I often find myself wearing it like a chapstick. The baby pink color is simply a bonus to the fabulous consistency. It is a much lighter pink than I would normally wear, but that's why I like it! I find that the only area of makeup where I often slip out of my comfort zone are my lip products.

This pencil gets smaller by the day! I think I may try another color when I replenish. Any suggestions?

Sephora Crayon Gloss Lip Gloss Pencil

Sephora Crayon Gloss Lip Gloss Pencil in Shade 03:

CHEAP THRILL ALERT!!!

Follow me here: A glossy coral with flecks of gold in an easy-to-apply stick with color that lasts for hours but keeps your lips soft and smooth...for FIVE dollars! This is my current favorite shade although I have them in a few colors.

Ignore the blueish color at the bottom end of my swatch- I possess the bad habit of writing on my hand. I love Post-It notes, but my hand is with me everywhere I go! In my defense, I did try to scrub it off before I did the swatch.

Anyway, grab these sticks when you can because they are not easy to come by! I can never find them in stores, but I stock up on Sephora.com in whatever colors they have available. Happy hunting!

What's your cheap thrill?

MAC Slim Shine Lipstick in Urgent!

MAC Slim Shine Lipstick in Urgent!

Red lips can be a hot mess. The color bleeds and feathers here; the texture gets dry and cakey there; the shade is too bright or too light. You get the idea. This MAC Slim Shine is bright, but sheer and glossy so it gives you a wild pop of red without a harsh matte finish. It is seriously moisturizing and generally feels like more of a gloss than a lipstick. Plus it is so small and skinny that it fits in the teeniest clutch or the smallest pocket.

I typically shy away from bold shades, but this color will give you a confidence boost like no other! Try it out...if you dare.

Cargo Plant Love Lipstick in Muir Woods

Cargo Plant Love Lipstick in Muir Woods:

Sometimes I am a bit skeptical of "eco-friendly" beauty products. How legit are they? Well, this lipstick means business. Cargo Plant Love products are 100% natural, Ecocert certified for being environmentally friendly in its packaging (made of corn!), product, and the process of making the product and it's free of parabens, phthalates, petro-chemicals, synthetic dyes and fragrances.

FYI- What does it mean to be Ecocert certified? Check out the Ecocert web site! http://www.ecocert.com/?lang=en

So now that we've established that this product is seriously environmentally friendly...is it any good? Well, I think so. The texture is creamy and doesn't dry out my lips like some lipsticks can and they come in a mass of shades.

There is even a line of these lipsticks designed by celebs!

Check them out here: http://www.cargocosmetics.com/plantlove.html

My Chanel Lip Palette and Shout out to Cara

My Chanel Lip Palette and Shout out to Cara:

Do you ever covet a product that you know you'll never buy? I try to be realistic about my makeup purchases and some things I just can't justify buying for myself. Maybe it's the senior year of college mentality: Lip gloss or an apartment next year? I don't exactly know. But I had been going on and on about this palette for quite some time and my roommate Cara had listen sympathetically. I just couldn't quite get myself to the Chanel counter for it. So you could imagine my surprise/shock/awe/excitement when I opened up my birthday present this year to find this palette, an adorable wine glass, and a Snickers bar. She knows me too well.

Thanks, Houle!

Bobbi Brown Shimmer Lip Gloss in Lilac Sugar

Bobbi Brown Shimmer Lip Gloss in Lilac Sugar:

Oh this gloss! I remember back in middle school (wow) when every girl had this gloss. Now I don't mean that many girls had this. I mean that every girl, if she wanted to survive to see age 14, had this lip gloss. I would walk down the halls and pass tubes and tubes of this being plucked out of backpacks, tossed into lockers, and stuffed into pockets. I had to have it. It was an emergency. It was a life and death situation. So I did a few hours of babysitting, dragged my mom to Bloomingdales, marched up to the Bobbi Brown counter and bought it. Now that color looks purple and it does have a purple sheen to it, but it's mainly just a shimmery clear gloss that happens to smell like cupcakes and candy and birthdays. I wore this color for a year straight and forgot all about it...until recently.

I was at Sephora buying something (can't recall what it was...this event overshadowed all else) and I used my Sephora Insiders card, obviously, because every 100 points that you wrack up (aka 100 dollars that you spend) you get to choose a free gift. I guess I was at my 100 point mark because the sales girl brings three small items up to the counter and asks me to choose my free gift. I barely look up...and there it was. This lip gloss in Lilac Sugar. Can it really be the lip gloss that defined my middle school days? It was. Of course I scooped it right up and have worn it frequently ever since. Maybe it's fate. I was destined to be reunited with the gloss that started my lip product addiction years ago. Or maybe Bobbi Brown realized that a gloss that was popular when I was in middle school needed some re-promoting. Either way, I'm hanging onto it even just for the sentimental value...and the scent that could induce a sugar rush just from one waft.

Bare Minerals Lip Gloss in Cassis

Bare Minerals Lip Gloss in Cassis:

I have found many a lip product in great shades of pinks and reds, but when it came to corals I was at a loss. Every color I tried always had an unattractive orange tinge to it...until I found this. Cassis is my perfect coral. It has no harsh orange undertone, just the right amount of shimmer, and I can walk around without having to pull my hair off my lips (not too sticky!). I have yet to find a coral that tops this, but I would love to hear some suggestions! Anyone have a favorite coral of their own?

NARS Lip Gloss in Orgasm

NARS Lip Gloss in Orgasm:

Clearly I am a huge fan of this NARS shade. I own the blush, the cream shade stick, and the lip gloss all in the color Orgasm. The gloss is just as fabulous as the blushes. I have no idea how NARS does it, but this color looks good on absolutely everyone and it manages to look equally as stunning on lips as it does on cheeks. Enough said.