Clark's Botanicals Ultra Rich Lip Tint

Every now and then, I wish I was one of those girls who had just a chic little makeup bag filled with just a handful of treasured items that, when applied, made her look effortless glamorous and natural at the same time. You know, those starlets and socialites who swear that all they use is MAC Twig lip pencil, a smidge of Rosebud Salve and Maybelline Great Lash before they leave the house? Instead, I have a plethora of beauty products that have taken over my one bedroom apartment and the unlimited number of combinations can make getting ready in the morning a time consuming process. If I was that understated minimalist, I think that Clark's Botanicals Ultra Rich Lip Tint might be one of the the products in my arsenal.

This is a highly emollient lip balm that comes in clear as well as four tinted shades. I ordered Alexandra Rose from Dermstore, and after a (lengthy!) 2 week wait, I received it yesterday. Contrary to the website's characterization as "ultra sheer," I find this to pack a pigmented punch. It's a bright pink learning towards the warmer side that definitely shows up well, even on pigmented lips. It's a great pick me up face brightener and is non-sticky and very moisturizing. The downsides are that it is $19 for a small tube and the product needs to be reapplied often. It also has a very strong scent--sort of a sweet jasmine--that does not dissipate. It's offensive enough to me that I'd actually remove the gloss prior to eating or drinking, but I could those who enjoy scented lip products being fine with it.

Ingredients:
Nutyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Jojoba Esters, Lanolin, Octyldodecanol, Pentaerithrityl Tetraisostearate, Silica Dimethyl Silylate, Sodium Chondroitin Sulfate, Atelocollagen, Ricinus Communis (Castor OIl), Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond Oil), C10-30 Cholesterol/Lanosterol Esters, Copernicia Cerifera (Carnauba) Wax, Euphorbia Cerifera (Candelilla) Wax, Beeswax, Persea Gratissima (Avacado) Oil, Phenyltrimethicone, Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Seed Oil, Citrus Grandis (Grapefruit) Fruit Extract, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract, Jasmine Officinale (Jasmine) Extract, Polybutene, Fragrances, Saccharin, Allantoin.

Quelle Horreur!

Horror of horrors, I arrived at work yesterday and promptly realized that:
A. I had become a human popsicle, and
B. I left my lipstick at home and somehow had no other lipstick or gloss in my purse

While the former probably won't change until the weather warms up in March, across the street from my office is a Company Store, one of the 'By Invitation Only' Cosmetic Company Outlets. I picked up a Bobbi Brown Creamy Lip Color in Blush Rose, a soft warm pink. While I generally dislike lip products in pots, this was the best color choice available.

My very favorite lipstick is Bobbi's Creamy Lip Color in Baby, and this is a few shades brighter and pinker. It applies sheerly, as you can see in the swatch. I'm not terribly fond of this formulation in pan form--the product is just too soft. I only applied it twice and you can see the dent that it has made already--pan is visible! If you're the type that can never finish a lipstick and want to experience that satisfaction, I highly endorse the Creamy Lip Color. I go through tubes of it extremely quickly.
Blush Rose is no longer available on the Bobbi Brown site, but check your local CCOs. Here it is compared to Bobbi Brown Baby and Gilded Pink (yes, the majority of my lipsticks look similar to one another).
Baby, Blush Rose, Gilded Pink:

Chanel Glossimer in Meteore

I had a couple of minutes to kill right by Bloomingdales the other day and all of a sudden found myself at the Chanel counter swatching Glossimers. I'm not a gloss person and have never been interested in the Glossimers before, but the gorgeousness of Meteore won me over and it came home with me!

Meteore is a deep sheer pink with the most beautiful holographic iridescent shimmer. It can feel a little gritty and the color is much more subtle on the lips than in the tube. No scent or taste and not too sticky, I'm a fan of the formula, certainly more so than the price (which I believe was around $32 with tax).

My Favorites of 2010 Part One

Somehow I managed to both pare down and buy a lot in 2010. I thought I would share some of my 2010 favorite.
NARS Turks and Caicos Multiple Tint- scary orange in the tube, gorgeous peachy coral flush on the cheeks. I'd buy a backup if I didn't think this would last forever. Has anyone ever finished a NARS Multiple?
Origins Multigrain Bronzer, Julie Hewett Goldie Shimmy and Benefit High Beam- all the essentials for naturally bronze, glowing skin.
Paul and Joe Face Color 16 Canyon- my powder blush pick of the year. Perfect blend of bronze and peachy pink.
Aveda Juneberry Lip Shine- a few shades deeper than my lip color with a hint of shimmer.
Paul and Joe Lipstick 17- a real my-lips-but-better shade. Goes on sheer and luminous.

More favorites coming soon! Also, I've added some new items to my blog sale below. Please scroll down and take a peek!

Mini Aveda Haul

I did way to much shopping for my own good this Black Friday. One of my favorite things about going home to visit my parents is spending time at The Mall at Short Hills, "my" mall growing up. Imagine all of the lovely, wonderful, high end stores you'd love to have gathered in one place without any of the "filler" stores like Piercing Pagotas and Game Stop. I rarely venture into Aveda but wanted to stop in and see if anything. I found myself leaving with their loose Comforting Tea and a Lip Shine in Juneberry.

I love the Aveda tea for the evenings. It's caffeine free and is one of the very few teas that has a natural sweetness to it so it doesn't require sugar. It's perfect for when you're craving a snack but don't want the calories. They say it contains licorice root and peppermint but I'm a die-hard anise/fennel hater and do not find this licoricey at all. I find $24 to be expensive to tea but you only need a teaspoon at a time so it should last quite a while.

I so did not need another lip gloss but this Lip Shine called to me. It has the signature Aveda scent that I love in a non-sticky, all natural formula with fruit and vegetable extracts to provide anti-oxidant protection. The shade, Juneberry, is a little different for me but not so far out of my comfort zone that I won't wear it. It's a deep, blushy, just plummier than natural lip shade with a hint of sparkle and a translucent formula. Very pretty on it's own or over lip pencil.

Laura Mercier Lip Glace

Along with the palette, my Laura Mercier steal of a makeup kit from Gilt contained a brush and 3 mini glosses, called Lip Glace. I'm definitely more of a lipstick girl and this was my first experience with Laura's glosses. These are smooth and not too sticky with a sweet scent that almost completely masks a "makeup-y" smell. The shades are Petal, Bare Beige and Baby Doll, all of which are available in full size for $22. Petal is an iridescent golden pink, Bare Beige a browny nude and Baby Doll a sheer sparkling pink confection. All apply sheerly but with enough pigment to give perceptible color.
From left: Petal, Bare Beige, Baby Doll
Baby Doll, Petal, Bare Beige

MVP Of The Week

I've pretty much been wearing the same face all week: concealer under my eyes, some powder to blot shine on my forehead, NARS Turks and Caicos, a quick wash of a neural shadow, Stila Smudge Stick in Purple Tang and a quick swipe of gloss. I've grabbed Hourglass Extreme Sheen Gloss in Truth on my way ou the door a few times this week and have been pleasantly surprised.

My love for these glosses is well documented, but I haven't reached for them in a while and I have to say that the love affair has been rekindled. In addition to being completely smooth and non-tacky, they are moisturizing, do not leave that white gummy residue on the lips or cause them to flake (hello, Trish McEvoy Beauty Booster gloss!) and yet last quite a while, leaving behind a soft stain. Truth seems to go with almost everything. It's shimmer-free and a perfect combination of peach and blush. Every time I've warn it, I've glanced in the mirror and said to myself "I love this gloss! I have to wear it more often!" It adds just the right depth and polish without giving the impact of a full-on lip.

Vapour Beauty Elixir Lip Gloss

I was very excited when I received my sample of Vapour Beauty Elixir Lip Gloss in Sultry in my Spirit Beauty Lounge order. The gloss is said to be made with 70% organic ingredients (the other 30% are mineral pigments and vitamins that are not available as certified organics). It uses a non-petroleum base and combines castor oil and beeswax in a non-chemical process to create a smooth, shiny lip gloss that is moisturizing.

I love the texture of this gloss. It's shiny, smooth and not too thick and there is no stickiness. Some glosses feel goopy and plastic-y while this really does feel nourishing. Sultry looks gorgeous in the packaging--a slightly coral, somewhat russet, natural shade. As you can see in the swatch though, it becomes very sheer when spread. This had almost no color on my lips, unfortunately.

I'm totally torn about Elixir gloss. I love the way it feels on, love the shine and dimension it provides and love that I'm not ingesting chemicals and that it has antioxidants, but I wish it had more color to it. I have enough left in my sample to try this one more time and perhaps I'll like it more applied over lipstick.

Current Obessions

I go through phases when I can't get the idea of a articular brand or product out of head. Sometimes it's something that I already own and want to wear all of the time. In other instances it's something I can't wait to try.

Some of my latest obsessions include the following:

MAC Eye Shadow in Grain and Edward Bess Eye Shadow in Dusk- both always look great, no matter how tired I am or what other makeup I have on.
Crown Brush Pointed Crease Brush (C139) and Lancome Black Coffee Le Crayon Kohl Eye Liner- the brush is one of the best crease brushes I've used. The shape is perfect for both the socket and outer corner. The eye liner is a deep dark brown that makes the white of your eyes look brighter, and the formula is smooth and silky enough that you can get right up against the lash line with no tugging. It works on the inner rim as well.
Rock & Republic Imitate Mousse Blush in Rumor- this is my favorite blush out of all that I own. The texture is sublime and the shade is perfect. I'm so sad that the line is discontinued. Even though Rock & republic pops up from time to time on sample sale websites, none of them have had the mousse blushes. I'd definitely stock up if I found this one again!
Origins Smileage Plus Lip Tint in Eco Pink- I love tinted balms in the summer and that fact that this one is natural and 95% organic is a huge benefit! Not only is the ginger scent uplifting, but the shade is a spot on--a sheer warm pink. Please excuse how jagged the tip looks; I almost destroyed it trying to take the picture!

Those are some products I already own that I'm loving, but my wishlist keeps growing! Right now I'm obsessing over Vapour Beauty, another organic line. The Aura Radiant Blush and Elixir Lip Gloss are calling my name! I wish I didn't have to order these sigh unseen but they are not available in brick and mortar stores as far as I know.

29 Cosmetics Highlighting Cream Blush is also at the top of the list. According to Neiman's it's a "real honest-to-goodness healthy glow packed with antioxidants that leave the skin naturally looking "blushed" not made up." This line is only carried in a few stores, none of which are on the east coast.

Finally, I'm also totally obsessed with Whole Foods 365 Caribbean Frozen Fruit Bars- strawberry, mango and coconut flavored deliciousness and only 110 calories per bar. It seriously tastes like vacation!

My Haul From The Makeup Show-L'Oreal Gift Bag

L'Oreal had a both at the Makeup Show allowing their HiP line of products to be played with, but had nothing for sale. Instead, attendees left with extremely generous gift bags of full size products.

Magic Perfecting Base is a thick, creamy, silicone-based primer designed to smooth lines and hide pores. It blends on easily (I tried it under my undereye concealer) and has that velvety feeling typical of silicone primers. It is fragrance and paraben-free.
I was admittedly shocked by the pigment levels in the HiP Metallic Shadow Duos in Platinum and Gilded. They are very pigmented, very metallic and very cool! I'd have to blend these down quite a bit to wear to the office but they would be very fun for a night out. The lighter shades create a foiled look without needing to be used wet and the darker shades would be nice as a liner. I rarely buy drugstore makeup and had never tried HiP before but these are definitely impressive. If they had duos in more natural/me shades I would pick one up, despite finding the packaging overly and unnecessarily bulky.
HiP Color Presso glosses in Spunky and Chic were also included. The packaging on these is a little odd and takes some getting used to, since the two shades are in 2 separate chambers. You can squeeze just one tube for that color individually, or press both to release both colors which can be mixed on your lips. Both Presso and Chic blend to sheerish berries--the first cooler and the second with some warmth. They have a sweet smell and aren't too sticky on the lips. I don't have many berry shades and Chic looked very nice on! The tubes are cool looking but large and a little awkward to store or fit into a makeup bag.

These was also a Voluminous Mascara in Blackest Black and the 24 Hour Lash Boosting Power System which contains a Double Extend Mascara and Lash Boosting Serum. I used Voluminous way back when and liked it but had never tried the Double Extend or the Serum.
I kind of just tossed these aside when I received them since I use only natural mascaras. With blond lashes I need to really work my mascara into the roots of my lashes and inevitably get mascara right on the underside of my lid. The idea of a multitude of chemicals being absorbed through a membrane line that really concerned me so I jumped on the "natural" mascara bandwagon early on, using Korres primarily but also Tarte. I had been happy with the look of both.
Last night I decided that it couldn't hurt just to try the Double Extend just once. I applied the white primer and then 2 coats of the mascara and had a total OMG moment. My lashes looked AMAZING. Unbelievably long and full, verging on fake, which is an amazing feat for my short, puny, blonde lashes. I've never been this impressed with a mascara. Now I'm torn--do I use the mascara chock full of parabens and other chemicals but makes my lashes unbelievable, or the less potentially harmful one that gives me merely nice ones? Hmmmm...

Here is the ingredient list for the set:

My Haul From The Makeup Show-Inglot

Inglot is a line that is new to me, but has been around for over 25 years. They have many boutiques around the globe, with a large number of them being is Australia and only one US outlet, located in Times Square. I was extremely excited when I learned that they would have a booth at the New York Makeup Show, as I've been interested in the line since I stumbled upon their website and, like many native NYCers, I avoid Times Square as much as humanly possible and a visit to the boutique could have been put off for months.

The line seems to be divided into two branches: the Freedom System and individual, a la carte products. The Freedom System allows users to put together their own palette with everything from eye shadows to lipstick. Palettes are magnetized and offer an almost infinite number of combinations. At the show, the wait to create a Freedom Palette was over an hour and so I concentrated on items more quickly and easily obtained!

Inglot's cream and liquid blushes drew my attention immediately. The creams are in small pots and come in 15 shades, all of which seem incredibly wearable. The texture stayed slightly dewy and blended effortlessly. The liquids have a thin, spreadable formula and appear much better on the skin than the Make Up For Ever's incarnation, which to my eye are too matte, dry and powdery. There are 8 liquid shades to choose from. Unfortunately, the area around the blushes was so crowded and cramped every time I went to play that I had a hard time trying everything and deciding what to buy. Many shades were missing from the display at any given time as other show-goers grabbed, dabbed and sampled them. When I do head to the Inglot store, the blushes will be at the top of my list of tings to try.

I did end up with an eye shadow and a lip gloss. The shadow, number 378, is from the matte range and is a deep, dark browned plum. I bought it to use as a cake eyeliner and it hasn't disappointed me. Mixed with a smidge of water it goes on dark and pigmented. The show price was $9.

The lip product is from the Sleeks CREAM Lip Paint line. Packaged like a lip gloss, the formula is very smooth with no stickiness at all. It applies like a liquid lipstick and leaves a nice stain behind. It is scented similarly to Hourglass glosses (think sweet cake batter) and has a doe foot applicator. The shade I purchased, 90, is perfect for summer. It's a vibrant corally rosy pink that I think would work on most skin tones. At $8 I consider i a great buy!

Shadow and Lip Paint:

Sleeks CREAM Lip Paint 90:

I look forward to trying more from Inglot, starting with the blushes. I appreciate that many items are paraben-free, reasonably priced and that the shade selection selection is vast. Their website lists store locations world wide.

Have you tried Inglot? What are your thoughts?

MAC Cremesheen Glass

As a general rule I'm not a big fan of MAC lip products--I find the lipsticks drying and the glosses incredibly, unwearable sticky. Nonetheless, after seeing a picture of someone wearing Cremesheen Glass in Over Indulgence on another board, I knew I had to have it and make the trek to MAC.

Pleasantly, Cremesheen Glasses are not nearly as goopy and sticky as MAC Lipglasses (which I did use once in a pinch at college to adhere a note to a wall, albeit temporarily). The glide on smoothly and while they have more body than my beloved Hourglass glosses and some of my other favorites, they are not overly thick or goopy.

Over Indulgence is described by MAC as a "neutral brown," but it has definite peach and deep pink tones. It's a very wearable, natural shade that I think would suit many skin tones. It's very similar to Laura Mercier Nude Lips Gloss. It pairs nicely with Boldly Bare lip liner.

Cremesheen Glasses cost $18 (while regular Lip Glasses cost just $14) and apply with a doe foot applicator.


Laura Mercier Nude Lip Gloss (top), MAC Over Indulgence (bottom):

On Lips:

Pretty Peachy Pink Glosses!

I am definitely more of a lipstick girl than a gloss fan, but there's something about the first days of Spring that calls for gloss! I rummaged through my lip gloss collection and pulled out some of my favorite peachy pinks.

Left to Right:
Estee Lauder Pure Color Gloss in Nectar Light, Hourglass Lush, Hourglass Truth, Origins Caramel Candy, Prescriptives Custom Gloss, Trish McEvoy Beauty Booster Rosette

Hourglass Extreme Sheen Glosses are hands down, bar none my favorite gloss formula. Smooth, totally nonsticky, gorgeous shades and a cake batter scent. Lush has a lot of gold shimmer and Trush is a luminous cream.

I love the color of the Trish McEvoy but the gloss separates terribly. Ever time I go to use it I end up squeezing out a significant amount of clear liquid before the color flows.

Swatches, same order: Estee Lauder Pure Color Gloss in Nectar Light, Hourglass Lush, Hourglass Truth, Origins Caramel Candy, Prescriptives Custom Gloss, Trish McEvoy Beauty Booster Rosette

Face of the Day

It was rainy and gloomy when I woke up this morning so I opted for brighter pink cheeks and lips. They were just as appropriate in the afternoon when it had turned sunny and cheerful (though I was too chained to my desk at work to enjoy it).

Eyes:
Lancome Erika F
Jane Iredale Eye Highlighter on brow bone (I use this all the time)
Laura Geller Baked Cake Eye Liner in Key Lime/Dark Green Apple (I usually use the dark wet to line the top and inner rim and the lighter dry to line the bottom)

Cheeks:
By Terry Blush Veloute in Apple, topped with a mix of
Trish McEvoy Sunkissed All Over Face Color and Perfect 1 blushes (the 2 colors in the middle. The others are Jolie and Weekend)

Lips:
Sephora Nano Liner in Queen Quartz
YSL Rouge Veloupte #2
Hourglass gloss in Origami

Close up of the eyes:
Close up of the cheeks:
Close up of the lips:

Mally Beauty

I've seen the Mally Beauty line at Henri Bendel on many occasions and was never tempted by it, and I've seen it presented on QVC multiple times and had no interest, yet last weekend I found myself ordering a QVC One Time Only kit online, acting quickly lest it sell out! This is the danger of staying home on a Saturday night instead of going out with your friends and being completely overstressed at work.

The kit arrived yesterday and I got to play with it today. The products confirmed my initial reaction to the line--nothing earth-shattering, nothing I'd crave in the future--but the quality is fine and the price was right. For $31 and change (almost $42 after shipping and taxes) I received:

• powder blush in Mally's Glow, a warm pink with shimmer
• eye shadow in Mally's Glow, a bronze shimmer
• liquid lipstick in Mally's Look, a midtoned pink
• eye liner in Midnight, black
• mascara in black
• the most hideous pink makeup bag

Mally waxed poetic about her line's lasting power but I found it standard--the liner had smudged a bit under my eyes and the mascara had flaked some. The gloss has a nice non-sticky texture and good shine but a fake/sweet smell and the powder products have good pigment and went on nicely. The overall look was flattering and nice for Spring, but for some reason I just can't get too enthusiastic. To me the line is missing the "something special" or cache of some others and doesn't seem sophisticated. I also really dislike how oversized the packaging is since the added bulk makes storage difficult. It was a good value, priced what would likely have been equivalent to drinks and cab fare had I actually gone out instead of staying in and shopping online and so I guess I came out even!

Happy Chanukkah to me, from Sephora

Sephora has been sending gift certificates to its VIB customers by mail and online and I must must spend WAY to much there since I received three of them, one by mail and two via email, despite having only one account with them. I picked up a few basic skin care refills along with these lovely products:

• Philosophy Unconditional Love Spray Fragrance To Go-lovely scent but barely lasts five minutes ($15)
  
• Pangea Organics Pyrenees Lavender with Cardamom Lip Care lip balm- fabulous ingredients and the lavender scent isn't overwhelming which was a pleasant surprise. Totally not greasy or goopy but with soothing and healing( $12)
• Sephora Nano Lip Liner in Queen Quartz-the perfect shimmery pale pink nude ($5)
• Bare Escentuals Buxom Gloss in Sugar mini- a sheer sparkling pinky brown with a minty tingle (free with code BUXOMKISS)

Queen Quartz and Sugar with flash:

For those still trying to spend your cards, here are some current specials:

Urban Decay Get Baked Eye Shadow Kit is now only $18! It features four eye shadows, mini 24/7 liner in Bourbon and a mini Primer Potion in Sin.

Korres Sugar and Spice Set, which is down to $8! Included are 3 min shower gels in Hot Spiced Chocolate, Honey Spice and Sugar Glazed Clementine.

Travel size (.34 oz) Bliss The Youth As We Know It moisturizer for only $10