Wednesday, December 17, 2014

Holiday Glam: Red Lips

The Holiday Season is upon us, and one of my favorite looks for this time of year is a classic red lip. There is nothing more festive than a bright red lip look. I love red lipstick for two reasons. First, there is a shade, undertone, and pigmentation for everyone. No matter who you are, there IS a red lip that is going to look fabulous and flatter you. Second, the red lip look is so versatile. It can easily go from timeless and classic, to edgy and daring, to sultry and sexy depending on what you do with the rest of your makeup. My two favorites are to pair it with a neutral charcoal smokey eye for a very classic, sexy look, or to pair it with very little eye makeup for a more funky, high-fashion look. Here are some of the best (my favorite) formulas and shades for a festive red lip. Between all of them, there is something for everyone! Hopefully my reviews and swatches will help you choose.




L-R above = top to bottom below

L'Oreal Infallible Le Rouge Lipstick in Ravishing Red

This is a very "classic" red. It has a blue base, which means it is more cool-toned. This very traditional red will work on most skin tones, with the exception of those who are more olive toned. The formula is nice, but honestly nothing out of the ordinary in either a good or bad way, just nice. It goes on smoothly, and feels relatively creamy. It lasts relatively well, especially considering how comfortable it is to wear.

Maybelline Super Stay 14 Hour Lipstick in Ravishing Rouge

This is another more cool-toned red, but it is a little deeper than the L'Oreal. Still a very classic color, and this formula is super pigmented. Like a lot of long lasting colors, this will stay on for hours, but that comes at the cost of moisture. It is a little dry and get kind of uncomfortable. It is also rather matte. If you want matte, it's great. If you are not looking for a matte finish, I might recommend a balm or clear gloss over this to make it a little more comfortable.

 

NYX Cosmetics Butter Gloss in Cherry Pie

I mentioned these NYX Butter Glosses in my Purple Lips post, and like most beauty junkies, I am still obsessed with them. So creamy and pigmented, and not sticky at all, every woman's dream gloss! Oh, and they smell fantastic! This is definitely more sheer than any of the lipsticks in this post, so if you are nervous about trying a bright red, or want a more subtle look, this is a great place to start.

stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick in Tesoro

I love this formula. stila definitely named them appropriately when they called them Stay All Day. These are hard to remove even when you want them to. I am amazed every time I wear this how infrequently I have to reapply. I also love that they are super pigmented, and unlike a lot of long lasting stain lip products, they are actually rather creamy, and do not feel drying on your lips. This shade has a definite yellow base, and is more of an orange-toned red. A lot of people think they can't wear orange tones, but they are actually flattering on very fair and very dark tones, and are great on those olive tones who may not like blue-based reds on themselves.

 

CLINIQUE High Impact Lip Colour in Red-y to Wear

This formula is so buttery and creamy, it feels luxurious when you put it on. It is not as long lasting as some of the others, but it won't disappear either. This is a very neutral-based red, which means it has both blue and yellow undertones, and will therefore be flattering on pretty much everyone. The creamy formula also means that it can be applied very sheer or very pigmented depending on how you apply it and how much you apply. This is the both the most versatile formula and shade of red in the bunch. If you only want one, or aren't sure what you like best, this might be your best buy.

SEPHORA COLLECTION Cream Lip Stain in 01 Always Red

Um, I cannot express how perfectly named this stain is. It is definitely a stain, and the name has the word "Always" in it, which might just be irony, but is accurate. This stuff stained for my arm for hours after swatching it, even after rubbing with multiple makeup removers and soap. This will last you through hours and hours of eating, drinking, talking, whatever, and it WILL NOT move or fade. The word "cream" in the name is also accurate, because it does feel creamy when you apply it, remarkably so considering how long it lasts. This is a very neutral based red too, which means it will look good on almost everyone, but it cannot be sheered out as easily as the CLINIQUE. If you want a universally flattering red that is pigmented and will last forever, this is it!

URBAN DECAY Revolution Lipstick in F-Bomb

I love this formula, and own a few of them. They feel and apply so completely smooth and soft, but they won't bleed or fade quickly like a lot of creamy formulas do. This is another neutral shade, but it is also a bit deeper than some of the others. I would call this hue "deep", while I would call some of the others more on the "bright" side, like the L'Oreal or SEPHORA. The deeper shade makes it a little more sultry in my mind. I absolutely love this color and formula. A lot of deeper-hued reds can look even deeper once I apply them to my fair skin, but this one manages to be slightly deep, but stay bright at the same time, if that makes any sense??

BITE BEAUTY High Pigment Pencil in Pomegranite

Ok, I know, I mention BITE BEAUTY in every lip post I do, but their products are all amazing. They are probably my favorite lip brand overall. These pencils are super pigmented, and have a slightly glossy finish. They are not as long lasting as the Matte Cream Lip Crayons, which I also mentioned in my Purple Lips post, but still don't need constant reapplying. I also like that they are twist up pencils, so you do not need to carry a sharpener in your purse or worry about them getting dull and not being able to apply them precisely. This is definitely the deepest shade of the bunch.


Monday, December 8, 2014

2015 Color of the Year

SEPHORA + PANTONE UNIVERSE INTRODUCING THE 2015 COLOR OF THE YEAR MARSALA A BOLD POP OF NEUTRAL Sephora + Pantone Universe introduces a complex, robust nude that reinvents and redefines neutrals with captivating dimension.
One of my favorite moments of every year is when Sephora and Pantone Universe announce the Color of the Year. They just announced the 2015 color of the year, and it is Marsala. I would describe this color as a slightly muted, very rich, reddish-brown. I am really excited to play with this color. It has a terrific mix of warm and cool tones to it, so I think it will be very flattering on any and every skintone. I was especially inspired by the picture above, with the matte lips and metallic eyes, two trends I have been really liking lately. It also immediately reminded me of three products I've been really liking, the Sally Hansen Miracle Gel in Spice Age I mentioned in my November Favorites, the Make Up Forever Artist Shadow in 608 I mentioned in my Fall Smokey Eye Tutorial, and the Gerard Cosmetics Lipstick in 1995 by Jaclyn Hill I mentioned in my October Favorites. I realized that apparently I've been liking this color lately, but I also realized that other than these three products, I don't really own too many products in this color. I am super excited to play with this color, but first I will need to get more of it! I will definitely do a Marsala Haul once I get a few more products in this color and I will share some of my looks as inspiration strikes me.
FRONT/CENTER: INTRODUCING MARSALALike I said, this color will look good on every skintone. It is also a great color for everyone to experiment with, not matter how much or little color you like on yourself, because it can be used in a variety of very subtle to very pigmented products and looks. My favorite thing about 2015's Color of the Year though, is that is is great on every feature. Some of the colors of years past, such as 2013's Emerald, were only good on certain features like nails and eyes (I don't really see many people wanting to try Emerald cheeks or lips for example). 2014's Radiant Orchid was also good for nails, cheeks, lips, eyes, etc., but I can see Marsala being even more universal. Clearly I am excited about this color. Sephora's collaboration collection with Pantone will be out in January, and for the meantime, they have already lined up a list of products in Marsala to get you introduced. What do you guys think? Do you like this color? Do you plan to try it? On a side note, this color instantly made me think of a specific color everyone has been obsessed with recently, Kylie Jenner's lips, and I can't help but thinking that they may have inspired 2015's color of the year. This muted, yet still potentially bold shade definitely also reminds me of that 90's Supermodel look (which can be compared to Kylie's lips too), which I love. I am very excited to play with it, and to see what everyone else creates with it!






Wednesday, December 3, 2014

Winter Skin Savers

Winter is here. That's a fact. And that means colder, drier weather, which also means, drier, parched skin. I honestly have a different skincare routine for every season, it changes with the weather because skin changes with its environment. I talked about my Favorite Fall Skincare back in September, and this collection is my favorite winter skincare. I am pretty dry to begin with, but in the winter months, I just CANNOT get enough hydration and moisture into my skin. Drinking plenty of water definitely helps, but these products give me the much needed moisture boost required in winter.


Fresh Seaberry Moisturizing Face Oil

Beauty oils have been all the rage in the last year or so since Josie Maran introduced us to Argan Oil. I have tried a number of them, and this is my all around favorite, especially as my already dry skin gets drier in the winter. I like to put this on at night, after I wash my face, and before my moisturizer. Oil is actually meant to be applied by pressing it into the skin, not rubbing it like you would naturally do. I put a few drops in my fingertips and press them all over my face so that it really gets absorbed. Regardless of which moisturizer I use over it, my skin always feel softer and smoother in the morning if this was underneath it.

First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream

I love everything First Aid Beauty makes, and so does my sensitive skin. I talked about how much I love their 5 in 1 Face Cream in my Products I've Hit Pan On earlier, and I still love that as my daytime moisturizer, especially because it has SPF in it. This stuff is similar, but with even more amped up moisture. This is great for nighttime or daytime, and can be used not just on your face, but hands, elbows, anywhere you are experiencing dry patches. It is so thick and creamy, it feels so luxurious when you put it on, and it really works to cure those dry, flaky patches (which no one wants to apply makeup over).

PHILOSOPHY Hope In a Jar Night

Hope in a Jar has been a cult favorite for years. I do like it, but I never found it moisturizing enough for my dry skin. I was intrigued to try a product with Alpha Hydroxy as I had always heard what a great moisturizer it is, but I was scared to put it on my sensitive skin. After a lot of research, I decided to give this formula a try, and I fell in love! Instantly. This is one thick night cream, and when you wash your face in the morning, you have seriously never felt silkier, smoother skin. You won't be able to stop touching your face because it will be unbelievably soft. It also causes absolutely no irritation to my skin, which most things bother. My favorite nighttime combination is the Fresh Seaberry Oil under this, and in the morning, oh my god...amazing. The only thing I would change about it is the smell. It is pretty subtle, but what is there smells kind of chemical-ish.

Soap & Glory Hand Food Hand Cream

I mentioned how much I love the C.O. Bigelow Chapped Hand Remedy in my Favorite Fall Skincare, and I still use that one this time of year, but Hand Food is definitely my winter staple. It is so thick, so silky, sooooo hydrating, and yet doesn't feel sticky or greasy. Your hands just feel instantly soft and restored. My hands get super flaky in the winter, and this keeps them from practically peeling. It actually keeps them really, really soft. I keep one everywhere, on my desk, my end table, in my purse, everywhere and just keep applying. The scent is also really nice and refreshing. It is the Soap and Glory Signature Pink scent, which a lot of people love. It's not very strong, and it's just crisp and clean. They also have a great holiday set of three mini bottles, one in the Original Pink scent, one in Fruitigo, a slightly tropical scent, and one in Sugar Crush, a warm, sweet, but not bakery smelling scent.

boscia Tsubaki Deep Hydration Sleeping Mask

In my Favorite Fall Skincare I also mentioned the Clinique Moisture Surge Overnight Mask, which is still great, but like I said, the more moisture the better in the winter. This one has Tsubaki Oil in it, which is another beauty oil, and very moisturizing. This one feels only slightly creamier than the Clinique, which feels more like a gel, when you apply it, but I find that it is definitely more moisturizing. You use it the same way, apply a thick layer before bed (which you can do over your beauty oil, and I like to) and let it soak in overnight while you sleep. It sounds weird, but it really doesn't get all over the place and your pillow. I'm not sure how, but it doesn't, it just leaves you with very hydrated skin in the morning. boscia actually released a whole line of Tsubaki oil products, including a cleansing oil-gel and a beauty oil. I really like both of those too, but this one was definitely my favorite of the three, and I am in love with sleeping masks in general.

Clinique 7 Day Scrub Cream

Exfoliating is at least as important as moisturizing when skin is dry, if not more. Exfoliating is going to get rid of those dead, dry skin cells on the surface, and leave you with fresh, smoother skin to apply your other products to. I find a lot of exfoliating products can be really rough, which leave my skin really irritated, not to mention red. This one is a little finer grain, so it is more gentle, but still very effective. I have definitely also tried some where they are fine grain so they don't irritate my skin, but they don't really exfoliate much either. This one is a perfect balance of gentle and effective. It doesn't really have any scent either, just a minimal, clean scent, which I like in skincare. I don't like to feel like I'm rubbing perfume on my face. 

Korres Greek Yoghurt Moisturizing Face Cream

Greek Yogurt is not only yummy, it's a great moisturizer. It does kind of look like yogurt in the jar, but when you think about it, a lot of moisturizers in a jar look like that, you just aren't thinking about it because they don't contain it. This feels so creamy and rich, but is still light enough to use under makeup without your makeup sliding everywhere. This is definitely not a nighttime moisturizer, it's not quite thick enough for that, but I love this in the drier months as my daytime moisturizer. And yes, I usually have a couple day and night moisturizers in each season's rotation. It again has a nice, clean, crisp scent that isn't overpowering. I struggle sometimes with finding something moisturizing enough, but not greasy, and this is definitely a winner.

Maybelline Baby Lips Dr. Rescue Lip Balm

I am in love with this lip balm. I raved about the Soothing Sorbet flavor in my November Favorites, and I went and bought the non-tinted version now too. I always liked the original Baby Lips, but the Dr. Rescue line is amazing. I like medicated balms in the winter to really combat the dryness and prevent cracks. They also do a great, and fast, job of healing cracks that you still may get. However, some medicated ones bother my lips and make them almost burn. This does not, and it doesn't feel grainy like some medicated balms can. It also does not feel waxy, like some also can. It just feels super smooth and buttery and creamy and comforting. It also lasts forever. I put it on this morning and it lasted through two cups of coffee and then a few more hours before I even started to feel like I needed to reapply.

The Body Shop Chamomile Silky Cleansing Oil

So in my November Favorites I also mentioned that I love The Body Shop's Chamomile Cleansing Butter (go read why, it's amazing). And as you can probably tell, when I find a product I like, I stick to it. I just use the even more moisturizing product in that line for the winter. I use pretty much the same brands and lines all year round, I just use different levels of moisturization depending on the season. I LOVE cleansing oil. Washing your face with oil might sound like a contradiction, but it's not, it's amazing and it works for everyone! Oil combats oil, so even non-dry people can use this, and dry people will find it doesn't strip your face of the moisture you have like some cleansers can. This one smells so soothing, almost as soothing as it feels, and it's very gentle. It also does a really good job of breaking down makeup. Seriously, if you haven't tried a cleansing oil, go try one, you will love it!

The Body Shop Hemp Foot Protector

I know no one likes to talk about feel, especially about how they can get flaky and cracked in the winter. Eew. But hey, it happens. I find a lot of foot butters can be just plain greasy, especially if you want to use them during the day. You apply them in the morning and your feet just slip around inside your sock or shoe all day long. Not this one, this one actually absorbs, but it is also thick enough that it actually moisturizes. I feel like I have tried so many foot creams and they all either leave you slip sliding away, or don't really do anything, I can never find a happy medium, and then I found this. The smell is...unique. It's kind of strong, and really hard to describe, but I like it. Not everyone will, but they do make some that are similar with different scents.





Monday, December 1, 2014

November Favorites and Fails

1) Urban Decay Eyeshadow in Roach

This color is so beautiful, and so perfect for fall. It is kind of hard to explain the color, but the website has it described as "Deep Burgundy Metallic Brown", which I would say is pretty accurate. The base of the color is an extremely rich, warm brown. There is a warm wine shade mixed in with that, and the combo has a metallic finish. I love metallic finishes, and I love how versatile this one is. It is just slightly metallic if applied dry, but if you wet your brush first, you can get a really foiled finish that's almost mirror like. Between having fun with different finishes, how good this color makes my eyes look, and how perfectly gorgeous this color is for fall, I have been using this a TON this month.