Get the Look: Perfect Nude Lippies At The 2015 Grammy Awards

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Did you watch the Grammys last night? Me neither. (I was busy with my little ones, then collapsed into bed.)

But, I definitely checked out the beauty and fashion round ups this morning. While my favorite beauty look was Jennifer Hudson, her purple/berry lippie is hard for most of us to pull off.

I was definitely struck by how many of the stars had amazing nude/neutral lips. I usually expect to see darker reds and berries in the winter, but this year's Grammy Red Carpet was definitely the year of the nude lippie!

View image | gettyimages.com

View image | gettyimages.com

View image | gettyimages.com

View image | gettyimages.com

View image | gettyimages.com

View image | gettyimages.com

View image | gettyimages.com

View image | gettyimages.com

View image | gettyimages.com

View image | gettyimages.com

View image | gettyimages.com

There are a lot of ways to get the look yourself. There are all sorts of lists out there for the best nude lipstick (I've even written some of them myself). But I think that the easiest and most flattering way to get the look is with a lip crayon. You want one that is creamy and tinted enough to offer a bit of color, but still translucent. I really think that bit of translucency is the key to a nude lippie looking great in real life. Without it, unless you have absolutely the right color (and let's face it, there isn't a perfect nude lipstick for everyone), you'll look washed out. The translucency lets you fudge it a bit.


My favorite products for this look are the Burt's Bees Lip Crayons and Lip Shines (I've pulled my favorite colors for this look and used them in these pictures, but you can see their full range of lip shades here). The Lip Crayons are creamy and more pigmented than their tinted lip balms, but offer just the right amount of translucency. The perfect nude tone is really a peachy-pink, so I layer a little bit of Carolina Coast over Sedona Sands. The finish is a semi-matte, though I like to layer a tiny bit of the Lip Shine over it. I just dab it into the center of my lower lip to add some depth and make my lips look a little plumper, Spontaneity is my favorite to use.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Burt's Bees. The opinions and text are all mine.

4

Lip Savers: Products To Keep Your Pout Happy This Winter

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I can't be the only one out there that needs to dramatically up their lip product game as soon as the weather turns a bit cold! My lips seem to be pretty sensitive to the cold and low humidity of winter. If I'm not super vigilant about my lip balm, exfoliating and breaking out a heavy duty treatment as soon there's a sign of trouble... well, things can get painful quickly.

So, I've tried a huge array of lip products. Some good, some bad, and some amazing! I thought I'd share my favorites with you.

Scrubs

Not everyone needs a lip scrub, but I definitely do! When using a lip scrub, think of them as maintenance for your lips. You want the dry skin off so the hydrating lip balms and treatments can work right. You can use a lip scrub once or twice a week to do this, though you could just use your toothbrush on your lips and be done with it. (Let's face it, that second option isn't as much fun!)

Personally, I like a scrub once a week or so. I look for a scrub with either lots of small grit or a sugar scrub, those both work well for me. The goal is to wash your lips and have them feel well scrubbed, but not like you scrubbed off the entire top layer of your lips. If your lips are super chapped and peeling that is not the time to use a lip scrub, you'll only damage your lips more! So, only scrub healthy lips.

Here are the lip scrubs that I've tried and loved in the past, not all of them have made it to the blog.

1. Lush Bubble Gum Lip Scrub

2. Bite Beauty Whipped Cherry Lip Scrub

3. Bliss Fabulips 'Pout'-o-matic Spa Powered Lip-Perfecting System (my review)

4. e.l.f. Studio Lip Exfoliator (mentioned here)

5. Fresh Sugar Lip Polish

6. Sara Happ The Lip Scrub Brown Sugar Lip Exfoliator (my review)

7. Mally Beauty Perfect Prep Lip Scrub

Hydrators

These are my daily go-to products for hydration. I leave them on my nightstand, always have one in my purse and usually will apply one of these products at the beginning of my makeup routine. By the time my mascara is on, my lips are perfectly prepped for a lippie!

8. Kiehl's Since 1851 Lip Balm #1

9. Aquaphor Lip Repair Ointment

10. MAC Lip Conditioner

11. Nivea Lip Butter Raspberry Rose Kiss

12. Eve Lom 'Kiss Mix' Lip Treatment

Intensive Treatments

When your lips are acting up, you need to turn to a more intensive treatment. While I still use my hydrating products during the day, I'll turn to one of these super hydrators a few times a day as well. They also offer ingredients that will help my lips recover quickly, and they can take the place of my regular hydrating balm or they're an extra treatment.

14. Jouer Lip Enhancer Conditioning Lip Treatment

15. Clinique Superbalm Lip Treatment

16. Hourglass N° 28 Lip Treatment Oil

17. First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Lip Therapy

18. AmorePacific Moisture Bound Lip Treatment

19. Osmia Organics Honey-Myrrh Lip Repair

20. Bite Beauty Agave Lip Mask

21. Clarins Moisture Replenishing Lip Balm

Anti-Aging Products

Yes, even your lips age. Because most of us don't remember to apply sunscreen to them, along with the extra thin skin in this area, it can be one of the earliest areas to age. Luckily there are quite a few lip products that have ingredients specially formulated for reversing, or at least fighting, this process.

22. StriVectin Clinical Corrector Anti-Aging Lip Tint SPF 20

23. Peter Thomas Roth Un-Wrinkle Lip Treatment

24. La Mer 'The Lip Balm'

25. Caudalie Polyphenol C15 Anti-Wrinkle Eye & Lip Cream

26. Clinique All About Lips

27. Your Best Face Define


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3

Easy to Wear Red Lippies

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I crave red lippies every fall. Red glosses, tinted lip balms, lipsticks, lip stains... you name it, and I want it in red! The problem is that red lips are a lot (a lot) of work, and they're a pretty bold, hey look at me choice. I'm not usually quite that comfortable in such a bold lip choice. So, I like to ease my way into it each fall, starting with an easier to wear lip choice! Here's a peek at some options that can help ease you into wearing red lippies if you haven't started yet.

Want some inspiration? Head over to Pinterest for my Red Lips to Die For board!

Tinted Balm and Lipstick Hybrids
Dior Rouge Dior Baume Natural Lip Treatment in 758 Lys Rouge
This is a soft, natural red that is very well pigmented.

Chanel Rouge Coco Shine Hydrating Sheer Lipshine in Dialogue
This sheer lipshine has great pigmentation and is actually a medium toned red, check out the great pictures over in Temptalia's Review.

Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Volupté Shine Lipstick in 25 Red Indocile
This lipstick is very creamy and hydrating. It does take a little more care during application than a regular tinted balm, but it is definitely easier to apply and keep looking fresh throughout the day than a regular lipstick!

Too Faced La Cremé Color Drenched Lipstick in Jelly Bean
This is a very pretty Rasberry Red, it is just a bit translucent and the formula is very hydrating.


Lip Crayons
Clinique Chubby Stick Moisturizing Lip Color Balm in Chunky Cherry
Bright and fun, this is a hydrating balm that is a bit translucent and lets your lips shine through.

Burt's Bees Lip Crayon in Napa Vineyard
This is a semi-matte lipstick that feel hydrating and lasts for hours.

Revlon ColorBurst Balm Stain in Romantic
Revlon's formula has spawned many imitations for a reason! This darker red-brown is surprisingly flattering for almost every skin tone and easy to wear.


Glossy Stains
Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Pur Couture Vernis a Lèvres Collectors Glossy Stain in Rouge Laque
I love the YSL Glossy Stains, they're lip stains with shine! They feel hydrating and last for hours, not to mention there are a huge number of very flattering shades.

L'Oreal Paris Colour Riche Caresse Wet Shine Stain in Endless Red 190
The L'Oreal Wet Shine Stains are a great near dupe for the YSL Glossy Stain formula! There are a ton of shades, but Endless Red is a classic red color that works for pretty much anyone.

Dior Addict Fluid Stick in 869 Vie D'enfer
Dior's Fluid Sticks are similar in formula to the YSl and L'Oreal, though they are more pigmented.


Lip Glosses
CoverGirl Wetslicks Fruit Spritzers Lip Gloss in Cranberry Splash

Milani Lip Intense Liquid Color in Red Extreme

L'Oreal Paris Infallible Never Fail Lipgloss in Rebel Red 315

Burberry Beauty Lip Glow Natural Lip Gloss in No. 23 Oxblood

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3

What A Difference A Lippie Makes: Burt's Bees Lip Crayons

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Now that the holidays are here, it is amazing how busy everyone is! Between holiday shopping, preparing for celebrations and recovering from those celebrations, there are are just not enough hours in the day. In my final post with the Burt's Bee Lip Crayons, I'm showing how just changing out your lippie can make a big difference in your overall look! I fully admit that I've become obsessed with these lip crayons, they have a creamy matte finish and last for hours. While there are 6 shades currently, I'm hoping that more shades are released soon!



I started with just a very basic eye look. I primed my eye and then put a matte vanilla shadow all over the lid, up to the brow bone. I have a light brown in my crease and dark brown liner on just my upper lash line.



I paired this basic look with Sedona Sands, which is a fantastic nude shade on my lips! I love that it has just a little bit of pink in the nude tone, it keeps the color from washing me out. This is look is perfect for every day, whether I'm home with my newborn or we're out running errands together!



By trading out Sedona Sands for Hawaiian Smolder, I've added some fun color to the look. I would probably wear this look for the same things, I love a bright lippie just for every day, but it would also be great for going out to dinner. I've layered a little bit of Burt's Bees Lip Gloss in Spring Splendor over the Hawaiian Smolder, just to add a bit of shine and dimension to my look. Over in the Burt's Bees Lip Tip Library you'll find a lot of great color combinations!



For the last look, I wanted something more dramatic that you could easily wear to a party. I started with the same eye look as earlier, but added a bit of a shimmery nude shadow over my lid. It was just enough to pick up the light, but the look is still very light. I then used an angled brush to apply a dark brown shadow along both the upper and lower lash lines, really adding more emphasis to my eyes. It only took about 2 or 3 minutes to do this, making this a quick and easy day to night look!


I wore my new favorite red lippie, the Lip Crayon in Napa Vineyard, with the more dramatic eye look. There's a little of the same Spring Splendor in the center of my lip for a little extra shine as well.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Burt's Bees. The opinions and text are all mine.

The Best Drugstore Lippies

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Sheila Arkee from Painted Ladies
"I am stuck on 1. Wet n Wild Mega Last Matte lipstick in Think Pink. What a gorgeous pink. I have a few of these stashed in different locations!"

Brooke from Blushing Noir
"The 2. Milani Power Lip in Creamy Cafe. It's a liquid lippie, but it counts!"

Nidia from Lit From Within
"3. Burt's Bees Starry Night lip gloss. Beautiful berry color!"

Prime Beauty
"4. Maybelline Color Whisper in Pin Up Peach!"

Jamie Allison Sanders from The Beauty of Life
"5. Bonne Bell Lip Smackers in every single flavor (but especially Dr. Pepper, Watermelon and Vanilla)."

Alyson from The Gloss Menagerie
"Revlon Lip Butters in 6. Tutti Frutti and 7. Pink Truffle."

Harshleen from BeautyTidbits
"Revlon Colorburst Lip Butters. And my favorite shade is 8. Peach Parfait...it's such a gorgeous pinky-peach with subtle shimmer."

Sandra D. from Mom's Makeup Stash
"I live in Canada and am in LOVE with the 9. Lip Lacquers by Gosh Cosmetics. They come in really cool glass bottles that resemble nail polish and have such a nice consistency without being sticky. My favourite everyday shade is "Innocent Lips" but if I'm looking for a bolder colour I usually reach for Crispy Lips!"

Liesl from Liesl Loves Pretty Things
"10. Maybelline Vivids in Infra-red, hands down. It was a limited edition release last spring but can still be found in stores, on occasion. I'm stockpiling it. It's the most perfect, comfortable, creamy shade of orangey-red and it'll be a sad day when I have to go hunt down a company to custom make me a copy of it."

Miranda from Slashed Beauty
"I've been extremely impressed with the 11. NYC Expert Last Lip Colors, which debuted at the beginning of 2014. They are super pigmented, comfortable to wear, and have a decent wear time for just under $2. The shades range from bold pops of color to neutral every-day shades; there's one for everybody!"

Courtney from Phyrra
"The 12. NYX Butter Lipsticks, Razzle and Hunk are my favorites."

Linda from Beautzy Blog
"I'm obsessed with 12. NYX Butter Lipsticks. They're lightweight and creamy, and they can be layered depending on how much color you want to add to your lips."

Carleen from Beauty and Fashion Tech
"13. NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream. This is an awesome product! It goes on with rich color and wears through eating and drinking. I wear it a ton-more than many of my expensive lip products. San Paulo and Ibiza are my top two colors."

Makeup Artist Norah Salazar from Norah Loves Makeup
"14. Revlon Just Bitten moisture pencils are amazing, a balance of sheer with color, what more can a girl ask for?"


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3

Inspired by Nature: Burt's Bees Lip Crayons

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Recently I shared the new Burt's Bees Lip Crayons with you (check out my initial review of the Lip Crayons), and I have to admit that I'm just as obsessed today as I was when I first tried them out!





Why do I love them so much? These lip crayons are really hydrating, they have good coverage and they're 100% natural. They're actually inspired by nature, just look at the names of all 6 Lip Crayons!

• Redwood Forest
• Napa Vineyard
• Niagara Overlook
• Hawaiian Smolder
• Carolina Coast
• Sedona Sands


I'm really loving the lip crayons in Redwood Forest and Napa Vineyard this fall. I'm not usually a darker or red lip girl, but will wear red when I can find an easier way to wear it than a traditional lipstick. The Lip Crayons are perfect for this! Here's a pic of me wearing Napa Vineyard, from postpartum day #1!

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Burt's Bees. The opinions and text are all mine.

2

Beauty Bloggers' Favorite MAC Lipsticks

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Sandra D. from Mom's Makeup Stash
"Myth (1, buy it here) or Shy Girl (3, buy it here)........help I can't choose!!"

Brooke from Blushing Noir
"I reach for MAC Patisserie Lipstick (2, buy it here) constantly. I've repurchased several times."

Deb from No-Nonsense Beauty Blog
"Currently its Viva Glam V (4, buy it here). Its so popular that its often sold out. Perfect with a smokey eye."

Prime Beauty
"MAC Viva Glam Cyndi (5, buy it here)."

Carleen from Beauty and Fashion Tech
"Strawbaby from the Fafi (6) for MAC collection. I sure wish they would make this shade again!"

Courtney from Phyrra
"I really love Fusion Pink (7, buy it here), and Quick Sizzle (8, buy it here), and Candy Yum Yum (9, buy it here). Basically the brights!"

Sheila Arkee from Painted Ladies
"I cannot deny the everlasting power and love that's behind MAC Russian Red (10, buy it here). It's an all-time classic and favorite that is a perfect yellow-based red that is so versatile."

Jamie Allison Sanders from The Beauty of Life
"Is there anything better than Russian Red (10, buy it here)?"

Liesl from Liesl Loves Pretty Things
"Russian Red (10, buy it here). It is, quite frankly, a joy to apply and to wear, so elegant and dramatic, nothing high maintenance about it. Ruby Woo comes in second for me (11, buy it here)."

Makeup Artist Norah Salazar from Norah Loves Makeup
"Ruby Woo (11, buy it here) is the perfect red for most skin tones and it is semi matte."

Makeup Artist Kim Porter from Makeup by Kim Porter
"I would have to say Heroine (12, buy it here). I love, love, love this color. It's great for fall or a night time look. And it's purple - my favorite color."

Nidia from Lit From Within
"I have one - Lorde's Pure Heroine (13, buy it here). I love vampy lippies."


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1

Burt's Bees Lip Crayon Review and Swatches, Easy Daily Look Tutorial

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Burt's Bee Lip Crayon has just been released, and I have to admit that I'm pretty obsessed! There are 6 shades, they're all moisturizing and have a creamy, matte finish. I love that they're well pigmented, but they have just enough translucency to make them very easy to wear and flattering.


Burt's Bees does have a Lip Shade Finder to help you pick a great color, but I think it's pretty easy to just grab a few shades that fit a look you want, whether that's a red lippie, a vampy lip or something pretty natural and subtle. All of the shades that I've tried are universally flattering and will work no matter what your skin tone.

The Lip Crayons are smooth and creamy, I found that they feel pretty hydrating on my lips and are easy to apply without much extra work needed. I've found that they stick around for hours, without needing reapplication. You can very easily layer them with a gloss or balm to vary the color and finish, there's actually an entire page of Lip Look Tips on the Burt's Bees website, though I admit I haven't experimented with that yet. I've been pretty happy with just the Lip Crayon alone!

I decided to start with the pretty pink of Carolina Coast. I wanted a pretty, wearable look that was just right for every day. It's a look I would wear while running errands (which is what I did on Monday with this look), I could wear it to work or a 4 year old birthday party. Which is what I'm doing this weekend.


I started with a lid that was already prepped with shadow primer, Tarte's Colored Clay CC Eye Primer Stick. I used the Urban Decay Naked2 Basics Palette to create this look. First I used a fluffy shadow brush to put a wash of Skimp all over my lid up to the brow bone. It is a light ivory/nude shade with a satin finish. Next I used a crease brush to apply Frisk, a warm matte grey, into my crease and just a little bit into the outer corner of my eye.


I then used my beloved Elizabeth Arden Smoky Liner in black to line my upper lash line, and I did put a little bit in the waterline of my lower lash line as well. I used the Sephora #11 Smudge Brush to smudge both lines just a little bit, creating a softer look.


Next It was time for lashes and brows! My lashes are suffering a bit without my lash serum (it isn't pregnancy safe), but I've gotten pretty good results with curling my lashes, using Urban Decay's Perversion Lash Primer and then Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara. Next, I filled in my brows a bit with IT Cosmetics Your Brows but Better pencil.


To add a little emphasis to my brow, I trace a quick line of Too Faced Instant Attitude Brow Lift above and below my brows. It doesn't need to be perfect, I smudge it out quickly with my finger just to make my brow look more polished.

Next it was time to add concealer. Note that on this day I did use a bit more than usual. Why? I'm 8 1/2 months pregnant (meaning, I don't sleep well!) and in addition, I was on call the night before! I was getting phone calls from work. So, I needed a little extra help to look awake.

You can see the outline of where I spread my concealer, which was Amazing Cosmetics Amazing Concealer. Under my eyes it was spread out in a triangle under my eyes, and up into the inner corner of the eye. I also included some around the nostrils to cover up redness, and then a little in the middle of my forehead and center of my chin as a subtle highlight. I blended it in really well using my BeautyBlender sponge.


Since I'm going for a subtle, pink glowy look, I added just a little pink blush, Too Faced's Sweetheart Flush Blush in Something About Berry. I applied this shimmery pink blush just to the apples of my cheeks.

I finished up the look with Burt's Bees Lip Crayon in Carolina Coast. I'm really loving this color! It's pink but also pretty neutral and I think the depth works really well for my pale skin.


Fall has finally started here in Michigan, and since this was just a day of running errands this is the rest of my look! Sweater: Victoria's Secret (size down, I'm easily hiding my 8 1/2 month belly in a size large!), Leggings: Old Navy, Boots: Tory Burch, Purse: YSL (old, but similar here and here).

Burt's Bees Lip Crayon

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Burt's Bees. The opinions and text are all mine.

2

A Little Extra Color From A Tinted Balm: L'Oreal Pop Balm Swatch and Review

Product Sent for Review



I've professed my love for L'Oreal's tinted lip balms many, many times on this blog. I love that they're hydrating, they aren't sticky, they give me just the right hint of color and best of all, they're easy to keep in my jean pocket so I always. always. always. can have one with me.

But....

Sometimes a girl wants a little bit more color. I try using lipsticks, but I fully admit that I'm still just not a lipstick girl. My lips are a tad too dry, so I need to do quite a bit of prep work to get lipsticks to really work well for me, they're not something you can just swipe on while running around!



L'Oreal just released their Pop Balms this fall, they're like their normal Color Riche Balms, but they definitely have more color pay off. I've been reaching for them more often as the temperatures have finally dipped down below 70 on occasion here in Ann Arbor. The pinks are my current favorite, but Fiery Red is going to be my winter go-to red, I can already tell!

Like the Color Riche balms, these are hydrating, not sticky, and I can take them with me everywhere. Check them out if you're a bit anti-lipstick like I usually am!




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3

Makeup Wars: My Favorite Nude Lippies

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I've previously shared great nude lippies, but today for Makeup Wars we're sharing our favorites! I went through my pockets, purses and the top of my vanity to find the products, and shades, that I'm reaching for most often. Because my skin is so fair, I've found that I need to be really careful with light nude shades. Too light or too nude and I look ill. I usually need to add in a little bit of pink to give me a bit of color.

I'm often a drugstore makeup girl, but lately I've splurged a bit at Sephora. What nude lippies are you reaching for lately?

1. YSL Glossy Stain in 106 Beige Anarchist: The YSL Glossy Stains are a great formula and sometime in the last year or so they came out with beige-nude tones. I recommend picking out one that looks darker than your lip shade, they're pretty translucent.

2. NARS Lip Gloss in Belize: Super pretty mauve-pink-nude color, it should work for a lot of skin tones.

3. L'Oreal Paris Colour Riche Caresse Wet Shine Stain, Lilac Ever After 185 : I know this is often described as a purple, but it really isn't. I've repurchased this shade 3 times now I think? It is a bit mauve, a bit nude, and just deep enough to look like I have some color but not take over.

4. Maybelline Color Sensation Lipcolor Buffs, Nude Lust: These Maybelline lippies are really hard to find in stock, so I ordered this one on-line. I really like it, and I'm trying to ignore my urge to buy a few more shades.

5. L'Oreal Paris Colour Riche Le Balm, Caramel Comfort: Perfect for keeping in your pocket all the time!

6. YSL Rougé Volupte Shine in 10 Chocolate Instyle: It looks darker, but this is pretty translucent and comes across as just the perfect slightly darker than nude shade on my lips.

7. Maybelline ColorSensational Color Elixir Lip Color, Nude Illusion: The Maybelline liquid lips are a bit more pigmented than their L'Oreal cousins, I also like Caramel Infused.








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14

Too Faced's Melted Lipsticks: Is Super Pigmented For You?

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I'm a huge Too Faced fan. In my mind, they pretty much can do no wrong. Ever. If they make it, it will be amazing. Which is why it has taken me so long to write about their new Melted Lipsticks. I have had them for a while, and all of my blogging friends have been raving about them, but they weren't working for me.

I have finally come to the conclusion that it's just me, I'm not a fan of super pigmented lipsticks on my lips. I think they look a bit funny on me. On other people, they look amazing! I just need to work on getting used to them on myself.

I've "forced" friends to try these lippies too (ok, let's face it, there wasn't much forcing. Also, there were q-tips and sanitizing involved, so don't worry about cooties) and I thought they looked amazing in them and they loved them. I've convinced a few friends to go buy the shades (Melted Coral seems to be the favorite). I just think they look funny on my lips.



There are 8 shades of Melted Lipstick: Melted Nude, Melted Peony, Melted Coral, Melted Fuchsia, Melted Ruby and Melted Violet. The packaging is kind of perfect, you can squeeze the tube to get the liquid lipstick to come out of a felt tip top. I feel like this gives me a lot of control over how much product comes out. Definitely better than twisting or clicking!




You can see that the shades are all very, very pigmented. They are between a similar thickness to other liquid lipsticks, I don't really notice any flavor and they aren't sticky at all. They're super easy to apply, I just use the applicator directly. One of my favorite things about these lipsticks is that they can act like a stain as well, so I'll apply, leave it be for a few minutes, then wipe it off. I follow up with a light gloss, so I get the color and a bit of the translucency that I like. My favorite so far has been Melted Peony, but I'm looking for a good excuse to wear Melted Ruby. I might not need an excuse now that I think about it!

Are you like me, do you need a little translucency in your lippie? Or are you a super pigmented girl?

Too Faced
Product Sent for Review

5

Bliss Pout-O-Matic Lip Perfecting System Review

Product Sent for Review



Yes, that is a powered lip exfoliator. Is this necessary in life? No. But, I admit that I kind of love it.

Included in this set are a battery powered lip scrubber, battery, plastic cover for the lip scrubber, and extra head and what is probably the best lip scrub out there.


The lip scrubber is super easy to use, once you manage to get the battery in (hint: the end twists off, I just about lost a few fingernails trying to pry it off). Just grab a little bit of scrub onto the head and turn the tool on. It rotates over 450x a minute, so you know this little device is doing a lot more exfoliating than you'd do on your own just rubbing on the scrub.

The head for this scrubber is really the key, it's made of rubber that is still a bit flexible, but not so flexible that it can't scrub. The little nubs on it are small and have rounded heads, so they're not ripping up your lips. Instead, they're gently scrubbing away dryness and flakes. I love that they include an extra scrubber head, though I have no idea where to keep it so it is clean and I don't lose it. It's hanging out in my medicine cabinet at the moment.

The scrub is really great. This is a sugar scrub, and instead of using the big sugar granules it has smaller ones, like regular table sugar. It is also a bit drier than many other lip scrubs, so it is perfect with the lip scrubber. The grains are small and work perfectly with the rotating action, and I love that it has a light sugar-vanilla flavor.

After using the Pout-O-Matic my lips are definitely softer and I love that any flakes have gone away. And yes, this isn't necessary in life, but I love it! I'm using the Pout-O-Matic about 2x a week now, and you can be sure that I'm order more of the lip scrub online!

Bliss Pout-O-Matic Lip Perfecting System
Product Sent for Review

1

e.l.f. Mineral Moisturizing Lip Tint SPF 8

I Bought It



I think if you've been reading my blog for a while, you've noticed I have a bit of a lippie obsession. Especially for products that I can swipe on while on the go, without a mirror. Low maintenance lippies are my fave, so tinted balms are constantly in my pocket.



This tinted balm from ELF is probably the cheapest tinted balm I own at just $3. It's definitely hydrating, the formula contains ingredients like shea butter, Jojoba oil, Coconut Oil and Vitamin E. There is some modest (but not full spectrum) UV coverage. If I was heading to the beach I'd definitely grab something else as my lip sunscreen, but it's a nice bonus for every day wear.

I love that there is just the lightest hint of color. It's enough to show up on my lips, but it is sheer and flattering (and yes, it is a bit darker than it shows up in this swatch picture). There's a faint taste, I really can not describe it any better than as faintly sweet.

What lippie are you carrying around in your pocket lately?




e.l.f. Mineral Moisturizing Lip Tint SPF 8

1

Your Perfect Nude Lippie: Urban Decay Naked Ultra Nourishing Lipgloss Review and Swatch Pictures

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I know that I'm not the only one that has a bit of a problem finding great nude lippies that look right with my skin tone. And nude lippies are everywhere this season. I'm also not a lipstick girl at heart. I keep trying, but I will reach for a gloss or tinted balm 9 times out of 10 when given the option. So, a whole new line up of nude-ish lip glosses? From one of my favorite brands? Sign me up!

This gloss formulation is pretty great. I don't think that it is sticky at all, and I don't really notice a smell or taste to it at all. (Note, there are reviews on the UD website saying it has a strong chemical taste and scent. I don't have that at all, and I'm usually sensitive to those issues, I almost wonder if there was a bad batch?) The colors vary in their amount of pigmentation, but they all allow your lips to show through. I think they're very hydrating, more so than many of my lip balms. Which is great since we can't seem to shake the last bit of winter around my area!



There are 9 colors. I have to admit that while you can see a difference on my arm for the left 5 glosses (through Freestyle), on the lip I can't really tell those 5 apart. The differences are very subtle (FYI, if you right click on that pic above you should be able to open it in a new window, it is 2x that size to help you see the little shimmer and such). There's more difference for the other 4 on the right, especially Streak and Lovechild.

• Walk of Shame: Pale nude-pink with subtle micro-shimmer
• Nooner: Light neutral nude
• Rule34: Medium brown nude
• Naked: Nude-pink with pearly pink shift
• Freestyle: Brown nude with subtle mirco-shimmer
• Liar: Soft pink-mauve
• Beso: Deep pink-mauve
• Streak: Coral-peach
• Lovechild: Medium pink

I've been using mostly Nooner and Naked, but have Beso in my pocket as I type this post. What's your favorite nude lippie this season?

Urban Decay
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The Perfect Neutral Lips for Spring

Every winter, as soon there's even a hint of warmer weather on its way, I start craving nude and neutral lippies. I want peach, nude, pink, and combinations of those three. I want them in balms, lipsticks and glosses. I even want them in liquid lipsticks. Give me a lippie that works with any outfit for any occasion and I am a happy girl!

I'm on the lookout for this spring's perfect nude, and I've been combing through all of the shades that fellow bloggers and makeup artists have been recommending as their favorites. There's a longer list over in my Neutral Lippies Collection, but here's a look at the shades I have on my shopping list.

1. L'Oreal Colour Riche Balm in Caramel Comfort

2. Too Faced La Crème in Honey Hear (I already own this one, here's my Honey Bear swatch)

3. Wet n Wild MegaLast Lip Color in Just Peachy 903C

4. NARS Lipstick in Belle De Jour, this one also comes as a matte lip pencil

5. Buxom Full Bodied Lipstick in Nudist, this looks like just the right light nude beige!

6. Urban Decay Revolution Lipstick in Naked

7. Chanel Rouge Coco Shine in Canotier, this is one that many makeup artists have recommended. It is very shiny, just the right nude with pretty gold shimmer.

8. Rimmel Lasting Finish Lipstick By Kate in 105


What's your favorite nude lippie for spring? I'm obsessed with finding more amazing nude lips! Check out my Neutral Lippies Collection for more options, and look at my other collections on eBay and follow me!

My eBay Collections were curated as part of my collaboration with eBay #followitfindit and Style Coalition.

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Carrying In My Pocket: Burt's Bees Tinted Lippies

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Have you noticed that I have a thing for tinted lip balms? I love having something in my pocket that I can just slick on without a thought. I don't want to hunt down a mirror for perfect application, but I still want some color! I can't be the only one that looks too pale when her lips are completely bare, right?

A few months ago I picked up a Burt's Bees Tinted Lip Balm at the grocery store. They were there on an end cap (and strangely enough, that end cap was right next to the ice cream. It was a sign.) so I grabbed one. I hadn't used their tinted products in years, it was time to use them again right?

What happened next was somewhat predictable. I grabbed another one a few weeks later. And another a few weeks after that. I probably own 4 now, though since they live in my jeans pockets (and often, the pocket of my white coat at work), I usually have no idea where they are. They stay in pockets or get pulled out and put down places "where I'll find them later", like the kitchen counter and my nightstand. Finding a tinted lip balm to use that day is kind of amazing, a sign that it's going to be a good day.

When I was asked if I wanted to post about Burt's Bees, I have to admit, my only thought was... more. tinted. lip balm. yessss..... They sent me 4 products to try out (though I've bought all 4 formulas multiple times on my own in the past), and it was hard to fight the urge to start using these every day too. I had to force myself to take these pictures before I used them, all 4 tubes are now in various pockets (I'm wearing Sweet Violet as I write this post).


So, there are 4 different Burt's Bees formulations, and you can see from these swatches that all four formulations are translucent and offer varying levels of pigment. The Burt's Bees website describes different flavors on occasion, but I don't taste or smell anything from them. I love to layer the tinted balms under all of the others, just whichever ones I happen to be able to locate.

Lip Shimmer: There are 14 shades of lip shimmer, while Peony is in the mid-tone range of these shades, on the lip it is barely tinted and has some very pretty shimmer.

Lip Gloss: In my experience the glosses offer great non-sticky shine and are usually the most pigmented of the lippies. They come in 12 different shades, all 12 have a bit of shimmer.

Lip Shine: More shine, a bit less pigmented than the glosses, the 6 shades aren't shimmery.

Tinted Lip Balm: These ones are my favorite. There are 9 shades, and I swear I will collect them all (I'm hopeful that having so many means I'll always have one when I want it). There's just a hint of color, but it is enough to show up on my lips. It's nicely hydrating and has been my go-to lip balm this winter.

What's your go-to lippie right now?


Burt's Bees
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Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Burt's Bees through their partnership with POPSUGAR. While I was compensated by POPSUGAR to write a post about Burt's Bees, all opinions are my own.

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