New lip balm alert! Burt’s Bees Tinted Lip Balm ($7.00 USD) — Care for your lips with beautiful, sheer color. These new tinted balms give you a hint of color with a soft, sweet flavor and natural ingredients that moisturize and condition your lips. Available in six flirty shades – Hibiscus, Honeysuckle, Tiger Lily, Pink Blossom, Red Dahlia and Rose.
The main ingredient is shea butter. This natural fat obtained from the fruit of the karite tree is a valuable, nourishing addition to moisturizers for the reduction of wrinkles and to improve the elasticity of the skin and protect it against environmental aging.
What I think: I like these balms. They are very moisturizing and have a sweet taste. They also impart a soft color, like a light stain. The great thing about Burt’s Bees is that you can feel good about using these all-natural products.
You can purchase these at www.burtsbees.com and at drugstores and mass market retailers near you. Enjoy!
This Spring there are a lot of fun and glamorous collections of color cosmetics debuting. I have reviewed a lot of them and plan to review more! The thing is that most of them are available at department stores and they are fairly spendy. The solution? Hard Candy is available at Walmart — and it is cool and affordable.
Hard Candy’s spring line includes lots of skin brightening blushes and bronzers and really fun glitter lip glosses. The products I tried are:
Glossaholic – Sequin Saturated Shine Lip Gloss ($5.00 USD) — One dip covers your lips! Ginormous applicator with gloss cup deposits gloss to your whole mouth in one swipe! These super lustrous lip glosses are infused with prisms of color that make lips appear fuller and plumper. Out of this world hyper-reflective prisms of pearl make lips sparkle like crazy! Feeling tired or wired? Two Glossaholic sparkling clear top coats are infused with mood altering elixirs to help you Chill Out or Rise & Shine! – You can wear alone or as a top coat.
Glow All the Way – Instant Bronzer & Gradual Self-Tanner ($8.00 USD) — Improve your tanitude! A tinted, sunless self-tanner that gives you an all over Tropical Tan. The light, airy formula instantly bronzes face and body while the self tanner gradually builds a lasting tan that darkens with time. This light and airy formula moisturizes and will not streak or rub off onto clothes. Infused with 24 carat gold!
Fox in a Box – bronzing duos & blushing quads ($6.00 USD) — A highly pigmented multi-color powder compact that will surely bring out your inner foxy lady. Each box contains coordinated shades that blend together perfectly and a custom Hard Candy applicator brush. Sweep across chin, cheeks, and forehead and unleash the foxiness in you! This is such a cute box and the shades are gorgeous!
Pur Minerals Spring 2011 Exotic Oasis collection consists of tropical glowing colors that will guarantee to get your beauty routine out of the winter doldrums! The colors in both of the product I’ve tried are warm and shimmery — and really brighten dull skin. They are:
Triple the depth, drama and dimension with the adventure-ready Exotic Rocks Trio ($28.00 USD, $52.00 value), featuring two new additions to the Pür Rocks family. Give skin a rosy radiance with the popular Hot Rocks (shimmery pink shades), turn up the heat with Lava Rocks (rosy red) and touch the sun with Glow Rocks (beautiful bronze shades). Use alone or combine the multidimensional shades for an endless array of gorgeous looks for eyes, lips and cheeks.
Exotic Rocks Trio includes:
Lava Rocks
Hot Rocks
Glow Rocks
What I think: I have wanted to try the Hot Rocks because they looked like they would brighten the complexion with the shimmering pink combination of colors. I was so exited to hear about the addition of Lava Rocks and Glow Rocks. I love to use the Glow Rocks first like a bronzer — everywhere the sun would naturally touch my face, forehead, nose, chin and cheeks. In the day time I then sweep Hot Rocks on the apples of my cheeks and add Lava Rocks in the evening. The colors can be mixed to find the perfect flush of color for any complexion.
Make every day extraordinary with a brilliant mosaic of exotic eye shades and the undisputable glow of a sun-soaked getaway. Featuring a dazzling palette of tropical pastels and deep-sea corals, Nature’s Paradise ($28.00 USD, $132.00 value) captures the bold spirit of a season filled with excitement and mystery. Break away this spring with a stylishly intrepid look and claim your own piece of paradise.
What I think: They pretty palette will effortlessly take you from Spring to Summer. Use the pink blush and the soft pink and gold shadows for Spring and turn up the heat with the bronzer, and bronze and turquoise eye shadows for Summer. So pretty and complimentary on all skin tones.
Learn more and purchase at www.purminerals.com. Enjoy your bright new looks!
Lip balms are awesome — but lip balms with SPF are even better. Not only are you moisturizing, but you are protecting your delicate lip area. Jack Black Intense Therapy Lip Balms ($7.50 USD) have a whopping SPF 25 that helps protect from sun and wind!
Enriched with superior lip conditioners and antioxidants, these emollient balms calm, protect and relieve dry, chapped, irritated lips. Unlike waxy sticks, the unique formulas penetrate quickly to provide instant relief.
Flavors include:
New! Black Tea & Blackberry – Smooth and subtly sweet with powerful antioxidants
New! Grapefruit & Ginger – Fresh, subtly citrus and energizing
Lemon & Chamomile – Mellow and refreshing to calm and soothe
Natural Mint & Shea Butter – Clean and tingly to freshen breath
Vanilla & Lavender – Herbal, soothing and healing
I have tried the Lemon & Chamomile, which smells fresh and soothing. And it feels so smooth on and it is not greasy, which a lot of cream balms can be. I think this is a great buy — the product is definitely worth the price!
Availability: Jack Black Intense Therapy Lip Balm is available at Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Bloomingdale’s, Sephora, Saks Fifth Avenue and at www.getjackblack.com. Enjoy!
Celebrity makeup artist Mally Roncal creates beautiful cosmetics that enhance a women’s beauty while lasting all day. This is perfect for all of us busy women, whether we are spouses, mothers, hold full-time jobs, make time for hobbies (like beauty blogging) or a combo of these. It is wonderful to try a line that includes wearable shades that won’t fall down my face at noon! Lately, I have tried the following fabulous products:
Mally Beauty 24/7 Professional Blush System ($35.00 QVC) This 24/7 blush is made using two new technologies that activate one another for long-lasting results. It gives a beautiful, natural blush that lasts with a cream and a powder blush that you layer for an all day glow. Together, these two products create the perfect bond, locking in a long-wearing, fresh, dewy color that won’t budge.
Includes:
0.26 oz blush compact
Dual-ended brush
Mally Evercolor Long-Wear Shadow Stick Duo ($31.92 QVC) — These shadow sticks in beautiful shades bring out the white in your eyes and catch highlights when you bat your lashes. The bulletproof formula glides on, sets, and wears for hours–all you need are these sticks and a finger to smudge and soften. I love the shimmer and the fact that they only come off when you take them off! So pretty!
Includes:
Includes two 0.06 oz Evercolor shadow sticks — the colors combinations are:
Foxy: includes Rosy Taupe and Saddle Shimmer, both brown shades
Starlet: includes Dusk, a shimmery rose and Platinum, a metallic shimmer
Showstopper: includes Plum, a deep purple and Champagne, a shimmery beige
Mally “Rise & Shine” Long Wear 9-pc Brightening Collection ($67.00 QVC) — The best of Mally’s high-performance products in a total face collection that helps you refresh and recharge your looks–so you feel your best.
Includes:
0.3 fl oz Cancellation Conditioning Concealer in Fair, Light, Medium, Tan, or Rich
0.18 oz Rise & Shine eye shadow duo with eye shadow brush in Coffee and Mocha
0.13 oz Rise & Shine brightening blush
0.39 fl oz volumizing mascara in Black
0.04 oz Evercolor Starlight liner in Kona
0.10 oz luminizer in Heavenly
0.10 oz Highshine lip pen in Southern Peach
0.044 oz Brow Beauty Brow Boost in Taupe
Cosmetic pouch
Some of the highlights of this collection is the Cancellation Conditioning Concealer — a long-wearing, full-coverage, SPF 25 concealer to be used under and around eyes, all over face or on body. Cover anything you want to conceal; Volumizing mascara captures Mally’s time-tested method of building incredible lashes. The formula won’t budge, but comes off with soap and water; Evercolor Starlight liner in a long-wearing deep brown called Kona, perfect to brighten and define eyes when you need performance; The Highshine lip pen creates Mally’s signature super-shiny lip by delivering a primer, lipstick, and gloss in one. The Southern Peach is a really pretty neutral
My least favorite was the eye shadow only because it both the shades are a deep brown. A lighter color would have made a more complete eye look.
Tips to used the kit: Apply concealer under eyes and on lids; dab and blend gently. Also add to any spots that need concealment. Apply luminizer with fingers on lid and cheekbones. Dust eye shadow across lids, lash line to crease. Use eye liner on top and/or bottom lash line and in inner rims for a more smoky look. Stroke on two coats of mascara on top lashes, one on bottom. Using short, feathery upward strokes, apply Brow Boost. Smile and apply blush on apples of cheeks, blending up towards cheekbones. Finish with a gorgeous glossy lip.
What is it: Mally Ultimate Performance Lipcolor System ($25.00 QVC) is the last word in glossy, full-color lip color that shines and lasts. The Lip Lacquer and Lip Liner work together to deliver a gorgeous, shiny full-color lip look that lasts and won’t travel. The Lip Liner works all over the lip to prep and grab, while the Lip Lacquer goes on ultra smooth, unbelievably shiny, and stays put.
I had so much fun trying the Nail Fraud Houndstooth ($12.00 USD) decals! They are a fairly easy (once you get the hang of them) to apply and look very cool on! Here are some details of this cool product:
• Kit comes with two sets of 20 nails, a Nail Fraud emery board inside a re-useable clear pencil case.
• Easy to use. No experience necessary. Just pick the right size, place on nail starting from bottom and file off excess.
• Made from flexible film which is waterproof.
• Stays on for one week.
• Easy to remove, just peel off or use nail polish remover.
• Frauds advantage over Polish:
No waiting, No chipping, No smearing
The pros of this product are that they look amazing and are easy to apply. The cons are that they started peeling off about an hour after I applied them. I think with a top coat, they would last longer. I am now into my second day of wear, and the tips have peeled off of most of them. I would recommend these for a night out or a special event.
tarte has introduced some great new products for spring, that include products with fresh colors that are infused with Amazonian clay. These not only look great on, they are so good for the skin.
Some of the new products are:
Amazonian clay 12-hour blush($25.00 USD) in 8 shades. These solar-baked blushes are infused with Amazonian Clay, nature’s most perfect ingredient. These nutrient rich and skin-nourishing Amazonian clay blushes restore harmony for a flawless finish that lasts all day. The soft blush is great for all skin types:
Oily skin: Amazonian clay minimizes oil in and around pores to balance skin and keep product in place
Dry skin: Amazonian clay hydrates skin naturally to restore moisture so your blush wears better & longer
Dull skin: Amazonian clay improves the appearance of skin clarity and skin texture — Combination skin: Amazonian clay is completely intuitive; gives skin an overall smooth
& even appearance
Available in 8 shades: amused (bright pink), blissful (warm peach), blushing bride (plummy rose), dollface (light pink), exposed (nude), flush (deep berry), natural beauty (red) and tipsy (coral).
LipSurgence™ natural lip luster ($24.00 USD). As a follow-up to the best-selling LipSurgence™ natural lip stains, these shimmering lip lusters give a high dose of color and shine in an easy twist-up stick. Just like the original, our LipSurgence™ technology delivers a surge of moisture on a cellular level for a naturally plumped up appearance while natural peppermint adds a refreshing burst of flavor with each application.
Earth engineered from a proprietary blend of plant bio-nutrients our LipSurgence™ technology quickly absorbs into the skin delivering a surge of moisture on a cellular level while boosting peptides stimulate skin’s own regenerative system and assist in the formation of collagen. This proprietary blend increases skin’s water content for a ‘plumped up’ appearance. The result is naturally fuller, healthier lips without any irritation or stinging. Available in 6 shades: fever (red), pouty (berry), frisky (bright pink), adored (light pink), glisten (peach) and buff (nude)
neutralEYES natural eye palette ($44.00 USS) — Straight from the Runway, neutralEYES natural eye palette has all of your eyessentials for spring! This versatile palette contains 10 Amazonian clay-infused shadows in neutral & universally flattering shades, emphasEYES™ aqua-gel eyeliner in brown, a double-ended shadow brush & a free sample of lifted™ natural eye primer with Firmitol™. Apply lifted™ first as a long-wear shadow base that also helps decrease the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles by 51% (in just 10 minutes). Then using the double-ended shadow brush create the look of your choice by using the softly milled shadows (tip: you can also wet them for a more dramatic effect). To complete the look, we suggest applying emphasEYES™ aqua-gel eyeliner in brown, which glides on smooth and dries down to a long-lasting finish.
I love spring makeup because of its ability to freshen and brighten my pale winter skin. The colors this season are romantic and much softer than the bold winter hues.
A fab collection that embodies the new lovely spring colors is the In Bloom collection from Smashbox Cosmetics. The look on the spring runways were delicate and girly –from radiant, lit-from-within skin to hazy, neutral eyes and glossy nude pouts. With light, luminous looks for eyes, cheeks, lips and skin, In Bloom is your ultimate spring beauty update.
The In Bloom Collection includes:
IN BLOOM EYE SHADOW PALETTE & BRUSH ($48.00 USD value $180.00 )-ballet pink, lavender grey, golden pink, warm taupe, bone, soft violet, marine blue, shimmering copper, moss, nude — Spring beauty is in full bloom with this ten shade palette of ultra-luxe shimmers and wearable mattes, arranged vertically in duos for effortless customization. Apply with the included eye shadow brush for a flawless finish.
CREAM CHEEK DUO in BLUSHING/PEONY ($26.00 USD) -soft pink/bright pink — This duo of creamy, rose shades offers a sheer natural flush to cheeks and lips anytime, anywhere. Wear alone or pair together for a rush of custom color. Apply with fingertips or a Foundation Brush and blend.
SOFT FOCUS POWDER EYE LINER ($22.00 USD each) -heather grey or dark brown — This innovative powder formula creates a soft smoldering look in seconds. Before using, shake well and tap off any excess powder before lining the lashline.
LIMITLESS LONG WEAR LIP GLOSS WITH SPF 15 ($21.00 USD each)-Timeless (soft pink) or Endless Kiss(coral pink) — Get juicy color and long-lasting shine with added pout protection from SPF 15. Packed with vitamins and minerals, this unique formula benefits and boosts lips. Apply to bare lips or layer over your favorite Smashbox lipstick for gorgeous color and shine that lasts up to six hours.
ARTIFICIAL LIGHT LUMINIZING POWDER ($20.00 USD) -shimmering soft nude — Inspired by top-selling Artificial Light Luminizing Lotion, this soft shimmering powder highlights and brightens for a radiant glow. Apply to inner corners of eyes, down the bridge of nose, above brows and to the tops of cheekbones with the targeted applicator. It can also be mixed with body lotion and applied to arms, legs and décolleté for a subtle shimmer.
I have tested the Timeless lip gloss and the cheek duo. Both products give beautiful color. The lip gloss is sheer and so pretty on. It is a bit sticky, but does last a long time and is moisturizing on dry lips. I also love that it includes SPF, which is perfect for sunny spring and summer days. The cheek duo looks brighter in the pan then on the face. It is so soft and pretty on. I love the glow that cream blush gives, plus you can put it on your lips for a pretty monochromatic look.
WHERE TO FIND IT: Smashbox.com, Sephora, Sephora inside JCPenny, Ulta, Nordstrom, Beauty.com, and select Macy’s — Enjoy!
If you have been reading my blog for a while, you will know that I love reviewing new mascaras. My favorites are ones that lengthen, volumize and do not smudge. A tall order? Perhaps, but I think I found a mascara that provides all three.
It is d.j.v. beautenizer Volume Lash mascara ($24.00). This mascara, available in Pure Black, claims that it volumizes, conditions and smudge-proofs each and every lash. Volume Lash’s versatile volume sculpting brush is designed to hold plenty of its new, 3D film-coating formula to cover and condition all your lashes with nourishing oils. This quick dry formula prevents lashes from clumping while giving you an all day smudge-free look. Of course, when you’re ready to remove Volume Lash at the end of the day, all you need is warm water. It’s fuss-free.
I love that this mascara does volumize plus lengthen. It also doesn’t smear, but flakes a bit at the end of the day. Removal is a bit tough, you need lots of water to get it all off. Makeup wipes do not work on it. But, if you want a dramatic look, this product delivers!
This is available exclusively in Sephora, Sephora inside JCPenney and Sephora Canada.
The 3D Multidimensional Beauty Collection from LORAC is a great way to infuse your Spring makeup look with some shimmer. The products below are very unique in that many of them include holographic pigments. The products are:
MULTIPLEX 3D LASHES MASCARA ($22) – This volumizing and thickening mascara takes your lashes to the next level by instantly delivering 3 times the volume. MULTIPLEX 3D LASHES has a buildable, smudge-resistant and multidimensional formula that creates a dramatic lash look. Featuring beneficial ingredients like silk and keratin to nourish and condition. The professional curved brush easily grabs, lifts and curls for maximum coverage and length.
3D LIQUID LUSTRE ($16) – A shimmering top coat that lets you amp up your look. This paraben-free, long-lasting, shimmering coat can be applied over eye shadow or worn alone on eyes and cheeks for a luminous, prismatic 3-Dimensional sparkle and shine.
3-in-1 WATERPROOF EYELINER PENCIL ($18) – Get sexy, smoldering, defined eyes with this no-smudge, no-budge waterproof eyeliner pencil. This new eyeliner features a creamy, velvety-smooth texture and intense rich color that easily glides on for a clean, precise line. This transfer-resistant retractable pencil is equipped with its own sharpener and “smudger” for effortless, versatile application. Available in Ultra Black, Chocolate and Eggplant.
MULTIPLEX 3D EYE SHADOW PALETTE ($38) – This Sephora Exclusive Limited Edition Palette contains high-wattage 3-Dimensional color with 6 velvety-smooth shadows infused with luminous, prismatic, holographic lustre, long-lasting pigments and versatile color. The shadows can be worn dry for a soft, natural finish or wet for a more intense color pigment. It can even be worn wet or dry as an eyeliner. The faux animal print palette fits perfectly in your purse or clutch and is very on-trend for the season!
MULTIPEX 3D LIP GLOSS DUO ($28) – Get two glam and gorgeous shades of our popular Multiplex 3D Lip Gloss for the sexiest lips ever! This innovative, paraben-free lip gloss contains holographic pigments, long-lasting color and high-lacquer shine. The duo features 2 shades – 3D (Rose Bronze with glitter) and 4D (Bubble Gum Pink with glitter).
MULTIDIMENSIONAL BEAUTY COLLECTION ($35) – This ULTA Exclusive Collection contains everything you need for MULTIDIMENSIONAL eyes and lips. Featuring 3 prismatic light-reflecting shadows for dramatic shimmering color and MULTIPLEX 3D Lip Gloss in ULTA GLAM for super glossy 3D lips. All enclosed in a metallic mesh makeup case that can double as your evening clutch.
I tested the 3D Eye Shadow Palette and the 3-in-1 Waterproof Eyeliner Pencil. I love the shadows because not only do they give a great variety for many looks — the multi-dimensional shimmer is really gorgeous. The color included are Opalescent Gold with Pink Pearl, Amber Bronze with Gold Pearl, Red/Brown with Green Pearl, Silver with White Pearl, Royal Blue with Electric Blue Pearl, and Midnight Black with Holographic 3D Glitter. The ones I have been loving are the gold with the pink pearl because it is soft and pretty and the red-brown with green because it is so amazing. I dust it over my lid and when I turn my head the color changes. So cool! The shadows are also very long-lasting.
The eyeliner is very good, too. It has a fairly soft consistency and can give a light or heavy line. It is also very pigmented and stays on all day!
Forty, Flirty & Fabulous 