Sephora – Page 7 – Forty, Flirty & Fabulous

Polish Your Look on New Year’s Eve With a New Lip Plumper

I was skeptical of lip plumpers for a long time. I have decent lips, why would I need to make them fat. Even worse is the fact that many lip plumpers contain irritants and make your lips sting. Ouch!

Now that they are more popular (and much less ouchier), I have been hearing very good things about some plumpers. One of the claims is that they smooth out fine lines in your lips and make your lips appear smoother.

So I began my research with the queen of all lip plumpers — LipFusion Lip Plumper ($38.00 USD). This lip plumping color shine is formulated with marine collagen micro-spheres that are absorbed by lips and then absorb moisture causing mild-swelling which gives lip a full, plump look. They say results can last for up to 48 hours. I don’t know about that but it did instantly plump and smooth my lips and didn’t sting at all. It left me with a little numbness, but it wasn’t unpleasant, and there are many shades to choose from. If you have $38.00 for lip gloss, I’ll be your friend! And try this gloss, it does live up to the hype!

Another great gloss is bareMinerals Buxom Big and Healthy Lip Polish ($18.00 USD). Sephora’s site states, “This mineral-infused polish imparts a luminous high shine with no sticky or tacky feeling. A deep infusion of antioxidant vitamins A and E help keep lips soft, smooth, and protected, while the tingly and cooling sensation reminds you that your lips are getting an immediate increase in fullness.” This does tingle but doesn’t sting (thank goodness). There are about eleven soft shades of this gloss and half the price of the LipFusion, its a pretty good buy.

But if you aren’t quite convinced about this lip plumping craze, try a drugstore brand. A really good one is the Maybelline Volume XL Seduction Lip Plumper ($8.99 USD). This one touts, “Make your lips up to 30% bigger with Maybelline Volume Seduction Lip Plumper. Feel a tingling effect as active amplifiers instantly plump lips for a visibly fuller pout. Available in 10 seductive shades. Not recommended for sensitive lips.” I guess my lips aren’t too sensitive, because it does tingle, but doesn’t sting me. Definitely a good gloss for plumping beginners.

So have fun with your gloss on New Year’s Eve! Go ahead and try something new.

My Christmas Wish List Part 2 — Cosmetic Kits

For my second beauty wish, I would love a make-up kit. ANY make-up kit. I love the variety that a case with many colors and products bring. And of course, I love trying new things (hence this blog).

Sephora and Ulta top my list for great places to find fun holiday kits. Companies such as Too Faced, Smashbox, Nars, Urban Decay plus the Ulta and Sephora brands all have kits-a-plenty. Another great place is Target, which now has the Pixi, JK Jemma Kidd and NP Set lines as well as Sonia Kashuk and Boots No. 7.

The fabulous Too Faced World Domination All Access Backstage Beauty Collection’s price has just dropped from $42.00 to 34.00. This is a cute jewelery box that plays The Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy while a very stylish little doll twirls around. It contains eight eye shadows, Duo Bronzer, Face Illuminator, six lip glosses, brow powder, eyeliner cake, and blush.

For lovely lips, Stila’s Shine On Gift of Glaze includes six glosses. The colors are; Vanilla (pearly nude), Brown Sugar (shimmering golden nude), Raisin (shimmering golden plum), Grapefruit (frosted pink), Apricot (melon nectarine), and Gumdrop (vibrant pink). These glosses are very conditioning and not too sticky, which is very nice!

Finally, as I really love Petra Strand’s Pixi line, I love the Pixi Must Have Kit. This comes in a deluxe wallet and carries a compact of 2 lustrous eye shadows, 2 creamy lip colors, a brightening blush and 4 mini brushes. The colors I saw were cool pinks.

So keep your eyes peeled at the stores you like to shop for cosmetics; I’m sure you will find a fun kit that you would love to give and receive!

My Christmas List Part 1 — Fragrance

: Sephora Scent Sampler Best Sellers

Hi all! I’ve decided to make each Monday in December leading up until Christmas my Wish List Blog. I’m going to review products I am intrigued by and really want to own!

I think fragrance is a natural Christmas gift because it isn’t an item a woman buys every day. It’s more of a treat, and because of this, it makes a great gift. But unless you know the exact scent someone wants, it can be a tricky gift to give.

That’s why I think that the Sephora Brand Scent Sampler Bestsellers For Her ($50.00 USD) is the perfect gift when you’re not sure which fragrance a woman would like. This set includes ten samples of fragrances to try. Once she’s chosen the scent she likes most, she can use the enclosed gift voucher that can be redeemed at any Sephora store for a full-size bottle of any one of the samples included.

The scents in this collection include:

– Aquolina Pink Sugar
– Bulgari Omnia Crystalline
– Calvin Klein Euphoria
– Givenchy Very Irresistible Givenchy Sensual
– Gwen Stefani L.A.M.B.
– Lavanila Vanilla Grapefruit
– Marc Jacobs Daisy
– Philosophy Amazing Grace
– Stella McCartney Stella
– Vera Wang Princess

This is the perfect fantasy gift for me. I love the thought of trying out ten scents, then choosing a full-sized bottle of one. I already own Amazing Grace (and am almost out of it), so I know I could always get another bottle of that if I don’t like any of the other scents. The best way to choose is to wear it for a couple of days. It is also good to wear a fragrance to bed, and if it doesn’t bother you, it is a good choice.

A fragrance I have received samples of and worn in all situations (including to bed) is Fresh Sake ($75.00 USD). I love this velvety, musky fragrance. It is soft enough to use every day, but special enough to use for an evening out.

The notes include Langsat Fruit, Grapefruit, Ginger, White Peach Absolute, Lotus Flower, Lily of the Valley, Osmanthus, Vanilla, and Musk.

The thing I really like about fragrance is how it completes your look as you get ready for the day. I spritz my scent on last, then I know I am ready to go! New scents are a special way to change up how you feel.

Happy shopping!

on10 – Fab-Flavored Lip Balms and Lotions

On my latest visit to Sephora I discovered on10, a company that creates lip balms, body butter, lotions and candles using natural and organic ingredients. The flavors and fragrances of on10 are inspired by beverages and candies. It’s a really yummy way to moisturize! The packaging consists of retro-inspired tins and jars, which are very appealing.

My favorite product so far is the Hershey’s Sweet Chocolate Body Butter ($10.00 USD). This product is made with coconut oil and is very thick and creamy. The fragrance is wonderful. It is a subtle chocolaty scent that is not too sweet or cloying.

If you’re looking for a lotion with a more refreshing scent, I recommend the Schweppes Pink Grapefruit Body Lotion ($10.00 USD). This product also contains coconut oil as well as aloe. This is very nice for moisturizing after the shower, or to use as a hand lotion at work.

The Dr. Pepper Original Lip Balm SPF 15 ($9.00) is also really nice, but is a little bit sweeter. The creamy formula protects with SPF 15 and contains a coconut oil, beeswax, olive oil, and cocoa butter.

I recommend checking these out the next time you are in Sephora. The prices are reasonable and they have a large selection, especially in the lip balms. Fun!

Want a Fun New Look? Try Purple Mascara!

This summer I tried purple mascara for the first time. I had a buy-one-get-one-free coupon for Almay Cosmetics at Walgreens. I decided to try some new eye products, so I chose a new mascara and eye palette. I have brown eyes, and Almay’s Intense Eye Color line claimed that purples are the color for me.

The mascara I tried is called Almay Intense I-Color Play Up Thickening Mascara in Purple Amethyst ($7.49 USD). The brush has hard plastic bristles that separate and the formula is very thickening. The color is hard to discern on my black lashes, and the effect it gives is a soft black color. I really like this mascara, but it is more of a day look than an evening look. The best feature? It does not smudge at all!

This weekend I decided to see if Sephora and Ulta had any other purple mascaras that were a little more noticeable for going out. The first one I tried was Urban Decay’s Big Fatty Colored Mascara in Purple Haze ($17.00 USD). This is a brighter purple than the Almay shade. This was more noticeable on my lashes, but my lashes themselves did not appear much thicker or longer. I would not buy this mascara.

The second new mascara I tried was Benefit’s BADgal Plum ($19.00 USD). The color on this is a lot different than the other two, since it is a true plum and not a purple. I really like the formula. It made my lashes look huge. The color is fun, too, but it might be better on someone with fairer lashes.

I LOVE mascara, so it is always fun to try new colors and formulations. Go out and test drive some new lashes today!

Sleepless Nights? Benefit’s Concealers Help the Next Morning

It’s a fact: I do not get a lot of sleep. I am forty, have 3 daughters, work full time and have a husband who also works full time and is in nursing school. No. sleep. at. all.

But I still like to look good. And so I am drawn to all new concealers that promise I will look like I have had a great night’s sleep and if it makes me look younger, yes!

Benefit always seems to have a new trick up it’s sleeve. Their newest concealer is called Powderflage ($28.00 USD). It is a pink-tinted powder that comes with a mini fantail brush for application.

This product claims to camouflage fine lines, dark circles and spots. I found on it’s own, it didn’t cover my deep, dark circles, but over another concealer it brightened the under eye area and made my skin look smoother.

The brush is cute, but it is very small and a bit hard to handle. I would recommend using an eyeshadow brush, or your finger, for blending.

My favorite Benefit concealer is one that came out a few months ago, Erase Paste ($26.00 USD).

Erase Paste is a cream concealer that comes in a little jar and has a plastic wand applicator. This can be used for blemishes and dark under eye circles, and comes in Fair, Medium and Deep shades.

The reason I love this product is that it instantly erases my dark circles and leaves a nice highlighted glow under my eyes. It also works well as a shadow base. Erase Paste is also very creamy and blends nicely.

For a polished look, you can use Erase Paste under your eyes and sweep Powderflage over it. This would be nice for an evening out.

It’s Prime Time for Primers!

I have to admit that I am fairly new to the wonderful world of foundation primer. The idea of it is intriguing to me. A lotion or cream that is neither a moisturizer or foundation, but will make your skin even, smooth and allow your pores to appear smaller? Could this be a miracle product?

The first primer I’ve tried was Benefit’s That Gal Brightening Face Primer. This pink-tinted cream is touted to smooth and brighten the face. As with all primers, this can be used under foundation or on it’s own. I tried it first without foundation and I loved the glow that it gave me. It’s a very fresh look. The glow is somewhat reduced under foundation, but my face definitely looked smoother. At $28.00, it’s a bit of a splurge, but worth it if your skin (like mine) needs a little refinement.

Lately I have tried two new primers. The first one is Stila’s Hydrating Primer SPF 15. I love Stila, especially the eye shadow color Kitten and my favorite mascara, Major Lash Mascara. As fall approaches, my skin becomes dryer, so a hydrating primer sounded good. The consistency of this primer is like a heavy moisturizer and, unfortunately it felt a bit greasy on my skin. Beside the feel of the product, the look was fantastic, especially under foundation. My whole face glowed and I even looked younger! Maybe this would work better once my face dries out in the winter. This product would be great for ladies with dry skin. At Sephora, this sells for $34.00.

The second new primer I have tried is Avon’s Magix Face Perfector SPF 20. Avon claims that this balm-like cream makes all skin types look flawless. I don’t know about all skin types, but this product makes my combination skin look smooth and feel very soft. Unlike Stila’s moisturizing formula, Magix gives a nice matte look that last all day. At $10.00 for the Magix Face Perfector, this is one I highly recommend!