New Products for a New Year!

Happy New Year! It's been a while since my last post; I've been super busy, but I do want to get better about posting in 2015, especially as I have so many new things to share!

I have a few products that have just been released to share today. I've been trying to play more with makeup colors and venture out of my dark gray smoky eyes/ pale lips comfort zone; yesterday I wore bright red lips and rosy eyeshadow, and I've been trying out dark lips (deep purple!) and bright pops of coral. What I am realizing is that now that I'm older the makeup that looks best on me makes me look awake, refreshed, and rosy; the vampy lips I wore in my twenties make me look a bit tired now and only highlight my lack of sleep. That being said, my most recent products all contribute to a rosy, fresh look that I think would suit not just those of us over-thirties but the under thirties also. 

I haven't gotten to use these products for that long, but I will attempt to give a mini-review for each. I hope this is helpful!

The three lovelies hanging out on the window sill waiting for their moment of glory 

Dior's New Cheek and Lip Glow

Oh hello you jellied gorgeousness. 

I just got this recently with a gift card and so I haven't gotten much chance to play with it yet. I love products that do double duty and the packaging on this is so cute--it's like a little nail polish bottle with the signature squashed silver ball cap--not to mention all a company has to do to sucker me in to buying a product is slap "glow" on the bottle. I have had three Dior lip glows before and love them; I also have the blush Rosy Glow, so I was so excited to see this new formulation. 

The color is an pinky orange popsicle tint, and it's got a luminous jelly look to it. On the cheeks, it looks fresh and dewy. It dries pretty quickly on the lips and stains them a rosy pink color. The applicator is really interesting--it's a round ball that works a bit better on the cheeks than on the lips. I'm not really sure it's terribly hygenic but it's definitely a cool product. I love the flush it gives cheeks, and the staying power is amazing. I haven't worn it on my lips that much yet. 

Dior's new Lip and Cheek Glow swatched in natural light: behold the way it makes my wrist look like it just came in from the cold

The only thing I'm a bit meh on is the smell. I can't figure out if it's supposed to smell minty or if it smells somewhat poisonous; I know that's not a good assessment but be aware that if smells are something you care strongly about I don't think this product smells that great. My best description is "minty alcohol," but not the good kind of Mojito minty alcohol. I don't know why Dior couldn't make it smell like candy--doesn't every makeup company by now know that all women want is for their makeup to either a) have no smell or b) smell like cake frosting? Regardless of the smell (it dissipates pretty quickly) I have found myself reaching for this a lot to give a fresh rosy cheek that looks natural and flattering. 

YSL's new Tint-In-Oil

An applicator for the lips shaped like lips. Be still my beating heart 

I love this. It's juicy and makes lips look really good--no lines or dry bits. I got the color Pink About Me, which is a gorgeous pink with slight blue undertones. Some of the other colors are very light and might not do much, so be sure to check swatches of the other colors. This one tints my lips after the shine wears off and the tint stays for another hour or so. The smell is fruity and the packaging is lovely; I also really like the doe foot lip shaped applicator, which is in that new lip-shape. I like to wear this when I work out with no other makeup, or when I am not doing much with my eyes, as the overall feel it gives is fresh and young and healthy. 

On the lips, YSL's Tint in Oil in Pink About Me. 

Charlotte Tilbury's Filmstars on the Go--All About Eve 

I am All About All About Eve 

Charlotte and I are currently in a serious relationship. Let me warn you, she is an expensive woman and I flinch every time I succumb to the siren song that emanates from every single one of her ridiculously covetable products. So far I have an eyeliner, lip pencil, two lipsticks, a blush, three eyeshadow palettes, her bronze and glow palette, and her Magic Cream, so when I saw that her Filmstars on the Go palettes were released (I got mine from Nordstrom's, but you can also order them from CT's website) I pounced. These are described as "a cream shadow for the eyes and dewy blush for lips to cheeks." You are supposed to "apply with fingers and blend." Ruth Crilly, from A Model Recommends, calls this "back of the cab makeup," and I really like that description. Recently I've been overwhelmed in the morning with my makeup routine as it takes quite a long time when combined with my other routines (skin care, getting dressed, hair...) and doing a carefully sculpted eye takes patience and time. Whipping on a one color cream shadow (even adding a bit of powder shadow in the crease to further define) is more and more attractive to me. 

The eye color in All About Eve is a dusky metallic platinum taupe and the lip/cheek color is a peachy pink nude a bit like a lighter and pinker version of Charlotte's lipstick Bitch Perfect. The colors are beautiful and I like how they apply and feel. They are supposedly made with all kinds of good stuff and the lip color doesn't dry out my lips, nor does it slide off. It also adheres to cheeks pretty well. As far as eyes, you definitely need a primer (I like MAC's Painterly Paint Pot) to give the eye product something to stick to otherwise it will crease pretty quickly. The gorgeous rose-gold palette is small and easily fits in the side pocket of your purse for easy transport, lending itself to touch ups throughout the day (not to mention it looks fab and will make everyone who sees you with it swoon at the gorg!) I love this palette for a quick slap on of makeup that makes me look natural and yet polished. 

Charlotte Tilbury's Filmstars on the Go in All About Eve. The darker lip color on the left in the bottom pic is Bitch Perfect; it's darker and slightly more peachy than the All About Eve. The pink tint below is from the Dior Cheek and Lip Glow--that's the stain it leaves behind. 

I hope this review of three new products was helpful and gives you some new goodies to add to your lists of beauty must-haves! 

Next up: A review of Marc Jacob's new lip gel in the VIB Rouge color! 

Summer Lovin'

First off, I am a bad beauty blogger and need to have my hand smacked. I've been away quite a bit this summer on some wonderful trips, which proved to be quite a challenge packing for as I am not your average lipstick-mascara-one-tube-of-moisturizer-and-go girl. No, in fact I am more of a fifty-lipsticks, three mascaras and a lash primer, countless jars and tubes and bottles of face potions kinda girl. For my first vacation, I found myself wearing very little makeup, though, and barely used everything I brought. On my second trip, I packed more carefully and used most of what I brought. There were some products that I reached for again and again--my summer must-haves. My favorite items were:

1. Mascara: I used L'Oreal Miss Manga in the waterproof formula during the day if I was going to the beach or pool and really liked it. At night, I used Chanel Volume de Chanel with Dior's lash primer (lllloooovvvvvvveeeee). At first, I didn't love the Chanel mascara but now I love it like crazy cakes for when I want a dramatic lash, which is, let's face it, whenever I am not submerged in water. 

2. Blush: I used Becca's Shimmer Soufflé in Raspberry/Opal most of all, and loved it. I also loved Make Up For Ever's HD Blush in 210, but once I got color on my face opted for the bronzier Becca blush. The Becca is amazing--it gives cheeks a burnished glow that looks as if it comes from your own skin. 

3. Eyeliner: I opted for a simple modified cat eye and some smudged liner under the eye at night. I brought Benefit's new They're Real Push Up Liner and was sooooo excited to try it. I ignored all the bad reviews but ultimately I returned it: it wastes product, gets clumpy and gross, and takes forever to use. Not a fan, although the applicator is great. Along the same lines is Sephora's new eyeliner felt tip in dramatic for $12--love this and find it so easy to use. For under the eyes I used Bobbi Brown gel eyeliner, Marc Jacobs eyeliner, NARS or Urban Decay, all good picks. I'll do a dedicated eyeliner post soon! 

4. Eyeshadow: My go-to this summer has been the Urban Decay Basics palette (I've got the second one on order and will do a review soon!), which I adore for its ease and neutral colors. To jazz it up with some sheeny goodness I've been using either Josie Maran's Watercolor eye color in Playa Del Pink, NARS new wet/dry single eyeshadow in Callisto, or Marc Jacobs new Twinkle Pop, dabbed in the center and inner corner of the lid. They are all so good with a little dark color smoked out in the crease. 

The NARS eyeshadow in Callisto-- (gorgeous!) 

 The Josie Maran coconut watercolor eyeshadow in Playa Del Pink--a golden goddess sheen for your lids 

The Josie Maran full strength and sheered out. It's a coppery golden color. 

5. Lips: I opted for light pink lips this entire summer--rarely did I venture outside of that color, which seems to be my new comfort zone. Darker eyes and lighter lips: my makeup uniform. Maybe because I feel naked without my Naked palette (ha the irony) or maybe because bright lips require care and upkeep--I dunno. Here were my favorite lip colors this summer--you can see there's a definite theme here! 

Left to right: MAC Angel (my holy grail pale!), Make Up For Ever N18 Powdery Pink (a newer purchase--a nice color and average formula), Estee Lauder's Desirable (the bullet is magnetic and the formula a dream), Laura Mercier 60s Pink (another newer color; love this so far!), Bite Beauty Vouvray (mmmmm this one is so creamy and comfy to wear and is the perfect ballet pink color), MAC Lovelorn (for a bit more color--so pretty and healthy), Buxom Venice (a bit matte and tingly and bluer-based, but the color is so good), Smashbox Be Legendary lipstick in Pout (so face-brightening and glossy, one of my favorites). 

 In natural light, Smashbox at the top

In more muted artificial light; the color variations and finishes are more apparent here (trying to justify the fact that I have a thousand pale pink lip colors) 

The lippies together, in full on lippie glory (same order) 

6. Face: This summer I opted for SPF (I used a L'Oreal silky sheer SPF for face) as well as tinted light weight moisturizers or BB creams. I went back and forth between a sample of YSL's new BB cream called Top Secrets that I got at the YSL counter (I like this, but it does have a heavy floral fragrance, is so pricy, and is more for dry skin--which I have, so it worked for me) and Laura Mercier's tinted moisturizer, a steady favorite. To top it off I used all the powders from the Hourglass Ambient lighting palette (the lightest under the cheekbones and eyes; the mid tone color on the cheeks and forehead; the darkest on the temples and under my jaw). I also found two eye creams that I adore that double as eye brighteners; I'll do a review on those soon! 

7. Eyebrows: My holy grail brow products: Anastasia, all the way. Pencil, brow mousse, brow powder. Love love love. 

My summer look, all put together: 

 

Coming soon: reviews on eyeliners, eyeshadows, and eye creams, all road tested and middle aged approved! 

Lotsa Summer Lippies

It's summer, which for me means easing up a bit on the eye makeup and playing more with lip products. (Who am I kidding, I always play with lip products!) Anyway, here are some mini-reviews of lippies that I've been either loving or have just bought.

Let's take a lookie, shall we? 

From left to right, the Lovelies, displayed for your viewing pleasure on my hairy hand: YSL Rouge Pur Couture in 49/ Tropical Pink, Sephora Luster Matte Long Wear Lipcolor in Luster Scarlet and Luster Lilac, MAC Lovelorn, Dior Fluidstick in Kiss Me, Tom Ford lipstick in Blush Nude, NARS Matte lip pencil in Bolero, NYX Matte lipstick in Couture (Not pictured: how freaking excited I am to own a Tom Ford.) 

Now for a quickie review:

 

1. The YSL Rouge is ah-maaaa-zing. It's pigmented and luxurious and a wonderful pop of bright pink and I loves it. Props also to shade 26 (a lilac-y pink) and a totally different formula, the Rouge Volupte in shade 8 (a mid tone perfect pink). 

2. The Sephora lippies are new and I do recommend them if you like lipsticks that feel a bit like paint. They have a wonderful color selection, from the best nudes to some deep and bright colors. The red here is incredibly pigmented and the lilac kicks MAC's St. Germain in its wussy weensy butt. I don't even know if I can carry it off. Look! 

 Like lips smeared in lilac butter. I have a neon mouth. 

I'm not entirely sure I love the color of that one as I think your skin tone has to be quite pale otherwise you look like an adult filmstar, but it's certainly fun, and the red one is really pretty. Also, they are "cheap-ish": around $16. One more thing to keep in mind: they tickle something fierce when you put them on. I'm not sure why but I don't much like it. 

3. MAC lipsticks are the best and Lovelorn is a good summer color. The end. 

4. I like the Dior. Everyone and their mom loved and bought the color Kiss Me, although I think a NYX Butter Gloss would do the same thing for you. The color's nice but dupable and the smell and feel of the gloss hybrid gel thing is okay. It feels a bit chemically, actually, so....meh. I do love the packaging though. It's so hefty and pretty and when you twist it open it opens up partway on its own like makeup magic. Anyway, I recommend it but it's so spendy, so it's not a must have. 

5. The Tom Ford lipstick is YES PLEASE I will take the LOT. I only got it because I had a gift certificate otherwise forget it dude they are way too pricy even for me. Which says a lot. But holy holy this is a nice opaque nude that you can mix and match with glosses--I like MAC Snob on top of it or that Dior. 

Here's it with NYX Meringue on top:

6. Which brings us to the NYX and the NARS, both light coral pink colors that pop with a tan. I like these a lot and they are relatively new colors for me: I don't have any other corals! I KNOW. Both are matte and stay on fairly well. The NARS is a bit dayglo but I am kind of liking that right now--it almost makes my lips glow: 

Okey dokey that's quite enough pictures of your boring mouth and chin and scraggly hair, thanks 

Anyway as the summer draws nearer I'll hopefully be posting more--I have some upcoming reviews of a new eyeshadow product and some face stuff. I hope this post gave you some ideas about new lip looks you may want to try :) 

What new lip looks are you loving? 

Have a smoochy day!

Three New Products to Try!

It's been crazy at casa de Primp as we wind down the school year, but I've still managed to check out the new goodies that have been popping up from beauty brands. Josie Maran, Becca, and YSL all have new items that I've been able to check out and own now for a bit, so let me enable your beauty habit and show you the pretties!

First up here's a picture of the three items I purchased:

                      

Left to right: YSL Baby Doll Kiss and Blush in 9, Becca Beach Tint Shimmer Soufflé in Raspberry/Opal, and Josie Maran Argan Infinity Lip and Cheek Creamy Oil in Boundless Berry 

So here's the thing. Cosmetics companies are full of cheeky evil buggers just rubbing their cheeky evil hands together in glee as they imagine all the different ways they can get me to succumb to their products. Basically, I'll make it easy for them and just list all the ways you can sucker me in: 

1- Use a cool-toned pink color 

2- Call a high end makeup product "Baby Doll" 

3- Simply add the words "beach" or "shimmer" or "soufflé"

4- Put a cheek /lip product in a pretty tube, a heavy glass pot, or a cool nail polish looking bottle 

Yeah, I pretty much had NO DEFENSE. All my cards are belly up and all of them are two's faced with a hand of aces. I mean c'mon. 

The things that did make me pause were the price of the YSL--yikers that thing is expensive. I'm not even going to list the price out of sheer embarrassment, but you can google it if you don't already know. Some beauty gurus try to justify it saying it does double duty as lip and cheek product and throwing around terms like "money's worth" but let's be real, if you are spending that much on a single beauty product you aren't stopping to buy just that one thing. Anyway, shut up Karen and get to the review and pix please. 

Ok so here is all the pretty swatched on my splotchy pink wrist:

                                       

That's (top to bottom) the YSL 9, the Becca, and then the Josie, full on and then blended. 

First up the YSL: this is a cool product and I think I got the most safe color available, I think. Number 9 (Rose Epicurean) is a muted subtly neutral-bluish mauvey nude pink that I think would look good on a lot of people. It evens out lips nicely and applies well, making your lips feel pillowy and smooth. I find myself wearing it a lot after I'm done with work, as it goes with everything and is so comfy to wear around the house but still makes you look put together. #9 is not statement and ends up letting your eyes be more of the focus, but it does look very pretty and fresh on, and the applicator is well designed and easy to use. I like this a lot, but although I use it almost every day, I'm not sure I'd repurchase it due to the price. I seem to like it the more I use it, though. 

                         

Here it is in natural sunlight on my lips--in different light it can look darker but basically it's a nice mauvey nude pink.

On the cheeks it's nice, muted and natural, but I can easily find dupes in my collection that don't make it something I reach for as blush too often if at all. The formula wears well and doesn't make my lips weirdly dry like some lip products can. Overall I'm very glad I got it, but am not interested in checking out the other colors just yet....maybe when (if) they get more shades. 

                          

Pretty but not a must-have for me, YET...although I do reach for it a lot! Do I feel baby doll-esque in it? Not really, but who cares--I still love that cute lil script! 

Next up: Becca Beach Tint Shimmer Soufflé. This is a product I basically stalked and harassed the Sephora worker to find in the back of the store for me, as it wasn't out yet. I love Becca blush and highlighters, like every other blogger out there, so I couldn't wait to try this. I got Raspberry/Opal, which is the most cool-toned in the bunch. It's a maroon-ish color shot through with gold, and the texture is mousse-like and dissolves into skin, giving an "I've just been out in the sun for a few hours without sunscreen" glow. I like it, but I am still pale from a decade long winter, so right now it is very bronzed on me, which is not necessarily a bad thing. It doesn't seem to emphasize pores too much and the wear time is pretty good--I don't notice it fading mysteriously or anything. It feels powdery on my skin, definitely not creamy; I just put it on with my fingers. If the colors and sheen of the Hourglass Ambient Blushes had a baby with the texture of the MUFE HD blushes you'd get this product. There does seem to be more shimmer than color in some of the other colors, though, so beware. Overall, I really like this product and will get a lot more use out of it as the summer approaches. 

Finally, the Josie. Ah, Josie. If you have read this blog you know I love my Josie. This product, like the YSL, claims to be for both lips and cheeks but it is much cheaper. Here's what it looks like heavily applied to my lips--this color is "Boundless Berry":

                          

It's a thin gel-oil hybrid that you can use on your cheeks or lips. This color is seriously intense and you only need a smidge on your cheeks, but it instantly melts with your skin and makes you look flushed. I don't know about the staying power, as I have been layering products recently, but I like the texture--it's not oily, more dewy. On both lips and cheeks you can vary the intensity. I really like the color and although I don't do berries or reds a lot this is one that I think looks good and will probably suit a number of skin tones--it's very wearable. It feels soft and hydrating on my lips. It is, I believe, the most intense of the colors available and goes for $18.

Well that's it...three new products to tempt us makeup mavens. They all give different effects and I like them all for different reasons. Let me know if you pick any of these up or if you've tried any of the other colors available! 

Bite Beauty BB for Lips: Review

I'm a sucker for anything BB, which stands for Beauty Balm and is supposed to cram a thousand benefits into one product. I use BB cream for my face, BB cream on my body, and now there's a BB for your lips from awesome brand Bite beauty. I like the idea of a multi purpose product; any way I can shave minutes off my insane beauty routine is good by me. And I LOVE Bite beauty lip products--I've got matte lip pencils, luminous cream lipsticks, and the Agave lip mask, which even my husband Random loves.

So when I saw that Bite had a new line of BB lipsticks I knew I wanted to try them. I got the color Suede, which is a rosy pink brown. It's a darkish nude but still brightens up your face, and I think it would work on a wide variety of complexions. 

                                         

The packaging is velvety matte gray, a sleek tube with the adorable BITE logo on the side (the B has a bite taken out of it!)

Here's what Sephora, exclusive retailer for Bite, has to say about this product:

"A lip enhancing, five-in-one balm. 

What it is formulated to do:
Essential for the look and feel of just-kissed, healthy, and hydrated lips, this color-rich balm repairs, primes, and protects with SPF 18. Natural lip repair lipids mimic the lips’ natural surface to revitalize, replenish, and restore texture for the ultimate softness. 

What it is formulated WITHOUT:
- Parabens
- Sulfates 
- Phthalates 

What else you need to know:
BITE Beauty is created with natural and food-grade ingredients." 

There are five colors: Natural, Flush, Tawny, Dusty, and Suede. The lip balm feels moisturizing and soft on my lips, quite like the Sugar lip treatments-very creamy. It instantly makes them feel better after a long day of various matte lippies. It's glossy but not overly so, and the smell is very pleasant--a light minty vanilla. 

Here's what it looks like on: 

 

                                  

                                                   Forgive my tired eyes and unwashed hair 

Here's a swatch of Suede:

                                       

                                                   GIANT arm swatch 

Overall I like this BB for lips very much and will be interested in seeing what the other shades look like!

NYX at CVS!

I was at CVS yesterday getting some items and saw a brand new end cap--a NYX display featuring some of their main products, including butter glosses and jumbo eye pencils! I literally did a happy jig of joy in the aisle and then hunkered down to explore the booty. I've been waiting for a drugstore other than Ulta to carry NYX as I really don't get why they aren't all over the place spreading their awesomeness. I took an excited photo of the display:

               

Blurry but I looked a bit weird snapping photos in a CVS and my hands were all shaky from hysteria 

Hurrah! Now we can get a butter gloss fix any day of the week, 24 hours a day! Thanks CVS for feeding my makeup addiction. 

A few of my favorite products for Spring

This month has been amazing in beauty and skin care as loads of new products are coming out for the spring collections. I've got a new eyeliner from Urban Decay to show you, a radiant tinted moisturizer, and two lippies that will brighten up winter skin and winter moods!

First up: just released Urban Decay super-saturated ultra intense waterproof cream eyeliner in Perversion, a super duper black. This is a pot eyeliner, so you use it with a brush. Any angled eyeliner brush will do, but I love the Sigma eyeliner E05 brush (Sigma brushes are very good overall). I dab a teensy bit on the brush and paint it on and holy toledos this is one black eyeliner. It stays on nicely and doesn't migrate to the corners of your eyes either. I don't put it on my waterline, because that would make me look harsh and tiny-eyed, but I smudge a bit into my lower lash line, all the way corner to corner. This application style doesn't work with everyone; many women look better with no eyeliner in the inner bits, or just waterline, or waterline plus smudge, but for some reason a nice thickish line smudged into my lower lashes looks best. (Ironically, I can't do liner on the top of my eye corner to corner, only on the middle to outermost edge, otherwise I suddenly look very tired.) 

Here's what the eyeliner looks like in the pot:

                                 

Creamier than I'm used to, but that means it goes on like butter. Black butter. Which would be so cool in theory but in person would probably skeere me as much as that black water those Housewife boys came out with. 

Here's what it looks like swatched, next to my beloved Bobbi Brown gel eyeliner in caviar ink:

                                     

PIGgggggMENTtttttt hello! 

Here's what it looks like after being scrubbed at viciously with a wipe:

                                 

Oh be still my beating heart you are still hanging on. 

It is perverted how much I love this eyeliner. Maybe it is a bit black for daytime but idontcare. 

Now onto face. I love me some Laura Mercier regular old tinted moisturizer, but have been living from sample tubes that are somewhat (cough cough) old, so I bought a new big tube of her illuminating tinted moisturizer for Spring in the color bare radiance. I like it. I don't know that I like it more than the regular one, but it's got very light coverage and does gleam everything up. If you have oily skin avoid this as you will be way too shiny. Overall, it's nice, light, moisturizing, and over my It Cosmetics Bye Bye Redness, which can tend to be a bit drier, it gives good glow.

                                

Nice n tubey. And creamy. Good stuff. The original is also amazing. 

Now it's time for my favorite obsession, LIPS! Here are two new products from Sephora + Pantone Universe: Venus Lure Lip Balm and Radiant Rush Matte Lipstick in Radiant Orchid Creme. Here's what they look like:

                                 

The one on the left is Radiant Rush, and the tube is magnetized. Pretty packaging! And fun to play with! 

And here they are swatched; since they are limited edition, I also swatched some dupes for you that are permanent: 

                                 

Top to bottom: Venus Lure lip balm, Radiant Rush Radiant Orchid, Bite Beauty Granache, Bite Beauty Violet, Illamasqua Glamore lipstick in Luster 

The lip balm is incredibly comfortable and easy to wear and can be slicked on without a mirror. It's hydrating and sheer, but doesn't last too long; I had to apply every hour or so. The lipstick is a different formula; it's described as "matte" but is creamy, medium opaque, and long-lasting and doesn't give me that weird orchid outline around my lips that some lippies I have do. I love them both and they're both very easy to wear and would suit a variety of skin tones. For reference, the Radiant Rush is a bit drier and less opaque than the Bite Beauty lippies, and the Illamasqua comes off as a bit more neon pink. All are amazing. (If you've read my previous posts you know that I have a horde of orchid colored lipsticks.) 

Here is the lip balm on:

                                 

A perfect swipe of sheer orchid! 

Here is the lipstick: 

                                

Yep there I am with very little makeup on (just lippie and a wee bit of eyeliner, third day hair!) 

You can pick up the Sephora lippies at Sephora stores, but they seem to be sold out online. I'd get them soon if you are interested as they are very popular. The rest of the Pantone line is getting rave reviews, especially the eyeshadow palette (I don't have that) and the blush palette (I've got that and it's incredibly pigmented and pretty). 

Happy Spring, lovelies! I hope I've given you a reason to treat yourself :)