Belle Belle Beauty

mark. Make It Rich Lip Color Crayon

True confession here: I would much rather wear a neutral lip gloss than a bold lip any day. That being said, in the interest of blogging and all, I am constantly trying out the latest and greatest lip products with a pop of color. (And don’t put it past me to rock a bright pink lip for girls’ night out).

Of course, I went directly for mark’s make it rich in Naturally first (center). Its buttery texture and rich pigment had me sold. I thought “could this be the formula to get me going on bold lips?”. I had to track down some other shades and test them out STAT.

Fast forward a week and, as I sit here typing, I have Hot Sauce (far left) on my lips. Who knew that wearing this rich crimson could give me so much joy? The formula is super lightweight but ultra-hydrating. The color stays on without any bleeding. The cool-based red make my teeth look glimmering white (well, whiter…). The crayon design makes it super easy to draw on the color precisely. And I love the subtle, warm vanilla scent.

Royale, second from left, is a berry bordeaux, perfect for our last bit of winter days. I love the look of a deep, vampy lip on a cold day. Second from right is Hey Honey, which looks brown. But it is actually a very wearable, deep nude with a little copper. Lastly, far right is Peony, a fuchsia with a silverly shine (probably least wearable for me, but would look amazing on darker skin). Not pictured: Punch, a feminine pink.

You can purchase the make it rich lip crayons at shop.meetmark.com.

AN EDITORIAL SAMPLE WAS PROVIDED BY THE COMPANY AND EVALUATED TO DETERMINE OUR OPINION OF THE PRODUCT IN THIS POST. PLEASE SEE THE DISCLOSURES PAGE FOR FURTHER INFORMATION REGARDING OUR POLICIES FOR USING EDITORIAL SAMPLES.

NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer

Where have you been all my life, NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer??? Whoa, talk about a concealer that can do it all. While it has been mostly touted as great covering under eye darkness, I have found it is a fantastic spot/blemish concealer as well. The balanced, buildable formula is a true go-to for me these days.

The formula is creamy and hydrating, hence the radiant properties. While it has a thin texture, I’d say the coverage is moderate to full. A little bit goes a long way. Plus, it is buildable, so you can always add more if you feel you need a bit more coverage.

The formula also contains hydrating skin care. Light diffusing technology helps blur imperfections. And the pigment blends seamlessly into my natural coloring.

I can get a full day of wear out of this. While it is crease-less, I’ve found it does best on freshly moisturized skin – any dryness can interfere with its blendability.

SHADES INCLUDE (from lightest to darkest):

CHANTILLY: true ivory shade for fairest complexions
VANILLA: tiny cast of pink for the fair complexion
HONEY: warm peach tone for light to medium complexion
CUSTARD: yellow tone for light to medium complexion
GINGER: golden undertone for medium complexion
BISCUIT: medium dark natural balance of pink and yellow undertones
CARAMEL: medium dark yellow and golden undertones
AMDANDE: medium dark with golden olive undertones
CAFÉ: dark shade with warm red undertones
CACAO: dark shade with deep gold to brown undertones

note: Ginger is my preferred shade. I wear Santa Fe in the Sheer Glow Foundation and St. Morti in Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer Broad Spectrum SPF 30 (although this winter I should lighten up with the new Terre Neuve). I was surprised I was this dark on the spectrum, but I prefer a concealer that matches my skin tone instead of one shade lighter.

Check out this brief tutorial from NARS on how to use Radiant Creamy Concealer to perfect complexion:

Skin Care Mixology: 4 Boosters from Intraceuticals

I’m like a mixologist when it comes to skin care. Other than my tried and true retinol, I’ll change it up on a day to day basis: some days I’ll add a little Vitamin C and others a little Antioxidant. A little of this… a little of that. Intraceuticals had exactly this approach in mind when they developed their Boosters, designed to be mixed with your daily serum or used on their own. They come in handy when you are trying to spot treat certain areas (for instance, Vitamin C on my hyper-pigmentation on my cheeks). Here are the details on the four “flavors” if you will. I think they all come in pretty handy!

VITAMIN C+3 BOOSTER contains three forms of Vitamin C to fight premature aging, irregular tone and sun damage. The Vitamin C acts to fight free radical damage while protecting skin. It also works in collagen synthesis to improve skin texture. I mostly grab for this stuff because it can brighten and correct hyper-pigmentation. This booster should be primarily used in the morning and plays well with the Collagen+ Booster. If you are really going after hyper-pigmentation, use this with the Vitamin A+ Booster at night as well.

COLLAGEN+ BOOSTER is packed with peptides to renew and rejuvinate skin, plumping volume and tightening. It really can target fine lines and wrinkles while hydrating and adding radiance. Because this has such a beautiful immediate effect, I like using it in the morning under makeup. It also works well at night while skin is working hard to regenerate skin. You can add this to the Vitamin C+3 Booster in the morning, and Vitamin A+ Booster in the evening.

ANTIOXIDANT+ BOOSTER targets dull skin by revitalizing and detoxing. Perfect for after late nights or travel, it can improve dark circles and puffiness around the eyes. And the natural antioxidants sourced from the Australian Rainforest can give the complexion a more radiant and even look. Antioxidant+ Booster is designed to be used in the morning.

VITAMIN A+ BOOSTER, my most beloved skin care ingredients, does it all. Vitamin A can treat blemishes, visible pores, sun damage, uneven texture or deep wrinkles. This Booster is formulated with a “release on demand” form of Vitamin A to increase potency while reducing irritation. Vitamin A + Booster is should be used at night. It works particularly well with the Collagen+ Booster. Make sure to use twice a week, then gradually increase frequency to every other night. Vitamin A can cause irritation in those who have never used it.

Confused yet? If so, I found this chart so very helpful – create your cocktail of booster based on what skin issue you are dealing with:

You can find your closest Intraceuticals clinic here.

Brand Spotlight: Bite Beauty

There is something about this brand that immediate caught my eye. Their section in Sephora is like a candy case of lip goodies. The sleek packaging, wearable colors and catchy names made me want to scoop up one of everything. But in the interest of brevity, I am going to highlight three “All Star” products that I am head over heels for from this cool little indie company.

First, major kudos to the brand: all their formulas are infused with food-grade ingredients – makes sense since lots of what goes on your pout goes in your mouth. BITE avoids petroleum by-products and synthetic chemicals and also produces in small batches to preserve the hydrating benefits of organic oils, fruit butters, and bioactives. So cool!

My fellow bloggers were swooning over the BITE Beauty High Pigment Matte Pencil so I gave Corvina, one of their new spring colors, a test drive. This bright coral pink definitely reminds me of this NARS lipstick. The finish is very matte with rich, opaque color. Shea butter keeps the dense color from looking dry on the lips. And bonus: the formula is packed with as much resveratrol as found in five glasses of red wine, boosting long-term anti-aging properties.

I am loving these buttery “lipsticks” that are everywhere these days. My dry lips need all the help they can get, and BITE Beauty Lush Lip Tint in Lychee might be best of breed. The soft lipstick gives a glossy, hydrated finish and softens lips with argan oil and vitamin E. The center B provides a double dose of resveratrol like in the Matte Pencil, just not quite as much. The initial also contains a soft pearl highlighter giving the finish just a bit of shimmer. Oh, and PS, the color is buildable.

BITE Beauty Honey Lip Lacquer in Ruby is an easy-peezy way to easily wear red lips. The low maintenance gloss applies evenly and wears well without being a mess. I apply from the center of my lips, blending outward, to give just a stain of color. You can layer for a bigger punch of pigment. I adore the way this smells – just a touch of honey thanks to the moisturizing Pure Manuka Honey. Jojoba provides long-term hydration as well. Like the Matte Pencil and Lip Tint, Resveratrol provides an anti-aging benefit. And this stuff won’t budge – the formula is waterproof.

Shop the post:

Highlights from Youngblood Cosmetics Spring 2013

I applaud Youngblood for their truly distinctive and fresh Spring collection. From a daring eyeliner to a real God-send for those with oily skin, each addition fills a product need elegantly. I’ve been trying out three products: gel eyeliner, new lipstick and anti-mattifier. Here’s the roundup.

I can’t stop hearing about blue for the spring and I was hesitant at first. Well, I’ve come around to embrace this trend whole-heartedly – whether you go for subtle navy mascara or bold turquiose eyeliner, this look is ultimately wearable. The New Incredible Wear Gel Liner in Lagoon is for a look with more impact. I am a huge fan of gel liners as they are easy to apply and last ages. This one is no different and with safe natural ingredients, limiting irritation. The finish has a golden sheen and the iron oxide makes for a deep, rich pigment.

The new lipstick in Debalicious is a petal/bubblegum pink shade – could you get more Spring? I think not. The formula is packed with natural oils and Candelilla wax to soften and hydrate lips. While the finish is on the matte side, the formula glides on creamy. The shade will really pop on those with deeper skin tones, but is totally wearable on my light-medium complexion as well.

Attention those with shine issues: Anti-shine Mattifier is a unique and effective solution for oil control. The formula absorbs surface oil while Nigella and Pumpkin Seed oils purify and balance the skin. So your skin will be oil free throughout the day. I don’t mind the included sponge for application, but I think it is best applied with fingers to spots prone to oiliness.

All these goodies are now available on www.ybskin.com.

Spring Nail Trends on Fox23

This morning, I’ll be over on Fox 23′s Great Day Green Country to talk beauty again – this time it is all about Spring Nail Trends. Can you believe it is already March and we are so close to Spring? If you are in the Tulsa area, tune in. If not, I’ll post a link to my segment later today. Enjoy!

images here, here, here, here and here.