Tag: lipstick

Fashion’s Night Out with Bobbi Brown

How am I going to spend this year’s Fashion Night Out? Why, with Bobbi Brown, naturally. And to all those who will be in New York City on September, 6th, join me! Bobbi will be with Leandra Medine, founder of The Man Repeller, one of today’s most influential and fashion-forward sartorial blogs. They will be chatting makeup, beauty and fashion advice and fall trends. And Bobbi’s Beauty Team makeup artists will be on hand providing complimentary makeup applications.

The event will be held at Bobbi Brown’s first ever Cosmetics Pop-Up Shop in Grand Central Terminal. And there you will be able to preview Bobbi’s Red Carpet Creamy Matte Lip Color ($24; otherwise available October 2012.). Only 500 will be released, adorned with a special Fashion’s Night Out insignia. It might just be the perfect fall lip and I cannot wait to get my paws on it.

The details: Grand Central Terminal Lexington Corridor (87 East 42nd Street) on September 6th, 2012 7:00pm – 8:00pm.

 

Drugstore MVPs

Fall trends are quickly approaching and there is no better way to try on a trend than your drugstore beauty aisle. For the autumn months, I am liking a natural, healthy-looking face with a bold lip. After months of wearing a bun in this hot weather, I am excited to stretch a blow out for a couple days – finally possible without the excessive heat. And for weekends, I love a super hydrated nude lip. Don’t forget to reassess your skin care and make sure you rotate out those more drying items.

1. Aveeno Ultra Calming Makeup Removing Wipes are the perfect “too tired to wash my face” cheat. I love how gentle these are on my drier skin. Literally, you have no excuse for going to bed with makeup on.

2. L’Oreal Colour Riche Balm in Caring Coral is another version of the lipstick/balm hybrids. This is a little thicker than the Revlon Color Burst Lip Butter, with better staying power.

3. Klorane Gentle Dry Shampoo with Oat Milk was the first dry shampoo I ever tried. It might even be the best. While it does have a white coloring, it absorbs well and works even on my dark brown hair.

4. Rimmel Lasting Finish by Kate Lipstick has to be one of the coolest celebrity/beauty collaborations. Leave it to Kate Moss to create classic colors that look polished but utterly fashionable. They aren’t drying and stand the test of time (literally and figuratively).

5. Rosebud Perfume Co. Smith’s Rosebud Salve is always at my desk (I also like the mint variety). It is super hydrating – a must to prep for the vampy shades that will be popular this fall.

6. Maybelline Dream Fresh BB 8-in-1 Beauty Balm Skin Perfector SPF 30, not to be confused with a foundation, is a ultra-light tinted foundation that has a radiance. It feels like you have nothing at all on, but it magically evens skin.

Note: I received the Aveeno Ultra Calming Makeup Removing Wipes as a Klout perk. All other items I purchased myself. 

YSL Rouge Pur Couture Vernis à Lèvres Glossy Stain

I’ve run across some incredibly clever video vignettes from the cosmetics companies lately, like this one from Chanel. Literally, as I was testing out the new YSL Rouge Pur Couture Vernis à Lèvres Glossy Stain, I stumbled on this charming video about making the glosses.

http://youtu.be/pN5zCZqfkbM

A product this inventive is deserving of it’s own movie. The formula is literally like no other. It bills itself as a “glossy stain”, but I think it falls slightly more on the stain side of the spectrum. What makes it different is the supple, shiny application. It looks like a shiny lipstick after applied. After a couple hours of wear, it fades into a stain. It is not drying in the least and in the stain phase, works great under a sheer gloss.

This bottle looks deceivingly like nail polish and I love the shock factor of pulling it out and swiping it on my lips. And it has a subtle but pleasant fruity flavor. I was worried about the relatively large applicator but it is actually quite nimble. I chose Rouge Gouache (a slightly darker version of what appears to be a blogger favorite, Corail Fauve). It is a bold red with just a touch of fuschia. Even though it is darker, the texture is so lightweight, it is perfect for summer. Those little boxes online are horrible indicators of the color, so I suggest checking out Karla’s gorgeous swatches to help you decide which shade to pick up.

Lancome Rouge in Love Lip Color

So, either advertising works or I am a marketer’s dream. I have loved these Lancome ads with Emma Watson and just had to have the new Lancome lipstick – Lancome Rouge in Love Lip Color. And not a moment of regret. The product is pigmented, soft and long-wearing. The color never stains my lips, but is pretty persistant through everyday tasks. It won’t last a meal, but easily survives a diet coke.

Because the ads and name were so feminine, I decided to try a rosy, bright pink – Roses in Love from the Jolis Matins mood.

The shades are developed into three moods. I actually like this idea –  it makes allows a customer to narrow down the avaialable colors based on the desired look or taste.

  • Jolis Matins: “Pretty morning” – ready-to-wear, and luminous fresh day shades that recreate daylight on the lips, for subtle and soft brilliance, due to the precious mother-of-pearl.
  • Boudoir Time: Trendy, punchy “it” shades that give color to the lips thanks to the intense contrasted mother-of-pearl. These shades offer an intense bright color reflection. Perfect to start the evening right.
  • Tonight is My Night: Sophisticated, pure intense shades to give depth to lips and brighten a night out, for a deep lacquered effect and luminous color, thanks to gold mother-of-pearl.

These little tubes of lipstick are compact but rest assured they contain the same amount of product as Bobbi Brown Rich Lip Color SPF 12 and NARS Lipstick (0.12 oz.).

 

Le Métier de Beauté Aurora Kaleidoscope Lip Kit from the Northern Lights Spring 2012 Collection

I am a loyal fan of Le Métier de Beauté and have been dazzled by their finely-milled eyeshadows and eye kits. But I had never tried their lip kits. After seeing Georgina Chapman at the Oscars rocking the Le Métier de Beauté Spring Collection, I knew it was my time to get my paws on their new Aurora Kaleidoscope Lip Kit.

First, I am hooked on the delicious vanilla scent. It is sophisticated but still pronounced. Confession: I am currently sniffing the back of my hand where my swatches are. Yum. Second, the colors are subtle but still evoke the Spring trends. They range from soft floral to pronounced fuchsia. I have been wearing these colors individually, but the proper application is “Couches de Colour”. Le Metier artists would encourage layering the colors from top to bottom. Both the layered and single application results in an unusually beautiful pout.

From top to bottom:

  • Illuminate, shimmery, sheer pink (pretty, classic Spring pout)
  • Voltaic, a satiny mauve (I can’t stop wearing this solo – beautiful)
  • Dynamos, an shimmery nude (for a perfect nude glisten)
  • Eos, an opaque, bright fuchsia (perfect for the Spring neon trend)

Revlon Color Burst Lip Butter

This is my current drugstore MVP. Not only is it my favorite drugstore lipstick, but it actually performs just as well as other more expensive lip color products. What distinguishes this price performer is the butter-like balm consistancy.

Lip color looks awful on dry lips. I’m known to just forget the whole lipstick thing in those dry winter months. But I have found that Revlon Color Burst Lip Butter can actually heal dry lips with mango, shea and coconut butter. After the first couple of days of testing these guys, my lips actually looked better – healthy and moisturized.

I’ve found the coverage depends on the shades, but they all have a shiny finish. Of my three favorites, Red Velvet is the most opaque. Strawberry Shortcake is a sheer, frosty pink (perfect for spring). And Creme Brulee is a neutral, sheer peach. There is no scent or taste to these colors. And they don’t last longer than an hour or so. But they feel so good to apply, that I don’t mind.

Prices vary, but they are $7.49 at drugstore.com. And right now (through 3/9), drugstore.com is offering 20% off purchases in their Beauty department. Just click here and use code BEAUTY20.