Makeup Minute » Lips

Cheap Thrill: L’Oreal Infallible Gloss

Dina Fierro — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 02:53:48 +0000

When it comes to lipgloss, every woman have VERY particular wants – and they can be surprisingly different. While some love a sticky gloss with major staying power, others love a gloss with slip that needs to be constantly reapplied.

L’Oreal’s Infallible Plumping Gloss means that you don’t have to choose, you can have it all. As long as “all,” by your definition, is a smooth, long-lasting gloss with a great wash of color and a bit of plumping power built in.

While the packaging leaves a little to be desired, I do love the soft doe foot applicator – a precise pointed tip lets you paint your pout perfectly.

I’ve been giving Plumped Red a go and I’m a big fan (that’s Plumped Tawny to the left.)

These go for $9.99 at drugstore.com or check a mass retailer near you.

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Love: Neutrogena MoistureSheer Lipstick

Dina Fierro — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 02:26:03 +0000

If there’s anything that I’ve learned from my dear friend Sarah Conley of Style It Online, it’s how to wear lipstick. And I’m not talking a natural looking nude or YLBB (that’s “your lips but better”) kind of shade. I’m talking big, BOLD color.

But the best way to wear any color (especially bold ones) is with ease and Neutrogena’s new MoistureShine Lipsticks ($9.49) make that a breeze.

These buttery, moisturizing lippies go on like a lip balm (really, I’m not exaggerating) yet they deliver a nice, solid dose of color. I’ve been digging the Mauve On in particular but you can find a wide range of pinks (that’s Berry Burst pictured above), reds, plums and more in the line. In fact, there are 20 colors available!

Check them out at a drugstore near you or visit www.drugstore.com to snag a tube for yourself.

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BCA: Purple Lab’s Sealed with a Cure

Dina Fierro — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 01:09:07 +0000

For Breast Cancer Awareness month, my dear friend (and Purple Lab creatrix) Karen Robinovitz wanted to do something special and meaningful. Last year, she met an inspiring group of women who had lost a good friend to Triple Negative Breast Cancer, a rare and aggressive subtype that she had never heard of (and for the record, I haven’t either.)

When their friend passed, they created The Triple Negative Breast Cancer Foundation to bring awareness to and support research for triple negative breast cancer.

To benefit the org, Karen has created the new SWAC (Sealed with a Cure). This sheer pink gloss with subtle flecks of gold (real gold, none the less) is called Nancy – the legacy of TNBCFsm – and it comes with a love note telling her personal story.

SWAC is formulated with all things for wellness and TLC – Echinacea, a purple cone flower that is used as an immune system booster; Mangosteens, a tropical superfruit, packed with antioxidants (it has a tangy, sweet flavor and it’s indigenous to the Sunda Islands and Indonesia); Vanilla, the aromatherapy scent used for depression; and Vitamin C and E because if you’re going through chemotherapy, your lips get very dry.

If you buy one BCA product this month, I urge you to make it this one. You can snag it for $18.50 at b-glowing.

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Makeup Minute How To: Wear Black Lipstick

Dina Fierro — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 00:27:46 +0000

Intense lip shades are always in for Fall, but this season, the trend has taken a dramatic turn. Whether you blame it on Twilight or True Blood, gothic-inspired black lips are everywhere!

While the look may seem intimidating at first glance (and second too…let’s be honest), if you choose the right products and apply correctly (that’s always key!), it can be surprisingly wearable.

Unlike some of the opaque black shades that you can find on counter right now, our favorite Lipstick Queen - Poppy King - has made this Goth-inspired trend gorgeous with Black Tie Optional Lipstick ($18) and Shine Gloss ($22).

The sheer black lipstick shade is meant to be worn UNDERNEATH your favorite lip color to deepen the tone and enrich the color – making lips appear sexy instead of gothic. Reds become a black cherry shade while light pinks turn mauve.

The Shine Gloss can we worn on its own to give lips a deepened, smoky look – totally chic with just a touch of vamp.

Shop the collection at Barney’s or online at www.lipstickqueen.com.

What do you think of the black lip trend? Is this a look you plan to try?

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High Color, Double Wear: Estee Lauder

Dina Fierro — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 04:06:40 +0000

While I was once firmly a lipgloss kind of girl, I’ve finally come around to lipstick this fall. In particular, I really dig the idea of a bright pop of color on the lip – say, a bold pink or classic red – while the rest of the face stays low key (maybe just a swipe of mascara.)

But an annoying thing happens when I wear lipstick. All of a sudden, I feel very conscious of my lips. I wonder if my lipstick has migrated past the lip line or on to my teeth. Am I alone here or can you relate?

If that sounds familiar, let me introduce you to Estee Lauder’s new Double Wear Lipstick ($22 each.)

These gorgeous tubes of creamy color boast just a hint of shine, but more importantly, they’ve also go intense staying power – up to 12 hours. So, once you apply, you can stop thinking about your lippie and get on with your day! Gotta love that – after all, how important is beauty without comfort?

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Sephora Celebrates Fame, The Movie!

Dina Fierro — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 16:44:20 +0000

Fame is scheduled to hit theaters this September 25, and I, for one, am super excited! I remember watching the show as a little girl with my mom, so it brings back really fun and fond memories.

The folks at Sephora must have fond memories of Fame too because they’re introducing the Fame Brilliant Shine Lip Glosses.

Created in partnership with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures (MGM), the five limited-edition glosses are lustrous, nonsticky and moisturizing - what more could a girl want? (Her own 15 minutes, perhaps? I kid!)

Snag a gloss or two over at www.sephora.com.

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It’s All in the Packaging: Paul & Joe

Dina Fierro — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 03:47:33 +0000

There are some brands that I adore for their performance and others that I adore for aesthetics. The dreamy Paul & Joe collection is the rare exception…a brand that I adore for BOTH.

Exhibit A? The absolutely gorge Fall 2009 lipstick shown left, Reckless.

Yes, it’s true that the deep red hue a stunner, and the formula is rich and smooth.

But let’s face facts, when it comes to Paul & Joe, it’s all about the unequivocally feminine packaging of their limited edition lipsticks and eyeshadows, which differ each season and by shade. I must admit that I’m guilty of hoarding these in my stash and never, ever using them. I prefer to just pull them out and admire and I shudder to think of them getting damaged in my messy handbag (the limited edition packaging is cardboard.)

Are there any makeup lines that YOU can’t get enough of thanks to the packaging? Leave a comment and share!

p.s. And if you’d like to shop Paul & Joe Beaute, visit one of my FAVE niche beauty retailers, www.beautyhabit.com – you won’t be sorry!

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It’s Love: A New Breed of Lip Pencil

Dina Fierro — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 02:05:51 +0000

There’s just something about working with a pencil as opposed to a traditional lipgloss or lipstick that makes me feel a little more…artistic.

Bare Escentuals Buxom Big & Healthy Lip Stick ($18/each)- new for Fall 2009 - fulfills that urge beautifully.

Available in six shades and a Beauty Insider exclusive at Sephora for the time being, these vitamin rich lippies deliver a precise dose of color sans shine. I like Las Vegas, a nice light pink that complements a smokey eye gorgeously.

If you’d like your pencil WITH a little shine (and hey, who am I to begrudge you?), you’ll want to check out Lipstick Queen’s new Chinatown Glossy Pencils ($20/each.) Named for the New York neighborhood that the office resides in, these oh-so-Polanski (as in Roman, director of Chinatown) pencils are gorgeously packaged and deliver a high dose of color and gloss.

What pencils are YOU loving these days?

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Balmy Days Ahead: MAC SunTints Lip Balms

Dina Fierro — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 22:14:59 +0000

Steamy summer days call for a lot of SPF and a light hand with makeup. MAC’s new SunTints SPF 20 Liquid Lip Balms have you covered on both ends.

Released with the Baby Bloom collection late last month, these balms comes in five shades:

Just a Smidge: Soft Pastel Yellow with Multi Colored Pearl
Lilt of Lily: Soft Creamy Pale Pink
Pink Tinge: Clean Bright Yellow Pink with Gold Pearl
Full of Grace: Soft Sheer Rose
Moist Plum: Light Lilac with Very Fine Pearl (my personal favorite!)

The color payoff here is slight but the real benefit is in the emollient rich texture, which moisturizes lips beautifully and leaves the perfect amount of shine.

Though I’m not averse to sticking my fingers into a pot of gloss (it makes me feel like an artist some days, inexplicably, I do admit), I have to say it’s nice that these are packaged in sanitary squeeze tubes – no danger of sand contamination at the beach!

Snag a tube of your own at www.maccosmetics.com for $14.50/each.

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Makeup Minute How To: Rock a Vivid Lip

Dina Fierro — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 04:16:09 +0000

Okay, okay, I know it’s still August but seriously, how ready are YOU for Fall? I’m just itching to embrace some of the fall makeup looks, including the vivid, deep lip colors that were all over the runways and the red carpets (see Megan Fox below!)

That said, a vivid dark lip can be pretty intimidating, so I tapped into celebrity makeup artist Brett Freedman of Vanitymark for some tips. Here are his tips!

To ease into deep shades, try a sheer gloss version. The shade in the tube will have a huge color impact, but it goes on sheer and lets your natural lip shine through. Kind of like the stain from a lollipop!
If you want more of a goth, matte look, try a lipstick form. Beware though, the deep, solid pigment in lipsticks can be a bit aging. I prefer a gloss format.
Go sparse on eye makeup – save the smoky eyes for another time. Only one feature on your face should pop, and with a dark pucker, you want all the attention on your lips. You still want lots o’ lash though… maybe try a silver liner!

What do you think of the Megan Fox lip look? Is this a trend you’ll be rocking?

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