June Faves 2018

Buxom Full on Lip Polish Review

I have been a huge fan of BareMinerals for years. I loved their mineral foundation. That foundation was the first powder form of foundation that didn’t make me look ashy or ghostly. It never broke me out and it lasted forever. I was pleasantly surprised when the company came out with the Buxom line.

The first gloss I tried was Sandy. It was so beautiful and I loved the tingle it gave my lips. It was gorgeous on top of any lipstick that I wore. I used the entire tube and repurchased four times. I have been using and loving buxom glosses ever since. It has been about ten years now that I have been a devoted BareMinerals and Buxom lip polish user.

Lately they have been coming back in with more new colors. 100 in all. Which is so incredible. Each one lends a different undertone and hue. Each one sparkles and shines in it’s own way. There is a color for every skin tone and every woman. Whether you are a diva, or stay at home mom, Buxom has your perfect pout. Let’s talk about two of my favorites.

Brandi

Candied Berry

 This color is my true love. I am always reaching for this color and usually have a backup of this somewhere in my makeup stash. It looks like it’s a dramatic color in the container but on the lips, it is a sheer wash of berry with a little bit of brown undertone, I can never go wrong with this one.

Sarina

Chocolate Sparkle

This color has also become a favorite. I love a nude lip and this color is perfect to wear over a nude lipstick, with a nude lip liner or just on it’s own. I love this color on it’s own. It gives my lips a nice sparkle and shine. It makes me look a little more pulled together even on a minimal or no makeup day. I keep this shade in my makeup bag. It’s great for touch ups no matter what color I was wearing. 

The only complaint that I have heard about this gloss is the tingle and the stickiness. Gloss is such a personal preference. Some like a sticky gloss, like myself and others like a more slippery gloss. I love the feel of this gloss too. The tingle is actually very cooling to my lips, which is always welcome. It’s like popping a mint without actually eating one. I can’t testify to the plumping effect because my lips are pretty full, but the tingle does make you pout a little. I think that is the point of the cooling inside the formula. 

The Buxom full on lip polish retails for $20.00. I think they are worth every penny of your investment. If you don’t want to splurge on just one then get a set of minis to try and see if you like them. I recommend The Pout of paradise set or the Ulta exclusive Six degrees below. Both sets retail for $32.00. You get six minis to try and hopefully you’ll fall in love with them the way I have.

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Too Faced Semi Sweet Chocolate bar review.

Too Faced Semi-Sweet Chocolate Bar

  

I was a little skeptical of ordering this palette considering I already had the original Chocolate bar. I was wondering what the difference might be between the two and if it was even worth it to have both. The original Chocolate bar palette is very warm and neutral whereas the Semi-Sweet Chocolate Bar is very cool toned and neutral. They both give very beautiful looks and the colors are superb but I was still on the fence. So I dove in and got it and I must say it is worth every penny.

I love this palette for several reasons. First, it’s way more compact than the original Chocolate bar which I bought before the palette was redesigned. The colors are much more rich and warmer in spite of the fact that a lot of people say the colors are cooler. They read much warmer on my skin tone which I like. The shadows aren’t powdery. This Chocolate Bar smells even more like Cocoa than the first.

Now let me clarify that this palette is cool toned. My skin tone is NC50 in MAC so these shadows are warm on me because of my skin tone not because the color is warm. As you can tell from the pictures, these shadows are cooler in tone than the original chocolate bar but I personally don’t find this palette to be a totally cool toned palette. I reach for this one every day no matter what eye look I’m doing.

Each color is unique and the names match perfectly. I couldn’t have thought of better names for these shadows. After you use each one you will understand why the name is so fitting. Here are a few of my favorites.

A perfect satin brown taupe.- most of the glitter does not transfer on the eyes.

A rose gold shimmer- Great for highlighting the inner corner.

Warm matte light brown- Great transition and blending shade.

shimmery satin blackened plum- great alternative to black

Golden vanilla shimmer highlight. Can also be used as a facial highlight.

Frosted sheer bronze with gold reflect- warms up any shadow you put it on top of .

Matte cream

Matte black

Pink frosted sheer shimmer- Transforms the look of a shadow when applied on top.

I’ve enjoyed this palette to the fullest. I have created very dramatic to everyday looks with this palette. I expect no less from Too Faced cosmetics. They bring us great quality when there is a focused theme. They make sure the palette is totally in line with the theme all the way down to the packaging. They excite our senses in every way. The look of the Chocolate bar draws us in cause we all love chocolate but maybe can’t indulge in it as much as we would like but we can have this bar sitting on our vanity to remind us of our love. The smell when you open the palette immediately makes you nostalgic and you go to a happy place because the scent reminds you of a long lost love, cocoa. Not only are the shadows infused with cocoa powder, research shows that the scent of cocoa is connected with increased memory and brain power.

Too Faced has brought us some great product and I can’t wait to see what they’ll do next. 

Maybelline Matte Lipstick Review

Ever since Maybelline came out with their vivid lipsticks, they have exceeded our expectation of a drugstore lipstick. From color choices to finishes and even comfort of wear, Maybelline has turned the drugstore lipstick genre on its head. Every other makeup company has had to reformulate their lipsticks because Maybelline gave the market a punch in the gut. So, now they have come out with two successful trend lines that don’t seem to be stopping anytime soon. The buffs and the mattes. I loved the buffs. That line was the first time I had four or more drugstore nude colors to choose from. The formula was amazing and the feel was incredible. And most of all they smell so amazing.  Now with the new matte shades and some new additions for fall, Maybelline has done it again. I fell in love with two colors from the matte collection.

Divine Wine-695

 This color is the perfect brick red with a little of a burgundy undertone. It is so creamy and smooth. I was never one for matte lips but this color and formula changed my mind. I couldn’t believe how creamy this lipstick was. I fell in love with the feel of it as well. It was really comfortable to wear and I didn’t have a problem with bleeding or smudging. Honestly this is the first time that I have worn a red this intense and it is gorgeous.

Touch of Spice-660

This color was also a big surprise to me. I thought that this nude would be way too light or look ashy on me. It was hard for me to try this one. I tried it without my trusty lip liner and well I guessed right. it was too light and ashy and it made my lips look ill. So when I tried it with a spice lip liner or a brown or chocolate it was gorgeous. That just goes to show you how you can be completely wrong about a product until you tweak it to you. Had I just used my usual lip liner from the beginning I could have saved myself a lot of stress and trouble. 

I can’t wait to see what Maybelline comes up with next. I look forward to their new releases. I’m a lipstick junkie and if they keep this up I’m just going to have to go work for them. 

Milani Lipstick Review

I recently discovered a new love. I had been searching for new lipsticks for a while and well I didn’t want to go to the mall or endure the traffic to get there. I wanted to go to MAC but I can’t tolerate their customer service which gets worse every day. So, I took a trip to Wal-Mart. I had been hearing great things about some new drugstore products and I wanted to go see what all the hype was about. I stumbled onto a display for a brand which had only been carried at CVS and Walgreens in my area. I was so surprised to see Milani at Wal-Mart. I picked out two shades that night and one more a week later. These lipsticks have me falling in love with them. They are richly pigmented and soft to wear on the lips. They are full coverage  and I love how moisturizing they are.

 Teddy Bare

Brandy Berry

Cabaret Blend

Each of these lipsticks have become a staple in my makeup bag or purse or pocket. I reach for one of them every day. They remind me so much of MAC lipsticks. From the way they smell, feel, and perform. Don’t get me wrong, I love MAC lipsticks but MAC lipsticks and my wallet don’t always agree. I must say that I am so happy that so many drugstore brands have given High-end products a run for their money. Literally.

Red with Envy!!!

 

So, Estee’ Lauder has not pumped the brakes yet. The Envy line was already fantastic and I was so excited to see all the new shades and the formula was amazing. Now they come out with the new Envy shine. What?! You mean to tell me that the same awesome colors and texture is now in a super glossy formula? Let me do some research,  This is what the product claims:

Color with the power to transform your lips, your look, your attitude.

Sculpts: Multi-faceted pigments create definition. Lips look beautifully shaped, sculpted, curvaceous.

Hydrates: Time-Release Moisture Complex helps capture and seal-in hydration. Lips feel continuously moisturized throughout the day.

Illuminates: Saturates lips with brilliant color and shine—in one stroke.

Creamy texture glides on moist, covers evenly. Sensually soft and smooth, luxuriously comfortable.

The lipstick bullet is slim-shaped to sculpt the curves of your lips. The case feels like luxury in your hands. And with one click, case closed.

This lipstick is so moisturizing on the lips. It doesn’t wear long but no glossy formula ever does. It does leave a bit of a stain on the lips when it’s gone. That I do like. I love the magnetic closure on the bullet. It doesnt just come apart in your purse, pocket or makeup bag. The color is very smooth and vibrant. That I really like and there are so many beautiful spring colors to choose from. 

I have already invested in three colors, The names really grab you. Intriguing, Mischievous Rose, Baby Cashmere. Intriguing is a beautifully bold oxblood red with gold shimmer. The shimmer is very small and doesn’t read on the lips but it glows. Mischievous Rose is a beautiful pink/brown. It’s a great nude. My favorite is Baby Cashmere. Which is the softest nude caramel brown that I have ever seen. It’s so gorgeous.

Mischievous Rose

Baby Cashmere

Intriguing

I love the Pure Color Envy Shine lipsticks.

YSL Rouge Volumpte Shine Review.

Of course I was skeptical of this product at first. A $34.00 Lipstick seemed to be a bit ridiculous to me. I have been back and forth about this purchase for months. I had swatched it in store and even tried it on and still didn’t see why I needed or would like this product. So finally I made the decision to purchase one of these lipsticks. The problem was which color and what formula. I chose the shine formula in rose infinite. The color and texture was beautiful. Unfortunately all the things that people like about the shine formula just didn’t do it for me. It felt like a drugstore version of the same which I already own.

Although my lipstick journey has only been for about three years, I know that this type of formula really doesn’t work for me. I need a satin or matte stay put lipstick. I love the lustre finish from MAC but they feel different than this formula. This formula just didn’t last on my lips and worst of all it made them peel.

I absolutely expected more from this lipstick and it really disappointed me. I really wanted to like it. I will try the other formula’s but this one was not for me and I returned it promptly.

Mary Kay Lipstick review.

Mary Kay is a makeup company that has been around for fifty years. They are a forced to be reckoned with around the world in the direct selling market. Their skincare has won many awards and honors. I became a Mary Kay independent beauty consultant not just for the opportunity, but because I believe in the products. I was a customer for many years before I ever thought about the opportunity.

 Now that I am a part of this beautiful company, I understand why it has so many loyal customers and consultants. The products are awesome and haven’t been getting the attention they deserve.

 My very first lipstick purchase as an adult was Mary Kay’s crème lipstick in Black Cherry and I have been a believer ever since. That lipstick was the most beautiful and soft lipstick that I have ever tried and now I’m hooked. I cant even imagine being without it
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I have several colors and they all offer something else as far as finish, color, pigmentation and so on. They range in shades from the lightest nude to the deepest wine. There is truly something for everyone. I have never been this passionate before about a lipstick. I fell in love with the first swipe.

The shades are so flattering and the formula is creamy. Not to mention, they last a really long time on the lips. They are so nourishing and smooth on the lips you forget that you’re wearing a lipstick.

They are very comparable to the MAC lipsticks but, Mary Kay doesn’t do those hyped up collections to sell or promote their lipsticks. It’s simply word of mouth and sharing from one girlfriend to another.

Fall has arrived and the weather is slowly taking shape. The colors of fall are coming in and I have taken advantage of it. My fall lipstick collection is really just minimal but bold and berry.

Midnight Red

This was my first fall purchase and this color is very deceiving it looks one way in the tube then on the lips it’s so gorgeous. It is a beautiful deep brownish red with no shimmer but a little gloss finish. This lipstick complements everyone from beige to bronze. I have worn this shade since August. It is just that wearable and you can build it up to maximize the color. This shade is beautiful on all skin tones. That is the secret of Mary Kay. Almost all of their color products suit every skin tone.

 

Rich Fig

 

This was a hidden gem color for me. It complimented my skin tone so well I almost used it up before I decided to purchase another color. This color is a bronze fig color with a slight shimmer. None of the shimmer in any of these lipsticks are chunky. It’s more like a light frost without the frost if that makes any sense. It gives the lipstick some dimension without being over the top. It’s a beautiful color and it compliments many complexions.

 

 

Blaze

 

This color was complicated for me because in the tube it looks like Midnight red. It is a beautiful blue toned, blood red. It is a true blue red. It is gorgeous on deeper skin tones.

 

Black Cherry

 

This was the shade that got me hooked on Mary Kay lipstick. I was so floored when I first put this shade on. It is a gorgeous deep cherry red with a hint of purple. Just like the name says it looks just like a black cherry. It has the same dimension on the lips and gives you long lasting true color.

 

Merlot

 

This is a real “vampy” color. It is rich deep burgundy-wine color. It is truly the color of a rich Merlot, red wine. Oh my goodness. This color evokes the inner vampire in me. This color made me fall in love with deep lips all over again. It looks like MAC’s Diva or Rebel but this lipstick has a beautiful satin smooth finish. It is very comfortable on the lips.

 

 

Whipped Berries

This color is my everyday shade. It is beautiful with any eye look and suitable for everyday. This shade is a frosted berry with a slight shimmer. It is beautiful on the lips and gives beautiful coverage and wear.

 

True Dimensions Lipstick- Mystic Plum

 

 A new addition to the Mary Kay lip collection; the True Dimensions lipstick is like a lipstick fused with a lip gloss. The texture is creamy and smooth on the lips. It delivers age fighting nutrients to the lips keeping them smooth and supple. This color is the first purchase from the True Dimension line. This smooth plum is perfect. The creamy texture makes for a smooth application and the finish dazzles without any sparkle or glitter. The glossy finish is not sticky or too slick it is the perfect merge of color and shine.

I have given the Mary Kay lipstick 5 stars. I love all of them and the formulas are incredible. I hope that you would give them a try and find your way to beautiful.