lipstick

SEPHORA SPRING SALE

Apr 23

If you know me at all, you know I can’t resist walking into Sephora as soon as I see it. (Okay honestly I pretty much run as soon as I see it.) Lucky for all of us, Sephora’s Spring Sale is back, BUT it ends today. I decided to round up some of my favorite or “must-have” products for you to snag before the sale ends tonight. Today is my 23rd birthday, so I had no shame clicking “add to cart” on a few items as a little birthday present to myself.

SOOO… HOW DOES IT WORK?

First off, you need to be a Beauty Insider to participate in the sale. You can sign up here. Once you sign up and have your items all in your cart, you’ll want to enter the code for which level Beauty Insider you are.

Beauty Insiders: 10% off everything with code YAYINSIDER

VIB: 15% off everything with code YAYVIB

Rouge: 15% off everything with code YAYROUGE

MY FAVORITES:

INVISIBOBBLE // These are my favorite hair ties! They look way cute in your hair and don’t leave a crimp.

KOPARI COCONUT BODY GLOW // I want anything and everything that will make me glow AND smell like a tropical paradise.

LAURA MERCIER TRANSLUCENT POWDER // I always need more powder. Always. #OilySkinProbs

NARS POWERMATTE LIP PIGMENT // This liquid lipstick does. not. budge. I have the shade “Get It On” because I’m incapable of resisting a cheeky color name.

ANASTASIA DIPBROW POMADE // This is the secret to amazing brows.

T3 HAIR DRYER // I have an older model of this hair dryer, but it’s made a HUGE difference in my hair. (aka I dislike washing my hair a little bit less now)

ANASTASIA GLOW KIT // Does anyone else want to bathe in highlight? Just me? Ok.

DR. DENNIS GROSS ALPHA BETA PEEL PADS // Every time I use these my skin feels BOMB. Read more about why you should get these here.

KATE SOMERVILLE EXFOLIKATE // I use this in the shower, turn the water heat all the way up (I enjoy burning my skin off it’s fine), and then enjoy the steam for a couple minutes before washing it off.

WHAT I BOUGHT:

SOL DE JANEIRO BRAZILIAN CRUSH FRAGRANCE MIST // I just wanna smell like summer all the time.

DR. JART ALL THAT CONTOURS SHEET MASK // I’ve heard this sheet mask is similar to getting Botox, so I will report back with results. Sidebar — I got Botox almost 2 months ago and I’m working on a post about that experience!

NARS CREAMY CONCEALER // This concealer has a cult following, and since I’m almost out of my beloved Tarte Shape Tape I decided I would give this a try.

ESTEE LAUDER DOUBLE WEAR FOUNDATION // This is a repurchase for me! I love this foundation because it has great coverage but also feels super light.

If I had it my way, I would probably purchase just about everything during this sale. BUT I’ve done a little too much #treatyoself this month (birthday month so it’s justified?) so I had to limit myself a bit. Let me know what you’re picking up for yourself from the sale — be sure to hurry, it ends tonight!

KYLIE COSMETICS METAL MATTES

May 23

I tried really hard not to get sucked into the hype, y’all. I tried. My first Kylie Cosmetics purchase was the Kourt K lip kit, which I ended up loving. Once I saw these metals, I knew I had to get my hands on them. So many people have asked me what I think of them, so I thought I would do a little review for you!

All three shades are very pigmented, and just one coat of product gives amazing color payoff. I’m completely obsessed with the metallic shine they all have, it’s gorgeous.

Heir is the lightest of the three, and has a sort of nude peach tone to the color. I really like wearing this one with Charlotte Tilbury Bitch Perfect lipstick underneath, because I’ve found it makes the color suit my skin tone better.

King K is a golden bronze color, and is probably my favorite of the three even though it’s a close call! I wear this one with Charlotte Tilbury Iconic Nude lip liner underneath.

Reign is the darkest, and is a bronze red color. The website describes it as copper, which it has some hints of, but I feel the undertone is far more red than anything. It also is much darker in person than it appears on the website, but a beautiful color nonetheless.

They’re also fairly long-lasting, although Heir didn’t seem to wear quite as long as the other two from what I found.

One of my favorite things about matte lipsticks is that they are usually fairly smudge proof and don’t transfer easily, but that is not the case with these. This is my main problem with this product. I don’t believe that they are a true matte lipstick, they definitely have more of a satin texture. They can be quite a bit sticky depending on how much product you use. I also wouldn’t say they are drying at all like some matte lipsticks can be, which is good.

If you don’t like scented makeup, you’ll probably have a problem with these. They have a decently strong, sweet smell. I wouldn’t say it smells bad, but I’m also not particularly fond of the smell either. I’m sure it’s used to cover up the sort of “chemical” smell that unscented liquid lipsticks sometimes have, I just find the scent to be too strong.

Overall, they’re not a perfect product, but I wasn’t necessarily expecting a perfect product either. I think the color and pigmentation of these lipsticks alone makes it worth it. I’ve found myself reaching for these three more than any other lip products since I’ve had them. They’re also amazing for layering with other lip products to create new and unique colors.

Bottom line: you need these in your makeup bag. Trust me.

Without flash – Top to bottom: Reign, King K, Heir

With flash – Left to Right: Heir, King K, Reign

Have you tried the Kylie Cosmetics metal mattes or any of her glosses or lip kits? Don’t forget to check out my Instagram, @thelipsticktales! There you can find pictures of how each of the lipsticks look on. Thank you so much for reading, check back Wednesday for another new post!

BITE LIP LAB

Mar 29

Shop My Look:

Top: Banana Republic | Jeans: Topshop | Jacket: Banana Republic | Necklace: Beaded by W

For my spring break this year I took a trip with my Meme to New York for Fashion PR Confidential. We scheduled in a couple extra days for the trip so we could shop and enjoy the city before my workshop, and being the lipstick lover that I am, I just HAD to make a stop at the Bite Lip Lab.

Bite Beauty is a cosmetics line sold at Sephora. They specialize in lip products and use ingredients that are food grade quality. Their Lip Lab, located in SoHo, is a place where you can make your own custom lipstick color, and they’ll even keep your formula on file for you so you can reorder it easily.

The first part of the process is making your color, and was my favorite part. I had been searching for the perfect magenta pink that was just the right amount of purple but was also wearable. I’d been mixing MAC Up the Amp and Lovelorn trying to perfect the color, so I knew that this was the sort of custom color I wanted to create. You can also choose the finish of your lipstick, and I chose “cuvee” which is a sort of satin finish.

My first color mixed was too pink, the next was too violet, and the last one ended up being my perfect color. My Meme started out creating a very wearable color, but eventually decided she wanted a really good blue toned red. You can see those gorgeous blue undertones in the last swatch on her swatch card- I’ve never seen such a beautiful red!

The next step is to select the scent/flavor of your lipstick, which is created with essential oils. I chose to mix cherry and vanilla for my lipstick, considering my Sonic order is always cherry vanilla diet coke! 😉

After all of that is decided, they mix up your color and pour it into the mold. It’s set on a freezer, which chills it down and solidifies it into it’s lipstick form so it can be placed in the bullet. Once that’s done, you have your own custom lipstick! They give you a card with the recipe for your color, and also keep it on file so you can reorder it if you run out.

The whole experience was really fun! I definitely recommend making an appointment (which is needed) if you’re in NYC. Grab lunch at Joe’s Pizza (my favorite) after to make a day out of it! If you’re looking for a color similar to the one I made, this one is almost identical.

Have you ever been to the Bite Lip Lab or anything like it? Let me know 🙂

Shop the Post:

Summer Lips

Jul 02

Happy July, friends! I can’t believe that June is already over, where does the time go? Today I’m sharing the 2nd part of my summer series, my favorite summer lip products. Although I have a tendency to wear the same colors throughout the year, there are some that definitely fit better in the summer. I picked my top five, and lately I’ve been wearing these on rotation!

MAC “Please Me”

This lipstick is my perfect everyday pink. It’s bright, but not too bright. This color goes with everything, which is what makes it perfect throw on for lazy summer days. It has a matte finish, so I always wear a gloss on top. I’m always wary of matte finishes in the summer because they can feel dry, but with a gloss this one has the perfect texture.

NARS “Heat Wave”

This is the perfect summer red. It’s warm toned, which gives it that vibrant almost-coral look. Surprisingly enough, this one is also a matte finish, but I have less of a problem with it being drying than the MAC mattes. The color is outstanding though, and looks perfect with a tan!

Charlotte Tilbury “Nude Kate”

I’ve said this before, but I had never really tried a true nude lipstick before this one. I love that the color doesn’t wash you out, who wants that for summer?! The color is inspired by Kate Moss, as the name suggests, and I always think she has the perfect look for summer!

NARS “Sixties Fan”

In the bottle, this color looks scary dark. However, when it’s applied it is actually extremely wearable. It’s a sort of pomegranate color that warms up your skin and is super easy to throw on with any outfit. My roommate is always stealing this one from me (looking at you, Rachel!) but I can’t blame her, the color is amazing!

MAC “Razzledazzler”

This color has probably been my most worn lately. It’s a light orange, which is a pretty scary color for most people who aren’t used to orange lipsticks. Something about the color just screams summer to me, probably because it reminds me of a dreamsicle! I wear Laura Mercier “Nectar” Lip Glacé over this one for a glossy finish, which is my favorite in the summer.

Thanks so much for reading! What are your favorite summer lip products?

May Favorites

Jun 08

Happy Monday everyone! Today I wanted to share with you my May favorites. I cannot believe that it’s already June! We’re almost halfway through with 2015, and if that’s not weird to you then I don’t know what is. I didn’t pick up a tremendous amount of new products this month, but I loved the ones that I did. Here are my favorites of the past month:

1. Elizabeth and James Nirvana White

This has been my most reached for perfume lately. I have the rollerball, which I love because it’s so easy to through in my purse and take with me in case I need a little pick me up throughout the day. It’s a sophisticated scent that’s great for daytime wear.

2. MAC Blush in Full of Joy

I picked up this blush because I really wanted a color that was very different from other blushes I have. It’s a lilac color, which sounds really out there, but I’m telling you it’s gorgeous. I get so many compliments every time I wear this blush, and I love how different it is.

3. Charlotte Tilbury K.I.S.S.I.N.G Lipstick in Nude Kate

Prepare yourself here. I went a little crazy at the Charlotte Tilbury counter in Nordstrom and I have no regrets. Looking for the foolproof nude lip? This is it. I was so afraid of trying nude lipstick before this one, because I was afraid it would wash me out. This one definitely does not.

4. Charlotte Tilbury Lip Cheat in Iconic Nude

Lip liner has gained the credit it deserves lately, most likely thanks to Kylie Jenner. I never really saw it necessary before, but it really does help shape your lips so they’re impeccable. Charlotte Tilbury’s Lip Cheat makes this SO easy, and this color goes perfectly with the Nude Kate lipstick.

5. Charlotte Tilbury Lip Lustre in Blondie

This lip gloss is the finishing touch to the nude pout. I love lip gloss, and I can’t stand when the formula is sticky. This one glides on like a breeze and looks gorgeous over any color – not just nude!

6. Charlotte Tilbury The Rock Chick Eyeshadow Palette

If you couldn’t already tell by the 3 previous favorites, I’m obsessed with Charlotte Tilbury’s Rock Chick look. Makeup that will make me look like Kate Moss or Brigitte Bardot? Sign me up! This palette achieves that smoky look without being overpowering.

What products have you been loving lately? Let me know in the comments! Thank you for reading, enjoy your Monday!

Current Makeup Favorites

Mar 13

Okay, so I know I’ve been MIA for over a week, but midterms got the best of me. I’m now officially on spring break and I’ve got some posts coming up for you! I originally intended for this post to be kind of a “February Favorites” but considering we’re almost halfway through March now (how did that happen?!) it’s just kind of a “current makeup favorites” that I can’t get enough of instead! Some are new products, and others are some rediscovered loves I had forgotten about.

Anastasia Contour Kit

First up is a new product. You’ve probably heard about it by now since it has a cult following. I bought it recently because I had run out of bronzer and was looking to try something different. If I want to go for an all over bronze look, I use the bottom left bronze color. For contouring, I like the bottom middle bronze color. It’s more cool toned, so it’s more suited for contouring than the other two. Your ideal contour shade is more cool toned, and maybe even a little bit grey. I bought a contouring brush to go along with the palette to create the perfect look. Of the highlighting shades, the middle banana one is by far my favorite. I use it under my eyes, and nothing brightens up your face like this powder does, it’s amazing. You don’t really even need under eye concealer with it. I also like the top right highlighting color for the tops of my cheekbones since it has shimmer to it. They’ve also just released a palette for medium to tan skin if these shades are too light for you.

Benefit Roller Lash Mascara

Okay, so ignore the fact that this is a little sample of the mascara (I just bought the full size one!) and let me tell you – this is my new favorite mascara. The whole “hook and lift” thing it’s got going on seriously separates and perfects your lashes. I’m one for using multiple mascaras to achieve the lash look that I like, but I don’t really need to with this one. Benefit really knows their stuff with mascara. I still love They’re Real but this one will be taking the role as my favorite for now.

Bobbi Brown Creamy Concealer Kit

This product is actually a rediscovered love. It’s amazing at covering under eye circles because it is peach toned and cancels out the blueness of the circles. The color I have is “Natural” and it’s a little bit dark, so if I repurchase it I will definitely go lighter. I had it color matched to me when I had an intense airbrush tan (not my best decision for purchasing a product…) but since I still try to maintain a faux glow the color works for me. On the right side of the compact is a light yellow powder, and I use that to set the concealer. It works really well and also helps to brighten up your under eyes.

NARS And God Created the Woman Eye Kit

This one is also rediscovered. I actually thought that I didn’t like the product for a while, but then I started using a different eyeshadow brush with it and loved the pigmentation of all the shadows. The palette has a very 60’s vibe, which is pretty much my favorite decade as far as makeup trends go. Mine is from the first release of the palette, so if you buy it new now the colors are in a little bit of a different order. I love the top two corner ones the most, if you couldn’t tell. Also, I believe that all of these colors can be found in NARS duos or single eyeshadows as part of their permanent line, so if you run out of one it’s easy to replace.

YSL Rouge Pur Couture Lipstick in Rose Libertin

And lastly, a more recent purchase. I love the formula of YSL lipsticks because they’re so creamy and pigmented, and I actually think I prefer the Rouge Pur Couture over the Rouge Volupte Shine. I picked this color because it’s similar to one of my all time favorites, NARS Roman Holiday, but Rose Libertin is a bit brighter and more lilac. Plus, who can resist the perfect gold packaging of this lipstick… how can you not feel glamorous putting it on?!

Thank you so much for reading, I hope you all have a great Friday!

Spring Break Wishes

Mar 04

Spring break is just around the corner! Mine doesn’t start until the 14th, but I know that for some it’s next week. I’m headed to Los Angeles for the break, and these are the top six things I want to snag for the trip.

1. Wildfox Baggy Beach Jumper

What’s more perfect for the beach than a beach jumper? I also love the flamingo one Amber from Barefoot Blonde is wearing here.

2. Illesteva Palm Beach Sunglasses

I need a pair of round sunglasses. I’m not sure I could pull off completely round ones, so I love the kind of cat eye that these have.

3. Dolce Vita Ziggie Sandals

Seriously lusting after these flatform sandals.

4. Marc by Marc Jacobs Leather Drawstring Bag

I want a soft pink handbag for spring so bad. This one is chic and relaxed.

5. YSL Rouge Volupte Shine in Coral Incandescent

Fiery reds/corals are a huge lipstick trend for spring, and also happen to be one of my favorite colors to wear.

6. Kate Spade “Georgica” Bikini Top / Bottom

How can you not love the vintage look of this swimsuit? I love everything mod, so this will most likely be my next swimsuit purchase.

Where are you headed for spring break, and what’s on your wishlist? Thank you so much for reading!

P.S. Today marks one month of blogging! Special thank you to all of you for being so loving and supportive this past month.

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SOOO… HOW DOES IT WORK?

MY FAVORITES:

WHAT I BOUGHT:

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