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Rosy Red and Pink Tinted Lip Balm Treatments for Holiday

November 2, 2015

Today I’ve rounded up nine of my favorite rosy tinted lip balms for the holiday season coming ahead. Many of you loved last year’s roundup on holiday reds for lips and nails. This year’s version is for the neutral lip lover who is afraid to wear bold reds on the lips but wants to try something with some color. If you’re like me and almost always wears neutral colors on the lips, tinted lip balms, treatments and oils offer sheerer coverage and are more natural looking. I have a mix of pink and reds in a number of different formulas. If you’re looking for a good double-duty lip product that offers tint and hydration, I hope this guide will help you find a new one this month.

Below are a mix of potted balms, wand/gloss-like balms, squeeze tubes and twist up sticks. All of these offer a glossy sheen. As usual with most balms, lasting power will not be the same as with lipsticks, but this means that they fade more naturally. Oils often come with a stain built in so there is the hydration aspect but the color will stain the lips and last longer throughout the day. Several of these have been reviewed in depth before. I’ll link previous reviews.

Shown from left to right:

  1. By Terry Baume de Rose Nutri-Couleur in Bloom Berry ($56, review) is one of the most expensive lip products I own. Splurging on the regular Baume de Rose made a big dent in my wallet and once the tinted versions launched an even bigger dent was made. This is a super lush thick rose-scented balm. Bloom Berry is my holy grail red lip balm because it for me it’s the perfect shade of berry red. The pot is really large so it will last a long time. I’ve had mine for over a year, there’s still a lot left and it hasn’t gone bad yet.
  2. By Terry Baume de Rose Nutri-Couleur Cherry Bomb ($89 for set of 5, review) comes in the full-sized pot, but I have it from a holiday set (both the pot and wand are identical in color). For those who want a brighter cherry red, this one is a lovely color that is bright but not too bright. It will give your lips a natural flushed look.
  3. Hourglass No. 28 Tinted Lip Treatment Oil in Icon ($42) is the latest from Hourglass Cosmetics. If you’ve tried the original clear lip oil, you are probably aware of how luxurious, hydrating and amazing the formula is. It has anti-aging ingredients and oils to hydrate, condition and soften the lips while reducing wrinkles. The packaging is truly unique with a press-pump dispenser and a gold tip cap. Icon is a sheer glossy see-through red. It’s truly luxurious and gives the lips a healthy glow. Pigment is sheer but noticeable. It does fade to a natural shine throughout the day. Out of all the lip treatments this one feels the most hydrating on my lips.
  4. Bite Beauty Agave Lip Mask in Smashed ($26, review) is a classic lip treatment that works wonders as a lip treatment. As a tint this is one of the sheerest and lightest in pigment so if you’re super timid with color, this one offers a very natural wash of color. If you’ve tried the Bite Beauty Agave Lip Masks you are probably familiar with the thick but lush hydrating formula. It offers a veil of moisture that is really good for dry lips.
  5. Fresh Sugar Shine Lip Treatment in Cherry ($18.50, review) is a tinted lip treatment that is a classic red cherry color. It has high shine and comes in a tube with a sponge tip applicator. These also come in the twist up stick form. The stick has more pigment while the tube is sheerer but offers more shine. If you have super dry lips, you may find the color from the tube will settle into lines. The color is a vibrant cherry red but is sheer so it’s not in-your-face bright.
  6. Burberry First Kiss Gloss Lip Balm in Rose Blush ($26) is a newer lip product from Burberry. I wanted the Crushed Red color but it’s been sold out at my local Sephora (I need to just order it online already). I have a couple of these lip balms sight unseen. Part of me was expecting to be disappointed because I thought they would be basic and sheer. The other part of me had high hopes because I’m a fan of their lip products. These lip balms are really amazing. They offer enough color to show up on the lips and also have an amazingly smooth feel. There’s slip but it’s not greasy. I’m head over heels in love. It’s also scent-free.
  7. Clarins Instant Light Lip Balm Perfector in Red ($25, review) is my favorite stick balm formula. You can read the full review with swatches of all the shade options linked above. The only downside is the size and price. They are on the small side which makes them pricey. The formula can’t be beat though.
  8. bareMinerals Pop of Passion Lip Oil Balm in Punch Pop ($16) is a twist up stick balm oil treatment. If you’ve tried other traditional tinted lip oils you may have been disappointed with the color payoff (I know I have). The oils in stick form from bareMinerals offer more pigment. They swatch sheer on the hands but the texture of the lips really picks up the color. The ones I tested have a slight stain in the pigment as well which makes the color last longer than most balms. The formula is plush and also unscented. I give these a thumbs up for pigment and coverage.
  9. YSL Volupté Sheer Candy in 04 Succulent Pomegranate ($36) is a pinkish fuchsia color that’s soft and sheer. I’m beyond obsessed with the Volupté Sheer Candy formula although for most it is either a hit or miss. If you want a super lush balmy feel with a glossy shine, these are among my favorite sheer lipsticks that offer hydration. They are scented like grapefruits or mangos (to me it smells like a mix of both) but it’s not overly sweet and they also taste good.
Swatched below in the same order:

Swatched on the lips:

My top picks:
By Terry Baume de Rose Bloom Berry for the best color
Hourglass Lip Oil in Icon for the most hydrating feel
Clarins Instant Light Lip Balm Perfector and YSL for the best texture
If you’re a neutral lip lover who is curious about rosy colors for the lips but want something a little more natural than the traditional bold red lipstick, I hope you found this roundup helpful! Do you have a favorite tinted lip balm or treatment?
Press samples featured in this post include items from Clarins, Hourglass and Bare Minerals. All others purchased by me.
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On My Radar / New In Beauty

October 20, 2015

Here’s a beauty roundup of new launches I have on my radar this week. From top left, clockwise:

The holiday collection from Chanel called Vamp Attitude just launched. I am still working on swatches for the Rouge Allure releases, but I know I will need the Le Vernis in Rose Fusion and the Le Top Coat Lamé Rouge Noir ($27 each).

Wander Beauty is a new brand that’s popped up on my radar. They sent a couple of the Exquisite Liquid Shadows ($26 each) for me to try (they are stunning, review soon). I’ve been browsing their site and the Paris Collection features four items for lips, cheeks, eyes and highlight that look like they could create the perfect polished look. Have you tried this line yet?

Eve Lom has launched a number of gift sets for the holiday. The Icons Gift Set ($260) contains their Cleanser, Intense Firming Serum, Daily Protection SPF 50, Eye Lift and a Muslin Cloth. There is a price break for this set (individually the items total a little over $300). Other options such as The Perfectors Set and The Classics which have different items and are at lower price points. If you’ve been eyeing any of these, don’t forget Space NK US has their Explore promotion that’s going on online through Sunday. Use code EXPLORE15 at checkout for $25 off any orders $100 or more.

Net-A-Porter has this amazing Smith & Cult The Shining Lip Lacquer Set ($150). It has eight lip lacquers packaged in a pretty black box. You can find the colors individually in case you’re one who prefer to pick out your own colors.

Bite Beauty always launches cute sets over the holidays. I ordered the Discovery Set ($55) a few weeks ago, I hope to review it soon. The Best Bite Rewind has four mini matte creme lip crayons. This one has more color for those who like something brighter with more variety. This one has been calling my name too.

Holiday season is the season of palettes. I stopped buying holiday or seasonal palettes years ago because I found if I didn’t like all the colors the palettes didn’t end up getting much use. The NARS x Stephen Klein One Shocking Moment Cheek Palette ($69) looks soooo pretty though. It has the Contour Blush in Paloma, Bronzing Powder in Laguna, four blushes in Robotic, Blasphemy, Luster and Dolce Vita. If you’ve seen or tried this let me know what you think!

MAC Magic of the Night Collection launches in stores this week. There are already some items that popped up online and as usual many pieces have already sold out within minutes of launching online. I was able to order Please Me Lipstick ($18) and Shaft of Gold In Extra Dimension Skinfinish ($33). I’m hoping nothing in my order gets cancelled.

What’s on your beauty radar this week?

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On My Radar

On My Radar / New in Beauty

October 13, 2015

Happy Tuesday everyone! I feel as though holiday beauty releases, gift sets and collections are starting to flood my e-mail inbox with daily notifications. I’m really excited about this year’s gift sets – they look better than ever and there seem to some that are well-priced. I will have to make my lists and sort through them carefully before making purchases. A few things on my beauty radar this week.

First, three sales/gift with purchase events you might want to take note of. Space NK is having their explore event, details one post down, but use code EXPLORE15 for $25 off purchases of $100 or more (online only, valid through 10/25). Shopbop is having 25% Off Friends and Family Sale with code INTHEFAM25 (good for 3 days, ends 10/15). Neiman Marcus is having their Incircle Event so many lines have gift with purchase options.

From the top left clockwise:

  • Le Metier de Beaute and Neiman Marcus have created a limited-edition Breast Cancer Awareness Stephanie Kaleidoscope. I will be picking mine up later this week since they have their Incircle Event. There is a gift with purchase available with any $300 purchase (in store and online). More details once I pick mine up.
  • Chanel has some gorgeous releases for late fall into holiday. First there is a new Rouge Allure Collection featuring some new Rouge Allure Lipsticks (Inspiree and Eblouissante), Rouge Allure Velvet Lipsticks, new Rouge Double Colors (I picked up Bright Rose), Rouge Allure Gloss (in Ideale and Expressive), two new Le Vernis Nail Polishes in Singuliere and Troublant. Review on my picks soon.
  • Diptyque Holiday looks absolutely amazing. There will be three limited-edition holiday candles that launch November. You can pre-order some from Neiman Marcus now. Also the Diptyque South Coast Plaza store will have an exclusive early preview event at their store October 15th. You can call them (714) 850-9995 for details. They will have a gift with purchase and small bites available.
  • Molton Brown has two new hand treatments available. There is Alba White Truffle Hand Exfoliator and Alba White Truffle Hand Treatment. I’ve never thought about exfoliating the hands before – it will be interesting to see how the duo performs.
  • Buxom Cosmetics has a number of cute holiday sets with minis. The Don’t Miss a Beat set has 6 mini lip polishes. If you want a bigger selection of colors, the Leave Your Mark Full-On Lip Polish & Lip Cream Set has 15 minis.
  • RMS Beauty has launched nine Nail Polishes. There are several different finishes in creams and metallics. I’m particularly intrigued with how the Luminizer shade will look on the hands.
  • The Sephora Beauty Insider 250 Point Perk for October Bite Beauty’s Kir Royale has launched online!! Swatches of the lipstick and lipgloss in this post here. If you’ve been stalking Sephora for this bonus to arrive online, I just spotted it today.
  • Last but not least, some of Tom Ford Holiday has launched online for pre-order at Neiman Marcus. It’s all very smokey and dark. I have my eye on the Waterproof Mascara in Noir and Nail Lacquer in Black Out (it looks like it could be a dupe for Chanel Steel).
What’s on your beauty radar this week? Do you have anything on your wishlist or are you waiting to see more holiday launches before splurging?

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Bite Beauty Luminous Crème Lipsticks and Butter Cream Lipsticks

April 14, 2015

The lipsticks from Bite Beauty have been on my radar for quite some time. There’s something appealing about the simple and basic packaging of their lipsticks that always has me going “ooohh” when I see them online. I picked up a few lipsticks in two of the formulas:

Luminous Crème Lipsticks ($24 each) in Pepper and Musk
Butter Cream Lipsticks ($28 each) in Caramel, Pecan and Heather

Both formulas are rich and creamy with a very natural lipstick-like scent. The texture is on the thick side but they do glide on the lips nicely. The colors are super saturated and cover the lip entirely, although I do recommend a neutral lipliner blended around the edges to help the finish look a bit more natural/blended in with the lip. I bought colors based on recs from my readers – sometimes neutrals with brown or plum undertones can look very dark and drab on my olive skintone (i.e. MAC Spirit and Twig). The ones recommended to me are truly neutral with the pinky-brown base but they aren’t too dark and actually have a lot of color in them.

I personally found both formulas to perform the same on my lips. The Butter Cream formula is slightly glossier and thicker in texture so you have more of a sheen on the lips. The Luminous Creme melds into the lip for a more natural look, but it has enough color so you can still tell you are wearing lipstick.

The packaging and lipstick designs are different. I prefer the traditional angled tip because it makes lipstick easier to apply. The flat tip of the Butter Cream is designed to expose the creamy center, but it just feels awkward to apply and I don’t notice additional creaminess because of the design. The thick texture makes it stick slightly to the lips and I felt like I was going to break the lipstick at the base (luckily I did not on any of them). All of these look fairly similar. In store lighting they looked different but once I got home I realized most of these are really close to each other. On the lips they have slight differences in undertone.

Pepper is a browned pink rose
Musk is the perfect neutral nude pink rose
Caramel is a lovely nude beige flesh color
Pecan is a peachy pink brown nude
Heather is a bright but muted rose pink

Here they are swatched on the lips, for foundation I have on NARS Punjab in some photos and the Chanel CC Cream in Beige 30 in others (still testing this one out):

A few swatch comparisons to other neutral lipsticks:

Marc Jacobs Le Marc Lip Creme in Infamous (swatched on lips here)
Marc Jacobs Sheer Lip Gel in Understudy and Roleplay (reviews here)
Tom Ford Lip Color Matte in First Time (swatched here)
Charlotte Tilbury Lipsticks in Nude Kate and Stoned Rose (lip swatch here)
NARS Audacious Lipsticks in Barbara and Anita (lip swatches here)

The formula of the Bite Beauty Lipsticks reminds me of the NARS Audacious Lipsticks in terms of the coverage and blendability. Both are rich and opaque but don’t look flat on the lips like some full-coverage lipsticks can. I do find the Bite Beauty Lipsticks slightly thicker in texture and you can definitely feel them on the lips – but not in a bad way and they don’t feel like they are sliding off. The thick texture of the Bite Butter Cream Lipsticks makes them feel like you have a veil of moisture on the lips – I found them very hydrating. Out of the two formulas, I have a very slight preference for the Butter Cream because of the color options, but I really prefer the traditional angled shape of the Luminous Cremes.

Bottom line: lots to love about these. I have a few more of the Butter Creams sitting in my online cart but given the fact that they are just slight variations of the ones I have and also combined with the fact that I’m not too thrilled with the flat tip, I will probably pass on more and stick with the ones I have. 

You can find the Bite Beauty Lipsticks online and in select Sephora stores. The Luminous Crème Lipsticks retail for $24 each while the Butter Cream Lipsticks are $28 each. Have you tried any of the Bite Beauty Lipsticks? Which ones?

P.S. the Sephora VIB Rouge 15% off is going on now through the 21st with code ROUGELOVE
VIBs get 15% off starting the 16th with code VIBLOVE
BIs get 10% off starting the 17th with code BILOVE

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Sephora Beauty Insider VIB Rouge 15% Off Event Starts Today: 4/12 through 4/21/2015

April 12, 2015

The Sephora Beauty Insider event is happening this month! VIB Rouge Members get early access starting today where you can get 15% off your purchases online at Sephora.com with code ROUGELOVE and in stores by showing the mailer or copy of the e-mail you received with the barcodes 4/12 through 4/21. VIB and other Beauty Insider Members will have access at later dates (will update as more as I receive more info).

I placed an order online this morning to avoid the crowds, although quite a few of the Surratt Beauty items I had on my wish list sold out already. I’ll have my haul to share with you in the next week (my package is expected to arrive Tuesday or Wednesday).

In the meantime if you need some recommendations here is a list of items I’ve reviewed from the past few years that are good to save on. Sales on mid to high-end luxury products rarely occur except with the occasional friends and family discounts. In the mix a few splurges along with classic staples.

Row 1, left to right:

Row 2, left to right

Row 3, left to right:

Row 4, left to right: 

Did you buy anything for the VIB Rouge Beauty Insider sale at Sephora? If you’re shopping online be sure to enter in the code ROUGELOVE at checkout. If you’re a VIB/Beauty Insider Member, what’s on your wish list or in your shopping cart?

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On My Radar / New In Beauty

February 25, 2015
Some new items on my radar this week that have popped up. I’m still working my way through photographing and swatching items from Marc Jacobs Beauty, Hourglass, Burberry, Chanel and Charlotte Tilbury. There’s not enough hours in the day for all the fun stuff. As usual I’d love to hear what’s on your beauty radar right now. I’m in the process of testing out some eye creams (sample packets and a few I’ve bought) – if you have any favorite eye creams I’d love to hear your recs in the comments.

1  /  2  /  3  /  4  /  5  /  6  /  7  /  8  /  9
  1. NARS will release six shades of Dual-Intensity Blush next week at online at Sephora, NARS Cosmetics and NARS Boutiques on March 4th and at all other locations April 1st. As someone who is obsessed with the Dual-Intensity Eyeshadows, I’m beyond excited for these.
  2. Chanel has some new items in skincare. The entire Le Blanc line has been reformulated so if you have some staples I recommend you check your counter as soon as possible to see if they have the older formulas to stock up. I just ran out of my go-to Estee Lauder toner so I decided to give the Le Blanc Brightening Moisturizing Lotion a try. I’ll have a more detailed report once I give it a test drive. 
  3. Another new item from Chanel is the Hydra Beauty Micro Serum. From what I’ve heard, it will not replace the current Hydra Beauty Serum, but is simply an addition to the line for more moisture. I bought the Micro Serum yesterday and can’t wait to try it out.
  4. The Bite Beauty Butter Cream Lipsticks are now available for everyone to purchase (no longer a VIB/VIB Rouge exclusive). There are eight shades of nudes and mauves which are super tempting. Given the fact that I have acquired a number of Chanel Rouge Cocos, Dior Glosses and Marc Jacobs Lipsticks buying another lipstick just seems silly. But many of you keep raving about Bite so I might check out 1 or 2.
  5. Dior has three new Gel-Shine Vernis Nail Lacquers launched with the release of the lip glosses.  The three colors are Rose, Pink and Corail. I’ll have swatches for you next week.
  6. Bobbi Brown has new Cheek Palettes with different color themes in Berry, Pink and Calypso. These are so stunning and well pigmented. I haven’t splurged yet but these are on my radar.
  7. Tatcha’s latest is the Indigo Soothing Rice Enzyme Powder for sensitive skin. It’s also available in a travel size. I’m a huge fan of the regular version (reviewed here) and this new one looks promising for days that my skin is experiencing extra sensitivity.
  8. Burberry has reformulated all of their shadows. In addition to their powder shadows, there is another new formula called Wet & Dry Glow Shadows in Optic White, Gold Pearl, Nude and Shell which are mind blowingly gorgeous. I’m working on swatches this week.
  9. Clinique has two Chubby Sticks out. There is a Chubby Stick Sculpting Highlight and Chubby Stick Sculpting Contour. I like the look of the packaging and they look like they are really easy to use but reviews are mixed. Have you tried these? I’d love to hear your thoughts.
What’s on your beauty radar this week?
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Valentine’s Day Pink for Lips

February 12, 2015

This week I’m loving all shades of pink for the lips, in preparation for Valentine’s Day I’ve compiled a list of new pinks that I’ve been testing along with some older favorites. Today’s focus is on lip glosses with a glossy sheen that will give the lips a lush glow.

  • Marc Jacobs Lust for Lacquer Lip Vinyl Sheer in Pink Diamond is a glossy sheer pink gold that gives the lips a tint of gold and pink, right now it seems to be removed from Sephora and Marc Jacobs Beauty so I’m not sure if these are being phased out or reformulated, for a similar effect check out MAC Nympette Lipglass
  • Clarins Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector in Rose Shimmer 01 is a sheer light pink balm-like gloss, on the lips it gives a sheer natural wash of light pink with a tiny bit of shimmer, it has a soft vanilla scent
  • NARS Lip Gloss in Turkish Delight is a super pale powdery pink gloss, on my super pigmented lips this is high maintenance when worn alone, I find it’s best worn as a layering lipgloss mainly because I have a lot of color in my lips
  • Zelens Lip Glaze in Rose is a lush baby pink cream, I have a hard time pulling off baby pinks on the lips that are non-shimmers, they are often too pale on my lip but this one was surprisingly good, it’s pricey for a lip gloss but the texture and color are really really good, coverage is medium
  • Bite Beauty Lush Fruit Gloss in Strawberry is something I bought in the mini size over the holiday, this is the first Bite Lip Gloss I’ve tried and the color is absolute perfection for the perfect light-to-medium rose pink but the formula is less than stellar. I wonder if this is one of those glosses you need to “break in” with a few wears to make the formula better, it settled into lip lines like crazy which is a shame because the color and pigment is so pretty
  • Laura Mercier Lip Glace in Pink Pop is sheer bright pink gloss perfection, I love a good bright lip gloss that has a sheer texture because they give the lips just enough color to get that glow, this one has a very strong vanilla scent so if you’re sensitive to fragrance, you might not be able to wear this one easily
  • Giorgio Armani Flash Lacquer in 521 is a sheer medium cool-toned pink, it’s very sheer so alone it will give you a very subtle tint of color, it’s lovely over a lipstick or lipliner 
  • NARS Lip Gloss in Angelika is a bright cool-toned pink with gold flecks of shimmer, this one is a pretty azalea pink kind of color with medium coverage
  • Hourglass Extreme Sheen Lip Gloss in Ballet is a lipgloss that acts more like a liquid lipstick, this one has crazy intense pigment and covers the lip entirely, if you want a glossy bright pink with super rich coverage, this is the best one I’ve tried
  • MAC Viva Glam Miley Cyrus is a super fun glitzy pink, I’m usually ultra conservative when it comes to anything with visible sparkles that is more than just shimmer, but this one is really pretty on the lips, I’m not sure that I would be able to rock this comfortably everyday, but it’s not too glitzy if you layer a sheer wash of this on top of a lipstick
  • Zelens Lip Glaze in Pink is a healthy medium-bright pink, it has medium coverage leaning slightly more towards full but still has a glossy finish so it’s not like a liquid lipstick, it’s like Laura Mercier’s Pink Pop amped up a few notches in terms of pigment and oomph, I highly recommend the formula because it plumps the lips naturally and feels ultra hydrating and smooth
  • Chanel Glossimer in Crazy Fuchsia is part of the spring collection, it’s a super pigmented glossimer that has the prettiest mix of pink, violet and rose shimmers, long-time readers know I’m all about lighter neutral lips, but this one is just insanely gorgeous

Lip swatches on me (for reference some of these were taken over different days, foundations worn include the NARS All Day Weightless Luminous Foundation in Punjab and Tom Ford Traceless Perfecting Foundation in Bisque 04 with various setting powders):

I hope you found this lip gloss guide helpful in terms of picking out pink lip glosses with a diverse range of finishes, textures and different levels of color. To narrow down my top picks by category:

Favorite sheer light pink:
Clarins Instant Light Perfector in Rose Shimmer and Zelens Rose Lip Glaze
Favorite medium pink:
Laura Mercier Pink Pop and Zelens Pink Lip Glaze
Most unique:
Chanel Crazy Fuchsia Glossimer

This is by no means a comprehensive of all the pink lip glosses I’ve tried or adore, but rather an edited version of what I’ve been testing or using right now. What are your favorite pink lip glosses?

The Zelens Lip Glazes, Hourglass Extreme Sheen Lip Gloss and Laura Mercier Lip Glace were provided as press samples for review consideration, all others purchased by me.

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