Glossier Phase 1 Set

When one of your favorite beauty-focused internet-reads announces a surprise project, you pay attention. That was definitely the case for me when Into the Gloss announced Glossier. I mean, ITG is basically my beauty bible at this point — can you blame me?

The Phase 1 Set includes four products and the cutest little sticker set. Never a letdown with these guys, huh.

The Soothing Face Mist is magical. Magical in the sense that it's exactly the kind of product I want to use to refresh my skin during the day and just the perfect base after cleansing and before makeup application. The rosewater makes spritzing this on feel just a teensy bit luxurious, and I'm totally okay with that.

I got the Perfecting Skin Tint in Medium and I have no regrets. It's a very close match to my skin currently and I figure winter rolls around I can grab the lighter shade and mix the two. I was unsure if I'd like this due to how light and watery it seemed on the back of my hand but alas, I was wrong. I love the application (especially with a stippling brush or fingers) and the finish is gorgeous. It's light but not too light and it looks SO natural. Not to mention how dewy it is. This stuff is on daily rotation.

Aside from the fact that it's called the Balm Dotcom, I have to say that this little tube is kind of the bomb. I wasn't sure how I was going to use this stuff at first but my boo Amy told me to use it on my lips and hey, I'm a convert. I've also been applying to my cuticles and ugh, it's amazing. Super moisturizing and hydrating; it lasts for so long, even on lips! This is one of those products that I just need to be carrying with me at all times (and I do).

I'm picky when it comes to moisturizers, you should know this. It's so hard for me to find something light enough for my liking that also provides my skin with some real hydration. PSA: I love Glossier's Priming Moisturizer. It's light, it feels fresh on the skin, it fully skins in and doesn't leave a weird layer of leftover product after application. My face feels more supple and soft and I'm hoping that with continuous use, I'll see a little less redness too.

So I guess basically what I'm saying is that Glossier knocked it out of the park. I can't wait to see what they do next. Hurry up, Phase 2. I'll try to be patient.

NARS Semi Matte Lipstick in Pigalle

NARS Semi Matte Lipstick in Pigalle · $26

If you've been reading my blog for even just like, a second, you'll know what kind of lip colors I gravitate towards. Pigalle is described as pink chocolate and I mean COME ON. Pigalle also reminds me of the metro and Paris and all the things I love in life so I couldn't say no. Well I could have, but why would I want to?

I'd never really considered buying a NARS lipstick before this one. No real reason for that; I've been a MAC lipstick girl for ages and never felt like I wanted to stray. But as one does, I was checking out NARS in Sephora, swatching everything like a crazy person and I found Pigalle and all I could think was yessssss. The thing I love about this color is that it's perfect for this summer to autumn transition period. It's not too pink, not too brown and lasts for ages! Heat, cold, whatever the weird in-between weather might be! Looks amazing with summer brights or fall darks. It's been my go-to for the last few weeks and I don't see that changing anytime soon!

Lastly I should say, I usually don't buy matte lipsticks but this one isn't at all drying and doesn't make your lips look more chapped, which is always a plus. If you're in the market for a color like this go and check it out. It's my new fav!

Rosebud Perfume Co. Rosebud Salve

Rosebud Perfume Co. Rosebud Salve / $6

The smell of roses in a vintage-inspired tin. One of the best products to pop on your lips at any sign of dryness or  dehydration. What's not to love? I picked this up on my way out of Sephora. You know how they put tons of cute little products right by the check-out? Sometimes I have the worst self-restraint. Oops.

I'd read quite a bit about this stuff before, about how good it was supposed to be on lips and other chapped bits. Apparently even burns and rough heels. Who would have thought? I mostly use this on my lips when I'm sat at home doing whatever it is that I'm doing. It provides a nice little bit of hydration and gloss, not too much and not too little. I think it's one of the best summertime "glosses" because it just barely adds a touch of color while keeping your lips feeling awesome in the hot months, and really, it's not a fussy product. No overly ridiculous stickiness or super sweet candy smells (don't get me wrong, I love me some sweet smelling glosses). Just a simple lip product for a simple makeup day.

This is also great to use before bedtime because waking up with super soft lips is one of the best feelings ever; no doubt about that. The only qualm I actually have with this product is (even though it's beautiful)... the tin. I hate sticking my fingers in a little pot of balm. It feels weird and unsanitary sometimes buuuuut I just found out they make a tube version of this now, so all is well. Win/win!

Have you guys tried this before? What are your favorite simple summer balms and glosses?

P.S. I might be a little less active in the next week or two. My camera is broken (RIP) so I won't be getting blogging done until I get a new one :( /sadtimes

Dior Addict Lip Glow

Dior Addict Lip Glow / $31

Aaaaand we're back. Sorry for the little hiatus, ladies and gents, but sometimes ya just need a little break. With that said, I bring you Dior Addict Lip Glow. I've talked about this a few times before but I'm finally getting around to a proper review.

I love this stuff — probably a little more than I should. I mean, it's only a lipstick/balm/whatever you want to classify this as. Thing is, it's kind of the perfect alternative to your favorite daily lipstick. I suffer from what I like to call chronic dry lips so this stuff is great for giving me a little extra moisture, especially in the way too hot dry heat. It is quite thick, so if you're not into thicker lip products I'd suggest that you try it out before you buy it. Plus, it lasts quite a long time. Win! If I'm running late or just want to apply something quickly, this is my go-to as of late. Pop it on for the perfect pink flush. Something that looks au natural though it's totally not (duh). It's supposed to give each person their perfect shade of pink and I've got to say it does a damn good job at that.

Do you know what else it does a damn good job at? Making me feel stupidly glamorous. Look at the packaging. Silver. Pink. Ridiculously I don't even know what. It makes me feel like a princess when I pull it out of my bag, and put it on my lips. Oh Dior, you don't know how to be subtle, do you? I'm not complaining though. I love anything pink and semi-frivilous — everything in moderation, right?

Anyway, this is definitely one of my top lip-picks for spring and summer. I have a feeling this will look gorgeous with a tan. Though the price is steep, I don't mind paying this much for something (every now and then) that makes me feel so dang pretty.

Have you tried this stuff? What do you think?

Dior Addict Lipstick in Tokyo

Dior Addict Lipstick in Tokyo / $31

There are the lipsticks you can leave behind, and then there are the ones you can't. I told myself I'd only leave the store with two things: Dior Addict Lip Glow and a YSL Glossy Stain. Let's just say the glossy stain was swiftly put back into it's rightful place and replaced with this beauty. No offense, YSL.

Immdiately after trying this on in Sephora (or "the mothership" as I sometimes find myself calling it), I literally felt like "how the hell do I not have this in my possession/collection already?!". Then part of me is reminded of Patisserie, though Patisserie is a a bit darker and muted (IRL). This is sheer glossy goodness, literally. Even if it is a little too close in color to my MAC favorite, I don't mind. It's the type of color I find myself falling back on when I'm not exactly sure what to wear. Something I don't have to think about or make a fuss over. It just works.

Dior's lipsticks in general have a lovely consistency. Creamy, glossy, but not annoyingly sticky. They last and don't seem to have an issue when applied to my sometimes-dry lips which is an issue I have with more than one MAC lipstick. I love that it's sheer but still opaque enough to make a difference. Just another one of those my lips but better colors, which I'm totally alright with especially in the warmer months. Tanned skin, beachy hair, coral cheeks, and a teensy hint of color on the lips? Count me in (with this lipstick in hand).

Have you guys tried any Dior lipsticks before? What are your favorite shades?

Rimmel Lasting Finish Lipstick By Kate Moss in 104

 Rimmel Lasting Finish Lipstick By Kate Moss in 104 / ~$5

Mini-review!

I'm not normally one for matte lipsticks but that's the thing I love about the Rimmel Kate Moss lipsticks: they're more velvet than matte. They're not very drying and they last for-ev-er. I've been wearing this specific one day and night for the past week or so. There's something about the dusty rose color that I'm loving for springtime. I notice that I'm not rubbing my lips together while wearing this — probably because it doesn't feel heavy. More or less it feels like I'm not even wearing lipstick. So good. I know these aren't new by any means but I've just gotten into them... and now? I really want to get my hands on some more.

What do you guys think about these lipsticks? What are your favorite shades?

MAC Lovelorn

MAC Lovelorn / $15 

Let me preface this post by saying: I never in my wildest dreams would have ever imagined myself owning a shade of pink such as this. 

Don't get me wrong, I love pink, but bubblegum pink? Uhhhh, let's just say I was skeptical. A month or so back, I made my way to several MAC counters in search of Patisserie. None of the MAC employees I spoke to had ever heard of it (which I kind of laughed about), but I was feeling a little down that day and didn't want to leave empty handed. Stubborn girl, I am! Anyway, I was at a counter in Macy's and the lovely girl that was working talked me into Lovelorn. At first I was like "no no no this is all wrong" and that turned into "hmmm I'm not so sure", but after 10 minutes of her convincing me it looked good with my skin-tone, I gave in. 

Lovelorn is an "emotive blue pink" (wtf kind of description is that, MAC?) aka something that I'm normally afraid of. Blue toned anything can wash me out, but because of the brightness of this, it just works. It's also a lustre finish which means it's not drying on my already dry lips! I love wearing this on days where I'm wearing minimal makeup and casual outfits as a statement, if you will. It's not overbearing or overwhelming and the contrast against my brown hair is actually kind of lovely. I do 100% think this would look better when I'm tanned, but northern California is a biatch and refuses to give us warm weather at this specific point in time. Hmpfh. 

What do you guys think of Lovelorn? Are there any great shades out there that I should know about/try? 

MAC Capricious

MAC Capricious · $15* (this was a gift)

Ahhhh, Capricious. I've been wanting this lipstick for a long time, but last time I went to MAC they were out so I settled on Plumful and Rebel. Hilariously enough, Richard read my blog when trying to figure out Christmas gifts for me, saw that I wanted this, and bought it for me. Talk about a keeper! 

I absolutely love love loooooove this color because of it's versatility. It's just dark enough to be a great autumn and winter color, but still light enough to be worn in spring. It's an easy color, if you will; no need to really think about it and it goes with just about everything. MAC describes it as a "fanciful rose plum" which kind of made me laugh — not sure about the fanciful part, but it's definitely a beautiful plummy rose. Lustre is one of my favorite finishes as well; I just find them moisturizing and really easy to wear (especially if you've got dry lips!!). I have a thing for berry colors as of late, if you couldn't already guess, so I'm super excited to have this as the newest addition to my collection. 

I'm on a serious MAC lipstick kick too so if you've got any recommendations, please let me know. I'm thinking Patisserie or Maple next? Although not berry colors, they're unlike anything I have at the moment! Also, what do you guys think of Capricious?!

MAC Haul & FOTD

Face: YSL Touché Éclat, Tarte Exposed · Brows: Anastasia Brow Wiz, MAC Mystery · Eyes: MAC Painterly, Malt, Sable, Teddy eyeliner, Maybelline Illegal Lenghts Mascara · Lips: MAC Rebel

This past Saturday, with a list in hand, I took a trip up to San Francisco to the MAC Pro Store and ended up with a bit more than I had planned, but oh well!  I really wanted a Z-Palette but they're so hard to get here (and I'm impatient) so I settled for the new MAC palette. I know some people didn't like the old one, but I've got to admit the new one is beautiful and sturdy.

For shadows, I opted for: Shroom, Patina, Charcoal Brown, Sable, Copperplate, Quarry, Malt, and Satin Taupe.  They seem to complement each other beautifully and also go well with some others I need to de-pot (Naked Lunch, Silver Ring, and Honesty). I think what started this whole thing was me dropping my beloved Satin Taupe and being way-too-sad about it. I originally purchased it to wear when Richard and I got married (and I did) so when it broke, I was feeling a bit nostalgic (lol?).

I really wanted a paint pot but couldn't decide between Bare Study and Painterly — the lovely lady MAC talked me into Painterly and I'm glad she did. It's such a nice nude base for shadows and it makes the colors pop a bit. My only fear is waking up one morning to find a dry paint pot, but hopefully that won't be for quite a while.

I repurchased Teddy, my favorite brown eyeliner of all time. I only wear it on the outer-half of my waterline, but I think it's perfect for that use. I also got the MAC 217 as I was in the market for a new blending/shadow brush. I'm in love! I need more brushes! Help!

Last but definitely not least are Plumful and Rebel. I originally went in for Capricious, but they didn't have it in stock, sigh. I figured I should get Plumful since I wanted it eventually anyway and was then talked into Rebel as well — but hey, I ain't regretting it.

Soooo that's that. Sorry this was ridiculously long! It's stuff like this that makes me seriosuly consider buying a new camera with video capability so I can do videos (so if you have any recommendations please let me know). I think I'm set for a while when it comes to MAC products — what are your favorite things from MAC?

NUXE Rêve de Miel

NUXE Rêve de Miel Lip Balm · $19

The winter cold and dry indoor air has seemed to wreak a bit of havoc on my lips as of late. I've been using basically every lipbalm I own — EOS and Carmex, Blistex and Tokyo Milk, but I needed something a little more hardcore. As if lip balms are hardcore?? 

Rêve de Miel is a really interesting and overall badass lip balm; the texture, the smell, just everything about it. It's made with honey, plant oils, shea butter, grapefruit essence, etc, so this stuff is packed full of nourishing ingredients to help keep your lips moisturized. The texture is butter-like (but not?) and pretty thick meaning you don't need to use a ton to get the results you want. It also stays on for ages!  I love using this as an overnight treatment — waking up with way-less-chapped lips than usual. The packaging is really nice and I don't mind at all that this is going to add a bit more weight than I'd like to my bag (it's totally worth it).  I honestly don't even know what else to say about this other than go out and get it if you have dry lips, seriously. It's like the god of all lip balms and at this point I'm not sure if I could go without it now.

Anyway, I'm going to stop here before I go too far with professing my love for this stuff. Ugh it's soooooo good.

Have you guys tried this before? If so, what do you think?

MAC Creme In Your Coffee

MAC Creme In Your Coffee · $15

When it comes to red lipstick, I'm not quite convinced that red red looks good on me. Because of that I tend to lean towards more brown and deep reds which seem to suit my complexion a lot better. For a long time MAC's Cosmo has been my go-to lipstick but it's a bit more pink than red (yet still has a bit of brown), so I went on a search to find something a little more elegant.

Creme In Your Coffee is just really beautiful. It's described as a "creamy mid-tone pink brown" but it's definitely more reddish brown than pink on me. I'm a huge fan of the cremesheen finish as my lips have been a little more dry as of late, and this finish tends to not dry my lips out! I was between this, Capricous, and Plumful but I'm definitely glad I got this first — especially because everyone is blogging about Plumful at the moment, ha.

MAC lipsticks are still my favorite lipsticks of all. Sooo many colors, finishes, and I just love the packaging. What do you guys think of Creme In Your Coffee? Which lipstick shall I get next?

TokyoMilk Femme Fatale Collection Lip Elixirs

TokyoMilk Femme Fatale Collection Lip Elixirs · $7/ea

After seeing these on Sephora's website a while back I was really intrigued by the packaging and scents they had to offer. I love my lip balms and always have one (or three) in my purse as well as some just laying in different rooms of the house. These are made with aloe, vitamin E, jasmine and bee balm, so you know they're some of the silkiest balms out there. I opted for this duo, though I definitely want to try out some others after I run out of these.

Clove Cigarette No. 18 (left), smells of crushed clove, lavender rose, saigon cinnamon, and vanilla bean. The name is a little off putting, but with the teeny Eiffel Tower it's obvious that this one is Parisian/French inspired. There's the perfect amount of sweet and spice and it's truly a wonderful scent for fall.

Coco Noir No. 60 (right) is a mix of dark rum, maraschino cherry, sweet milk, and cacao bean. If you're a fan of rum or rum cocktails you definitely need to get a whiff of this. It's my favorite of the two because it's a little less strong but also quite sweet and relaxing. The rum and cacao are a lot stronger than the other scents but it's the subtle hint of cherry and the dullness of the milk that really makes this such a perfect combo.

All in all I think these are such lovely products. So nice on the lips and great scents as well. I'll definitely be looking into their other products since these were so great. Have you guys tried any of TokyoMilk's products?

L'Oreal Infallible Le Rouge: Tender Berry, Rambling Rose, & Bold Bordeaux

L'Oreal Infallible Le Rouge in 519, 212, & 741 · $10.49/ea

I've heard a lot of good things about L'Oreal's lipsticks lately and thought I'd try a few out for myself. As my obsession with lip products grows, so does my collection. I wanted to pick up a few autumn and winter colors as most of what I have at the moment is more for spring and summer.

Tender Berry (519) is a light pinky rose color that is perfect for daily wear — subtle enough to not be in-your-face but still a nice splash of color that is absolutely perfect for pulling a look together.

Rambling Rose (212) is a reaaaally gorgeous in-between type color. I feel like this would be an amazing shade to just throw on and not have to think about. That said, I'm not a fan of the shimmers! The other two colors don't really have shimmer at all and I think the shimmer makes the color a little less classy. That said, I'm still a fan of this one.

Bold Bordeaux (741) is way brighter than it looks in the tube, I can assure you that. At first it kind of scared me as I'm not used to bright red/maroon lipsticks but the more I wore it, the more I love it (and I've got to admit it's my favorite of the three! For someone who used to never wear lipstick, I feel like I've made such a huge transition, ha. This color is perfect for gloomy days when you just want a little somethin' somethin', or for nights out and fancy occasions. I would totally wear this out during the day too! It's just such a beautiful color!!

Overall I love these lipsticks. They're semi-long lasting and don't feel as drying as some lipsticks can. They do seem to leave lip marks on cups but even with that I don't notice much of a difference on my lips. There are a lot of shades out there so I'm sure I'll be looking around for more that catch my eye!

What do you guys think of these? Have you tried them yet?

MAC Dark Side Lipstick

MAC Dark Side Lipstick · $15

You know that feeling that you get when you go through your MAC products and realize you finally have six empties which means you can get a free lipstick? No? Well it's a really good feeling.

So after hoarding keeping MAC empties for months I discovered I had six which is awesome because I'm seriously obsessed with lip products lately. I figured I should get something different from my normal pinks/corals ( Angel, Cut A Caper, etc) but was seriously afraid to commit to something darker. Berry and dark purple are huge colors this fall so I took a step out of my comfort zone and had the lovely MAC MUA show me a few shades.

Dark Side looks a hell of a lot darker in the tube than it does on the lips but it's still a seriously pigmented lipstick. The great thing about it? I can wear it dark or light. By just patting it on my lips instead of applying normally I get a lighter but still lovely color (I did that in yesterdays post). Anyway I'm already in love with this color and have been wearing it like, everyday. So much for being afraid of darker lips!

What do you guys think? Do you love the deep berry/purple lipstick trend as much as I do?

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Honey

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Honey · $8.99

I know that everyone has their favorite type of makeup — whether it be mascara, eyeshadow or foundation. I wasn't really sure what mine was until this week and then I realized how much I absolutely love lipstick/lip products in general. It's kind of funny since I never used to wear color on my lips and now I almost always do!

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stains are pretty great quality for what they are and I've been using this quite a bit since getting it. It's kind of close to my normal lip color but just a little darker which makes it really easy to wear in the day time. The thing I like about this product most is unlike most "stains" which usually look tacky and kind of gross, these go on smoothly, don't dry out your lips, and the color stays for a pretty good amount of time!

They have a minty smell and feel to them which is nice but to be fair you really don't notice it all that much. I'm not usually one to check out lipsticks or other lip products at drugstores because I prefer to try on a color before I buy it, but for the price of these it's totally worth it (also there are a plethora of reviews so that helps :)! I'll definitely be checking out some other colors now — let me know if you have any recommendations!

What do you guys think of the Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stains? What are some other great colors in the collection?

PIXI Lip & Line

PIXI Lip & Line in Pretty Peony · $18

After I did my Wild Wild Horses post, I had a few people ask what lip color I was wearing so I figured I'd do a post about it!

I got this PIXI Lip & Line in a Birchbox last month and immediately fell in love with it. The color looks amazing with my skin tone, it smells wonderful, and it's a dream to apply and use. I've never used a lip liner before but love this because it matches the lipstick perfectly and theres no mess or fuss — it's totally simple. 

It's long-wearing but not drying and feels as though it's conditioning your lips as you wear it. It also smells really great; hints of coconut and I'm not sure what else, but either way it's lovely. It's easily become one of my favorite lip products and I find myself reaching for it constantly. It's also really a great color for fall, so I'm sure I'll be using this a lot in the coming weeks/months. I'm pretty eager to try out some of PIXI's other products now — any recommendations?