You are currently browsing the category archive for the ‘Lips’ category.
Vancouver’s Colour Story
Stila has already recognized other cosmopolitan centres like Paris, Moscow, and Tokyo.
Well, now it’s our turn, Vancouver!
The Stila Vibrant in Vancouver travel palette is hitting the coast any day now.
The palette comes in passport-style packaging that features a Stila Girl posing with the Vancouver skyline in the background (check out Harbour Centre Tower on your upper left).
Eco-Friendly and Fashionably Forward
Here’s a shout out to a couple of Canadian makeup lines that beauty junkies everywhere should investigate.
They both offer beauty approaches that reflect the kind of makeup that contemporary women are looking for.
ILIA Beauty
Vancouver-based ILIA Beauty combines the best of organic beauty and fashion. The brand started with Pure Lip Care, a range of six contemporary lip shades, and has now moved into beauty multi-sticks (for eyes, cheeks, and lips).
Are You Smitten with Kitten?
If you haven’t checked out Stila’s legendary shade in Kitten, you may be missing out.
Kitten is a highly pigmented pinky beige shade that doubles as a brightener.
This shimmery neutral first launched as an Eye Shadow Pan with major staying power.
It soon became a favorite with celebrities who not only wanted to make their eye color pop, but also enhance their “permanent” tan.
The award-winning Kitten shade is so popular that it’s also available as a lip gloss, lip glaze, and all over shimmer powder in a bronzer/highlighter format.
The 2012 offering for the shade is Stila’s All Over Shimmer in Kitten Shimmer, a liquid highlighter with soft focus pigment.
Read the rest of this entry »
Mod-Inspired Makeup Using Pastels
Fans of Mad Men, who caught the Season 5 premiere, may have noticed that the lady-like fashion of the earlier seasons has now moved on to the brash Mod look of the Swinging Sixties.
Style icons of the era, like model Twiggy, also incorporated the Mod look into their makeup.
You can create a Mod look using this season’s pastels to highlight your eyes, lips, or nails.
Long-Wearing Color Plus a Glossy Topcoat
If you’re tired of your favorite lip color doing a disappearing act, it’s time to check out the staying power of lip stains.
I admit that I’ve been a reluctant believer. However, a lip stain that combines that best of both worlds (color that you can count on plus gloss to finish the look) has me changing my mind.
The Skinn Tint & Shine lip stain and gloss duo features a matte, long-lasting stain on one side. On the other side of the tube, you get a complementary shade of lip gloss that locks in the stain with just the right amount of shine.
Luck Me Chanel Makeup Tonight
To celebrate the opening of a new Las Vegas boutique, Chanel recently launched a limited edition beauty collection named after Sin City.
The Las Vegas de Chanel collection includes four glitchy pieces, which you can wear in your home city (if you don’t get to Las Vegas too often).
The Lucky Stripes Iridescent Powder for eyes and cheeks is the focal point of the collection and it looks like a winner! The powder is a blend of sand and bronze shades embossed with stars that have been inspired by the desert of Nevada.
Beauty Risk Takers
The Artist may have sweeped the Oscars last night, but there were still a number of winning beauty looks on this year’s hottest red carpet.
Iconic Red
If you could get past Angelina Jolie’s thigh high slit in an Atelia Versace gown, you may have noticed her coral‑red lips with an updated sheen (there is a lot of critique regarding the infamous slit; check out Joan Rivers’ comments here).
In contrast, Rooney Mara in a white Givenchy lace gown wore matte red lips (with her signature blunt bangs and a looped bun) as did Mila Jovovich who matched her lip color with rosy pink blush.
Spring Fever Courtesy of MAC
You can always count on MAC for the latest spring makeup trends. Here are four upcoming launches for March.
MAC Too Supreme
Fresh shades of Sheen Supreme lipstick and lipglasses are inspired by East Asia chic. The lipglasses come in a clickable pen-style applicator that easily covers your lips with a pearl-rich shine.
Lipstick shades include Fashion City (neutral coral pink) and Bare Again (pinky neutral beige). Lipglass shades include Fuji Pink (pale peach with pearl) and Asian Butterfly (lilac with pearl).
Available March 1, 2012 through April 5, 2012.
Valentine’s Day Beauty Finds
If you’re wondering how you can kick it up a notch with your significant other this Valentine’s Day, here are a couple of beauty hints that came my way this week.
Prep Your Lips with Hydrating Balm
Nourish and gloss your lips for the big event with a soothing balm like Rodial’s glam balm LIP. This rose-scented balm is a favorite of celebrities like Lea Michelle, who carried glam balm LIP at the SAG Awards to make sure she could top up her lips throughout the night. In Canada, you can find glam balm LIP at Murale and the Bay.
Clinique’s Almost Lipstick Swings Both Ways
One of the latest trends in lip color is the move away from sticky gloss and heavy lipstick to a lighter texture that stains the lips naturally.
Clinique has captured this trend with the new sheers in their Almost Lipstick line-up that glide on like lipstick, yet add shine like a gloss.
The collection is based on Clinique’s iconic lip color, Black Honey, a deep raisin shade that first made its debut in 1971. The shade was so successful (Clinique sells one tube of this cult shade every two minutes), that Black Honey was re-launched as an Almost Lipstick in the late 80′s.
Now the blend of pigments that originally inspired Clinique is available in seven new Almost Lipstick shades in a wide range of pinks, reds, and neutrals.
THE LATEST IN BEAUTY
Here are some beauty trends that hit this week’s Inbox.
Ricky Martin and Nicki Minaj have teamed up to raise AIDS awareness among young people around the globe.
To support the MAC Aids Fund, MAC Cosmetics has introduced Nicki’s Lipstick in pink and Ricky’s colourless Lip Conditioner in a tube. You can find Ricky & Nicki for MAC Viva Glam at MAC counters from February 15, 2012 through February 2013.
The team at Rodial have done it again. This time they’ve developed an alternative to the injectible, Restalyn. Dragon’s Blood Sculpting Gel comes from the red sap of the sangre de drago tree. Anti-inflammatory properties in the gel reduce wrinkles and improve skin’s overall appearance. You can find the sculpting gel exclusively at Murale.
Easy Beauty Trends for 2012
If you like to keep your finger on the beauty pulse, here are some manageable beauty trends for 2012 that may have some staying power for the rest of the year.
Beauty Balm Creams
Beauty balm (BB) creams are already a hit in Asia, where women are already loving the combination of tinted moisturizer, sunscreen, and blemish healer all in one product.
Clinique, MAC, and Garnier have already launched BB creams in the US and UK, and are headed for Canada in the next few months. In Vancouver, you can already find a Korean BB cream at the Shifeon store at Oakridge Centre.
Baby Lips Cellular Repair Balm with SPF 20
Lip balms and lip butters are the rage this season, which makes sense as most of us are suffering from some form of winter dryness on our lips.
I’ve already raved about Diane Lai’s new lip balm, if you’re looking for a natural alternative.
Maybelline’s latest lip balm goes beyond a basic lip balm, with instant moisturization that lasts for up to 8 hours.
Baby Lips Cellular Repair Balm includes active ingredients like shea butter and centella. A vitamin complex delivers powerful anti-oxidants.
I recently tried Baby Lips in the Peach Kiss shade. The peachy nude shade is very sheer (which means it doesn’t last a long time) but you do get shine that lasts. You can wear the lip balm alone or as a base for gloss or lipstick.
Classic Red Carpet Beauty
Some stars, like Emma Stone, opted for classic smoky eyes at this year’s Golden Globes, but a neutral makeup theme showed off the natural beauty of many of this year’s red carpet crowd.
Lea Michele
Leaving her Glee look behind, Lea wore an antique embroidered dress from Marchesa. Her striking eyes were luminous in layered colors (Lancome 5 Color Palette in Gris Fatale). In contrast, Lea wore a subtle neutral on her lips in a matte finish (Lancome L’Absolu Rouge in Rich Cashmere).
What’s Your Santa Wish List?
The clock is ticking so here’s my ultimate wish list for the holiday season.
Yes, some of these are pricey luxury items, but this is a wish list after all.
Here are the items on my wish list (from left to right).
CoverGirl & Olay Tone Rehab 2-in-1 Foundation
Who doesn’t love a 2-in-1 product? CoverGirl & Olay have joined forces to combine a foundation and serum that covers fine lines and wrinkles and helps improve skin tone. This foundation targets tone discoloration while providing even coverage for a polished look.
Read the rest of this entry »
New Diane Lai Moist Lip Balms
Even here in damp Vancouver, lip balm is a moisturizing must during the winter months.
Picking out a nourishing lip balm that does more than just look good on your lips isn’t always easy.
Just in time, one of my favorite natural product lines, Diane Lai, has introduced Moist Lip Balm (Sweet Orange and Unflavored) to moisten dry lips naturally.
Packed with coconut oil, shea butter, and organic beeswax (which seals in hydration), the lip balm feels soothing like an old-fashioned lip balm that focuses on treatment, rather than glitz and glamour.
Six-Piece Holiday Kit that Celebrates Morocco, Home of Argan Oil
I couldn’t help myself this weekend, and picked up the Seductive Golds – Argan Oil Infused Color Collection from Josie Maran at Sephora.
If you haven’t heard about Josie Maran, she’s the model who has embraced the powers of Argan Oil.
Produced from the Argan tree in semi-deserts of Morocco, this oil is all-natural, 100% chemical-free and has been used for centuries as a rich source of Vitamin E and essential fatty acids.
Since it’s referred to as liquid gold, a gold theme for this collection is a natural. The limited edition kit features five Josie Maran beauty essentials and an exclusive gold illuminizer perfect for a golden glow this holiday season.
Express Yourself with New Beauty Collection
Express stores have finally made their way into Canada, and it’s about time.
Now you can get your beauty fix while you shop for the hottest fashion trends because Express has launched a beauty collection.
Right now, the collection has just a few pieces but the line will be expanding each season to add new items.
I was lucky enough to try out some of their holiday pieces (available online and in-stores).
Dreamy Makeup Kit with Holiday Must Haves
Who doesn’t love a makeup kit especially when it’s full of the must haves that you’ll need over the holidays.
The Too Faced Beautiful Dreamer Makeup Collection is the perfect stocking stuffer for the beautiful dreamer on your list (or yourself).
The dreamy pink cosmetic bag features these Too Faced favorites:
Recreate Marilyn Monroe’s Legendary Beauty Style
The iconic look of Marilyn Monroe has hit the big screen again as the movie My Week with Marilyn is opening at theaters this week.
Michelle Williams not only captures the blonde bombshell’s personality, but the essence of her look (platinum curls and red lipstick) on and off-screen.
Celebrity Makeup Artist and Beauty Expert, Melanie Mills, has some tips on capturing the Marilyn look today using innovative, easy-to-use products.
x
Read the rest of this entry »
Extreme Temporary Lipstick
If you’re too chicken (like me) to get a body tattoo, how about trying out a lip tattoo?
Violent Lips has launched a temporary lip tattoo line that comes in different patterns from cheetah spots (my fave) to red fishnet to polka dots.
The designs are available in packs of three and last from four to eight hours.
You apply and seal the tattoo using water (just like the tattoos you used when you were a kid). If any residue remains after you’ve finished showing off your outrageous lips, wipe it away with mineral or baby oil and a textured wipe.
Pale Pink Color with Gold Shimmer
If you’re attending a holiday office party, you already know that overindulging can lead to consequences.
You can practice moderation or you can try a fizzing champagne lip balm and tint.
The Lush Celebrate Lip Tint has it all: moisturizing ingredients, holiday flavor, and a pop of color.
Inspired by the HBO® series True Blood™
If you’re going for the goth look for Halloween this year, you definitely need to wear the right lip color.
For that just bitten look, the limited-edition Tarte LipSurgence™ lip tint for True Blood is a vampy shade that’s sure to add the right kind of drama.
If you’re afraid of wearing red lipstick, the iridescent red shade makes this lip stain universally flattering whether your skin tone is sickly pale (or light), medium, or dark.
Limited-edition, Online-exclusive MAC Collection
Miss Piggy, the legendary icon of Sesame Street, is sharing her beauty secrets with the world via a limited-edition, online MAC Cosmetics exclusive.
In celebration of her makeup collection, Miss Piggy recently got a MAC makeover which included a new black ‘do and a metallic coat (she’s still rocking her signature Chanel-style pearls).
The MAC collection for the eyes celebrates the much anticipated return of the glamorous actress to the silver screen in Disney’s The Muppets, which is coming to theatres on November 23.
The new collection features all of Miss Piggy’s go to MAC eye products, including:
Make the Seasonal Switch Now
Most of us are not thrilled that winter is just around the corner. If you’re like me, you’re probably still trying to defy the weather and wear some of your summer wardrobe.
Since the colder temperatures are inevitable (and buckets of rain here in Vancouver), it’s a good idea to start shifting into your winter skin routine.
How does your skin change in the winter? It tends to be less oily and more dried out. Cold dry air (and heated indoor environments), causes the skin to lose more moisture than it can replace.
The Green Beaver Après -Ski line of products are designed to protect and relieve rough, dry, and itchy skin by helping to minimize loss and keep your skin moist.
Good Enough to Eat
Did you know that over your lifetime, you may inadvertently eat 4 lbs. of lipstick?
With many of the top brand-name lipsticks containing detectable levels of lead, it may be time to consider the latest trend in lip color: food-grade lipsticks which are healthy enough to eat.
Available exclusively at Sephora, Bite lipstick contains organic castor, jojoba, and argan oils as well as natural waxes. Food grades such as blueberry, acai, and pomegranate condition lips and provide high color pigmentation.
But a key ingredient in this Canadian beauty line is resveratrol, the same powerful anti-oxidant found in red wine.
Roll-On Lip Balm
If you don’t like waxy balms to tackle dry lips, you might want to try the latest way to treat your lips: liquid lip balm.
The Body Shop’s latest lip care product is 100% natural with nourishing Soya oil from Brazil and organically produced olive oil from Italy to keep your lips hydrated and smooth.
The 100% Natural Lip Roll-On comes with a roller ball applicator that dispenses just the right amount of moisture to your lips (remember Bonne Bell Lip Smackers from way back when).
Four Products for an Eye-Catching Look
I was in Sephora recently to replace my tube of Buxom Lash.
Lucky me, I found the mascara is part of the four-piece Hot Ticket kit.
Not only is this kit a great value, it has four products that you’ll likely be using on a regular basis (check out Sephora’s blog for four steps to getting the Hot Ticket look).
Micro-Mirror Pigmented Color
If you’re hooked on lip gloss but ready to move on to color with more staying power, you may want to check out Maybelline’s latest entry for their Color Sensational collection.
Color Sensational High Shine has a creamy formula with a weightless, balm-like texture. The creamier feel is due to nourishing honey nectar that moisturizes and soothes your lips.
Coming Soon!
You don’t have to be a reality star like Kim Kardashian to have long lashes.
Lash serum (like prescription Latisse and over the counter RapidLash which I’ve tried) works, and MAC Cosmetics has jumped into the lash mania.
Starting July 14, 2011, you’ll be able to try out MAC’s lash enhancer from their Prep + Prime collection: Future Length Lash Serum.
MAC’s version of lash serum promises a future-forward formula that will do more than coat and covers. It actually boosts your lashes so they look longer and lusher with dramatic results visible in about eight weeks.
Sales of Lip Products Soar
If you’ve ever wondered which lipstick brands are flying off the shelves, a leading research company has the answers.
According to the NPD Group, the prestige lip segment grew by 7% in U.S. department stores from January through April 2011.
Since February 2010, lip color has also seen 15 months of steady dollar growth with many months posting double-digit increases.
Introducing MAC Bloggers’ Obsession
Where do beauty junkies get the latest beauty news? More and more, they look to beauty blogs for the industry’s trends and collections.
MAC Cosmetics is up with the power of bloggers and recently invited nine of their favorites to their lab in Toronto.
The bloggers didn’t just get a tour of the facilities, they helped to create their own unique MAC product: either eye shadow or lipglass.
Here’s the lineup of beauty bloggers and their fabulous creations.
Cat
-Walk Inspired Shades
If you’re addicted to wearing lipstick, the Dior Addict Lipstick collection will keep you busy with a total of 56 striking shades to try out.
Not only are you sure to find your favorite shade, but your lips will thank you.
The main ingredient in this lipstick is Mirror Jelly that offers shine and hydration in two ways. Polymers give your lip a long-lasting softening property, while silicone oil creates a smooth texture. This lipstick also has a significantly lower level of wax (25%) which also creates a light-reflecting light.
Beauty Looks from Francois Nars
NARS has joined the latest trend of major cosmetic companies offering an instructional website (check out info about Chanel’s latest beauty site launch here).
The focus of the new NARS site is to showcase beauty looks based on Francois Nars’ latest book, Makeup Your Mind: Express Yourself, in which everyday people were made up to look extraordinary.
Surf’s Up with New Colour Collection
You know the hot weather isn’t too far off when MAC Cosmetics starts releasing its summer collections.
The Surf Baby line is MAC’s ode to an endless summer with everything you need to stash in your tote bag when you’re hitting the beach (like my fave, Jericho Beach, in Vancouver).
