DIY Lip Scrub!

Lush's Sweet Lips Lip Scrub has been in my monthly favorites a couple times in the past year, as I think it is a great way to slough off dry skin and smoothen and soften my lips.

I finished my pot recently and instead of shelling out $9 for another little tub, I headed in to my kitchen. Sweet Lips is basically oil, sugar, and cocoa flavoring....all things I have in my kitchen. I decided to skip the flavoring, but here is how I made my own do-it-yourself (DIY) lip scrub:

1. Pour olive oil into the palm of my hand:

2. Add some white sugar and mix:

3. Apply to lips and scrub a dub dub:

My DIY version was just as effective as the Lush scrub, and 100% natural. There are so many variations you can do:

• Use coconut oil, almond oil, or any other oil of your preference
• Store the scrub in a little tub and keep it ready for anytime use
• Use brown sugar or salt for different sized granules
• Add cocoa powder or another flavoring

My lips are as smooth as ever and I have a few more bucks to spend on a lip product to apply to those smooth lips. =) 

Make Up For Ever Lab Shine Lip Gloss vs. MAC Dazzleglass

Every now and then I like a sparkling lip gloss, and two of my faves are the Make Up For Ever Lab Shine Lip Glosses Diamond Collection and the MAC Dazzleglasses.

The MUFE Lab Shine formula has 3 different formulas, the Diamond Collection being the sheer, sparkly one. I compared the shade D16 (shimmering beige) to the MAC Dazzleglass in Baby Sparks.

Both glosses have a brush applicator (which I am not fond of because the bristles tend to splay after some use), with the MAC one being a tad bit flonger.

MUFE Lab Shine in D16 (shimmering beige)

MAC Dazzleglass in Baby Sparks

L-R swatches in natural light: Lab Shine in D16, Dazzleglass in Baby Sparks

L-R swatches with flash: Lab Shine in D16, Dazzleglass in Baby Sparks

Lab Shine in D16 on lips

Dazzleglass in Baby Sparks on lips

MUFE's Lab Shine glosses are supposed to have a slight apricot fragrance, but I thought it was quite strong and very fruity. The Dazzleglasses have a slight vanilla fragrance that all MAC lip products have, and is much more subtle than the MUFE glosses. The Dazzleglass is also stickier than the MUFE one so it does last a bit longer on me. Overall, both glosses are very similar in shimmer and are sheer in color. The MUFE gloss contains 0.09oz and is $18 which is a better value than the MAC Dazzleglass, which is 0.06 oz and is $19.50. I don't wear sparkly glosses all the time so I don't care too much that the MAC one has less quantity, as they have quite a good shade selection and are more readily available.

2 Gifts or 10 Gifts - Smashbox Holiday Gift Ideas

I have professed my love for Smashbox makeup sets in the past, so I was super excited to try out some of the brand's holiday offerings: the Life is Your Set Holiday Pencil Kit and the Snap You're Fab Holiday Lip Gloss Set:

Top-Bottom: Sapphire, Espresso, Emerald, Black, and Gold

L-R: Lip Enhancing Gloss in Radiant, Pout, Luster, Infamous, Pink Sugar, and It Girl

Since I am an eyeliner-aholic, I was really excited to try out the pencil kit, until I read and re-read the box to find out that the liners in the set are NOT the Limitless Eye Liners that Smashbox is famous for. These are just regular pencil eyeliners. Still, the colors are gorgeous and highly pigmented:

Natural Light L-R: Sapphire, Espresso, Emerald, Black, and Gold

MAC Must-Haves: Love Nectar Lustreglass

Whenever someone asks me for a neutral lip gloss recommendation 99% of the time my response is "MAC Love Nectar Lustreglass."

This gloss is the perfect mix of pink and peach, with and added bonus of subtle gold flecks. It is not too shimmery or too flat...it is just right. I use this a LOT on its own, on top of pink, peach, coral and light plum lipsticks. I also wear this often with just a lipliner underneath to add a bit of color and lasting power.

MAC Love Nectar Lustreglass swatch in natural light

MAC Love Nectar Lustreglass swatch with flash

The lustreglass formula is a slightly less sticky than the MAC lipglass formula, and it has a brush applicator, whereas the lipglass has a sponge tip applicator. I don't really care about the applicator because they both work fine, but the Love Nectar shade is what really makes this product a must-have in my makeup bag. If you want to check out a full face shot of me wearing this gloss, see my last post.

MAC Holiday 2011 Faves

It's that time again....MAC Holiday time!!

I recently stopped by my local MAC to check out the holiday collection and I was drooling over the new face kits. These kits are exclusive to MAC stores and online, but I hear that Nordstrom has an exclusive kit too but with different shades. Each kit includes a full size lipstick, full size lipgloss, 3 special edition brushes - 129 SE cheek brush, 275 SE shadow brush, and 266 SE brow/liner brush - and a palette that has 4 shadows and a blush, all for $59.50.



Here are swatches of the warm kit:

L-R: Seasonal Appeal blush, Mellowarm lipstick (top), Join the Party lipglass (bottom), shadows top-bottom: Golden Flurry, Soft Brown, Omega, Carbon

Here are swatches of the cool kit:

L-R: Mocha blush, Hot Gossip lipstick (top), Emancipation Lipgloss (bottom), shadows top-bottom: Phloof!, Dance in the Dark, Quarry, Brun

My MAC didn't have all the kits on display, but they did have the color collection out. I swatched the mineralize shadows, and though they were the smoothest mineralize shadows I have swtached, the colors weren't amazing and nothing I couldn't dupe. I did like Let's Skate Paint Pot, but it was more glitter than color, so I doubt I will be picking it up. 

MAC Must-Haves: Party Line Lipstick

With fall in full-swing, I have been reaching for a reliable old-fave to ease in to the fall dark lip trend: MAC Party Line Lipstick:

This lipstick is perfect for transitioning from summer's light and bright lip colors to fall's deep, dark reds and plums. Or, as in my case, since I rarely wear reds and plums this is my go-to fall and winter shade. It is not too dark, so perfect for those who are hesitant about trying out bold, dark lip colors. I also love that this is a cremesheen formula, so it keeps my lips hydrated....a necessity when the weather cools and the air sucks the moisture from my skin.

For my Indian gals out there, this is also a great shade to wear with Indian clothes. It adds enough color so that you don't look washed out, but it isn't that typical "aunty" shade of lipstick where you notice the lips before the person.

Have you tried Party Line?

Stila Lillium Convertible Color Review

Hey dolls! You know how I always like to switch up what products I use, and lately I have been using the Stila Convertible Color in Lillium. Convertible colors are dual lip and cheek creams that come in a mirrored compact:





This shade is actually quite similar to my favorite MAC Blushcreme in Uncommon (blushcremes are now discontinued), which you may remember was the only blush I took on my honeymoon.

L-R: Lillium, Lillium blended, Uncommon, Uncommon blended

This shade looks rosy in the pan but it transfers on to the skin as a light pink. I think this provides the most color on fair-medium skin tones, but I really like it on medium-dark skin tones because it gives a natural, just stepped indoors from the cold, flush to the cheeks. On my lips, this was a bit garish.

What do you think of Lillium? What is your favorite cream blush?

Smashbox Luxe Metallics Glambox Swatches and Review

Smashbox does it again! Remember how much I loved the Smashbox Studio Stash set? I may have found another set I like even more! The Smashbox Luxe Metallics Glambox!! Smashbox releases a glambox set a couple times a year and they literally come in a cubed box:

This Luxe Metallics Glambox has 7 products in it:

- Fusion Soft Lights in Luster

- Blush Rush in Surge

- Eyelights Quad in Luxe

- Full Exposure Mascara Mini in Jet Black (the one pictured above is the full size because I misplaced the mini one that came with this set)

- Jet Set Waterprrof Eye Liner in Vamp

- Arced Liner Brush #21 (full size)

- Lip Enhancing Gloss in Gilded Nude

- Lip Enhancing Gloss in Rose Quartz

 Fusion Soft Lights in Luster and Blush Rush in Surge

L-R: Surge blush, Luster Fusion Soft Lights (the 3 individual shades, then all swirled) 

Eyelights Quad in Luxe and Full Exposure Mascara 

Eyelights Quad in Luxe

 

Jet Set Waterprrof Eye Liner in Vamp and Arced Liner Brush #21

Lip Enhancing Gloss in Gilded Nude and Rose Quartz

L-R: Jet Set Waterprrof Eye Liner in Vamp, Gilded Nude gloss and Rose Quartz gloss

The kit also includes a pamphlet with instructions on how to create a Bronze Glow look and a Metallic Smoke look:

My fave of the two looks is the Metallic Smoke look, so I tried that look first. I followed the instructions exactly, using only my own foundation, concealer, and brushes.

What I was most excited about in this kit was the Arced Liner Brush #21. I have been wanting a bent liner brush like this for a long time. I have only used it a few times but so far I like it. It is SO much easier to use than a regular liner brush that has a similar brush head but is not bent. However, since I have been using an angled brush (the MAC 208 is my fave) to apply gel/cream liner for many years, this is going to take some getting used to. I was also excited to try out the Blush Rush formula. I was a bit hesitant of the color because it appeared so bright on my hand, but when blended well, it adds a soft pink flush to the cheeks. 

Overall I really like this kit and will be using these products a lot, especially as Fall and the holiday season approach. Speaking of, this would make a great Christmas present! Or if you are like me and have no patience, a great anytime present to yourself! =)

Disclaimer: The products in this post were provided by PR for consideration. Please read my disclaimer for additional information.

August Favorites

Here are the products that I kept reaching for in August:

1. MAC Fix+ - This was unexpected. I have never really used Fix+ on myself, but after trying out the Urban Decay All Nighter finishing spray and not liking it, I decided to see if Fix+ would make a difference in my daily makeup routine....and it did! What I like the most about this product is that it takes away that cakey makeup look so your skin looks like skin. Of course, it helps that this feels so nice when misted on the face and it helps set makeup so it lasts all day. I have been using up the rose fragrance one that I had picked up during the Rose Romance collection.

2. Korres Body Milk in Jasmine - I love Korres body butters in the winter and the body milk moisturizers are PERFECT for summertime. They moisturize the skin very well, are lightweight, non-greasy, and absorb in the skin immediately. I like the fragrance of Jasmine so this one suits me well, without being too overbearing. 

3. Make Up For Ever Rouge Artist Intense Lipstick in 26 - The Rouge Artist Intense formula is amazing. These lipsticks are opaque in just a single swipe! No need to keep applying to get a rich color. There is an amazing shade selection, but I really like this one because it is neutral and goes with everything. I highly recommend these, especially because they are long wearing and at $19 bucks, they wont break the bank.

 4. MAC Mineralize Eyeshadow in Faux Gold - I normally don't go for MAC's mineralize shadows, but this was just too pretty! I have been using it a lot this past month on my lid with nothing else. It looks great on its own, works for both day and night looks, and is just one of those easy shades that goes with everything. See this shadow in action here. 

What products did you reach for in August?