Category: lips

LuMESH #beauty from Costco

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The Style Page is all about finding beauty in unexpected places: see my past features on Beauty from Aldi and Bed Bath and Beauty.   Costco, the members-only warehouse club that can literally take care of you from cradle to grave, has teamed up with makeup artist Lu Camarena Meshulam of LuMESH Cosmetics to market two sets of lip glosses.

Coming from a Latin background, Lu found that finding colors that flattered her skin tone was next to impossible. She had clients of many different ethnicities with the same complaint. Thus, her lip glosses are designed to flatter a variety of skin tones.

LuMESH lip gloss set from Costco

The Style Page purchased the blister pack containing the following LuMESH lip glosses:

  • Kathlene – Peachy pink that flatters women with fair to medium skin tones.  Works on women with Latin, Mediterranean, and light African American skin tones. 
  • Kim- this looks scary-bright pink in the container, but it’s a light pink.  It would lift the complexions of South Asian and Hispanic women.
  • Taffi is a universal shade.  When light/dark African American women wear it, it appears to look like a beige nude color. I’m of western European heritage, with a light complexion, and Taffi gave me a “like my lips, but only deeper” (and glossier and better) look.  It was my favorite shade of the three lip glosses, while Kathlene was my second favorite and Kim was my least favorite.  I agree with Bobbi Brown’s advice that the best lip color is about 2 shades deeper than your natural lip color.

There is another blister pack, which contains the following LuMESH lip glosses:

  • Min – baby doll frosty pink that suits Fair, and Medium skin tones, particularly Asian skin tones.  
  • Trischa – shimmery sunset radiance that suits fair and medium skin tones.
  • Magaly – shimmery universal shade that suits Fair, Medium, and light African American complexions.

I liked the LuMESH lip glosses.  After the initial glossy finish fades, the color remains.  Vitamin E makes the lip gloss emollient, and there is a mild non-irritating cooling lip plumper.  LuMESH lip glosses are free of parabens, phthalates, sulfates, and synthetic fragrance.  Plus, each lip gloss tube has a mirror on it – very convenient.   Just don’t forget to remove the protective film!

Run, don’t walk, to your nearest Costco to get LuMESH in time for Christmas!  A list of Costco locations that carry LuMESH lip glosses is available on request; however, I found my set at a Costco that wasn’t listed.  LuMESH is not available on Costco.com.

Softlips® holiday limited edition review and giveaway!

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Softlips® has released a limited edition collection of Christmas-y flavored lip balms, available exclusively at Target, purveyor of all things cute.

Softlips 2-pack Jack Frosting lip balm

The Style Page recent sampled Softlips® Jack Frosting lip balm from the LE collection. Dimethicone guarantees a smooth application, while sunscreen agents provide SPF 20 protection. Softlips® Jack Frosting lip balm also includes emollients such as squalane, petrolatum, and vitamin E. Softlips® describes its Jack Frosting lip balm as having a flavor like buttercream frosting. When I first opened the tube, it smelled like burnt sugar, like crème brûlée. On subsequent applications, I became aware of the buttercream flavor.  After applying the lip balm, you become aware of the cooling sensation of menthol: no wonder, as Softlips® is a trademark of The Mentholatum Company.

Softlips Vanilla and Winter Mint Holiday Gift Tag Pack

The Style Page is hosting a giveaway of limited edition Softlips® products! There are 4 prizes, for 4 winners:

  • Softlips® Jack Frosting 2 pack with bonus Softlips® Vanilla and Softlips® Winter Mint Holiday Holiday Gift Tag Pack 
  • Softlips® Jack Frosting 2 pack with bonus Softlips® Vanilla and Softlips® Sugar ‘n’ Spice Holiday Gift Tag Pack 
  • Softlips® Jack Frosting 2 pack with bonus Softlips® Raspberry and Softlips® Sugar Cookie Holiday Gift Tag Pack 
  • Softlips® Jack Frosting 2 pack with bonus Softlips® Raspberry and Softlips® Sugar Plum Berry Holiday Gift Tag Pack 

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Lola Naughty/Nice limited edition two tone lipstick

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Lola is the retail line founded by infomercial pioneer Victoria Jackson.  It disappeared from the shelves of Victoria’s Secret and Ulta.  However, it’s still available online at www.lolacosmetics.com.  It’s not clear what involvement Victoria Jackson still has with Lola.  Some Lola products are available on the Victoria Jackson Cosmetics website.

The Lola Naughty/Nice limited edition two tone lipstick caught my eye, as it brought back fond memories of Helena Rubinstein’s Splitsticks. OK, the Splitsticks were beige and white and had the sixties written all over them, while the Lola Naughty/Nice limited edition two tone lipstick features coral pink and siren red:

Lola Naughty/Nice LE two tone lipstick
Lola Naughty/Nice LE two tone lipstick swatches

The coral pink is for Brigitte Bardot, while the siren red is for Rita Hayworth.  Sex symbols from two different eras.  Naughty or nice?

I can’t say that I’m smitten with this product.  The coral pink takes away lip color, while the siren red has shimmer (I can actually see the sparkles).  For me, red should not have shimmer and the finish should be demi-matte.   This feels more like a stick gloss.

However, I’m a nut for great packaging.  Unclasp the lid from the tube, and a mirror pops up!  How cute is that??!!

Lola Naughty/Nice two tone lipstick tube

New Karen Murrell lipstick shades

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In last week’s article Karen Murrell ECOCERT-certified lip color, I promised to show readers Karen’s latest shades.  Here they are:

New Karen Murrell lipstick shades

L to R:

  • Coral Dawn
  • Carnation Mist
  • Sandstorm
  • Fuchsia Shock
Karen’s latest lipstick shades features the demi-matte finish that I liked so well in her original shades.  
Karen says that she will have another 10 shades out in 2013. I can’t wait.

Karen Murrell ECOCERT-certified lip color

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Karen Murrell‘s self-named product line is a product line that has obtained ECOCERT certification for organic ingredients. Karen draws her inspiration from the natural beauty of her native New Zealand.

I was pleased to receive Karen’s elegant presentation box, which contained four lipsticks, a lip conditioner, and her skin and body care products. The outer boxes for the products are made of recycled paperboard and feature romantic, sensuous illustrations.

Over and over, I write that I am not a purist when it comes to cosmetics ingredients. When I try natural or organic cosmetics, I want to find out if they perform as well as conventional products. More often than not, I am disappointed.

When, however, I had read in Thread (NZ), that Karen Murrell lipsticks compare favorably with MAC in look and feel, I took notice.

Karen Murrell lipsticks.  Credit: Thread (NZ)

I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again: makeup-wise, there’s nothing as glamorous as opaque lipstick with a creamy to demi-matte finish.  And Karen’s lipsticks have great color payoff.  They compare favorably with other lipsticks, such as those from Australian Poppy King.

Here are swatches of Karen’s first lipstick collection:

Karen Murrell – the first lipstick collection

Colors (L to R) are:

  • Cordovan Natural (nude)
  • Pink Starlet
  • Red Shimmer – not as shimmery as the name might suggest, but that’s a plus: real reds should not be shimmery
  • Violet Mousse

Karen now has secure online shopping on her site. And yes, she ships internationally.

Watch out for an upcoming feature on Karen’s latest lipstick shades: Coral Dawn, Carnation Mist, Sandstorm, and Fuchsia Shock.

Blast from the past: 60s #cosmetics ads

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When I was a kid, I hung out with my next door neighbor, who was two years older than me.  I liked her company more than that of her sister, who was only a couple of months older than me.  Gayle and I might have been young, but we were precocious in our fondness for clothes and cosmetics.

Here are a couple of items we coveted, but our mothers wouldn’t let us buy:

Source: flickr.com via STYLE on Pinterest

Lipshine from Helena Rubinstein’s Lightworks collection featured a “Splitstick” that was gloss on one side, color on the other, packed in a graphic black and white tube.

I love those swingy, pleated tent dresses!

Body Paint by Coty Originals has to be one of the most unusual cosmetics I’ve seen.  It came in a paint bucket complete with paint roller and pan.  Shades were blue, green, and mauve.  There were also four flesh tones.

This ad was scanned from the July 1967 issue of Seventeen.  The dress is by Betsey Johnson.  Can you believe that she’s been around this long?

Kjaer Weis Sweetness Lip Tint

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Coral is big this summer, and while I usually eschew trends, I’m embracing this one.  Why?

I recently purchased Lasting Finish Lipstick in 012 (coral) from Kate Moss’s collection for Rimmel London and the red-coral lipstick that Poppy King created for J. Crew.  I like the Kate Moss lipstick better than the Poppy King lipstick because it doesn’t spread beyond the lip line.

Here’s another coral lip color I’m craving:

Kjaer Weis Lip Tint in Sweetness

Kjaer Weis Lip Tint in Sweetness is described as a “beautiful coral/orange, sheer lip tint.”  It would be a nice alternative finish to the Kate Moss and Poppy King lipsticks.  I also like the one-of-a-kind packaging.

I interviewed Kirsten Kjaer Weis in November 2011.  Since then, she’s added an online store to the Kjaer Weis web site.

Is Kate Moss still with Rimmel London?

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I was a bit confused by this ad featuring Kate Moss for Dior Addict lipstick:

Kate Moss for Dior Addict Lipstick

Doesn’t Kate represent Rimmel London?  What about future Kate Moss lipstick collections that Rimmel London promises?  Did Kate jump ship?

Kate Moss for Rimmel London Lasting Finish lipstick

Check out the similarities between the two ads.  The way Kate is holding her hand is nearly identical in the two ads.

Rimmel London’s PR rep assures me that Kate is still with Rimmel London and she will be coming out with more lipstick collections with Rimmel London in upcoming seasons.  That’s good news – I like Lasting Finish Lipstick in 012 (coral) from Kate’s collection – even better than the coral lipstick that Poppy King created for J. Crew.

beautyADDICTS BeautifulLIPS Lipstick

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BeautyADDICTS groups its cosmetics into four color groups:

  • Glow: “Shimmering lavender shadow. Chic candy color glosses. Icy pink and cool bronze highlighters glisten with glamour.”  
  • Express: “These must have essentials include buff, rose-gold, cream, and bronze for casual elegance.”
  • Motivate: “Heather, berry, plum and pale pinks are the highlights of this palette, taking you from the boardroom to a night on the town.”  
  • Seduce: “The perfect smoky eye in white, silver and black. Sheer ruby and silver glosses. Velvety burgundy blushes add just the right hint of drama.” 

BeautyADDICTS recently added BeautifulLIPS Lipstick to its collection. The BeautifulLIPS collection consists of 8 lipstick shades.

beautyADDICTS  BeautifulLIPS  lipstick

The lineup:

  • Glow: Flirt (delicate pink) and Affair (rose) 
  • Express: Shy (peach) and Toast (described as “the perfect everyday shade that works on all complexions”)
  • Motivate: Peep Show (eggplant) and Vintage (soft berry) 
  • Seduce: Femme Fatale (dark burgundy) and Sinful (red-orange)

I was pleased to receive samples of Affair, Shy, and Vintage. BeautifulLIPS Lipstick is emollient and creamy and therefore is particularly good for winter time. Affair and Vintage are soft colors and particularly well suited for everyday wear and safe for work. Shy was too pale for my liking.

beautyADDICTS BeautifullLIPS Lipstick retails for $18 each and is available at www.beautyaddicts.com and salons.

The Style Page would like to acknowledge Lexamedia for sending me samples of beautyADDICTS BeautifulLIPS lipstick for my review.