Category: lips

Black Lip Color

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LIPSTICK QUEEN Black Lips

Soon after I blogged about Obsessive Compulsive’s expanded range of coloured lip balms, including its Tarred lip balm, I discovered the Black Tie Optional lipstick and sheer lip gloss from Poppy King’s Lipstick Queen.

As with Obsessive Compulsive’s Tarred lip balm, this lip color is not intended to be goth: it’s intended to deepen your lip color.

Thanks to jamiem from ThisNext for this discovery!

Aaron de Mey is the new Makeup Artistic Director for Lancôme, after the departure of Gucci Westman for Revlon. Picture below is the limited edition lip color set that he created for Lancôme. It features ‘Le Rouge’ Color Fever lipstick in a balanced red and Piha Black Color Fever Gloss. The Piha Black Color Fever Gloss was inspired by the black volcanic sands of Piha Beach in Aaron de Mey’s native New Zealand.


Aaron de Mey for Lancôme

For reviews, see We Try It: Black Lip Gloss from the Beauty Counter blog at style.com.

Obsessive Compulsive Colour Lip Balms

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OCC Colour Lip Balms

Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics started its lip balms with its Tarred (black) and Feathered (White) shades. These lip balms weren’t goth: Tarred darkened lip color and Feathered lightened lip color.

Now OCC has expanded its range to include Latte (deep beige to neutralize reds), Melange (warm neutral), Plum, and Vintage (sheer deep purplish-wine).

OCC has also changed its formula since I first blogged on Tarred and Feathered over two years ago. The original Tarred and Feathered were waxy in consistency; today, all OCC’s lip balms are creamy in consistency and formulated with coconut oil, with a touch of peppermint oil. OCC’s also changed its packaging. The original Tarred and Feathered were packaged in tins; today, OCC’s lip balm collection come in pots.

I loved the original Tarred and Feathered, but I like the new formula even better. I was so smitten with the beautiful new shades that I bought the entire collection.

You may shop for Obsessive Compulsive color lip balms at the OCC website.

Lip Wax

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Lip Wax from Giorgio Armani Beauty

Giorgio Armani Beauty describes Lip Wax as a “compact lipstick.” Actually, it’s more like lip stain. Lip Wax differs from lip stains, however, in that it’s smoother and less drying. That’s one aspect I like about Lip Wax; the other aspect I like is that the color is buildable from a simple tint to full-out lip color.

Lip Wax is available in six shades: #01 (nude beige), #02 (antique rose), #03 (sienna), #04 (raspberry), #05 (cardinal red), and #6 (deep chianti)

You may purchase Lip Wax ($26.00) through Giorgio Armani Beauty, or wait until next month (October 2008) to buy it at a Giorgion Armani Beauty counter.

I’m a sinner, I’m a saint …

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Lipstick Queen is a brand founded by Poppy King, who previously had her eponymous line and then, after her Poppy line collapsed, joined Prescriptives as its creative director.


Poppy King

As with her former line Poppy, Lipstick Queen is limited to lip color. Poppy King describes her Sinner lipsticks as “opaque, rich and creamy with a matte yet silky finish” and her Saint lipsticks as “The sheerest, moistest, most serene lipsticks you have ever tried.”

I tested lipsticks in both Sinner Rust and Saint Rust at the Soft Surroundings store in St. Louis, after the saleswoman told me that warm tones suited my complexion than cool tones and dissuaded me from wine or berry shades.

Sinner Rust was very matte, but not “creamy” or “silky,” as Poppy King described. I found the matte lipsticks very dry. I prefer lipsticks that are between cream and matte, with some luster.

Saint Rust is more a lip stain, and therefore not sheer. It is a little more creamy that other lip stains I’ve tried (Laura Mercier, Underground by Rimmel).

These lipsticks do not match Poppy King’s descriptions. Still, I like the Saint lipstick, but I’d be reluctant to shell out $20. I’d pass on the Sinner lipsticks.

UPDATE: The JC Report interviews Poppy King. She says, in words surprising for a beauty entrepreneur, ” Feminine is a construct, whereas female is a fact … To be in fashion right now means to understand the difference between feminine and female and to get the balance right: too feminine and we are back in the submission of the ’50s, too confrontational and it becomes ’80s power woman. … Perhaps if Hillary Clinton had got this sense of female right it may have turned out differently for her.”

It is not surprising that Poppy King would comment on politics: in Australia, she was part of the Australian Republican Movement.

Flower Power

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A couple of items punched up with bold floral designs:


Agatha Ruiz de la Prada lip balm for GAL Perfumeria

These fruity-flavored lip balms features the exuberant designs of Spanish fashion designer Agatha Ruiz de la Prada. I purchased the passion fruit-flavored lip balm, which is tinted blue, but goes on clear. I found mine at duty-free at the Copenhagen airport, but I’ve also seen these tins at anthropologie.


marimekko for AVON All Over Face Palette

Avon has partnered with famed Finnish design house marimekko to create makeup palettes with marimekko’s signature Unikko poppy print. Pictured above is the All Over Face Palette; eyeshadow palettes are also available. Unlike the rip-off that Dolce & Gabbana did with its poppy-print dress, marimekko licensed use of the Unikko print to Avon.

AVON Pro-To-Go lipstick

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Avon Pro-To-Go lipstick

Avon has been working hard to keep relevant in the ever-changing market for beauty. The launch of mark, geared toward teens, appears to have been successful, and mark’s customizable Hook Ups have become popular. In addition, Avon has hired Jillian Dempsey of Delux Beauty as its Creative Director (husband Patrick Dempsey has signed on to promote men’s products from Avon).

Avon has gone all out to promote its new Pro-To-Go lipstick, with SMS to get a free lipstick upon the launch and full-page ads featuring Reese Witherspoon, Avon’s newly named “Global Ambassador.”

The sliding button opens the lid and even the lipstick. Clever packaging, but how does Pro-To-Go perform? The application is smooth, and the lipcolor feels smooth and comfortable. The Style Page gives it a “thumbs up.”

Avon Pro-To-Go lipstick comes in 15 different shades and is available for an introductory price of $5.99 (after that, it will cost $9.00). You may buy Avon Pro-To-Go lipstick via the Avon website or, of course, your Avon rep.

NARS

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NARS The Multiple in Orgasm

François Nars first burst upon our awareness through Allure magazine, with an article that featured photos of him applying body makeup to Madonna for a Vanity Fair photo shoot. Since that time, he’s established his very popular NARS Cosmetics line.

NARS’s powder blush in Orgasm is a beauty editor’s favorite and has become one of NARS’s signature products. Its other signature product is The Multiple multi-tasking stick for cheeks, lips, and eyes. It should be no surprise then that NARS has created The Multiple in Orgasm. I’ve begun using cream blushes only recently, and I’m hooked. NARS The Multiple in Orgasm is so sheer that I found that I could swipe it straight from the stick onto my cheeks, with only minimal blending. It is also beautiful as a highlighter on top of the cheekbone.

On the other hand, I found the lip stain gloss on the NARS Lip Stain Gloss/Lip Gloss (not pictured) difficult to use. The first time I tried it, I made a mess of it – around my lips, on my fingers. It is very pigmented, and when I tried to blend it with my fingers, I needed dual-phase makeup remover to remove the stains. In addition, it takes longer to dry down than, for example, L’Oréal Paris Infallible Never Fail Lipcolour, which also features a liquid lip stain.

My second attempt was more successful. Here’s how I did it:

– I lined my lips, by applying concealer with a fine tip brush. I softened the edges so that it wasn’t obvious. I could also have also used a clear lip pencil: I’ve identified brands that market clear lip pencils.

– I used a very light touch: in other words, I didn’t press the wand against my lips.

– I stopped shy of the corners of my mouth when I applied the lip stain gloss.

If you like a highly pigmented stain, then the dual Lip Stain Gloss/Lip Gloss is for you.

You can find NARS The Multiple and NARS Lip Stain Gloss/Lip Gloss at NARS Cosmetics.

Candy Paint from Carol’s Daughter

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In my review of Trish McEvoy’s Be Prepared Pink Compact, I promised a subsequent post on Candy Paint lip gloss from Carol’s Daughter. Carol’s Daughter is a line of bath, body, hair, and skin care products founded by Lisa Price (she’s Carol’s Daughter). Products are formulated with plant oils. I want to try Carol’s Daughter Leave-in Conditioner in Khoret Amen, after reading Beauty Addict’s review – I love woodsy scents.

Candy Paint lip gloss is the first foray that Carol’s Daughter is making into color. As with other Carol’s Daughter products, it’s formulated with plant oils – a little natural peppermint oil for flavor makes it taste like butter mints.

Sugah Glaze is a clear gloss with shimmer (I hate the name, however, it’s as phony as the accent that Oprah adopted when she told the audience why she was supporting Obama over Hillary), Park Avenue Pink is a pink that’s not cloying or precious, and Hot Mocha is a deep brown.

A portion of the proceeds of sales of Candy Paint go to the Lupus Foundation of America. Lupus is an autoimmune disorder that affects African Americans, Hispanics/Latinos, Asians, and Native Americans disproportionately. One of my classmates in college had lupus flares that forced her to drop out two semesters: because of the lockstep nature of the engineering program in which we were enrolled, she effectively lost two years of college. So I understand what lupus can do. It’s a worthy cause that Carol’s Daughter is supporting.

You may find Carol’s Daughter Candy Paint at Sephora.com.

Be Prepared

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You wouldn’t have guessed that women are eschewing lip gloss for lipstick through the introduction of new products from Trish McEvoy and Carol’s Daughter. This post will deal with the Be Prepared Pink Compact from Trish McEvoy; a subsequent post will deal with Candy Paints from Carol’s Daughter.

Be Prepared Pink Compact from Trish McEvoy

Trish McEvoy is a New York-based makeup artist with an eponymous makeup line. She’s already shrunk makeup palettes to the size of a credit card. Now she’s squeezed eight different shades of lipgloss into this 2″ x 1″ compact. The shades range from faintly there neutrals to bright pinks like Sparkling Pink and Tropical Pink (flamingo pink) … in other words, a whole wardrobe of shades for every mood and outfit. You can carry this compact with you in your purse and “be prepared” for any occasion.

The real meaning of “Be Prepared”? Net proceeds from sale of this compact support Girl Scouting! You can forego Girl Scout cookies (with the exception of Thin Mints and Samoas, my favorites) for this less caloric means of supporting Girl Scouting.

Girl Scouts was the best thing I did while in grade school and possibly in my entire life. Shoutout to my friend Tina:

Tina, if you find this blog, I appreciate all the work that your Mom did as a Girl Scout leader, particularly when she invited me to accompany another Girl Scout troop on its weekend camping trip. Thanks to your Mom, I completed requirements for five merit badges that weekend.

Color them red (or pink or rose brown)

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I’ve already mentioned Bobbi Brown’s advice that the most flattering lip color is two shades darker than your natural lip color. The continuum between light and dark is referred to as value.

This article Color them red (or pink or rose brown) from the San Jose (California) Mercury News deals with another aspect of color, namely hue. The article cites various lip colors such as coral, fuchsia, and red, but Laura Mercier and Linda Wells, Editor-in-chief, Allure agree: the most foolproof color is rose brown.

American Beauty Enduring Beauty™ Longwear Lipcolor

My favorite rose brown? American Beauty Enduring Beauty™ Longwear Lipcolor in Chestnut Rose, sold exclusively at Kohl’s. I wasn’t smitten with American Beauty when it first came out, even though Ashley Judd is the face of American Beauty. I seldom go to the movies and I don’t even have a Netflix membership, so the only time I get to watch movies is on cross-country or overseas flights. Ashley invariably stars in the feature film, whether it’s a tearjerker like Simon Birch or potboilers like Double Jeopardy and High Crimes. It’s almost like she’s become a traveling companion.

Back to the lipstick … it goes on like a cream, that dries to a semi-matte and compares very well with favorite lipsticks such as Besame’s Enchanting Lipstick and MAC’s Satin Lipstick. While I like experimenting with lip glosses and lip stains, these are the lipsticks I like the best.