Lash Topcoat: Anastasia Beverly Hills Lash Genius

♒♒♒

Waterproof when you want it to be. Anastasia Beverly Hills Lash Genius instantly waterproofs, refreshes, and protects any mascara all day, without the typical drying or clumping. It’s advanced, lightweight formula glides on smooth, dries quickly, and gives your lashes a glossy lacquer finish that lasts all day. Feel un-phased in the face of a downpour or smug at your best friend’s wedding, Lash Genius will protect you.

Lash Genius comes in a typical mascara-type tube with short, stiff  bristles. The formula is a slightly milky-colored gel that feels a bit tacky to the touch. It applies beautifully with a slightly wet texture that instantly adds shine and gloss to the lashes. Lash Genius is fragrance, paraben, and cruelty free.

Never decide on which formula to purchase of your favorite mascara again. I never seem to buy waterproof mascara. The formula, on me, feels thicker and heavier and it is a pain to remove. Don’t get me wrong, Lash Genius is a pain to remove, however, it does the job of a waterproof formula (better) and lash lacquer – all-in-one. So… it’s worth it.

Stocking Stuffer: Kate Spade Lip Crayon Box Set

⟁⟁⟁

GLOW-T GIFT GUIDE

The Kate Spade Lip Crayon Box Set is the perfect stocking stuffer, hostess gift and/or thank you gift for that special lady in your life.

Small, festive and feminine, this box set features three lip shades: dark red, bright red and pink. The lip crayons are created by cult-favorite – Lipstick Queen. Closely related to the Chinatown Glossy Pencil by Lipstick Queen, these crayons have a glossy finish and feel moisturizing on the lips.

Pick up a box or two for last minute gifting. Any girl will love this ultra-girly gift.

How To: Nude Lip

❈❈❈

Originally applied to downplay the rest of the face when having a dramatic smoky eye or a major blush moment, the nude lip has transcended from a trend to a classic.

Your perfect nude lip will depend entirely on the shade. Remember nude is not the same as neutral, you must take into consideration your skin tone and lip color. The right color will create depth and contour as the wrong color can make the entire face look dull or washed-out.

Choosing a color for your skin tone:

• For fair or pale skin: Avoid beige tones. Opt for soft pinks, peaches or pale apricot as your base shade.
• For the golden girls: Creamy, caramel-toned nudes and warm beiges. Avoid anything too cool, like grays or silver-toned shades.
• For olive tones: Just about any nude shade will work, from beige to bronze to pinks.
• For skin with yellow undertones: Light, creamy-toned beiges like latte or mocha.
• For dark-toned skin: Go for chocolate tones such as rich golden browns and coffees.

Needed:

• Foundation
• Nude Lip Liner – Favorite: Here
• Lip Brush
• Nude Lipstick – Favorite: Here
• Nude Lipgloss – Favorite: Here

How To:

• Prep and moisturize the lips.
• Blot a layer of foundation onto the lips. This will let lipstick perform at it’s truest color.
• Define lips with a liner that is the half-a-shade deeper than lipstick. This will give the illusion of plumper lips.
• Using a lip brush, apply lipstick.
• Blot the lips with tissue and reapply.
• If a glossy finish is preferred – apply nude lipgloss.

Lip Lacquer: YSL Rouge Pur Couture Vernis À Lèvres (Glossy Stain)

⚜⚜⚜

Yves Saint Laurent’s Rouge Pur Couture Vernis À Lèvres (Glossy Stain) is a unique hybrid of a lip stain and gloss without the dryness of a stain and the stickiness of a gloss.

The Glossy Stain is available in 19 beautiful shades. The pigmentation is rich and true to color. One layer provides a perfect wash of color and two, reaches full opacity. It stains the lips for a long-lasting finish that will not transfer.

The doe-foot applicator makes for easy and precise application. The soft-slanted tip is controllable and accurate. The texture is a gel-like formula that feels comfortable, cooling and hydrating on the lips. The thick consistency plumps the lips and exudes incredible shine with absolutely no glitter or sparkly bits.

This is one of the most inventive lip products I have tried. It is like nail polish for the lips, lacquered and glossy. This is the type of product that you must branch-out and try an extraordinary shade. Skip the neutrals and go directly towards the bold and vibrant shades. My current favorite is #12 Corail Fauve – a pinky-coral shade that looks like sweet watermelon on the lips. However, I have my eye on the perfect red for fall –  #20 Rouge Enamel (Sephora Exclusive) as well as a bold orange – #8 Orange de Chine, my out-of-comfort-zone shade.

Tried & Tested: Urban Decay Super-Saturated High Gloss Lip Color

✯✯✯

Urban Decay Super-Saturated High Gloss Lip Color

With party season around the corner, every girl needs a powerful lip color in their arsenal. The Super-Saturated High Gloss Lip Color’s by Urban Decay deliver high-impact color with a punch.

Like having a lipstick and lip gloss in one, these chubby pencils provide vibrant, rich color with a glossy finish. The product is long-wearing, and the opaque color continuously looks presentable without feathering. The Lip Color’s are super creamy, hydrating and convertible.

Currently available in five shades: F-Bomb (bright red cream), Punch Drunk (bright orange cream), Adrenaline (bright fuchsia sparkle), Crush (hot pink), and Big Bang (bright pink with sparkle).

Of all the shades, I am currently loving F-Bomb and Crush, the creamier versions. The sparkle shades feel a little gritty on the lips and are a bit troublesome with application. All-in-all, the Super-Saturated High Gloss Lip Color’s by Urban Decay are a great lip product to have on-hand during party season.