Category Archives: Makeup

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Spring Fling: Lip Color Love

Thank you to everyone who voted in the beauty experimentation poll. As it turns out, Love of Gloss readers like to play with their lips and eyes; lip color and mascara tied as the products you experiment with most often (eyeliner was not far behind). As promised, this week I’ve rounded up a collection of the best lip colors to play with this spring. (Note: there are no traditional lip glosses on this list. While I highly recommend each of the products listed below, die-hard gloss girls can find recommendations on the Glosses and Balms page!)

Enjoy!

Maybelline Color Whisper: This lightweight gel lip color glides on oh-so-smoothly and leaves a sheer wash of color. It feels divine, comes in a variety of shades, and even its brightest hues are ultra-wearable.

I'll be sporting Maybelline Color Whisper in Orange Attitude straight through summer.

I’ll be sporting Maybelline Color Whisper in Orange Attitude straight through summer.

It leaves lips soft and with a subtle shine. This is a great pick for girls who typically wear balms but may be looking to sample a pop of color this season. I asked Maybelline via Twitter which shades they’d recommend for spring, and they suggested Who Wore it Red-der and Orange Attitude. I have to second their vote for Orange Attitude. I can see myself sporting the incredibly flattering red-orange straight through summer.

Tarte LipSurgence: I’ve been a fan of these for a while. The crayon-shaped lip tint comes in so many colors and finishes, it’s impossible not to find one that works for you. While they may look like big fat lip pencils, the lip liner similarities end there;

Tarte LipSurgence Lip Tints in, from left to right, Elite, Exposed, Peaceful and Enchanted.

Tarte LipSurgence Lip Tints in, from left to right, Elite, Exposed, Peaceful and Enchanted.

LipSurgence adds tons of moisture, is easy to apply, and makes you look like you were born with a gorgeous mouth. Again, there’s a shade for everyone, but the color I’m rocking this season is Exposed. This matte nude is a little darker than the pale shades that are prevalent this time of year. For some reason, I feel like a ’90s Gwyneth Paltrow when I wear this color. As a lifelong GP fan, this is a remarkable feat.

MAKE Lipstick: I’ve never been much of a lipstick gal, but that may be about to change thanks to MAKE. Never mind the fact that one third of all of the company’s sales go to the We See Beauty Foundation, MAKE’s creamy lipsticks look and feel so fantastic and un-lipsticky that even the most staunch gloss wearers may be tempted to switch.

MAKE lipstick in Putty.

MAKE lipstick in Putty.

They feature a creamy, moisturizing texture that is long lasting and not the least bit drying. I’m obsessed with Putty, a peachy nude that is very ladylike and feels just right for spring.

Maybelline Baby Lips: I feel like a bit of a groupie when it comes to these tinted balms. I blog, tweet and gush about them all the time. The reason is simple: I really don’t think you can find another lip product that does so much for such a ridiculously reasonable price. For approximately the price of three packs of gum, you can pick up a tube in one of several fun shades that feels silky smooth, softens lips, eradicates fine lines, and generally plumps and perfects your pout.

Maybelline Baby Lips in Cherry Me (top) and Pink Punch.

Maybelline Baby Lips in Cherry Me (top) and Pink Punch.

I keep them everywhere – my purse, my makeup bag, my nightstand, my desk. Aside from the clear balm, which makes a great base under other glosses and tints, I keep coming back to Pink Punch, a youthful bright pink shade that I think is perfect year round.

Thanks again for voting in the latest Love of Gloss poll. Check back next week for a look at the best new mascaras!

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Poll: Beauty Experimentation

As beauty fiends, we love to play with makeup. We are always searching for the hottest new product, the best version of our beauty weapon of choice. I want to help you find what you are looking for. With that in mind, I hope you’ll take a moment to answer this quick poll. Next week I’ll write about the winning category!

Thanks dolls!

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Holiday Pretty

Happy Holidays! How quickly the year has flown by! Tomorrow is Christmas Day, and before we know it we’ll be ringing in the New Year with midnight kisses and champagne. We’ll have lots of reasons to celebrate — and get dolled up — over the next seven days. After all, as one of my closest, chicest friends likes to say, the best part of the holidays is having an excuse to wear a dress and high heels!

I don’t know about you, but I’m hoping my stocking is stuffed with tinted lip balms (you can’t go wrong with Burt’s Bees), cool nail polishes (anything in the gray family will do) and designer fragrances (I’m looking at you, Dior Addict). But regardless of what I get tomorrow morning, tonight I’ll be turning to some classics to get me looking lovely and feeling festive while I kick off the holiday at not one, but two Christmas Eve parties! I still haven’t made a wardrobe decision; I could keep it cozy in jeans, boots, and a cranberry colored sweater, or perhaps I’ll throw on my new black wrap dress and perfect red scarf for a slightly more glamorous look. Either way, I know I’ll be sporting the following fun holiday makeup looks:

1. Glittery Gold Manicure: I believe that, for the most part, a girl shouldn’t wear glittery nail polish if she’s old enough to legally buy booze. Not only does glitter tend to read really, really young, it can often come across as ditzy, which is never a look that I’m going for.

This Nailtini polish can be layered for a very pretty, sparkly holiday manicure.

This Nailtini polish can be layered for a very pretty, sparkly holiday manicure.

However, we are currently enjoying a season that almost mandates a certain amount of glitter in daily life. I’ll be taking advantage of this with a pretty, glittery gold manicure. I prefer polishes that have smaller pieces of glitter that, when layered, almost look like solid pigment rather than little chunks of confetti suspended in topcoat. I’ll be rockin’ this Nailtini polish. Essie also makes some decent glittery polishes, in both gold and silver. Go forth and sparkle, my friends!

2. Red Lips: I don’t care how you do it. Gloss, balm, lipstick, liner, whatever your preferred method of lip color application, nothing is more timeless, glamorous and holiday-appropriate than a red lip. Being a definite gloss girl, I’ll be sporting my new favorite, this thick Bare Minerals gloss that smells like holiday spices and turns my mouth the most flattering shade of red. The color is a little darker in person than it looks in the photo (please excuse the obnoxious kissy-face) and it really takes any look up a notch, adding a kiss of ladylike sophistication.

This Bare Minerals gloss is a little darker in person and smells like holiday spices - the perfect holiday gloss!

This Bare Minerals gloss is a little darker in person and smells like holiday spices – the perfect holiday gloss!

3. Liquid Liner: I generally wear a little eyeliner during the day. A quick swipe of pencil along my upper lashes and I’m good to go. When I’m dressing up, on the other hand, I want to give my eyes a little more oomph, and nothing does that better than a sleek swoop of liquid liner, which makes a statement that is both sexy and classy, all while making your eyes pop. This year I’ve fallen for a new favorite: Eyeko Skinny Liquid Eyeliner in purple. The liner itself is unbelievably easy to apply; like my former favorite liquid liners, it comes in a pen-tip style applicator, rather than the skinny brush that I don’t think I will ever master. The color comes out smoothly and evenly, and dries quickly without smudging. I’ve always been a fan of purple eye pencils, and this purple liquid version is just too good not to use. I’ll be sporting a slight cat-eye tonight.

So, will you be rocking any of these looks tonight? What’s your go-to holiday makeup look? Let me know in the comments below.

Have a beautiful Christmas!

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Lady or Tramp?

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My favorite look this season is decidedly ladylike but not too nice; it’s all about clean lines and classic shades, just a little rough around the edges. A lot of fall fashions are jumping on this naughty-lady bandwagon, and, not surprisingly, I’m embracing it in my makeup routine. Here, my guide to achieving this look on your own:

1. First things first: you want to start with clear skin and a smooth canvas. I keep it simple with a tinted moisturizer or BB cream and some concealer under the eyes and on any blemishes. Then, to give myself a very pretty, very ladylike glow, I blend By Terry Color Skin Enhancer in Glowing Rose into my cheek and brow bones. It smells heavenly and gives a pretty light pink sheen to the skin. Finish with a light dusting of loose powder just where you need it – nose, chin, forehead.

2. Gloss your lips with a sheer nude or light pink gloss. The trick is to find a shade that looks demure and classy, without washing you out. As I recently mentioned, I love Korres Lip Butter in Jasmine (a soft pink), and Korres Lip Glaze in the same shade is a great on-the-go version, as it comes in a tube instead of a jar. I’ve also always liked Victoria’s Secret Beauty Rush Lip Gloss in Slice of Heaven (a shimmery nude).

3. Play up those eyes! Curl your lashes and line your upper lash line with black liner. I’m currently obsessed with Noir Long Wear Eyeliner in Forever Noir. It’s a fat black liner that glides easily and smudges well. I like to wing up a bit at the outer corners for a bit of a cat eye; smudge the line a little or a lot to achieve your desired level of naughtiness. Finish with a generous application of Benefit They’re Real! Mascara. This wonder product thickens, lengthens, curls and lasts all day. It’s an easy way to give your eyes some oomph.

4. The final step in the process, and one of my favorite fall beauty trends, is to pair this mostly-prim face with a super-chic, super-dark nail polish. This looks best with shorter nails, and you have to be diligent about touch-ups, but a nice, dark manicure is perfect with this look. I’m hooked on Essie’s Power Clutch, a dark greenish-gray. Essie’s Wicked (a deep, blood red) is another good choice. Pair with your sassiest pencil skirt, your sexiest heels, and your most conservative pearls and you’ll have everybody wondering: lady, or tramp?

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Nobody Puts BB in the Corner

ImageIt’s no secret that BB creams have recently taken the beauty world by storm. A long-standing favorite of makeup lovers in Asia, these do-it-all creams have swept through the western world, leaving prettier, glowier skin in their wake. 

So, what’s all the fuss about? More than a tinted moisturizer and not quite a foundation, these tinted creams also contain SPF, brighten skin, provide anti-aging benefits and hydrate, all while blurring imperfections – all in one step.

Sounds great, right? So where do you begin? These days it seems that every company has a version of their own. Luckily for you, I’ve been testing several BBs over the past few months. Here are the ones I’d recommend:

First Place: Maybelline Dream Fresh BB  - Not only did this cream get top marks for hydration, coverage and staying power, it also comes in a variety of shades and costs less than $10. Winner!

Second Place: Boscia BB Creams – I tried their original formula and their self-adjusting version. Unfortunately, they were both too dark for my fair complexion. However, these provided the smoothest, best-looking coverage of all the creams. Perfect for girls with a medium skin tone!

Third Place: Clinique Age Defense BB – This cream is the only one that came in a light enough shade to perfectly match my skin, and its coverage was great, but I found the formula quite drying. If you have oily skin, this could be the BB for you.

Honorable Mention: Dr. Jart BB Creams – I tried a couple versions of these BBs – both solid creams. I found the coverage to be extremely sheer, but the hydration and SPF levels are great.

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Jasmine Princess

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I’ve stumbled upon a couple of products over the past month that work so well, look so lovely and make me feel – and smell – so good that I’m turning into a full-on pampered princess. Turns out, they share a secret ingredient: Jasmine. Naturally, I thought I’d share them here so that you, too, can be a Jasmine Princess. Just try not to let all that prettiness go to your head.

Oscar Blandi Balsamo di Jasmine Smoothing Conditioner: This ultra-nourishing conditioner has completely changed my hair, in the best way possible. While it is formulated to control frizz – and it really does – I have found that since using it, my hair has become noticeably stronger. As in, I’m no longer losing handfuls of hair every time I wash it. Also, it leaves strands perfectly detangled, so that my comb glides through my hair after showering, even without the assistance of a styling cream. Best of all, it packs an exotic, intoxicating Jasmine scent that lingers for days. Plus, its regal white and gold packaging looks ultra chic on my shower shelf. The only downside? My hair is so ridiculously soft after using this stuff, I can’t stop playing with it! It’s kind of a problem.

Korres Lip Butter in Jasmine: I’ve long been a fan of Korres products. All of their packaging is so lovely, simple, and impossibly chic, I feel like I’m vacationing in a luxurious spa whenever I use one of their products. I’ve used Korres lip butter before, and it has a rich, silky texture that moisturizes lips so well, it makes them look youthful and plump. It’s long lasting and gives a nice, subtle shine. Jasmine does all of these things, all while delivering the softest, most flattering pale nude pink shade you’ll ever wear on your lips. Unlike most other pale nude shades, it doesn’t wash me out. It just makes me look extra polished and pretty. Truly, this is a balm a princess can rely on.

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Contour-tionist

I’ve never been a huge fan of the contoured look. I’ve always strived to look subtley made-up, and just the word “contour” conjures up images of harsh, zebra-like stripes that are anything but subtle. Recently, however, I found myself staring down the makeup mirror with a sculpting palette and a blush brush, giving in to the contouring hype.

It all started when I fell in love with a recent Allure magazine cover, featuring a stunning Anne Hathaway with classic makeup and peaches and cream skin. I loved the whole look and, having similar coloring, decided I’d try to recreate it. When I flipped to the page that detailed which products were used on her, I was delighted to find they were all Revlon. A gorgeous new makeup look to try, at a drugstore price? Sold!

The cheek product used was Revlon PhotoReady Sculpting Blush Palette in Peach. The palette features three shades – a light brown contour shade, a super flattering soft peach blush, and an off-white highlighter. Normally with a palette like this I’d use the peach shade by itself, or swirl the brown and peach together for a beachy glow. I’d use the highlighter, too, to brighten up the corners of my eyes and my brow bones. This time, though, I decided to be brave and follow the contouring instructions exactly. If it’s good enough for Anne Hathaway, I thought, it’s good enough for me.

I started by lightly sweeping the brown shade just below my cheekbones. The color looks much darker in the pan than it does on the skin. I swept on a couple of layers and was pleasantly surprised by how subtle the shade was. Next, I applied the peach shade. The palette recommended applying this shade to the apples of the cheeks, which I did, but I also swept it all the way up my cheekbones, blending back to my hairline. As with the brown shade, this pretty peach color swept on lightly and I was able to build up to the perfect peachy glow. Depending on your mood and preferences, you could choose to go dramatic with the color with lots of layers, or go ultra-subtle with a quick swipe and call it good. To finish off the look I gently tapped the highlighter shade just above my cheekbones. The instructions were easy enough to follow, and the powder spread evenly on my skin. So far, so good.

I have to say I expected to look ridiculous. Even with flawless application, the concept of essentially painting stripes of brown and white on either side of my blush seemed silly. But in reality, my skin looked great. Instead of the harsh stripes I had imagined, I was left with a soft wash of three colors that worked extraordinarily well together. The truth is, when I looked at the end result in the mirror, I didn’t really notice one color, let alone three separate shades. What I saw was a pair of wonderfully accentuated cheekbones, and a light, natural glow.

Contoured and subtle. Who knew?

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Face Saver

Summer is officially here, and in my neck of the woods that means heat and a lot of humidity. While my inner beach bunny loves the hot summer weather, my office-working self does not appreciate what it does to my appearance. Don’t even get me started on what this weather does to my hair. But even more troubling is what it does to my face. Not only is it plagued with a decidedly non-dewy shine, but my face seems to grow more and more red as the temperature climbs. I’m forced to present my otherwise put-together self to the world looking like a shiny, oily tomato. Not ideal.

Fortunately I recently received a travel-sized jar of bareMinerals Mineral Veil. I must confess I’ve known about this finishing powder for years but have been resisting the hype – I’ve tried mineral makeup in the past and have not been impressed. But this cute little jar came with an even cuter little Flawless Face brush, and the duo won me over. Also, my go-to finishing powder (Make Up For Ever HD High Definition Powder) has been making me look a little chalky lately. I decided to give the veil a try.

I’m so glad that I did! The translucent powder completely disappears on my face, so I’m not left looking powdery. That cute little brush perfectly applies the miracle working Mineral Veil. A light dusting erases shine and continues to absorb oil throughout the day, and if my bright red tomato face can’t be completely undone, it can be greatly improved – the Mineral Veil transformed my general look from tomato to rosy glow, while also hiding pores and giving me an almost airbrushed appearance.

In this heat, I’m not asking for more than that. Almost airbrushed? I’ll take it!

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Rise and Line

Truth time: I’m tired. Pretty much all the time. Combine long work hours, wedding planning, training for my first-ever 5K and a fairly severe case of insomnia, and you’ve got one tired lady. While my raging caffeine addiction keeps me functioning (most of the time), it’s damn near impossible to hide my tired eyes when they’ve only had four hours of sleep. My trusted Mineralogie Ultimate Cream Concealer can only do so much; sure, it covers dark circles like a champ, but exhausted eyes are made up of more than dark circles. On really sluggish days, my eyes just don’t twinkle the way I want them to. They look dull.

Amazingly, an impulse purchase I made while picking up cleaning supplies at my local Rite Aid last weekend has changed all that. I happened by a display of Almay Wake Up Eyeliners, a collection of double-ended eye brightening sticks. On one end is a smooth, crayon-like liner; on the other, a silky highlighter in a coordinating shade. Both are laced with energizing caffeine to wake up – you guessed it – tired eyes. It comes in three flattering combinations. I grabbed the Sapphire Diamond duo, a navy blue liner paired with a creamy white highlighter. I am so glad that I did.

The highlighter is cool and smooth and truly brightens the eyes. Dab some in the inner corners of your eyes and smudge some along the brow bone and suddenly you forget that you didn’t sleep last night. The liner is incredibly easy to apply – a subtle swipe along the upper lash line is all it takes to put the twinkle back in your eyes. Together they are a winning combination that I don’t think I can ever do without. Bonus: the duo is gentle on sensitive eyes. This is an instant favorite.

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Wedding Belles

Three weeks ago my twin sister married the man she loves. They had a lovely ceremony and an even lovelier reception, all white linens and peach roses and flickering candles. The chilly April air outside was no match for the love and warmth inside that day. And the pretty decor was no match for the radiant bride; I have never seen my sister look more beautiful.

While I remember the way everything looked, and the way we all felt that day – I, for one, was an emotional wreck – the wedding itself flew by in a blur of activity: ceremony-photos-speeches-dinner-drinks-cake-dancing-what-do-you-mean-it’s-over? What I remember clearly, though, are the hours leading up to the big event. I will never forget the time spent “behind the scenes,” helping my sister (the bride) and all of our friends (the bridesmaids) get ready for the beautiful day that awaited us.

It’s obviously no secret that I’m a bit of a beauty fiend. The morning of the wedding I packed my entire beauty arsenal and brought it with me to the suite where we were to get ready. My sister had hired a hairdresser to come to the suite – a long lost childhood friend, with whom it seemed like no time had passed as she joked and chatted and whipped our hair into intricate updos and cascades of curls. We drank mimosas and steamed our dresses and listened to favorite songs as we decided how to go about making ourselves beautiful.

My favorite memories of the big day – memories that I will certainly cherish for the rest of my life – are of the frantic questions my friends were throwing at me as show time drew closer and closer: Can you fix my eye brows? How do I apply this eye shadow trio? Which color looks best on me? Can you trim my hair? It was a whirlwind of beauty activity, and I was honored that my friends trusted me at such an important moment. So I trimmed hair, gave a tutorial on eye shadow application, helped select makeup shades and dusted everyone’s face with finishing powder (Make Up For Ever HD High Definition Powder) to help keep shine at bay in photos.

My favorite memory – and biggest honor – involved the bride herself. Time was running out, and the hairdresser – who was meant to do my sister’s makeup in addition to everybody’s hair – had to make a call. “Can you do your sister’s makeup?” she asked me, a little flustered. “I trust you.”

So, as my sister sat still, getting her hair curled and pinned and hairsprayed for that oh-so-important walk down the aisle, I sat across from her and made up her face, determined to make her look just the way she’d want to – fresh, glowing, flawless, but not to “done” – she’s not really the makeup-wearing type, and I knew she wanted her soon-to-be husband to recognize her as she approached him at the alter.

Not to toot my own horn, but (toot, toot) I have to admit I did a damn good job with her makeup that day. She looked exceptional. And just like herself. Herself with impossibly perfect skin, soft lips, and eyes that were even more dazzling than normal.


So, in case she wants to replicate her gorgeous bridal look, or in case any of you, loyal readers, are looking for a perfect wedding look, here’s what I used and how I used it:

First, I used a warm washcloth to clean her face and dampen you skin – I find moisturizer goes on more smoothly when the skin is slightly damp. She didn’t want a lot of heavy makeup (she, like me, is blessed with pretty darn good skin), so instead of foundation I smoothed on Jouer Luminizing Moisture Tint in Pearl. It has a bit more coverage than a typical tinted moisturizer but still has a light feel, and it does give the complexion a luminous glow. I evened out dark circles and any random blemishes with Mineralogie Ultimate Cream Concealer in U2. This is hands down the best concealer I have ever used; it has long lasting coverage and it doesn’t settle into creases around the eyes.

We wanted her eyes to stand out but in a natural way, so we used brown shades instead of blacks. First I had her curl her lashes. Then I lined the outer corners of her eyes with Stila Smudge Stick Waterproof Eye Liner in Lionfish, a rich medium brown. Stila Smudge Sticks glide on ridiculously easily – I highly recommend them. I then lightly lined her lower lash line with the same liner, smudging out ever-so-slightly at the outer corners for just a hint of a cat eye.

After the liner I used a trio of Clinique shadows on her lids. I used Teddy Bear as a highlighting shade from lashes to brow bone. I used Buttered Bronze, a medium brown, as a wash of color from her lashes to her crease, and then finished with a thick swipe of Chocolate Chip, a dark brown, right along her lashes. I finished off her eyes with a generous swipe of L’Oreal Paris Voluminous Hydrofuge Mascara in Black Brown. Her eyes looked stunning.

To brighten her complexion and give her a soft flush, I used a fluffy brush to sweep Tarte Amazonian Clay Long-Wear Blush in Dollface on the apples of her cheeks and along her cheekbones.

The finishing touch, of course, had to be the perfect lip color – something plumping and moisturizing, natural-looking, and kissable – no sticky glosses or chalky lipsticks allowed. I used Tarte LipSurgence Natural Lip Tint in Peaceful, a nude peach. It was absolutely perfect. It’s long lasting, very moisturizing, and not sticky in the least – ideal for a bride.

And, of course, I gave her a dusting of finishing powder, just like everyone else. In the end, mission accomplished – she was flawless.

Here are some other products that proved popular (and effective) as we made ourselves up for the day:

L’Oreal Paris Infallible Lipgloss in Sangria. An ultra-flattering red that did not budge throughout the entire day. It also has a mini mirror on the cap – handy!

Sephora Nectar Shine Hydrating Care Lipgloss in Raspberry Shine. Several of the bridesmaids swiped this berry gloss on before the ceremony. The color is universally flattering and the shiny gloss lasts longer than most.

Too Faced Lock Down Ultimate Creaseless Cream Eye Shadow in Bedroom Eyes. A bronzey taupe, this shadow stayed put through tears and tissues.

Speaking of tear-proof, I picked up Maybelline The Classic Volume Express Waterproof Mascara in Very Black on my way to the wedding, knowing I’d be shedding a few tears throughout the day. Boy am I glad I did – even when I flat-out bawled during my Maid of Honor speech, my mascara didn’t smudge.

And honestly, at a wedding, what more can you ask for?