Bobbi Brown Hot Collection

It wasn't too long ago that Bobbi Brown was touted as the neutrals queen. Heck, I even used to breeze by the counter without stopping because there was not enough "ooomph" to draw me in. But those times have changed - significantly. The collections and products she releases still have a great "neutral" quality to them, but the color ranges, formulations and innovations are holy grail worthy. And what impresses me even more is the fact that any and I mean A-N-Y skin tone can find a full look from Bobbi Brown - all the way from foundation and concealer to lipstick and blush. Many of my holy grail items (this finishing powder in Porcelain Pearl, this lip formula in Sunset Orange and this lip formula in Razzberry) come from BB and I'm sure the list will continue to grow with each new launch!  Here's a look at her newest Hot Collection that certainly does not disappoint!

1. Cheek Palettes in Calypso and Pink - Remember how I was saying that any skin tone can wear Bobbi Brown? Well, these palettes are a perfect example of that. The pigmentation is rich, yet surprisingly easy to blend out to a more sheer application. The coral palette immediately elicited a gasp when I opened it. I mean - can you imagine a summer look without the complementary peachy flush on the cheeks? I guess you can, but who would want to? And while pink cheek colors are not entirely my bag, Bobbi managed to make these wearable for my pale skin by giving the effect of a rosy glow that looks great with the accompanying punchy pink lip colors in the collection. 

2. Sheer Lip Colors in Berry and Pink - I am already a fan of the Creamy Matte lip colors (I LIVE for Razzberry), so this formula was equally as fabulous though in a sheer texture. But though they fall more towards that sheer end of the spectrum, they still give quite a good amount of coverage as you can see from my swatches above. These punchy lip colors scream "pool party fabulousness" - am I right? Can't you see these with larger than life sunglasses, a panama hat and a dress with a pattern so busy that it makes your lip color look tame? If you can't imagine that, well then....we need to work on your imagination. LOL 

3. Art Sticks in Hot Berry and Hot Pink - HOLY GRAIL ALERT. I repeat, HOLY GRAIL FORMULA ALERT. As soon as these Art Sticks launched last year, I snagged one in Sunset Orange and after only using it one day, it became a holy grail. These Art Sticks are how every matte lip color should feel on the lips. Creamy, smooth, non-drying and velvety with incredible staying power - yet still emollient enough that it doesn't take 3 years and 15 bottles of cleansing oil to remove! (you know those kinds, right? Ugh.) And of course in keeping with the bold and bright "hot" theme, these colors are sass incorporated. They ARE the look. Fresh skin, mascara for days, a bronzy cheek and these lip colors make for the perfect easy summer look. 

Shop other great Bobbi Brown products:

Video: March Beauty Favorites

Here is a look at my March beauty favorites! Enjoy and don't forget to subscribe!

My March beauty favorites:

It Cosmetics brush set

Stila Smudge Pot in Kitten

Ling Replenishing Hydrator

Chantecaille Hydra Chic Lip Chic in Arctic Rose

Shiseido Perfecting Stick Concealer

Stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick in Fiery

Chantecaille Galactic Lip Shine

Kate Somerville Retasphere Micro Peel

Review: Laura Mercier Paint Wash Liquid Lip Colors

I'm a sucker for a new lip launch. Especially if that lip launch is a lipstick. Even better if it's a liquid lipstick. Full bonus if it's a matte finish. Thankfully the new Laura Mercier Paint Wash Liquid Lip Colors encompasses all of these things into one product. *happy dance* I do love a matte lip even more than a glossy lip, but they can always be tricky when it comes to lip moisture levels. I've been testing these liquid lip colors for the past week or two and am pleasantly surprised with how they perform.

There are a total of 9 colors in this new launch - everything from pale nudes, to punchy corals and vibrant fuchsias and reds. I have tried a little bit from each category and the first thing to pop out at me is the intense color pay-off. They can be sheered out if only used sparingly, but when applied directly from the tube they will give an opaque coverage. Which frankly is fine by me - the more color, the better.

I have been testing four shades - Nude Rose, Petal Pink, Vermillion Red and Orchid Pink. Most are a cream finish but I believe there are one or two shades with a hint of shimmer. The initial feel on the lips is incredibly creamy - very different from the tugging and pulling of other liquid matte lipsticks. It's almost slippery, and you have to start slowly when applying bright or bold colors because it can get a tad messy. But since the applicator has a nice narrow shape, it enables me to easily line the lips slightly and then fill in so I get a more precise application.

My favorite by far was the Vermillion shade - a bright vibrant orange red. It takes a few minutes for the shade to dry down to a demi-matte finish but there is still a slight creaminess that stays on the lip which helped keep my lips comfortable and hydrated. No, not the kind of hydration that a lip balm provides, but surprisingly more than many of my regular lipsticks. With such intense pigmentation, you can be sure these will last long on the lips. Even after wiping off the arm swatches for this post, I had to break out a cleansing oil to fully remove them. These have some serious staining powering so be prepared. But overall they manage to blend the best of two worlds - the intense look of a matte lipstick with the creamy texture of a liquid lipstick.

*pr samples included

Have you tested these new Laura Mercier Liquid Lip colors out yet? If so, what do you think? Leave me a comment below!

4 Red Lipsticks I'm Loving Right Now

Though I love the look of a neutral lip, I actually find red lips to be much easier to wear. And I will tell you why. With a nude lip, I often need to create a stronger eye, cheek and brow look to balance it, while a red (or bold) lip can be worn with lashes, a dash of bronzer and a quick grooming of the brows for a finished look. Here are 4 lipsticks that I recently discovered that I've been wearing a lot lately (and it doesn't hurt that it's the holiday season so I have an extra excuse to sport a red lip all the time).

1. MAKE Cosmetics in Maraschino Cherry - I am new to the MAKE cosmetics brand, but when they sent over some products for me to try, I zeroed in on this red lip immediately. It's a comfortable satin formula that doesn't wear too shiny or too matte and is a nice change from my regular orange-reds that I usually gravitate towards. Though the bullet is a different shape than I am used to, I found it incredibly easy to apply (even more so than the regular shaped bullets) and that's half the battle with a red lip, amiright??

2. Gucci Lipstick in Iconic Red - This color is not for the faint of heart - I should warn you now. This is one of the boldest and most vibrant reds I have ever worn and I simply adore it. In fact, it actually ranks in my top 5 favorite reds at this point. That is how much it has impressed me and I've only had it for a few weeks. The color was designed to be the exact match for the red in the iconic Gucci green and red stripe, and it looks flawless on. The formula is a fuller coverage and surprisingly is so comfortable on the lips. I was not impressed with the Gucci lipsticks when first swatching them at the store and felt they wouldn't be worth the investment. After caving and buying just this one and then wearing it over the past month, I can say without a doubt I was 100% wrong. This texture is one of the best I've ever tried and I only wish all of my lipsticks could feel this way on my lips.

3. Lipstick Queen Silver Screen Lipstick in Have Paris - This is a much more sheer formula but can easily be built up to give a full coverage as seen above. The formula is very soft and feels almost like a balm when it first applies. It has a slightly shiny finish so I find it doesn't wear as long as some of my other formulas, but it's a better option for days that I don't want such an intense and bold look. We all have those days, right?

4. Kevyn Aucoin Lipstick in Eliarice - I am a bit disappointed in the way the swatches came out for this color because the camera is skewing it to be a bit more blue. The truth is that when I first saw this shade, it looked like a brown red with a hint of blah orange. I was not excited in the least since I always like the "wow" factor of vibrant shades. Sadly I waited a week before trying this out and wasted 7 days of my life not enjoying this color! It is AH-MAY-ZING. Wearable, not obnoxious, so comfortable on the lips and easy to pair with a stronger eye without competing or creating a look that screams "she is wearing too much makeup". I don't know where this color has been my whole life, but I feel like a better human being now that I have found it.

*pr samples included

Have you entered my $75 Sephora gift card giveaway?!!! Enter here.

What are some of your go-to red lipsticks now? Let me know below in the comments!

A Few New Fall Lip Colors

Dark and bold lip colors for fall? Groundbreaking. I can't help but jump on the cliche bandwagon every time the seasons change. Brights for summer, pastels for spring and dark and bold lip colors for fall. Now that being said, I still wear any color any time of the year because I'm a grown-ass adult and do what I want. But when I'm not exercising my right to wear my big girl pants, I will always fall prey to season appropriate makeup shopping. And here is a look at three new lip colors I am adding to my fall lip collection. And some deep maroon carnations I found at the market which seemed perfect for the shot! How Pinterest-y of me.

1. YSL Glossy Stain #1Violet Edition -This is my second glossy stain and I have to say that I prefer the lighter shades in this formula. My glossy stain in Coril Fauve is so easy and beautiful to wear, but my lips need to be extremely exfoliated to wear this deep purple shade. However, I am so in love with this deep eggplant color that I simply deal with the high maintenance of wearing it. And it looks simply divine when layered with another dark gloss or balm - my favorite is the Fresh Sugar lip balm in Passion. It's the perfect plum-purple lip!

2. Guerlain KissKiss Shaping Cream Lip Color in #321 Red Passion - This color looks a bit deeper in person, but is the absolute perfect balance of pink, red and purple. And I have been dying to try this new formula from Guerlain, but was a bit disappointed when I saw many of the colors had shimmer or glitter. But as soon as I swatched this shade, I knew it was coming home with me. Guaranteed sass off the charts when sporting this color. *insert emoji with her hand up next to her hair*

3. Kevyn Aucoin Bloodroses - Ah, the ever famous Kevyn Aucoin Bloodroses shades. It comes in a gloss, lipstick, lip liner and nail polish and it is stunning. The gloss seemed right up my alley for giving a dark and moody lip that doesn't look too stark in contrast to my pale skin. Rarely do I find a gloss that feels much like a balm, but this has properties of both. Even in the picture you can see how smooth and hydrating this color looks on the lips, and wearing it is feel even better. The deep brown undertone of this color makes it perfect for a neutral eye and cheek and if I had to guess, suitable for just about any skin tone. I love all three of my new fall lips, but this is the one that I would recommend picking up first.  But I don't want to be bossy, so it's your choice. (pick this one. do it.)

*pr samples included

What are some of your favorite fall lip shades? 

Rotating In Some New Lip Colors

So many lipsticks, only one pair of lips. Amiright???? Either way, I can't turn down a chance to try a new lip color, even if it may take me 178 years to finally finish all of them. I've tried a slew of colors in the past few weeks and narrowed it down to my 7 top favorites. Some are neutral and some are bold, so clearly I am turning over a new leaf permanently because my nude to bold ratio is almost even at this point. Who am I, right? But bold lips are often the easiest to throw on in the morning when I don't want to fuss with eye makeup.

The NARS Velvet lip liners are the newest of the colors shown and I picked a vibrant orange in Playa Dorado and a bold pale peach in Anse Soleil.The texture gives a strong matte finish but I actually like wearing them as full lip colors rather than just a liner. The Playa Dorado is one that I have been pairing with my Clinique Baby Tints (read my review here) in Coming Up Rosy and Poppin Poppy. Because the NARS liner is so pigmented and the Baby Tints are so sheer, it's like a match made in heaven. They are a bit more matte in my opinion than the NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencils, so a balm or gloss over top is a must for me. But the color pay off is IN-TEN-SE. And that's what I love about it.

I'm new to the Lipstick Queen brand but one of my favorite nude lips is Saint Pinky Nude (seriously it's perfect), so I was anxious to try more.The Velvet Rope lipsticks in Brat Pack and Private Party are truly decadent. They are quite a splurge at $50, but you seriously get what you pay for with these. These are one of the smoothest textures I've tried and they have the softness of a nourishing lip balm with the color pay-off of an intense matte texture. You can see even in my swatches how the color looks so even and creamy. And Brat Pack is such a gorgeous elegant red that I feel like a sassy pants (I mean, more than normal) whenever I wear it. The lipstick in Saint Rose is part of the their Sinner/Saint collection, and the Saint lipsticks are always more sheer and hydrating. The color is definitely unique in that it looks quite different swatched on the arm versus on the lips. On the lips, it looks like a red/rose, whereas on the arm is reads more plum. It's different than anything I currently have in my collection (I know, I can't believe it either) and that's why I like it.

After going on and on about the Kevyn Aucoin loose shimmer shadows in Monday's post, the love continues with two lip shades from the line. I posted a pic on Instagram when I first received the Expert Lip Color in Jorjia because I couldn't believe how stunning this fuchsia looked on. And considering I wasn't wearing any makeup in that picture, yet the color still looked amazing says everything. The Matte Lip Color in "For Keeps" is a bit more muted but I actually sheered it out a bit in the picture. If applied with a heavy hand, this color is an intense vibrant coral. I prefer the way I show it in the picture because it looks like a gorgeous nude lip. Usually I throw on a clear balm or sheer gold gloss and it makes a great complement to a bronzy smokey eye.

What new lip colors are you loving? Any recent purchases that you think I should know about? Let me know if the comments below!

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A Bit Obsessed: April Beauty Favorites

A small beauty favorites month, but no less important. Beauty is never NOT important. Almost all skincare favorites for this month, with one lone lip product making its mark. But that lip product was quite stellar, and so deserving of this honor. Let's take a look at my picks:

1. Clarins Double Serum* - This is one of Clarins' best sellers and I can see why. They advise it for any age and skin type, and I love products like that. For me, I find that I enjoy using it in the morning before the Multi Active Day moisturizer. It is designed to help firm, retexturize, and decrease the appearance of pores - for me that translates to helping perfect my skin.  I love the feel of the serum as it sinks in immediately and wears well under my makeup. Morning makeup time got even better (which I didn't even think was possible). Now if only I didn't have to get up so early. 

2. Liz Earle Instant Boost Skin Tonic Spritzer* - Two mists in one favorites post? YES. Mist me now. Mist me later. Mist me FOREVER. And this one does exactly what it says - boost! It's like a pick me up for the skin. I have been adding to my morning routine because that is when I need things to perk up and look alive (now if only there was one for my body and mind). I'm already a huge fan of this Liz Earle product (it's on my holy grail list), so I am happy to experience another product from the line. I prefer it before makeup rather than post, and apply after cleansing. 

3. Chantecaille Pure Rosewater* - Oh my goodness - I don't know what I like more - using this product or staring at it. Housed in a chic glass bottle, this is pure rosewater, hence the name. Pure heaven and bliss for the skin, this mist helps to calm and hydrate my skin anywhere, anytime, makeup or bare faced. I recently got over a cold, and this mist was a saving grace for my skin.

4. Bobbi Brown Art Stick in Sunset Orange - Give me all the large lip pencils - they are so easy and fun to use! I was immediately in love when I first saw the Art Sticks on display at Saks, and picked this vibrant orange red to come home with me. Though I love a bold lip color, what drew me most to this shade was how wearable it was compared to other colors I have which  can be too "in your face". There are times when I want a sophisticated strong lip that enhances my look rather than consume it. Oh, and no one, and I mean NO ONE does matte lip colors like Bobbi Brown. They are never drying, last forever and feel like a dream on the lips. This Art Stick in Sunset Orange is no exception.

5. Clarins Multi Active Day Cream* - Yes - another addition to my morning routine. Here was my previous routine, and now I am onto a whole new line up. I always love a skincare shake up. Another top seller for Clarins, this Multi Active Day Cream is suitable for all skin types and helps to address the first signs of aging. To be honest, I just like the way it feels on my face. I don't suffer from too many wrinkles yet, so I mainly love how soft and supple it makes my skin. Perfect for applying foundation. It does not have SPF so I always need to add that as a last step (this one and this one are two of my faves), but I think this will take me well into spring and the beginning of summer before I need to switch to a lotion formulation.

*press sample

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Beauty Bits: Red Lip Love

Valentine's Day is right around the corner and how cliche of me to post a red lip post, right?  Ugh, I totally agree, but then again most of you (and me too #bandwagon) will probably end up sporting one on the day, sooooooooooo..... here we are.  Now I personally feel that red lips don't have to be saved for special occasions, and I found some great options to wear on that day or any other for that matter.  I love a good sheer or matte or blue based or orange based red lip as much as the next gal, and I have some great choices for all.  I know the below swatches are a tad slasher-movie-esque (ha!) but it's the only way to show the true color pay-off. I do it for the blog, I tell you. I do it for the blog.

1. Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment in Cherry - Ok, confession.  I was a so-so fan of the original sugar lip treatments from years ago, but now that I have tried the tinted versions, I have to say I am head over heels.  Such great colors with amazing moisturizing properties - I love wearing them alone or layered over another lipstick.  I already have a back up of this one.  That says everything.

2. Clinique Chubby Stick Intense in Mightiest Maraschino - The Chubby Stick craze never enthralled me to be honest, but after trying this new Intense version, I was blown away.  The pigmentation is so intense and has a deep blue-based red undertone - simply gorgeous.  And after wearing this and seeing how good it feels on my lips, I think I may give the original Chubby Sticks another look.

3. Ilia Tinted Lip Conditioner in Crimson & Clover - Tell me - have you ever seen a lip conditioner/lip balm with this much color and pay-off? Yeah, me either.  It reads a lot more orange when it's on but it's great for a bright pop of color.  

4. Armani Rouge Ecstasy in Shade 400 - Every lipstick collection needs a few classic reds - those lip colors that don't lean too orange, too blue or too pink.  This Armani shade is that color for me - it falls right in the middle - I like to refer to it as the "Goldilocks of red lipsticks". 

5. MAC Ladybug - This shade has been in my collection for years and is such a great sheer red that brightens up the face immediately. Throw on a sheer gold eye shadow on the eyes (love this one) and bronzer for the cheeks (I swear by this and this)  and the look is fresh and glowing.

Purchase the makeup bag pictured above here.

Shop red lipsticks:

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