Best of 2010 - Lips

I wasn't going to do this category but one of the readers of my blog left me a comment about wanting to see my favourite lipsticks/glosses, so I thought I would.  The original reason for not doing the lip category was because I'm usually just a lip balm kind of girl.  I have only really got back into gloss in the last few years & most of the lipsticks I own I bought in the last six months or so.  So I guess what I'm saying is by no means am I any authority on lips, not that I am in any other category, and these are just the things that work for me.  There will be a lot of pictures in this, just as fair warning!  I won't however be listing all the names but instead broke the pictures down a little so it's easier to see.  If you spy something you like that you want the name on, please let me know and I'll get it for you.  Oh, & the only lip balm type products in this are tinted balms.  I didn't include any of my regular non tinted lip balms here.  So this is it..the last 'Best of' 2010 post..I hope you like it!

Best of 2010 Lips

Um, yah...not much of a lipstick/lipgloss girl alright

Best Lip Liner 2010

Annabelle Lip Liner in 'Demure'

Hands down the BEST lip liner I've ever used.  This is the perfect nude color with a hint of pink.  It can be used all over the lip on it's own with a lip balm overtop, or as a regular liner.  Sorry I know Annabelle is Canadian but if you can find it...GET THIS.  They have a few other colours I like but Demure is the absolute best.  

Best Lipstick 2010

E.L.F. Runway Pink 

Gorgeous nude pink color that looks even better with pretty much any gloss over it!  The formula of these is so creamy smooth it's amazing. These are $5 people, I mean really how can you go wrong.   

Best Lipgloss 2010

Balmshell

 I just got Beach Patrol & it reminded me how much I love these.  The little mini ones are their top 5 colours & all you would ever need. So easy to throw in your purse or make-up bag.  Perfect moisturizing non sticky yet durable lip gloss with the most beautiful colors!  Larger lipgloss is $10-$20CAD or $24CAD for the mini set.  

Honorable Mention Lipgloss 2010

Revlon Peach Petal, ELF Candlelight, Milani Glitzy in Glitz & Glam

All of these are fairly opaque, the Peach Petal is a milky peach colour that looks beautiful over a nude lipstick.  The ELF and Milani are both kind of a nude pink (can you tell I like nudes & pinks) that are very wearable on their own.

Best Tinted Lipbalm 2010

Philosophy Kiss Me Red Lip Balm

I re-discovered this product this year & forgot how much I love it.  This gives you such a pretty flush of a pink berry colour on your lips.  It is also quite moisturizing as it contains vitamin E & almond oils.  There is a bit of a peppermint scent to it, but only very slight.  It has a slanted squeeze applicator so you don't have to use your finger to apply.  And bonus, it has an SPF 20.  Little more expensive at anywhere from $12-$18CAD but this goes a long way!  You can find it at Sephora or anywhere Philosophy is sold.

Okay everyone, that is it. These were my bests of 2010.  I have to say I know I complained a bit about the work involved in doing these 'Best Of' posts, but it was actually so much fun.  I'm kind of sad that it's over really.  I hope you have enjoyed it too and that maybe you found something new to try that you'll love as much as I do.  I appreciate all the great comments that you have been leaving & I now have some new things to try, based on all your recommendations.  So here's to 2011 and enjoying the things we love & finding new things to share!

Some great customer service - Balmshell

I just needed to share a quick story of some great customer service.  I ordered some lip glosses from Balmshell on Cyber Monday which was November 29th, right after American Thanksgiving.  As of last week the glosses still hadn't arrived so I went on Balmshell's website for contact information and found an email address to reach them.  


I sent an email and received a reply on the same day, with information on when my order was shipped, along with the assurance that they would make sure I got what I ordered before Christmas.   Yesterday I followed up with them, as requested, and let them know my order still hadn't arrived.  They once again answered immediately and told me they would send out a new order (as the original one had obviously gotten lost) and would expedite the shipping so that I would get my purchases on or before December 23rd.  


I went to the mail today and found my expedited package...on December 21st.  The postage on the package showed me that they paid the premium shipping rate to ensure I got my order.  I just couldn't be more impressed.  I would show you what I bought but these are gifts for people who may be reading this, so instead I'll post some pictures from their website of a lip gloss I own,  this one is called 'Weekend in the Hamptons'.

Shade:

Sheer Taupe Sandy Beige ~ for the city to weekend getaway look

Illustration information:

This is the story of a typical summer weekend for a BALMSHELL living in New York City. Two women in their business suits slide behind a sign that has an arrow pointing west saying, “The City” and another arrow pointing east saying “The Beach.” When they slide out from behind the sign, they are on a beach in their bikinis.

I just wanted to take this opportunity to spread the word about this company.  Balmshell is a Canadian company that was started by twin sisters who are self described 'cosmetic junkies'. They set out to create the perfect lip gloss using only the highest ingredients with no added preservatives or parabens to produce a high shine, moisturizing lip gloss.  The added bonus is the packaging.  One side of the lip gloss has a floating picture that can be detached and added to an included key ring.  The colorful illustrations & cute storylines behind each lip gloss are worth the price alone!  


The lip glosses are available in Canada at Murale, Shoppers Drug Mart Boutique stores, London Drugs and of course through their website at Balmshell.com.  Please check out their website for more information and additional pictures of their beautiful products.  


I was a past customer of this brand and now will be a returning one.  Thanks Balmshell..great job!

Some ideas to keep your lips soft & kissable!

Doesn't everyone appreciate a good lip product?  I know I can never have enough lip balms, scrubs, moisturizers.  I love them all, even though some work better than others.  Here are some of my gift suggestions for yourself or others on your Christmas list! 

Kiehl's Lip Balm 

Temporarily protects and helps relieve chapped or cracked lips. Helps protect lips from the drying effects of wind and cold weather.  This was about $12CAD in the store but lists for $7USD on the Kiehl's website.  They also have scented & tinted lip balms available.  I use this whenever my lips are at their worst & it always works well for me. 

Lush Bubble Gum Lip Scrub

These are made with exfoliating castor sugar and vegan flavouring to gently scrub away rough skin and keep your lips smooth and soft.   There are a few flavours you can check out on Lush.ca, but bubble gum is my favourite, the smell is to die for!  $8.95CAD for a 25g jar.   


Blistex Deep Renewal Lip Balm

Deep renewal is said to be an anti-aging lip treatment that's clinically proven to reduce visible signs of again and deliver superb moisturization.  I really find it an effective lip balm & bonus..it has SPF 15.  About $4CAD in most drugstores.  

Balmshell Lip Gloss

BALMSHELL’s high formula contains lanolin oil, jojoba oil & no artificial preservatives. Perfume-free, BALMSHELL is slightly flavored with a hint of natural fruity vanilla. 

Each shade is packaged in a unique tube that contains a floating illustration with a cute story line. When you are finished with the gloss you can attach it to a complimentary keychain component, allowing you to keep the artwork.  Check out their website here, about $20CAD each. You can also find them at Shoppers Drug Mart beauty bars. These are adorable!

Smith's Rosebud Salve

I received the Strawberry version of this balm in my stocking last year.  At the time I knew nothing about this product.  It has now become one of those items that I will always own.  I use it every night before I go to bed & I love it.  It has a soft pink tint to it and a lovely smell, not to mention my lips are so soft when I wake up in the morning.  They have now come out with a tube form of this popular lip salve, which I will personally use more when I'm out and about.   The boy got mine at Sephora last year for approximately $10CAD.  For more information you can check out their website here.

Hope you enjoy these suggestions, let me know if you try any of them!

Beauty bargains - My top ten E.L.F. cosmetics part 1

For those of you who don't know about E.L.F. cosmetics, they offer some great inexpensive beauty products. Inexpensive but not cheap, important difference. I hadn’t even heard of this cosmetics company until this past spring (shock, gasp), but now I kind of feel like I’ve discovered something great.  

Most of their products range in price from $1 to $3, but don't be fooIed by that. I think a lot of people would discard the idea of buying such inexpensive make-up, assuming it couldn't be any good or it must be full of toxic cheap materials.  


All E.L.F. products are hypoallergenic and non-comodegenic; as well they do NOT test on animals or use any animal derived ingredients. Unlike some higher end brands, E.L.F. actually lists their product ingredients right on their website. They have also had several mentions in magazines including 'O', People, Seventeen, Redbook, Marie Claire & Allure, where some of their products have won Allure beauty awards.  


Their philosophy:

We at e.l.f. believe that innovative technology, quality ingredients and superb delivery systems should not be limited to prestige retailers. Every woman should have the opportunity to participate in innovation, without sacrificing her budget. We hope you agree and invite you to experience e.l.f.’s revolutionary, value-priced cosmetics and the proven results they offer.

This company is primarily sold online at eyeslipsface.com.  In Canada you can also find some of their products at Zellers & occasionally Homesense, but it is a very limited selection.  In the States I understand that Target carries some E.L.F. products, as well as the occasional dollar store.  


Since finding E.L.F., I’ve recommended it to many others and have already placed a few orders.  In fact I may be developing a problem. Anyway, I've seen a few of these best of blogs and videos & really enjoy them.  I've decided to share my top 10 E.L.F. picks, based on what I've tried so far. It was hard to narrow down my favorites to only 10, really hard, but I think I've finally decided on my list.  Given the amount of information, I’m going to break this up into two blog posts. 

So in no particular order, here are my first five favorite E.L.F. products (all pictures are taken from their website but are products I own):

1)    Studio Powder Brush $3.00

The hype on this brush is well deserved and all true.  It is a must have E.L.F. brush.  I use it primarily to buff and blend my liquid and powder foundations, but it is certainly not limited to that.  This brush is soft with a great density and I have had no issues with shedding.  Often sells out on their site, must must have.

2)    Essentials Brightening Eye Color $1.00

     I don’t hear as much hype about these eye quads as I think they deserve.  I have the quads in ethereal and brownstone.  The colors on the website are not particularly true to the actual product.  Website says they give your eyes an awakened brightness, which is very true.  Multi-functional, I use them on their own as well as under/over other shadows.   Packaging is a bit flimsy & the shadow size is fairly small...but hey it's $1.
 Try them!

3)    Essentials Super Glossy Lip Shine SPF 15 $1.00

     Beautiful little lip glosses. Excellent color payoff, these are surprisingly quite opaque.  My favorite colors so far are Candlelight & Pink Kiss.  Website pictures give a pretty accurate depiction of the true colors.  Not too sticky, smell like candy & the SPF is a bonus.  Beautiful on their own or over lipstick.  Gotta get at least one! 

4)    Mineral Booster powder $5 small .18 oz or $8 large .63 oz

 This is another under rated product in my opinion.  I have both the sheer & tinted powders.  The tinted is a little dark on it’s own so I usually mix the two together for a natural healthy glow.  I use it as a finishing powder, sets my make-up beautifully and makes my face appear flawless…or less flawed anyway.  They suggest using a Kabuki brush to apply this but you can also use the Studio Powder Brush with great results.  Try the small first to see if it works as well for you.

5)    Essential Shine Eraser $1.00

These are amazing little…well, shine erasers.  Oil absorbing & mattifying, these work great.  They are a little larger than similar products I’ve tried and I feel like they not only blot any excess oil but that they do something great for my skin.  One of the bests.

Stay tuned for part two, coming soon!