Lipstain Love

I think I’m seriously addicted to lipstains. For real.

It all started before Halloween one year. I decided to do a few practice runs on my nun makeup before the big costume party and everything looked great except for my lips. If I used lipgloss, my mouth felt gooey and messy. Lipstick looked more polished, but I felt like I had to reapply it every 5 minutes because it wore off so quickly. It was then that I discovered the lipstain: a cool, marker-like makeup product that gave you a gorgeous pout for up to 12 hours.

The first lipstain I loved was mark.’s Kissink Lip Tintmarker in Red Siren ($7.00). The lipstain’s packaging literally looked like a mini magic marker, which freaked me out at first. Did I buy a cosmetic product or did the company accidentally send me some of their office supplies?

Nevertheless, I tried it out and was pleasantly surprised with the end result. I had a gorgeous, berry-red lip that lasted about eight hours before it began to fade. I could even layer lipstick on top of it and it lasted longer than five minutes!

To be honest, though, mark.’s lipstain looks really strange when it’s first applied. In fact, it had a really ugly brown color at first that freaked me out (once again). Oh no! Did I just dye my lips a weird coffee color?! But the color faded into a beautiful red within one minute and my wave of fear washed away.

Recently, I discovered Maybelline’s Color Sensational Lipstain in In The Buff (on sale for $4.19 at Ulta right now). Definitely a new favorite product! Like mark.’s stain, Maybelline’s product also comes in a magic marker packaging, except it’s slightly larger (more product? Yay!). I was happily surprised to find that it had a delicious berry scent that I had never noticed in another makeup product before. While the stain only lasted half as long as mark.’s lipstain, it still looked gorgeous on and wasn’t awkward to reapply in public (mark.’s could look a little strange because of the dark brown color).

Overall, I would strongly recommend a lipstain to anyone that is sick of lipglosses and lipsticks. Be sure to exfoliate lips before applying it, though, because a stain can look very drying.

Have you used a stain before? What were your experiences with it? If you haven’t, would you ever try one?

Review: mark.'s Juice Gems

Lipgloss, in some ways, is the best makeup product you can own. It can add color or sparkle to an otherwise nude lip, it can hide chapped or dry lips, and it can make a flat-colored lip more three dimensional and eye-catching.

But finding the perfect lipgloss can be hard work. Often times, the formulas can be too thick and gooey, leaving your mouth a stringy mess when you try to talk, eat, or drink. Other lipglosses can be too liquidy and run right off your lips and down your chin which is definitely not attractive. I've tried lipglosses that smell funny, have huge chunks of glitter, are drying, or are just too hard to deal with. For a while, I even considered giving up entirely on lipgloss because the brands I tried made me look like a beauty amateur.

A few years ago, I was introduced to Lancome's Juicy Tubes when I went shopping with my Grandmother. The makeup counter was giving out free mini Juicy Tubes with select purchases and my grandmother gave me hers because she thought I would enjoy it more, as a young girl. I was thrilled with it! I thought I was so mature because it was a highly pigmented formula that looked like lipstick, but was still a gloss, so I could get away with wearing it to ballet class.

Over the years, I forgot about my Juicy Tube until I was cleaning out my makeup bag one day and I found it at the very bottom. Instantly, I remembered my sheer joy with a product that was for ladies and girls at the same time. Oh, how long it had been since I had been enraptured with a lipgloss! Though this particular Juicy Tube had expired, I vowed to get more to replace it. That was, until I realized they were $18.00 a piece. Eighteen dollars?! Where was I supposed to get such money? Guess I'd have to stick to my old, less perfect lipglosses until I could actually afford such a luxury product.

But then, I met mark. and discovered their Juice Gems. The Juice Gems looked exactly like Lancome's Juicy Tubes and came in just as many colors as their counterparts. And for only $6.00? That was it: I had to try them out!

The first Juice Gem I got was in Fig, a beautiful caramel color that went on relatively sheer, but still had a little bit of pigment and some subtle shimmer. The gloss smelled exactly like its name and lasted for hours -- even through a Starbucks date. How cool! I was smitten (and so began my love affair with mark., which I'll write about later).
From L to R: Honeydew, Cherry Pop, Mango Tango, Fig, Pomegranate, and Pretty Wild Honey Child
(I'm so sorry that the picture is flipped! I took these on my Macbook and I haven't quite figured out the editing software yet. If you can help, let me know!)

Since I got my first Juice Gem, I have amassed quite a collection that includes Mango Tango (an orangy-nude metallic color that goes perfect with blue or teal eyeshadow), Cherry Pop (a bright red glitter gloss that completes any party lip), Honeydew (a very pale, glittery nude perfect for subtle glamor), Pretty Wild Honey Child (not marketed as a Juice Gem, but pretty much the same product), and Pomegranate (a hot pink gloss with no glitter and my personal favorite). And mark. constantly introduces more shades all of the time, sometimes as permanent products and sometimes as seasonal items.

Swatches! From L to R: Fig, Mango Tango, Cherry Pop, Honeydew, Pomegranate, Pretty Wild Honey Child

Juice Gems, for those who have never seen a Juicy Tube, are small lipgloss tubes that are about 3 1/2 inches long and have a slanted edge with a spout at one end to apply the product. This is perhaps my favorite selling point, because this type of packaging is far more sanitary than doe foot applicators or pots. Because the applicator does not touch the entire product at once and then one's finger or lips, less germs are likely to reach the product. For those who are interested, you can also easily clean the applicator tips of the Juice Gems with a cotton swab and some rubbing alcohol.

A view of the applicator and tube.

mark.'s lipgloss formula is flawless. It's smooth, not too thick, smells exactly like it's fruity name, and has the perfect balance of matte/glitter/metallic/shimmer. I would recommend Juice Gems to everyone, regardless of your age because it is youthful, but not immature. And for the incredibly low price, how can you afford not to?

Have you used mark.'s Juice Gems? What do you think of them? I find them to be a total dupe for Lancome's Juicy Tubes. Any other lipglosses you like?

The Great Debate: Gel Liner vs. Liquid Liner vs. Pencil Liner

Lining your eyes is an important step of any beauty routine because it can make the overall look more dramatic, more playful, more sultry, or even more polished. It all depends on what tools you use and the technique used to draw the line.

Eyeliner can be a disaster, though, if you're not familiar with the products available and simply dive in without picking one that you're comfortable with. The three main types of eyeliner I would recommend checking out are pencil liners, liquid liners, and gel liners. Also, try out a waterproof formula because eyeliner can run or smudge and leave a big sticky mess if it's not waterproofed.

Pencil Eyeliner
Considered the most easy to work with by many beauty brains, pencil eyeliner is just that: eyeliner in a pencil form. This means that when the point gets dull (or breaks) you can just pull out your sharpener and get a point back that works for you. The best pencil eyeliners have a creamy formula, not a dry one nor an oily one. Creamy formulas will be a cinch to apply and manipulate (i.e. smudging), but will not budge after they settle on the eye. In my humble opinion, it is hardest to find a good, creamy eyeliner pencil at a decent price as many drugstore brands are too oily and slide all over the eye. Still, if you think pencil eyeliner is for you (and it is, for anyone new to eyeliner), you should check out Rimmel London Waterproof Eyedefiner ($4.12 at Walmart), L'Oreal Extra Intense Eyeliner ($6.50) or mark.'s No Place to Run Eyeliner ($8.00). Please note that if you go to Walmart or another drugstore, you will see cheaper pencil liners on the shelves. I would not recommend these products because the formula is either too dry or too oily.

Liquid Eyeliner
This type of eyeliner can be extremely messy if not used with a steady hand and gentle application. However, if you practice making lines on the back of your hand first and take your time when applying it around the eye area, then your eyeliner will come out gorgeous! I find liquid eyeliner best for job interviews or important business occasions because you can make the thinnest line possible with it, which looks more polished than a pencil liner. You cannot tightline or use liquid eyeliner on your waterline, though, because it will not dry properly and then will lead to a runny mess that will irritate your eyes. One of my all-time favorite liners is e.l.f.'s Waterproof Eyeliner Pen (only $1 at Target or eyeslipsface.com!) because the formula is long-lasting, waterproof, and quick-drying and the packaging is so much easier to work with. The pen looks exactly like a pencil, except it has a felt tip and never needs to be sharpened, so you can literally draw it right onto the eye. Some other stand-out liquid liner formulas include Maybelline Line Works Liquid Liner ($5.94), Covergirl Liquid Liner Pen Line Exact ($6.97), and mark.'s On the Edge Hookup Liquid Eyeliner ($6.00).

Gel Eyeliner
A happy median between pencil and liquid liners, gel liner is my preferred type of eyeliner. I find that a good gel liner has a creamy consistency, but is quick drying and very smooth on the eye. Gel Liner is applied with an angled or thin brush that can be purchased separately or sometimes comes bundled with the liner. I have seen people apply gel eyeliner directly to their waterlines and then seal it with some eyeshadow in the same color. While I've never tried it, I'm pretty sure this would actually work and give you a long-lasting, smudge-free line. Gel Eyeliner can also be used as an eyeshadow base if you smudge it across the lid (really good technique for dark, smokey eyes). Sonia Kashuk's Dramatically Defining Long Wear Gel Liner ($8.99 at Target) is by far the best gel eyeliner I have ever used. It's creamy, non-drying, and easy to apply. Maybelline Eye Studio Gel Eyeliner ($6.98) is another well-reviewed gel eyeliner and comes with an application brush as does e.l.f.'s Studio Cream Eyeliner ($3.00).

No matter which eyeliner product you pick, remember to throw out your old one and buy a new one every 3-4 months regardless of whether you used it up because bacteria can collect in or on it and you don't want to put that near your eye.

Which eyeliner is your favorite? Is there a particular product you love? Tell me all about it in the comment section!

Survey! Would you rather...

#1. Would you rather go out with messy hair and nice make-up, or nice hair and no make-up?
I pretty much always go out of the house with nice makeup and messy hair. Lol.

#2. Would you rather shave your eyebrows or have your eyelashes fall out?
Eek! I don't pencil my eyebrows OR wear fake eyelashes, but I guess for safety reasons I'd rather shave my eyebrows. Eyelashes are super important because they protect your eyes from debris and dust. So, for the purpose of this question, I'd learn to pencil in my eyebrows.

#3. Would you rather be forced to shop at only MAC or Sephora for the rest of your life?
Sephora! MAC is overpriced and kinda snooty. Sephora also carries many different brands of makeup which I feel gives you more variety.

#4. Would you rather wear the lipgloss/lipliner look or 80's perm?
I'm pretty sure I could rock the 80's perm =P Lol.

#5. Would you rather leave the house with an obvious foundation line or overdone blush?
Overdone blush, for sure! That can always be blended out or you can go for the prima ballerina/baby doll look. A foundation line doesn't work on any one.

#6. Would you rather wear MC Hammer pants or biker shorts in public?
Probably MC Hammer pants since those are kinda chic right now (Harem pants, anyone?).

#7. Would you rather have a bad orange-y spray tan or really weird tan lines that can't be covered?
I'm used to weird tan lines because of swim team. One piece bathing suits that have criss-cross straps never line up the same, so I was constantly rocking the octopus arms across my back.

#8. Would you rather have a bad haircut or bad hair color?
Bad hair cut. That can be covered up a number of ways and you can always get extensions. At the same time, with products like Developlus's Color Oops ($12 at Walgreens), you never have to have a bad hair color again!

#9. Would you rather have youtube or twitter taken away forever?
Twitter. It's pointless to me. Youtube, on the other hand, I could not live without.

#10. Would you rather give up using makeup brushes or mascara?
Honestly, mascara. I forget to put it on some days because I'm really fortunate to have naturally long eyelashes. And something just grosses me out about touching my face with my hands, so I always use makeup brushes.

I want to see what you have to say! Leave your answers in the comments, please!

The Search for the Perfect Liquid Foundation

Foundation is definitely the most important step in any makeup application because it evens out your complexion and creates a truly blank canvas for you to work with. Therefore, finding the one that is perfect for you is really, really important. So what should you consider when comparing foundations? I'd recommend looking at texture, thickness, coverage, time it takes to dry, and oiliness, but you can judge foundations on tons of other qualities as well.

Over the past year and a half, I have made it my business to try as many liquid foundations as possible in search of the one, as in the one foundation that will highlight my best features, lovingly hide what I don't like, and will stay with me forever (yeah, I just compared finding the perfect foundation to finding true love.). In this post, I'll give some reviews of the most noteworthy products and hopefully help you find your true love.. er, I mean foundation!

1) mark. Get a Tint Tinted Moisturizer Lotion ($9.00)
This is actually a tinted moisturizer -- different from a foundation because it is more sheer and lightweight -- but I count it as a foundation because you still apply it after your primer and concealer, but before eyeshadow or powder. A decent amount comes in the tube which is fantastic!
Pros: Lightweight, contains SPF 15, has a moisturizer built into the formula.
Cons: I noticed that it completely melted while I was outside over the summer which is NOT good. It got in my eyes and stung terribly. This product also takes a while to dry.
Final Verdict: Great product if you're not going to be outside in the sun. Which is kind of silly, since it does contain SPF protection.
Rating: 2.5/5

2) Rimmel London Stay Matte Clarifying Matte Foundation ($6.90 at Ulta)
Love the packaging because the tube is super thin which makes it easy to slip into a makeup bag for travel. At the same time, the tube is a bit small, so I feel like I'm not getting as much product as I paid for.
Pros: Thicker consistency, good coverage, creamy application, dries within 45 seconds of application.
Cons: I don't think it actually lasted 12 hours like it promised. And I didn't really notice any shine control.
Final Verdict: Although it doesn't do exactly what the packaging promises, I still think this was a pretty good product and would consider purchasing again if only for travel.
Rating: 3/5

3) Covergirl TruBlend with Blendable Minerals ($6.50 at Walmart)
This brand has a reputation for being a strong contender in drugstore makeup, so I thought I'd give it a shot. The packaging isn't too cute and the pump got dirty kind of quickly. The glass bottle also kind of scared me (if I drop it will it shatter and get foundation everywhere?), but it was thin and easy to fit into a makeup bag.
Pros: Pump makes it super easy to apply, great coverage, thicker consistency.
Cons: Seemed to take forever to fully dry, left my skin feeling a bit oily. I don't think it actually lasted all day, especially in my t-zone.
Final Verdict: It's a great back-up foundation, but I'm not sure I really love it. I'll probably purchase it again because the price is so fantastic.
Rating: 3.5/5

4) Revlon PhotoReady Makeup ($11.97)
I heard wonderful things about this foundation from other makeup gurus on Youtube, so after much thought (because it is a bit pricey), I decided to give it a try.
Pros: OHMYGOSH! Almost everything!! It's incredibly lightweight, but gives fantastic coverage. No scent, SPF 20, dries quickly.
Cons: It dries quickly. Haha.. I know I just said that was good, but since it does dry pretty fast, it's very hard to blend it once it's on your skin. So, if you're not quick with your foundation or stippling brush, your foundation could look a bit streaky. The bottle is also made of glass and is a bit of an odd, round shape.
Final Verdict: This is the best liquid foundation I've ever used! It's smooth, has great coverage, light formula, and dries quickly with no oiliness. LOVE it!!
Rating:4.5/5

Do you have a foundation you'd like me to review? Or do you have your own review for one of these products? Share it!

Review: EOS Smooth Sphere Lip Balm

A good lip balm is essential, but hard to come by. The perfect lip balm should be smooth, moisturizing, long lasting, and pleasantly scented. But all too often, lip balms – especially low-priced drugstore brands – can be waxy, slick, gooey, short lasting, or smell like some crazy herbal mixture.

We all know that Chapstick is one of the most popularly purchased lip balms across the country. But is it necessarily the coolest product to pull out of your purse at a fancy soiree or important lunch date? Not really. The small black and white tube is recognizable, but screams old school.

Enter Evolution of Smooth’s (EOS) Smooth Sphere Lip Balm, $3.29 at Walgreens. The lip balm’s formula is smooth, lightweight, and fruit scented. EOS makes their lip balm in three scents: Summer Fruit, Honeysuckle Honeydew, Lemon Drop, Tangerine, and Sweet Mint (although Summer Fruit and Honeysuckle Honeydew are the only two available in stores). I’ve only tried Summer Fruit and Honeysuckle Melon and both are fantastic!

EOS’s lip balm comes in a very cool, very modern egg-shaped container. The balm is in a small dome in the bottom half of the egg container and can be applied by finger, brush or directly to the lips. EOS, without a doubt, is an awesome conversation starter with other beauty brains!

The only aspect of EOS’s product that I question is its lasting power. Often, within a half hour or so of applying it, I feel like the lip balm has worn off and it’s time for another coat. And while it’s fun to reapply because it’s so cute and smells great, I still would rather have a long-lasting lip balm.

Still EOS’s chic appearance and lightweight moisturizing formula outweighs the negatives. I would definitely recommend this lip balm to anyone in search of an affordable, fun, lip balm.

To shop EOS online and to check out there other products like shaving cream, click here.

White eyeliner is your best friend

Seriously.

If you pull all-nighters, cry your eyes out at a chick flick, or just have a really bad cold, white eyeliner is the best thing you can use. Apply a thin line to your bottom waterline (just above your lashes on your lower lid) and it instantly makes your eyes brighter, whiter, and bigger. How gorgeous!

You can also use white eyeliner along the inner corners of your eyes when doing a dark smokey eye so that the gray/purple/black/blue eyeshadow doesn't make you look like a raccoon. Another awesome trick? Apply white eyeliner allover your lids before applying a really vibrant color. The white base coat will make that color pop and look infinitely brighter.

At the moment, I'm really hooked on mark.'s No Place to Run Eyeliner in White On ($8.00). Yeah, this is kinda pricey for an eyeliner, BUT it does last forever because it seriously is waterproof. Therefore, you probably will not need to reapply it throughout the day.

So yes. White eyeliner + you = Biffles