Lip gloss – Sometimes Yaya

Metallic Candy Bars

Liquid lipstick has taken over all the internets. It has taken over almost all makeup counters, and if you are anything like me, it has forced you to pick favorites. Me? I am cllllllll about liquid lipstick. The precise lip, the pigmentation, the lasting color. The triple threat to my heart lies within the perfect liquid lipstick.

Most recently, metallic liquid lipsticks have been playing with my emotions. I thought that it wasn’t exactly up my alley (though I love a lot of the Colour Pop ones) because I didn’t see any of them as colors I would wear daily. This is until I came across the Milani Amore Matte Metallic liquid lips. Those are the bees knees you guys.

But why discuss two brands that aren’t even what the stinking’ post is about? Well because this fascination with metallic liquid lips is what got me to try this sucker out. In my head I added the ‘matte’ behind the ‘Melted’ for this Too Faced ~~Liquid Lipstick~~ gloss and my imagination went from there. This was an impulse buy on Sephora paired with another metallic liquid lip. So maybe that also influenced what I thought/wanted this to be? Continue reading “Metallic Candy Bars”

Shimmer Central

Shimmer is the number one ingredient to the holidays. From gifts to decorations, beauty products to ornaments, it all looks better when it sparkles just a little bit more than usual.

Gloss with shimmer is always complimentary to the wearer as it does many things. First, it makes almost any color settle on the wearer as a correct match. It’s ability to reflect light calls for attention, but also magnifies the lips a bit. Some glosses are also created with flavoring, so as to provide a pleasant scent and taste (whether on purpose or accidental – we won’t discuss). The new colors added to the Beauty Rush line up are all full of sparkling goodness. Here are the ones I got:The names all have sweet or practical holiday item names with a twist – do you see candy cane turning into Dandy Cane? What about Hottie Cider?The colors are all lightweight and sheer with a slight color tint when applied.

Do you have a gloss with shimmer?

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PurpleLab NYC has Your Lip Luvah

When companies create beauty products, there are a lot of factors that go into the creative process. The color, consistency, and look are one thing, but what about the scent and the flavor? Does it have sunscreen in it, or maybe a plumper, how about pheromones and aphrodisiacs? Maybe mint to freshen the wearer’s breath, or should it last longer than the 9-5 and act as a stain? Most of the time, the wrong combo is created and you have a great looking product on paper that smells like animal musk (not in a good way) and sticks to your hair in the wind and your teeth at all other times, and then of course, companies get it right.

Purple Lab‘s Luvah is “… laced with aphrodesiacs, Complex OO (two plumpers), ylang-ylang, and a kissable vanilla/mint fragrance. There are two shades, named after all the types of guys there are to date! Mama’s Boy (rich nude) and Rich Jerk (a pop of berry).” (source)

The compact comes with two colors, a brush applicator, a mirror with the cutest SWAK (Sealed With A Kiss) accent, and the packaging is purple! Not sold?

My favorite feature of the duo is how thick it is. Not on the lips, only on application. I was a bit lazy and used my finger to apply instead of the brush, and was surprised at how little I scooped up with my finger dip. Usually, products like these let my finger dip all the way down to the pan and I end up wasting my money at lightning speed.

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More Clothing…

The stain is a bit lighter than the gloss. The gloss is packed with plenty of shimmer. As mentioned previously, the gloss isn’t uber thick, and is of a comfortable consistency. This has no goopy application that I dread from some of my previous purchases, and won’t hold onto your hair should the wind send it that way.

My favorite part of this gloss is that it smells like a great candy. I don’t think I’ve had anything that is similar to the smell, so I can only call it candy.

I’d recommend purchasing this gloss for the variety of lip looks – a subtle lip stain, a gloss, or if used together, a “3D” lip. The best pro for this compact is the purple packaging. You won’t ever miss the purple square in your handbag, and thus, you’ll always have your Luvah handy!

What’s your lip love?

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Lipstick Queen – Jean Queen

What cosmetics do you wear with jeans? Sometimes we pile everything on, being that denim has become as universally flattering and accepted as the color black has. Poppy King, Founder of Lipstick Queen has been asked which lipstick and gloss matches denim so often that she decided to create a product that did exactly that, the Jean Queen.

The lipstick and lip gloss come separately. Both are a rosy and sheer color with darker undertones. From a glance they seem to be the color that can flatter any skin tone because it is a light wash, and because it has the pink hint that is natural to the human lips.

The pink is meant to offset the blue tones from your jeans, as well as light up your face. The shine in the lipstick and the gloss is also meant to juxtapose the matte nature of most denim.

The roles are reversed, as the lip gloss is of a thicker and a bit darker consistency than the lipstick. For the $18 price tag, if you can’t get both, I’d say it’s smarter to get the lipstick. Just seems like you’d get more wear out of it, thus making your money work harder. The sheer wash of the lipstick can be layered for a bit of a deeper tone, or the two can be paired together.

The lipstick is at the top and the gloss is below. Doesn’t the lipstick look like an adult’s version of a chapstick?

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More Lipstick Queen…

What do you wear with your jeans?

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Armour Lip Gloss

Tell me when you have a single day of not needing a lip gloss. No go ahead, tell me… I’ll wait. If there are in fact days that I can’t make it for long without my lip gloss, ipod, or cell phone – I feel naked without these! How sad!

If my bag doesn’t have lip products, my money inevitably gets spent on something new. Most of the time it’s on a cheap filler product and other times on a great newbie. The case with this Armour Beauty lipgloss was neither. I was at The Makeup Show (and going to the show, you can surely expect to spend money before you leave) and met the folks behind the company. They had a quaint setup for the product, and the packaging is pretty smooth too. I invested in a single gloss and promised to do a thorough review.

The first major win for me was the packaging. I love a good packaged product y’all. If you’re a regular reader on MOJ, you will know this to be a fact. Great packaging is the way into my wallet and heart!

Want to know more about the brand? Check out the info from their ‘About’ page:

p.s. I’m still figuring out the coding for this darn setup, so instead of having a ‘continue reading’ link, please click on the post title to read the rest! If you know the answer to my dilemma, I’d love to hear it!

The color of choice? Dreaming. I always try to get a shimmery gold tone gloss when I try out lip products. Why? Well, the color is generally a pleasing color to look at on everyone. No matter the skin tone, outfit, makeup, etc. The other reason, equally important, is that this shade is the favorite for Mama Yaya. She is the sole benefactor of the goodies that run through my credit card statements, so I try to purchase the ones she won’t roll her eyes at (unless they’re neons and purples – that’s all for me).

The ingredient list

Though the packaging was snazzy looking, the solid glass (or really tough plastic?) made it seem like I’d be losing out on a lot of quality gloss when it came down to the last ounces. I’d have to find out if it’s microwavable, because then we’d be talking. Another downer? The sponge tip applicator. Brushes and plastic wedge tips work best for not sucking up your product, as well as keeping it minimal on the bacteria end.

Left image is without gloss and right is with. The left came out a bit blurry, but I didn’t pick up on it until the gloss was on and ready for a close up.

Despite all the cons of the gloss, it is very effective. Being that I bought a shimmer gloss (check out the shimmer and opaque varieties here), I can’t talk much about the color – this baby is clear. The shimmer packs a punch though! It does not, and I mean not budge. Unlike other glosses, this one does not leave you with a glitter mustache. All the goods stay right on the kisser!

The consistency is a bit stickier than I expected, but it’s not a nuisance. The best part of it all was how long the gloss lasted past my drinking iced tea straight from the bottle, munching on snacks, talking, etc. I’d say it stayed on for over three hours, and started to fade after that, though the shimmer stayed for a good five to six.

The glosses retail for $19 so it’s not necessarily perfect for an impulse, ‘forgot my regular gloss’ purchase. You know, unless you got it like that. If you’re looking for a ‘by my side forevermore’ gloss though, I’d suggest you take the gamble.

What gloss is rocking your socks?

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Green Room Glossy

When I was at the Supima Design Competition Fashion Show, I was able to snag a goodie bag. In it was a tee made of supreme cotton and a lovely green gloss. What? No, not the color green. 😉

The gloss is described as a dual powered gloss. Fancy right? It has color on the inside of the tube and gloss on the outside. It’s just like applying lip gloss and then a shiny layer on top without having to mix colors, mess around with textures, etc.

From the site:

“This environmentally-friendly gloss has luminous color on the inside and super shiny clear gloss on the outside. The innovative 2 in 1 tube is recyclable so it’s beauty you can feel good about! Contains Moringa Seed Extract for added healthy-skin benefits. With the purchase of every GREEN ROOM product, a Moringa tree will be planted in a developing country by Trees for the Future. The Moringa or “Miracle Tree” is a powerhouse of nutritional value and provides a self-renewing food source for people in need. More trees also mean less soil erosion and cleaner air and water for a greener future. All GREEN ROOM packaging is biodegradable or recyclable and all products are made with environmentally-friendly formulas.”

Check out the rest of the shots of the packaging:

It has a sponge-y applicator. Do you guys like these? I prefer the plastic diagonal tipped ones, but this one didn’t give me trouble, so I’m okay with it (at least for now).

And now for the color payout:

On the left the photo is taken with flash and on the right without. This was one swipe. This gloss shade is Azalea. The other two are Marigold and Lily. Currently, the glosses are on sale from $18 down to $10 on the site.

How’d it look?

Again, the pictures are with flash on the left, and no flash on the right.

The verdict?
I know Smashbox to be pretty good on quality and color payout, so it’s not that I was skeptical. But a girl can only see so many glosses before she gets a bit cynical. This one is really smooth on the lips and tastes (I know I’m not the only one that checks the taste of her glosses!) and smells like a Caramel candy – you know… those chewy squares? The gloss is not sticky, and the shimmer is very subtle. The only problem I have is with the packaging. You can’t reapply gloss over and over for an eye blinding gloss application because everytime you add more than needed, the sponge puts you in your place.

But you know what? That’s not that much of a bad thing. Great for travel, work, and Valentine’s Day kises. 🙂

Do you have a favorite Smashbox product? Favorite gloss at the moment?

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OCC has new colors!

Just in time to get me broke and crying – OCC has revealed that they have five new polish and lip tar colors.

Nudes: (left to right) Conquest, Petty Beige, Fondue

Pinks: (left to right) Anime, Hush

What do you guys think? I know these lip tars will create some yummy mixes with the other colors already present in the OCC roster.

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Benefit – new glosses

Benefit has new lipglosses! I think this is something I already want to review, though I do offer a disapproving glance to the applicator.

Want to run and buy? Here are some coupons for ya!

Stila Back In Action – super pic heavy

So as I have already happily announced – Stila is back and better than ever!

I’m a little late with this post, but you won’t be sorry!

First let me show you the proof – while at the Makeup Show NY, we not only got to see numerous beautiful brands, including the lovely Stila, but we also got to chat with the people that bring you those favorite brands!

Here you will see the staff for Stila giving all Yaya’s readers a thumbs up. This was an exclusive photo!! 🙂

Just to let y’all know they’re dandy. 🙂

This post is about the Stila new Egypt Indian Summer collection, and also serving as a double review – how exciting!!

The collection

Remember when I posted about the Stila limited edition Pearl collection? Well it’s an ongoing theme now.

As part of the prosperous and long lasting (fingers crossed) direction that Stila is heading in, it seems that the seasons come with gems and precious stones to adorn the Stila lover.

Everything in this collection contains actual 24k gold in it. Every item in the roster has little flecks of gold in it. Even the smudge pot! Oh man, the smudge pot is sooooo gorgeous!!

What it is:

Review (5 highest, 1 lowest):

Packaging: 5 out of 5 (the lip gloss has a hand made bindi attached to it)

Quality: 5 out of 5

Price: 4.5 out of 5 ($22.00 for each – it IS a “recession”)

Overall: 5 out of 5

The evidence:

Left – one coat
Right – three coats
glossy just how I like it!

This was after I wiped the gloss off with a Kleenex. The gold specs stay on your lips and look so nice.

and the mascara:

Please note: the mascara is currently sold out on Stila’s website – but keep checking back, it is worth the trouble! I also don’t think this is in the Indian Summer collection, but I was too excited to wait around till another post!

the before – disregard the shadow

Lengthening on the left &

Both sides on both eyes, I got a little heavy with the right side but still no clumps!

My Verdict:

First of all – the bindi is an unbelievably detailed and gorgeous addition to the design aspect. Do y’all know what a bindi is? Here’s the short of it a la Wiki: A bindi (from Sanskrit bindu, meaning “a drop, small particle, dot”) is a forehead decoration worn in South Asia (particularly India)^[1] and Southeast Asia.

Though I had the financial willpower to resist every darn item in the roster, I don’t fault anyone who got it all. I think I will be sauntering back to get the smudge pot. The more you move every item around, the more evident the gold flecks become, and blends seamlessly together.

Also – I have not been a Stila mascara user, but as of now, I am. The lengthening side is no joke, and I got really heavy with the application on one side (like 8 or 9 swipes y’all) and it didn’t clump at all.

The mascara removal process requires no fancy gadgets or liquids, your normal remover, or oil will work fine, and your lashes don’t ever feel heavy or anything but their natural selves.

For more Stila junkies:

Check out Marie Claire’s online webseries that comes out in conjunction with each publication. In this one, Maggie Gylenhaal professes her love for Stila at the end when celebrities get 15 seconds of frame to rant and rave. 🙂

http://www.mevio.com/widgets/mwm/MevioWM.swf

I think this collection is a must have!

Have any of you had the pleasure of trying it yet?

Plan to?

Let me know!

Lorac Couture Shine Liquid Lipstick Review

Product Story (from the Sephora page):

“What it is: A nourishing liquid lipstick.

What it does: LORAC Couture Shine Liquid Lipstick delivers a glamorous-looking pout and luxuriously smooth textured lips. This formula is packed with ingredients that will leave your lips in prime-puckering condition. There’s light-reflecting Mother of Pearl for radiant shine; Hyaluronic Acid for hydrating and helping fill in lines; Jojoba Oil and Sweet Almond Oil for moist, smooth lips; and Oriza Sativa Bran Extract to keep lips nourished and protected.

What it is formulated WITHOUT:
– Parabens
– Sulfates
– Synthetic Fragrances
– Synthetic Dyes
– Phthalates“

Color tested: Haute

Review (5 highest, 1 lowest):

Packaging: 2 out of 5 (it’s a glass type bottle, which means even with it not being a tube, you can’t depot it and lose a lot of the product to mr. trash)

Price: 3 out of 5 ($22 at Sephora & Lorac)

Quality: 5 out of 5

Overall: 2.5 out of 5

with 2 coats

this is how I wear gloss – on a DIVA tip!
this was an x amount of coats – that means whatever amount of
coats you need right before the gloss starts dripping – keep it sexy!

My Verdict:
This gloss was very good looking, and did everything it promised. However (and this is a BIG however) the packaging ruined it. Not even the price.

I realize the price of $22 for one 0.17oz lip gloss may be steep. But in the world of beauty, where you can probably get free shipping and three samples from Sephora, or whatever type of goodies a retailer offers you. The point is – price can be negotiated in my mind of minds to be seen as alright. Especially if a product does what it promises to do.

All the colors rocked my socks but I didn’t purchase many, due to my unhappiness and the price. The problem with it? The packaging looks like it’s a glass tube. Similar to the MAC lipglass ones. This is a fancypants packaging, and though it’s appealing – it hinders the purpose of getting every ounce for your buck. The packaging will probably be impossible to cut into pieces to get all the product, and with it’s solid state, it will not bend or squeeze to give it up to mama anyway. I’m almost 100% positive that when I feel like it’s empty – I will be prematurely thinking so.

Though I donate plenty throughout the year to various organizations… I am the least happiest when I unwillingly donate products to Mr. Trash.

So yes – the lipgloss is great, but the price raised my brow, and the packaging lowered my thumb. Boo!