This lipstick did not boost my mood. Sadface x3.

Super *NEW* (like so new it's not even listed on the company's website yet) Physicians Formula Happy Booster Glow & Mood Boosting Lipstick Shade I <3 Rose

I do NOT "<3" this Lipstick.  At all.

And I'm really super disappointed about that.

BECAUSE I actually loved the Happy Booster line, I use the pressed powder and bronzer as part of my daily makeup routine.  And frankly, this lippy is just as freaking cute as the rest of the line...  like, I almost squealed with joy at it's absolute... cute-ousity.  It just doesn't look (or feel!) *cute* at all on your lips.

Here's the claim:
Look happy!
Rich color glides on with lumious shine and all-day comfort for a happy glow
Lip boosting formula with collagen boosting peptides smoothes lips so they look plump, healthy and luscious.
Three complimentary shades blend together for a kiss of glowing color to boost your mood.
Feel happy!
Infused with our Happy Boost Blend, featuring Happy Skin* and Euphoryl, natural plant extracts which have been shown to promote a feeling of happiness by mimicking the effect of Endorphins and helping to protect skin from environmental stress.
The sweet scent & flavor of violet provides a feeling of joy each time you apply.

Here's the deal: 
The Good:
The tube is adorable: fuscha pink with a silver heart.  It has a clear top so you can see the charming design of the lipstick, which is a little pink heart surround by two rings of different pinks.  Thats pretty much where "The Good" ends...

The Ugly:
The formula is chalky and gritty... it didn't "glide" on at all.  The complimentary shades that are supposed to blend, don't blend well at all and the resulting color is totally flat and kind of bogus, lacking any of the promised "luminous shine."  This lipstick looked awful and felt worse!  It felt gross and heavy on my lips, and the uneven coloration wouldn't be flattering on anyone.  As for the "sweet scent" and "violet flavor"?  Only if you take a whiff directly from the tube is it noticeable.

Overall: I would absolutely not be willing to put it on again, and frankly I couldn't even be bothered to take a snapshot of it on.  What's more, is it's almost 10 bucks a tube... kind of high for a sub-par lippy.  It's really unfortunate; I was absolutely prepared to love it. </3

Stainiac for sure.

I'm absolutely crazy for a product I just picked up the other day called Stainiac by theBalm in shade Beauty Queen!

This cheek and lip tint adds the perfect pop of color for a flushed, flirty appeal. Use a little for a sheer wash of color or layer it on for a healthy hue. It also gives you plenty of time before it sets, making it one smart, streak-free stain

 

Directions: Apply to cheeks for a hint of tint... Layer it on to pop the color. (For lips too.)

This tint has a soft strawberry color that's very easy to blend and gives you a uber natural glow that lasts all day.  Because it doubles as a lip tint, it's an awesome little time-saver on days when you're short on time.  Just apply it to your lips, let it set for a few minutes and top it with a gloss if you'd like.  It has a soft tint, but the color is totally buildable if you're looking for a little more "oomph!"

I'm partial to topping the tint with theBalm's Plump Your Pucker Gloss – Ruby My Grapefruit.  Don't be fooled by the sparkles!  This gloss provides a nice shimmer without making you look like your mouth got in a fight with a craft project, a touch of sheer color, and smells great (a light citrus).

Formulated with a special combination of folic acid, menthol and vitamin C, these sexy glosses increase blood flow to the lips and reduce the look of fine lines. But the lip building benefits have only just begun. An additional ingredient, Maxi-lip, works cumulatively to create lasting fullness. Be prepared for a poutier pucker after 30 days!

 

This Superstay has no staying power in my collection :(

I am entirely un-satisfied with the *NEW* Maybelline 14 Hour Lipstick.  I happened upon an entirely un-touched, brandy new display that literally had just been put out on the shelf.  I was impressed with the array of fashion forward, bold shades and found that my powers of self-control was powerless against the shade "Eternal Rose", a bold pink that just screamed ERICA.

The colors really are fab

Unfortunately, despite delivering great color payoff, I'm really not wild about the formula; it's fairly waxy and heavy and I found it to be extra sticky.  (An unfortunate side effect of *most* "superstays")  I also found that I got this crazy sort of, blatant receding lip color line, where after just a bit of wear it all begin to wear off and end up all over my teeth.  After about an hour of wear I drank a coffee and it transferred a pink sticky mess all over the plastic top.  I reapplied after the coffee, and by the end of the 2nd hour it had begun to pill like an old sweater.  At this point, I'd had enough and decided to take it off and got some on my hand.  I had pink fingers for most of the day.

Overall, despite some adorable colors and a totally chic tube, This 14 Hour Superstay was an unsuccessful lipstick endeavor and frankly for something boasting a 14 hour wear, way more trouble than its worth (def NOT worth the $9, that's for sure).

Oh, Kate Moss.

In celebration of the ten years that Rimmel has worked with the iconic Kate Moss, Rimmel launched a new line of lippies called "The Kate Collection."  Debuting in England, on the eve of London's fashion week, this collection has finally made its way over the pond and into local drugstores for a hella good price of about 5 bucks a tube.

Kate is wearing her "signature" shade 01

 The collection has limited colors, and the assortments vary by location... I think my local CVS only got *MAYBE* 5 shades, but they range from edgy purple to a truely chic nude to a classic hollywood red... an assortment befitting of a London "it" girl.
Each color is incredibly pigmented, has a truely soft feel on the lips, and has pretty decent staying power. HOWEVER, (especially if your prone to a seasonal dryness on the lip-area!) I would absolutely suggest that you swipe on a little clear balm or a moisturizing primer pre-application as this formula leaves nothing to the imagination.  (Accentuating the flakes... entirely UN-sexy!)

Even the package is ultra-chic...

a lovely black matte tube with Kate's signature embossed on the side.

One this that I really didn't care for about this collection is the smell, which doesn't really seem to bother other people as much as it does me.  It has this funny, artificial vanilla (?) smell that reminds me of some tubes of 101 Dalmation chapstick I got when I was a little kid.

This line is truely a treat for the cosmetic/fashion obsessed.



Go nude!

I've been pretty obsessed with Covergirl Lip Perfection Shade 200 Sultry.  Okay...okay... So I gave this lippy a pretty poor review when it first came out, but I've found after trying and trying again that the color makes all the difference, even with texture.  Weird, huh?

So anyways, "Sultry" is a pretty solid lipstick.  It's a nice warm nude, with a semi-matte finish that lasts.  I normally find that "neutral" shades, regardless of the brand, tend to wear off pretty easily, but not this one.  The formula for this color is creamy, smooth, and quite moisturizing and after a few hours of wear, the formula stays pretty comfortable, even after numerous re-applications.  This color is very sleek... gives the appearance of au-naturale while still being totally pulled together.

I'm still not wild about the purple "bullet" tube.  (It's not as chic in person.)  Meh, you take the good with the bad. ;)

'Tis the season

Wanna be all festive without all the typical red and green?  Grab a bottle of "School of Hard Rocks" from Essies 2011 "cocktail" winter collection.

It's no secret.  I just really love Essie.  They have a million shades and yet they manage to create amazing colors unlike anything I've ever seen before.  This gorgeous shade is no exception: Super creamy color that glides on smooth and opaque in two coats and is a beautiful mixture of slate blue, dusty green, and gray.  It does tend to lean more on the "green side".  The gray-tone really makes it more subtle than less loud than a lot of other green shades.  Dries very smooth and shiny.

It does tend to shade-shift depending on lighting, but it is just gorgeous, wintery and festive without being at all gaudy.

Tres chic. <3