Revlon ColorBurst Lip Butter in Sweet Tart

Woooooo! The infamous Revlon Lip Butters finally find a place in my makeup collection. Or at least one of them does. 


These retail for anywhere between $7 and $11 CDN. Yikes! I know. You wouldn't catch me picking one of these up from Shoppers Drug Mart - where the regular-price Lip Butters will cost you both arms, ears and legs to buy. These can be purchased anywhere Revlon cosmetics are sold. I like to buy mine from (in order) WalMart, Zellers, London Drugs, and very rarely, Shoppers Drug Mart. One tube contains 0.09 oz (2.55 g) of product.


The ColorBurst Lip Butters come in a slew of shades, ranging from reds to purples/berries, and neutrals to pinks. Revlon Lip Butters are available in the following shades: Pink Truffle, Sugar Frosting, Raspberry Pie, Tutti Frutti, Brown Sugar, Peach Parfait, Fig Jam, Candy Apple, Red Velvet, Cotton Candy, Berry Smoothie, Cupcake, Gumdrop, Creamsicle, Cherry Tart, Lollipop, Strawberry Shortcake, Sugar Plum, Sweet Tart, and Creme Brulee. There is something (literally) for everyone. Shade pigmentation ranges from sheer to medium coverage, but for most of these butters (according to what I've heard), the color is very buildable. I bought Cupcake for my sister, but I only picked up Sweet Tart for myself.


The packaging is tres chic. Very similar to the ColorBurst lipsticks, Revlon's Lip Butters feature the 'quilted' cap in a translucent plastic. The very top of the cap is completely transparent, however, allowing you to see the color of the product inside the packaging. Each cap corresponds to the color of the product inside, so it's somewhat easier to distinguish between shades by the exterior. A definite bonus. Underneath the sleek cap is a silver twist up applicator. The butters do not sit above the applicator, as most lipsticks do when you first purchase them. They are slanted at an angle to keep them safe from nicks, scrapes and dents. Kudos, Revlon.

The Lip Butters are supposed to contain mango, shea and coconut butter to hydrate lips and boost lip moisture by a whopping 156%. Their special 'gel' formula pampers the lips with crazy hydration and allows for a smooth application of the product.


Sweet Tart is a medium pink shade, that very much reminds me of the infamous "Barbie" pink. There is no shimmer in this particular shade, which is a relief for me. In fact, this color reminds me of the BonneBell lipLITES in Angel Food Cake. The formula, however, creates a gorgeous glossy finish on your lips.

The application of these is INCREDIBLY smooth. I don't think I own anything with a similar texture. It glides on (literally) like butter. I almost feel like the texture of this lip butter evens out the texture of my own lips - that's how freaking smooth it is. I love rubbing my lips together after I've applied this... they just glide over each other.


The pigmentation on Sweet Tart is ridiculous. One swipe gives you a very decent amount of color, but go over it again (and even again...) and you get this intense color that looks like a lipstick.

No Flash. Natural light.
Top: 1 swipe.
Bottom: 3 swipes.

With Flash.

The wear time on these is not anything amazing. Because of how smooth and thin they are, they do not make any claims to be super h-core long lasting. With every day wear-and-tear, these will wear off gradually. Talking, eating, drinking, breathing is going to cause the color to fade. These last longer than a lipgloss, but not as long as a lipstick; they're like the love child of a lipstick and lipgloss. Fortunately, as this particular shade wears, it leaves almost a stain on the lips so even when it's gone - it isn't quite gone, but it isn't quite there either.

On my lips.
Yes, I am ridiculously white.
Yes, my lips are really dry.

I think these are fantastic. Well, not necessarily all of them, because I haven't tried all of them. I think Sweet Tart is funtabulous. The concept behind these are amazing. They're so smooth and very wearable for every day. You can build the intensity up for a great dramatic/night-time look or wear it sheer for a respectable wash of color. They're fantastic for people who don't want to feel the heaviness of a lip stick, but still want that pop of color. I can't speak to how hydrating these actually are, but they give my lips the illusion of being hydrated. Especially with how dry they are from my viral infection. So now I get to look like I have some life in me, without having to slather on a heavy, waxy lipstick. 

I'm super excited to try new looks with this. I recently watched a video by Cora of Vintageortacky on YouTube where she wore Sweet Tart Lip Butter over MAC's Embrace Me lip liner from the Tour de Fabulous collection. That made me want it SO bad... that lip combo looked SO flattering on her. 

Overall, I'd give this 5 out of 5 stars.

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Let me know what you think about these Revlon ColorBurst Lip Butters. What are your impressions? Are there other colors that I should try? Let me know!! I'd love to hear what you have to say!!

Brush Cleaning 101

Let's just start off by saying I am no saint when it comes to regularly cleaning my brushes. I used to be amazing at it - back in my first and second years of University, I'd deep clean my brushes once every week or two if I was really lazy. Now that I'm busier with school and married and such, cleaning my makeup brushes falls to a lower spot on my priorities list. I know. I know. It shouldn't.


Cleaning your brushes increases the longevity and softness of the bristles, as well as freeing them of the bacteria and germs that accumulate with every use. I don't know about you, but my brushes always seem to work better after they've been washed. I just wish they'd wash themselves sometimes...

A less than spectacular picture of some of my clean brushes.

When I first became interested in makeup, I used the green Quo Brush Cleanser (175 mL bottle) available from Shoppers Drug Mart in Canada. At that time, it was easy to find the bottles on sale for $9, so it was a quick fix. I'm pretty sure the cleanser contains tea tree oil, because that's what it smelled like. Overall, it was a great cleanser for daily spot cleaning. Spraying a few pumps onto the hairs and wiping the product off on a paper towel or cloth disinfected and cleaned your brush quickly and efficiently. Not to mention the squeaky clean scent.


However, spot cleaning is only good for so long and then your brushes need to be deep cleaned. Back in the day, I was subscribed to Blair Fowler (one of the famous Fowler sisters, also known as Juicystar07) on YouTube. She posted a video back in November of 2009 showing how she cleaned her makeup brushes. I was instantly intrigued because she used such basic items that you could find at home: baby shampoo, olive oil, a household sponge, and paper towel.


Blair's (Juicystar07) "HOW TO: Clean Your Makeup Brushes" video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UB_ZSy3Tt4o


I would highly recommend you watch this video if you're looking for a great way to clean your brushes (Note: the actual tutorial starts at 2:20). Cleaning your brushes can be somewhat time consuming, especially when you have as many brushes as I do, but it's definitely worth it. I usually crank some tunes and find it to be relaxing if I'm not pressed for time.

Tips and Tricks:

-Olive oil helps break down cream, liquid and gel products that have built up on brush hairs. By dipping the dry brush in olive oil and then wiping it on a piece of paper towel, the oil will significantly cut down on the amount of time you have to deep clean your brush(es). This method is completely safe. Just make sure to thoroughly deep clean your brush after this first step - the oil will virtually rinse off of the brush with soap and water. I love using this trick on concealer brushes, foundation brushes, and eyeliner brushes.

Cleaning my Quo Precision Foundation brush with olive oil.
Look how easily the oil gets the liquid concealer off the synthetic bristles.

-A pump of antibacterial dish or hand soap will work to disinfect your brushes while you clean them. Baby shampoo is gentle enough for general cleansing, but it does not kill the bacteria that hides on the brush, so make sure to use some form of antibacterial agent to sterilize your brushes while deep cleaning.

-Brushes should be dried upside down, so water does not seep into the ferrule and break down the glue that binds it to the brush handle. I have more than one brush that has suffered irreversible damage from drying my brushes standing straight up - several of these victims' ferrules have come loose from the brush handle. There is no standard way to dry brushes upside-down, but if you Google it, many people recommend fastening your brushes to clothes hangers with rubber bands, hair clips, ponytails, etc. and letting them dry this way. In Michelle Phan's video on brush cleaning, she uses brush guards to stand her brushes upside down in a glass vase/bowl to dry.


-Brush guards help maintain the quality of your brush and its longevity. With time and use, bristles and hairs will splay out causing the brush to be less precise and not as functional as it once was. There are several brands and methods to prevent your brushes from losing their shape. I personally have not tried either of these, but I've heard really great things about both of them.

• Brush Guards - http://www.thebrushguard.com
• Dry 'N Shape -  http://www.sigmabeauty.com/Dry_n_Shape_System_p/ds01.htm

That being said - I should really clean my brushes more frequently. Reusing them repeatedly without frequent cleansing is not good for the brushes (or my face). Dead skin, sweat, facial oils, bacteria, dirt, dust and old makeup can build up and clog pores, as well as contaminate makeup products with each use. Better to be safe than sorry - especially with the way my face has been acting up recently.


And so, after writing this post - I'm going to traipse off to the bathroom and wash all of my brushes. Then when tomorrow smiles on me, I'll have squeaky clean brushes to use. Yippee!

How do you clean your makeup brushes? Do you make it a habit to clean them regularly? Are there any tips and tricks that you've learned that you can share with me and the other readers??

xoxo

Beauty Wish List - February 2012

After seeing various beauty bloggers posting their own wish lists every so often, I felt inspired to post one of my own wish lists. Now, granted, I'm not usually the type of person who has a five-foot-long scroll with item upon beauty item that I'm dreaming of. Lately, however, I've found myself lusting after more than one beauty product and I thought I'd share. If you have any experience with these products, leave me a comment telling me why (or why not) I should purchase them - I love to read your comments!

#1. Sigma F05 brush. For the longest time I wanted to try MAC's 109 Small Contour brush. Then I visited my local MAC store, saw the price tag attached to said brush and ran (not walked) in the opposite direction. Call me crazy, but I'm not really up for spending $40+ Canadian dollars on a single brush. The Sigma version, however, has a more budget friendly $14 tag (plus shipping and handling, of course). Still, I can live with that - and I'm just dying to try it out.

Source: http://www.sigmabeauty.com/Small_Contour_F05_p/f05.htm

#2. Nicole by OPI - Kardashian Color Nail Polish in It's All About the Glam and Kim-pletely in Love. Don't get me wrong, I do not follow the Kardashians by any means - but after reading all the reviews and seeing all the swatches of It's All About the Glam and Kim-pletely in Love, I just have to try them. Unfortunately, everywhere I've seen this collection, they've been missing these two polishes, and double-y unfortunately, it was a holiday collection - so it won't be around for much longer. Fortunately, I found them at the WalMart closest to my parents' house, and have gently nudged my sister towards picking them up for me (and paying her back later...). They may soon be crossed off my wish list!

Source: http://www.nicolebyopi.com/collection/kardashian-kolor-holiday

To-die-for swatches: http://www.scrangie.com/2011/11/nicole-by-opi-kardashian-kolors.html

#3. Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Full Coverage Foundation SPF 15. I have read mostly amazing things about this foundation, and I'm intrigued enough to give it a try. I'm thinking that before I just ditch my life's savings to purchase it, I will get a sample from Sephora first. Who knows if it'll even match my albino skin tone? Still... it calls to me.

Source: http://tartecosmetics.com/tarte-item-Amazonian-clay-12-hour-full-coverage-foundation

#4. Clairsonic Mia. I don't know too much about this system, but I would really love to try it. After everything I've read, seen and heard, it's really caught my attention. I wonder how it would work for my skin. The investment I'd be making/taking a chance on is still too frightening to even think about. Could it really live up to all the hype?

Source: http://www.clarisonic.com/shop/sonic_skin_cleansing_systems/sonic_skin_cleansing_system_mia/index.php

#5. NYX Powder Blushes. I've heard nothing but great things about these. I really want to try Cinnamon, Peach and Taupe. I'm really digging orange-y blushes recently, and I hear that Taupe is an excellent contour powder for fair skin. The affordable price tag is also incredibly enticing - so what's holding me back?

Source: http://www.cherryculture.com/cosmetics/makeup/nyx/nyx-powder-blush/16203&cat=0&page=1

#6. NYX Slide-On Eye Pencils. Again, nothing but good things. If they were really as good as everyone says they are, I'd want almost all of them. And considering the price, I'd be willing to have them shipped to me as opposed to paying drugstore prices for some mediocre alternative that was just more convenient to pick up. I think that I'd want to try Azure, Brown Perfection, Jet Black, Pure White, and Sunrise Blue the most.

Source: http://www.cherryculture.com/cosmetics/makeup/nyx/nyx-slide-on-pencil/17756&cat=0&page=2

Funtabulous swatches: http://www.amarixe.com/2011/08/nyx-slide-on-pencils-review-swatches.html

#7. Tarte Amazonian Clay Blushes. Again, another one of those raved about products. I have a mini version in Dollface, but I'd like to try Blissful, Exposed and Tipsy.

Source: http://tartecosmetics.com/tarte-item-Amazonian-clay-12-hour-blush

What are items are on your beauty wish list? Let me know!!

xoxo

NOTD: Valentine's Day Nails (and a little Nail Guru lovin'!!)

In lieu of Valentine's Day, I wanted to do something a little fancy with my nails. This especially helped considering my recent (and current) battle with a viral infection - having something pretty on my nails makes me feel a little less... disgusting? ugly? yucky?

My inspiration is from Cute Polish on YouTube. I LOVE this Canadian girl and her nail designs. They're usually really easy and can be done using tools that you can find or make at home. This has got to be my second favorite design by this girl. My first favorite was her Polka Dot Nails for Beginners. I always get TONS of compliments every time I recreate her designs on my nails.

So when she posted the tutorial for this design, I was eager to recreate it. Turns out, it was incredibly easy to replicate on my own nails. My husband thought I used nail stickers - man, was he impressed when I told him that I did them myself!

I used:
Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Fast Dry Nail Color in Pink Blink
LA Colors Art Deco Nail Lacquer in Hot Pink
LA Colors Art Deco Nail Lacquer in White
LA Colors Art Deco Nail Lacquer in Silver Glitter
Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat

This would look great on either short or long nails, in my opinion. I think that you could get away with doing this in a 'french tip' design straight across your nails instead of on an angle, or you could just do the plaid design on the whole nail. If you were going to get really fancy, you could do this design on all of your nails, except for one or two, and then do the whole nail in plaid as an accent nail. It would look pretty spiffy!! You could also try this with other colors - this would look great with a blue or green color scheme!

Let me know if you try this design out. It's really easy and looks GREAT! You will get a ton of compliments.

Happy Valentine's Day - whether you're spending it with someone you love or alone, it's a good excuse to eat chocolate and watch sappy romance movies all day long!!

xoxo
<3<3

EOS Smooth Sphere Lip Balm in Summer Fruit

Sorry for the lack of posts, everyone! I recently came down with a viral infection - I'm still fighting it off, but having time to sit around and miss school gives me an opportunity to tie up loose ends on some of my unfinished blog posts waiting in the drafts section. So here it is... :)

I picked this up from my local London Drugs for $3.99 CDN (before GST). I know that in addition to London Drugs, Shoppers Drug Mart is also selling this product in Canada. At my London Drugs, there were three 'flavors' available: Summer Fruit, Honeysuckle Honeydew, and Sweet Mint. According to www.evolutionofsmooth.com, there are 3 additional flavors in the permanent line (Lemon Drop SPF 15, Medicated Tangerine and Strawberry Sorbet).

Photo Credit: www.evolutionofsmooth.com

I purchased this after lots of perusing of reviews. Makeup Alley users have rated this 3.6 out of 5, and with over 670 reviews only 62% of consumers would purchase this product again. I had always been on the fence about the product. Could such an adorably packaged product be as wonderful as everyone was saying it was? I first saw an EOS Smooth Sphere lip balm in one of Michelle Phan's tutorials eons ago. Until just recently last year, EOS (as far as I know) was not sold in local Canadian stores.

The packaging of these lip balms is incredibly attractive. The smooth sphere design is sleek and the colors are eye-catching. This particular balm comes packaged in a coral sphere, which I adore. The cap twists off to reveal a half-sphere of balm inside. A smooth dimple on the lid and the base help the user to align the cap and secure it. Another indentation on the bottom of the sphere allows one to stand the balm up on a hard and smooth surface.

This balm contains shea butter, jojoba oil, and vitamin E to hydrate and smooth lips. It's also gluten free, paraben free, petroleum free, and phthalate free. They're 100% natural and 95% organic. Sounds funtabulous, doesn't it?

The balm itself has the most intoxicating smell. Though the flavor is Summer Fruit, this smells like a copious amount of sweet, ripe peaches. It even tastes a little like it smells. The scent is pretty strong and lasts for quite a while before dissipating. If you're not big on scents, or don't like the particular smell of this balm, you definitely will not appreciate this balm.

The balm itself is incredibly smooth. Not too thick or too thin. It's not waxy or cakey. It does not have a tint, so it goes on clear - great for everyday use. It's probably one of the best consistencies of lip balms I've ever tried. I've heard a lot of people say that they like to use this as a base before their lip products just because of how smooth and hydrated it makes the lips.

I really appreciate the packaging of this balm. The spherical shape ensures that you don't have to twist up the product every time you use it. The plastic exterior is incredibly durable and will protect the balm from a multitude of accidents - dropping it, nicking it, twisting it up too far, etc. There are only a few downsides, in my opinion, the first being that you risk nicking the balm when twisting on the cap. The second downside being from it's bulky shape - the large spherical ball doesn't easily fit into your jean pocket without looking (and feeling!) incredibly uncomfortable. If you can get over that though, this is a great lip balm for in your purse or in your bedside drawer. It's easily found because of it's distinctive shape - especially if you're fishing blindly through your purse.

As far as hydration goes, this lip balm isn't anything spectacular. Its certainly far more moisturizing than some other mediocre balms I've had the pleasure of experiencing. It's definitely not anything extraordinary though - it doesn't saturate my lips in moisture or turn back the clock on my lip lines. But it's a more suitable option than some others.

Just like with men, it's hard to find "the one" with regards to lip balms. That's why, while this balm is a little better than your average stick, it's definitely not something you should drop everything to go purchase right now. If you're looking for a decent lip balm with a delicious scent, eye-catching packaging and an affordable price tag - you've found it here. If you're looking for your holy grail balm, I wouldn't drop my buck here. Nonetheless, I still love it.

I give this product 3 out of 5 stars.
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Have you tried any other EOS balms?? What are your favorites? Have you found a holy grail lip balm?