Beauty Blog

I do love when cosmetic companies issue out some neatly packaged new color palette that basically has the right amount of everything you’ll need for three or four months, even longer sometimes.  I used to indulge frequently in seasonal beauty palettes because not only do they boast great new colors in one set, (along with fancy makeup brushes and pint size lip glosses) but they are also reasonably priced for getting all of that product.  Right now if I were to shell out for one, it would be this Tarte Spring Greening Reusable Straw Palette ($20).

The packaging on this is so cute and summery!  It is a sustainable and reusable straw palette that is filled with a bamboo eyeshadow brush, six new shades of mineral eyeshadow and three lip glosses.  The tray inside is made of post consumer waste and can either be recycled when you’re done using the shadows. The products themselves are all paraben free and the lip glosses are infused with acai, pomegranate, and gogi berry.

Use coupon code 3SJ9HQ at checkout at Sephora.com and get FREE SHIPPING on orders over $25.

Find at Smarter.com:  Shop for more makeup and cosmetics.

Lancome recently introduced its new Juicy Tubes Pure for all you gloss gurus out there.  Inspired by Elettra Wiedemann, a socialite, environmentalist, and Lancome spokesperson–not to mention she is a model as well as the daughter of actress Isabella Rosselini–Lancome has launched Juicy Tubes Pure Premium Unique Raw Elements, a ten piece collection that includes a new formula of the gloss made with ninety five percent natural ingredients and one hundred percent natural flavors certified by EcoCert without sacrificing one bit of the original sparkle and high intensity shine.  The new formula includes natural oils and shea butter emollient, it is also paraben free.  Being a Lancome first, the carton the glosses come in is 100% recyclable.  Okay, these are all great baby steps for the French company!  Unfortunately the eco-friendly glosses are only temporary since they are limited edition.  Shades include Sweet Soy, Ginger Root, Bare Honey, Lavendar Zen, and Rose Water…names to make Mother Nature proud.

Limited Edition Juicy Tubes PURE: $18, lancome-usa.com

Since we’re on the topic of green glosses, here are few others that may tickle your fancy:

Burt’s Bees Super Shiny Natural Lip Gloss ($6.29) is made with almond oil, simultaneously making your lips luscious, juicy and really moisturized.  Burt’s Bees are pros at this stuff.  They’ve been making natural, eco-conscious personal care products since 1984. The Super Shiny gloss is flavored with natural citrus oils and comes in four different colors including Pucker Berry, Sweet Pink, Zesty Red, and Nectar Nude.

Smashbox has created O-GLOSS, lipgloss with Goji Berry-C Complex ($22).  The naturally pink hued lip gloss is made with ginkgo biloba, pomegranate seed antioxidants, marine botanicals, moisturizing avocado oil and an exclusive formula of Goji Berry-C Complex.

Find at Smarter.com:  Shop for more Lancome lip gloss and Burt’s Bees lip gloss.
Discounts on Smashbox lip gloss.

I like her, and it’s not because we have the same name.

“Michelle Obama graces the cover of next month’s Vogue magazine, marking the second time a U.S. first lady has appeared on the front of one of the world’s leading fashion magazines. Obama, 45, who has been hailed by both U.S. retailers and the media as a new fashion icon, donned a magenta sheath dress for the cover photo. The dress was designed by Jason Wu, who also created her white inaugural ball gown. Famed photographer Annie Leibovitz took the cover photo and several fashion shots featured inside the March edition of Vogue.”
(Source Makeup Beat Blog - continue reading full article, Click here.)

Smarter Beauty Blog Highlights: 

• Cheap Skin Care Products that Work - Pond’s Cold Cream
• Poor Rihanna - Learn How to Hide Bite Marks & Bruises
• Mood Swing Emotionally Activated Lip Gloss - Inspired by Smurfette, Have ALL the Smurfs

Have you ever thought why Smurfette was the ONLY girl in a village of dudes?! What the heck? As a kid it never fazed me that she was pretty skanky if you really think about it… Haha! I’m just sayin.

Well if you want to be the envy of the entire male village like Smurfette than check out the Too Faced Mood Swing Emotionally Activated Lip Gloss! 

Apparently this lip gloss starts out Smurfette blue then based on your “mood” changes to a beautiful berry shade. I think the idea is cute and fun! Depending on your body heat level, the gloss blooms into countless shades of Smurf-berry pink. You never know what shade you’ll get but that’s half the fun, right?

Price $18.50

If you want to give the Mood Swing Emotionally Activated Lip Gloss from Sephora - Click here!

For more Discount Cosmetics and Low Priced Make-Up - Click here!

VS. 

It recently occurred to me that most women can be seperated into two very distinct cosmetic groups. That would be …

Team Lip Gloss versus Team Liptstick

1. Team Lip Gloss - tends to be your general no fuss, no muss lady.

Generally I feel like lip gloss plumps up otherwise thinner lips and has the benefit of being quick to apply. I think the only drawbacks are when the wind blows and your hair gets stuck in your gloss! I hate that. Also, so many of my friends have recommend “non sticky” glosses but I feel that is a contradiction in terms. Lip gloss in my opinion is sticky/tacky by nature, you either are comfortable with that prospect on your lips, or you are not. It’s not a bad thing, just a preference.

2. Team Lipstick - tends to be more controlled and polished chicks

Personally if you play for team lipstick than odds are you are a frequent lip liner user as well. I think habitual lip stick users tend to spend more time in general on their make-up face and like a more dramatic look. I have always gravitated towards lipstick myself because like I said I absolutely hate it when my hair gets stuck in my lip gloss and I have pretty full lips already and I feel like it’s overkill whenever I wear lip gloss. It’s the facial equivalent of wearing a push up bra when you already have big boobs. But again, it’s just a preference.

So what do you prefer and why? It’s a topic that me and friends recently discussed and the conversation turned into a full blown debate so I figured it would be interesting to pose the question to the general public.  - Michelle

Can’t think of a good gift for someone on your list?  I say, give ‘em a cosmetic gift set.  I mean, who doesn’t love to get a pack of shiny lip gloss or skincare products from their favorite cosmetic brand?  The sets come out in droves every holiday season, so there are lots to choose from at lots of prices.

Here are a few favorites:

Lancome Juicy Lipgloss Set, $35

Japonesque Kimono Brush Set, $62.99

Philosophy Few Good Men Lipbalm Trio, $25

Clinique Travel Gift Set,  $24.50 ( I love that bag. So cute!)

The Body Shop has just released a high-shine lip gloss that will help women around the world and in more ways than one. For one thing, Stop Violence in the Home Hi-Shine Lip Treatment ($11.50) is made with Community Trade marula oil from Eudafano Women’s co-operative in Namibia, which ensures that women in depressed rural communities will get fare wages for their labor in producing the gloss ingredient. Second, The Body Shop will donate 75% of the proceeds of the lip treatment to FACE TO FACE, an organization that offers plastic surgery to survivors of domestic violence to repair injuries to the face, neck and head caused by their violent partners and spouses.

And in addition to all the good the purchase of this gloss can do, the product itself is top-notch. I was a little frightened by the way it sparkles in the tube (I’m not much of a sparkler), but the effect is subtle on the lips, providing a ultra-flattering shine and lots of moisture. Plus, the passion fruit scent is delicious, but not overwhelming. I’m luxuriating in it as I write this.

Get your own at Body Shop stores or on their official website.

Click here to read more about other steps the Body Shop is taking to promote social consciousness in the beauty industry.