tarte LipSurgence Lip Gloss in Flush, Blushing Bride & Park Ave. Princess - swatches, pics, review!

Hello, Beautiful!

I have yet another great tarte product to share with you in this blog post, and this is a product that has been living in my purse - and more importantly, living on my lips - since I got these. I'm talking about the tarte LipSurgence Lip Glosses! I have three shades: Flush, Blushing Bride, and Park Ave. Princess. I don't wear Park Ave. Princess as much, but Flush and Blushing Bride should be staples in everyone's collection.

Check out all the product info, along with my full review, after the pics!

tarte LipSurgence Lip Gloss
Shades: Flush, Blushing Bride, Park Ave. Princess
Continue scrolling down to see more pics of each individual shade.

tarte LipSurgence Lip Gloss
Shade: Flush

tarte LipSurgence Lip Gloss
Shade: Blushing Bride

tarte LipSurgence Lip Gloss
Shade: Park Ave. Princess

tarte LipSurgence Lip Gloss Info & Review:

Cost/Availability: $19.00 (0.27 fl oz full size). Available on the tarte Cosmetics website, at Sephora, at Ulta, and everywhere else tarte Cosmetics are sold.

My Rating: 5 out of 5 Kisses!

Product Info...

Inspired by tarte's award-winning lip tints, this glossy addition to the LipSurgence family will perfect your pout with a brightening pop of color and lasting shine.

This hybrid addition to tarte's signature LipSurgence line delivers all the plumped-up benefits of a gloss and pigmented performance of a tint in an antioxidant-rich formula. Each ultra-hydrating, vanilla flavored lip gloss imparts natural-looking color to enhance your complexion while drenching lips in moisture and mega-watt, non-sticky shine. Infused with vitamin E, jojoba seed oil and flower extract, this multi-tasking formula helps smooth the look of fine lines and wrinkles while moisturizing dry lips for a healthy, plumped-up appearance that lasts. The unique applicator wand features an ergonomic tip that gently glides around the shape of your lips for a foolproof application every time.

Available in glossy versions of 10 signature tarte shades:

• limited edition Envy -- mauve berry
• Park Ave. Princess -- radiant bronze
• Flush -- berry rose
• Blushing Bride -- mauve pink
• Tipsy -- sheer coral
• Blissful -- warm peach
• Fearless -- shimmering pink coral
• Natural Beauty -- sheer shimmering red
• Exposed -- nude rose
• True Love -- watermelon

Vitamin E is a natural preservative that also acts as an anti-inflammatory emollient & antioxidant. Jojoba Seed Oil is a natural soothing extract that leaves lips soft, supple and smooth. Flower Extract moisturizes for healthy, hydrated lips.



My Review...

I don't know why exactly, but my lips LOVE this lip gloss formula. I have very dry, flaky lips constantly and I can't use a lot of lip products because they either dry out my lips, cling to the dry skin, or just look really patchy because my lips aren't perfect. Of course I exfoliate and use good lip balms, but if I don't keep up with it throughout the day my lips turn bad very quickly.

These tarte glosses feel like a cushiony balm on my lips. My lips always look glossy and healthy when I use these. They're non-sticky, go on smoothly, and have great color for a gloss - they're not super pigmented but they will give your lips color. You could wear alone or topped over a lipstick. You can build the gloss to get a more intense color payoff and it still feels good on the lips.

The applicator is a doe-foot but has an indent curve that hugs your lips, giving you a great application.

One major point I want to point out is if you were never a fan of the tarte LipSurgence chubby pencils because of the minty scent - which for some reason a lot of people hate - you'll be relieved and excited to hear that these glosses don't have that mint scent or taste. In fact, they hardly have any scent at all. If anything, maybe a hint of vanilla - and it's a very faint hint.

Out of the three shades I have - Flush, Blushing Bride, Park Ave. Princess - I wear Blushing Bride the most, followed by Flush. I don't reach for Park Ave. Princess much because the other two are non-shimmers, where as Park Ave. Princess does have shimmer and I feel it looks better topped on a lipstick, at least on my skintone.

These glosses have lived in my purse because they are the perfect no-thought gloss - especially the shade Blushing Bride, which is a great purse shade because it will go with anything.

As far as tarte's shade descriptions, I think they're close to being accurate to how I would describe them. For example, they describe Flush as a berry rose but I'd describe Flush as a medium bright rose pink.

They describe Blushing Bride as a mauve pink, where as I'd describe it as a your lips but better pinky nude (and we all know the "your lips but better" phrase is subjective to your own natural lip color).

They describe Park Ave. Princess as a radiant bronze, but on my lips it's more of a very sheer beige nude with golden shimmer.

Also, I want to point out that Flush is more bright in tone than what the lip swatch is showing; it's definitely closer to how the hand swatch shows it.

I guess the only con I could point out is the price tag - at $19 a piece it can be hard to invest in a gloss that isn't full-on pigmentation. There are some drugstore products comparable in shade and maybe even slightly in feel, but I haven't found anything exact, at least not in my collection.

I really like these glosses and look forward to hopefully seeing a set of them during the holidays (maybe... please tarte do this?!!).

Now let me know what you think...

What do you think of these lip glosses? What shade is your favorite? Have you tried them or are they on your beauty wish list? Discuss in the comments below.

Laura Geller - Cool Lids in Silver Sands, Bronze Beauty: pics, swatches, review

Hello, Beautiful!

If you're looking for a gorgeous metallic eye, then I think you'll really love the Laura Geller Cool Lids Cream Eyeshadow. As a bonus, these shadows cool lids on contact! I have two shades to share with you in this post - one that I absolutely love, Shimmering Sands, and the other that is just a pretty bronze, Bronze Beauty.

Check out all the product info, along with my full review, after the pics!

Laura Geller Cool Lids Cream Eyeshadow
Shades: Shimmering Sands, Bronze Beauty
Continue scrolling down to see more pics of each individual shade.

 

Laura Geller Cool Lids Cream Eyeshadow
Shade: Shimmering Sands

Laura Geller Cool Lids Cream Eyeshadow
Shade: Bronze Beauty

Laura Geller Cool Lids Cream Eyeshadow Info & Review:

Cost/Availability: $19.00 (0.3 fl oz full size). Available on the Laura Geller website, at Ulta, on the Birchbox store, and everywhere else Laura Geller is sold. QVC also sells a 3-pack (shades Silver Sands, Opal Oyster, Lavender Lagoon) for $34.56.

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Kisses

Product Info...

Capturing the alluring beauty of the sea, Laura Geller introduces Cool Lids Cream Eyeshadow, a lightweight cream formula that deposits water-rich color in neutral, ocean-inspired shades. These easy-to-use eyeshadows cool on contact and dry to a transfer-proof, shimmering wet-look finish.

Currently available in 6 shades.

• Silver Sands: cool khaki
• Bronze Beauty: warm copper
• Rose Gold Goddess: soft quartz
• Lavender Lagoon: neutral violet
• Opal Oyster: silvery taupe
• Mermaid Marine: shimmering teal

My Review...

These remind me a lot of the Rimmel Cool Touch Shadow - anyone remember those? They remind me of those shadows in the way they feel cooling on the lids and they have a similar texture -- but the Laura Geller Cool Lids are a grown up, way better version - both in shade selection and performance.

Upon first application they do provide a nice cooling sensation - which is great in the warmer months for that extra bit of "ahhh". The cooling feeling of course goes away, so it's not going to keep you cool for hours on end, or even past several minutes - but it is a nice touch. I find that if I have puffy eyes (such as from crying), these shadows feel soooo soothing on my lids.

They have a nice smooth creamy texture that is buildable. I prefer to apply these with my fingers, but I have used a brush before -- fingertip application is definitely my preferred application method. These are great on their own or as a shadow base.

They are pricey at $19 a piece, so the QVC 3-piece bundle is the cheapest way to go if you want to to try more than one shade. The only other shade I'd really like to try is Opal Oyster.

I have two shades: Silver Sands and Bronze Beauty.

Silver Sands is for sure my favorite of the two shades. Just a really pretty taupey metallic shade. It has a mix of silver, taupe, gray and champagne all together. If there is one shade you try, let is be Silver Sands. I think it will compliment a lot of different skintones and will pull slightly different in hue depending on your skintone due to how dimensional the shade can be.

Bronze Beauty is really pretty bronze, but I find it a bit too warm - a bit orange copper on me, but it may pull differently on you. I still have used it on its own and under other shadow and was able to get a really pretty eye look.

Both these shades are pretty metallic - so if you're not into that kind of look then these are not for you. But if you do like a metallic look on the eye, then you'll fall in love with these. Super quick and easy to get a stunning metallic look!

Now let me know what you think...

What do you think of this product? Have you tried this or is this on your beauty wish list? Discuss in the comments below.

Votre Vu - Vu-On Rouge Sheer Moisture Color Accent for Lips & Face: pics, swatches, review

Hello, Beautiful!

In this post I'm going to share with you a product that really impressed me, and I think I was so impressed because I typically really dislike this type of product  - especially when used on my lips - but I found this product to be a winner! The product I'm talking about is the Votre Vu Vu-On Rouge Sheer Moisture Color Accent for Lips & Face. This is one of those 2-in-1 sticks that you can use as a cream blush or as a lip color. Since I'm not a fan of cream blushes, I only use this type of product on my lips (even if I test it on my cheeks for review purposes, I never end up using it for blush). Normally this type of product feels dry, thick, or just plain weird on the lips, which in turn means I end up never using it. However, when I put the Votre Vu one on my lips I was pleasantly surprised - both by the color and the feel! Check out my full review, along with the product info, after the pics!

Votre Vu - Vu-On Rouge
Sheer Moisture Color Accent for Lips & Face
Shade: Ma Cherry (1120-02)

 

Votre Vu Vu-On Rouge Sheer Moisture Color Accent for Lips & Face Info & Review:

Cost/Availability: $29.00 -- $20.30 Brand Ambassador price (0.28 oz full size). Available on the Votre Vu website. For more details on their Brand Ambassador program scroll to the bottom of this post.

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Kisses

Product Info...

Your skin takes stage with a kick of color from Vu-On Rouge Sheer Moisture Tint. Just a simple swish of this multi-tasking pop-up stick bestows a fetching and flirty flush to cheeks, lips, lids and facial contours.

Blended with hydrating shea and exotic antioxidant-rich mango seed butters, Vu's ravishing rouge spreads smoothly over skin, creating a dewy luster and irresistible airbrushed finish. Without creasing or caking, this long-wearing plant based pigment evokes renewed vitality to your visage and wouldn't dare settle into fine lines. Skin-conditioning jojoba and castor seed oils step in for a finished formula that naturally flatters, stabilizes and protects.

Available in 4 shades. The shades and their descriptions, as listed on the Votre Vu website, are listed below.

• Ma Cherry: a sweet and classic cherry blue-red hue that becomes every skin tone.
• French Tulip: a cheerful warm and naturally flattering bronze-peach glow de l'ete.
• Bouquet Rose: a delicate, cool and romantic pale pink that will warm hearts with its barely-there beauty.
• Amourette: a neutral mid-tone pink that brightens every complexion with a dreamy summer-crush flush.

My Review...

As I stated at the top of this post, I normally hate the way this type of product feels on the lips. I know a lot of people are big fans of cream blushes, but it's just not my jam. I definitely prefer a powder blush anytime, anywhere. So when I do have this type of 2-in-1 product, made for cheeks and lips, I only end up using it on my lips. Sure, I'll often test it out on my cheeks for review purposes, but I never ever wear it out on my cheeks and I'll explain why later in this review.

Even though a lot of the products similar to this that I've tried can have really pretty colors, and even look nice on the lips, it's how they feel that often makes me not want to actually use them on the lips -- which in turn makes the entire product useless to me.

I find they often feel dry, thick, even a bit paste-like on the lips. Just really not moisturizing or comfortable at all. This product, however, felt really good going onto my lips! I can best describe it as a water-like gel feeling. It was very weightless and thin, yet creamy and smooth.

The color does look a lot darker in the tube than it will look on your cheeks blended out, or on your lips. This shade in particular, Ma Cherry, is described as a sweet and classic cherry blue-red hue that becomes every skin tone. I find that on my lips I can get this to look really natural - like a perfect pink, just gorgeous shade. It can go deeper to a more berry shade, that is equally as pretty. In the swatch photos above, it's shown with a lighter application but it can go as dark as a berry red shade on me. I find lip products like this pull a little different in color on everyone depending on your own natural lip hue.

The way I think I like to apply this best is when it's a bit warmed up, so either I'll rub this onto the back of my hand (which is the messier way about it) and rub my finger back and forth to warm it up, then apply straight to my lips with my finger. I find this method just melts it in even better. You don't have to warm it up on the back of your hand either - you could just let it sit in a sunny spot by a window while you get ready or near a light that may be close to where you get ready, or just rub your finger on the product itself until it becomes softer and creamier. You can of course apply directly from the tube, but keep in mind this is a chubby stick of color so you won't get the best precision and you'll still need to use your finger or a lip brush to blend it out to the edges of your lips and make it look good.

The texture of this product is very creamy and gel-like. It does have a lot of pigmentation, so a little will go a long way. As far as scent goes, there is a scent but I couldn't really specify what it was. I think it may be a cherry vanilla scent - but don't take my word for that. It's a light scent, so it won't be over whelming either way.

Even though the product applies and feels the best on my lips out of any similar product that I've tried, it's by no means a magic lip balm or overly moisturizing. You may feel like you want to apply a lip balm or gloss over top once it kind of dries down a bit and sets in. It will just depend on your type of lips and level of dryness.

Because this shade in particular can pull a bit more darker berry pink on me, and sometimes even pull red, I do think I would like to try another shade - specifically the Amourette! But I do really like this shade, especially applied with a lighter touch. As you can see from the swatch photos, it's just a really gorgeous pink shade that is very natural and effortless.

Unfortunately, because I don't use cream cheek products, I can't speak about how it applies or performs on the cheeks. Sometimes I do test them out for reviews, but right now my cheeks are really broken out and cream blushes really look horrible over top of blemishes. Maybe in the future when my breakouts are gone or not on my cheeks I can try this out again, as well as other cream cheek products, but for now this will be just used on my lips.

They do say you can use this on your eyelids and facial contours as well, but a shade like this just doesn't work for eyelids or contour. Maybe one of the other shades - like French Tulip - would work for contour, and that I would give a go because I do like cream contour products from time to time (that type of shade doesn't make blemishes appear redder or pinker in tone). I've never liked these type of products for eyelids though.

If you do like this kind of 2-in-1 product, then I do think you'd really enjoy this one. It has a fantastic formula, feels better than any other similar 2-in-1 cheek/lip product I've used, and I was really pleased with this Ma Cherry shade.




Votre Vu Brand Ambassador -- CLICK HERE for more details.
Please Note: I am NOT a Votre Vu Brand Ambassador; I simply want to provide those details for anyone interested.

• Sign up for as little as $199
• Receive $400 to $1,000 in top selling products when you sign-up; you get to pick your pak!
• Always enjoy a 30% discount on all purchases.
• Every 3rd (and most expensive) item is 50% off retail on every order.
• Enjoy amazing monthly Brand Ambassador product specials.
• Receive extra rewards for referring others to become Brand Ambassadors!

Now let me know what you think...

What do you think of this lip and cheek product? Have you tried this or is this on your beauty wish list? Discuss in the comments below.