LIP Year 2014



Hands down of all the beauty products that came out last year both high end and drugstore, lip products were definitely the boss of 2014! And I want to share with you my reviews and opinions of the different lip products I've purchased, tried and fell in love with  the past 12 months.

*LIP MOISTURIZERS/BALMS

My personal favorites are the Christian Dior Creme de Rose Smoothing Plumping Lip Balm $28.00, Rosebud Perfume Co. Minted Rose Lip Balm $7.00,  Rosebud Perfume Co. Rosebud Salve $6.00 and the most convenient and affordable Carmex Healing Lip Balm.

 

CD Crème de Rose is the most expensive I bought at Sephora but OMG it is well worth the money because I feel it is a treatment that conditions and keeps your lips hydrated the whole  day without drying, it applies silky smooth and is non-sticky. I love using this as a prep before applying lipstick. Though it does not plump my lips, which really does not matter nor do I feel I need it, I am just so satisfied with how it treats my lips and it smells so pretty! The two RPC lip balms are my next loved which I purchased also at Sephora, they are much more affordable in comparison to Crème de Rose but also provides the same benefits. The only thing I have to say about the application is that they have a slippery finish on the lips due to the petroleum and oils in them. I use these as an evening lip mask before bed. Lastly my oldie-but-a-goodie favorite throughout the year  especially for change of seasons  is the Carmex brand  which you can purchase (if you live in the US) pretty much anywhere like at Target, CVS, Walmart, Costco and Walgreens. This product to me is a lot similar to the Crème de Rose when it comes to the finish, applies smooth and is not slippery but it does have a minty or tingly feel, it also treats and heals lips from dryness.

*LIP LINERS
NYX: Pinky, Mauve and Dolly Pink
Jordana: Baby Berry, Rock n' Rose, Plush Plum and Sedona Red
Rimmel London: Natural, Tiramisu and Café Au Lait

The brands I've been using are from Nyx Cosmetics, Jordana and Rimmel London. All are available in the drugstore except for NYX which you can purchase at Ulta or similar beauty supply stores or Target. Overall I love that they are affordable but have awesome quality, they create really good definition to the lips and blend well with any lipstick in my opinion. I've gone through other brands but love these the most.

*Wishlist: Mac lip pencil in Whirl and Soar




*HIGH END/LUXURY LIPSTICKS

Nars Audacious Lipstick ANNA

love the dusty rose/mauve pigmentation, creamy, matte finish. MY FAVE OF ALL!

Gerard Cosmetics Lipsticks in 1995, Nude and Tequila Sunrise


discovered these last year and so impressed with the coverage, finish and wear of these lippies

Too Faced MELTED Liquified long wear lipstick

Melted Peony, Melted Nude, Melted Fig and Melted Berry
-  unique precision tip applicator that dispenses product, has a light weight, creamy moisturizing matte finish
and is super pigmented.

 

MAC Cosmetics Lipsticks in Kinda Sexy and Please Me

both are matte finish, a tad drying  but extremely pigmented and doesn't budge

Bite Beauty Matte Creme Lip Crayon in Glace

OMG this color brings me back to the 90's and is a sure win Kylie Jenner lip color! Mauve/pink/brown color with a soft satin finish.

Hikari Lipstick in Cabernet

I got this in one of my Ipsy bags and is a rich berry/maroon color in person. Ultra pigmented and super long wear, leaves the lips stained even when some of the product wipes off. Creamy/satin finish.

 

Tarte Amazonian Butter Lipsticks Angelic Nude and Plummy Rose

glides on silky smooth with sheer but buildable color

 

And lastly the YSL Rouge Volupte Shine color 8 Pink In Confidence


this is such a beautiful shimmery nude pink color, applies silky though it is a bit slippery for my liking; this is definitely a gorgeous everyday lip color! 

 

 



around $5 each at Ulta

*DRUGSTORE LIPSTICKS

In this category NYX owned my year and I did not use any other brand for majority of 2014. They are definitely of high quality and pigmentation, affordable and do not dry the lips. My personal picks are their Matte lipsticks in  Natural, Aubrey, Sable and Perfect Red and YASSS I've found my favorite red lipstick in this brand, and one Butter lipstick in Candy Buttons. To me these matte lipsticks are just as good as MAC, if not, even better only because when applied alone they do no dry out the lips, they are matte but a slight demi matte finish.

 

LIP CREAMS/GLOSSES/LACQUERS

Buxom Full-On Lip Cream in White Russian

Buxom Full-On Lip Polish in Dolly

bareMinerals Marvelous Moxie Buttercream Flirty Mauve

Laura Mercier Lip Glace  in Rose

ALL are moisturizing and non sticky. I especially love the Laura Mercier lip glace, it smells like pastry!

NYX Butter Glosses Crème Brulee, Apple Strudel, Peaches and Cream, Merengue, Tiramisu 

NYX Butter Gloss = gloss HEAVEN!

these glosses have superb quality and are budget friendly to ladies new to makeup, an awesome addition to any makeup collection!

Let me just say that these glosses are so yummy, so sweet smelling that you literally want to eat them! It is like having buttercream icing right at your nose at all times. They feel so good on the lips, are not slippery or sticky at all, they apply silky smooth and the most important thing... they do not dry your lips.  Have you noticed the trend of my lippie picks yet? :)

Rimmel London Show Off Lip Lacquer and I picked up Galaxy and Aurora

GREAT drugstore product just as affordable as NYX, smells equally sweet with extreme color pay off

I was quite surprised at the pigmentation of this product.  One swipe offers generous color pay off and is a creamy satin finish to the lips. I bought these at Walgreens for about $5.

Ultimately what's important is knowing what benefits your lips like products that are moisturizing and helps keep hydration. Consider the wear of the product and the formulation that is does not create dryness over time. Regarding lip balms just make sure what you buy  protects, conditions and heals the skin. Also consider products that contain natural or all-natural ingredients. Bite Beauty lip products for example are made of food grade materials and claims to be edible.

 

Being beautiful also means taking care of your skin by being mindful of what the product contains :)  

catmac_ on Instagram

 

 

EMPTIES (Products I've Gone Through Recently) | Fall Edition

Ladies let's be real,  when it comes to products that work or are affordable... we're all ears! We want to know who's using what, where to buy them, how much and does it really work. I put together some stuff that I have used up and nearly finished the past few months, also wanted to share my two cents about these brands.

Products: Pond's, FRESH, Neutrogena, Equate, Lancome

I've been using the Neutrogena brand makeup remover towelettes for a while before trying the Walmart equivalent - the Equate brand. Neutrogena makes it quick and easy to wipe off makeup with a few swipes and passes on the face even with stubborn eyeliner and mascara. The only downside is that there are only 25 counts per pack versus Equate which has 40 counts, not to mention the price difference where Equate costs less by a few dollars but contains nearly twice as much more product. However, while going through the Equate brand I found that the clothes weren't as moist in comparison to the Neutrogena ones. But I realized that as you get towards the end of the pack, the actual makeup remover liquid that soaks the towelettes is more apparent which makes cleansing way more efficient. So it's best to invert the Equate pack several times before using to ensure the entire contents have absorbed the liquid.

Pond's Cold Cream - gently massage over the face with your fingers and use a damp wash cloth (preferably warm to hot) to wipe of any residue that the towelettes may have left behind especially around the eye area. This  is an awesome step to follow afterwards because you can be sure that you have truly gotten rid of nearly everything that would clog your pores.

Fresh Soy Face Cleanser - best used with a spin brush to exfoliate the face, leaves the skin fresh, smooth and is nondrying. This is a high end brand and can be purchased at Sephora, I got the travel size for $16 near the check out counter.

Lancome Bifacil liquid makeup remover - contains oil and liquid components that melts makeup easily with the use of a cotton pad. Can be purchased at department stores. Mine was included in a gift set with a $35 purchase at Macy's, I was able to sample this product and am quite satisfied.   

WHERE to find: local drugstores and beauty supplies (CVS, Walgreens, Ulta Beauty... etc.), Target, Walmart and department stores (Sephora, Macy's and Nordstroms)

Christian Dior, Josie Maran, VO5, Neutrogena

The only lip product that I consider a treatment in this photo is the Christian Dior Creme de Rose Smoothing and Plumping lip balm. I personally don't think that this has plumped up my lips but that was not the reason why I purchased it in the first place. Upon hearing several raves about this on YouTube I went ahead and got this at Sephora because I wanted to see if it would smoothen out my lips - because HELLO dry and cracked lips  are my problem. I was pleasantly surprised that it actually did very well locking moisture in and each time I use this I rarely experience peeling on my lips. This too, is a pricey brand (around $30) but is well worth the money especially because you will not go through this quickly. Once you put it on it helps retain your lips healthy, normal suppleness and condition that you will need not reapply constantly.

V05 Hot Oil Therapy and Neutrogena Triple Moisture - the 2 products I use for maintenance and hair care because I don't keep schedule on trimming my hair and because I blow dry my hair every other day I also want to bring back moisture and somehow help in preventing hair loss. I use the V05 Hot Oil all over my scalp and mainly the roots of my hair, and the Neutrogena moisture treatment is mainly for the ends of my hair to rebuild and protect it from heat damage.

Josie Maran Argan Oil - this to me is an "all around" product that you can use as a face and body moisturizer and a hair care treatment as well because it is light and is easily absorbed that it doesn't leave you with an oily film over the body or giving your hair a greasy looky. It provides just the right shine that looks absolutely healthy!

Where to find: Sephora, online, local drugstores and beauty supplies.

Ecopure Essential Kiwi Juice - I wish there were English translations on the back of this packaging, I sure am curious as to what other ingredients this product has... like if it is all natural or made of organic ingredients. Anyhow it was a rejuvenating mask to use, it is a cloth mask that is soaked in kiwi juice that you leave on you face for several minutes and when removed, just massage the left over liquid on you face till it is entirely absorbed. It is refreshing and best used during your night cleansing routine just before bedtime. Unfortunately this was given to me so I do not know where to purchase this :(

AMIRA, Ecopure, Michael Todd True Organics

Amira Clarifying Toner and Michael Todd True Organics Blue Green Algae antibacterial toner - these two toners I love because of their restorative and healing properties. The Amira toner contains witch hazel extract that is known for several healing benefits to the skin. And the MTTO toner is awesome for acne treatment, especially during that time of the month when suddenly a zit appears or seems to be forming. Both are gentle and nondrying. 

Where to find: Seafood City and online. Michael Todd True Organics are quite generous with discount deals on Groupon and Living Social.

Bath and Body Works, Spring Valley, Boscia

Last but not the least... I purchased the Bath and Body Works Black Currant Vanilla body wash in Sensual that leaves you smelling and feeling extra "special" when you get out the shower. It is a treat for the senses and leaves you feeling silky smooth. Fish Oil gels have been a long time supplement I've used to help boost the health of my skin and hair. Boscia Greentea blotting sheets have been a life saver when it comes to eliminating and absorbing oil on my face throughout the day and helps prevent overuse of face powders. Blotting first before retouching can aid in avoiding clogged pores hence reduce blackheads and whiteheads. Lastly, the one product non beauty is the lens cleanser I've been using to clean the LCD of my phone. I never thought of using this until I read the label and saw it indicate that it is formulated for glass, which is what the NOTE 3 screen is made of. 

Where to find: Mall, online, supermarket, Sephora and local optometry offices.

Haul plus Product Review (Michael Todd True Organics) - Summer Skincare Routine

Hope ya'll are enjoying summer! I've been meaning to post product reviews on my blog especially when something works for you, if the product is great then talking about it and recommending it to others may be the best help you can offer someone with the same or similar situation you are in. My skincare routine has changed since the  past year and have taken the natural or organic route in taking care of face. This whole summer this is how my complexion has been spending it's time...

http://www.michaeltoddtrueorganics.com/

 

I first got to sample one of their products - the Jojoba Charcoal Facial Scrub - thru one of my monthly Ipsy bag subscriptions last year. It has a spa-like scent, very pleasant and soothing. I especially love how it is not harsh at all on the face. I first started with the Discovery kit for Anti-Aging and just loved how it worked for me that I ended up sharing it with my teenage son who was going through the breakout phase since it helped clear my complexion. I felt he could benefit as well from this kit. I then purchased the Discovery Kit for Acne or Oily Skin, which suits me better because I do have oily skin. Through these Discovery Kits I've found a better way to cleanse, heal and prevent further damage to my skin as I age. I was hooked once I noticed my skin's improvement the very next day! I've never encountered a skincare product that yields results within days let alone hours. I typically have to use the item for at least 7-10 days to see it's effects or minimal results. This line made a TRUE big impression on me!

All the products in the photo above worked great for my skin type but I especially love the benefits of their Clear Bi Light! This technology is something I thought I could never afford but when my sister  purchased her Bi Light through a special promo, I waited for it to come again and finally got mine! #happyshopper

The blue light helped eliminate germ causing acne or blemishes and the red light increased the healing process of my skin due to promoting circulation in the treated area. All the products worked well together and I highly recommend this system.

Love your skin, treat with a quality skincare line that uses organic ingredients and promotes it's benefits. No one wants to damage their skin by applying all kinds of chemicals on it, sure there are other companies out there that have the same claims on their products but are more costly. Michael Todd True Organics offers the benefits of natural components with the technology that makes sense and is within consumers reach.

If you are a working mom like me and are on a budget, I suggest you sign up for Living Social and download the app. Michael Todd True Organics has promos or sales from time to time but it helps to have that extra discount #LetsBeReal

Beauty Buys (February - March 2014)

Since the beginning of this year I've slowly been putting together my own collection of beauty products. Last week I uploaded 2 videos on my YouTube channel and they are both beauty hauls - drugstore makeup and high end makeup products.

I have just been loving several beauty items I have purchased at CVS, Walgreens and Walmart. Here's a list of products in my drugstore video haul:

Physicians Formula Super BB All-in-1 Beauty Balm Compact Cream sfp30
Rimmel London Stay Matte Pressed Powder
Neutrogena Triple Moisture Deep Recovery Hair Mask
Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Dark Circles Concealer
Elf angled eyeliner brush
Maybelline The Falsies Volume Express mascara
Flower Sheer Up Lip Tint
Flower Lip Suede Velvet Lip Chubby

Investing in high-end makeup of great quality is also something I've been treating myself to and also showed in this following video. Here's a list of some Ulta Beauty and Sephora products I purchsed:

::ULTA::
*NYX Matte lipsticks (Natural, Audrey, Sable), Butter lipstick (Candy Buttons), Soft Matte Lipstick (Zurich and Milan)
*Anastasia Beverly Hills dipbrow pomade in Ebony + tweezers, pencil sharpener and dual ended brush with spooley
*Tarte Butter lipstick (Angelic Nude and Plummy Rose)

::SEPHORA::
*Honey roll on fragrance by Marc Jacobs
*Buxom Go Nude lipstick and lip cream/gloss
*Benefit That Gal and the Porefessional primers and Gal Meets Pearl luminizer
*Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blushes: Mood Exposure & Diffused Heat

I posted some photos on my IG: catmac_, drop by and check them out!