A MUFE Orange Lip - The Red Lip Alternative

Today at work was a bright-lip type of day, so in order to pull off the perfect punch of an orange lip I needed my trusty trio of Make Up For Ever: Aqua Cream, Aqua Lip 17C, and Rouge Artist Lipstick 40. I bought this group of products a long time ago and have since worn this look many a time, but today was finally the day to put it in writing!

World, ORANGE IS THE BEST RED!

Makeup For Ever Aqua Cream Waterproof for Lips and Cheeks

First, after foundation, I mixed in a touch of this bright orange/golden shimmer Aqua Cream with what product remained on my hand and blended with my fingers onto the apples of my cheeks; the touch of similar color makes the lip a little less "Holy Smokes," I think.

jane. Camisole LipKick Lipstick

$5.99 for 0.12oz

Well, it's...ok. Since Camisole is such a light and sheer color, it's very difficult to really judge how well it works as a full-blown beauty product. Allow me to clarify that: Camisole is a golden, sheer, relatively moisturizing lipstick that doesn't hold on but doesn't slip off the lips. It fades pretty quickly because it's original impact of color is so subtle, so I can't tell that it works better than a sub-par shimmery balm.

jane. Camisole LipKick indoors

All that said, the price is not that high, and for those ladies that have a very strict comfort-zone policy with their lip colors, jane Camisole LipKick will not be a stretch or a disappointment. You will definitely get a glow, but not much more.

jane. Camisole LipKick indoors

Beauty Newb Rating: 3 stars (so-so, nothing special--bad or good)
Available at janecosmetics.com, but be aware the company has overhauled a lot of its products and packaging.

Dior Dior Addict Lipstick in Basic

 $30.00 for 0.12oz

While the photo above that tries to capture the beauty of this packaging may be sub-par, the product inside is anything but! Dior Dior Addict Lipstick is about as smooth and buttery as lipsticks can get, and since it is Dior and they do promise shine, you get incredible, flawless, luminous shine from this little (albeit very expensive tube).

Dior Addict Lipstick in Basic 253; daylight

 I lost my tube of Basic for about a month after a haphazard purse change, missing it almost daily, and can't really think of a more comfortable thing to wear on my lips. I think I like this even more than balm! ::shouts of For Shame in the air:: However, I won't be starting a collection of hundreds of colors in this formula because the price-point is steep, even for my junkie standards.

Dior Addict Lipstick in Basic 253; daylight

Fresh Sugar Rose Lip Treatment

$22.50 for 0.15oz/4.3g

Love Love Love, oh yeah, Love Love Love!

I am flying high after last weeks bout with flaky, dry, cracking lips all because of this smooth, long lasting balm with a flush of rosy color that makes spring feel close enough to kiss. It has a fresh lemony scent and no waxy heaviness. This balm melts into skin quickly but clings on through meals even, lasting about 6-7 hours.

Basically, I'm hardcore in love with Fresh Sugar Rose and so is my friend who went to Sephora with me. To be honest, I'm having trouble not overusing this because I love the smell and feel of application. So worth it!

Lately, a lot more variations of this lip treatment have come up, including a Coral version that has me drooling for a swipe on my pucker!

Beauty Newb Rating: ✪✪✪✪✪ (you get about as much as a generous lipstick)
Available at Sephora stores and online; I've also noticed it on Birchbox.

jane. Tangerine Liquid Lip Color

$5.99 for 0.17 oz

So jane. Cosmetics are turning out to be a rather big miss-brand to me in general; their tints are way off the mark, the foundation is a disaster, and I haven't the heart to discuss the eye pencil yet. However, the jane. Liquid Lip Color is proving to be a diamond in the rough.

jane. is an inexpensive brand that was even further discounted on Hautelook a while back, so I bit the bullet and got a handful of things (probably totaling around $20-25). I was so damn excited that I immediately opened a bunch of it and smeared it on my face, thinking "what could go wrong." Um, something tells me I really should not have done that...

Tangerine Liquid Lip Color is a very bright orange-red gloss with high pigmentation. In the tube, it looks far more red than orange, but on the lips this could be an absolute "safe" color for those who love the idea of bright orange lips but can't/don't feel ready to pull it off.

MAC Sweet Sunrise Lustre Lipstick from Naturally Collection

$14.50 for 3g/ 0.1 oz

 If you've had any interest in buying this lipstick and you can still find it, YOU BUY THIS LIPSTICK NOW. Short, sweet, and to the point, it's not drying, delivers good pigmentation, and lasts about three hours. MAC Lustre Sweet Sunrise Lipstick is ultra flattering and sold out almost everywhere, so go hunt it down...seriously, go, now, allons-y!

MAC Sweet Sunrise in mixed daylight and indoor

Wearing MAC Sweet Sunrise, Hard Candy Tiki on lids, Covergirl LashBlast Fusion Mascara, Nars Douceur Blush, and MAC Studio Fix Powder Plus Foundation in N3

Wearing MAC Sweet Sunrise, Hard Candy Tiki on lids, Covergirl LashBlast Fusion Mascara, Nars Douceur Blush, and MAC Studio Fix Powder Plus Foundation in N3

Wearing MAC Sweet Sunrise, Hard Candy Tiki on lids, Covergirl LashBlast Fusion Mascara, Nars Douceur Blush, and MAC Studio Fix Powder Plus Foundation in N3

Elizabeth Arden Exceptional Lipstick in Four Beautiful Shades

$19.50 each for 0.14oz/4g

On Elizabeth Arden's website, these lipsticks are described very simply as "Exceptional in every way. A creamy, long-wearing lipstick with staying power and shine. One coat is just enough," and I concur entirely with this description. Elizabeth Arden Exceptional Lipsticks are buttery smooth with glide-on texture that's not moisturizing but not drying. Most of the colors I own have the ability to stain the lips gently over their wear-time, so I get a good 4-5 hours of color from each. All of the four colors below are more wearable than I thought they would be from the look in the tube, and I attribute this to being medium-to-opaque coverage formulas which helps a tiny bit of your lips and skin tone come through and match your face. I love these because the color is still true to the tube yet looks luminous and naturally fits on the lips, a rare combination for me and my skin!

Elizabeth Arden Coraline Exceptional Lipstick

Coraline, a gorgeous pure pink-coral with golden sheen, is the bolder, slightly lighter sister of Honey Blush, which makes Coraline more frequently wearable to me personally. Since I have lighter skin for Coraline, Honey Blush (below) is something I would choose for medium-to-dark complexions for a similarly brightening effect without such a strong sheen. The same tones are in both, Honey Blush just has a touch more brown in the base.

Lotus Lip Stick in Rosebud

$15.00 for 4.5g/0.16oz

Alright, as some of you may remember when I got this, I need to explain that this review has been delayed because I lost this lipstick. I found it during my spring cleaning of late, but I have had to retest the product for review. It's a tough job, you know, putting on lipstick and just watching it fade during the day, but someone's got to do it!

Lotus Lipstick is certified organic and comes in several different shades. I tested out the Citizen Kane color Rosebud (hope I didn't just ruin that movie for anyone) and am really excited to where this religiously come fall. The formula is super thick and creamy, so exfoliating the lips the night before wearing is seriously advised otherwise you will have a flaky looking lip when in reality it's just dry. As some of you might find this to be a turn-off, let me remind you of something: women wore lipstick like this for decades before sheer, balmy formulas were around, and it looked just fine if not amazing! You could also wear a balm underneath to thin it out and keep some moisture on you lips for the day.

Bobbi Brown Rich Lip Color SPF 12 in Sweet Nectar

$22.00 for 0.13oz/3.8g

I had been lusting after this lip color for about a month before it ever hit shelves. What I like in particular is that you can have the full coverage of a lipstick with the sun protection of an SPF balm. Bobbi Brown Rich Lip Color stands out to me because of how thick and pigmented it is while still being smooth and non-drying to lips. Granted, this will show lines on thin or non-plump lippies, but give your lips a good exfoliation with your toothbrush and watch the color smother you in luxury!

Bobbi Brown Sweet Nectar on lips, Sonia Kashuk Sweet Nothings Palette on eyes, and e.l.f. Flushed on cheeks

I have several photos wearing this Sweet Nectar color, described as a peach coral on BobbiBrowncosmetics.com, because as gorgeous as it is, and regardless of how much I love it, I have a lot of trouble trying to make this look appropriate without overdoing the rest of the look. If I wear much eyeshadow at all, or a color slightly off, the whole thing makes me look drag queen-y. My solution has been to wear more of a heavy eyeliner, cat-eye look in order to look polished and balanced.

e.l.f. Luscious Liquid Lipstick in Baby Lips

$1.00 for 0.05 oz/1.5g

Yet again, EyesLipsFace shocks me with a value I really didn't expect from $1.  It's as if I literally forget how much I love a lot of e.l.f. products and sit in Target (or at the computer) thinking "oh, I don't need to be spending a dollar, or three, on ____" when it should be clear to me now that, um, yeah, it's totally worth it!

e.l.f. Liquid Lipstick in Baby Lips in daylight

My initial worry was mainly the applicator at the tip of this lipstick. It is a little difficult to put my finger on why I thought the applicator would be tricky, but I think it's about the same reason I hesitate in getting too many Hypershine Glosses at the same time--hygiene and germs. The applicator does sit relatively exposed underneath the cap instead of being a pull-out wand (I have no source to say that either is more hygienic). This mostly poses problems for makeup artists and the use of this on more than one person; for personal use, I see nothing wrong.

Aveda Nourish-Mint Sheer Mineral Lip Color in 202 Sheer Mandarin

Part Eight for Build*A*Look #1: Backlit Beauty

Aveda Lip Color in Sheer Mandarin; $15.00 for 0.12oz/3.4g

Sometimes, people are really insincere when talking about how the products from a line they work for/with are, but in absolute honesty, I am impressed with Aveda. Because the line (the whole company) revolves around the active and majority plant and flower ingredients, some of the makeup/color line is limited by what those ingredients can do. For example, the wear-time takes a dive on some of the lip colors and eyeshadows. Here's how you fix the eyeshadow problem--wear a primer! It's that simple. Now to the lip colors.

Aveda Lip Color Sheer Mandarin in daylight

Oddly enough, I couldn't care less that Nourish-Mint Lip Color doesn't last over two hours because my lips have not felt this healthy in all the years I was a lip balm addict. That could be because none of the Aveda products contain petroleum or products thereof, so the natural goodness gives everything to my lips and takes nothing away. (So, to emphasize, this Sheer Mandarin is doing the same good stuff as Raspberry Tea Lip Glaze does.)

Yes, I Like Simplicity - Pixi Lip & Line in Fresh Pink

$18.00 for 0.051 oz

I'd like to start by calling this product on some BS, as I consider it. On the packaging is a blurb that reads:
"This anti-aging, stay-on lipstick & lip contouring, anti-feathering liner is our ultimate lip must-have. Keeping to our Pixi tradition to simplify and beautify, this lip duo makes life so much easier. Never again will you have to try to match you lip liner to your favorite lipstick or vice versa. Contains Vitamin E & C to treat and protect lips."

First, I doubt (but cannot prove) that this lipstick has any anti-aging properties. Second, it's true that these lippies match up perfectly, but whether there are enough colors for you to be satisfied or that look right on you is another story. Third, and this wasn't stated in the description but by the blurb from Petra, the lines designer, these may be long lasting but are not "very moisturizing;" this Lip & Line could actually be the most drying or dry-feeling lippie I own. All that said, I really like this.

Pixi Lip & Line in Fresh Pink - Lip side

Pixi Lip & Line in Fresh Pink - Line side

Beat the Frost with Summer - Rimmel Moisture Renew Lipstick in Summer Angel

Rimmel Summer Angel Moisture Renew Lipstick SPF 18

This, ladies and gents, was a pleasant surprise I brought back from CVS several months ago. I wore it constantly for a month or so and then tried to push the box and go a bit darker for fall and winter. I didn't ever get much darker but more moved on to obsessive collecting of new products. Tons of new stuff later, I am again surprised when revisiting this.

First, the awesome: the color of this is a rosy beige with silver-frost finish and this lasts about 3-4 hours on me. My lips do feel moist while I wear it, but they don't feel moisturized after this lipstick wears off. In that sense, it doesn't seem to be imparting any moisture into my lips, just on top of them.

Rimmel Moisture Renew Summer Angel in daylight

e.l.f. Mineral Lipstick - Hit by Way of Smooth Formula

e.l.f Mineral Lipsticks in Nicely Nude (front) and Runway Pink (back)

Dude, I'm not going to lie; right now I do not feel so good. Worse yet, I have an admissions interview for the Aveda school tomorrow morning and really can't be crap, much less feel like it. Grrr. Also, I really didn't want to fall behind on E.L.F. Week. I've been working really hard to do 3-4 posts a day to cover everything on time, but I guess I left enough time to move one or two to Saturday before the recap and recommendations post. Whatever, drink tea, drink tea, sleep, repeat. I'm on it.

e.l.f. Mineral Lipstick in Runway Pink (top) and Nicely Nude (bottom)

Luckily this one can be quick and dirty because I can straight up compare the Mineral Lipstick to e.l.f.'s regular Lipstick (which I reviewed earlier today). Mineral Lipstick is creamier than the regular and thus glides on  more smoothly than Gypsy or Classy. Nicely Nude and Runway Pink look almost identical in the swatches, and that's sort of accurate. The important thing to keep in mind is that Runway Pink is more pink and Nicely Nude is more peachy-rose, which matters if you're matching up hues. Keep that in mind if you need it.

A Bummer Bullet But A Beauty Find! e.l.f. Essentials Lipstick

Listen up, kids, I have a sad, sad tale to tell you. One day, filled with excitement, I received a huge package filled with goodies from EyesLipsFace. Upon opening every single little gem, I decided to test a color of lipstick--a glorious little pink lipstick I had been waiting two weeks for. The air thick with anticipation, my heart fluttering, my lips ready, I pressed the bullet to them. The kiss of the cosmetic was sensational, so slowly I started to sweet it across my bottom lip when the whole of the exposed bullet broke off and was flung into my lap.

"Well, balls," I said audibly. But I did quickly remember my little jars for de-tubing and promptly popped the butchered bullet in one. Still a sad story for anyone who has a love for the esthetic of makeup, but not the end of the world. So is this an indication of poor quality? No, it was my own fault for twisting the bullet up too much and pressing too hard.

e.l.f. Lipstick in Classy (left) and Gypsy (right)

Dior Addict Lipcolor in Pink Bustier- Hint: New Fav Lipstick!

$26.00 for

This lippie goes on like a luxurious satin with some hydration but mostly gentle, flattering color. Where Rouge Dior Lipcolor can feel dry but not drying, this feels like a cozy blanket of comfort for my lips. I thought the shade would be too bright but it really takes my lip color and pinks it up rather than putting the color in the tube over my lips, if you catch my meaning. My lips but pinker, MLBP, and in my humble opinion, gorgeous color.

Dior Addict Lipcolor in Pink Bustier, Dior Brow Styler, Dior 5 Color Palette in Incognito, e.l.f. Gunmetal liner, MAC Play It Proper Powder, DiorSkin Nude Creme Gel Foundation

Estée Lauder Pure Color Gloss Stick in Summer Melon- A Mid-Winter Pick-Me-Up I Can Really Get Behind!

Oh wow, I had a fantastic shopping trip to my local Nordstrom on Monday, and when I was feeling a bit low in confidence too. Since I had tried to make myself a little more lively with the smoky eyes, but I wasn't feelin' it fully, I was super surprised to get several remarks about how good it looked (and my bf said I looked pretty) :). Among the items I purchased was this unassuming little lippie called Summer Melon ($18.00 for ), an utterly mouthwatering coral-orange that just screams "bold and beautiful."

So, Summer Melon is one shade of a formula I have been dying to try out, and I was not disappointed. Estee Lauder's Gloss Sticks are semi-opaque, slick lippies in a lipstick form with high-gloss shine. Summer Melon is a bright, ripe cantaloupe colored gloss with what looks like a pale gold micro-shimmer, but when applied, it just looks really glossy.

CHANEL Rouge Allure Laque in Ming

$32.00 for 0.2 fl oz.

I swear I'm not trying to sound like a broken record, but this was another disappointment from Chanel. I'm going to have a hard time describing why because I can barely put my finger on a reason. None the less, here goes.

The Rouge Allure Laque formula is basically a liquid lipstick: smooth semi-opaque to opaque color payoff with a comfortable feel and a decent wear time. Ming is a soft yet vibrant pink (lighter color but still pigmented) with a rather glossy finish without the tackiness of a Glossimer. These last about three to four hours on me without heavy drinking, eating, talking, etc.

Clinique Long Last Lipstick: A Great Formula and Good Price

All Clinique lipsticks are fragrance-free which is really nice when your nose is sensitive or you don't want any other slight fragrance of powder/blush/etc. This long last formula is silky smooth and buttery--that's my big word for this, buttery--while feeling just a tad moisturizing and super comfortable. This lipstick never makes the fine lines of my 20-something lips look deeper or look more uneven when not smiling. Just a really really nice formula.

A Look at Estée Lauder Signature Lipstick in Mocha

Mocha Lipstick with flash

Estée Lauder Signature Hydra Lustre Lipstick ($21.00) usually comes in gold ribbed tube which has (I'm guessing) about 0.14 oz, but I got this in a gift with purchase. In terms of formula, it's not the most moisturizing lipstick and pulls just a touch at my lips when I don't add a bit of balm underneath. Since I didn't purchase it specifically, I didn't expect the color to be a shade for me; I'm not that lucky.