TheMakeupGirl

Save the Bees...w/Burt Bee's Lipbalm!!!

Did ya'll ever see that Bee movie? About what would happen to the earth if the bees quit? Scary...do your part and go buy a BB lip balm next time you are in the natural beauty section of your drug or grocery store.  I keep one of these in my purse, by my bed, by the kitchen sink...anywhere there may be a dry-lip emergency.

Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) is the sudden and mysterious die-off of honeybee colonies that has been occurring across the U.S. for the past couple of years. The bee disappearance is so widespread that it was blamed for losses of up to 70% of the managed bee colonies in U.S. beekeeping operations in 2007 and continues to be a problem moving into high pollinating season this year. (my neighbor used to keep them in his backyard and they LOVED my flowers....and then suddenly they were gone...way less blooms this year..so sad).

You might not have given much thought to the role honeybees play in our ecosystem, but the fact is that 30% of the fruit- and vegetable-producing plants we rely on to feed our families need honeybee pollination to thrive, everything from watermelons, cranberries, peppers, almonds and pumpkins. Without honeybees, these crops – our food – is at risk.

June 22 - 28 is National Pollinator Week.. and this year you can personally help save the honeybees just by buying a tube of your favorite lip balm. Burt’s Bees is donating 5% of the proceeds from every purchase of this special edition Beeswax Lip Balm to The North American Pollinator Protection Campaign (NAPPC) and its Honeybee Health Improvement Project.  In addition, you can take action today to help make the planet a healthy place for bees. Simply sign up on www.burtsbees.com for a free packet of bee-friendly wildflower seeds that you can plant to give bees a healthy place to live in your neighborhood.

Bee Beautiful...

Beauty By Josi: Palmers Dark Chocolate & Cherry Lip Butter...

OMG...so can I just tell you how plump I feel right now? It's supposed to be summer but we keep flip-flopping between hot and cold and it's got my appetite all screwed up....one day I'm jeans/sweatshirt/EAT and the next it's shorts/tank/STOP EATING Josi!

Well I'm glad I found these little lip treats....Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula in Dark Chocolate & Cherry and Dark Chocolate &Peppermint ...SERIOUSLY ya'll, usually I think that dessert tasting cosmetics are disgusting (sorry Jessica....) but these little glosses taste so real they ALMOST hit the spot!

Palmer's Butter Lip Balms retail for less than $3 bucks at your local drugstore or mass merchant!!! Do treat yourself and go buy one of each....these are the kind of little indulgences that rock my world!

Butter Beautifully.....

Obsession: Blistex Lip Infusion Soothing Splash...

OMG!!!  If you are a lip balm addict like me, you will love love love this.  Totally unconventional and refreshing, this newest lip balm from Blistex called Lip Infusion Soothing Splash is a total marvel. 

This is not your mama's lip balm as it is a liquid that is held beneath a suspended silver ball bearing atop a tube.  It delivers cooling moisture to tired chapped little lips and it also has SPF 15 - gotta love that.

The best thing about it to me, is that although it is a liquid and that will take some getting used to trust me....it penetrated quickly and there was no need for immediate re-application as with most lip balms.  If you aren't a lip balm addict like me, and you loathe the waxy/lip balmy feel of lip balm in general, you will want to give this a try.  I even got my 11 year old boy to use it and that in itself is a total miracle.

Stay Pretty!!

Sweet Treat...

I love little niche brands.  Artisan brands started by people that end up creating something that they couldn't find.  I found a new one for you!  Treat Beauty is the brainchild of Marnie Massie who had a dry skin problem but wanted something that would soothe it and smell/taste good.  She came up with a cruelty-free sweet ,by nature line of goodies that taste good enough to eat!

I tried the Kiss and Make it Butter lip scrub and Sugared Rose tinted lip balm and both were amazing.  The lip scrub is EDIBLE (not so great for yours truly as I was eating it off my lips because it tasted so good - I wonder how many calories it has..LOL) The scrub was easy to apply and softened my lips wonderfully.  The lip balm is nice because it's light...not heavy at all and the rose tint gives your lips a nice little glow.  If you are looking for a gift for the holidays try the gift pack as it has both of them in a pretty little box.

Scrub Pretty!

Obsession: MAC Tendertones...

Okay here we go again...lip balm.  Crazy - right??  You All know that I am truly obsessed with it in any shape or form right??  Well this one is like a hybrid.  The best of both worlds! Not quite a balm...not quite a gloss...somewhere inbetween is where MAC's newest creation Tendertones lies. 

Super light and moisturizing, it glides on your lips...no stickiness, no tackiness.  It also has SPF 12!!  Packaged in this cute little pot, this is perfect for those hot days of summer.  If you love lip balm like me for everyday wear - snap these up (they are only $14.50 so get two!).  Comes in 9 shades...my favorites are Deep Sigh, Tender Baby and Shush.

I will have a more in-depth review of the newest MAC collections later in this week.

Gloss Pretty!!

Obsession: LORAC Gloss Stick...

If you are a regular reader, you know that it is no secret that I am obsessed with any kind of lip balm.  I have tested them all it seemed, until I came across LORAC's Gloss Stick.  Why didn't anyone tell me about this??  Shame on you all for not bringing this to my attention...lol!

First off, they are super sheer, they smell like vanilla (yum!) and they moisturize with just a hint of color.  Now, it does some in clear for those of you that just want the moisturization factor.  But for those that want a little color when you are at the gym, running around, or frankly...just to busy to put on some lipstick (I know how it is girl...) - the colored version is for you.  Three shades, sheer berry (my fave), sheer peach and sheer plum.  Al of them are really natural looking and perfect for on the go (I keep one in my car).

Gloss Pretty!!

Obession: Bobbi Brown Tinted Lip Balm...

My regular readers know of my obsession with certain things, lip balms being one of them.  I was in Nordstrom over the weekend and I was stopped dead in my tracks as I tried to run past the Bobbi Brown counter (I was in a hurry....lol)  She has introduced a new conditioning lip balm that is tinted.  Oh my GAWD!!!

Lip balm shouldn't be this good!  The color is sheer BUT it also lasts way longer than most balm/glosses.  It comes in 8 shades (I like Hazelnut, Brown and Rose Petal) and is compact enough to tuck in the pocket of your jeans.

Gloss Pretty!

I Want A Little Sugar In My Bowl...

I love natural ingredients in beauty products especially lip balm (one of my obsessions...heh heh)  So when I discovered Fresh Sugar Lip Balm I just had to give it a whirl.  This lip treatment has SPF15 (great for your lips!), EFA's and essential oils to help relieve dryness.

Fresh Sugar Lip Balm blends oils and waxes together with real sugar for a one of a kind lip treatment that feels great and smells even better. They claim that the sweet and tart blackcurrant oil cushions the lips with essential plumping fatty acids, (I noticed no plumping...) while antioxidant grapeseed polyphenols and vitamins A, C, and E provide extra protection for your parched pucker.

Get ready for sticker shock, it's pretty pricey ($22.50), it is touted as a lip treatment (that should make you feel better...lol)  The texture is pretty substantial, as it stayed on for a few hours on a Sunday afternoon.  Worth giving a whirl.

Pucker Pretty!!

Obsession: Urban Decay Lube in a Tube....

Have you ever wanted just a little color?? Something just to keep your lips moisturized, without actually putting on lipstick or lip gloss?? Well I have just the thing for you!! Here is Urban Decay's Lube in a Tube.

This product is the perfect cross between gloss and balm, and is absolutely FAB. The consistency is very creamy, but it slides on! After a minute or two...you will feel a vanilla-minty sensation that is extremely refreshing. I have worn it with a little liner or all by itself. This is perfect if you want a little color at the gym - or wherever without actually putting on "lip gloss"

Lube in a Tube comes in 4 shades (my favorites are NYC and LA), it contains shea butter to moisturize (yahoooo! you know I love my shea butter!!) and mango to keep your lips super soft. It retails for $11 so it's not too hard on the change purse...

Pucker Pretty!!

Loose Lips Baby...

I had the opportunity to try several items from a New York based cosmetics, bath and body company called Loose Lips New York.  Robin and Sherry are best friends and have been since the 6th grade!  They have tried every beauty fad, makeup line and trend and figured out long ago what works and what doesn't. Their collections are all a melange of all the looks they love, with names like After The Beach, Momma Glow and Date Night...they all reflect their experiences (gotta love that personal touch!!)

I tried several products that I am in love with (well love and an obsession...we will get to that later).   Moisturizing Shower Gel (pomegranate scented) was thick and rich and produced mounds of bubbles (which I love...) I topped off my shower with Pomegranate Body Butter (y'all know how I like my butters) this one was actually really light and not greasy but I will say that I was ash free at 2pm and that is definitely saying something!! They have several scents including Green Apple, Loco Coco, Lemograss, Ocean Fresh and Tangerine...yum!!

Now on to lip gloss...they have several options avilable but my favorites were the LumiShine and the Hint of Mint glosses.  In the Lumishine I tested Blast Off (a rosey pink) and in the Hint of Mint the color was called Mint Sugar Plum.  Both of these glosses were extremely light and not sticky (huge plus).  The LumiShine was really moisturizing (I actually used it over lipstick and it  gave me the most wonderful shine).  The Hint of Mint is one that I would love to wear for everyday.  The gloss tastes and smells minty and it super sheer, I used this one with a little liner...perfect for an everyday look.

Now onto my obsession, Lip Balm Balls are ADORABLE and easy to find even in the darkest and largest of handbags!  The balm is Vanilla scented with SPF 20, and was such a cool idea, they featured it in Oprah's "O" magazine a while back!  I love it and it is already in my handbag.

With many many choices and a very affordable pricepoint...LooseLips need not be a secret anymore!

Stay Pretty!!

Obsession: Blue Q Lip Balms...

We all know my addiction to lip balms is legendary... so when I find someone that makes a lip balm that I like with different flavors and fragrances??  IT'S ON!!!

My obsession with Blue Q started a while back when someone gave me Dirty Girl body wash as a gift (were they trying to tell me something??) I found Miso Pretty body wash and Miso Pretty hand and body cream when I was out in L.A. about 2 years ago and fell in love with the packaging.  I soon found out that they made what??  That's right lip balm.  The lip balms are extra special because they are super moisturizing and are petroleum free.  So I hunted down the Miso Pretty lip balm which is totally yummy and smells like cherries.  I took matters into my own hands and decided to google them.  When I went to the website I discovered they have SO MANY lip balms!!  I was in heaven...the names are hilarious and catchy.  All lip balms have SPF 18.  Here are my favorites in no particular order...

Total Bitch I didn't care what this one smelled like, I just like the name!!  It turned out to be one of my favorites.

Queen Champagne This is one of my faves.  It smells like strawberry jam...kinda reminds me of childhood smells.

Hot & Flashy I adore pear fragrance, it's just so clean smelling!  Yummy pear scent and flavor with   Aren't these names great??

La La Land Wonderful rosemary mint combo that is extra soothing for dryness.

Check them all out...seriously they are a HOOT.  The packaging and names alone are worth the $$.

Balm Pretty...

Obsession: MOR Lip Delight...

Okay you all know that I am obessed with lip balm of any kind. I love any brand, I will try any brand.  So when I was in Anthropologie the other day and found these little gems, I was ecstatic.

MOR Cosmetics is an Australian based company that has quite a cult following.  They make all kinds of yummy body treatments, fragrances and candles...FOCUS LIANNE - okay back to the lip balm.

The lip balms that I tried, called Dolce Lip Delight were so light, emollient and smelled DELICIOUS.  Plus I love the little details like the fact that it comes in a little antique looking tin.  I popped one in my coat pocket and have been using it for those moments when only a lip balm will help.

They come in several flavors, however there are a few that I saw that are not available on their website.  The ones that I was lucky enough to get are Limoncello, Gelato, and Marshmallow.  I found all of them online here.

Stay Pretty!!

Obsession: Lip Balm

My addiction continues....I am not actually sure what it is.  But everytime I see a new one with different properties it's like I am on autopilot - I make a bee line for the nearest display case.  Sure there are the tried and true standards, but it's always nice to have something new...

• Kiss My Face Sliced Peach really nice smelling, organic lip balm with SPF 15. Texture is nice and smooth, not waxy.
• Propoline Lip-Aid Kit OH how I love these!  Each one for a different reason.  I used the heck out of these over the summer when I was at the pool all the time. The beeswax and Chamomile ones offer sunprotection.
• Kiehls Baby Lip Balm I know I'm not a baby...but this lip balm is so gentle and soothing,  it makes me feel like one.
• Love Your Lips - Peach Mint I know it sounds weird, but trust me...it is so divine.  Fruity and just a hint of mint.  The tube is GIGANTIC this one will last me a long time!

Keep Your Lips Pretty!

Plane Beauty...

Now that the bans on liquids on aircrafts have been relaxed a little you can start to bring on items that once were off limits...Or can you??  I am feeling a bit gun shy and just to be safe I will continue to pack any and all cosmetics and find other options for my carry on experience.

Many cosmetic companies make travel friendly items these days and I thought I would share a few of them with you.  I don't know about you, but I am truly not feeling packing everything up in ziploc baggies that have to be regulation size.  When I travel, I like it to be quick and painless as possible.

Cargo Color Cards These little innovative cards have the shadow right on them and they are thin as a sheet of poster board.  Just dab with your fingers and go.

Juice Beauty Tinted Lip Balm Set of 3 yummy tinted lip balms.  Super moisturizing for that dry cabin air...and you look like you are well rested with smooth slightly tinted lips!

Bare Minerals Foundation Since no liquids are allowed - Bare Minerals is the perfect solution.  Contains a natural SPF 15 and looks fresh and natural.

Lola Cake Mascara Cake mascara is a little tricky at first but once you get the hang of it you will be a pro in no time.  Just dampen the little brush, sweep over the cake and you will have dark lashes in a wink.

And last but certainly not least, Beauty Addict found these great lotion bars from Shannon over at A Girl's Gotta Spa!! Solid lotion bars you say??  Well I hear they are all the rage and although they are a bit heavier than your standard lotion or cream it is said to provide a nice barrier for your skin.  Shannon is a rep for Country Bunny and the lotion bars are available on the website.

Fly Pretty!

Obession: Lip Balm...

I have a confession to make...I am addicted to lip balm!  It doesn't have to be fancy (although the ones that are fancy are usually my favorites)

My all-time favorite is my Nana's tried and true favorite, Rosebud Salve.  This all purpose balm smells like roses (love that!)and it soothes dry lips and calms most skin irritations.  I have also heard recently that it can be used for diaper rash (who knew!)

A close second to Nana's Rosebud is Dr. Hauschka Skincare Lip Care Stick.  When I first tried this it was in the DEAD of winter and my lips were unusually dry.  Come to think of it, not only were they dry, but they were showing signs of dehydration (that's where your lip area is moisturized but you still see dry skin ans flakes no matter what you do).  I was in Whole Foods and the saleslady in the vitamins/cosmetics section recommended this, that was 4 years ago.  Now this is a staple every winter.

Nanak's Lipsmoothee Found this in Whole Foods. This one is all natural and petroleum free.  The one I have has the brown cap - it smells like coconuts and reminds me of summer.

Avalon Organics Vitamin C Lip Balm Another Whole Foods find (I need to stop going in there...) "Soothing Lip Balm provides effective free radical defense with Vitamins C and E plus nourishing, nutrient-rich, organic plant oils and waxes effectively protect against drying and chapping for soft, smooth lips." It smells like oranges and really keeps your lips soft.  I have also found that it has diminished little lines as well.

DuWop Buttercream Lip Balm LAWD HAVE MERCY!  This one tastes and smells like a jar of frosting.  It is super emollient too.

This season, make sure you keep some lips balms around (I have them in my car, in my desk drawer, in the kitchen...you get the picture)  To keep your lips smooth and soft, you may want to consider using an exfoliator.  I like Smashbox Emusion Lip Exfoliant it is a sugar based lip exfoliant that smells great.  On the cheap, you can also take a soft tooth brush and your favorite lip balm and that should do the trick.

Stay Pretty...