I'm wearing lipstick labeled "Ebony" today.
No fooling. Seriously.
I'll write a review when I'm more awake, because I've had only about 8 hours of sleep in the past 3 days. Right now, I'm crashing literally every other word. It's like I'm typing along and then the world fades away.....zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Later, all.
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Goth Chyk
Sunday, April 15, 2007
The Hunt For The Perfect Lipstick -- Beauty Terms Quick Glossary
I'm really enjoying the lipstick posts, and I've gotten nice feedback from others who are also enjoying it.
I do, however, hear the occasional question (and not just here, but IRL when I talk about it with others) of "What do you mean by 'cupid's bow'" or "What's the difference between blue-red and red-red" or other comments. So, here's my quick list of definitions I use when discussing my makeup...
Cupid's Bow: The center of the top lip that usually joins just below the center of the nostrils, creating a twin-peaked area on the lip. This formation is actually the result of the completion of palate synthesis in utero; in people who have cleft palate, this structure is often damaged or missing. Turned sideways, some believe the upper lip looks like an old-fashioned archery bow, so the nickname "Cupid's Bow" was coined by plastic surgeons to describe this particular lip shape. Most makeup artists suggest a form of boundary drawing with lipliner to help guide the product through the Cupid's bow.
Lip Liner (or Lipliner): A pencil structure, mostly wood but sometimes plastic, that surrounds a waxy matte lipstick "lead", used to outline and shape the lips in preparation for lipstick applications. Makeup artists have a pair of schools of thought about lipliners, each containing at least two points that contradict one another, as follows:
-- The lipliner should match the applied product as much as possible to provide the best and most firm edges; or,
-- The lipliner should be one shade lighter (or darker) than the applied products to help disguise lip problems (too small upper-lip, too light lower-lip, misshapen lips); or,
-- The lipliner should match as close as possible either the person's natural lipcolor or their natural skin color so that, if the lipstick wears off, the wearer does not get an outline effect on their lips from the much-longer-lasting lipliner.
-- If possible, the lipliner should provide a primer base by coloring in the lower lips and sometimes the upper ones as well (the reason being that almost all lipliners are high-pigment mattes and have a tendency to leave color behind even when the lipstick color is gone); or,
-- Lipliner should not be applied at all until the product is on, then used to "fix" problems such as incomplete coverage (from a rounded or flattened delivery point, which tends to miss either the points on the Cupid's bow or the corners), or to add an accent where needed.
Delivery Point: The top of the contents of a brand-new lipstick. Lipsticks are traditionally shaped like a bullet, but that shape does not provide enough edges or points to apply the product evenly (think the difference between lip balm and lipstick in terms of how they come out of the tube), so the top of the lipstick is usually sliced off (or the mold for the product contains a sliced-off top) at about a 50-degree angle to provide a flat surface for product application while also providing edges for sculpting. (Think: The shape of the delivery point on a tube of Blistex, which is angled in precisely this way.) Most lipstick delivery points come in three basic shapes: oval (rounded top, rounded bottom, lengthened), teardrop (pointed top, rounded bottom, lengthened), or half-oval, sometimes called "fingernail" (sharp straight-across top, rounded bottom, lengthened, like a fingernail that's not been shaped).
Satin, Shimmer, Sheer, Matte, Cream finishes: After a lipstick is applied and before the first blot, its color pigments take on a set of characteristics known as a finish. There are many types of finishes, and many lipsticks combine them in various ways. In order from IMO best to IMO worst, the most common finishes are:
-- Matte, a thick finish with high pigment, no shine, and almost no moist texture. Most makeup worn on a set of a TV show or Movie is designed to have a matte finish to keep from throwing off the necessary stage lighting with a too-creamy or too-shiny finish.
-- Cream, a moderately thick finish with good pigment and a small bit of shine that usually disappears after first blot and a moist-looking texture. Most makeup companies that don't have a matte product will make their creams thicker and more pigment rich to attract buyers who prefer a matte finish in a cream product.
-- Satin, a moderately thick finish with good pigment and a good bit more shine than cream, but no obvious shimmering pigments.
-- Shimmer, any finish with pigments specifically designed to catch light and sparkle. If you have lines on your lips or around your mouth, stay away from shimmers, as the shimmering pigments have a disturbing tendency to settle right into the lines and highlight them instead of the lipstick pigment itself.
-- Sheer, any finish with a mostly clear base and very little pigmentation that usually leaves lips with a "wet-look" shine. Sometimes called "tint". Most lip glosses are designed for a sheer finish.
Cosmetic manufacturers often combine finishes to achieve specific results, such as a shimmer finish combined with a lip plumper to avoid the shimmer-in-the-lines problem, or a satin texture with a sheer lip tint to create a "moist natural lip" look.
Many times a blot will change the overall finish of a look. For example, a blot of a satin-finish often reduces its shine to where it resembles a cream, or a shimmer blot reduces the shimmering finish so that the overall product looks more satiny. Blotting a matte finish often reduces some of the hardness of the matte look, but cannot make it look more creamy or satiny because of the matte lipstick's overall pigment content.
Blot: The act of using a cloth or tissue pressed against the lips to remove the excess of a coating of lipstick. The "first blot" is usually the one that removes the most excess color; if done on a white or neutral paper, this blot will also reflect the way the color appears on the lips. When I apply lipstick, I often overapply, making sure to put enough color all the way around and in all of the corners, so the first blot is usually quite colorful. Most women who wear lipstick on a daily basis blot at least once and often twice to make sure all the excess color has been removed. The second blot should have relatively little lipstick on it; if the second blot still has enough color for a visible lip print, it's likely that the lipstick as a whole will have issues coming off easily onto glasses, cups, clothes, and fingers. Some makeup artists use a sealant--either a powder or a quick-drying lip gloss--to seal lipstick coats that still leave their mark even after blotting; others use a lip primer before applying lipstick so that the primer can hold onto the pigment better than the bare lip alone.
Blue-Red vs. Red-Red vs. Coral-Red vs Orange-Red vs...: Almost no lipstick is purely one primary color. That is, there are very few true Red, Yellow, or Blue products that contain nothing but that single pigment. One of the reasons for this is that as a whole, red pigment is a very, very strong pigment that usually needs to be toned down in some way to make it wearable without making it look as if the person's bleeding to death. Cosmetic manufacturers combine these three primary colors in a variety of ways to create different shadings within their color spectrum. Often, a product that may be called "Red Red" by its manufacturer is not red at all, possessing an underlying pigment that makes it either more bluish or more yellowish.
Blue-Red, sometimes called "cool red", combines blue pigments with red pigments to create everything from the color of a ripened-on-the-tree cherry to the depths of the darkest eggplant. Blue-Reds most often look good on pale-skinned individuals who have a lot of blue in their skin from blue veins barely hidden beneath the skin and who desperately need some color on their lips to keep them from looking ill, but extremely dark-skinned women also benefit from a blue-red instead of an orange one to offset the depth of their coloration. Blue-Reds are often used to create the wilder forms of pink lipstick, such as fuschia or magenta, and very dark browns such as mahogany.
Orange-Red, sometimes called "warm red", combines yellow and even orange pigments to create everything from the color of a fire engine to the deepest rust on the oldest piece of metal. Orange-Reds most often look good on individuals with olive or brown complexions, where the yellow present in their skin tones highlight the effect of the yellow pigments on the red. Celebrities who have faux tans (a.k.a. "Fake-n-Bake") will sometimes wear orange-reds as well because of the yellowing effect a faux tan has on very pale skin. Orange-Reds are used for creating most shades of brown, especially chocolate or cinnamon.
Coral-Red, sometimes called "neutral red", combines a minimal amount of yellow pigments and either a lightener (white) or a darkener (brown) with red to create a lipstick that's neither berry nor rusty, but rather a middle-of-the-road color. This color works well with people who have a fairly even complexion that falls just a little darker than ivory pale or just a little lighter than dark chocolate. Coral-Red leads into "peachy" pinks, apricot, or champagne.
Color Correctors: Also called Color Adjusters, these cosmetics are used to alter the appearance of either the lip's natural coloration (if worn under the lipstick) or the lipstick's pigmentation (if worn over the coating of lipstick). Professional makeup artists have been using color correctors for years to cover up clients' facial flaws--a bit of yellow tint hides dark circles under the eyes, bruising, and other visible bluish-tone flaws, for example. Sephora at one point produced a whole line of color adjusters for lipstick, though that line has since been discontinued. (It's often still found on eBay, however, so if you're willing to do a little leg work, you might save yourself some frustration on how to salvage a bad lipstick choice.) Other cosmetic companies don't sell their color correction products for lipstick use, but almost all of them can indeed be used on the lips. The three most commonly-used color adjusters for lips are Icy Mint Green (turns orange-red lipstick into a fuschia/raspberry/hot pink coloration, depending on the lipstick itself), pale yellow (covers up purple/brown shadings to neutralize them closer to a coral), and pale blue (used on lipsticks with a high level of orange pigment to tone down the yellow contents and produce a rather purplish pink tone). Other color correctors sometimes used are lavender (tones down overall yellowness), white (lightens heavy, dark makeup), grey (provides a silvery frost to dull lips), and black (darkens makeup). Smashbox has a very large tube of icy mint green color adjuster that works perfectly for this. Other manufacturers of facial color adjusters include Maybelline (green, yellow, white), Joppa Minerals (powder forms of yellow and lavendar), and Mary Kay Cosmetics (blue, green).
Cold Cream: A product first designed to remove heavy stage or theatrical makeup, this all-around facial cleanser came to public prominence a short time after 1910 thanks to the introduction of Pond's Cold Cream to the consumer market. Cold Creams usually contain some form of emollient oil (mineral oil, lanolin), water, a bit of wax to aid in product structure, borax (to disinfect), and a gelling agent to thicken the product. Because of its oil content, Pond's Cold Cream makes an ideal product for removal of lipstick, especially the harder and heavier matte-finish lipsticks, but must be either wiped off or washed off afterward. That said, almost any cream or lotion product can be used to cut through layers of lipsticks (my two favorite non-cold-cream products are Pond's Extra Dry Body Cream and Rose Milk Lotion), as well as some food products like vegetable oil or shortening. It is important to remember, however, that after removing lipstick with a cream or oil based product, to make sure to apply a lip repair product (I personally prefer Blistex, but to each his/her own) to keep the lips from drying out after their protective coating is taken away.
Saturday, April 14, 2007
The Hunt For The Perfect Lipstick -- Anna Sui Lipstick #404
The witching hour of midnight approaches, but I'm having lipstick fun. Today I'm wearing Anna Sui Lipstick, #404 (no name given).
The short review: Really rich color, lasts well, but comes off on objects and the pigment stains things other than the lips.
Longer review follows the jump-cut...
Candidate: Anna Sui Lipstick, #404, (Anna Sui Beauty, Inc.)
Purchased: CosmeticAmerica.com
Cost: $21.50 per tube
Brand Info: Anna Sui Beauty
Founded in 1998 by Anna Sui, queen of BoHo Chic fashion, Anna Sui Cosmetics quickly became a staple of high-end department stores (Nordstrom, Saks) and large-volume cosmetic chains (Sephora). The colors are over-the-top, much like Anna's fashion.
The Tube: Black plastic, glossy finish, tubular shape with flairs at the top and bottom of the tube. The top is sculpted into an overhead view of a fully-blossomed rose. Stylized fleur de lis designs ring the bottom of the lid and the top of the lower tube knob. Color code # , gold print on black background, are on a sticker attached to the bottom.
The Product: American Beauty Rose Red. The product itself is a traditional bullet shape with a slanted oval-shaped flat edge delivery point.
The Application: Very smooth application. The oval tip causes some issues trying to sculpt the points of the Cupid's bow, but this is relatively easily overcome by tipping the lipstick and lifting it in places to allow what little edges there are better access to the pointy areas (Cupid's bow, corners of the mouth). The color is almost exactly what in cosmetic terms is called a "true red", a color very hard to come by. Nice cream finish with a very subtle shine.
The Taste: Rosewater, which I happen to really like (I brew rose tea regularly). No other perfume tastes or scents present.
The Blot: The first blot removes most of the shine, making the final product appear more matte. Nice, bold red rose lip print. A second blot produces much more color than I'd expected. Coverage is still good, though.
The Wear: Comes off all over the place--the rim of a cup, eating utensils, your fingers if you're eating finger food. The pigment is phenomenal--it holds on even while the product itself wears off and is waterproof--but that's also a problem when it sticks to your fingers when eating finger food because you end up with red stains that are very difficult to remove. (I finally grabbed a jar of Pond's cold cream, which took the stains right off.)
The Verdict: The color is awesome, the feel is great, but it comes off all over the place, which is not cool. That plus a pretty high price--$21.50/tube--takes it out of the running for The Perfect Lipstick.
The Hunt For The Perfect Lipstick -- Sephora Satin Lipstick Color Adjuster, #907 (Pale Mint)
A couple of times I've mentioned about lipsticks looking "too coral" / "too yellow" / etc. Though they've now mostly discontinued it, many manufacturers used to make what are known as "color adjusters". Search eBay for "color adjuster", or check the wholesale lots for lipsticks, as they're easier to find. (Mine came in a box of 300 other discontinued Sephora lipsticks.) Mary Kay makes color adjusters as well, and makeup companies that sell primarily to stage and theatrical troups usually carry at least black and white color correctors. If you're a clever shopper, you might be able to find inexpensive lipsticks that can be used for color correction. Most lip color correctors are relatively sheer lipsticks in a set of colors:
-- Blue/purple, which mutes yellows and turns a "too yellow"/"too orange" lipstick into a plum/brown color, depending on the depth of application;
-- Yellow/orange, which does the same thing to a lipstick that's "too blue/too purple" lipstick, pushing them to the rust/brick shade--both of these first two correctors are designed to change the cold or warm tones of the red pigments in a lipstick;
-- Green, which offsets the red in a lipstick and slightly darkens it--depending on the darkness or lightness of the shade of green, the overall tones in a green-corrected lipstick tends toward hot pink/fuschia/magenta/raspberry;
-- Black, the ultimate shade darkener;
-- White, the ultimate shade lightener.
This review describes Sephora's pale mint green color adjuster in satin finish (#907).
The short review: It took one barely coral red and turned it into a brilliant fuschia. I'm sold.
Longer review follows the jump-cut...
Candidate: Sephora Satin Lipstick Color Adjuster, #907 (Pale Mint)
Purchased: Back Street Trader eBay Store
Cost: Box of 380 discontinued Sephora lipsticks was $79.95, making each tube about $0.21
Brand Info: http://www.sephora.com/
Born in France in 1969, Sephora has become one of the largest cosmetics retail outlets in the world. Since its first store opening in America in Manhattan in 1998, Sephora has filled a niche for the fashionistas who just have to have the latest lipstick/perfume/hair product/etc., which only seems appropriate, as Sephora's parent company is luxury standards corporation LVMH (Louis Vuitton, Moet, Hennessy). Sephora has their own house brand of cosmetics, including a massive selection of lipsticks in four coverages: Cream, Shimmer, Metallic, and Gloss. The Satin finish lipstick was discontinued several years ago and is often found on the secondary markets like eBay.
The Tube: Black lacquer tube with a clear acrylic bottom that ostensibly contains a bit of product that resembles the actual product in the tube. Modern Sephora lipsticks have the name "Sephora" in capitals applied in silver ink around the bottom of the lid at the join, and a long, stylized "S" on the bottom of the clear acrylic; earlier versions had neither of these features. On the barrel of the tube is the name "Sephora", the product's code number, and a batch number, written in white on a small black sticker applied to the barrel.
The Product: It's mint green with a lot of white added to make it icy pale, not pastel pale. (The difference is in the pigmentation used; icy pale colors are more silvery than pastels.) Typical bullet shape with a fingernail-shaped delivery point.
The Application: Sephora lipsticks are incredibly moist and go on extremely smoothly. The lack of a pointed top prevents some sculpting of the corners and Cupid's bow, but, hey, this is not a lipstick you'll wear solo. In fact, you'll either put it on first in a very thin layer, or you'll apply it last the same way. Either way, not much product is used. Some makeup artists who use color adjusters recommend you mix the two (or more) colors you want to use on the back of your hand and then use a lip brush to apply the finished color.
The Taste: Raspberry, like most of Sephora's earlier lipsticks. It's very pleasant.
The Blot: Depending on whether or not you use the color adjuster as a lip primer, you'll either get a blot of pale mint or a blot of the mixed color that you created by layering blue on top. The pale mint blot is practically invisible.
The Wear: On their own, Sephora lipsticks have a color retention issue (the color is either 100% on or 100% gone). However, when using a thin coat of this adjuster under a coat of the coral-red Clarins Rouge Éclat lipstick #46 ("Red Red"), this way-too-coral color suddenly became a very acceptible fuschia, which is exactly what color adjusters are supposed to do. Clarins is a better-wearing lipstick, and the Sephora color correcter underneath lasts just fine.
The Verdict: It's after seeing it work miracles on a color I was initially dissatisfied with that makes me wish even more that Sephora would bring these back full-time.
Friday, April 13, 2007
The Hunt For The Perfect Lipstick -- Tangee Colors, "Red Red"
"You look good in red lipstick."
(Seriously, I heard that the other day from a co-worker who hadn't seen me in a while. It's a nice change.)
The other day, I reviewed Tangee Natural, the prototype "mood lipstick". Tangee also has a line of regular lipstick that comes in a very limited selection of colors. This is one of three reds they have, called "Red Red".
The short review: Red, red, red. Did I mention it's red? And that it's called "Red Red"? And that it's one of the nicest cherry red lipsticks I've ever tried?
Longer review follows the jump-cut...
Candidate: Tangee Colors Lipstick, "Red Red" (manufactured for and distributed by The Vermont Country Store)
Purchased: The Vermont Country Store
Cost: $12.95 per tube
Brand Info: Vermont Country Store item description for Tangee Colors
Tangee's "Uniquely your own" Natural lipstick is the 1930's prototype for what would become known in later years as "mood lipstick". However, Tangee also made a line of more conventional cosmetics, including blushes, foundation, and lipsticks. The Tangee brand left the market in the 60s, but was revived by the Orton family, who own the online nostalgia product site "The Vermont Country Store". Today, Tangee produces a line of cosmetics exclusively for VCS, including three different red lipsticks under the banner of "Tangee Colors".
The Tube: Black lacquer obelisk-like boxy tube. The join between lid and base meets at a strong and wide gold metallic band. The "Tangee" cursive logo is embossed on the tube in gold paint. The bottom has a red sticker with black print that spells out the color ("Red Red") and the manufacturer ("The Vermont Country Store"), with VCS's 1-800 ordering number in print so small you need a jeweler's loupe to read it.
The Product: American Beauty Rose Red. Really, really vivid red. Traditional bullet product with a teardrop-shaped flat delivery point.
The Application: Really creamy. Goes on very smoothly. Nice point aids in contouring around the Cupid's bow and corners. The finish is a satiny cream.
The Taste: Grandma's cosmetic drawer. Seriously, think old-style cosmetics, with that odd blend of tastes (waxy, lotiony, strangely perfumy). I've read that the taste is almost exactly the same as when it was first around.
The Blot: Bright blue-red lip print. The second print lets off a lot of color as well. A third blot felt dry on the tissue.
The Wear: Lasts really well, even after the product comes off on the cup/water bottle/fingers for finger food/etc. Fortunately, the product is easy to clean off the fingers.
The Verdict: This is really not a bad lipstick at all. It's very old-fashioned looking and very old-fashioned tasting. But if you like a good cherry-red, this one isn't bad at all and may be worth a try.
Thursday, April 12, 2007
The Hunt For The Perfect Lipstick -- Sephora Satin Lipstick Color Adjuster, #940 (Blue)
A couple of times I've mentioned about lipsticks looking "too coral" / "too yellow" / etc. Though they've now mostly discontinued it, many manufacturers used to make what are known as "color adjusters". Search eBay for "color adjuster", or check the wholesale lots for lipsticks, as they're easier to find. (Mine came in a box of 300 other discontinued Sephora lipsticks.) Mary Kay makes color adjusters as well, and makeup companies that sell primarily to stage and theatrical troups usually carry at least black and white color correctors. If you're a clever shopper, you might be able to find inexpensive lipsticks that can be used for color correction. Most lip color correctors are relatively sheer lipsticks in a set of colors:
-- Blue/purple, which mutes yellows and turns a "too yellow"/"too orange" lipstick into a plum/brown color, depending on the depth of application;
-- Yellow/orange, which does the same thing to a lipstick that's "too blue/too purple" lipstick, pushing them to the rust/brick shade--both of these first two correctors are designed to change the cold or warm tones of the red pigments in a lipstick;
-- Green, which offsets the red in a lipstick and slightly darkens it--depending on the darkness or lightness of the shade of green, the overall tones in a green-corrected lipstick tends toward hot pink/fuschia/magenta/raspberry;
-- Black, the ultimate shade darkener;
-- White, the ultimate shade whitener.
This review describes Sephora's blue color adjuster in satin finish (#940).
The short review: These are hard to find, but if you're having trouble finding a good lipstick to match your skin tones, seek them out.
Longer review follows the jump-cut...
Candidate: Sephora Satin Lipstick Color Adjuster, #940 (Blue)
Purchased: Back Street Trader eBay Store
Cost: Box of 380 discontinued Sephora lipsticks was $79.95, making each tube about $0.21
Brand Info: http://www.sephora.com/
Born in France in 1969, Sephora has become one of the largest cosmetics retail outlets in the world. Since its first store opening in America in Manhattan in 1998, Sephora has filled a niche for the fashionistas who just have to have the latest lipstick/perfume/hair product/etc., which only seems appropriate, as Sephora's parent company is luxury standards corporation LVMH (Louis Vuitton, Moet, Hennessy). Sephora has their own house brand of cosmetics, including a massive selection of lipsticks in four coverages: Cream, Shimmer, Metallic, and Gloss. The Satin finish lipstick was discontinued several years ago and is often found on the secondary markets like eBay.
The Tube: Black lacquer tube with a clear acrylic bottom that ostensibly contains a bit of product that resembles the actual product in the tube. Modern Sephora lipsticks have the name "Sephora" in capitals applied in silver ink around the bottom of the lid at the join, and a long, stylized "S" on the bottom of the clear acrylic; earlier versions had neither of these features. On the barrel of the tube is the name "Sephora", the product's code number, and a batch number, written in white on a small black sticker applied to the barrel.
The Product: It's blue. And I do mean, blue, like that faux color they put in kids' raspberry drinks these days. Typical bullet shape with a fingernail-shaped delivery point.
The Application: Sephora lipsticks are incredibly moist and go on extremely smoothly. The lack of a pointed top prevents some sculpting of the corners and Cupid's bow, but, hey, this is not a lipstick you'll wear solo. In fact, you'll either put it on first in a very thin layer, or you'll apply it last the same way. Either way, not much product is used. Some makeup artists who use color adjusters recommend you mix the two (or more) colors you want to use on the back of your hand and then use a lip brush to apply the finished color.
The Taste: Early Sephora lipsticks had a berry taste (strawberry, raspberry). Current Sephora lipsticks taste like Concord Grape Jam. (Swear to {insert deity here}.) It's very pleasant.
The Blot: Depending on whether or not you use the color adjuster as a lip primer, you'll either get a blot of blue or a blot of the mixed color that you created by layering blue on top. The blue blot does take some getting used to.
The Wear: One of the biggest gripes I have with Sephora's lipsticks, although I absolutely love them, is that they tend to fade out rapidly--they're either 100% bright or they're 100% gone. Fortunately, at only $10 a tube retail or $0.21 a tube on eBay, reapplying is cheap.
The Verdict: I adore Sephora's current makeup line, and their current cream lipstick #50 (really dark purple, almost midnight violet) is still my go-to color when I want something I know I can trust. I've found a few likes in the Satin collection I bought on eBay, and this tube of color adjuster is one of them. I wish Sephora would bring them back full-time.
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
The Hunt For The Perfect Lipstick -- Tangee Natural
Sorry about no lipstick reviews on Monday or Tuesday. It's a long story involving a dead ceiling fan, a crappy controller module in the canopy, a night of manic rewiring, one accidental touch of a live wire, and two falls off an 8-foot ladder (none from the very top, fortunately), none of which is even remotely interesting.
Instead, how about a review of something slightly off-kilter...the original Tangee Lipstick, "The Lipstick That Changes Color To Become Uniquely Your Own"!
The short review: The prototype "mood lipstick" has some good qualities, actually, but at nearly $15 a tube, there are better choices and cheaper versions available.
Longer review follows the jump-cut...
Candidate: Tangee Natural Lipstick (manufactured for and distributed by The Vermont Country Store)
Purchased: The Vermont Country Store
Cost: $14.95 per tube
Brand Info: http://www.tangee.com/
Tangee's "Uniquely your own" lipstick is the 1930's prototype for what would become known in later years as "mood lipstick". Mood lipstick, of course, isn't "mood" related at all; it's a wax/lanolin/moisturizer base with pigments that react to skin temperature and pH to create the "unique" color. Kids from the 70s and 80s will remember "green lipstick" (which tended to turn fuschia), but Tangee was the first and the most well-known. It left the market in the 60s, but was revived by the Orton family, who own the online nostalgia product site "The Vermont Country Store". Today, Tangee produces a line of cosmetics exclusively for VCS, and the centerpiece is the revival of Tangee Natural. No review of lipsticks would be complete without some mention of it.
The Tube: Black lacquer obelisk-like boxy tube. The join between lid and base meets at a strong and wide gold metallic band. The "Tangee" cursive logo is embossed on the tube in gold paint. The bottom has a white sticker with black print that spells out the color ("Natural") and the manufacturer ("The Vermont Country Store"), with VCS's 1-800 ordering number in print so small you need a jeweler's loupe to read it.
The Product: With a name like Tangee? Take a guess. O.K., time's up. It's tangerine orange, almost day-glo. Traditional bullet shape product with a delivery point at the tip that resembles...well, it resembles a woman's fingernail. Really. I'm not kidding.
The Application: ChapStick. No edges to aid in corner tailoring at all. That said, it does cover really well, and the color change happens almost instantly. In my case, it turns rubelite pink (which is a really reddish pink). It's shiny, but that shine fades pretty much as soon as it starts to warm up and be absorbed into the skin (again, think ChapStick).
The Taste: Grandma's cosmetic drawer. Seriously, think old-style cosmetics, with that odd blend of tastes (waxy, lotiony, strangely perfumy). I've read that the taste is almost exactly the same as when it was first around.
The Blot: The first blot barely even stains the tissue. Forget a second blot.
The Wear: Believe it or not, it does last. The color stays long after the product has absorbed into your lips or come off on your coffee cup. Which means you'd better hope you've got the right pH to turn this color into something you'll be happy wearing, because hon, it stays on until you take it off with cold cream/makeup remover. It does make a really good lip balm, however.
The Verdict: Mood lipsticks are a fun thing. Want something different? Try a mood lipstick. Want just a little color in your lip balm? Try a mood lipstick. Want something that you won't see coming at you on everybody else's lips as you pass the cosmetic counter? Try a mood lipstick. Want to save money? Don't buy Tangee Naturals. Seriously, your local dollar store probably has one that's just as good for a mere fraction of the price. Unless you're just really nostalgic for the lipstick Grandma used, save your money.
Sunday, April 08, 2007
The Hunt For The Perfect Lipstick -- Rimmel London #074, "Red Hot"
Hoppy Easter!
Off to Easter Brunch, but not before another lipstick review. This one's for Rimmel London's Lasting Finish #074, "Red Hot".
The short review: It's not really "red", or "hot", and it doesn't last as long as I'd like.
Longer review follows the jump-cut...
Candidate: Rimmel London Lasting Finish #074, "Red Hot" (Coty, Inc.)
Purchased: Wegman's (high-end grocery store, Dulles, VA)
Cost: $5.99 per tube
Brand Info: http://www.rimmellondon.com/
Founded in 1834 by Eugene Rimmel, the House of Rimmel invented the first non-toxic mascara product; to this day, the word for "mascara" in many non-English-speaking countries is "rimmel". The cosmetics division of the House of Rimmel is now owned by Coty, who distributes their product worldwide. Rimmel's cosmetic line targets the young cosmetic buyer who wants something "exotic" and "trendy" instead of the traditional drug store/grocery store/discount store cosmetics.
The Tube: Deep purple, almost black, lacquer-finished plastic. Split between top and bottom of tube is at the mid-point and both sides of the tube bevel inward at that point. The top of the tube is spherically curved. The bottom of the tube is beveled to a flat surface, upon which rests a sticker that is supposedly colored the same as the lipstick inside, with a code number and a color name in white print.
The Product: Red, red, red, almost what is sometimes called "true red", which is a color very hard to achieve in cosmetics. The product itself is a traditional bullet shape with a slanted teardrop-shaped flat edge delivery point.
The Application: Nice lip feel. The pointed teardrop tip allows for some sculpting at the Cupid's bow and in the corners of the mouth. Glides on smoothly and covers very evenly. The disappointment here is that it's not really red; it's a really bright rubelite pink. Unfortunately, it also has a slight coral look, especially after blotting, meaning it's got more yellow that it first appeared. Satiny cream finish.
The Taste: Bubble gum. I'm not kidding; the taste is super sweet.
The Blot: The first blot removes some of the satiny finish, making the final product slightly more matte, but also unveils the coral undertones. Blah. The second blot also produces a strong bit of color.
The Wear: Comes off on the rim of a cup, eating utensils, and even fingers. Fortunately, it's not staining. The good thing about this color is that if you don't like it, it'll be completely gone in a few hours.
The Verdict: Ironically, I like it as a quick-change lipstick (for some occasion where you only need to wear makeup for a short time). I wish it was more red/blue. I'll have to find a blue color adjuster and see if I can make it a little less coral-like. And of course, at $6/tube, if you don't like it, all is not lost; just pitch it and get another one.
Saturday, April 07, 2007
The Hunt For The Perfect Lipstick -- Wild & Crazy #C100
A new lipstick review after dinner. This one's for Wild & Crazy Lipstick, C100 (no color name specified).
The short review: Probably the best blue-red burgundy I've ever tried, wish it was a little more matte and lasted a little longer, but it's only $1.00.
Longer review follows the jump-cut...
Candidate: Wild & Crazy Lipstick, C100, no color name (Mirage Cosmetics, Inc.)
Purchased: Beauty Supply Store
Cost: $1.00 per tube
Brand Info: http://www.sinfulcolors.com/ (Home of Mirage's non-dollar-store line, Sinful Colors)
Founded in 1991 by Chris Chon, Mirage now distributes cosmetics to beauty supply stores throughout the Mid-Atlantic region (their U.S. headquarters is in Beltsville, MD). Wild & Crazy is their "discount" line, which is sold pretty much in Beauty Supply stores and dollar stores.
Mirage Cosmetics UK sells both brands and Wild & Crazy is a much more recognized brand across the pond.
The Tube: Traditional makeup packaging: Silver bottom, clear acrylic lid. The tube itself has "Wild and Crazy" on one side and then the distribution info in small print further along the cylindar. A code # is on a sticker attached to the bottom. I think this may have been one of the earlier formulations, as it has no name. If I had to name it, I'd probably call it something like "Sangria".
The Product: Rich, rich burgundy. Looks the same color of a glass of fine red wine. The product itself is a traditional bullet shape with a slanted teardrop-shaped flat edge delivery point.
The Application: Very, very nice lip feel. The pointed teardrop tip allows for some sculpting at the Cupid's bow and in the corners of the mouth. Glides on smoothly and covers very evenly. Much redder than it looks in the tube, which was really surprising. Satiny cream finish.
The Taste: Relatively tasteless. Doesn't even have a crayon-like odor like most unflavored/unfragranced lipsticks taste like.
The Blot: The first blot removes some of the satiny finish, making the final product slightly more matte. The perfect shade of blue-red in a bold lip print. A second blot produces less color and compromises neither coverage nor finish.
The Wear: Only a moderate amount of loss on the rim of a water glass. Doesn't come off on the fingers when eating finger food, a nice change of pace. The pigments are quite good, though it has a tendency to fade out with time and leave a somewhat blotchy appearance to the lips as it does.
The Verdict: Really nice. Doesn't dry out lips at all. Much redder than I'd anticipated. If I could get this color in a really good matte formula, I'd be set. And, again, for a buck you could do a lot worse.
The Hunt For The Perfect Lipstick -- Anna Sui Lipstick #402, "Rouge Chine"
A new day, a new lipstick review. Today I'm wearing Anna Sui Lipstick, #402, "Rouge Chine".
The short review: Really rich color, lasts well, but comes off on objects and the pigment stains things other than the lips.
Longer review follows the jump-cut...
Candidate: Anna Sui Lipstick, #402, "Rouge Chine" (Anna Sui Beauty, Inc.)
Purchased: http://www.beautifulperfumes.com
Cost: $21.50 per tube
Brand Info: http://www.annasuibeauty.com/
Founded in 1998 by Anna Sui, queen of BoHo Chic fashion, Anna Sui Cosmetics quickly became a staple of high-end department stores (Nordstrom, Saks) and large-volume cosmetic chains (Sephora). The colors are over-the-top, much like Anna's fashion.
The Tube: Black plastic, glossy finish, tubular shape with flairs at the top and bottom of the tube. The top is sculpted into an overhead view of a fully-blossomed rose. Stylized fleur de lis designs ring the bottom of the lid and the top of the lower tube knob. Color name and a code # , gold print on black background, are on a sticker attached to the bottom.
The Product: Reddish burgundy. The product itself is a traditional bullet shape with a slanted oval-shaped flat edge delivery point.
The Application: Very smooth application. The oval tip causes some issues trying to sculpt the points of the Cupid's bow, but this is relatively easily overcome by tipping the lipstick and lifting it in places to allow what little edges there are better access to the pointy areas (Cupid's bow, corners of the mouth). allows for some sculpting at the Cupid's bow and in the corners of the mouth. The color is closer to an American Beauty Rose than the burgundy it appears to be in the tube, which goes along with the rose motif on the tube. Nice cream finish with a very subtle shine.
The Taste: Rosewater, which I happen to really like (I brew rose tea regularly). No other perfume tastes or scents present.
The Blot: The first blot removes most of the shine, making the final product appear more matte. Nice, bold red rose lip print. A second blot produces much more color than I'd expected. Coverage is still good, though.
The Wear: Comes off all over the place--the rim of a cup, eating utensils, your fingers if you're eating finger food. The pigment is phenomenal--it holds on even while the product itself wears off and is waterproof--but that's also a problem when it sticks to your fingers when eating finger food because you end up with red stains that are very difficult to remove. (I finally grabbed a jar of Pond's cold cream, which took the stains right off.)
The Verdict: The color is awesome, the feel is great, but it comes off all over the place, which is not cool. That plus a pretty high price--$21.50/tube--takes it out of the running for The Perfect Lipstick.
The Hunt For The Perfect Lipstick -- Wild & Crazy Lipstick, C145, "Spicy Red"
One more lipstick review before I head off to bed. This one's for Wild & Crazy Lipstick, C145, "Spicy Red".
The short review: You can do a lot worse for $1.00.
Longer review follows the jump-cut...
Candidate: Wild & Crazy Lipstick, C145, "Spicy Red" (Mirage Cosmetics, Inc.)
Purchased: Beauty Supply Store
Cost: $1.00 per tube
Brand Info: http://www.sinfulcolors.com/ (Home of Mirage's non-dollar-store line, Sinful Colors)
Founded in 1991 by Chris Chon, Mirage now distributes cosmetics to beauty supply stores throughout the Mid-Atlantic region (their U.S. headquarters is in Beltsville, MD). Wild & Crazy is their "discount" line, which is sold pretty much in Beauty Supply stores and dollar stores.
Mirage Cosmetics UK sells both brands and Wild & Crazy is a much more recognized brand across the pond.
The Tube: Traditional makeup packaging: Silver bottom, clear acrylic lid. The tube itself has "Wild and Crazy" on one side and then the distribution info in small print further along the cylindar. Color name and a code # are on a sticker attached to the bottom.
The Product: Really deep fuschia. The product itself is a traditional bullet shape with a slanted teardrop-shaped flat edge delivery point.
The Application: Very, very nice lip feel. The nice tip allows for some sculpting at the Cupid's bow and in the corners of the mouth. Satiny cream finish.
The Taste: Relatively tasteless. Doesn't even have a crayon-like odor like most unflavored/unfragranced lipsticks taste like.
The Blot: The first blot removes some of the satiny finish, making the final product slightly more matte. Nice, bold fuschia lip print. A second blot produces less color and compromises neither coverage nor finish.
The Wear: Only a moderate amount of loss on the rim of a water glass. The pigments are quite good, though it has a tendency to fade out with time and leave a somewhat blotchy appearance to the lips.
The Verdict: Really nice. Doesn't dry out lips at all. Not as red as I'd like, but the fuschia is a nice change of pace from cherry reds. And, again, for a buck you could do a lot worse.
Friday, April 06, 2007
The Hunt For The Perfect Lipstick -- Playboy Beauty Calendar Girl Lipstick
Continuing the lipstick hunt, I turn my attention to another beauty.com find, Playboy Beauty Calendar Girl Lipstick.
The short review: Awful.
The longer review follows the jump-cut...
Candidate: Playboy Beauty Calendar Girl Lipstick (Playboy, Inc.)
Purchased: Beauty.com
Cost: $14.00 per tube
Brand Info: http://www.playboybeauty.com/ (also available at Henri Bendel and Beauty.com)
You don't have to use your imagination here; yes, this is lipstick designed by Playboy to "convey the sex kitten status of the Playboy Bunny". This is the "Calendar Girl" line, described as follows: "Weightless formula keeps lips soft. New technology blends a high level of color pigments for true color and shine enhancing polymers for long wear. Formula contains anti-oxidants vitamins A, C and E."
The Tube: Hot pink plastic rectangular sheath with silver Playboy Bunny Logos running down one side. The rectangular sheath encloses a silver lipstick tube. True to the imagery Playboy invokes, there's a large Silver Bunny on what appears to be the top of the tube...until you try to remove the product and discover the Bunny's actually on the bottom and the opening for the lipstick is facing downward as it goes into the protective plastic sheath. (So many jokes, so little web space.)
The Product: Pink. And I mean pink, as in slightly paler that what is commonly called "Barbie pink". On the product page, it looks a lot more red. Trust me, it isn't even close to red. In fact, it's not only not red, it's actually more coral, which means it's yellowy. And I think I detect my arch-enemy, shimmering pigments. The product itself is a traditional bullet shape with a slightly-concaved delivery point.
The Application: Slicker than the slickest lip gloss. It comes out even pinker than it looks in the tube. And it's full of shimmer, which does exactly what I expect it to--find its way into every crevace in my lips and highlight my age lines. Oh, yuck, once it sets up, it's sticky. The worst of the worst of the worst of my hated lipstick features.
The Taste: Did somebody find a bunch of leftover 60's cosmetics and melt 'em down for this? It's perfumy, powdery, almost sweet, a lot like cosmetics my babysitters would let me borrow as a little girl. I remember I hated them then, too. (The cosmetics, not the babysitters.)
The Blot: The blot removes some of the stickiness, thank God. Nice lip print comes off and confirms my suspicions that it's a very bad pale pink coral. I swear, it looks like somebody drew a lip print with a pale pink highligher. A second blot produces only a faint bit of color on the tissue and doesn't clean up any more of the stickiness.
The Wear: Drinking reactivates the stickiness and lets that overly perfumed taste flow in, but it does stick to your lips a lot better than I expected.
The Verdict: I bought it just to check out the colors and it came with a free eyeshadow sample at beauty.com. I've tried three times to find a way to make all of its horrible features work--undercoating for a too-heavy matte; brightener of a too-dark matte, etc.--and none of them work. Would never buy again in a gazillion years. A light coat of Smith's Rosebud Salve takes off a little more of the stickiness, but that's about it. The thing's virtually waterproof. Oy.
Heading off for cold cream...
The Hunt For The Perfect Lipstick -- The Criteria
Kimberly's Search For The Perfect Lipstick -- Basic Criteria
For the past few months, I've been trying to reclaim my femininity after the beatdown years of 2006 and 2007 (Hypercalcemia, my ex-husband being the such-and-such he is, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Non-Alcoholic Hepatic Steatosis, etc.). Part of that effort has been allowing myself to be pampered in ways I hadn't before. Leg waxing. Massages. Facials. Soaks in whirlpools and relaxation in saunas.
Oh, yeah, and new makeup.
Originally in 2006, I was going to do the all-out facial makeover--but after more than a handful of sit-down sessions at makeup counters, I was beginning to tire of people putting "contemporary" colors on me and telling me how "great" I looked. I'm no fool. Medications, including several rounds of steroids, have pretty much wrecked my figure. I've got pale skin, high cheekbones, T-zone oiliness, a double-chin and thick neck, and some new lines (my mouth now naturally turns downward instead of upward, so smilling almost looks fake) that have invaded my face over the past few years. The last thing a color pallette like mine needs is today's "sheer" look and "nude" lips and all that other happy horse hockey.
In fact, I end up needing only three things:
-- Really Good foundation
-- Good mascara
-- The Perfect Lipstick
I've since found my foundation (M-A-C Studio Fix Powder Foundation, color NW40) and mascara (Urban Decay Skyscraper Mascara, color Gotham). But The Perfect Lipstick? It's been elusive.
So, the hunt is on.
The first step was to decide what I wanted in a lipstick. That's actually easy to define.
-- Nothing orangy or yellowish. My undertones are blue-red, and that's what I want to wear.
-- No frosts, shimmers, pearl finishes, etc. No woman over 40 should be wearing those anyway. Trust me. All shimmering stuff does is highlight the lines already on your lips and around your mouth.
-- No glosses, glazes, sheers, etc. My lips have a natural color--pale cherry, blue-tinted, almost berry-stained. I don't need glosses for that. That's why God invented Chap-Stick. If I'm putting on lipstick, it darn well better have a real color to it.
-- No bright, shiny finish. If my lips look like they've had a coat of Simonize applied, they're too shiny.
-- No plumpers. My top lip may be lacking, but if my bottom lip were any bigger, you could sell advertising on it. Plumpers just make my lips hurt.
So, what that leaves is:
-- Matte finish (preferred), cream or satin if Matte is not available.
-- Red, with a blue tinge. Think "cherry", not "fire engine".
-- Berry colored, all the way from cherry to deep plum. I actually like purple, but it had better be a really dark one to work on my skin.
-- Some brown is O.K. as long as it isn't overpowering the red.
-- Pinks are acceptible if they're on the higher-end of the pigment scale (that is, nothing pastel; if it's not at least hot pink or fuschia, I'm not interested).
-- Whatever it is, it's got to have pigment. I want to see a different color, not the color of my lips.
-- And, perhaps most important, it had better have staying power. I don't mind touching up my lipstick between meetings or after a meal, but I shouldn't go into a meeting with fresh lipstick and come out an hour later with no trace of it left on. This is the main reason for choosing Matte finish lipsticks--they tend to at least leave some color behind as they wear off.
I've been testing out lipsticks now since January. Even when my health wouldn't let me go out, I'd still clean my lips off with a light coating of Pond's Cold Cream and change shades every so often to see how I liked it. In fact, my favorite way to test lipstick staying power is to put on a shade right before I go to bed and see if it's still hanging around by the time I wake up the next day--that way, there's no chance for food/drink/kissing/etc. to wear off the color; either it'll stay on or it won't. My poor stuffed teddy bear and stuffed doggies have pink- and red-stained ears and foreheads, but none of them seem to mind cuddling with me anyway.
Price isn't an object. I've found good candidates in the dollar store, believe it or not. I've found crappy choices from really high-end brands, too.
My reviews, such as they are, will follow this format, more or less:
-- Product name, color name, manufacturer
-- Where purchased (grocery, drugstore, online, Sephora, etc.)
-- Approximate cost per tube
-- An intro to the brand/facts about the brand/etc.
-- The basic look of the tube itself
-- The look of the color in the tube, including the shape of the lipstick product (flat, bullet-shaped; embellished, chiseled, etc.)
-- How it goes on (color, finish, etc.)
-- How it tastes (through eating/drinking/licking lips/etc., women who wear lipstick on a daily basis probably consume around 4 lbs. of it over their lifespan; cosmetic companies are aware of this, and many scent their products to make their presence on the lips more pleasant)
-- How it looks after blotting (lots of lip products come off after the first blot)
-- Does it last? How does it look as it's wearing off?
-- Is it The Perfect Lipstick? Is it at least a candidate?
The reviews will be published as I get around to them. Watch this space for more.
In fact, I'll start off with one right now, just as an example.
Candidate: Paula Dorf Lip Color, "Legend" (Paula Dorf New York)
Purchased: Beauty.com
Cost: $19.00 per tube
Brand Info: http://www.pauladorf.com/ (also available at Sephora and Beauty.com)
Paula Dorf started out making makeup brushes for use in applying heavier stage makeup when she was the makeup artist for a number of musicians. Along the way, she expanded into a basic set of color "looks" in eye makeup, rouge, and lipsticks to go along with her now widely-copied brush and tool line. Her clients include Jessica Simpson, Mandy Moore, and Courtney Cox.
The Tube: Matte Black with glossy "Pd" embossings. At the mid-tube join is a glossy plastic black ring which stands out against the matte black. Top has a stylized "Pd" logo in white. The base is a sticker, white print on black background, with the brand info.
The Product: Classic 40s Movie Star Red, lots of blue undertone (more cherry than fiery), bullet-shaped product with a concave slope at the point of delivery.
The Application: Creamy, smooth. The concave slope causes issues on my smaller top lip, where it has a tendency to apply product outside the lip boundry. Worse, the same problem happens on my larger lower lip, causing two spots of "outside the lines" application. If this tip had a normal flat diagonal delivery point, it would be easier to apply. PaulaDorf.com says to "apply with a lip brush". The finish is a slightly moist cream. The color on the lips isn't nearly as intense as the tube looks, which is probably good because the color in the tube is a little dramatic for everyday wear. It's perfectly suitable for evening wear, or if you like strong bold colors for your daytime look. I like really bold blue-reds, so this is great for me.
The Taste: No added fragrance, so any taste there is comes from the ingredients, most of which are relatively tasteless. Tastes kind of crayon-like.
The Blot: Feels dry. Nice lip print comes off. A second blot produces only a faint bit of color on the tissue.
The Wear: After an afternoon of coding and sipping at a bottle of water, the color still remains, even as most of the product itself has worn off. The color is pretty even across the lips; no splotchy spots.
The Verdict: I'd be happier with a flatter application tip, but other than that this is a perfectly good lipstick. It is, however, a little pricey at $19/tube and getting just the right angle with that concave tip can be a little frustrating.
I'm hoping this turns out to be a lot of fun.
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