Battle of the BBs

...and CC creams, DD creams, EE creams... whatever other fancy names they want to re-brand the classic tinted moisturizer. :)

Beautiful in the Nude!

(1) NARS' Anita   (2) NARS' Crusing  (3) FRESH's Petal & Tulip  (4) BITE's Leche   (5)  Tarte's Angelic Nude 

Warning: none of the lip products I'm going to mention are a true "nude". I have medium-light blonde hair and fair skin with a pink undertone which means nudes with a bit of pink is necessary.

My Top Picks 

First of all, the formula of the new NARS Lipsticks is everything its made out to be, they are so creamy and pigmented that one swipe on the lips is all you need. There are a few nude shades, from which I picked Anita - it gives me enough color that it didn't wash me out, but has enough of a brown undertone to be my version of this new 90s / Kylie Jenner lip trend. The price tag is the one this that is deterring me from purchasing another one for now, as I'd really like to try the new Maybelline Mattes to see if they are a dupe. This is the deepest nude of the mix. 

In one of my first blog posts (see it here), I hauled this NARS Lipstick in the shade Cruising.The formula of these is so creamy and glides on beautifully. This shade isn't shiny, but it does have a natural sheen and the pigmentation isn't totally opaque (which is why I find myself reaching for this the the day time more than any of the others). This is the best every day daytime nude.

I can't say enough good things about FRESH's Sugar Lip Treatments. These are the most luxurious treatment you can do for your lips and still look good doing it. Petal wears more like a brown-y pink on me, while Tulip is a nice natural pink that is slightly brighter than your natural lip color. While these are insanely moisturizing, they can get very soft, very quickly so don't leave these in a hot car.

Unless you are living under a rock, you know about how matte lips are all the rage! I have found it to be an impossible mission to find a matte formula that isn't drying, until I found BITE Lip Crayons. I still only wear this on days when my lips look GOOOOOD (I can guarantee that by using the LUSH lip scrub and then coating my lips in the FRESH Advanced Lip Treatment before going to bed the night before). This product is so natural you can EAT it! No joke!  

Last but not least, the most budget-friendly of the bunch.  I love the slight minty aroma of the Tarte Lipsticks and the light, can't-feel-it weight of the formula that I love reaching for Angelic Nude. Check out the Tarte lipsticks, the range of colors is so great and the packaging is the cutest!

I love pairing any of these with Charlotte Tilbury's lip pencil in Pillow Talk or IT Cosmetic pencil in Buff Nude.

And the Honorable Mentions go to...

BITE Lipstick Duo in Lychee/Musk. What's better than one but TWO nude lip colors in a petite, cute little package. This was one of those little things in "The Green Mile" at Sephora (that's what I call all those minis at checkout - somehow something always jumps into my basket. Both shades are very wearable. 

I was disappointed in...

Retsina by BITE! So many YouTubers talk about this lipstick, I was very excited to find a beautiful nude. NOPE! It looks like concealer on my lips. This is definitely going back. (Although I'll probably look to trade it in for another shade, as I really like the formula.)

XoXo, The Nude Edition.

Products mentioned in this post

NARS Audacious Lipstick in Anita - $32   
NARS Lipstick - Cruising - $26   
FRESH Sugar Lip Treatments - Petal & Tulip - $22.50  
BITE Matte Lip Crayon - Leche - $24   
Tarte Lipstick - Angelic Nude - $16
BITE Lipstick - Retsina - $24
BITE Lipstick Duo - Lychee/Musk - $12
Charlotte Tilbury's 'Lip Cheat' lip liner - Pillow Talk - $22
IT Cosmetic lip liner stain - Buff Nude - $20

Am I Glowing With Glam? (w/ BIG DEAL)

 

Bloggers, YouTubers, and just us Normals have our heads spinning with all this talk about GLAMGLOW -  "...designed for exclusive professional backstage use in Hollywood", "'no name' magic mud", "a product just for their actor friends, not for sale to anyone, not for retail to anyone"... Oooo fancy! So you're tell me if I smear this mud on my face I'll be as pretty as those Hollywood starlets with perfect skin ready for an closeup in HD?! 

So is it worth all the hype? I can tell you I have seen some less-than-miracle-level results... but I have seen results! I have dry-to-combo skin that generally has patches of flaky skin but also blackheads, mild breakouts, and the occasional cystic acne (those terribly painful under the skin, sore, swollen lumps that you can never pop and seem to take forever to disappear). Because of that, I have steered away from the YOUTHMUD Tinglexfoliate Treatment since I read in reviews about how drying it was and some people felt the tingling experience to be intense and uncomfortable. Even when I've taken a whiff of it in Sephora, the smell is just not pleasant to me. 

First mission, tackle dryness. My GLAMGLOW cherry was taken by the THIRSTYMUD Hydrating Treatment. I use this as an overnight mask (as opposed to the recommended 20 min. mask) and wake up with very moisturized, fresh, and plumper skin and LOVE IT!  It doesn't harden like a typical "mask" would do, the smell is devine, and the color of the product soaks into your skin and essentially disappears, making you not so scary looking to whomever you share your bed with. The packaging seems small, but it will last you several dozen treatments, worth your money!  Mission complete!

Since I had such great experience with the hydrating treatment, I figured I'd leave it up to GLAMGLOW to help me with my clogged pores so I emptied my wallet on the POWERMUD Dual-Cleanse Treatment. My skin just must not be a good candidate for this product, because I have not noticed much of a difference after using this product after nearly a dozen times - at least not $69 worth of results. Call me a tough sell, but I'm just not blown away by the mud-to-oil formula like many of the reviews rave about - it hardens like a mask and then you wet it and it gets melty and oily, what's so magical about that?  I can think of lots of other things that change states when wet as well (e.g. cotton candy, dirt, marshmallows, cats). I find myself reaching for my ORIGINS Charcoal Mask much more. Perhaps I need a more focused treatment that can stand up to my problem skin. I'm going to trust that GLAMGLOW knows their stuff and pick up a sample of the SUPER-MUD Clearing Treatment next time I'm in Sephora. Mission incomplete!  

BIG DEAL! If you are interested in trying GLAMGLOW products and also like to save money, check out Costco.com.  I just saw they have the Eye Treatment and the Tinglexfoliate Treatment available at a highly decreased price! [takes a bow]

Products mentioned in this post:

THIRSTYMUD Hydrating Treatment - $69  $37.99 @ costco.com - currently sold out

SUPER-MUD Clearing Treatment - $69

YOUTHMUD Tinglexfoliate Treatment - $69  $36.99 @ costco.com

ORIGINS Charcoal Mask (1.7oz) - $17

BRIGHTMUD Eye Treatment - $69 $37.99 @ coscto.com

Disappointing Products:

POWERMUD Dual-Cleanse Treatment - $69 

I'm an IT girl?!

Last September, the Ulta near me began carrying IT Cosmetics in-store. While this brand was available for sale from their website and on QVC prior to this, I don't like ordering products online until I am familiar with a brand just because I find returning products by mail such an unnecessary hassle. I saw the tester of this GOREGOUS Ombre Bronzer, once I swatched it on the back of my hand I knew I had to take it home with me. I gives a natural warmth with a subtle amount of sheen. I apply it to my cheeks and around the edges of my face with a fan brush and it just brings such life to my skin.  I find myself reaching for the Matte Bronzer more-so in the cooler months when I don't want the glow of the other one.

My IT Cosmetics collection has grown since.  Next was the CC cream, while it's "pricey for a CC cream", the coverage it provides is more like a medium coverage foundation. I have dry skin and find that this is super easy to use (apply with my fingers), provides enough coverage for every day, and doesn't accentuate my dry, flakey patches. The only negative thing I have to say about this is I wish the packaging didn't rub off so easily; I noticed the label rubbing off within the first 2 weeks of use.

I will never travel without the next two products again.  I love having my highlighter, bronzer, and blush all in one convenient palette - the Face Disc and Shadow Trio help create the perfect every look. If you like to have more shadow options even when traveling, the Eye Shadow palette offers 12 velvety, super-blendable colors with a good mix of matte and satin finishes. While the palette doesn't lock shut, I think there is plenty of padding/structure that would protect it enough to throw it in a travel bag. This standard neutral-eye girl is still working on building up the courage to use the purple and blue shadows. :)

The two products I will definitely not be repurchasing are the Liquid Oxygen Foundation and the Radiance Illuminator. There's nothing super wrong with the highlighter, but there's nothing really right about it either. It isn't a powder, it isn't a creme... it does offer a subtle highlight but there are other brands I prefer much more. On the other hand, I HAD to return the foundation. I had high expectations for it to be moisturizing for my dry skin based on it's name and claims, but the formula just didn't impress me... especially for the whopping price tag!

The most recent additions include an Under Eye Corrector (I have a feeling this will match, if not replace my beloved Bobbi Brown corrector), Celebration Foundation Illuminator (seems like a good compact that I'll throw in my purse for on-the-go touch-ups), and Vitality Lip Blush Hydrating Gloss Stain (a long name for an over-priced lip gloss). Supposedly the lip gloss color I got is a color changing one that looks different on everyone. I'm thinking this will be similar to my current obsession, Dior Addict Lip Glow. < I'm hoping one of these products will give me the lip color I want for my wedding day with staying power and, since it's a "clear color", won't transfer. I haven't had these products long enough to give a good review - I'll post an update later.

Have you tried any IT products? Which are your favorites?

Hey IT Cosmetics, what's up with the excessively long names by the way?!

Products mentioned in this post: 

CC+ Radiance Ombre Bronzer - $34
Vitality Glow Anti-Aging Matte Bronzer - $34
Your Skin But Better CC Cream with SPF 50+ - light - $38
Vitality Face Disc - $38
Eye Shadow Trio - pearl luxe - $24
Luxe Anti-Aging High Performance Eye Shadow Palette w/Dual Brush - $38
Under Eye Corrector - light - $29
Celebration Foundation Illuminator - light - $35
Vitality Lip Blush Hydrating Gloss Stain - je ne sais quoi - $24
Dior Addict Lip Glow - $33

Disappointing products:

IT-O2 Ultra Repair Liquid Oxygen Foundation - light - $38
Hello Light Anti-Aging Creme Radiance Illuminator - $24