Day 30: Corals to Oranges

I have an offbeat collection of coral lipsticks and lip glosses. This is not a color that most cool toned gals gravitate toward. However, nothing like a citrus burst of color gets you in the mood for the sun and surf of Ohio.

My coral lipsticks are all from MAC cosmetics. They are the long discontinued Dainty Cake, Cockatease, Monarch and Electro. Electro is the most Tang-like shade. It is the most juicy, vibrant orange color. Dainty Cake is a frosty coral with a gold backdrop. Monarch is a pink citrus while Cockatease is an apricot with silver shimmer. MAC's High 90's Slimshine lipstick formula is the truest coral shade. The formula is creamy with high sheen and pigment power.

My lip glosses range from MAC to Christian Dior. Pigment power ranges from the whispery light melon to the intense tangerine. DiorKiss Spicy Guava, MAC's Ciao Manhattan and Chanel's Coral Reef are opal-like peaches. The DiorKiss has the added bonus of smelling like fruity chewing gum. Estee Lauder's Coralee is a safety orange shade. It is bright and shimmery.

MAC's Sizzlepeach and Tartlette are shimmery salmon shades. Sizzlepeach has chucks of orange glitter. MAC's 3D glass lipgloss in Apex is a Persimmon shade with ultra fine green shimmer. It is unique and wildly flattering. MAC's lipgelee Lil'Sizzler is a metallic pumpkin.

What are your favorite corals, tangerines and orange lippies? Let us know in the comments.

Disclaimer: This post features both press samples and purchased lippies.

A lipstick is worth a hundred words
by Jessica M



Lipstick as a weapon! In 1969, the Pop Art sculptor Claes Oldenburg created this giant “lipstick” and mounted it on a tank-like base. The sculpture was installed on the Yale University campus (and a refurbished version still stands there). It was originally used as a platform for public speeches, during an era when anti-war protests were raging on so many campuses. At the time, the lipstick-on-caterpillar-tracks combination was probably meant to poke fun at American consumerism and the military-industrial complex. Now, it also reminds us of the power of self-adornment, especially during tough political and economic times!

Image via the Yale University website

What is your lippie of the day?

Credit: unknown via Jessica M

Day 29:Drugstore vs. High-End
by MUA's Cavewoman

We all tend to have certain preferences when it comes to color, texture, sheer or opaque, shine or matte, when it comes to choosing our lipsticks. I prefer full-on saturation of color, opaque, and gleam. Don't give me sheer. And you already know that I gravitate toward cool-toned pinks and roses. And I am an equal-opportunity lippie lover, having in my collection lippies that range in price from $32 for the new YSL Rouge Allure, to the bargain-basement NYX brand from the Perfume Outlet stores. I don't discriminate.

And yet some lipstick fans do. They might be brand-loyal (MAC, Chanel) or formula-loyal (Dior Addict? Revlon Soft & Smooth?) -- there are many who won't buy anywhere else but the drugstore, waiting for those wonderful Buy-One-Get-One-Free sales -- and there are those who won't even consider drugstore lipsticks at all.

There are great lipsticks to be had at any price, high, low, and in between, but there are also really terrible lipsticks to be had at all price points as well. In terms of high-end, those YSL lipsticks and the Dior Addicts are just the kind I love, creamy, full-color, with a bit of sheen.

And yet you could not give me a Chanel Allure, which I find to drag and dry out my lips and make them peel. At the drugstore, the Revlons and L'Oreals are favorites, with just the kind of texture and smoothness I like, a huge range of colors and formulas, and a bargain at the price. But Ms. Blogdorf already told us how awful those Cover Girl lipsticks were, and the NYX was even worse, with a sheer, almost non-existent color payoff.

Are you also an equal-opportunity lipstick buyer? Or do you avoid the high-priced brands and head for the drugstore? Or does drugstore makeup seem cheap to you just because it is cheap? Tell us in the comments!

Day 28: Pink Lippies of the future

Sneak peek of Shu Uemura's pink lippie collection

Shu Uemura's Rouge Unlimited Pink Collection, is a series of lipsticks
and glosses made with a Pink Hybrid Pigment, one of the purest pink pigments
ever discovered and patented by the cult Japanese beauty company. Thanks to
this breakthrough, this lip collection boasts the most vibrant hues available,
creating new and unique shades of pink never seen before.

Based on the photographs these pinks look lit from within. They appear bolder almost neon-like. This is very appealing to this pink lippie fan!

Here is the deets to the technology of the lippie series:

Until now, pink’s color palette was limited due to the
conventional way in which shades were processed and created.
This standard method mixes red and white pigments, which
create irregular shaped and sized particles that produce dull,
muddy pinks.

The Pink Hybrid Pigment, which was discovered by shu uemura
laboratories, is made up of a fusion between a mineral core
and an organic shell, which produces particles that are
perfectly round and regular in shape. This consistency is what
makes the hues of the lipstick so bright and pure. This is what
creates the new and unique hues of pink seen in the collection
with shades that range from never before seen light, yellowish,
dark and bluish pinks.

Light pinks with yellow tints

PK321, PK322, and PK323 rouge unlimited lipsticks

PK310N gloss unlimited lip gloss

Light pinks with blue tints

PK343 and PK355 rouge unlimited lipsticks

PK325N and PK333S gloss unlimited lipglosses

Dark pinks with yellow tints

PK 312 and PK316 rouge unlimited lipsticks

PK315N gloss unlimited lip gloss

Dark pinks with blue tints

PK 359 and PK369 rouge unlimited lipsticks

PK378S gloss unlimited lip gloss

Credit: Shu Uemura

Day 27: They're so DAZZLING!!!
by MUA's Cavewoman

Ms. Blogdorf and Ms. Cavewoman have many things in common, our love of all things NYC, our taste in fashion, our addiction to beautiful coats, our never-ending quest for the most comfy yet stylish flats, and our love of everything that sparkles. I think my Mom should have named me Raven. I'm attracted to anything shimmery! And Ms. Blogdorf and I share our love of the most beautiful, sparkling, shimmering lipglosses we've ever found, the MAC Dazzleglass. Originally launched in May, 2008, the collection of 16 colors was an instant hit not just with us, but with MAC fans everywhere. Colors sold out at counters within hours. Ebay listings flew into high bids with lightning speed. Raves were posted on makeup chat boards, and the buzz was nonstop. I loved the colors and especially the applicator, which is a brush instead of the usual sponge-tip. These glosses stay where you put them and don't migrate out into the lines around the mouth, and they keep their color and shimmer for hours. They don't feel gritty or sticky, either.

The colors in the photo are part of that original release. Ms. Blogdorf and I found a few at the Estee Lauder Cosmetics Company Store near us a few months ago, just by chance. We were giddy! We never dreamed there were any more available after the initial sell-out at the counters. We bought.

But do not fret, gloss lovers! MAC is promising to return ten of the original shades and seven new ones in a collection called Double Dazzle, to launch on April 30th. You know where Ms. Blogdorf and I will be on that day!

Day 26: Lipstick in Film
by Self-Styled Siren
http://selfstyledsiren.blogspot.com/


Lipstick is important, and the Siren is always puzzled and a bit irked by those who do not realize this is so. Whether a slash of red, a hint of coral or a soft pink glow, it expresses love, sex and longing like no other form of makeup ever has or ever will. Should you ever doubt lipstick's power, just pick up Maria Riva's brutally detailed biography of her mother, Marlene Dietrich.
Dietrich, one of the most sharp-witted, canny stars of all time, understood the importance of lipstick. Dietrich understood the power of all parts of an image, to a degree that in the end became poignant. Once read, you will never forget the description of Dietrich's final days: "With it all, despite and through the decay, something remains...a faint glimmer, perhaps only a memory of what once was...Beauty...so enveloping...so enthralling...so perfect, that for more than fifty years, all women were judged by its standard, all men desired it." And yet, the Siren finds something admirable even in Dietrich's harrowing final days. The world got the face she wanted to show. Included in Riva's book is a photo of Dietrich, age 74, on a stretcher at Los Angeles airport after breaking her leg on her final tour. She is clearly wearing lipstick.
Long before the beauty fades to a glimmer, Riva takes you into the world of Dietrich's preparations. Here is Dietrich in the dressing room:

My mother, as usual, entered ahead of us, switching on the lights as she marched to her makeup table in the back room. We followed, with our individual responsibilities: Nellie, with the two crowns of braids perfectly matched to my mother's hair; Dot, with her large special suitcase filled with makeup, all organized in individual trays that pulled out like a concertina; I, with my mother's makeup coats and mine, on hangers, draped over my arms...No word had been spoken. Not unusual. We were all highly trained and knew our duties...I handed my mother her makeup coat; she tied the attached cloth belt tightly around her waist, pushed the sleeves up on her arms. Dot knelt, unlaced the men's oxfords and replaced them with the beige, open-back slippers. I placed the green tin of Lucky Strikes with the gold Dunhill lighter by the large glass ashtray, next to the dish with the marabou powder puffs. Dot poured coffee into the Meissen cup, added the cream. Nellie had begun to set the hair...
The last cigarette was smoked before the mouth was put on. In those days, lip color was so thick, cigarettes glued fast in the guck.

Sound off-putting, that last bit? Dietrich would have scoffed at you. So would Josef von Sternberg, for that matter. For here is Dietrich in The Devil Is a Woman:

The effect needed to be as airy as the swaying balloons, so thin millinery veiling was chosen, on which were sewn hundreds of small black pom-poms, repeating the rounded shape of the balloons in miniature. Her shoulders, upper arms, and neck were left unadorned--naked, their pearl sheen a wonderful contrast. The flame-red mouth, the only color, highly glossed, open in a smile to end all smiles...It is my mother's favorite face of all the awe-inspiring ones in this film.

Enveloping, enthralling, perfect. And impossible without lipstick.

Day 25: Pots, Pans, Brushes, Sponges And Sticks!
by MUA's Cavewoman

From the title of this article, you might think that The Cavewoman has taken a break from her Lip Service reviews, and has headed to the local hardware store or HomeGoods! I assure you that this is not the case. I'm thinking lippies, and in particular, lip glosses.

In terms of packaging, containers, and applicators, the options are myriad. Lip glosses come in all types of shapes and sizes and formulas, with brush tips, sponge tips, or clicky-pens in which the gloss is forced through a sponge with tiny holes. There are pots in which the user will dip either a finger or a separate lip brush. Or squeezy tubes or clicky-pens with sponges or brushes. Pair these packaging and applicator styles with different formulas, and the options are almost infinite!


I happen to prefer the brush applicator in the traditional gloss tube. When I heard that Bourjois was being pulled from the shelves and the website of the Sephora company, I was so disappointed. These were my favorite glosses of all! With lovely shimmer and gorgeous colors, I scoured around to find more of the 3-D and the Nudes. Dior Addict uses the same brush applicator, and their color and shimmer is indeed addicting. You will spot two old Bonne Bell Lip Shox in the photo, too, with their candy-sweet smell and kaleidoscope glitter. I wish they'd re-launch these. Start chatting with gloss lovers about Bobbi Brown's lip gloss brush applicator and you'll be entering into a lively discussion. I've been told that the way the brush splays out after a few uses is actually part of the design, it's intended to splay. I personally hate it.
I don't even have one to show you.


The sponge applicator, and it's slant-shaped sister, the doe-foot, are the applicators you'll find in most glosses today. From the upscale Chanel Glossimers to the edgy offerings of MAC Cosmetics Lipglass, and on to the drugstore lines of L'Oreal and Revlon, you'll find all sorts of sizes and shapes of the sponge-tips. I don't mind them, but I don't like them either. I want more application than these tips offer. Dip and apply, dip again and apply again, the sponge doesn't seem to put on enough product for me. The worst of the sponge tips, in my humble opinion, is the bent-angle, pierced-center doe-foot of Lancome. All that pretty color in the tube, but no way to get it out? I resorted to dipping a disposable brush in the Lancome gloss in order to extract the product! Those doe-foot applicators bring almost nothing out of the tube.
Lancome, it's time to go back to the drawing board.

Glosses in squeeze tubes are handy, but can be a bit messy. I usually find myself squeezing out a tad onto the back of my hand, and then dipping a lip brush into the gloss in order to apply. Some gloss users will just apply directly from the tube, and the slant-tips that come with these glosses is a good, practical design. This application is fine for sheer glosses, but if there's much pigment, there's the chance of uneven application. For on-the-go, in-your-purse, portable gloss, a gloss pencil (bring along a sharpener!) is handy and practical. I don't know of too many of these, but the Paul & Joe in the photo is a pretty one. L'Oreal used to make these, too. Again, I would love to see the return of their pencil style glosses.

Pots and pans are popular containers for glosses, too. Little cute jars, elegant compacts, and even palette system pop-ins (the new Bobbi Browns!) are fine for the gloss user who doesn't mind dipping in a finger or a brush. From super-creamy pot glosses like Nars, to the heavier, thicker, and more dense formulas like Prescriptives and Armani Lip Wax, it's just a matter of choosing something that works for you.

Revlon seems to be discontinuing (oh, no, not the D-word again!) their Lip Glide glosses, which were clicky-pens with the slanted sponge. The sponge had teeny holes in it, and by clicking, the product comes up through the holes. I really liked this style of gloss, and found some similar styles at Too Faced. Their Glamour Gloss is beautiful, but for shimmer beyond your wildest dreams, go for the Sparkle Glamour Gloss. It's positively an aurora-borealis effect!


But how about something completely different, and yet so familiar? How about a gloss that comes in a regular, twist-up, bullet-shape lipstick style? I recently discovered the new Clarins Joli Rouge Brillant Transparent and was totally surprised to see a shiny, sparkly gloss in a lipstick-style tube. I have to admit that it was the color, a beautiful mauvey, cool-toned pink, that had me stop at the counter when I saw the display. One swipe on the hand was all it took for me to cave on this gloss. I wish I could capture in a photo the beautiful effect of the new Clarins. You'll just have to go see for yourself.

Tell us about your favorite glosses, applicators, and any fab finds you love!

A lipstick is worth a hundred words
By Jessica M


The video for Robert Palmer’s “Addicted to Love” seemed to play non-stop on MTV in 1985. It was just as famous for its female backup “musicians” as it was for the actual song. These four anonymous women, all dressed in slinky black and flaunting bright scarlet lipstick, gyrated robotically and pretended to play their instruments; they were slightly creepy, but mesmerizing to watch. What’s funny, looking back, is how classic their look really was: the sleek hair, the smoky eye, and the glossy red mouth. (Of course, many of us were wearing frosty mauve lipstick and big perms back then!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0U5JfGYx4c
“Addicted to Love” video still via YouTube.

Day 24
Queens of the desert: Sue Devitt lipsticks
A review by Jessica M

Sue Devitt’s makeup line includes a palette of flattering, wearable lipstick shades in two formulas, Balanced Sheer and Balanced Matte. The colors are inspired by the landscape of her native Australia and some of her other favorite places around the world. I’ve gone through quite a few Sue Devitt lipsticks over the past few years, and my three favorites are Villefranche, Cape Colony, and Verbier.

Villefranche (left), one of the Balanced Sheer lipsticks, is a light, semi-glossy baby pink. It’s one of my favorite “my lips but better” shades for spring and summer, because it’s softly pretty and doesn’t call any attention to itself. Cape Colony (middle), from the Balanced Matte line, is a slightly warm, flushed rose with just a hint of coral. It’s a neutral-but-feminine shade that would probably suit a wide range of skin tones. I wore Cape Colony on my wedding day, and when I look at the photos, I’m still happy with my decision about that very important detail!

When I want something a little more intense, I choose Verbier (right), another one of the Balanced Sheer shades. This is a modern black currant with a slight brownish tinge that would flatter cooler skin tones from light to dark. I’m pale, and Verbier appeals to my former Goth-girl tastes! An application of one coat is polished enough for workday wear, and a second coat deepens the color without going overly theatrical. Best of all, Verbier lasts well and gradually wears down into a matte, berryish stain.

Lastly, all of Sue Devitt’s lipsticks are packaged in sleek, simple tubes with a brushed-silver finish, so they look as high-quality as they feel. They are available for $20 at Barneys New York, and they are definitely worth exploring.


Photograph of Ayers Rock by Theo Allofs, via Corbis.
Lipstick photo by Jessica M.

Put the blame on Mame


Credit: Chanel and Youtube

What you gonna do Katie?
You're a sweet, sweet girl
But it's a cruel, cruel world
a cruel, cruel world

Credit: Youtube, Rimmel and Libertines

Day 23: The Lippie That Does Not Exist
by MUA's Cavewoman

Dear Blogdorf Readers, I present to you a lippie that does not exist. Now, you know there is a fascinating story coming, with a title like this! And indeed, this is a fascinating, amazing, unbelievable story. Here it goes.

Tuesday: I receive a phone call from my dear friend and drugstore-makeup-expert, PattyG. She's in a Walgreens store outside of Atlanta, staring at a new display from L'Oreal, so excited by what she's seeing that she just had to call me. She knows we both love all the new and fun drugstore collections, and she wants to tell me about what she is seeing. It is a new pink L'Oreal lipstick called Diane's Rose, part of an entire group of Beauty Confidential products "Inspired By Diane Keaton." Of course I ask her to grab one of these lippies for me, because if Patty says I will love it, I will! She describes the other items in the collection, and I ask her to buy the primer (yes! a primer by L'Oreal! at long last!) and a shadow quad in cool tones, and a clicky-pen brightener. I couldn't wait to see all of these things! To try to see what I'll be receiving, I google for half an hour and can't come up with one single word on the L'Oreal Beauty Confidential Inspired By Diane Keaton Collection.

Wednesday: I hit three Walgreens and three RiteAids in my area. I come up with nothing. No Diane Keaton things in my town. PattyG writes to me to tell me that the coral lippie in the Keaton collection is worthy, and she grabs one of those to send to me too. I scour the internet for info. Nothing. It's as if this collection does not even exist.

Thursday: I'm intrigued and befuddled. I google again, and again there is not one speck of information on the internet. The L'Oreal website requires that I install Flash Player 9. I decline. My computer's clogged up enough as it is. I google their corporate offices phone number in NYC and head to the phone.

Dear Reader, what is to come will astonish you. I am connected to a Customer Representative named Dawn. I tell her what my friend Patty found on the L'Oreal display, and ask her for more information on the Beauty Confidentials Inspired By Diane Keaton. After two minutes on hold, Dawn tells me that Diane Keaton is a spokesperson for the L'Oreal Age Perfect skincare line, but "there are no cosmetics with her name on them." I kid you not. I insist that my friend found this collection. Dawn insists back that "Diane Keaton must have done a cosmetic line for another company." Dawn is telling me that this collection does not exist. I'm so speechless I can barely say goodbye to Dawn. During an errand run on the other side of town, I try another Walgreens and another RiteAid. Nope.

On Thursday evening, Ms. Blogdorf and I hit a grocery store that usually gets all of the new L'Oreal items before the drugstores do. Nothing. When I get home, I have an email from Patty, showing me a photo of the now-almost-empty display from Walgreens that she took with her cell phone. If a photo is proof of existence, look here, Dawn! There really IS a Diane Keaton collection!

Friday: My box from PattyG arrives! I swoon over this beautiful lipstick and can't wait to try everything! The packaging is lovely and grown-up and womanly, dressed in Keaton's famous pantsuit white. It's all beyond gorgeous! I want to call Dawn and tell her. I want her email address so I can show her The Lipstick That Does Not Exist.

Day 22: Lipstick Wars

PBS will be showing The Powder and the Glory on March 23rd, 2008 at 10pm. This film documents the 60 year rivalry between Elizabeth Arden and Helena Rubinstein. Both women created cosmetic empires while living within blocks of each other in NYC.

Women are cheered by makeup.

When the moneyed spend less on clothes, they spend more on lipstick.

(Elizabeth Arden quote)

Credits: Vogue and http://www.powderandglory.com/index.php/main

Day 21: The Lippie Lament, D-Word
by MUA's Cavewoman

The very first thing I ever bought from MAC Cosmetics was a lovely, pink-toned cream lipstick called Florian. This was back when the tubes had a flat top, and a black enamel band around the center with the letters M A C in gold inside the enamel. I went through my first Florian and went back for another one. It was the only lip color that I wore for years. That is, until that one day when I went back to buy another one, having used maybe four of them up already, and was told that this shade had been discontinued. There, I said it. The dreaded D-word. Every lipstick lover knows what I'm talking about. That perfect, long-sought-after shade, gone forever. We start scouring ebay and swap lists on MakeUpAlley and we hold our breath til the last seconds of the auction tick down, or we hope for a reply from our swapper, with a "yes" inside the note. No one told me back then, when I was buying Florian, that MAC is notorious for discontinuing lipstick colors. I'd have stocked up on my shade.

A few years ago, I discovered two beautiful MAC shades in the Amplified formula, which has come to be my favorite of all of the MAC lipstick formulas. Birds Of A Feather and Deliciously Rich are pretty, soft, muted My Lips But Better colors. I'm on my fourth Birds and my third Delicious. Long gone from MAC counters, I've resigned myself to the fact that I may not be able to get any more of these two shades. I bring them along on shopping trips and swatch them on the back of my hand, trying to find a perfect match in other cosmetic lines.

On a trip to New York City with Ms. Blogdorf, we met up with our NY friends for a visit to The Cosmetics Market, a quirky little store with a you-never-know-what-you'll-find-there inventory. Filled with banged-up boxes of old merchandise, oddball makeup lines, and discontinued products, it's fun to dig and discover. I found the Charles Of The Ritz there, and knowing this might be the end of the Ritz line forever, I bought the Tiddly Pink. We all ended up making purchases that day. It's a makeup lover's goldmine. I still have my beautiful retro-style Charles Of The Ritz compacts, black and glossy with pink lettering. JCPenney was the last retailer to carry the line. I wonder how one of the most elegant makeup lines of all time ended up in a mid-range mass retailer.

Coty was my Mom's brand of lipstick until it disappeared totally several years ago. You may find those cardboard boxes of face powder here and there, but where they really excelled was in lipsticks. I used their Stop It For Lips religiously. But here, for the young'uns, I present a Coty lipstick in an elegant, gold fluted case, which we used to buy for about two dollars. Note the slide-up mechanism, maybe you've never seen that before. This lipstick is probably over 20 years old, and it hasn't spoiled or turned rancid in the least. It still smells lovely, reminding me of the Frederic Malle fragrance called Lipstick Rose. I wonder if the perfumer, Ralf Schweiger, was thinking of Coty lipsticks when he created that beautiful sweet scent.

At the bottom, my biggest lament of all, and again from Coty, this is Nature's Lip Tint. I can't even show you what is inside. It is a hideous nub of what can only be described as thick yellow wax. But on the lips! On the lips it turns into my most perfect pink color, and it lasts all day. I took this lipstick with me to Italy, ten years ago. I've only once seen anything similar to it, a line on QVC called Fran Wilson's Moodmatchers. I think they are long gone, too.

Now you know that I am not lipstick-deprived, there are plenty enough here that I never have to buy another lipstick again. But a true lipstick lover will always look for the next perfect shade. In the meantime, I'll continue to bring my Birds and Deliciously along with me on shopping trips, hoping for an exact match. And I am also hoping that MAC is reading Blogdorfgoodman today and deciding to make a lipstick lover happy, and re-releasing those two beautiful shades. I won't ask for a re-release of Florian, I think that's too much to ask. But I wouldn't mind at all. Tell us your favorite discontinued lipsticks, and we can lament together!

A lipstick is worth a hundred words
by Jessica M

The writer Oscar Wilde is buried in the Père Lachaise cemetery in Paris, and his grave is marked by an imposing Egyptian Revival monument. For some reason, visitors to the cemetery have created a tradition of kissing the monument and leaving a lipstick mark. A sign strictly forbids this “defacing” of the stone, but when you stand at the grave and you see all the lipstick kisses in a rainbow of colors, it’s hard not to pay your own respects to Oscar. As Wilde himself wrote, “The only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it.”

Photograph of Wilde’s tomb by Robert Loerzel (2000) via Flickr.

Day 20: The Pinks and Roses
by MUA's Cavewoman

Nine days out of ten, I'm reaching for a pink lippie. I know that cool-toned pinks and roses look best on me. I've tried to do browns, pinky-browns and nudes, but I always go back. But what's pink to me may not be pink to someone else. Sometimes I think we should all walk around with Pantone swatch books in our bags! I often see a lipstick described as cool-toned on makeupalley, and when I see it in person, I think to myself that I must be pretty bad in judging color tones. And although photos and color renditions may appear differently on different computer monitors, I'll take a stab at showing some of my favorite pinks and roses today



As I was gathering up my pink and rose lippies for these photos, I discovered something that surprised me. MAC makes some of my favorite pinks! Granted, many of them are Limited Editions from past "collections" -- Fafi, C-Shock, Naughty Nauticals -- this is the kind of lippie longing that has Ms. Blodorf and me hitting the local MAC counter on launch day for every new collection that is released. I've rediscovered Vivacious, a bright, shimmering blue-based pink that is a bit more wearable than the even bluer and brighter Fun N Sexy from the Fafi collection. Sweetie has been one of my favorite go-to colors for many years. I'm on my fourth one, and thank goodness this color is part of the regular always-available MAC line.

In terms of fabulous formulas, the Clarins Candy Pink is part of the newer Joli Rouge group of lipsticks. Creamy and well-pigmented, the formula is comfortable and lasts very well. A softer and more sheer pink that I love, a bit more on the mauvey side, is Awake Desert Rose. I had a brief but passionate love affair with all things Awake a few years ago. YSL Rouge Volupte is their newest formula, and maybe my favorite lippie formula of all time. Caress Pink is the most wearable of all of their pinks in this group. I wish I could wear the others. They're really bright.

Lancome has always had some fabulous roses and pinks. Last year, they released a group of six special rose lipsticks, all of them beautiful. The Fleur De Lis is a soft muted pink, and the Frambois a lively, brighter shade. Prescriptives does not offer too many pinks, but I've been wearing Cerise quite often lately. And the Shiseido Titian (a Dick Page creation!) is a bit warmer but the formula is luscious.

Chanel has long discontinued my favorite formula, the Infrarouge, and they have not offered any new cool-toned pinks in the Hydrabase in a long time. I love the scent of Chanel lipsticks, and Pretty is my favorite of all of them.
I remember clearly the day I bought Dior's Uncontrollable Pink, because Shawn, my buddy and trusted makeup artist, told me it was a perfect shade for me. I think of him fondly whenever I wear it! Recently I ran to a Dior counter to get another Rose Vision, which is the original Rouge Addict formula that's now being discontinued for the newer formula. The Rose Starlet is part of that new collection of Addict lipsticks.

Don't discount the discount and drugstores for fun pink lipstick shades! Some of the best can be found on the Revlon racks. Revlon is introducing Limited Edition collections quite often, and the Paparazzi Pink and Wink For Pink are from two of those collections from 2008. The Moon Drops lipsticks in the green tubes are old colors that just seem to linger around, probably being bought by the same women who bought them twenty years ago. I'm glad that Revlon hasn't pulled these pretties from their lineup. And at the Milani display, I could not resist a shade called Tiki Tiki Pink. It makes me happy just to say the name!

I know that my rose and pink lippie collection is big. But that won't stop me from stopping at the counters to peruse the displays for yet another pretty pink. You will find Ms. Blogdorf and me at the MAC counter on Thursday. I'll be buying the new Viva Glam.

It's pink!!

Searching for the Perfect Pink:
Exploring CoverGirl

I am always on the hunt for the perfect pink lipstick. I want something heartbreakingly pretty like the underside of a rose petal. I spotted these Covergirl shades at a Walmart store. They were being ignored on a bottom shelf. I purchased each and every pink shade they offered. I was disappointed by the texture and lasting power of the formula. They just wore off too quickly and the color payoff was fairly weak.

#555(upper left shade) is called Pick-me-up Pink. It is a pinkish violet shade with above average pigment for a covergirl lippie.

#505 (upper right shade) is called Iceblue Pink.
It is a blue based cotton candy pink with high frost.

#545(lower left) is Parisian Pink. I purchased this lipstick for the adorable name. It is a fairly weak carnation pink. It contains no shimmer and is fairly matte-like. I use it to layer with other lippies.

#550 (lower right) is another weak shade. This is called Powerpink. It is also an frosty iceblue pink. This pink has more oomph than #505.

What do you think of Covergirl lipsticks?
Let us know in the comments.

Disclaimer: All the lippies featured in this post were purchased by me.

Day 19: Bésame Enchanting Lipsticks: Kiss me as if tonight was the last time
by Jessica M

Bésame Cosmetics’ name was inspired by the classic song “Bésame Mucho,” which was written by a young musician named Consuelo Velazquez in 1940 and has been recorded countless times by countless artists since then. All of Bésame’s products capture a classic, sophisticated glamour. The colors and textures of the makeup are sophisticated and often vibrant. Their packaging, with stylized red flowers on a brilliant gold metal background, is inspired by Art Deco style.

Bésame’s Enchanting Lipsticks have a semi-matte finish, a creamy texture and excellent lasting power. Their size is old-fashioned, too: they are tiny, compared to standard lipsticks, but their pigment is concentrated, and one swipe is usually enough. Some of the deeper and brighter shades are inspired directly by old photos of pin-ups and movie stars. My own favorite shades are Portrait Pink, a sweet, light pink for daytime wear, and Merlot, a rich, slightly brownish wine for dressier situations.

Last year, Bésame announced that it was planning to reformulate and repackage its products, and the company held a big sale in 2008. However, nothing else seems to have changed recently. Most shades of Enchanting Lipstick are still available on the Bésame website (http://www.besamecosmetics.com), for $12 each. (The other, sold-out shades can still be found on eBay and on Makeup Alley swap lists.) If anyone has an update about Bésame and its lipsticks, please let us know in the comments section!

Lipstick photo by Jessica M.

A Lipstick is Worth a Hundred Words
by Jessica M

Has there ever been anyone cooler than Debbie Harry? As the face of the band Blondie, she belted out some of the classic pop songs of the 1980s. She was also an icon of chic street style, with flawless cheekbones and a sexy smirk, shining against the gritty background of the New York punk scene. Debbie was so cool that she didn’t even seem to need our admiration. And please, let’s not forget that she was sporting her signature platinum hair, her sharp little outfits, and her bright red lipstick long before Gwen Stefani ever stepped up to a microphone!

Photograph of Deborah Harry by Roberta Bayley
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTVANp6Psd4

Day 18: Armani Lippies

by Koneko

Back in Y2K, Giorgio Armani worked with Pat McGrath to create a cosmetics line based on “Micro-Fil Technology.” This research was supposedly originally developed for the textile industry. However, it was destined to be a beauty industry innovation. There are somewhat vague descriptions of how Micro-Fil works. There are descriptions of hollow spheres and pearls which give products a "slip" and wonderful pigmentation. The end result? Micro-Fil products create a weightless veil of make-up, which can be layered, for a seamless finish.

This weightless quality is exactly why I adore Armani cosmetics, and in particular their lip products. First, lipsticks. The texture is smooth, never sticky, and never drying. They just glide on with ease. Other bonus points: no scent or taste. The lipsticks come in “Sheer, Shine, and ArmaniSilk” formulations. There are seasonal limited editions as well (often with different packaging.) I have a predilection for the Sheers and ArmaniSilks. The Sheers have a sleep feel, and the color can build w/ application. They come in a fairly wide range of colors. My all-time favorite is #10. It’s a rose, w/ mauvy-brown undertones. I keep one in my desk at work at all times!

The ArmaniSilks are a little heavier, but still lightweight. They have a bit more pigmentation and depth to them and contain “Micro Silk powders.” The lustrous finish compares to the complexity of woven silk. The ArmaniSilk Collections has included the Reds and now the Caffe Collection.

The Armani lip glosses are also not to be missed. They come in two formulations: Lip Shimmers and Midnight Lip Shimmers. They are the non-sticky, lightweight glosses, and they come in such wonderful colors. They also give decent pigmentation. They are not at all drying, and feel comfortable on the lips. The Shimmers are a bit lighter in consistency than the Midnight Shimmers. They have a more refined “grain” to them. In some cases, the shimmer is so fine it is more like an iridescence or glow. There is a 3 dimensional feel to the glosses. The Midnight Shimmers pack more of a punch. They have a starry quality. Although it looks glittery, there is no gritty feel! They go on smoothly, without any tacky feel. The Midnight Shimmers have “doe-foot” sponge applicators, while the Lip Shimmers have brush applicators (which I prefer!) There are fewer shades in the Midnight Shimmer Collection. Both types layer wonderfully over lipsticks without feeling heavy too. I guess that goes with the whole Micro-Fil philosophy!

The Lip collection has just introduced Lip Wax. It's supposed to give a sort of stain to lips... good color saturation with very little product. I think it's supposed to be lightest of all the formulations. I have been eyeing this product, but haven't yet tried it... I've never done well with stains. But I guess if anyone is going to do justice to a lipstain, it's going to be Armani!