What It Is:
Lise Watier Lip Kiss Crayon Gloss Pencil in Tender Pink and Melon Twist

Why This Should Be in Your Bag:

Every girl I know loves lip products. They are fun, often smell and taste great (don’t eat them though!) and can instantly transform your look. Seriously, look at yourself before and after applying your fave lippie; you get a glow!

Lise Watier is a niche brand from Quebec, Canada, specializing in high-quality cosmetics and skincare. Their Lip Kiss Crayon Gloss pencil is one of my favorite products from the brand and I’m excited to share it with you!

How To Use It:
Even though most lip products are fairly no-brainer (swipe and smush lips together, you’re good to go!), this one is even more so. It’s gloss housed in pencil form, which isn’t really unique anymore, but makes application a breeze. I can safely say I apply these without a mirror often, and I never end up with clown lips.

Tender Pink is gorgeous, light pink that barely lightens my pigmented lips. I love it; it looks perfect with every eye look! Melon Twist is a very light peachy-coral that I found myself constantly wearing in the summer. It tints your lips slightly more orange and looks great with a tan.

(L-R: Tender Pink, Melon Twist)

CC Rating: B-

I like the Lise Watier Lip Kiss Crayon Gloss pencils. The formula is wonderful: moisturizing and shiny, almost more like a tinted balm than a true gloss. It’s totally non-sticky, but adheres to my lips and gives me about two hours of wear. It’s a comfortable lip product and I find myself reaching for it as a “default,” because these two shades always look good.

My only complaints are the price and the design. For $18, you’re getting .10oz of lip product. That’s very, very little. I also find that I go through these quite quickly, because the formula is soft and requires several swipes for pigmentation. They’re not the best for babes on a budget. Also, I would much prefer if the pencils were twist up (like tarte Lipsurgences). If you don’t already have a larger-sized sharpener, you will need to get one for these. Lipgloss is messy and a pain to sharpen, with lots of product wasted.

Like I said, I like these. But I certainly don’t love them. If Lise Watier added a bit more product, in a twist-up tube, I think these could jump into the As instead of hovering in low Bs. They’re available at Lise Watier’s website and some specialty drugstores.

What It Is:
Clarins Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector

Why This Should Be in Your Bag:

I have a love/hate relationship with lip glosses. While I love the color and shimmer they impart, they are often too garish and suck the moisture right out of my lips.

Clarins is obviously one of my favorite brands and have come up with a genius solution to our problem. Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector is a lip “gel” packed with 3D microshimmer, designed to accentuate your lips and make them look naturally fuller. Read More »

Already stressed about finding the perfect gift for your girlfriends? Never fear, that’s what holiday make-up sets were invented for! Your BFF who can never decide on which eye shadow color to buy? Get her all of them! Your roommate who loves to try new fragrances? She’s covered! Your sister the lipgloss fiend? Make her wildest dreams come true!

There really is something for every one of your best gals when it comes to gift sets! Here are our top five picks for this holiday season… Read More »

What It Is:
Anastasia Kisses on my List Lipgloss Set

Why This Should Be in Your Bag:

Holiday 2011 is in full-swing people! That means your nearest Sephora and Ulta will be full of fun gift sets. I love sets of makeup; they are usually value-priced, meaning you get mega bang for your buck and it’s fun to see what companies pair together!

Anastasia is a brand created by the brow guru of the same name. They’ve expanded into makeup and are offering up a steal of a deal: six full-sized lipglosses for $30, while they are regularly $21 each! And three of the shades are only available in this set! Read More »

What It Is:
Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Lip Tars in Pageant and Grandma

Why This Should Be in Your Bag:

I’ve sang the praises of lip products enough: they add color to your look, brighten your face and are just plain fun! I have a huge collection of lipstick and lipgloss, mostly because I can’t resist all the pretty pinks and corals lip products come in.

Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics is a line created by David Klasfeld. I wondered about the strange brand name and easily found the answer on their website: “I did and the result is a line obsessively crafted from the finest ingredients possible, to celebrate the driving compulsions of makeup fanatics everywhere.” This entire line is also Vegan-friendly (I’ve received questions about this and will try to include it in future articles). OCC’s Lip Tars are their cult-status item and being a lip junkie, I had to test drive a few!

Read More »

What It Is:
BECCA Fallen Angel Palette

Why This Should Be in Your Bag:
One of makeup’s biggest mysteries is which lipsticks and lipglosses go together. Often, I think two colors will be complementary, but once I get them home and try them on, they couldn’t be farther from “matching.” BECCA has created a foolproof palette that contains a dual lip & cheek creme and lipgloss in matching shades, and they’ve also tossed in a highlighter, so your lip and cheek looks are completely covered.

In this palette you get a lip & cheek creme in Nectar (tawny peach), a lipgloss in Sunrise (sheer peach) and highlighter in Narcissus (opalescent peach). Clearly, BECCA is going with a peach theme here, but I think the color descriptions are pretty bang-on. Read More »

[Disclaimer: This product was provided to me for review purposes.]

What it is: BECCA Glossy Lip Tints in Island Dream & Afterglow

Why this should be in your bag
Let’s face it: lipgloss is just a makeup staple. There is a rare brand here and there that doesn’t offer it (what is wrong with those people!?), but lipgloss is undeniably one of the most popular cosmetic products out there. Hence why I’m constantly on the search for the perfect formula!

BECCA’s Glossy Lip Tints are touted as “A long lasting translucent gloss that delivers radiant shine with a splash of color. Deliciously scented with a hint of strawberry parfait, this luxurious formulation is silky-smooth and completely non-sticky.” Read More »

Is it just me or is there another “revolutionary” new makeup product introduced every freaking day?! Just walking into Ulta or Sephora (or even Walgreens!) sends many chicas into fits of hysteria, reaching for the nearest brown bag to regulate their breathing. It’s all so overwhelming.

So how can you know which product – among the sea of thousands – is the best? Which does what you need it to do? Which ones are worth the extra money? Let me help. I don’t know every beauty product out there, but I’ve tested a lot of them and I’ll let you know which are worth the money and which are not.

(Disclaimer: This product was provided to me for review purposes)

What it is: Urban Decay Lip Junkie Lipgloss in Wallflower

Why this should be in your bag:

I truly don’t know any girl who doesn’t own some form of lip product. Whether it be the standard cherry Chapstick or a fancy MAC Lipglass, girls love to play up and take care of their lips. My collection of makeup is definitely most numerous in lip products so clearly I’m always up for trying something new.

Urban Decay describes their new Lip Junkie gloss as “A decadent lip gloss (with a delicious vanilla-mint flavor!) that allows you to get hooked on the shine, without the sticky hangover.” Sounds pretty great right? One of my biggest peeves with lipgloss is when it’s so sticky that my hair gets stuck in it (Lipglass, I’m looking at you!), so I was really intrigued by this no-stick claim. Thankfully, Urban Decay has pulled through! I’m truly loving their new Lip Junkie Lipgloss. The scent is just sweet enough and the stickiness is at the bare-minimum. With 11 shades, I’m sure everyone can find something they like. Read More »

[Is it just me or is there another “revolutionary” new makeup product introduced every freaking day?! Just walking into Ulta or Sephora (or even Walgreens!) sends many chicas into fits of hysteria, reaching for the nearest brown bag to regulate their breathing. It’s all so overwhelming.

So how can you know which product – among the sea of thousands – is the best? Which does what you need it to do? Which ones are worth the extra money? Let me help. I don’t know every beauty product out there, but I’ve tested a lot of them and I’ll let you know which are worth the money and which are not.]

(Disclaimer: This product was provided to me for review purposes)

What it is: Korres Raspberry Liquid Lipsticks

“Cooling, water-based liquid lipstick rich in line-smoothing, antioxidant Raspberry & Pomegranate extracts to protect against free-radical damage and smooth lip lines for softer, more youthful looking lips.” Comes in 5 shades.

Why this should be in your bag: I love lipstick and lipgloss and this new product by Korres is almost a hybrid. Korres is known for putting out great quality products using lots of natural ingredients, Raspberry Liquid Lipsticks included. They’re chock full of antioxidants and extracts to keep you looking your best. More compact than a lipstick, but delivering super intense color, they are a great option for those on the go. I also find they apply easier than a lipstick and, similar to lots of glosses, don’t require a mirror or intense concentration to apply. They leave your lips colorful and super-shiny. Read More »

Is it just me or is there another “revolutionary” new makeup product introduced every freaking day?! Just walking into Ulta or Sephora (or even Walgreens!) sends many chicas into fits of hysteria, reaching for the nearest brown bag to regulate their breathing. It’s all so overwhelming.

So how can you know which product – among the sea of thousands – is the best? Which does what you need it to do? Which ones are worth the extra money? Let me help. I don’t know every beauty product out there, but I’ve tested a lot of them and I’ll let you know which are worth the money and which are not.

(Disclaimer: This product was provided to me for review purposes)

What it is: Too Faced Glamour Gloss in Flirt and Sex Pot

Why this should be in your bag: Lip gloss is an everyday necessity for most girls. It polishes off your look and really pulls everything together. Added bonuses found in some glosses these days are plumpers, which amplify your natural lips, and mint flavorings to give you fresher breath. Too Faced Glamour Gloss happens to be one of these plumping glosses, but it also imparts a cooling tingle and mint flavor that, when applied, lasts for a good while. I tested out Flirt, described as “pinky mocha” and Sex Pot, a “sheer lilac.” In the tube, Flirt and Sex Pot look very dark and intimidating, but they apply surprisingly sheer.

(L: Flirt, R: Sex Pot)

How to use it: Apply your regular makeup, right down to bronzer and finishing powder before applying lipgloss. If you plan on wearing a stain or lipstick to intensify the color, apply that first. Using the wand applicator (it picks up more product than the doe-foot applicator, so be aware!), swipe on Too Faced Glamour Gloss. I find it only takes one or two swipes to get full-coverage. The cooling, plumping sensation will set in almost immediately! Enjoy it, then re-apply throughout the day as needed, especially if your breath needs some assistance.

(Left: Sex Pot, Right: Flirt)

CC Rating: A

Too Faced Glamour Gloss is a good lipgloss and the added plumping power and mint definitely up the ante. The color-range is pretty impressive and there is a good variety of shimmery and opaque shades. I felt like my lips were plumped,  but the cooling sensation was much more comfortable than other plumping glosses I’ve tried. The minty scent was a nice touch too! I loved the packaging of these, especially the giant jewel on the top of the lid, along with the wand applicator. My only complaint would be that it is a bit sticky, which may turn some users off. If you’re a fan of MAC Lip Glass, the texture is very similar, so you would probably really enjoy Too Faced Glamour Glosses.