On The Shelf

GlaMER Lips Balm – Cherry, Mint/Cocoa Butter, Lavender/Vanilla

Purchase Price $4.00 + shipping

Retailer www.glamerlips.com

Check out www.glamerlips.com for more product info

Product Review:

With the Holidays coming you can be sure winter won’t be too far behind. And in my opinion, there is no better way to keep your lips healthy and kissable this season without a little help from GlaMER!

Already being a huge fan of this company from last winter, and almost daily use of the GlaMER Lip Scrub there is no better way than to use follow-up with the GlaMER Lips Balm. My lips before this balm were so sad. I’m talking about chapped and flakey to the point the “ouchies” set in, so don’t even get me started how bad they felt if I had a cold! But with these 100% natural balms, which come in three flavors, you’ll definitely find one to soothe your lip worries away all year long. These all handmade tint-less balms are made specifically with chapped lips in mind. Here’s a short list of the helpful rehydrating ingredients; jojoba oil, sweet almond oil, vitamin oil, pure cocoa butter, and natural beeswax. Once applied after using the GlaMER Lips Scrub the moisture feels almost instantly locked in. And with a price point cheaper than most of the big-box names this is a win-win for product size and value.

My favorite flavor is the Mint/Cocoa Butter as you get a wonderful hint of cocoa and a tasty refreshing mint burst on your lips. Obsessed with this one I keep one at work and one in my purse at all times! Next would be the Cherry as it reminds me of Cherry Cordials around Christmas. I wear this primarily on the weekends around my boyfriend as Cherry Cordials are one of his favorite Christmas treats now along with these lips. Now if you’re not a fan of either of the above mentioned then you still have one more chance with the Lavender/Vanilla balm. I am not a fan of lavender, however I use this one nightly for that extra relax and replenished feeling.

Constantly hearing about the damage your lips go through and helping shield them from the daily environmental factors these balms are truly a God send. I’ve tried many other brands ranging in price from cheapest that can be found to the most ridiculous of prices imaginable, and none of them seem to compare to the benefits of using GlaMER Lips Balm. This lip balm is a constant reliable source for protection, moisture, and kissable lips 100% of the time. Get some for your shelf, but most of all get at least one for your lips ASAP!

On The Shelf

Overview: Amazing Cosmetics Concealer

Purchase Price $42 + tax

Retailer Sephora

Check out www.amazingcosmetics.com for more product info

Product Review:

This highly pigmented concealer comes in twenty shades making it a mixologist’s dream. If you can’t find your ideal shade you can surely mix it into existence. Being cruelty free and winning 2005’s Allure’s Editor’s Choice Award this purchase was a no-brainer. Plastered online as a great concealer for blemishes, rosacea, and broken capillaries this full coverage concealer did as promised. Amazing Cosmetics took its pride in this product one step further by adding helpful hints on its website on “how-to” apply, which in my book is a big plus. Unfortunately for me the amazing stopped there.

As a little went a long way I found this concealer left cakey spots even with a translucent powder. I had noticed it created fine lines to actually appear under my eyes! This water resistant concealer was such a hassle to wash off and it created an amazing oily mess on my face. As I inspected the ingredients list I found Lanolin oil and Parafinum liquidum as MAIN ingredients! This may answer why I had such terrible results.

My advice is sensitive-skin gals BEWARE. This concealer was extremely irritating to my skin and caused breakouts! This was far from “amazing” in my eyes and was returned for credit. 

On The Shelf

Overview: One n’ Only Argan Oil Styling Cream

Purchase Price $11.99 + tax

Retailer Ulta

Check out www.one-n-only.com for more product info

Product Review:

I keep coming back to this precious pump because One n’ Only isn’t just a catchy name it’s the truth! Company after company was capitalizing on the popularity of using Moroccan Argan Oil and I had found this years ago at a local Walmart, but then they stopped carrying it. Once again it popped up at other beauty supply stores and now I’ve found it at another mainstream chain store which makes me super happy.

I have nothing but positives from using this styling cream. It’s lightweight on damp hair and does not weigh my curls down at all after drying. Works great on coarse thick hair as it tames those pesky fly-aways and unwanted frizzies. After using a straightening iron this adds a great sheen and shield as I will spread a pump over my newly kink free locks. Having used this daily for nearly a week I found no build up issues or over-greasy feeling. My only word of caution would be to those with thin hair, use sparingly as to not weigh down your hair. Don’t worry as a little goes a long way. Your hair will soak up this off-white color cream. There is a distinct odor that is not too unpleasant, makes me think of clean salon products.

As I mentioned before this is no longer carried by Walmart but it can be found at Ulta and other beauty supply stores as well as some dot coms. The price is reflective of the amount of product and a great formula you receive. This will forever be a staple as long as I can keep my shelf stocked. 

FYI: Brand Updates, Launches and Events…

INTRODUCING DARK ROOM!!!

Inspired from true loves first kiss co-creator Lora Ardellano's Dark Room takes form, sharing a bit of her love story with us. An ultra-matte texture that will melt on your lips in this vampiric magenta-plum is slated to be released this November, with much anticipation for those following the fall trends. But hurry for once this arrives it is a limited edition color.

www.meltcosmetics.com 

FYI: Brand Updates, Launches and Events…

MAC Class @ King of Prussia Mall, PA

“Alexa’s Favorite Things”

First off, I’d like to thank MAC Cosmetics store #12034 at the King of Prussia Mall for hosting such an informative event. Thanks to Store Manager Sherri who was a delightful hostess and excellent educator! And of course thank you to Alexa Hand for being such a bubbly model and reaching out to her followers on InstaGram about the class! Plus the fact I was able to get some product shots and candid application photos for my blog (unfortunately my digital photo skills are not up to Mr. Cootie’s quality so bear with me on these pics).

This was my first experience at a MAC class. I’ve been to instructional classes a few years ago that were hosted by Sephora at Cherry Hill Mall (NJ) but MAC of course outdid them with the interaction and not just trying to sell products. The class entitled: Alexa’s Favorite Things may not mean much to people who do not know who Alexa Hand is personally, by reputation, or even her name but those who do should have signed up for this class. My first encounter with Alexa was back in February of this year (mentioned on my Feb. 10^th 2014 post). And it was by far THE best experience purchasing cosmetics that surpassed my expectations of a MAC makeup artist/consultant’s knowledge. Mind you I have been to many MAC stores/counters in CA, NJ, PA, and NYC.

MAC mascra wand

MAC mascara wand

A little background for those of you who don’t follow Alexa on IG, or other social media. She has a unique sense of style and edge which seem to fit with what MAC inspires through cosmetics. She was on the TV reality based show Jerseylicious (March 21-2010 – May 26, 2013) which aired on the Style Network (which has now since been acquired by Esquire TV) and she was known as “A2” as she assisted Alexa Prisco at the Glam Factory which had a spin-off show Glam Fairy (which originally aired from Oct 23, 2011 – Dec 16, 2012) where she could be seen as well. Of course not to be redundant but Alexa is a fantastic MUA!

Alexa being the model

The class was held inside the MAC location after hours on a Sunday evening making it very convenient and without interruptions from possible shoppers. Seating was made available and envelopes which contained MAC headed notepads were inside with pencils for taking notes on different products used and the techniques that were demonstrated. To add to the already great ability to take notes were preprinted papers that not only highlighted the products used but the order of application and brushes that were used listed by their corresponding MAC numbers. Sherri the Store Manager, beyond being a great teacher and hostess, put all of us at ease so any intimidation or fears were had about makeup disappeared. The class offered great insight to newbies and continued education for those with more knowledge by detailing step-by-step application and offering information on the products used. The class was encouraged to ask questions and share feedback which made it a great experience. To sum it up; Sherri knows her stuff!

There were so many products used I would love to list everything even in a short list but it would make this post three times longer LOL.

I highly recommend attending any classes that are held at MAC closest to you. The “fee” of $50 (which was used to not only reserve a spot but put onto a giftcard so you could later make a purchase) is quite reasonable considering the amount of product demonstration and interactive nature of the class. Plus most people going into MAC are usually there to make a purchase anyway!

On The Shelf

Overview:

MAC Mineralize Blush – Just a Wisp

Purchase Price $27 + tax

Retailer MAC Store King of Prussia Mall

Check out www.maccosmetics.com for more product info

Product Review:

Being relatively new to the blush game (better late than never) I’m always critical when selecting a shade. My first blush from MAC was called Dainty and it was AMAZING! Wanting another Mineralized product Dainty set the standard for me as I scanned the counter until Just a Wisp nearly jumped into my hand. Its pale pink luminous properties caught my eye as I smeared it on my wrist and watched as the pearlized finish came through. Just a Wisp is super sheer and the color is build-able without it having a heavy feel or caked on appearance. I had no irritation or blemishes from continued use.

Unfortunately, this does not come off as a blush to me. Once applied to my cheeks it game me more of a “highlighter” effect that looked like a frosty bold pink. Not the everyday look unless you are living in Arendelle with Elsa and Anna. Refusing to give up on this product I found an appropriate alternate use. I’ve continued using it as a brow highlighter or inner eyeshadow that provides a wide-awake look.

Price is what it is for a Mineralized MAC product. Packaging is the signature matte black finish with a clear window to view the product. I will not be repurchasing this even after finding other uses due to the fact there are less expensive products to fill those needs. 

On The Shelf

Overview:

Urban Decay Eyeshadow Maui Wowie

Purchase Price $18 + tax

Retailer Sephora in JCPenney

Check out www.urbandecay.com or more product info

Product Review:

A while back Urban Decay reformulated their eyeshadows and since I was fully stocked up on palettes and some of their single pans I paid no attention. But the time came to replace this personal favorite. I must say their new pigment infusion system is AWESOME. The trademark NYC Subway Coin compact is now more of a shiny gunmetal finish with a transparent lid to clearly see the color of the shadow. The new formula gives this metallic golden beige a softer feel yet it’s able to keep that pop of color I love. I found the old formula to be a bit tough to blend, as with all of UD’s glitter infused separates.

The blending capability of the new formula is much easier and the silver glitter doesn’t budge; so no fall out issues here just a strong dense lasting application of a great eyeshadow. Speaking of application I have found using finger tips or brushes both work well. Whether you choose to use this color dry or wet its rich decadent shade emerges intensely making it a real “wowie”. I found a great array of colors to work with in the Naked 3 Palette (March 24^th review) and I found that burgundies such as MAKEUP GEEK’s Burlesque make great partners.

Loving this color is easy because it works so well on all skin tones. The uniform pigment gives darker tones an intense pop of color while those on the fair side will receive a playful sparkle. And as always Urban Decay created one of the better long lasting and crease free eyeshadow formulas this girl cannot say “No” to.