I get weirdly excited when I get an Ulta catalog in the mail–which is funny–because I’m notoriously terrible at going through my mail! I’m seriously going to miss jury duty and be jailed. I’m sure of it.
But there’s something about getting that pink catalog with all the pictures of makeup and skin care that has to be what it was like for straight boys in 1981 to get their magazine in the black wrapper. I shouldn’t even look, but of course, I’m going to. The objects are unattainable for anyone pretending to be on a budget. And it’s possibly all fantasy anyway.
It didn’t stop them, and it’s not stopping me.
So let’s manage our excitement for spring colors, new palette launches and BOGO50s together, shall we?
These are my picks for the “21 Days of Beauty” sale that starts on Sunday, March 18th–our own version of March Madness–if you will.
(and reminder–i’m still trying to go cruelty-free–so my picks reflect this ethic.)
Ok Lovelies- 2017 is about to wrap up and we couldn’t be more ready to ring in a fresh new year. Here’s a quick snapshot of everything we reached for most over the past 12 months. Ready? Hands on your buzzers!!
Daytime moisturizer:
J: Dr Jart Cicapair Tiger Grass Color Correcting Balm!
L: What Jess said! But I’ll also go with Glossier, Priming Moisturizer
P: Dermalogica Dynamic Skin Recovery SPF 50
Brows:
J: NYX Micro Brow pencil
L: Lashfood, Browfood Tinted Brow Enhancing Gelfix in Brunette
You guys! Reader and friend of the blog, Liz, wrote to us today to ask a question that I can 100% relate to:
I don’t usually wear makeup to work, because I have to leave the house by 6:45am, and I am NOT a morning person. I’d love to wear bold lipstick to work, but I feel that if I’m wearing lipstick, then I should probably put makeup on the rest of my face.
Do you have advice for how I might QUICKLY do makeup for myself? Like, what are the quickest and most effective ways I can look put-together enough that a bold lipstick will make sense? I’m talking between two and five minutes of application. I worry that if I slap makeup on, it looks too fakey. I also am getting to a point where I want to focus on minimizing the look of wrinkles and under-eye circles and other evidence that I’m in the latter half of my thirties.
Giiiirrrrrrlll, I feel this! I EXTRA DOUBLE suck at mornings. They are the worst, and I usually waste more than a little time staring into space, wishing an “oh no! A water main broke and the whole world is closed! Please go back to bed!” email would come in. So far that has not happened, so usually I also only have only 2-5 minutes to apply makeup on my early morning days.
My love affair with a bold, red lip began in the winter of 2010. I was down. General winter blahs. Feeling sorry for myself and just not in the best head space. I knew something had to change, but I wasn’t sure where to start. One day, I put a red lip on. I can’t even remember the occasion, probably a meeting for work. But the response was immediate. I carried myself differently. People complimented me. I heard “I wish I could pull off a red lip” multiple times and I’d answer back “but you can!” Because apparently, I was pulling it off even though I didn’t feel particularly confident or interested in drawing any attention.
And so wearing red lipstick became a thing for me. I decided to wear it every day that winter—my interpretation of the old “fake it ‘til you make it” advice. And you know what? It worked. I actually started feeling better. It became my shield against the negative thoughts I was having in my head. It made me feel like in some small way, I was trying. And something about that red lip seemed to brighten people’s day, too. It created a reaction—both in me and in others—I felt better to have it on.
Over the years, I’ve tried—and have acquired a lot of reds. Let’s be honest—I have a lot of lipsticks—period. But honestly, for as often as I wear red, I have fewer reds than other colors. I think it’s because I do have favorites that I reach for pretty consistently and have stayed loyal to throughout the years.
What makes the perfect red for me? It needs to wear well—if not hydrating, at least not drying—it needs to stay in place and not transfer all over my face or teeth, and it needs to have strong color payoff. When I wear red, I like to really wear red.
With these requirements, here are my favorites:
Tarte LipSurgence™ matte lip tint in Fiery: this is my holy grail red lipstick. It was the first matte lipstick I owned and I’ve always found the finish and color to be perfection. It’s a crayon application, but the texture is soft and it lasts a long time. I love how it feels and its slight peppermint scent. It is a real red. Not too bright or pink. Not too dark or brown. It’s just right. I have several of these stashed everywhere in my life. I had a huge scare over the summer that Tarte was going to discontinue this line—and maybe that’s still the plan?—but they are still available on their website and I cannot recommend this formula and color strongly enough. Totally worth the $24 price tag.
Urban Decay, Mrs. Mia Wallace: Thank you, UD for putting this fantastic red into your Vice permanent collection! Launched as a limited edition for Pulp Fiction’s 10th anniversary, this deep red cream lipstick quickly became a favorite. It is not matte, but not overly shiny. It also wears for a long time and creates a perfect stain. I can’t remember our history with this lipstick, but Jess and I have been obsessed since it came out. I still have my old school tube, but now I can restock it for only $17. (PS: Urban Decay knows what they are doing with a red lipstick—F-Bomb, Spiderweb, Rock Steady, Zealot are all in my collection and in heavy rotation. It really just depends on the finish and color you’re going for that day.)
Jeffree Star Velour Liquid Lipstick, REDRUM: So I’m slow—Jess had to explain the name to me—but there is nothing scary about this lipstick except for how great it is! Seriously—how did I live without Jeffree Star liquid lips?! It’s the best $18 plus shipping you’ll spend on lip products. This one is a matte finish, cool toned red and it will last and last. It doesn’t dry your lips, applies evenly and dries quickly. You can really just put it on and forget about it. This red is my favorite, but I’m also totally smitten with Rich Blood—it makes your teeth look ridiculously white!— Designer Blood (a plummy red) and Unicorn Blood (a brown red). The only thing I don’t like about them is their names…
Rimmel Lasting Finish by Kate Matte in Kiss of Life, 111: Yes—I totally bought this one because of Kate Moss. But I repurchased it because it’s awesome. It only $4.99 but it’s better than most lip products 5x the price. This one is definitely matte and definitely red. But it feels good and it lasts.
Colourpop Lippie Stix in Bichette: We really don’t give enough love to Colourpop or their incredible Lippie Stix. They are $5 and come in a huge range of colors—or should I say colours? I got this one from Pamela and it’s my favorite when I’m looking for a darker red with a smooth finish. If you are in the market for a red lip pencil, the Bichette Pencil is much better than anything you’ll get at the MAC counter and way cheaper.
Giorgio Armani Beauty Lip Maestro, 400: Okay–this one is stupid expensive–but I’m including it because you can sometimes get it as a 100 point sample or a free sample with purchase on Sephora which is how I happened upon it. I’ll tell you, it’s totally worth the crazy price tag. It feels like velvet. For real. And the color is so fancy. You will feel like a million bucks when you wear it–probably because you’ve spent close to that much to get one!
I understand why people can get a little nervous about wearing a red lip. You do have to sell it. You have to stand a little straighter to make a bold lip work. But that’s the magic. A red lip makes you believe in yourself. And makes others take notice.
I promise there is a red lipstick out there for you. Perhaps you already found it—please share in the comments if you have! But it exists. I hope these suggestions helps you find it. I have a sneaky suspicion we might all be feeling like we need a little extra something, something this winter…
All photos were obtained from the product websites and all products were purchased by me. Boy, were they ever!
June 5th was a big day for lipstick junkies like the three of us at E&N. We are in agreement that Urban Decay has one of the top lipstick formulas and we have all been devoted users/collectors for ages. Basically—between the three of us—we have a lot of UD lipsticks floating around.
So when Urban Decay announced they were launching 100 lipsticks in their new Vice line—we paid attention. But we had questions: What colors would they be? Would our favorites go away? How would the formula change? Would we HAVE to repurchase new formulas of lipsticks we still had in the old model? How do you decide between ONE HUNDRED shades?!! (here are more detail on the launch.)
Turns out—our questions were answered quickly and definitively. They had all the colors—including our old favorites. We didn’t need to repurchase ones we already had because they weren’t THAT different. And with a cheaper price point $17 vs the previous $22—we could afford to try a couple new shades and take them out for a spin. So we decided we would each try two new shades that are a little different than ones we currently own and report back.
Here’s what we found:
Lyn: I was only going to buy two of the new Vice lipsticks and ended up with five—one that I will definitely return (Rapture: kind of a blah shade and I probably already own something similar), one I’m still figuring out (Safe Word: might be too light for me) and three that I love. But—per the assignment—I’ll stick to two favorites—with an honorable mention. (see what I did there?)
Cruel—listed as “Red with copper shimmer (Pearlized)”
Surprisingly, my two favorites are in their new Metallized collection, which is described as “a cream with a high level of pearl.” I generally steer clear of lipsticks with any shimmer or glitter in them. But I swatched it at Sephora and fell in love! I would call it straight up copper—more red/brown than my usual true reds.
The shimmer is perfect for summer and will take me seamlessly into fall. I am crazy for this shade.
Zealot—listed as “Satin red with micro-shimmer (Pearlized)”
This one is gorgeous—and was a gift from Jess for my birthday. (that girl gets me. she should start a blog or something.) Jess gave it to me before I left for a work trip. When I got back—I picked up Cruel and was freaking out about the Metallized collection. The next day—I found the Zealot she gave me and realized I hadn’t tried it on. I did and I’ve been wearing it in rotation with Cruel ever since.
It is a warm red, so definitely not pink or bright, and the shimmer is divine. I probably wouldn’t have tried it since it’s a red—but I’m so glad I have it—it’s completely different than my other reds.
Pamela: I ended up with 5, and now reading that Lyn did too, I don’t feel so bad about it. I’m not still figuring any of them out, am not returning any and am already planning which ones I want to buy next…. because I am ridiculous. Just before the launch, I got a deluxe sample in the mail from Ulta that had 24 of the new (and a few old ones, that I already had) shades, along with a giant “chip chart.”
Both of which helped plan my attack. I was able to cross out the colors I knew I had, and circle the ones I wanted or was hoping to check out (seriously, it was like getting the Sears catalog before Christmas when I was a kid) and I got to road test a few!
ZZ – Listed as “soft pink-purple (cream)”
I don’t often wear true baby pink shades, I just don’t think they suit me. And I’ve always wanted a really real lavender/purple shade, but the couple I have tried in the past have been too straight up purple, which is cool if you’re Katy Perry, but doesn’t lend itself to a daily look.. So, I threw on ZZ one night before leaving to teach yoga. A couple of my students told me how good they thought it looked (thanks ladies!) and when I told them it was just a sample I was trying, they told me I better go buy it. SOLD.
I think this one leans more purple than pink, which is what I wanted, but I can still wear it daily without it looking too shocking. I really love it.
INTERROGATE – Listed as “medium peachy rose (cream)”
I love a bold red lip, but my daily go to shades are nudes. I can’t get enough nude lipsticks. And the new Vice collection includes 30 “nude” shades. Naturally, I bought a few, but Interrogate is probably the most different from the nudes I already own. It’s a deeper shade, and reminds me of something I would have worn in the early 90’s (in a good way).
It’s not too rosy but also not too orange. It’s perfect on the days that I want my lipcolor to stand out a bit more, but don’t want the all day maintenance of rocking a bold red.
Jess: About a month before the launch of the new Vice lip colors, all of the Revolution Lipsticks (the old formula) went on sale for $11! I took a bit of a gamble that the formula wasn’t going to change that much, and may have loaded up a bit on the oldies. Glad I did, because Catfight (“pink-fuchsia with slight red undertone”) did not make the cut into the new 100! But because of this front-loading, I am only up to THREE Vice lipsticks.
Catfight, OG formula
I feel like I need to mention how incredibly overwhelming the Vice display is. Pamela is SUPER LUCKY to have gotten that cheat sheet- 100 is A LOT of lipsticks! And they are all beautiful!! On my first go, I found myself totally blocking the display, in a trance, trying to stop myself from being drawn to the colors I already own. I realized I was lip-blocking another Sephora customer, so I apologized, moved over, and as she settled in and focused, her eyes glazed over too, as she said “well, I guess I can rule out that green one… only 99 to go!” On that day, I only came away with Lyn’s birthday lipstick, but went back later and ended up with…
PDA- listed as “bright medium pink (cream finish)”
Perhaps you’ve noticed a trend here at E&N… we like to gift each other things that end up becoming obsessions. A few years ago, Lyn gave me an Urban Decay lipstick sampler pack- a whole bunch of baby lipsticks! They are the cutest ever! I fell in love with the shade Ladyflower, which was ONLY available in that kit. Grrr! In the new launch, Ladyflower is back, but it’s not the same color, and now it’s only in the sheer formula, and the sheers are not my favorite. PDA, however, is almost identical to the old shade, and the cream formula is aces.
This is a great daily pink for days you’re not quite into having a bold lip, but still want to have a bit of a pop.
NAKED- listed as “nude-pink (cream)”
This one is my “not a color I normally go for” color, but I’m glad I have it. As I mentioned earlier, Urban Decay’s cream formula can’t be beat- it’s so moisturizing, the color lays down great, and they fade without getting chunky. Naked is a perfect choice on “no makeup” days, and also works beautifully with a dramatic, smoky eye.
It’s just an easy shade that looks like almost nothing, but maybe something, and feels good to have on your mouth.
Since Lyn has been so excited about the Metallized finish, I just picked up BIG BANG (bright pink sparkle (metalized)), and I can’t wait to test drive it! Is Tuesday a good day for a sparkle lip? Why the hell not.
What Vice shades have you excited? Any new favorites? Misses? We NEED to know! Post your findings in the comments below.
(All photos compliments of Urban Decay unless otherwise noted. We purchased these lipsticks with our own money–except for the ones we gave each other as gifts. )
