A few of my favorite things... Lippies

What's more alluring than a nice pair of luscious lips?

Uh.. nothing?

Well, maybe the lippies that make those lips so luscious. I'm obsessed with the pucker for fall.

Here are a few of my current favorite.... lippies!

L'Oreal Infallible Plumping Lipgloss - It's an anomaly. Seriously, part gloss, part stain (not sure if it is actually a stain but the color stays on for so long it very well should be), all plump. My lips look more than massive, they look magically enlarged. Plumped rose and plumped tawny (pictured) are by far my favorite, must-have fall nudes. The wand is an added bonus. Exactly like Lancome's wand, the sponge is large and a bit flattened for precise paint-on application. Score! $9.99

Korres Lip Butter - Jasmine is my favorite - extra moisturizing, mega shine in a sheer seashell wash. It's definitely more of a chapstick (sans the stick) than a lippy (reminds me of Labello but in a soft form). The lip butter is the perfect go-to balm for day as it literally only adds a hint of hue. I like it for night layered ontop of a stain for a bit more color with shine and hydration (so lips don't look chaffed). BONUS: Can also be used as a cheek tint! Wild Rose is a lovely deep red sheen, great for faux-blushing. $9.00


Givenchy Gloss Interdit Ultra-Shiny Color Plumping Effect - a little bling never hurt a pout. This lippy is full of color, plump, shine and shimmer. In fact, the bristled wand is so precise that it's truly like painting the pout. And the color -- more than a wash but less than a lipstick -- lasts surprisingly long for a gloss. The plump is similiar to the L'oreal Infallible Plumpers with extra sparkle. Favorite hue is #13, Delectable Brown, a warm golden beige. $24.50 (Sephora exclusive).

Clinique Vitamic C Lip Smoothie - Vitamins and antioxidants + a hint of color? Fabulous! As always, Clinique delivers an amazing lippy in gorgeous sheer hues. It moisturizes, protects and shines. Nude-tricious, a gorgeous beigey-nude hue and Fig-a-licious (pictured), a barely-there mauvish-pink, are my picks. I heart the brush-on applicator with actual bristles! $17.50

Cover Girl Outlast Lipstain - It's like a magic marker... actually, it's a pen that stains lips for the ENTIRE day -- through breakfast, lunch, dinner and a few kisses in between. Application is as easy as writing your name. Color 400 (pictured) is my favorite. It's so universally appealing -- a raspberry meets watermelon pink -- that the fairest of skins to the darkest tones will look fab in said hue. My only gripe is that the applicator tip has a tendency to try out rather rapidly. $7.49

What's your current favorite lippy?

WEEKLY MUST-HAVE!

It has been AWHILE. Back, by popular demand, is our weekly must-have!


This week, an incredible new invention from those genius' over at L'Oreal. The Paris Clean Artiste Makeup Corrector Pen is a necessary product for anyone - and everyone - who likes to play with makeup!

It's a portable pen with a slant-tip applicator that easily touches up makeup mistakes like lipstick stains or eye color smudges. It corrects the mistake without removing all of the makeup.

The corrector pen's slant-tipped applicator won't tug or pull on skin and the formula aids to remove mishaps quickly and effectively. It provides the correct amount of remover every time, unlike when you try to do it yourself with a soaked q-tip and water (and when out on the town, who really carries makeup remover in their Valentino clutch?)!

Now, it's convenient and easy to remove that excess black MAC Raven liner that's gooed up in the corner of your eyes as you spend the evening bar hopping!

PRICE TAG: $10.95

L'Oreal Goes Sulfate-Free with EverPure

Sulfates suck at every price (click here for refresher why). Now, drugstore brands are realizing the toll that sulfates take on the hair and companies like L'Oreal have launched their version of the sulfate-free shampoo and conditioner.


L'Oreal's EverPure Sulfate-Free Color Care System is one of the first mass brands to create a line of natural products that won't strip hair of color. The shampoos and conditioners are 100% sulfate-free, 100% vegan, are free of harsh, drying salts, are made of all natural botanicals and contain UVA/ UVB filters.

I tried the Smooth Shampoo and Conditioner and I was unexpectedly impressed. Even the scent is more natural (rosemary and juniper). The shampoo doesn't lather as aggresively as ones that contain sulfates (sulfate is the ingredient that produces the sud), but rest assured, it's still doing the job. The Smooth Conditioner is great - it moisturized but didn't weigh my hair down. And my hair dried with volume, shine and tangle-free!

The EverPure line consists of smooth, moisture and volume products, ranging from shampoos to UV protection sprays to hair serums.

I'm obsessed with Pureology's Sulfate-Free Purifying Shampoo and Conditioner, but in these trying times, a drugstore find is truly a dollar well saved.

Click here to check out L'Oreal's 10 tips for healthy haircare such as rubbing hair with a towel when wet can actually cause tangles...

PRICE TAG: $6.99 for shampoo

Skin Genesis is Sorta Genius

I've used the Cetaphil moisturizer for ages now - it's inexpensive and effective - yet, lately it's been making my skin oily. So while thumbing through a fashion magazine recently, I came across this advertisement for L'oreal's Skin Genesis moisturizing cream. The model? Well, she's really an actress with a great gig as a L'oreal spokesperson... the gorgeous and pore-free skinned, Penelope Cruz.



Yes, I must admit, I got taken by an advertisement. But, come on! Penelope Cruz has just about the greatest skin of anyone on this planet... and I can't help wanting gorgeous skin myself! I finally had a chance to try the Skin Genesis moisturizer (oil-free, of course) and, I've gotta say, I'm a fan!

The Skin Genesis Oil-Free Daily Moisturizer won the Allure Best of Beauty "Beauty Breakthrough" award in October. And the entire Skin Genesis line has been creating a lot of buzz. The technology is this:  They call it "green chemistry." Pro-Xylane, an ingredient in the product, comes from the wood of beach trees.  With this new water-based process that L'oreal uses to extract the ingredient, trees and soil are left unharmed.  Sounds cool, although I can't comment on the reality of this process.

Here's what I do know: Not only is the moisturizer oil-free, but it boosts cellular renewal to help erase fine lines. It also helps to maintain an even skin tone while keeping the skin's layers hydrated. It starts with the outer layer, and works inward, thus you look younger from the first application.  And I loved the way it felt on my skin... it definitely penetrated throughout, not leaving a greasy layer on my face.  My only problem is that it contains fragrance... and people with sensitive skin should always avoid fragrance.

Have you tried any products from the Skin Genesis line?  Have a favorite?

Tanning 2007

Here it is! The big, fun filled tanning 2007 guide to beautiful, sun-kissed skin sans UVA and UVB rays (basically, tanned skin without the sun!)

I have tried a plethora of products in my quest for the best! Here, in no particular order, are a couple of tanning products that I just can't live without...

GlowFusion Micro-Nutrient Face & Body Natural Protein Tan: The absolute best spray tan that you can do yourself! Like a mystic tan, just at home. It applies evenly and leaves skin bronzed within seconds. I have very sensitive skin and I use this product on my face without fear of break-outs!!! It rocks!!! PRICE: $58.00 (and well worth every last cent!)


Dove Energy Glow Daily Moisturizer with Subtle Self Tanners, For Medium Skin Tones: It also comes in light, but I use medium because I want a quick, rich tan asap. This is a lotion that you use EVERY day after the shower... it works by gradually enhancing your NATURAL skin color, thus the more you use it, the darker you become. It smells fresh, not like a self-tanner, it doesn't stain clothes AND it actually moisturizes. I tried many tanning moisturizers and what I found is that most don't actually moisturize. This one does it all! PRICE: $7.99


NARS Blush & Bronzer Duo – Orgasm & Laguna: The perfect Summer compact: Two of my favorite colors side by side. Laguna is a rich, golden bronzer, while Orgasm is a subtle pinky-peach shimmer blush. Used together, it makes you look like you just left the beach! All sun-kissed and fresh-faced! PRICE: $36.00


L'Oreal Sunless Sublime Glow Daily Moisturizer, Fair Skin Tones: Like the Dove moisturizing lotion, this too enhances your natural skin tone, but it also adds a hint of sparkle every time you use it! I like to wear this lotion when I'm going out at night because the shimmer accentuates the tan and also makes my skin look dewy. Available in medium too! PRICE: ON SALE for $8.99


Jergens Natural Glow Face Moisturizer, Fair: This oil-free, non-comedogenic face lotion with SPF 20 is ideal for sensitive, acne prone skin types. Not only does it enhance your skin's natural color (building a "tan" the more times you use it), but it is perfect for evening out blothcy, or scarred skin. I love this product and have actually started using it as my primary facial moisturizer! PRICE: ON SALE for $5.78


Tarte Celebutante Dry Oil Shimmer Spray: Most people love the Nars body shimmer but I've gotta say, it's so greasy and always gets all over my clothes. That's when I found this dry oil product. Essentially, it does the same thing: spray on your body and you have a dewy, bronzed glow. But this one is not greasy AND it dries much faster then Nars (it also smells like coconut... yummy!). It's not as deep of a tan as Nars, more of a champagne color, but I'll sacrifice so long as my clothes stay fake-tan free! PRICE: $28.00


Physicians Formula Summer Eclipse Bronzing & Shimmery Face Powder: This bi-colored bronzer provides both a light tan and a golden shimmer! Physicians Formula rules the market in bronzing products - they sent me 23 different bronzers to test! Although I haven't had a chance to use all of them, this specific bronzer worked really well for my skin because it gave a natural glow and provided that dewy look that I love. Plus, it's hypoallergenic, fragrance-free, oil free, non-comedogenic AND dermatologist approved! WOW! PRICE: $11.95


I just can't write this post without once again discussing my all-time favorite face product, Laura Mercier's Oil Free Tinted Moisturizer in Sand with SPF 20: I use this product EVER day and it completely evens out my blothcy skin-tone PLUS it adds color to my face! The sun is so bad for your skin, not to mention what it does to scars and brown spots, so by using this product, I look tan, I'm saving my face AND I producing a "perfect palette;" even skin tone! I kid you not, when I wear this product, people tell me that I have fabulous skin! Can oyu imagine?! PRICE: $40.00



Have a favorite faux-tan product?! Let us know by emailing the beauty whore at beautybanter@gmail.com!!!

Tan away, fellow beauty whores!!!

Hair Crazed Jenny Returns

Remember my hair crazed friend, Jenny Cohen??? (CLICK HERE to refresh your memory.)
Well, Jenny's back in town and she's going to share some more of her fabulous hair tips with all our fellow beauty whores!!!
Jenny's new must-have shampoo and conditioner is....

Loreal Intense Repair Shampoo and Masque because, "it keeps the color fresh, it smoothes the cuticle without having to use a product, it allows for lift and movement on the ends during styling and it's healthy for the hair. It's the best alternating shampoo to Kerastase."
Jenny says that she likes to shampoo her hair once all over and then a second time just on the roots and let the shampoo work it's way through as you rinse it out. Condition from the ears down, heavily, and run your fingers through the top with the residue on your hands. Rinse for at least 8 or 9 minutes. AND rinse in the position that you want your hair styled in. For example, if you want a side part, rinse with your hair in a side part.
And for all those who have inquired about Jenny's hair color, she says it's "natural with dark blonde highlights. NO base color. And NO toner! I let the sun lift it and I go into the ocean to strip product from my hair!!!"
A close-up of Jenny's fabulous lockes!!!

In closing, Jenny says to "treat your hair like a fine piece of silk. Never brush from the top to the ends. Always comb from the ends upwards. Never use metal hair brushes or hair accesories."
Thanks, Jenny!