HftH: Post 10

My tenth and final post in my Hot for the Holidays series! Thank you all SO MUCH for your love and support as I’ve gotten this blog off the ground.

This was actually not the post that I had planned for the last in this run, but I received a comment on my last post asking which lip products I prefer for longevity. And I thought to myself, I can’t post a video about how to apply lipstick well if I don’t also mention a few awesome lipsticks to try it with, now can I?

So this post is going to talk about a few of my favorites, why they’re my favorites, and review some pros and cons of each.

LORAC Alter Ego Highly Pigmented Cream Lipstick. This is the one I wore in the HftH Post 9 video. This was actually the first one of these that I purchased, and I will tell you I was instantly hooked.

Pros:  I’ll say it here, and probably over and over again, but two of the most important criteria for me when it comes to cosmetics are blendability and pigmentation. This lipstick glides on, even though it’s a matte shade, which is next to a miracle since mattes are the most drying member of the lipstick family. Additionally, the color looked the same on my lips as it did in the tube after one pass across the lips. Add to that the fact that it stays on for hours even after eating and drinking, and you really can’t ask for much more out of your lipstick.

Cons:  Truthfully, none. The only thing I would say, and it’s more of a “reminder” than a con, is that this is a matte lipstick. So if you’re expecting multidimensional, bold color, this is not what you’re looking for. And if you have very dry, flaky lips, it will cause you problems. Check out my HftH Post 9 video for tips!

LORAC Lip Lustre Gloss. I actually discovered this bad boy three years ago when I received a sample tube from Sephora and fell in love with it. I haven’t found a gloss that equals it since. I wear it in the shade “3D Lustre,” which is a gorgeous, multidimensional, glittery copperish nude.

Pros:  The texture is a huge selling point on this one. It is velvety smooth on your lips, and it’s NOT STICKY!! I mean, if it’s a windy day and your hair blows across your face, it’s gonna get stuck. But it doesn’t leave your lips feeling like you’ve just smeared Elmer’s Glue on them. Another big pro for this product is that it’s wearable over any shade of lipstick. Seriously. It’s my go-to if I want to add a little extra something to my lipstick, and it complements every single one of them.

Cons:  As with all lip glosses, I have the complaint that it doesn’t last as long as a lipstick. However, I will say that as far as glosses go, this one stands up to the test of time longer than most. I usually only have to reapply it if I’ve been eating or drinking while wearing it. Otherwise, it stays put.

MAC Cosmetics Lipstick

Pros:  All finishes, all shades, these puppies are designed to be around forever. Their color selection is fantastic. They also have a wide variety of finishes, so whether you like a thick, bold, highly pigmented lip color, or you prefer something that’s less pigmented but is still more than a gloss, you can find the right fit.

Cons:  With some of the finishes, I find that they don’t go on as smoothly as I’d like, even if the lips are prepped well for application. This applies mostly to the Amplified and Amplified Creme finishes that I’ve tried, but I LOVE how boldly colored they are, so I can’t stay away.

Elf EX-tra Lipgloss. These make me smile. Instead of a color, each shade has a different man’s name. Say hello to Marc, Scott, and Brett.

Pros:  As I said before, my general frustrations with lip gloss are that they lack pigment, don’t stick around for long, or have a thick, slimy texture. These glosses from elf may be the exception. Worn over lipstick, they add a nice sheen and can change the shade a notch or two if needed. For instance, sometimes I’ll wear Scott over a bright pink lipstick to tone it down to a more pinky-nude. They’re highly moisturizing as well and the more nude shades can work in a pinch to calm chapped lips. And can we talk about the price??? Every time I put one on, I can’t believe that it was only $2.00!

Cons:  If wearing them alone, especially the brighter colors like Brett, lip liner is a must. Their texture makes them prone to feathering and a liner helps keep them in place. But for two bucks, can you really complain???

Rimmel London Moisture Renew Lipstick

Pros:  Just like the name suggests, this is one of the most moisturizing lipsticks I’ve ever worn. It is SO rich and smooth you wouldn’t believe it’s lipstick. And the color isn’t sacrificed for the texture. I wear it in the shade Coral Garden and it’s every bit as rich in color on my lips as it is in the tube. It’s convenient to pick it up at places like Target and drug stores, too.

Cons:  Longevity. I think that the trade-off for being so luxuriously lotion-like on your lips (alliteration much?) is that it smears off and feathers more easily than thicker lipsticks. But still, for the price and texture, I don’t mind so much.

Jane Iredale Puregloss Lip Gloss. This is a gloss I picked up when we got our makeup done for my sister’s wedding. We had our makeup done at 8am and the ceremony wasn’t until late afternoon, and I certainly anticipated needing a touchup before then! I honestly had never heard of Jane Iredale before and don’t know if the products are even available in retail stores, but I found them online here.

Pros:  I loved the texture and the shades of this gloss. While it’s stickier than the LORAC or elf glosses, it’s not nearly as bad as others I have tried. And, like LORAC’s, it is highly complementary to anything I wear it with. I have it in the shade Iced Mocha which is a beautiful, neutral color with just a touch of shimmer. It also lasts longer than you would expect a gloss to last, and I think we can all agree that a wedding day is a great day for testing such things. I definitely had to reapply, but not nearly as often as I suspected I would have to.

Cons:  The price. I almost threw up a little when they told me it was $26 for a tube. Now, I realize and appreciate that with cosmetics, as with many other things, you get what you pay for. And Jane Iredale’s tag line is “The Skin Care Makeup,” and they’ve received lots of recognition for the quality of their products. I can appreciate and respect that. But for its performance, I really didn’t think it was worth $26.

And there you have it! The top six lip products that I reach for on a regular basis. Have you tried any of these? Any recommendations for a product that you think I’d like??

Stay tuned for more posts, and if you haven’t yet, please hop over to my YouTube channel and subscribe! Happy New Year!!

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