Goodbye '09, Hello 2010!

I've been quiet on the blog front this past week as I took it easy and hung out with my husband and kids. It's hard to believe today is the last day of this year. I have been reading your posts on favorites of the past year and also a look ahead at 2010. Here is my contribution:

My Top 5 Makeup Milestones of 2009

1) Starting the blog. I still remember the fateful day in March when I announced to my friends at work - "I think I'm going to start a makeup blog." Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think so many people would want to read my words and thoughts about beauty products. A BIG thank you to all of you who are regular readers of my blog -- you continue to inspire me and I hope you continue to enjoy what you read on Lipstick Rules
2) "Meeting" readers from all over the world and making online friends. As a kid I used to love the concept of pen pals. I never thought that blogging would open the doors to meeting, albeit virtually, so many people from around the world. It's pretty amazing how our common interest in makeup and beauty has brought so many of us together.
3)Discovering new brands. Until blogging and Youtube, my makeup knowledge was limited only to MAC. Don't get me wrong, I'm still a huge MAC fan but my eyes have opened up to new brands like Benefit, Illamasqua, GOSH, Beaute, Pandora's Makeup Box, Balmshell, Vasanti, and of course, NARs. The list goes on. And through our international community, I've enjoyed discovering and reading about brands not available in my part of the world. Truly amazing.
4) Learning the 'lipstick lingo.' From 'hauls' to 'MLBB', how cool is it that we've created our own lingo when it comes to cosmetics.
5) Learning that there is much to discuss every day about makeup. I think that it is amazing that we can each post and read something new every day about beauty and cosmetics. Who would have thought there was so much to discuss? From post comments to Tweets, I love interacting with everyone in our community. I've never had so much fun.

Tomorrow I will attempt to write my resolutions for the year. Until then, I wish each and every one of you a very Happy New Year!

Happy Holidays!

Hello my readers, I thought I'd be able to squeeze in a few posts before Christmas but time is running out. So with this likely being my last post until next week,I wanted to wish each and every one of you a happy holiday season!

I am gearing up for a big family get-together on Christmas Day and then off to visit my husband's family on Boxing Day. What do you have planned? I look forward to hearing how you all celebrate the season, what looks you sported during the festivities -- and what makeup goodies you end up receiving!  

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Michelle
xoxo

Year-End Inventory: Favorite Lipsticks, Glosses and more!

It's the time of year to look back and reflect on the past year. I saw some posts on Favorites of 2009 and thought I'd do the same. Today, I'll focus on lipsticks of course and my favorite lip products of the year. It was hard to pick as I've tried so many different products this year but here's what I've come up with:

• Beaute's Weightless Lip Cremes - I have raved about these since August. They are moisturizing, feel lightweight and have fantastic pigmentation. My favorite is Masochist, a beautiful red, that is so perfect for the winter months. Pixiwoo featured it again in a video recently on Christmas party makeup.
• YSL Rouge Voluptes - I've said it before, it would be the one lipstick variety I would buy if I could only buy one product in the entire year. My favorite of the bunch is Ultimate Beige which is a pretty nude colour that works for my skintone.
• Maybelline Colour Sensational lipsticks - these are a great find in the drugstore for under $10 Canadian. I'm usually a 'splurger' when it comes to lipsticks so I was really surprised at how much I like these. I love the colour selection and the pigmentation of these lipsticks. My favorites are Blushing Brunette and Mauve Me.
• Face Atelier Lip Glazes - These are becoming one of my favorite lip glosses -- super pigmented, creamy but not sticky. My favorite is Cameo, a fantastic nude that gives a great shine to my lips on the days I'm wearing little makeup.
• NARS Velvet Matte Pencil in Pop Life - This is the orange/red matte pencil that I feel I do PR for as I rave about it so much. It gives such a pretty pop of colour. Perfect for New Year's!
• Balmshell Lipgloss in Yummy Mummy - I love the smell and texture of these glosses  -- very moisturizing and not at all sticky. I have been wearing Yummy Mummy regularly since I received a small sample size of it last month. Yummy Mummy is a sheer mocha colour that works well for an easy 'mom' look. I still feel glam even when just out picking up the kids at daycare and school. It's been sold out at all the locations near me but am hoping to get myself the full-size after the Holidays.   

What tops your list of favorite lip products of the year?
Stay tuned for my favorite eye products and blushes!

Mad about NARS Madly

It's a NARS love-in here at Lipstick Rules as I'm going to chat a bit about Madly blush by NARS. It gives such a warm glow to the cheeks. I bought it based on blog reviews and Lollipop26's video.

I would call it almost a 'neutral' blush that is neither pink or peach. It gives my cheeks a hint of colour which was perfect for a day of shopping with the family. I paired it with a daytime 'smokey' eye using products from Pandora's Makeup Box and Vasanti; I lined my waterline ladies and I liked it! But again, I thought I overdid it but clearly it wasn't that heavy as I can see in the photo. For my lips, I'm using yet again of the Beaute's Weightless Lip Cremes in Trace, which is a light pink. Easy peasy.

Thoughts on NARS Madly?

I am feeling under the weather this weekend suffering through my first cold of the season. Blah. I had so many posts planned but it may have to wait a couple of days. What are you up to this weekend?

Wow "Babe"! My take on NARS Babe lipgloss and Pop Life Velvet Matte Pencil

Ah NARS. As you know I adore this brand, particularly its blush and eyeshadow offerings. I also own a few NARS lip products, including lipglosses. But to be honest, I have a love-hate relationship with these glosses -- I love the colour range and the pigmentation of the glosses I own,  But one thing I really dislike is the yucky plasticine smell of glosses -- NARS can't you do something about to fix this? Yet, even though I'm not a fan of the smell, I continue to accumulate NARS glosses. Why oh why do they have to have such great colours? I'm too weak to resist.

In any case, as you know I'm loving red lips lately. Here is a look at one of my new favorite combos, NARS' Pop Life (which I have been raving about for the past month) and Babe lipgloss. Babe is a sheer orange gloss that imparts an amazing, almost golden sheen on the lips. Together, Pop Life and Babe offer a fun 'pop' of colour. Babe worn alone is really pretty too; it gives your lips of hint of coral/orange and a good amount of shine. Really lovely.

 Babe and Pop Life together. Not a great application but I was rushed this morning! Forgive me dear readers.

What do you think of NARS glosses?  Yay or Nay?

I've been super busy wrapping things up at work before my holidays so I haven't posted much this week. Stay tuned for posts this weekend on Operation Lipstick Love (Benefit lipstick version) and my review of Naked pigments (IMATS purchase).

There was a time when....

There was a time when I used to...

...keep up with all the MAC collections and felt I had to get at least one product from each collection 

...plan out my purchases in advance, scouring through the Beauty Boards and web sites to read any advanced reviews and what people were most excited about and had deemed 'must-haves' from the collection

...stalk my local MAC counters to see when they actually put out the products I was almost desperate to have

But the key words from this is ladies is, "used to." It dawned on me the other day that I feel very differently today about MAC's Limited Edition Collections. For the first time since I can remember, I am actually not super-excited by upcoming product launches nor am I as well-versed as I used to be. 

What has happened to this MAC makeup junkie?

Don't get me wrong. I'm a MAC fan through and through -- I have been a MAC customer for more than 15 years and I don't think that's going to change.

But since I've been blogging, and reading so many fantastic blogs from around the world, my eyes have opened up to other makeup lines. I have to admit that I think I'm more excited today about trying out new lines and rediscovering old favorites than I am about what's coming down the pipeline from MAC.

It has finally happened -- the lure of Limited Edition collections from my favorite brand is losing ground with me.

Instead, I am now looking at each new MAC collection with a more critical eye.Rather than buying wanting to buy everything in sight, I plan to only get items that are truly unique additions to my collection. What a relief for my wallet.

How about you -- are you still lured by MAC's latest collections? Do you pay attention and buy from all the new launches?

I want to love it...Estee Lauder's Double Wear Stay-in-Place Shadow Cremes

Today I thought I'd share my thoughts on an eye product that is not rocking my world lately. Just a 'meh' product. And that is Estee Lauder's Double Wear Stay-in-Place Shadow Cremes. These cream shadows serve a similar purpose as MAC's Paint Pots and Benefit's Creaseless Cream Shadows.  You can use them alone as shadows or as a base for other shadows. They are long-lasting and do not crease.

So why don't I love them? Perhaps it is the colours that I have. The first I have is Silver Leaf, which is a shimmery grey/silver. It is pretty. But since I have Benefit's Skinny Jeans which is a bit deeper in colour, I rarely reach for Silver Leaf.

Same goes for Ivory Lace, which is a shimmery champagne colour. Somehow this colour doesn't do anything for my eyes. Just mediocre. I much prefer MAC's Bare Study or Rubenesque for a wash of colour. I use Ivory Lace primarily as a base.

And Vintage Violet in the pan looks gorgeous but on my eyes, I always think it makes me look like I have a bruised eyelid. Not a good look for sure. I need to figure out a way to make this usable somehow or swap it.

I am really at a loss as to why I don't reach for these. Maybe I'll have to revisit for the next week or so and test-run them again.

See - they are pretty right? But when I apply them I don't get excited. Not sure why.

Has anyone tried these shadows? Thoughts? Tips on how to make them work for me? Or want to swap for the Vintage Violet?

Operation Lipstick Love: Nice Knickers (Benefit)

It's Operation Lipstick Love time again, which means I am once again revisiting colours that exist in my collection. This week is Benefit week. I was actually shocked to find that I had bought six lipsticks from Benefit this past year. Who knew? This is further evidence I need to shop my own collection more often.

First up is Nice Knickers, one of Benefit's Silky Finish lipsticks. This was my first Benefit lipstick and I love it. It is a sheer pink raspberry colour that adds instant colour to my face. It is very glossy in appearance but has the creaminess that I like in my lipsticks. Do I dare say that the consistency reminds me a bit of the YSL Rouge Voluptes? This finish isn't overly long lasting so I do need to reapply throughout the day. But that's okay as I love applying this on my lips. Such a pleasure.

What do you guys think about Benefit's lipsticks?

Rediscovered Reds: Box lipstick (Illamasqua) and Snow White lipstick (NYX)

I was going through my lipstick collection as part of my attempt to 'shop my stash' and came across two of my favorite reds of the year -- Illamasqua's Box and NYX's Snow White.

Box, named after Illamasqua's founder Alex Box, is an amazing red that is neither too warm or too cool. I hear that it is a red that would suit many many skin tones and I would probably agree. It is a tad on the dry side so you should make sure your lips are moisturized. I would also suggest a liner with the lipstick to keep things all in place. I always feel ultra glam when wearing Box and I think it's a fantastic lipstick to wear for a night out on the town.

Here is a photo of Box taken in the evening, no flash. I think it is a lot brighter in person. I adore this lipstick!

Next up is Snow White by NYX, which Sara (theMakeupSnob.com) sent to me as part of a swap. This is a tad warmer in tone than Box and is a bit creamier in formulation. It is a gorgeous red as well that instantly brightens up my face. It has good staying power and is a good alternative for a 'day' red. Love this one too!

Here's a comparison swatch:

(Top - Box; Bottom - Snow White)

What is your favorite red lipstick?

QOTD: Do you line your eyes?

I usually wear eyeliner every day usually only my upper lid. In my previous post, I talked about how I don't tend to line my waterline. Why? Originally I never knew how and then I didn't think it would look good on me. But I've since changed my mind and am trying to do it more often.

I love eyeliner though; I think it completes a look and opens up the eye, making me look more awake and alert.

Over to you, do you line your eyes everyday and if so, where do you line and why? I want to know!

I hope you all have a great weekend. We are going to get our Christmas tree tomorrow at a tree farm. Hopefully it isn't too cold. Today was insanely cold. Brrrrrr.

"Do I look Pale to You?" A FOTD

I love the smokey eye and nude lips look. I think it is super sexy and fun. It's not a look I usually sport but I'm dipping my feet in and trying out 'day appropriate' variations.

It's funny though - sometimes I think pale lips on me makes me look tired. Sometimes when I do wear this look, I can also get comments like "you're looking kind of pale today. Are you okay?" As for the smokey eye, I always think I've overdone it but when I see photos, I can see that I could be braver and make it darker.  

So even though I'm not convinced it's the right look for me, I still like to try it out as it is a departure from my 'everyday' look.

Here are a couple of photos with a variation of this look. How about you -- what do you like about the pale/nude lips and smokey eye look? Any tips for me on how to perfect the look?

Products used:

Face: Diorskin Nude 030
Face Powder: Pandora's Makeup Box
Eyes: Casual Friday palette from Pandora's Makeup box for the shadows; Annabelle Ohmygoth liner
Lips: Beaute's Wanted Weightless Lip Creme
Cheeks: Orgasm blush by NARS

In natural light. Can't really see the makeup. I find it interesting that when I look in the mirror I see it as being heavy but when photographed, it looks like I'm not wearing much.

Not sure where I'm looking here but I think I could have done more with my eyes.

Must remember to line the waterline! I adore the Pandora's eye shadows I used here (hard to see- apologies!) they are matte but very creamy and easy to wear.The Beaute lippie in Wanted is really nice.  It has a bit of shimmer. 

Rockin the Red Lips: MAC & Beaute

Who loves red lipsticks? Me! Me! I am seriously digging red lips this winter. The other night I discovered just how much when I found a bunch I haven't worn. So I'm embarking on Operation Lipstick Love again and revisiting some of my old favorites. I admit I cheated a bit here as I am featuring my recently purchased Beaute Weightless Lip Creme.

Here are two variations of red lips that I wore this week.

Beaute's Masochist Weightless Lip Creme is seriously a beautiful red.

Next up is MAC's Blood Red which isn't really Blood Red. More on the berry side.

Looking kind of tired here. Though it was only 6 a.m. when this was taken. Swatch below. I love this lipstick too. Almost forgot about it.

Who wants to join me in Operation Lipstick Love?? Anyone, anyone?

Hello to Beauté's Weightless Lip Cremes!

I went out for a walk at lunch today to find my daughter the one thing she asked Santa for Christmas -- a make-your-own lip gloss kit! Hmmm, I wonder who she takes after? I was successful in my hunt for this gift (ssh, don't tell her!) and on the way back from the store, I popped over to Holt's for a quick perusal  of the makeup aisles. And I'm so glad I did!

It was makeup fate for sure. I literally stumbled onto a sale table (yes a sale table at Holt's!). And there to my amazement and excitement were Beauté products discounted by 50% off the original price! I was shocked and asked a sale associate if this was indeed true and it was! There were Gloss gift sets (three glosses for $34), the lip stains ($13 each) and the Weightless Lip Cremes ($13 each). The only stains they had left were the ones I already had and thus my attention focused on the glosses and Weightless Lip Cremes. The latter I reviewed as well earlier this summer. They are simply amazing and unique and I would say ranks up their with my beloved Rouge Voluptes as being the closest thing to heaven for the lips.

And so, I decided to go with the Weightless Lip Cremes. These come in a tube like a lipgloss, and you apply the product with a doe-foot applicator. The texture though is what makes these stand out; they are more like a liquid lipstick but are not thick. They are a joy to apply and feel very luxurious and moisturizing.The pigmentation is fantastic. I am in love again. Here's what I ended up with:

Masochist

Interest in this colour has intensified thanks to Pixiwoo's recent tutorial. Check out MizzWorthy and LondonMakeupGirl's review of this as well. It's an absolutely gorgeous red, not too warm or too cool. I love it!

Modern Love

This is my type of colour. Perfect for everyday.

Wanted

Gorgeous nude colour that doesn't give you that dreaded concealer lip look. It would work well I think on both fair and medium skin tones.

Trace

This colour is a lighter pink compared to Modern Love. It's so pretty!

I am so tempted to go back and pick up the glosses -- if they have any left.

There are big plans ahead for Beauté Cosmetics in 2010  so stay tuned and watch out for more from this brand!

Fore more information visit www.beaute-cosmetics.com

Disclaimer: These were products purchased by yours truly and I was not in any way influenced by a third-party to pick these up today -- and I have a credit card statement to prove it.

"Lipgloss Doesn't Have to be Sticky" Part 4: Covergirl

A lipgloss that makes your lips look good while giving you that "I just brushed my teeth" feeling? An interesting combo that had me intrigued for sure, and thus I had to try Covergirl's WetSlicks Amazemint glosses.

After about a month of trying them, I must say I like them. These are non-sticky and feel light on my lips. The 'cool' part of these is that they include Crest peppermint oil to give you a 'minty breath sensation.' I must admit I was surprised by how much I liked the tingly feeling you get when you apply this gloss on your lips.

I tried out Plum Crazy, which gives a nice pinky/plum shine to my lips. I can actually see msyelf repurchasing this as I use it at least once a week. The other colour I was sent is Pink Positive, which is very sheer and doesn't show on my lips. I have to use this on top of lipstick.

At approx. $6.99 Canadian, these are easy on the makeup budget. 

Swatches

Pink Positive (top); Plum Crazy (bottom)

Another pic of the glosses. Sorry for the lighting -- another evening post!

Anyone else try these? Thoughts?

Note: Product samples were provided by Covergirl for editorial consideration. This is not a paid or sponsored post.

Goodies from the UK: swap with Louise

My name is Michelle and I'm a makeup swap-a-holic. If I can't shop for something myself, I have resorted to asking someone else to do it for me...even if it's on another continent.

This time around it was with the lovely Louise from Lou Lou Land! I got to know Louise initially through her blog and more so after I won her fantastic blog giveaway this summer. Louise wanted to get her hands on some Canadian brands and I was happy to oblige as I wanted to get my hands on more goodies from the UK! I have long admitted my fascination with all things beauty from across the pond, from Barry M to Liz Earle to Illamasqua. My appetite for such goodies started as a result of previous swaps with Kerry 1487, Jo,  and of course, my swap buddy, Laura of Liparazzi.

Note to new readers, these swaps are for new products. You establish a budget and timeline, and determine likes/dislikes and then off you go to makeup shopping heaven. Aside from some postal delays (Lydia your products are on the way!), the experiences have overall been very positive and fun -- and I've met some good friends along the way.

Here's a look at what Louise sent over: 

Sleek palettes (Graphite; Original)

Bourjois baked shadows (Smokey Eyes)

Collection 2000 pigments (Magical (shimmery white); Lustrous (taupe colour))

2True colour in shade #9 (reminds me a bit of MAC shroom - can't wait to try)

Blushes #2, #4 - Barry M (both very vibrant pinks; #4 reminds me of MAC DollyMix)

Barbie All Doll'd Up rosy glow blusher

Also included was a Glamour mag (love reading UK magazines!) which included an amazing Nails Inc. red varnish (love love love!). And a host of other goodies including a cute nail file, a number of samples, Christmas bubblebath (kids love it!), and a cute facecloth wrapped like a cupcake (it's too cute to unwrap!). She also included Sleek's Pout Polish which I've been wanting to try for ages as well as a pen -- shaped like a lipstick! Perfecto! And ever so generous, she kindly sent over some chocolate for my family which were consumed quite quickly.The list goes on and on. Clearly Louise went over budget -- a big thank you! I had fun shopping for her too so much so that I found some additional products to send, which I just posted last week.

Thanks Louise for a great experience -- I love everything you picked out! I hope you enjoy your goodies as well.

Ladies, let me know if there is anything you see that you would specifically want me to review!



Disclaimer: All products were sent to me by Louise via a mutually agreed upon budget and exchange! Stay tuned to Louise's blog to see what I sent her...

Saturday Haulage: Maybelline Eye Studio and Body Shop

I'm finding it hard to ignore all the great makeup displays for the holiday season and today was no different.  In addition, the Body Shop had a Friends & Family sale with 20% off all products, plus an additional 10% off for members. I marched right in with my daughter in tow and picked up the Japanese Cherry Blossom Shower Gel and Body Lotion as well as one of the holiday makeup palettes (#02). I've been eyeing this palette for a few weeks as all the colours are right up my alley. It features a peachy pink blush and neutral shadows that are shimmery but not glittery. Isn't it gorgeous?

Body Shop Holiday palette (#02) features a peachy pink blush, shimmery champagne highlight colour, and tones of brown. The palette is regularly priced at $26 Canadian. Swatches below. Sorry for the lighting -- that's what happens when doing this at night.

The shadows seem very smooth. I can't wait to give these a whirl. One thing I don't love is the faux velvet packaging but c'est la vie.

After the Body Shop, we popped into Shopper's Drug Mart where I saw a new display featuring Maybelline's Eye Studio line which are mineral based shadows. They had duo shadows similar to the MAC shadows which I hope to try one day. I picked up a mini-sized palette ($9.99) called Give me Gold. They had some other great colour combos in the display including some gorgeous blues. But you know me, I can't resist these types of colours.

 Again, apologies for the lighting. I could have done these in the daylight but I am very excited about these shadows. The colours are very pigmented and are smooth. Shimmery but not glittery. I'll do a thorough review once I've had a chance to try it out. Swatches below.

I love the two colours in the middle the best -- gorgeous gorgeous!

Anyone else have these palettes? Thoughts?
And seriously, how do I stop  buying the same colour families over and over?

Mama Makeover featuring Sleek, MAC and Milani

How has your weekend been? I took the day off on Friday and have been having fun with the family. Today involved a little bit of hauling (post to come) and even a "Mama makeover" courtesy of my daughter. Here is what transpired today:

The MA selected the following products:

• Sleek Safari Palette (greens, golds and black used)
• Cult of Cherry gloss 
• Milani blush (peach)

"Mama" Before

Artist at Work

"Mama" After with talented artist

She did a great job didn't she?

"Lipgloss doesn't have to be sticky" LIPGLOSS REVIEW (PART 3): Face Atelier

After watching Enkore's seminar on makeup brushes at IMATS Toronto, I decided to call it a day and started to bid farewell to my fellow beauty bloggers. During some excited exchanges about what we picked up at the show, Farah (who is one of my main 'enabler' lately!) showed me the lipglosses she picked up from Face Atelier. I had visited the booth earlier in the morning but didn't see the glosses so I decided to go back for "one last look."  We know what this means, right?!

Of course, this visit resulted in what I like to call my 'I'm-about-to-leave-IMATS-and-might-regret-not-buying-these-glosses' purchase. I ended up with Primrose, Peach and Cameo. Normally priced at $20, these glosses were 3 for $30 at IMATS. I did admit to having a bit of buyer's remorse at first as I had just blown money on pigments and brushes. Did I really need three more lipgloss?

I would say the answer is a resounding YES! These glosses are amazing -- one of my favorite kinds to date! I tried Cameo on during the train ride home and it was instant love. These are non-sticky (!), feel super smooth on the lips and deliver a high impact shine. Primrose is a 'my lips but better' pinky rose colour, Cameo is an amazing nude that would work on a variety of skintones and Peach is well, peach but with shimmer that again that would work wonders for warm-toned girls. These are fantastic on their own, or paired with lipstick.

After I got home, I looked up Face Atelier online to learn more about the company and what I read is pretty cool. It's a Canadian brand (hooray Canada!) that was started by Debbie Bondar (who we met at the show).  The company markets itself as 'makeup that simply works. And works simply.' The company is against animal testing and doesn't add scents or flavours to its products. I'm intrigued to try more products from the company, especially its foundation which I regret not picking up at IMATS. Enkore actually raved about the foundation when we chatted with him after his seminar.

Swatches below

(left to right, Primrose, Peach and Cameo)

 

Face Atelier products are available on its web site and sold internationally. I suggest visiting the company's Web site for more information on where to get in your country.

Anyone else try this brand? Let me know and also let me know what you think of this lipgloss mini-series!

QOTD: Are you a planner or an impulse buyer?

Which one are you:

The Planner

Keeps and updates a wish list of makeup. Goes shopping with this list in hand. Shopping is quick and efficient. Swatches products but already has made her decisions before entering store. Feelings of accomplishment follow these shopping visits.

The Impulse Buyer

Is usually at the shops for another purpose aside from makeup shopping. No list in sight. Lured easily by makeup displays and available products to swatch. Lots of wandering the aisles. Immense satisfaction loading up basket or shopping cart with makeup goodies. Buyer's remorse usually sets in after such purchase.


My Take
I used to be a planner. I keep lists and strive to be more of a planner. But while I don't want to admit it, I am probably more of an impulse buyer. I have no willpower. There. Don't tell anyone ;-)

Which one are you? Tell me, tell me.

"Lipgloss doesn't have to be sticky" LIPGLOSS REVIEW (PART 2): Balmshell

About a year ago, I remember asking a colleague at work what lipgloss she was wearing. She said it was from Balmshell and showed me the gloss. I remember liking the cute packaging, especially the side where there was a 'floating' image that moved when you tipped the gloss from one side to another. Since then I always wanted to try the glosses; I have given them as gifts and even sent one to Laura (Liparazzi) as part of one of our infamous swaps. But yet, I never bought one for myself and it was on my wish list for ages.

The lipgloss fairies must have been listening as Balmshell recently offered me an opportunity to try the glosses. First, a bit of background on the company. Balmshell was founded by Canadian identical twin sisters Jennifer and Fiona Lees who are self-described “cosmetic junkies.” Together they helped to develop what they consider the perfect lipgloss, a high-shine, moisturizing lipgloss made from the finest ingredients. The glosses are paraben free, and include jojoba oil and lanolin oil. They are perfume free and flavoured with a hint of vanilla. 

Their inspiration for the look and unique packaging of Balmshell came from a float art pen they purchased in a kitschy shop in downtown Toronto. Every Balmshell lipgloss has a “float art” top that can be made into a keychain, allowing you to keep the illustration after you finish the lipgloss. The illustrations are all created by Mar Marube, whose illustrations also appear in well known magazines such as Elle, Vogue and In Style.

I was able to try Darling You Look Fabulous (sheer hot pink); and sample sizes of Yummy Mummy (mocha); You Give me Fever (pinky coral) and Shopaholic (sheer light baby pink). Love the names!

These glosses are a dream to wear.They feel moisturizing on the lips and give an amazing shine. There is no 'tacky' feeling and you don't get any of the white bits on your lips that often happens with thicker and stickier glosses. These glosses are on the sheer side so they are good to layer over lipsticks. That said, if you want a subtle or natural look, they are wearable on their own, giving a hint of colour to your lips. I love the Darling You Look Fabulous. Even on my pigmented lips, I was able to see the pink when I wore it on its own. My favorite of the bunch is Yummy Mummy, which I want to get a full size of now that I've worn it two days straight! It is such a pretty shimmery mocha colour that makes me feel sophisticated. The other two colours are nice as well but a little too light to wear on their own for my colouring. I layered them over other lip products and the effect was really pretty. Overall, I give Balmshell a two thumbs up. Swatches below.

(Left to right) Darling You Look Fabulous, Yummy Mummy, You Give Me Fever, Shopaholic)

Balmshell is available on its Web site, Sephora, select Shopper's Drug Mart and other locations. Visit Balmshell's Web site for more information.

Stay tuned for part 3 of "Lipgloss doesn't have to be sticky". Next up is Face Atelier!