COVERGIRL LipPerfection Lipcolor is Lush, Bright and Lovely!

I recently got the chance to check out several of the new COVERGIRL LipPerfection Lipcolor. These new lipcolors are formulated to give you a high shine, beautifully pigmented, hydrated pout. What makes these lipcolors differ from the zillions of others at the drugstore, besides the pigmented color,  is the silk moisturizing complex.

COVERGIRL's exclusive silk moisturizing complex includes olive, avocado and aloe oil, shea butter, white tea and silk protein, all of which gives your lips a hydrating treat that I usually equate with more expensive lip products.

One of my gripes with drugstore lipcolor is that it normally falls a little flat. It's either really pigmented and very dry feeling or super hydrating and has no color. I am also not usually happy with the color selection. Sure, there are hundreds of colors to choose from, but they almost always seem flat and uninspired. And mauve-y or pink seem to make up the majority of the colors.





(Wearing Soulmate)

On the other hand, I've also been known to wear a lot of nude lip glosses and light peachy tones, so maybe I should be branching out.





(Wearing the uber-trendy Impassion, a lovely orange)

I decided to try several shades from the new LipPerfection collection and see if I could break my streak of wearing a nude lipcolor with a peachy lip gloss.




(Wearing Rapture)

Pictures don't lie (although most of the time, I'd give my long lashes if they did!), so check out how much a strong lipcolor can help change your look and balance out your features!




(Wearing Enthrall)

I found that all of these colors wore for a long, long time (starting with a few hours without needing a touch up), which is way longer than my usual glosses last.




(Wearing Enchantress, totally for scientific purposes. This is not my color, but it could be yours.)

I also found that after people stopped saying, "Wow. You are wearing lipstick," that I got a lot of compliments.




(Wearing Dazzle, that elusive pink that reminds me of Julia Roberts pink lips in My Best Friend's Wedding.
Redheads never forget a great pink!)

I'm not sure why wearing a bright color on my lips is what brings out the comments from people who normally don't speak to me.





(Wearing Temptress)


It's not feathered hair extensions, a wig or hot pink eyeliner, so it must be the gorgeous COVERGIRL's Temptress lipstick.




(Wearing Kiss)

With so many colors to choose from, a few have to be right for you. These are just as nice, if not better, than the majority of lipsticks I've paid department store money for. So save your pennies for something else and check out LipPerfection!

COVERGIRL tests on animals. Some lip colors were sent for review. And some were purchased by moi.

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LashBlast Fusion: The Best of Both Worlds?

When the original Lash Blast formulas started coming out a few years ago, they were my enemy. The brush was so big, I could practically hear it laughing at my measly lashes. However, now that my lashes are full and lush thanks to RevitaLash*, I decided to look into the Lash Blast family once more.


 

Now I want more length and volume, so I opted for the Lash Blast Fusion, which promises the best of both worlds.




The brush is still huge. And maybe it's just me, but I don't think I like the tough plastic bristles. The stiff plastic bristles always feel like they are manhandling and yelling at newly long lashes. It doesn't feel like love. It kinda hurts.



(before mascara)



(after mascara)


Needless to say, it does manage to wear really well, with no flakes, clumping or de-curling for more than 12 hours. It builds decent volume and length without having to use multiple mascaras. Although I still like the length building action in the Cover Girl Yellow Tube - LashBlast Length. I'm surprised that this even manages to curl my straight lashes and keep them curled throughout the day.

I guess that is what manhandling does to lashes. It's not a bad thing. It's just a little on the hurt-y side.

Do you like this one? Tell me in the comments!

*I am supposed to be reviewing Lash growing products from Catrice, but can't seem to pull myself away from the RevitaLash.  I am finding that if I use both, it boosts my growth to crazy lengths, so maybe the two together are magical?



I bought this. Cover Girl tests on animals.


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CoverGirl NatureLuxe Gloss Balm

In winter months, my skin, cuticles and lips dry out faster than a normal person would think possible. So I'm game to try anything that helps keep my bits hydrated. If it looks good, then it's a double score I can't pass up.


I recently tried CoverGirl's NatureLuxe Gloss Balm in Grenache and Sandstone. These lippies are filled with mango and shea butter and even have an SPF of 15. They feel hydrating and smooth like a balm, but also have a slightly shiny texture. What more could you ask for?


(Sandstone is on top. Grenache is on the bottom.)


The two colors I tried don't pack a powerful color punch, but look natural, make my lips feel moist (there has to be a better word) and really pretty. Plus, the color lasted longer than I had expected. Some lip balms "over-hydrate" the lips, making them flake; opening the the door for chapped, more dried out puckers. (Am I the only one this happens too? It also happens to my cuticles.) This balm is moisturizing in just the right way - leaving my lips feeling soft and comfortable.


(Grenache)


(Sandstone)


It's available in 16 hydrating colors and if you aren't sure which color is right for you, their website can take the guess work out with the ColorMatch tool. Although honestly, all of the colors are sheer and seem very wearable, so it would be hard to go wrong.



(Grenache)


(Sandstone)



I think it's perfect for a quick way to keep your lips feeling lush on the go. This isn't going to do it for a night on the town, but for running errands or even going to the gym this is just right. Have you tried this? Let me know in the comments!

This was sent for review. CoverGirl does test on animals.

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Cover Girl Liquiline Blast Eyeliner

My Target recently started carrying the newish Liquiline Eye Liner from Cover Girl (I believe it's been available elsewhere for several weeks). Available in six shades, this liner claims to be a liquid liner in a pencil.


(Black Fire, Brown Blaze, Silver Spark, Violet Voltage, Blue Boom, Green Glow)

I picked up the Violet Voltage to see how liquid-like it could actually be.

From the first time you touch this, it is definitely a softer eyeliner pencil than I remember most drug store varieties offering. In fact, it reminds me of Mally Beauty's cult-favorite EverColor Starlight liners. The pencil is very soft and glides on with a full, rich color. It is in fact waterproof and wears for a full eight hours without showing signs of fading.


But does it look like a liquid? Sorta. When I think liquid liner, I think long-wearing, pigment-packed, clean lines.

This liner doesn't provide a clean, sharp-edged, shiny line like a liquid, but it does give the appearance of being a really rich, thick, semi-shiny line, especially when blended with their special smudge tool.


(Smudged line and thicker, non-smudged line)

For less than $8, it is definitely worth picking up. Especially in this humid, sultry weather; it won't melt, move or muss.

I paid for this myself, at Target. It's a good thing I liked it, since Target has such an archaic return policy on cosmetics. Sadly, Cover Girl still tests on animals. Photos by Cover Girl and yours truly.


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Get The Look: Katy Perry Goes To India and She Likes It

By guest blogger, Anne Houseman, of Beauty Xpose

While most of the 2010 Grammy Awards was low-key (or maybe just nothing shocks us anymore), there were a few, understated moments that had us scratching our heads. First, Britney Spears arrived wearing several layers of fishnet that somehow snarled themselves into a loosely-formed shape of a dress. Then, we noticed Katy Perry was wearing a random bindi under her bobbed bangs, though it was surrounded by a gorgeous, fresh makeup look.
Before the show, Katy tweeted her excitement saying, “Today I’m channeling Indian Betty Paige [sic] princess!”
But what inspired this look? After a recent trip to India, where Russell Brand purportedly popped the question, Katy Perry brought back a variety of bindis (and what looks like a gorgeous engagement ring as well). With celebrity makeup artist Jake Bailey working his magic by her side, together they transformed Katy’s style into a “Bettie Page, Indian princess look” for the Grammy Awards. The best part? Most of the beauty products Jake used are budget-friendly, found right at your local drugstore.
How to Get Katy Perry’s Award-Winning Look

To perfect her skin, Jake used Make Up For Ever HD Invisible Cover Foundation, and to set the look, he dusted Guerlain Les Violettes Matte Touch Powder all over the face.
Jake then highlighted the apples of her cheeks with CORALista blush from benefit.
Keeping with the exotic feel, Jake used a mixture of shimmery plums and golds on her eyes. “I was going for a more colorful version of the tradition smoky eye,” said Jake. Jake used COVERGIRL’s double-ended smoky eye stick, Smoky Shadow Blast in Purple Plume by first applying the angled end of the shadow stick, the deeper plum, over the entire lid and blending into a smoky halo. He then applied Smoky ShadowBlast in Bronze Fire, using the round, golden end to line along the lid and inner corners of her eyes to brighten the look.
To complete her smoky eye, Jake created an ultra-long lash look with several coats of COVERGIRL LashBlast Length in black. “The best thing about this mascara is that you can apply coat after coat to get maximum impact without losing separation and elegance,” said Jake.
To balance her dramatic eyes without overpowering them, Jake finished her look with a matte lip, using COVERGIRL Outlast Lipstain in Wild Berry Wink. “I love these Lipstains so much because you can line and shape the entire lip without sacrificing your own lip texture,” Jake finished.


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Makeup, beauty, skincare reviews & more! Copyright 2010,Gouldylox Reviews. All Rights Reserved.

Cover Girl Smoky Shadowblast

I saw an ad for these Cover Girl Smoky Shadowblasts on New Year's Eve and will admit that I started looking for them in stores on January 1. I finally found them at my Target and picked up the two shown above. I was so excited about trying them I almost tore into them in the car. But it was really cold. And windy. So I waited until I got home.

I tried the green and brown one first. I wanted to love these, I really did. However, my initial reaction was a big meh. I didn't use a primer and perhaps if I did, it would have made them less "slippery" and have more staying power. It creased the first time I blinked. I took it off and tried again. This time, to build color, I tried adding sheer layers to increase the green shade. Here is a picture of my eye within 20 minutes of applying the color.


(Not good. Even the brown liner can't hold its own when used with this cream shadow.)


The green is all but gone and the brown is a muddy mess. See? Meh.

Next I tried the gray-ish purple combo, officially called Silver Sky. The Smoky portion of it still didn't fare too well, but the lighter color worked as a cream shadow. The darker shade just didn't really show up when I tried it as a contour/liner. At least when I used it with a primer, it didn't crease terribly. Sadly, it lost most of its pigment within a few hours.



Above is the lighter color on the lid 4 hours after I applied it. (The liner is a mineral eyeshadow from The She Space. That shadow normally stays put, but not against this cream shadow.) Not good. I wanted to love these, but instead, I would love my money back.


I purchased this because I thought it would be slightly usable.


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Makeup That Didn't Like Me

I love makeup, in case you hadn't noticed. I love to explore its possibilities, find new products that no one knows about and revisit old favorites. But sometimes makeup doesn't love me back. Perhaps what I got was expired, bad mojo or just plain bad. Here are a few recent products that I wanted to fall for, but that didn't want my love.


Too Faced Metal Eyes Eye Liner: I picked up the color Dirt Bag at Sephora and was very excited to try it out. The color was totally unique, the glitter looked amazing and I ready to fall in love with this line I knew nothing about. However, I should have paid attention. When I went to check out, the product wouldn't scan. After getting another scanner-doo-hickey to work, the cash register wouldn't accept my debit card. In the past, that might have been a problem, but I knew I was flush (with at least $20), which would cover the cost of the eyeliner. Debit card accepted, but then the pin pad didn't work. After we changed registers (and many apologies from Sephora) and the purchase was finally mine, I raced to the car to try it on. While looking in the rear view mirror at the awesome color, the eyeliner started to burn my eyelids a little. I figured I was tired and something else had gotten in my eye, so I let it go. The next morning, I used it again and IT REALLY HURT. It hurt so much I had to wash my eyelids (and face) and start again, making me late for work. I think the Universe was trying to tell me something. (Or I have an adverse reaction to something in this liner that isn't in other liners.) I should have paid attention.



Lip Fusion Lip Plumper: I went to Ulta one day to see if rumors were true and that Bare Escentuals Buxom in Sugar was finally available as a single gloss. It wasn't (not at that time, anyway). But the handy sales associate said I should check out an even better lip gloss (better than Buxom Sugar? As if.) and asked me to try Lip Fusions XL Plumper. When I point blank told her she wasn't about to up-sell me from $18 to $50 FOR LIP GLOSS, she dared me to try it. I did. IT REALLY HURT. I wiped it off after about 30 seconds (I wanted to be fair and give it a try) but it still hurt. Honestly, I think it was months before I even looked at another lip plumper and considered cheating on my Buxom again. Lip Fusion lip plumper shall hereby be known as El Diablo in my book. I am all for suffering for beauty and not getting double chocolate chips on my Pink Berry, but I draw the line at Lip Fusion. That said, one of my girlfriends swears by this plumper.


Cover Girl Lash Blast Mascara: Everyone seems to love this mascara. In fact, it tested so well in the States that Cover Girl is releasing it in China. I suspect the ladies in Xiangi will have the same problem I had. The brush is so big, it dwarfs the actual size of my lashes. In other words, this brush is so thick, my lashes aren't long enough to handle it. Instead, I get mascara all over the rims of my eyes. For me, it's like trying to put on mascara with a wet mop sponge. Way too big to get the job done. Even with my amazing results from Talika, I still can't use it. Kudos to you if you can, I hear it's great. This mascara was not meant for me.

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Outlast Lipstain. Yeah or Nay?

My friend Bridget can't stop raving about Cover Girl's Outlast Lipstain. She loves it. Not one to be on a first name basis with the ladies of Sephora, she is careful of how she spends her money on makeup. I can't blame her- there are so many choices and it quickly adds up. So if she loves Outlast, it must be pretty good. She proudly showed me all 7 that she carries in her purse when we went to the movies last week. This is not her normal behavior, so I had to check them out.



I decided on Cinnamon Smile, mainly because it looks so darn glam in this photo of Leighton Meester at the MTV movie awards earlier this month. I know she wore that specific color because it was widely reported that Cover Girl makeup artist Molly R. used it on Leighton.

(Side note: I don't like long wearing lipstick because they do the equivalent of "pilling" on me. Eww.)

I carefully traced my lips and filled them in with this sweet tasting, dark cinnamon colored pen. This is a totally different type of lip color and doesn't feel like any other lip product I have ever tried. It didn't feel dry. It didn't feel like anything. That is ok, though, just different. I will say that Cover Girl did the old magazine trick that made me nuts in the 10th grade- not give you all of the details on how to get the look.

Cinnamon Smile does not look anything like Ms. Meesters pout by itself. It requires a gloss with a little champagne or golden tint. When I added that, it looked REALLY, REALLY nice. It lasted for quite a bit longer than a lip pencil and gloss would, which is pretty good. I think I like it.

My Outlast Lipshine pen stopped working two days later.

I spoke to Cover Girl customer service about this and they said, "Sometimes that happens. Depending on how long the pen was on the shelf, it may dry out faster than expected." They offered to send me coupons for a new one, which was nice.

Here's the thing. I liked it, it looked nice. But it didn't outlast anything else. I have never had a Dazzle Glass break on day three. When I told Bridget this happened, she said she didn't care. She loved the product and was ok with it's flaws. It was worth it to her. So I don't know. What do you think? Yeah or Nay?

I tried it. It's up to you to decide.

Copyright 2009, Gouldylox Reviews