Mally High Shine Liquid Lipstick

I don't care what anyone says; there is no such thing as a lipstick that will stay on your lips all day through meals and coffee that is not drying. (I actually tore my lip the other day with one of those million hour lipsticks, but we won't get into that beautastrophe here.) So in the search for something shiny, and highly pigmented (in case I want to disguise my legendary lip freckle), and which lasts through all my events, this comes close.

Why this is genius: it's extremely shiny liquid lipstick that has the texture of gloss but at the same time not that horrible liquid goopiness......you know, where your hair gets stuck in it and the second the wind blows, your cheek looks like someone whipped you with lip colour? None of that.

Instead this has the same dispenser (twist the bottom, product comes out onto the brush) as other glosses on the market, but forget them, this is a thousand times better.

I first tried Tender Rose and was immediately amazed by how it was my lips, but better. It stays in place. It's shiny. It tastes amazing. And I didn't have to reapply every ten seconds as it vanished. Try for a colour that is similar to your lip colour, as that's when you will really see how well it pops. Whatever Mally has done with the shimmer, it's perfect.

What makes it right for this post though is it eliminates the need for lip pencil, eliminates the need for a bit of highlighter on the middle of the lip, eliminates the need for a stand-alone lip brush, eliminates the need for layering gloss on top of lipstick. I know Mally sells an amazing lip pencil as well as one that fills in the lip, which you can get, but with this one, if you're too lazy, you'll still be fine. The product just doesn't feather, doesn't bleed.

Best of all most of her colours look surprisingly good on all skin tones. So far I've also tried Mauve, slightly darker than Tender Rose (which is the colour I'd recommend for most Asian girls), and Sweet Berry, exactly as it implies, a shimmer-free shiny berry. And I have ready to go Super Natural, Perfect Pink and Cafe and suspect they will all work as well.

For my lighter skinned readers, I'd recommend Super Natural as your skin tone. And for my darker gals, Cafe might suit.

PROS:
finally a lip gloss and lipstick all in one
no lip brush needed
no lip pencil needed
pleasant taste
stays put
really shiny
a good range of shades
travels really well

CONS:
I didn't find the swatches which all look the same to be candid, to be particularly accurate. And this isn't a computer screen thing.
The tube is not quite full. Could be a bit more product per tube.
QVC used to carry this and recently discontinued this - don't know why as it's probably the best thing in her range


http://www.mallybeauty.com/store/category/lips/lipstick/item/LP0012/high_shine_liquid_lipstick_pens/

Sarah Potempa's The Wrap Up

I have slick hair. It's shiny, it's stick straight, and it is impossible to manipulate. You name the product, I've tried it. I've watched many a hair stylist dissolve into near-tears trying to give me an up-do.

To wit, during adolescence, I got a perm. Day one, I looked like a lion. Which is bad, in case you're wondering. But luckily for me (less so for my mom's wallet; it set her back $60, a fortune back then), by Day 14, it had fallen out.
 
Straightening fanatics are jealous of my wave of shiny straightness. In the hot New York summers however, I turn slightly homicidal as my neck heats up. Years ago, I remember walking through Bloomingdale's first floor and seeing a hair accessory that purported to make a French twist or bun, faster than you could say "bobby pin". I didn't buy it, probably because I was too busy dodging perfume sprayers. And always regretted it.
 
So for years, I watched late night infomercials, hoping the product would resurrect itself. Several instant-cook spaghetti makers (they don't work) and Spacebag sets later (they do work but pop holes), this nifty item appeared on QVC.

It works. I have yet to make a successful sideways twist, but even someone hair-challenged can make a bun from this puppy.

You put your hair in a ponytail. You pry open the wires, you shove your hair through, you smash the wires flat, pull the object down your hair and then start twisting up and tuck in the ends. (Don't worry, it comes with a handy illustration.)

In fact, if you wait till your hair is nearly dry, and rub in some mousse or balm, then twist your hair up, about ten hours later, you'll even have curls. (Well, I did. For about two hours anyway. Good enough for parties.)

Sarah Potempa, I love you.

PROS:
It's a bun for dummies. Really works.
Priced to move.
Life-changing for those of you who can't put your hair up.
Can give you curls; no curling iron or curlers required.

CONS:
Your hair has to be all one length for you not to have straw-like pieces poking out.
Doesn't really work for French twists or sideways dos.
After much wire-twisting, you probably will need a second one.
You can see it in your hair unless you're really good at moving your hair around it because it's biggish.

http://www.sarahpotempa.com/shop/products/the-wrap-up/

Origins Rain and Shine liptint w/ SPF 10

I'm a big believer in sunscreen. Lips burn easily because lip skin is very thin and has few melanocytes (mini science lesson). Those who know me know I have a freckle from the sun right in the middle of my lips which appeared after a trip to the Caribbean (yes, I've had it checked).

So if I leave the house with only one thing on? It's lipstick with sunscreen. I've tested hundreds, maybe more on myself. (We won't discuss how much lipstick I've eaten this year.)

Typically lipsticks with sunscreen seem to fail the year round test. They're too pale (dark lips need sunblock too!) or they don't come in colours for darker complexions or they're too red. Enter Origins.

I swear by their Rain and Shine SPF 10 lip tint (recently went up to $15). Sheer enough if you just dab it on, and nearly opaque if you go a couple layers. I happen to like Sugared Toffee, colour no. 1. Don't rely on their site for choosing your colour, which I find strangely off on swatches -- no matter what computer screen I look at it on (it isn't an RGB or CMYK thing) so do go to the store.

While the jury is out about sunscreen - is it better to eat a bunch of chemicals or risk skin cancer? Hmmm - I won't weigh in here. But I have read all the labels too. Incidentally, I couldn't get the latest - as I think they've reformulated, but here is the second to last Origins Rain and Shine label.

So you know what's in it.

And if I'm going to leave the house with one item this is it.

PROS:
Great coverage going both sheer and fairly opaque
Glides on softly with lots of emollients, never drying
SPF included!
Great day to night
Great everywhere from cities to the Caribbean
Wide range of colours
Nice minty taste

CONS:
That same minty taste bothers some people; they complain it tingles.
Not for those who don't want to eat SPF

http://www.origins.com/product/3848/11997/Makeup/Daily-Essentials/Lips/Rain-and-Shine/Liptint-with-SPF-10-Sunscreen/index.tmpl