Battle of the Roses!

Behold the glory of the rosy pink lip products!

They all look so beautiful, but let's break them down, shall we?

Tanya Burr Lip Gloss (Aurora, Picnic in the Park)

Being a non-reformed beauty junkie, I have certain vices where I like to spend my time (e.g. instagram, tumbler, twitter, bloglovin), but my favorite by far is YouTube. I haven't mustered up the courage to start my own channel, but I absolutely adore watching beauty gurus, and one of the first that I subscribed to was the lovely Tanya Burr. She recently launched a lip gloss and nail varnish line that I happily ordered as soon as it became available. I chose the colors Aurora and Picnic in the Park:

Tanya Burr Aurora

Tanya Burr Picnic in the Park

These lipglosses are shiny, pigmented, and not sticky at all. They are strongly candy scented, but not in an unpleasant way. Picnic in the park is a light pink with no shimmer, and Aurora is a rose with some shimmer. The applicator is a flat doe foot that evenly distributes product. These glosses definitely don't stain, and have an average lasting power, probably about 2 hours or until you eat or drink something. Fairly typical. I think these are extremely wearable, and a great everyday option.

Urban Decay Naked Ultra Nourishing Lipgloss

So, this is really the boss of all lip glosses. It has staying power, feels incredible on the lips, isn't sticky, and has a very nice minty smell. I have the shade Lovechild:

Urban Decay Lovechild

I'm so impressed with this formulation, but it's not too much of a surprise - Urban Decay always does an amazing job. The applicator on this gloss is very interesting:

Urban Decay Lovechild

It's a little difficult to see in this picture (sorry about that!), but it has a strongly angled slant on one side which makes it very easy to apply. I love everything about this gloss, and will definitely being picking up more shades.

Lorac Couture Shine Liquid Lipstick

I have to say that this is my least favorite of the bunch. Granted, because it is a liquid lipstick, the consistency is much thicker than I usually enjoy, but there is something about this product that I'm just not fond of. It has very little scent, but is extremely sticky. I have the color Haute:

Lorac Haute

One the plus side, the opacity is high and the color is lovely. The applicator wand is quite strange though. I'm not sure if this is common, but the brush I received was kind of smushed and fanned out.

Lorac Haute

Maybelline Color Elixir Liquid Color Balm

There is a reason that every beauty blogger is raving about this line. It goes on smooth, is creamy and non-sticky, and is highly pigmented. 

Maybelline Blush Essence

The lasting power of these is fairly standard, much like the Tanya Burr line, but the formula is a bit thicker. These feel great on the lips and are very pigmented. All around a great option, but I have heard many complaints about the strong perfumed scent.

The Balm Staniac

This is a lightweight gel-like stain that offers buildable coverage. It can be used on either cheeks or lips, and I love it for both!

The Balm Staniac Beauty Queen

The nice thing about this product is that it isn't drying at all, doesn't accentuate chapped lips, and can be used for anything from a natural lip to a bold berry statement. It finishes somewhere between and matte and a satin.

The Balm Staniac

These are definitely my favorite pinky rose lip colors of the moment. What are yours?

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Current Favorites!

Obsessions of the moment

I'm taking a break from my normal format because I felt compelled to write a post about some beauty products that I am currently way too excited about.

YSL Youth Liberator Foundation

This foundation is leaps and bounds beyond all others for me right now (although the Marc Jacobs Genius Gel comes in a somewhat close second). It is hydrating with a satin finish, is light to medium coverage, and is very natural looking. It would be a perfect everyday foundation if the price point wasn't so high.

Tarte Be MATTEnificent palette

I love this palette more than words can express. I should probably tell you that I am not a flashy eye shadow kind of girl, and I enjoy nothing more than matte neutral shades, but having said that, this piece from Tarte is so lovely. Once you get past staring at the packaging for a few hours (or maybe that was just me?), you will see that the quality of the shadows, liners, and blush is wonderful. Love, love, love

Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Exposed

I'm a pretty pale shade of completely see-through this winter, so this nude/mauve blush has been really great for a light contour. The staying power of the Amazonian Clay line is incredible, which is always a plus in my book.

Josie Maran Coconut Watercolor Cheek Gelee in Berry Bliss

I'm going to be honest here and tell you up front that I'm having a real love affair with this product, and I think we're going to be serious for a long time. I have already gone back for two more colors, and I'll probably end up with them all by the time spring rolls around (if it ever does). This gel formula feels so soothing on my winter weathered skin, and can range from super natural to much more pigmented depending on your application. 

Cindy-Lou Manizer by The Balm

The Balm is an amazing brand all around, and they have really outdone themselves with their new blush/highlighter, Cindy-Lou Manizer. It's a beautiful shimmery pink that accentuates the cheekbones just right.

Lash Genius by Anastasia Beverly Hills

"Lash Genius", you may be asking yourself? Yes indeed, I am mentioning an Anastasia product that does not have to do with brows! I have a history of mascara transference, whether it's a waterproof formula or not, and walking around with unwieldy black smudges under my eyes is not a look I'm going for. This waterproofing topcoat seals my mascara in, and stops it from getting all over my face. It does take some extra work to remove at the end of the day, but it's worth it!

Too Faced Better Than False Lashes Mascara

Speaking of mascara, step one of this two-step mascara from Too Faced is making me very happy lately. I am on the eternal quest for the perfect mascara (aren't we all), and this formula has just been working for me. It's not clumpy at all, adds length and volume, and when paired with the Anastasia Lash Genius, it's near perfect.

Nars Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base

This one's pretty simple - I have VERY oily eyelids and have tried so many primers. This one actually works. All day. I'm sold!

Shu Uemura Eyelash Curler

All I have to say about this is that when people say that the quality of your eyelash curler makes a difference, they are right. I've been holding out for years, and finally ordered this last month. It has changed my eyelash game completely. You should invest in one immediately, and behold as your eyes instantly look bigger!

Real Techniques Powder Brush

Basically, I want to include every Real Techniques brush in this post because they are all pure perfection. I only wish that they were more readily available to purchase individually. Super soft, great application, easy to use, affordable... They're wonderful.

Wayne Goss Brush 06

I splurged on two (so far) Wayne Goss brushes, and I'll never look back! I think he is an incredible make-up artist, person, and resource, and his crease blending brush is so good, it's naughty! This brush blends eyeshadow like no other brush I've ever used. Not to mention that the bristles are unbelievably soft. If you want to treat yourself to a high end brush, I would highly recommend this one.

Dermalogica Intensive Moisture Balance

My first winter on the East Coast (and the snowiest winter in a few years, or so they keep telling me) has wrecked my skin. It's taken me many months to figure out that my once oily skin is now dry, and highly upset. To combat this, I have been trying out all kinds of skincare systems, and Dermalogica has been the winner by far. This is the moisturizer that I use at night, and it is so hydrating without being heavy - a really nice and balanced cream.

Perricone MD Blue Plasma

As I mentioned above, my newly dry skin has created some different challenges for me, and one of them has been exfoliation. The Blue Plasma from Perricone MD is a gentle exfoliator that can be used daily, and it's done real wonders for my skin. The only downside is the smell - this product has salmon eggs as one of its ingredients, and you can definitely smell it when you apply the serum. However, it dissipates very quickly, so worry not! The change in texture of your skin once you start using it is very apparent, and who doesn't love some instant gratification?

Marc Anthony 2nd Day Dry Shampoo

I've already blogged about this product, so I'll keep this short: my favorite dry shampoo by a landslide. Seriously, no other brand comes close, and I have tried a lot!

D&G 18 La Lune Eau de Toilette

A floral, yet musky scent, this really reminds me of gardenia (even though I think it's actually tuberose) and sandalwood. It's easily wearable from day to night, which is always a plus.

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