Review: Color Sensational High Shine Gloss

Maybelline Color Sensational High Shine Gloss ad (Captivating Coral)

             There's a point in every girl's life where she graduates from using plain old lip balm to the ultimate shiny lip gloss. It was exciting and as a kid, it was definitely a big deal. I used to sneak in uses of my older sister's lip gloss whenever I could, because of course, lip balm was soo boring! When I was finally able to put on my big girl pants and elevate myself to the liquid gold itself, I was struck with another problem. Which  lip gloss do I use? Do I go with clear or is that too normal? Can I pull of color? Would it be too much? But nowadays, there's no such thing as too much color, ladies. Searching for the perfect shade of lip gloss is frustrating and when you happen to find it, the feeling rivals that of a breath of fresh air. You go home and you slick it on your lips to admire the perfection...and wait, what?! It's sheer. The color completely just disappears on your lips and now? Now you're more than frustrated. Enter Maybelline's Color Sensational High Shine Gloss. A wax free gloss with "pure liquid pigments." "Have the beauty gods finally granted our wishes?" you ask. Well, I would sure say so.

"Electric Shock"

Pros: great pigmentation, definitely affordable, glossy as promised, didn't dry lips, not sticky, available in 12 shades

Cons: didn't soften lips as promised, didn't last that long, brush is adequate

There are other lip glosses out there that promise rich color (like L'Oreal Color Riche), but many sorely disappoint. When L'Oreal Color Riche gloss came out, I loved the Watermelon Crush shade, but it was too sheer to even show up. Ever since then, I had been looking for a working alternative with a good price tag to boot. I got the Color Sensational gloss in Electric Shock and it was the exact same shade, except it was actually pigmented. I was ecstatic, absolutely thrilled. And, I bought it at my local CVS for only $6. Its shine can be seen a mile away and its color range isn't that bad either. Not the widest selection, but in a good variety of color so that everyone can find a pretty shade. It apparently has honey nectar that softens lips, but I didn't really notice a difference. However, it did not dry out my lips either. For me, the gloss only lasted a few hours, definitely not the best performance when talking endurance, but I can put up with that in return for the other advantages, including the fact that it's not sticky. The brush is okay...it does what it's supposed to do, but it could be more precise (teardrop shaped brushes are best for a precise application).

Electric Shock swatch

My Final Verdict: The pros beat the cons by a mile, in my opinion. It's one of the best lip glosses I've used in a while and it's cheap! So far, I only have one shade, but you can bet that I'll get more soon. So yes, I really do recommend, my friends.

xoxo,
TrinaD. <3

How to Flawlessly Apply Lipstick or Lipgloss

Everyone knows that "practice makes perfect" but what if there were shortcuts? Chances are, your lipstick or gloss isn't always going to look photoshoot ready, but taking care of your lips and learning the best type of application for lip products can dramatically improve your results. With a swipe of pretty pink or fierce red, you can alter your whole persona...so why mess it up with feathering lipstick and uneven gloss? These tips and tricks will ensure you an impeccable pout, so purse your lips, my lovelies!

• Smooth your lips. Take a spoonful of sugar and add a couple sprinkles of water until it becomes a thick paste. Apply it to your lips generously and softly brush with your toothbrush for 30 seconds on each lip. Rinse off. Apply lip balm.
• Protect your lips. Apply lip balm (I prefer Burt's Bees Ultra Conditioning) a couple minutes before you do your makeup. This gives your lips time to absorb the moisture and soften. Blot off before you apply any other lip products.
• Line around your lips with concealer. This not only helps you reshape your lips how you want them, but also protects your lip line and keeps your lip products in line. Be sure to blend it in with your skin so that it isn't noticable.
• Line and fill in your lips. Line your lips with lip liner and fill your whole lip in with the same shade lip liner. This not only helps against feathering and smudging, but gives your lipstick/lipgloss something to hold onto.
• Apply your lipstick/lipgloss with a brush. Using a brush gives you more control over the product itself and where it is applied. You can reach the small corners and paint over each curve with ease.
• Blot and reapply. Give it a minute or two and blot (gently) before applying another layer of lipstick or gloss (you don't have to use a brush this time). Taking the time to blot and reapply really helps the product stay on longer and look even more vibrant.

Perfect lips don't have to take an insane amount of skill or time. These steps may seem like a lot, but when you actually do it, it's much quicker and gives you the results you want every single time. Follow these steps and I promise, you'll have no problem looking your best at any given moment.

xoxo,
TrinaD. <3

Blend Lipsticks and Glosses to Create Your Perfect Shade!



         Although the cosmetic aisle is home to hundreds of colorful lip products, finding the right shade for yourself can be challenging, especially since you can't try it out and see how it works for you before buying it. Sometimes a certain color is good, but it's just too orange, nude, red, or frosty. So of course, you can layer on the products and hope that it comes out evenly, or, you can blend them to create the perfect shade that you had in mind. It's quick, easy, and you can add certain things to personalize it. Make it a lip plumper or even add a sparkle of glitter. It's your call.

Materials:

• Vaseline (or you can use beeswax if you prefer something natural)
• Container (to store the lipgloss)
• Any lipglosses or lipsticks that you want to blend (I always recommend at least one lipstick - preferably frosty - because it's creamier and the color doesn't dull after time)
• Rosewater (optional - to soothe lips - do not use if you want to make a lip plumper)
• Clear glitter gloss (optional - I like to use it to add some sparkle if my other glosses don't have any already)
• Cinnamon Leaf Oil (optional - used to plump lips naturally)
• Stirring stick (I use an orange stick for nails)
• A dropper (if you are using rosewater or cinnamon oil)

TIP: To find YOUR perfect shade, gently pull your lower lip down and the color inside is what you should try to make your gloss similar to. It goes well with your skin tone and will enhance your natural beauty, however, if you are interested in making a bold colored gloss, then simply reach this tone and darken, lighten, or make it frostier.

1. Take your container and put in as much vaseline as you can. Fill it completely but do not overflow it. Also, leave some room to mix and add rosewater or cinnamon leaf oil if you wish.

TIP: Always add the lipsticks first since the colors tend to be more prominent in the end product. Although it does depend on the kind of lipstick. Also, I always use a spare lipstick for this since you'll be breaking sections off of it. Your normal lipgloss is fine, it will not get damaged.

2. Take your lipstick, and using the slanted end of the orange stick or using a plastic knife, carefully break off a small (you can add more later) chunk of lipstick and crush it in your container of vaseline before mixing it. Be sure the the mixture is smooth before adding anything else. If it is too light or maybe to dark, I would wait until you're done to add more lipstick or add more vaseline since the lipglosses will alter the color.

3. Add any lipglosses (any amount that you feel necessary) to the mixture. Be sure to stir in between each lipgloss. When you are finished, add more lipstick or lipgloss if it is too light or add more vaseline if it is too vivid. Add your clear glitter gloss to add sparkle if you haven't already.

4. This last step is optional: Add either 2-3 drops of cinnamon leaf oil to plump lips or 7 - 10 drops of rose water to soothe lips. Stir until gloss is well-blended. 

5. Test it out to see how it looks on your lips. If necessary, make changes.

6. Enjoy your new lipgloss that's in your perfect shade!

xoxo,

TrinaD. <3