Product Review -- Revlon Ultra HD Matte Lip Color

Every makeup brand and their mother has a liquid lipstick on the market these days, and even as someone who isn't particularly a fan of these types of products, I can't resist trying all of them out.

It's a sickness.

So after resisting the Revlon Ultra HD Matte Lip Colors for a long while (I feel like these have been on the market for over a year, right?), I broke down the other day when I was at Target and picked one up.

Product Review -- Revlon Colorstay Not Just Nudes Shadow Palette in Romantic Nudes

These days, every drugstore brand has an eyeshadow palette.

I happen to think that's pretty great because it means that there are a lot of affordable palette options out there to try.

I was interested in trying one of the Revlon Colorstay Not Just Nudes Shadow Palette when they first came out at the end of last year, but I was a little hesitant because I've never been that fond of Revlon's eye shadows.

But Revlon was recently on sale at CVS, though, and I was in the mood for some new makeup, so I decided to bite the bullet and pick up the Not Just Nudes Shadow Palette in Romantic Nudes.

Review -- Revlon Age Defying Firming + Lifting Makeup

There are a lot of great foundations at the drugstore these days -- the CoverGirl Outlast Stay Fabulous Foundation probably impresses me the most, but I also love the Revlon Colorstay Whipped Creme Makeup and Revlon Nearly Naked Makeup -- but if you've got dry skin, finding one is usually a little more of a challenge.

The two Revlon foundations mentioned above cooperate with my dry skin pretty well, but when I have particularly flaky, dehydrated areas, they can cling to those spots in a pretty unflattering way.

So I'm always on the hunt for a budget-friendly foundation that always flatters my dry skin -- even in the dead of winter when it's flake city.

I think I may have finally found it -- because the Revlon Age Defying Firming + Lifting Makeup has been a pretty amazing fit with my skin.

Shopping Bag -- Tons of Drugstore Lip Products and a Couple of Eye Products

I've been accumulating lip products at a somewhat alarming rate over the past couple of months.

Fortunately, most have been from the drugstore where I'm lured into purchases by the oh-so tempting BOGO-1/2 off offer, so I haven't spent a ton of money. 

Still, I have more lip products that any rational person needs but I've come to terms with that. 

This Shopping Bag also includes a couple of eye products for good measure. 

Revlon Photoready Primer + Shadow Palette (Pop Art)

Trips to CVS are such a mine field for me.

I go in only needing a tube of toothpaste or a birthday card or a 12-pack of Diet Coke (or 3) and walk out with a bag full of makeup. 

I just cannot resist the siren call of the cosmetics aisle no matter how hard I try. 

That's how I wound up with the Revlon Photoready Primer + Shadow Palette in Pop Art.

It was purchased on a complete whim when I did a quick browse of the makeup section and saw that Revlon was on BOGO 1/2 off.

It wasn't the primer shadow that the palette supposedly has that caught my eye -- it was the sparkle topcoat.

I love me some sparkle.

(Some obscenely gorgeous ad with Halle Berry wearing the shadows probably helped convinced me too.)

Revlon Photo Ready Cream Blush in Pinched

Even though my skin has gotten drier over the years, I still have a problem with keeping makeup on my face all day.

It's usually foundation that winds up magically disappearing from my face, but blush is the #2 culprit.

When I really want to ensure that my cheeks look perfectly flushed all day, I'll layer a powder blush over a cream blush -- that combo seems to give few extra hours of wear that either product alone.

I've wanted to try the Revlon Photo Ready Cream Blushes for a while, but they're somewhat pricey (normally $12.99 at Ulta) so I waited until Revlon was on sale and I had a coupon for 20% off at Ulta. I have quite a few drugstore cream blushes that I really like, but I could always use one more.

Revlon Colorstay Ultimate Suede Lipstick (020 Front Row)

I'm a big fan of Revlon's lip products, so when I saw that they'd come out with a new line, the Colorstay Ulitmate Suede Lipsticks ($9.99), I had to give them a try.

What's interesting about these lipsticks is that as part of the Colorstay line, you'd expect them to be a long-lasting lip product -- and the marketing materials actually do boast that the formula is "food proof and doesn't quit." 

However, unlike other longlasting lipsticks which have a tendency to be pretty drying, the Colorstay Ultimate Suede Lipsticks contain shea butter and aloe, so Revlon also promises moisture to go along with the products' long wear.

That sounds like a pretty great lipstick, right? 

Revlon Nearly Naked Foundation & Pressed Powder

A few months back, when I tried Urban Decay's Naked Skin Weightless Ultra Definition Makeup ($39)(boy, that's a mouthful!), I had one of those rare experiences when a product doesn't just meet your expectations ... it completely surpasses them.

I raved about the foundation here because it does exactly what it says it will -- delivers natural, healthy looking skin without feeling like you're wearing a ton of makeup. I've used it a ton since I bought it in early October because it's perfect for everyday wear.

When I heard that Revlon was coming out with their Nearly Naked Foundation and Pressed Powder, I couldn't help wondering if the formula would look and feel the same way as the fabulous UD version.

Best New Products of 2012 (and One Big Disappointment)

If I sat down and tried to write a post about my favorite products of this past year, it would be a novel.

Seriously.

There are tons of products that I loved in 2012, but some of them I've loved for years now and I've already mentioned them more than enough times on this blog anyway.

Instead, I thought I'd focus on new products that I found this year that really knocked my socks off.  Now, I've probably blogged about some of them plenty of times but this will be my last word on them, I swear.

Revlon Colorstay Smoky Shadow Stick in Torch

Revlon Smoky Shadow Stick in Torch

Not to brag or anything, but I have the greatest sister in the world.

When I was stressed out about not having power and missing two whole weeks of work after Hurricane Sandy, she wanted to cheer me up and because she knows me so well, she knows that there's a surefire to raise my spirits.

Surprise me with makeup.

Guaranteed to make me happy every time.

So when she surprised me to the Revlon Smoky Shadow Stick in Torch (and a Revlon nail polish that will likely make it into my December Favorites because I am seriously obsessed with it), which I'd been wanting for a while, it definitely did perk me up.

Favorite Foundations for Dry Skin

When I was younger, I had seriously oily skin and I was locked in a constant battle to keep my foundation on my face and shine-free.

Then I started using Retin-A (and getting older) and my skin started to get dry.

Not seriously dry, but depending on the season and what skin care treatment I'm using at a given time, I can have flaky patches that look cakey and gross if I don't use the right foundation.

So I've realized that having dry skin is no picnic either.

What I'm Wearing Today Vol. 2

I apologize for the lack of a formal post, but I'm a little under the weather today and have fallen behind on work so it's probably going to be a long night.

I also thought today would be a good day to share the makeup I'm wearing because I even thought I feel like crap, I actually look pretty good - and I used a new palette that I just got and am super excited about (review coming once I've tried all the colors).  I'm particularly loving my eyeshadow combo today, so without further ado, today's makeup:

August Favorites

So it's that time again ... monthly favorites.

This month, I don't have quite as many as usual mainly because I played with my eye makeup so much in August that I didn't really wear any particular shadows regularly. Still, I have some goodies to share - a few I've mentioned before and some I haven't.

Revlon Colorstay Whipped Creme Makeup

Revlon Colorstay Whipped Creme Makeup in Ivory (110)

I need another foundation like I need a hole in the head (I suppose I could say that about most categories of beauty products, though, if I'm being honest...), but it's nearly impossible for me to resist the lure of new products. 

I mean, I have a foundation that I love and always performs reliably for me (Makeup Forever HD Foundation in 110), but that doesn't stop me from wondering if there might be possibly be an even better foundation out there, one that has the coverage, finish, lasting power and perfect shade for my super fair skin. 

It's unlikely I'll find a better one, but I can't help looking.

That brings me to Revlon's new Colorstay Whipped Creme Makeup.

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stains

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stains

I have wanted to try Revlon's Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stains for a while now.

I've read and heard so many good things about them that my curiosity was definitely piqued, and the name of the product itself is beyond intriguing - the idea of a stain that still feels moisturizing and looks shiny on the lips (well, at least, that's my interpretation of "balm stain") is certainly novel.

So when I stopped in Walgreen's the other day to pick up a few 12 packs of Diet Coke (my most serious addiction this side of makeup) and I saw that Revlon was on sale BOGO half-off, I finally indulged. 

Products I Could Live Without (Or: Stuff I Don't Like That Much)

There's a few products in here that just don't thrill me...

Last week, I wrote about a few products that I wouldn’t ever want to be without.

Today I thought I’d mention a few that I wouldn’t have any trouble going without. 

You know, stuff I’m just not that crazy about.

Now, don’t get me wrong - I don’t hate any of these products or even regret trying them (I think I’ll do products I regret purchasing in the future, so stay tuned). I used (or am using) each of these products up or until they were no longer usable, so they certainly aren’t so terrible that I’d tell someone never to try them. They just didn’t quite live up to the hype or work well enough for repurchase them. 

As always with this type of thing, your mileage may vary.

Products I Wouldn't Want to Live Without

It would be impossible to give these goodies up!

I'm a serious beauty junkie, so there are tons of products that I love.

However, there are a select few that stand out as being so good that I don't have anything else in my collection that performs the same way or gives me the same results. 

These are the products I wouldn't want to live without.

(Obviously, I could... if I had to... but I really hope that I never have to try.)