Review! | Bite Beauty PECAN Butter Cream Lipstick

Think a pigmented lipstick can't possibly be as creamy as pudding and as comfy to wear as your slinky modal pajama pants?  Let me introduce you to the most amazing full pigment lipstick I've ever owned: Bite Beauty Butter Cream Lipstick in Pecan.  Not only can she leap tall buildings in a single pass, she also reaches 100% color opacity in a single swipe!  While still remaining comfy!

These are not the kind of high pigment lipsticks that leave your lips feeling parched and powdery.  Pecan feels like a cushion of creamy hydration has just been locked and loaded on my lips. Hours later, when most of my other lipsticks have faded and my lips start alerting me to seek balm immediately, my lips are happy.  But sure, they'd love it if I reapplied Pecan.  Because to them, lip balm and Pecan have the same consistency and results: hydrated lips that are quite pleased with life!

All of the Butter Creams are "Hand Cut".  Bite literally cuts each lipstick by hand and places a little wax paper seal over the end.  They do this because they want you to start the lipstick experience at the rich, creamy core of the tube, not at the waxy tip of the bullet.  The lipstick is supremely creamy (but never so slippery that it maraudes outside of my lip lines), so maybe they're onto something here.  I will say that without a traditional bullet point, it could make these harder to maneuver on smaller lips.  Check them out in store if you're not sure.  I haven't had any issues with application, but you guys know I have pretty big lip honkers. ;)

I was a little concerned that Pecan, described as a "warm, dusty pink", would be a bit too light for me, but it turned out to be a perfect MLBB shade.

 

I did a few comparison swatches since this type of dusty pinky-brown color is well represented in my stash for it's ease of wear and ability to match any makeup look I decide to do.  Pecan is warmer, less pink, and more luminous than NARS Anita Audacious Lipstick.  Pecan is creamier and more opaque than Urban Decay Naked Revolution Lipstick.

Bite Pecan | NARS Anita | UD Naked | UD Rush | MAC Viva Glam V | UD Fiend

Bite Beauty Butter Cream Lipsticks come in 8 gorgeous MLBB shades ranging from neutral pinks to cocoa-riffic browns.  If you've ever avoided full coverage lipsticks because you have dry lips, Bite Beauty Butter Creams are definitely worth checking out.

W H E R E  T O  B U Y

SEPHORA

Have you tried anything from Bite Beauty?  Y'all know I have the serious feels for their Agave Lip Mask.  What's your favorite creamy, full-coverage lipstick?

Review! | NARS Audacious Lipstick in Anita

Saying you don't like NARS Anita Audacious Lipstick is like saying you don't think Michael Jordan was good at basketball.  AUDACIOUS IS AMAZING!  WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?!  NARS AUDACIOUS = NOTHIN' BUT NET!

Revealing that you're not a fan of NARS Audacious Lipsticks is like saying you don't find Keanu Reeves memes funny.

Well, I love Michael Jordan and think Keanu memes are hilarious.  But when it comes to NARS Audacious Lipsticks, Anita at least, I'm not in the fan club.

I know.  The beauty world's going to throw soiled Beauty Blenders at me for this one, but hear me out.  My lips live for hydration, so I tend to favor creamy, smooth lipsticks.  Anita feels dry and, dare I say, gritty.  To me, wearing it feels like I've pressed powder eyeshadow over lip balm.  I know this shade in particular is well loved as a universally flattering dusty pink.  I agree, the color is beautiful and the pigmentation is absolutely off the charts.  The swatch picture above?  That's 1 swipe.  Unfortunately, I can't get to a point where I find wearing Anita enjoyable due to the dry, powdery texture.

What was the last lipstick that didn't get along with you?

Review! | Sunday Riley Luna Sleeping Night Oil

As most of you know, I just turned 35.  Hydrating the skin is only going to get me so far, and I decided a few months ago to start looking for a retinoid product that wouldn't destroy my skin but would still give me the wrinkle-fighting, skin smoothing results I wanted.  After much research, and coinciding with the Sephora VIB sale, I picked up the Sunday Riley Luna Sleeping Night Oil.  After 6 weeks of use, I have nothing but raves!   

How many times have you tried, and subsequently given up on, a retinol product because it dried out your skin, made it peel, or caused redness and burning?  If you're sick of riding the retinol rollercoaster, you should take a chance on Luna.  Luna is a genius product; it's a retinol ester OIL.  So while the retinol ester is penetrating your skin, working it's magic to reduce fine lines, dark spots, and large pores, the cold pressed chia, avocado, and concord grape seed oils hydrate your skin and keep the retinol from aggravating it.  

Luna is a blueish green oil that disappears into the skin.  It soaks in beautifully, and I don't wake up with an oil slick on my face.  This stuff is pretty amazing.  I've been using it for about 6 weeks and my skin is smooth and bright, and looks better than ever before.  I've noticed a reduction in dark spots and fine lines around my eyes and mouth.  All this without any of the usual skin reactions I've experienced in the past with retinol products (redness, burning, itching, peeling, flaking).  

It's pricey but after seeing the results, Luna is worth every penny.  The bottle is HUGE.  I've used 6 drops each night (3-4 drops on my face and 2 drops on my neck) for 6 weeks and I've hardly made a dent.  I think the bottle will last me 9-12 months!  I've never been happier with an anti-aging skincare product.

Have you tried Luna, or anything else from Sunday Riley?  Have you used a retinol product before?

W H E R E  T O  B U Y

SEPHORA 

EMPTIES! #7 | May 2015

Here's what I finished in May!

Bath & Body Works Travel Shower Gels 

I love these travel minis because you can try different scents without committing to a large bottle.  I finished both the Bourbon Strawberry & Vanilla and Georgia Peach & Sweet Tea.  I liked them but I wasn't in love with them.  Of the two, I preferred the Bourbon Strawberry one.

Bumble and bumble Seaweed Shampoo
This "mild, moisturizing, daily shampoo" from B and b didn't really do much for my hair.  It seemed very basic and just didn't wow me.  If you have fine hair like I do and want to try a Bumble and bumble shampoo, I'd recommend the Creme de Coco.  It's hydrating without adding weight and it smells beautiful.

Burt's Bees Ultra Moisturizing Lip Treatment with Kokum Butter
This is okay.  It's nowhere near as long-lasting or hydrating as Bite Agave Lip Mask, Glossier Balm Dotcom, Nivea Lip Butter, or MAC Lip Balm Tube.  You can get Nivea Lip Butter for the same price and it lasts a lot longer and (for me) is more intensely hydrating.

Caudalie Deep Cleansing Exfoliator
I've had this forever!  The scrub is very fine, doesn't dissolve easily, and polishes my skin without being remotely harsh.  I feel like this the perfect balance of delivery agent and exfoliant, and the tube lasted me AGES. [EDIT: I just learned that this scrub contains polyethylene microbeads, which are very harmful for the environment and have already been banned in several states and countries around the world.  There is a push to pass Federal legislation here in the U.S. to ban them completely.  If you want to know if you own products that contain microbeads, look for polyethylene or polypropylene on the ingredients list.  Here is a current list of products containing microbeads.  Companies like Lush have already reformulated their products and are microbead free, and numerous companies have pledged to phase them out completely, including giants like Beiersdorf, Unilever and Johnson & Johnson.  If you'd like to watch the video that made me decide to stop buying products containing microbeads, it is here.]

Glossier Balm Dotcom | Review
One of my absolute favorite lip balms of life!  Ultra thick, unscented and taste-free, and lasts overnight.  Balm Dotcom is a definite lip savor.

MAC Lord It Up Pearlglide Intense Eye Liner
I have a Love/Pain relationship with this beauty.  Sometimes I wear it and it's nothing but blue skies, lavender unicorns, and winking mermaids.  Other times, the micro glitter in the formula migrates into my eye (I'm not tightlining with it - just using it on the lid) and it's a day of irritated peepers.  Sigh, this liner is literally my favorite.  The rich shimmery brown shot through with gold micro glitter looks stunning on; I wore this on my wedding day and it didn't bother my eyes at all.  However, the last few wears have been bringing the pain, so I'm retiring the nub and don't plan to repurchase.  In my lengthly hunt for a dupe, Urban Decay Bourbon 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil comes the closest to the shade and formula and doesn't bother my eyes.  Clinique Chocolate Lustre Cream Shaper for Eyes is also similar; though it's missing the intense golden shimmer, it also lacks the irritation factor.  

Suvana Organic Paw Paw & Honey Balm
This 100% natural, petroleum-free balm made from papaya extract and honey was a life-saver for me during the fall and winter when nothing seemed to soothe my skin, especially my underarms.  I took this with me to Arizona in November and ended up using it as a body butter because my skin was THAT dry.  It's VERY thick (similar to Aquaphor in texture), so for me, it's more of a cold weather product.  

Urban Decay Revolution Lipstick in Rapture | Review/Collection Post
Aw!  Sad to see this one come to a close as it's one of my favorite lipsticks.  I will definitely be repurchasing this shade.

What did you finish in May?