Revlon limited edition collection

No doubt about it - Revlon took a drubbing in 2006, with the collapse of Vital Radiance the same year that it debuted. One also wishes that Revlon would have brought in new faces when it totally revamped Almay, but instead model Elaine Mellencamp (wife of singer John) continues as the face of Almay.


Revlon Just Bitten Lip Stain


Enough of that - Revlon has introduced a number of flashy new products in its limited edition collection, including Revlon Just Bitten Lip Stain
and Bedroom Eyes™ Powder Liner. Just Bitten™ Lip Stain has a rollerball applicator - not the best for even layering. What's more, it dries quickly. The shade of Just Bitten™ in Blood Orange reminded me of orange popsicle stain. Other shades include Berry Juicy, Cherry Tart, and Plum Wicked.

I chose Revlon Bedroom Eyes™ Powder Liner in Smokin', which is great for creating the smoky eye. Be sure to tap excess powder from the applicator onto a tissue beofre applying - otherwise, it gets all over your cheek and countertop. Clearly, when using Bedroom Eyes™ as part of your eye makeup, do your eye makeup before you apply base. As FT Weekend columnist Edwina Ings-Chambers, who had a makeup application by NARS artist James Boehmer, writes:

The first thing to remember, Boehmer says, is that you shouldn’t try to replicate the 60s thing: keep the liner off the lid and stick to putting it round the eyes. “It’s more about the outer corner of the lid, not all over the lid,” he says.

Be prepared with cotton balls and eye makeup remover or Swabplus Liquid Filled Cotton Swabs, Eye Makeup Remover. Be sure to finish this look with lots of volumizing mascara.

BTW Generally, I find lipliners too harsh. Revlon is one of the two companies I know that offers a clear lipliner (ColorStay®) at a nominal price - the other being Paula Begoun's Paula's Choice line. Paula also recommends Lip Line Fixer from The Body Shop, which proves that she's not partisan.

I haven't seen L'Oreal's clear lipliner in ages, so I guessed that L'Oreal discontinued it. An alternative is a lipliner that exactly matches the color of your lips, which is why MAC's lip pencil in Spice has remained so popuplar.

Lip tips

After posting Great drugstore finds, I realized that I needed to revise my advice on lips on The Style Page website.

Concerning lipliner that it is not obvious, I had written:

• Another solution is to line the lips using a lip brush with the color you intend to apply: this is especially useful for applying highly pigmented matte lipsticks. [This advice originally came from Bobbi Brown]
  

• ArtDeco, a cosmetics company from Germany, offers a Color & Contour Lip Duo, which features lipstick at one end and contour at the other end for lining the tips. This is a highly pigmented lip color, so blending is still necessary.

Now I think that both techniques result in an overly obvious line, which is why I now prefer clear lipliners or lipliners that perfectly match the color of one's lips (which is why MAC's Lip Pencil in Spice has been so popular).

I've since discovered that companies other than Revlon and Paula's Choice offer clear lipliners, but at a higher price: DuWop Reverse Lip Liner and CARGO The Reverse Lipliner.

Living Beauty by Bobbi Brown

as seen in the March 15, 2007 edition of USA Today.

Lastly, the March issue of InStyle featured an excerpt from Bobbi Brown's latest book Living Beauty. Bobbi Brown wrote that the most flattering lip color is two shades darker than the natural color of your lips. I can vouch for her advice, after a lot of experimentation (and a lot of money spent!). One also has to take her complexion, hair color, and clothes in account when selecting lip color.

I'm light to medium in complexion, with dark brown hair and brown eyes. While I had been classified as a "Winter" (using the seasonal color typing that was so popular in the 80s), I tend to favor rich warm colors over cool colors. Some of my favorite lipsticks are Bourbon from last year's limited edition Catherine Deneuve color collection from MAC and Bésame's Enchanting Lipstick in Chocolate Kiss, particularly when wearing brown. In fact, I favor lip colors that are "ambiguous," that is, not too cool, not too warm.

Another tip is to apply lip color just slightly inside your mouth (I would name the source of this tip if I could recall it) so that there won't be any apparent demarcation lines; also, this application suggests fuller lips.

Underground by Rimmel

Underground by Rimmel is more daring than Rimmel's regular line, and invites comparison to L'Oreal HIP. While Underground is geared toward teens and twenties, there are some great products that woman of all ages can use.

Stir It Up Cream Eyeshadow in Wassup? by Underground by Rimmel

The cream eyeshadow features different shades that are mixed together when you apply it with your fingers. There's some glitter in this, but if that's not the effect that you're seeking, just remove it by flicking a cotton swab or Q-Tip over it.


Cheeky! Blush Duo in Cheer Up by Underground by Rimmel

This blush duo features pale apricot and deep rose shades. Nowadays, most of the shades of blush from mass-market brands are subtle (to be foolproof), so this blush duo stands out. It can look natural by applying the deep rose shade on the apple of the cheeks - don't blend out to the temples. If it's too bright, the pale apricot shade will tone it down. There are several other shades of Cheeky! Blush Duo available, and all are wearable.


Loud Mouth Lipgloss in Pucker Up from Underground by Rimmel

Don't be fooled by the name. This is more lip stain than lip gloss. In addition to Pucker Up, there are other wearable shades of Loud Mouth Lipgloss that will appeal to women of all ages. To prevent the stain from going beyond your mouth, consider lining your lips with clear lipliner first.

Because Loud Mouth Lipgloss is a lip stain, it can be drying. Now since the weather is getting colder, you need to keep your lips conditioned. I use Aquaphor , essentially a goo of petroleum jelly and mineral oil, at night to condition my lips (for more, see Treating Chapped Lips). I also like Sally Hansen Healing Butter for Lips (not available through drugstore.com, alas). It boasts of having shea, mango, cocoa and murumuru butters, but if you're seeking a plant-based product, this isn't it: petroleum jelly tops the list of ingredients and these butters are way down the list. Still, it's very emollient.

Underground by Rimmel may be found at Target, and Ulta in the U.S.