Lips Galore!!-Product Review by Richmond VA Wedding Makeup Artist Aaron Ellerbrock

I know that I recently did a blog on lip colors that stay on, but this seems to be one of the biggest concerns from the majority of my clients. I often hear "nothing stays on", "I just eat it off", "Color fades away", and a plethora of other comments. So I am tirelessly trying long wear lip colors to see what works and what doesn't so that you don't have to!

First in this round is the Revlon Color Stay Ultimate Suede Lip Color. There are seven colors (I believe) including nude, pink, peache and mauve. The price range is $7 to $8. I give the wearability a 7 out of 10. The reason I give a 7 is because the color I tried, Socialite, looked nice when I first put it on, but then seemed to not stay as "true" over time. It did last. I actually forgot I had it on and went to the gym! Luckily I looked in the mirror and saw it. I tried wiping it off and it wouldn't come off. Luckily I had some sanitizing wipes and I got it off that way. As far as the feel, I did not care for it when it was first on. It felt thick and tacky. Not tacky like a real gooey gloss, but tacky like the corners of my lips seemed to "grab" for a bit. That feeling wore off after about 20 or 30 minutes. I did have a glass of water and nothing came off on the glass. I did not put a gloss on to see if that would help with making the product feel a little more comfortable.

Second we have the Covergirl Outlast All Day Lip Color. First, let me point out there are an amazing 41 colors including neutrals, browns, berries, corals, reds, wines, roses, etc. The price range is $7 to $9. As far as wearability, I give it a 8.5. The color seemed to stay more "true" throughout the time I had it on. I purchased Always Rosy as I thought it was a nice neutral pink that someone could use as an everyday color. The brand touts 16 hours of wear and while I can't attest to that, as I took it off after about 4.5 hours, it still looked good when I did remove it. It did not feel too tacky, but almost gave a little tingle when I put on the color. That quickly went away but it did feel a little dry. That is the case with most long-wear products so that is why Covergirl gives you the moisturizing topcoat to put on. This is both a plus and a minus. It is a plus because once I applied that, my lips felt great. It is also good because you can re-apply the top coat when you want a little more shine. The downside is that it is a separate tube so you have to carry two things. This color does not come off whether you drink, eat, or kiss! It really stays put, but I did want to re-apply the top coat two times to keep my lips feeling soft and moist. Oh...PS, I took a shower and when I got out the color was still there!!

Aaron's over-all rating: Revlon Color Stay = 7.5  Covergirl Outlast = 8.5

What do you think?

Long wear and comfort!!-Richmond VA wedding makeup artist Aaron Ellerbrock

I have to say that I am thrilled with the Sephora brand Cream Lip Stain. First, it is only $12 so you can't beat the price. Second, it is packaged like a lip gloss so you don't need any tools to apply. Third, the pigmentation is amazing!!! You don't need a lot of the product yet you get great pay-off. With a lot of stains, the color is not very vivid and that is not the case here. Finally, it is not too drying. It feels good while it is on and lasts hours and hours. I will say if you are going to wear it on a regular basis, be sure to use an emollient lip moisturizer to replenish and comfort the lips once you take the product off. If I had one negative it would be that I would like to see more variation in the colors. Many of them are similar so be sure to check them out in the store as on-line it is difficult to discern the true color! I give this product an A-. What do you think??

Keep It On!!/BRIDEface Richmond Makeup Artist Aaron

So I have been on a kick lately about lips. Not really sure why, other than I wanted to expand my "kit's" horizon and have more choices to play with. I had read some reviews of Kat Von D's line but had not really tried anything. Several reviewers gave their thoughts on her long wear lip colors. I have some lip-stains but have always steered away from the "long wear" as they are notorious for drying out the lips. But these really intrigued me. I have had many times when my lip balm came off on my glass at dinner and I very stealthily wiped it away before my host noticed. So, I figured it must really suck for you ladies on a daily basis!!

Cut to me the other night putting on Kat's Everlasting Liquid Love Lipstick color in "Outlaw" before dinner. I thought what better way to see how this product works than to wear it myself (let me know if you want to see my photo with it on!!). I applied the beautiful true red color about 5 minutes before we ate. I bring that up to point out that these products usually wear much longer if they have ample dry down time before you eat or drink. Well after a dinner of grilled pork, sweet potato, and lemon basil beans, the color was still there. I had probably 2 glasses of water and 2 adults beverages with dinner and the color still looked amazing.

The night continued with a movie, a couple more adult beverages and popcorn (yes, I did pay for that at the gym the next day). By the end of all that and about 5 hours after I had put it on, the color had faded from the center of my lips. It was still on the outside at about 50% intensity.

All in all I have to say I am very impressed with this product. NOW PLEASE UNDERSTAND I do not recommend this as an every day product. My lips did still feel a little dry while it was on and for the next several hours after it came off. To remedy this I recommend good moisture before application, a little gloss once it is on, and good moisture again once you take it off. Doing that will combat any dryness you might feel.  With that being said, the dryness was minimal and the color stayed true for a long time. This is a perfect product for those of you who have an event to attend and don't want your color all over your wine glass.

The product can be purchased at Sephora in six different colors. They are $19 each which I think is a great price for the payoff. I purchased Outlaw and Lolita which is a beautiful soft pink that I can't wait to use on a bride. Bottom line: if you need it to last, this is a must have!

Dress Up Clothes-Dress Up Makeup?/BRIDEface Richmond Makeup Artist

Hello all and sorry for the "pause" in these updates! However I am excited to give you all a quick post on a great product.

A week or so ago I had the opportunity to work as the lead artist for Chanel at Saks here in Richmond. As many of you know I was a global artist for about 8 years for Laura Mercier and so it was nice to get "back to my roots". Being in the store is always such a great experience because it keeps me up to date on trends, new products, plus I get the opportunity to meet some new clients (hi new friends!!!) and talk with them about what they think works and what doesn't. Just as an FYI I will be back at Saks for Chanel April 19-21 in case anyone wants to come by for a bit.

Chanel has so many beautiful products and has one of the most impeccable reputations for knowing fashion and makeup. While I was there one item that almost every customer bought was a Glossimer. In many cases my clients were getting more than one. I decided to start asking these women why they loved this product so much.Some of the things that they told me that make Glossimers a must have are they:

* are non sticky

* have a great silky smooth texture

* wear longer than other glosses

* don't have any smell  or taste

* have excellent pigment and you can really see the color

* have lots of beautiful shades to choose from

In my experience, the two big complaints about lip gloss is that it feels thick or sticky and that it doesn't last. Well, according to these savvy shoppers they will pay a little more ($29.50) for a quality item if they get the payoff in the end. It certainly appears that Glossimers are a winner!

The top image is of the new Glossimers that are out for Spring. I love the one called "Amour" as it is soft and delicate like flower petals. It seems the most popular and universal of the existing shades is "Twinkle".

Now you all know I like a bargain (I can do so mean shopping at TJ Maxx), but I am also a proponent of having a wardrobe of makeup. Just like we have our play clothes, our work clothes and our dress up clothes, I believe our makeup should also have some variety. Throw on a Hard Candy gloss when you are running around but when you have that special event but on something that makes you feel special! It can really change the entire mood of the night.

Just my two cents worth...what do you think...let me know!

two amazing drugstore finds...

I swear, I can do some damage at a Walgreen's. I go in to pick up one thing but those cosmetic displays draw me in every time.
I have been absolutely loving Revlon glosses lately, so I couldn't resist these two cute palettes. at 6.99 a pop, why should I?
The top one is a collection that celebrity makeup artist Gucci Westman did, and all 5 shades are for lips.Really great mix and matching possibilities there, and impressive pigments to boot.
But the multi-use one on the bottom really made me swoon. I have such a weakness for pops of coral; nothing brightens up a blonde like a peachy lip. And to see such an interesting color combo-the two top products are a cream blush and highlighter, the two bottom ones are cream eye colors, and the bottom red one is for lips.
Those who know me are aware of my deep love for cream cheek and lip-you get a dewier, more modern look, and if you layer coordinating powders on top, you can achieve a more matte, but very long lasting effect.
Now, the question is, do I stuff these in my own stocking, or put them in my kit-?

What color is your "O"-?

I love Smashbox, though I don't have a ton of it in my kit. I was recently given the "o-gloss" as a free sample at Sephora, which inspired me to go back and try The "O-Glow" I had purchased months before and had forgotten.

"O gloss" would be perfect for a bride who favors a natural lip because it has a rosy, healthy look without being a ton of color. And it is a different shade on everyone.It even seems to have a bit of a plumping effect, and I can use all the help I can get in that department. I blew through my miniature tube very quickly so I guess it's time for a full size one-make that two; one for me, one for the kit. I think they make a new one now that has more plumping properties.

The "o-glow" is supposed to flush your cheeks like you've just had an-well, you know. I don't know about that; on me, it is way too pink. It looks like I have a fever more than I have been doing something naughty. I adore a very flushed cheek, but that was a little bit much, even for me. In fact my six year old asked what that red stuff was on my face, so that can't be good. I plan to try this on a more olive skintone and see how it goes. It comes out of the tube like a clear gel but turns sort of fuschia on your cheeks and fingertips once you manipulate it. So that part is fun, I just think the undertones are a bit too blue for me and a lot of the population.

Nars apparently thinks a woman flushes more apricot when she has an orgasm, as is evidenced by their top selling blush by the same name. A much better shade for me, as it compliments by yellow undertones. It also has a little shimmer in it-it is the perfect peachy pink.

Wonder what kind of research went into formulating these shades-?

Product rave;Vincent Longo pearlessence stains

I stopped into Sephora today and picked up all three shades of this new lip/cheek stain. It's wonderful-has a wonderful sheen, not dry looking, and lasts forever. Can't wait for him to come out with new ones. Perfect for brides!

I didn't buy anything else because I had all my kids in tow and had to get out before I was permanently banned from the store. God, I can't wait for school to start.

The Red Lip-?

Ah, the classic red lip. On one woman it can be sexy and powerful. On another, a pair of candy wax lips.

I believe the winners here are Scar Jo and obviously Gwen Stefani, Queen of Big Red Mouth.

I am all for the porcelain skin tone, but somehow the red on Nicole is a little corpse like. And while Gwyneth's lips are a little too thin to pull off the blood red, Kate Winslet's are a little too voluminous. And as for Ashley Olsen, well...too much eye with that lip color takes it way more Goth than I generally like, especially when your head is far too big for your body.

I like Anne Hathaway but she is just a gigantuan pair of lips here.

The other issue with wearing a strong lip color is maintainance. You don't want it smeared up to your nose or on your chin all night and have nobody give you the heads up. You'll have to use a straw and eat only very small finger foods. Although one of my best friends has very (naturally) large lips and she has the astounding ability to eat an entire meal while wearing bright red lips and keep them absolutely pristine.

I just think you're either a Red Lip Personality or you're not. Maybe we've been looking at clear gloss and nude lipstick for so long that this just shocks our senses?