NARS

  • Honest Beauty Truly Kissable Lip Crayons

    Honest Beauty Truly Kissable Lip Crayons

  • Honest Beauty Truly Kissable Lip Crayons, package

    Honest Beauty Truly Kissable Lip Crayons, package

  • Honest Beauty Truly Kissable Lip Crayons, swatches (from left to right: Marsala Kiss, Sheer Raspberry Kiss and Lip Gloss in Creative Kiss)

    Honest Beauty Truly Kissable Lip Crayons, swatches (from left to right: Marsala Kiss, Sheer Raspberry Kiss and Lip Gloss in Creative Kiss)

In my quest to try makeup that incorporates more natural ingredients and less toxic chemicals (that can lead to known health ailments), I decided to try out Honest Beauty. For those not familiar with the brand, Honestly Beauty launched last year under the company’s Honestly Free Guarantee stating, “You can rest easy knowing The Honest Company DOES NOT USE health compromising chemicals or compounds”. In fact, the company’s website goes further by listing a number of toxic chemicals its products are free of, such as: formaldehyde, parabens, phosphates, and so forth. With an ever-growing list, I really like how the Honest Company is on a quest to deliver the safest products without compromising its products’ effectiveness. With that said, here are my thoughts on three Honest Beauty lip products I just recently purchased.

Honest Beauty Purchases

  1. Honest Beauty Truly Kissable Lip Crayon in Sheer Raspberry Kiss ($18)
  2. Honest Beauty Truly Kissable Lip Crayon in Marsala Kiss ($18)
  3. Honest Beauty Lip Gloss in Creative Kiss ($18)

Packaging and Consistency

I liked the simplicity of the Honest Beauty packaging. The color of the box is composed of a lovely gradient—going from white to a very light blush color. To the far right of the box, you can find the name of company in a classic silver font along with the name of the product on the far left. On the underside of the box, you can find product directions and descriptions, their Honestly Free Guarantee (list of ingredients its MADE WITHOUT), and Honest to Goodness Fund explanation.  Upon opening, I found the Honest Beauty Truly Kissable Lip Crayons, each coated in silver with the end of the sticks showing the color that lies beneath the cap.

At first glance, the Truly Kissable Lip Crayons reminded me of the Clinique Chubby Stick Moisturizing Lip Colour Balm ($17). However, upon application, I noticed an immediate difference. While I’m a really big fan of the Clinique Chubby Moisturizing Lip Colour Balm, I could not help but fall in love with the smooth and light feel of the Honest Beauty lip crayon. The application with these lip crayons is effortless because the product simply glides on upon application. So much so, that you have to be careful with running the product outside of your lip line (which I did at first…oops). And talk about moisturizing, these lip crayons kept my lips feeling like a tall glass of water in the desert. I’m going to assume it’s the mix of coconut oil, murumuru butter, and shea butter that gives the crayon such a rich, amazing feel.

In regards to reapplication, it’s a non-factor unless you just finished eating. So other than the occasional drink and meal, there really is no need to keep reapplying the product as it does hold its own for hours.

Honest Beauty Lip Crayons, up close

Colors

I purchased the Honest Beauty Truly Kissable Lip Crayons in two colors that had distinctive finishes. The lip color in Raspberry Kiss is a lovely sheer bright pink toned shade that at first glance may look intimidating, but when applied it leaves a hint of color. What is great about this particular product is that you can layer the color to make it a bit more opaque and brighter in color. As for the shade Masala Kiss, it is much more subdued and would fall under the nude/pink tone category; making it perfect for everyday use. While Marsala Kiss lip crayon has a sheen, like Raspberry Kiss, it goes on much thicker and darker. All in all, both colors make a great addition to my lip crayon collections. However, Raspberry Kiss really stands out for the water colored stain it leaves on the sleeps; it is absolutely stunning!

Final Thoughts

Overall, I was highly impressed with these Honest Beauty lip products. The texture, color, and wear time were exceptional. As for the price point, the Honest Beauty lip crayons are $1 more than a Clinique Chubby Stick Moisturizing Lip Colour Balm (for the same amount of product (3.0 g /. 10 oz.). However, paying the difference is worth it given the coverage and feel of the Honest Beauty line of lip crayons. In regards to the lip-gloss, it is less than my favorite NARS lip glosses ($26), so I definitely see myself purchasing more of Honest Beauty lip-glosses.

Pretty in Pink

Femininity – a singular word with so much meaning and symbolism. I equate femininity with beauty, strength, sensitivity, motherhood, sisterhood, independence and the freedom to express these things as we choose. This expression can take the form of wearing a pair of fierce heels, donning sexy lingerie, spritzing your most adored perfume, or by wearing your go-to LBD (little black dress). When I want to tap into this side, I don’t have to look any further than my vanity, where I can paint my nails a subtle shade of pink or apply my beloved fuchsia lipstick like MAC Girl About Town ($17).

My love affair with this shade, I assume, began from the moment I received my first JEM doll with the wild pink hair. From that moment, I’ve gravitated to the color pink and incorporate it into my beauty routine, especially those moments when I feel most in touch with my femininity. Whether I’m on a date with my husband or playing the role of a princess in my sons’ interactive plays, pink represents me and all those things I cherish as a woman. It means even more when I purchase a piece of makeup, like Bobbi Brown’s The Peony Set ($50), where all proceeds go to supporting the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

So for those moments in your life when you want to feel “pretty in pink”, I say go for it!

My Favorite Pink Products

  1. Maybelline Color Whisper by Color Sensational (7.49)
  2. NARS Lip Gloss in Turkish Delight ($26)
  3. MAC Cremesheen Glass in Boy Bait ($20)
  4. Too Faced Liquified Long Wear Lipstick ($21) in shades Melted Peony and Frosting.
  5. Essie Nail Polish in Mademoiselle and Ballet Slippers ($8.50)

Insider Tip

Most often, when you buy a product directly from a brand’s website, you may get a 10% to 20% discount off your first online purchase.

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Mascara Mania

Long, full, and lashes for days…all this and more are guaranteed by all mascaras on the market today. Which leads to the ultimate question: what is the best mascara out there? With so many to choose from, how does one go about selecting? Well, I certainly don’t recommend breaking the bank in order to buy the most expensive mascara because there are too many options at every price point. Not only should your budget be a consideration, but also your intended daily usage. Here are questions all mascara buyers should ask themselves before deciding:

  1. Do you wear mascara everyday, 2 to 3 times a week, or a handful of times a month?
  2. Do you like mascara in just the color black or do you use a variety of colors?
  3. Do you like to have both waterproof and regular mascara on hand?
  4. What is your budget?
  5. Is there a specific job your looking for in your mascara (i.e. lengthen, thickening, natural looking, curling, bottom lashes etc.)?

With those questions in mind, I’ve compiled some of my mascara favorites in the hopes of deconstructing mascara mania. 🙂

  1. Maybelline The Falsies Big Eyes ($7.99): Talk about more bang for your buck. The Maybelline Falsies Big Eyes is the best value of any mascaras I have ever purchased. First and foremost, what draws me is the price. I mean $7.99, and with sales always being introduced (Buy 2, get I free currently on Ulta), makes this a budget winner. The other big plus is that it has brushes for upper and lower lashes. Now of the two, the lower lash brush is my favorite because it really does get the job done. However, you have to keep a steady hand because the brush is very small and not forgiving if you apply it too quickly.
  2. Maybelline Great Lash Washable Mascara ($5.99): This mascara takes the title for best color options; six to be exact (Black, Browish Black, Dark Brown, Royal Blue, Soft Black, Blackest Black). Not to mention its an American classic for a reason because it simply works! If you want natural looking lashes with a some oomph, then Maybelline Great Lash is for you.
  3. Dior Diorshow Mascara ($27.50): This is a mascara that gives volume and shape with just two coats. The Dior Diorshow Mascara also comes in four shades guaranteeing a color for every taste (blue, brown, black and purple) in addition to having a waterproof version. The biggest advantage is that this mascara is formulated without parabens, sulfates and phthalates (per Sephora website).
  4. Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara ($23): I normally gravitate to this mascara when I want to bring the drama without having to resort to false eyelashes. The brush is super thick and can provide full and defined lashes with just one coat. Some disadvantages I find with the Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara is that it only comes in one shade (black), and if your not careful with the application, it can quickly get lumpy and smudges easily. So if you don’t have a steady hand or patience, I suggest you move onto other options like those below.

Honorable Mentions:

  1. Benefit They’re Real! Lengthening & Volumizing Mascara ($24)
  2. Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes ($21)
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