Review: Nicolet Beauty Lip Catnips

September 16, 2017September 15, 2017 Mstldelano2 Comments

During my beauty binge a few weeks ago, I came across Nicolet Beauty. I was intrigued by the line, because they offer vegan lip products in both glamorous and unusual shades. They offer both lipsticks and lip glosses. But that’s not the only thing that lured me in.

Look at the container. LOOK. AT. IT.

Nicolet Beauty sells “lip catnips” (intensely pigmented lip gloss) in both the standard lip gloss tubs, but they are also offering a few of their shades in these limited edition special containers. Now tell me: wouldn’t you just LOVE to have these on your vanity?

I ordered two of these limited edition glosses in the shades “Florence” and “Norino” (there are two other shades, as well: Delphia and Zona). The website describes “Florence” as a “Metallic Berry lip gloss”, while “Norino” is described as a “Rose Gold metallic lip gloss”. I found both of these descriptions accurate, and the pigment was intense and true to what is shown on the website.

(Florence on the left, Norino on the right)

I. Loved. These. Catnips! The coverage is gorgeous and these smell like cupcakes! I’m a bit more partial to “Norino”, mainly because this is the one that I’ve worn more frequently. I have gotten compliments on the rose gold shade when I wore it. I anticipate that “Florence” will be an absolute hit this winter (I usually go a little deeper on my lip shades during the cooler months, so this one will be a perfect change from “Norino”).

(Florence and Norino in their pots)

Now, a few disclaimers are in order. These are both shimmery shades, so if you love your mattes, this isn’t for you. Also, while the website lists these as lip glosses, the website also cautions that these are highly pigmented. So these colors apply like a lip gloss but have coverage and finish like a lipstick. These do not apply as sheers and, since they don’t dry down to a matte finish, they blend well with lip liners (you don’t have to rush and blend because the lip catnip doesn’t dry completely).

Since these are glosses, you can expect that these will remain a little “tacky” and retain their sheen throughout the day. Funny enough, I found that the colors looked a tad shinier when unmanipulated, and took on a more matte look when I pressed my lips together. If you want a shinier look, you will have to layer a clear gloss over the lip catnips, or just remember not to press your lips together too much.

The unexpected surprise of this order was the fact that I got the glam lip brush along with the catnips. I can’t promise you that everyone receives a lip brush (it wasn’t mentioned on the website) but I was delighted to see this coordinating accessory in my package.

Oh yes, about the package: it arrived quickly (within a week) so I was pleased. These glosses are ordinarily $16, but as of September 15, 2017, these are on sale for $12 each. This is a great way to get some affordable luxury in your life!

That’s my review of Nicolet Beauty. I hope that the company continues to produces these luxuriously packaged items, because they are unique and help me to quickly tap into my inner glam.

What do you think of Nicolet Beauty? Let me know in the comments below!

beauty

Review: Glow by Melodye Lip Glaze

September 14, 2017September 14, 2017 Mstldelano1 Comment

A few weeks ago, I ordered a ton of beauty products from small, indie brands. One of the orders I placed was with Glow by Melodye. The company specializes in sleek lip colors that last for a long time and leave lips shiny, hydrated and picture perfect.

I purchased the colors “I Love Her” and “Extraordinary Smile”. “I Love Her” is bright, bubblegum pink with bluish undertones, while “Extraordinary Smile” is a bronze that balances both cool and warm undertones.

I tried both of these colors and enjoyed them both. I wore them with a deeper-colored lip liner to create a more ombre-d look. I liked the application as well as how these products weren’t drying at all. Also, the color was intense enough that it didn’t fade during the day, but not overpowering to the point that people noticed my lips before they noticed me. Full disclosure: these are NOT matte lipsticks. These feel like lip glosses and you can build up the color, so instead of drying down to a dry matte look, these instead have the look and feel of a semi-sheer liquid lipstick.

There is one caveat about the product: the two that I purchased had shimmer in them, which was not indicated on the website. I fully expected “Extraordinary Smile” to be shimmery, because the product photo on the site depicts a shimmery-looking product in the tube. But “I Love Her” surprised me: the photo on the site appears to be a shimmer-free product, but it isn’t. I saw the shimmer when I looked at the tube in person, and then I confirmed the added shimmery flecks when I swatched the product. Other than that unexpected finish, everything else was fine with the product.

Here’s the deal: nowadays, EVERYONE has lip products. So it’s hard for me to say conclusively that this is the best available. However, the prices are reasonable and the products work well. The shipping was also pretty fast, and the packaging was cute (hot pink envelopes!).

A bit of brilliance: Melodye enclosed three of her business cards, so I can easily refer my friends to the website without having to remember the hyperlink information.

Would I order again? Yes, definitely. The price, speed of delivery, and quality of product are all good reasons for me to reorder. I only wish that the brand would extend to other products, or at least add additional shades to the line (I already have lip products in pretty much every shade on the website). Once Glow by Melodye expands, I’ll be right there, ready to support again.

beauty · culture

Vintage Video: Why Not Be Beautiful?

September 9, 2017September 5, 2017 MstldelanoLeave a comment

I’ll admit: I was expecting to be frustrated with this vintage beauty video. After all, it was created in 1969, and I anticipated a bit of a misogynistic flavor with it. I thought that the entire video would be pushing beauty as a way to “get the guy” and “live happily ever after”.

But I was WRONG! I was pleasantly surprised by what I saw. This video is filled with so many gems: where should I start?

First of all, kudos for the diversity. There are some modern-day television shows that could benefit from this example. And kindly bypass the terms “Negro” and “Oriental”: at the time this was made, those terms weren’t offensive.

Secondly, there are a lot of quote-worthy phrases thrown in here. Here are some of my favorites from the first 3 minutes of the video:

“Every girl can become beautiful, in the true meaning of the word.”

“Beauty indeed is more than skin deep. The most important part of beauty comes from within: the inner beauty. A healthy mind, being interested in life and the arts … Caring for others and being involved in the issues of the community and your country … Being creative … Being active … The more you’re interested in the world around you, the more interesting you become.”

Fitness as a way of bonding with other women was promoted, and I’m such a fan of that stance. I’d rather take a brisk walk outdoors with a friend than sweat it out solo.

I’m amazed at how many of the beauty tips are still relevant. The color concepts for increasing and decreasing the appearance of distance between the eyes still works (it’s a trick that I do constantly).

Lastly, I love how there were so many positive comments throughout. I didn’t see any discouraging of a woman’s unique beauty, just encouragement to enhance what’s already there. The video ended on a lovely note (I’m quoting it below):

“Above all remember the beauty that shines through you from within your inner beauty is your most beautiful, most precious possession. Beauty is more than a pretty face, it’s a way of life.”

I hope you all enjoy the video! Let me know what you think in the comments below.

beauty

In Search of the L’Oreal “Zoe” Collection

September 7, 2017September 4, 2017 Mstldelano2 Comments

I am a regular beauty shopper and I keep up with most of the product launches that occur each season. So I was very excited to see L’Oreal’s Collection Exclusive lipsticks and nail polishes. This collection has nudes, reds and pinks tailored to different skin tones. I’m not sure when the collection launched, but I made sure to check them all out. I knew that I wanted to try the shades for deeper skintones: the Freida Pinto, Zoe Saldana, and Liya Kebede collections.

My complexion is close to Liya’s, so, naturally, I picked up Liya’s Nude. This gorgeous rosewood brown shade, with just the right combination of sheerness and sheen, instantly became a favorite of mine. However, I made a mental note to try the Zoe and Freida collections, because I didn’t particular like Liya’s Red or Liya’s Pink.

Imagine my shock when I returned to the store a couple of months later and both the collections for deeper skintones were GONE. Worst yet, I couldn’t even remember which actresses were associated with the deeper toned collections (sigh …).

So, I went to L’Oreal’s website to figure out where I can find these discontinued collections. Reading through the comments, I was reminded that Zoe and Freida had collections (thanks to those wonderfully vocal L’Oreal customers!). Their collections were no longer available on L’Oreal and in the stores.

The online hunt was ON.

I went to Amazon, and I wasn’t disappointed. I got ALL of the Zoe shades: the Zoe Red and Pink lipsticks and nail polishes.

I also swatched the shades for your reference.

(Zoe’s Red lipstick on the left, Zoe’s pink on the right)

Zoe’s Red lipstick is a true merlot color. It starts off semi-sheer and builds to a deep, rich color. Zoe’s pink is a soft, pretty bubblegum shade that also starts off sheer and builds to a nearly opaque finish. Both lipsticks are moisturizing and long lasting, and neither dries down to a matte finish.

(Zoe’s Red nail polish on the left, Zoe’s pink on the right)

I wore the Zoe’s Red polish – a pure bordeaux red – on my toes. The polish lasted an average amount of time before chipping (about 3 days), without a base coat or top coat. I haven’t tried Zoe’s Pink yet, because I don’t actually like the shade. It has the faintest twinge of coral that doesn’t flatter my skintone, so I’ll probably pass it along to a friend.

If you’re interested in getting these gorgeous shades for yourself, here are the Amazon links (just click on the photos below):

Have any of you tried the L’Oreal Collection Exclusive shades? Please let me know in the comments below!