Hourglass Lip Oil - Review

Hi! Have any of you seen the new Hourglass Lip Treatment Oil? I noticed it right away when it was released as it has a very unique package/dispenser for a lip treatment. The casing is a bit large for a lip treatment/balm sort of thing. It also caught my eye from the description. "14 essential oils", "opulent 24 karat, antibacterial, gold - plated tip". Say what?! No, I'm being serious. And it has a price tag to match at $42. I was really going to avoid this one, but then I thought - screw it. I've got really dry chapped lips all the time, I should give it a go. Maybe it will be the end all miracle product. Just maybe. So, I snatched it up and closed my eyes as I handed my card at the register. Ouch!

Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream - Review

Hey there. So, as you are all surely aware, the weather is getting colder. Duh! Now, I personally have the driest lips all year round. Oily/Combo skin and dry chapped lips. Go figure. I do, however, notice that it hits harder in the winter time. I had mentioned in my post all about lips that I usually use the medicated Blistex in the blue pot to cure and dry, cracked or chapped lips..... until now. I finally took the plunge and picked up a tube of Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream and it is quickly becoming a staple must have. To start, it comes in a tube. Like a big tube. Like the size of a hand cream. The reason for this is that it's really more of an all purpose product. You can use it on chapped lips, minor scrapes or burns, dry cuticles or anything that looks like it could use some serious moisture and protection. The product comes out of the tube in a pinkish tone as a creamy gel like consistency. Similar to vaseline but not as thick feeling. You will need literally the tiniest amount to cover an area. I barely use a hair of it to cover my entire lips. It goes on feeling smooth and moisturizing. I have found that if you take the time to massage it into the lips (or skin), it will really hydrate and smooth over any dry or flakey areas. You can also feel that it coats the area a bit and gives protection which is great for being out on a cold winter day. It really feels amazing as you apply it and is very comfortable. It does have a slight medicated type scent to it. It doesn't bother me, but if you're really picky with that kind of thing, maybe take a sniff before you take the plunge. I honestly just cannot praise this enough because I can feel it help my lips so so so much. It has both immediate and long term effects. It's the best thing I've used to really help my lips from feeling like they're going to fall off! I've been carrying this in my bag and my mom had a burn that was starting to scab and peel a bit on her hand. I pulled this out and she smoothed it onto her burn. It was crazy how it just smoothed over the dry flakiness and looked completely moisturized. It is really good stuff! I really only use it for my lips, but its pretty handy how all purpose a product like this can be. It can really come in handy. It's seriously my new favorite thing! Have any of you tried this?

Talk soon. Kisses, J

I found mine at Ulta, but you can also pick one up at any Elizabeth Arden counter.

Lip Care

Caring for your lips is pretty important and I feel like a lot of us just forget about them. Aside from the Burts Bees lip balm that's probably floating around somewhere in your bag when you're feeling chapped. Lips are not to be forgotten though. Especially being women, we want our lips to look healthy and beautiful. Duh! But really, it's something you shouldn't skip out on. Here are a few things I do and use to keep mine in good shape.

1. Lip Balm - Having a good lip balm is really important. I always keep one in my bag and another by my bedside. Applying lip balm regularly every morning and every evening will do wonders. It sounds simple, but a lot of us only pull it out when we think we need it. Just make it part of your routine and stick with it. If I'm going to be wearing lipstick, I'll just be sure that I apply the balm first thing and let it sink into my lips before applying the lipstick so that it doesn't cause it to slip and slide around. If you need to blot the product off a bit, that works too. My personal favorite balm is the Dior Creme De Rose. It's pretty and works like a charm. Also smells like roses. I consider this the girly girl lip balm. I do also like the Korres Lip Butter in Jasmine.

2. Lip Treatment - This is the rescue balm for winters and seriously chapped lips. Although using lip balm regularly usually keeps things in check, there are times when my lips can get seriously dry and chapped. Makeup doesn't look good on them and they can sometimes hurt if they start cracking. I have tried probably hundreds of balms in my lifetime and I always find that Blistex Lip Medex (in a blue pot) is the only thing that can save me. I know it's not fancy or pretty by any means. But, it's quite strong and it will feel cooling on the lips. It will give you relief and heal your lips. I'm warning you that it tastes bad so try not to lick your lips, but it will do wonders if your lips are on the verge of death!

3. Lip Scrub - As many people that have come to know about lip scrubs, I find that many still don't know about them. Just like a scrub for your body or face, there are scrubs for your lips. They will help remove any dry or flakey skin. They will essentially smooth the surface and scuff off all the dead skin cells sitting on your lips. They'll feel softer, smoother and look brighter. This is great to do once a week or so. And especially before wearing a bold lip color so that you have the perfect canvas to apply the color on. I like the Fresh Sugar Lip Polish. Lush also has a good one called Mint Julip's Lip Scrub. If you don't want to bother with one, a basic toothbrush lightly brushed over the lips will give you the same result.

Hope that gives some of you a few new ideas for how to care for your lips and make them extra gorgeous! Until next time....

Dior Glow - Review

I feel like I rarely hear people talking about Dior products. Chanel has a cult following with their cream bronzer and foundations, everyone loves the NARS blushes, people are obsessed with YSL lipsticks and touche éclat. What about Dior?! I personally love and use a lot of their products. Don't even get me started on their 5 color eyeshadows! A while back (maybe a few years ago?) I picked up the Dior Addict Lip Glow (left) and was obsessed! It was all downhill from here. Oh boy.

The Dior Addict Lip Glow Balm (left) is a lip balm, but no ordinary lip balm. It reacts with the your lip chemistry and forms a custom color on the lips. It is sheer and will look different on everyone depending on your lips. For me, it goes on like any other lip balm and looks like nothing special. Just feels moisturizing, smooth and has a slight cool/minty feeling and smell. After a few minutes though, you'll notice the color adjusting. For me, I end up with a brighter more pink color than my natural lips. Really pretty and sort of just looks like that's the color your lips really are because it's just brightening and enhancing your color. Cool! I've gone through a few of these and my mom is addicted to it. Ooo, and it has SPF 10 - always a plus!

Summer Must Haves

Continuing on with the theme of summer, I wanted to share some of my favorites for these warmer months. Things I tend to love during the summer are products that are light weight and easy. I'm all about no fuss. Let's be real, especially in LA, it's too hot to care. So, I tried pulling some of my go to products to share with you. 

Origins VitaZing SPF 15 - I love this stuff. To start, its a great moisturizer. Not too heavy or greasy and it has SPF which is essential for being out in the sun. The best part of this though? It has these little magic beads (not literally, but you know...) that disperse a small amount of pigment to create an even glowing complexion. It's very light weight. Much lighter than a tinted moisturizer, but it really perks up your skin and makes you look healthy. It's marketed for all skin types - I personally would say that if you're any extreme (very dry or very oily) that this probably isn't best for you. Otherwise, I'd definitely give it a test run. Great for a foundation base or to wear alone on casual days.