I am such a lipstick girl!! I started wearing a pale pink when I was in sixth grade and I literally have had it on EVERY DAY SINCE!  I never have naked lips! So I thought I would explore the world of long wear lipstick and see which ones really last  AND if they stay on all day, do they actually look decent?  I tried several of them and these are my personal thoughts and experiences.

Smashbox always on matte liquid lipstick– I purchased this in a GORGEOUS red color.  It has a unique shaped applicator which makes application super easy.  It goes on very smoothly and dries to a nice, matte finish.  This stayed put on me for 8-10 hours and only started to wear off on my inner lip area.  I didn’t experience any flaking or cracking. And it was easy to remove.  Overall, I really like this product!

Lipsense Long lasting liquid lip color-  I like that this lip color is highly pigmented.  I wear it often for pictures because it really does stay put!  It does tingle or slightly burn when you apply it, which surprised me a little bit the first time. I put it on early in the morning and applied the gloss a few times throughout the day so my lips didn’t feel dry.  The color was still there in the evening and actually still looked pretty good. It only started to wear off in the middle of my lips  a little bit.  In order to remove it, you need to purchase their remover otherwise it is super hard to get off.  And interestingly enough,  the “Caramel Apple” color I tried stay on longer and looked better longer than a red color I tried in the exact same product.  With the red color, I experienced more cracking and flaking.  Also, this lipstick will not transfer onto your cup or anyone you kiss 🙂  If you are interested in trying this long wear lipstick then you must purchase through a lipsense distributor.

Limelight by Alcone Enduring Lip color– I bought this in the most gorgeous pink color ever, “Wedding Cake”!  And unlike most long wear lipsticks, it actually feels creamy going on. And it goes on smoothly.  This stayed put for around 6-8 hours.  Of all of the ones I tried, this product felt the least drying which I love! My lips seem to get so dry this time of year.  And it was very easy to remove at the end of the day.  I just used a baby wipe and it came right off. I really like the feel of this product.  You get the long wear without the dryness.

Lip Lingerie– This is only $6.99 so for the price this is pretty good!  It does feel a little “tacky” going on in my opinion.  It stayed put through eating/drinking, but it is a little too dry for me.  I might try gloss over it next time!  But overall, not too bad for such a low price.

Maybelline Super Stay– I like how the “stain” part goes on, but wasn’t a fan of the chap stick like coat that you are supposed to put over it.  My lips felt super dry after a few hours and I experienced some cracking due to the dryness.  But the color really does last and it’s only 8.99!

What is your “go-to” lipstick?  I would love to hear your favorites!! Please leave comments and questions.  I hope this info is helpful if you are in the market for a long wear lipstick. I actually like to put on lipstick so I don’t mind the reapplication process!!

-Emily

Several of my friends are currently trying to grow out their hair. I’ve gotten some questions about my hair care routine and how I keep my hair long and healthy.  So I thought I would share the products I am currently using and how they fit into my routine. I’m by no means a hair expert, but this is what works for me!

I wash my hair every three days. I don’t have oily hair at all so I can skip a couple of days and be just fine.  I do use a dry shampoo on those in between days simply to give my hair more volume. I use Clean Freak Dry Shampoo and it does the trick and smells great! On my shampoo days, I use Healthy sexy hair sulfate free shampoo and Healthy sexy hair sulfate free conditioner.  I love these products. They are super moisturizing and free of chemicals that are often found in hair care products.  I haven’t gone 100% granola yet, but I certainly avoid chemicals whenever I can! I leave the conditioner on my hair for about 5 minutes then rinse. If you want to keep your shampoo at a drugstore price point, I really like the Tresemme Naturals Shampoo and Conditioner with Avocado.  It is also very moisturizing and doesn’t contain as many chemicals  Once a week, I use a hair mask.. This strengthens the hair and deeply moisturizes.  I especially love the Carols Daughter Monoi hair mask.  I experience less breakage now that I am using this.  And a container will last you quite a while.  I wash my hair at night and let it dry naturally so this avoids the heat of a blow dryer.  This isn’t actually by choice, but my two year old can’t be trusted for a SECOND. So no more daytime showers for a while!  I also use a leave in conditioner so my hair is easier to comb out.  I am currently using the It’s a 10 leave in conditioner lite.  This is also a heat protectant!  It is super important to use one before you use your straightener, wand, or curling iron.  After I curl my hair on day 1, I just curl a few pieces on day 2 or 3 to touch up so not all of my hair is getting curled every day.  Shiny and healthy hair go together, so I use a shine spray when I want my hair to have that extra sheen.  Redken Shine Flash 02  does the trick!

Our hair and skin are a reflection of whats going on internally, so I take a Biotin supplement and a multivitamin.  I’m currently taking the Plexus X Factor multi vitamin. (Can be purchased through Amy Blue 913-553-7644).

I hope this helps you in your quest for stronger, healthier (and longer if you so choose) hair! Please comment if you have any thoughts or questions.  I would love to hear from you:)

-Emily

I’m pretty much the palest person I know!! In fact, when I was little, the kids at school called me Casper! 🙁  It’s ok though, I’ve since recovered and moved on!

By now,  I pretty much have a PHD in sunless tanning.  In the winter, I don’t mess with it since I’m mostly covered up.  We are starting to have some warmer days now, so it’s time to start up my sunless tanning routine again!   Here are some tips to achieve the best sunless tan possible!

1)Exfoliate and shave your legs prior to applying sunless tanner

2) make sure your skin is totally clean of makeup, lotions,etc

3) I do NOT apply sunless tanner to my face, but if you do, use one specifically for the face and moisturize any dry patches of skin

4) I apply lotion to my knees, elbows, and feet to keep the sunless tanner from clinging to the bony areas.

5) Wash your hands after application, then reapply a very small amount to the tops of your hands and blend around the wrist area.  Then wipe off your palms with a wet washcloth.  I learned this trick after NOT applying it to my hands and they were WAY whiter than my arms.  It was NOT attractive.

6) To help your sunless tan last longer, moisturize daily.

Jergens Natural Glow Daily Moisturizer– For the price, this is a great product! It is gradual, so you need to allow several days to get a nice color.  I originally tried the fair, but it was so subtle I changed to the medium. Since it is gradual, you don’t have to be quite as precise in your application which is nice.  I found the smell of this to be a little unpleasant, but it is a good moisturizer!

St Tropez Bronzing Mousse-This product is around $35 which is on the pricier end for self tanners.  It goes on bronze so you get color immediately which is nice, but it intensifies over the next few hours. And since it’s colored you can make sure you aren’t missing any areas and that the color is going on evenly. It dries SUPER fast so make sure you don’t mess around once you apply it! Also, you MUST wear gloves with application it WILL stain your palms.  My poor husband had brown palms after applying this to my back once!  Again, this has somewhat of an unpleasant smell. I usually apply my self tanners at night, then shower the next morning to get rid of the smell. The color of this one is a bit more intense than some of the others I’ve tried. So, this would be a good choice for someone with a darker skin tone.

Kiehl’s Sunless Tanning Lotion-This is extremely moisturizing and around $22.  It has apricot oil, cocoa butter, and Vitamin E which I really like. It feels amazing going on the skin.   The color starts developing in about an hour and then intensifies over the next 3-4 hours. I got a really nice color from this, but I did end up with a streak or two on my legs.  I think I just needed to rub it in better.  Lotions require more “rubbing” and dry time than the foams. Overall, I like this one and the smell seems to be a little more pleasant than most sunless tanners.

Rodan and Fields Sunless Tanning Foam-This is my current holy grail for several reasons! It goes on evenly and the color is  a very natural bronze. This one works great for fair skinned people like myself because the color is subtle.  If you are darker skinned, you can build it over several days.  I also love that it dries super quickly.  I mean, who wants to stand around naked while your sunless tanner dries?  Also, a little goes a long way.  A $26 bottle will last you!  This is my current fave!

Sally Hansen Airbrush Legs– This is what I use when I get in a pinch.  I have NOT planned ahead and need some color STAT! This is basically just a makeup, not an actual sunless tanner. So, I just spray my neck, chest area, arms, legs, or whatever is showing and needs color.  I use the fair/medium one.  This stays put pretty well.  I actually have to scrub to get it off in the tub. There are a couple of cons to this one though,  It is MESSY. It gets all over the bathroom. So I usually stand in the shower or go outside to spray.   I may or may NOT have been in my backyard numerous times in my underwear spraying myself lol.  And it can rub off on light colored clothing, but luckily it doesn’t stain!

Loreal Sublime Bronzing Gel– This is around $10 which is a great price.  It goes on pretty smooth  and gives a nice color overall.   The smell bothered me quite a bit though.  The gel is bronze so you get some immediate color that will  intensify over the next few hours!

I hope my 20 plus years of sunless tanning experience will help you get that perfect and SAFE glow. I am glad there are so many options now and we can avoid the damaging UV rays and still get a healthy bronze Glow!  And don’t forget to apply your sunscreen daily!

-Emily