Stacy B here! I'm in my office, enjoying my view of the construction going on next door where our new building is going up taking a little snack break. And by 'enjoying the view' I mean staring terrified at the workers on the ledges of the steel beams flying through the air hoping if someone falls, I'm not the only one who sees it.
 
It's about 3 pm and I wipe my mouth and I check my little desk mirror to make sure I have nothing stuck in my teeth and I realize that my morning lipstick just wiped off on my napkin and now my lips are officially bare. It's been about 7 hours since applied it and it's been through a full breakfast, a morning snack, a full lunch and an afternoon snack. I eat a lot now, on account of that pesky little human growing inside me. Pretty amazing for a drugstore product!
 
Thanks Maybelline for another drugstore gem accessible to anyone, no matter how much is in your wallet. I told you all before I had a lot of new Maybelling stuff this month, so here's review number 2 in a longer line. I'll break it up a bit as the weeks go on, but I'm pretty happy with some of the new spring products Maybelline is debuting this month so I'd really like to share them with my favorite internet ladies.
 
This morning I applied Maybelline's Super Stay 14 Lipstick! No, it's not really a 14 hour lipstick, but honestly, with the amount of food going in my body right now and how much I talk at my job, getting from 8 am to about 3 pm is pretty good. And it would have been longer if I hadn't had to wipe my mouth. I dabbed it earlier after breakfast which usually preserves lip color, but this afternoon it didn't occur to me that my color might still be on 7 hours later so I just wiped away.

Goddess Granny is out the door en route to cool temps and warm hearts but I snagged a little something last week I simply cannot leave without sharing with y'all because they're amazing!  If you don't know who Kate Moss is, I seriously would be surprised as she's been one of THE most influential style and beauty icons of the past decade and beyond because of her quirky glamour and indisputable sensuality. The girl can make anything she wears or sells look HOT and that has been a seriously bankable asset to her! She is a bit of a bad girl in a good way and I'm a huge fan so when I heard that yet another mass-market brand of distinction, the UK based line "Rimmel" teamed up with their "face." Joined together to create some of THE most gorgeous and in my opinion BEST lipstick shades currently on the shelves, I of course, scrambled down to see what all the fuss was about…

These are NOT the typical greasy, smells like butter out at the picnic, non-performing lipsticks that line many shelves at the drugstore and supermarket: these are so close to the "couture" brands in both presentation and formula that I was shocked! A beautifully designed and hefty matte and shiny black tube embellished with Kate's own signature in red houses the five GORGEOUS shades worthy of her name designed by Miz Moss herself! The scent is divine and chic, not unlike "that" high-end designer lipstick brand that hovers at the $30.00 price point and the shades are fabulous! I was able to snatch the last #1 and #12 from the display, and the #1 has been on the lips and blogs of MANY top makeup artists lately because it's "that red…" you know,the one that EVERYONE looks perfect in???

The formula is designated as a "lasting finish" but these slip on with no dryness or pull and TONS of pigmented intensity! If I didn't have the drugstore bag on my vanity I seriously would have not been able to tell these from MUCH higher priced lipsticks and the lasting creamy- color-payoff was simply perfection! I will go as far as to say that #12, a pinky-coral-red may just be THE most PERFECT shade of red ever on a redhead! You know the one that Christina Hendricks wears to gala events and they say it's some name brand. When I go to find it, it looks nothing like the photo in the tube! It's probably a hybrid created by a color genius with a brush and like 17 tubes of color swiped on her lips?

Stacy B here! As women, we have a tendency to be jealous and wary of other women. Some say it's a double standard in the way we have been raised, always the lesser gender and therefore in competition with each other, some say it's from media pressure to always look perfect and some even say it's because we've been told we can have it all and if we don't, we hate that girl that does.
 
No matter what the reason, it's stupid. We should try hard to keep jealousy at bay and not only celebrate our best features, but appreciate the positives in others. We all have good things in us and we should be happy with that. I know I've said this before but this site is really great for positive feedback and I see a lot of support for each other, even in our differences. On a slight side note, thanks to everyone who's said such nice things to me in the last few weeks when I went through the whole car accident, bad cop, traveling husband, sick toddler and general pregnancy woes. It definitely made me feel better!
 
Now, after all my sunshine and rainbows I have to tell you...I'm jealous of women who can pull of red lipstick. It's so glamorous and beautiful and pulled together and is an instant confidence boost. I just can't do it and I've tried so many times. Something about my skin tone just doesn't mesh with red. But good for you if you can! I won't be negative about it, I'll just admire you from afar.
 
I tried L'Oreal Color Riche Le Gloss in Red Ravishing and was crushed to realize that it was just another great product in a color that made me feel like I will never be a screen siren sex goddess with a perfect red pout.

Stacy B here! I may be a coupon cutting, deal finding, drugstore shopping mom, but that doesn't mean I'm not up on the latest fashion. I watch the shows, read the magazines and check the websites and try to stay up on latest trends (cost-efficiently, of course!) But, life gets busy sometimes. I forget to check my blogs and sites, or I find myself reading a People from 3 weeks ago or I look in my closet and realize my most current shirt is from October. Oops.
 
That usually sends me straight to Nordstrom's Rack, or hautelook.com for a quick update and an inexpensive retail pick-me-up. I try, really. And I never pay full price. I'm posing this question to you because I am not ashamed to admit I miss the latest trends sometimes and I know you all have those busy weeks when you suddenly realize your toes aren't bare because you took off the polish, they're bare because the color chipped off and grew out. We're all busy people!
 
So....are matte lips in? I lean toward no. Help me out ladies, flat or gloss? And I'm not talking about my newly redone bathroom walls. I don't really like how matte lips look and in scanning my People (the January 16 issue, I'm only 1 week behind!) I didn't see a lot of matte lips. Maybe some matte color with some gloss over it, but nothing flat.
 
In the name of fashion, make-up and blogging, I tried a matte lipstick from NYX this week. I chose Whipped Caviar, a neutral beige-y pink. Something about that name makes my stomach turn. Whipped Caviar? Whipped fish? Fish on my lips? gross. That's the pregnant lady talking right there, don't worry, it doesn't taste or smell like fish!
 
It was a little pink on me, but I'm a champion layerer and adding some shimmer in a brownish gold color made it workable. The color went on fairly smoothly, sometimes mattes can pull, but this was a bit more creamy than I expected. It really had staying power, I ate lunch at work the other day, wiped my mouth and noticed a decent amount of color on the napkin, about 4 hours later!

I am one of those who believes that if you can't laugh at it,it's probably not worth being involved in? Goddess Granny is big on wit and humor, thus the relationship between Meg and I, I hold most dear. You also really need a sense of humor when you're getting pretty because what FUN is it all if you're SO hung up on perfecting and correcting, on polishing up and primping, you lose sight of the fact that deep down, most of us are doing all this to smile at ourselves in the mirror.

Hey ladies! Jeanasina here, remember when you were a little kid and at some moment in time… you got your first access to your mom’s or somebody’s makeup stash?

What was the FIRST item of makeup you wanted to try the MOST! IT WAS THE LIPSTICK RIGHT?

That is why, I’m talking about the Salma Hayek Nuance Line LIPSTICK! Thanks to all of you who responded to my last blog about Nuance! I smiled so hard at the warm comments that my mouth got all goon-faced up. And how do you accent up a goon-faced mouth? You put lipstick on it!

My new absolute FAVORITE lipstick is Color Vibrance Lipstick in the Nuance line by that radiantly beautiful woman – Salma Hayek!

I was at the CVS pharmacy filling my basket with all the skin care line products I could get my mitts on…I kept peeking over at the lipsticks in the Nuance line. So…I did the only natural thing…I purchased ONE tube.

First off, the tube the lipstick comes in….it’s SO attractive and compelling! The tube is of course hygienically sealed up tight in a black sleek square lipstick case with white flowers etched on the cover. It’s really quite lovely. The bottom of the tube there is a clear Lucite panel and it ‘looks like’ the lipstick is rolled up inside the Lucite so you can see it! It’s just an attractive illusion, but… it DOES show you what color the lipstick is going to be!

The thing about drugstore lipsticks is you have to ‘guess’ if a color will work for you. You are not allowed to disrobe the lipsticks from their protective covers and then smear the colors around on your hands/arms or lips and then put it back! Another reason I liked the fact I could see a glimpse of the color on the bottom of the tube.

Meg here (shocker, I know.) I've been crazier then usual. I'm working on a pretty exciting project that will hopefully be finished soon! Why is it that everything takes so much longer then we anticipate? I'm not exactly known for my patience. I just got back to LA and I am heading back to NYC Friday. I'm pretty sure TSA at both airports know me personally by now.

When your schedule is full, the holidays become more of a hinder then a help. One of the nice things about being single is you don't have to answer to anyone. This Thanksgiving, Megsroomie and I are treating ourselves to a fabulous and decadent dinner...At a wonderful restaurant! Yup, a holiday to us is not making dishes or washing them! To each is own. Christmas? I'm not stressing about that either.

I am looking forward to heading to Miami to ring in the New Year. That's where I'm going all out! I have high hopes for 2012. The only Sugar Plum Fairies dancing in my head are actually glistening on my lips! Like how I did that? See, the whole "Sugar Plum" bit?

Napoleon Perdis Luminous Lip Veil in "Sugar Plum" has made it to the purse! Once an item makes it to my purse, it's made the cut. I absolutely love the shade. It's a slight, subtle (perfect for winter) hint o' plum. It shimmers, is not sticky, smells delicious, has great staying power and dare I say it? Looks natural!

Napoleon Perdis products really hit it out of the park and this gloss is no exception. I also love the applicator brush. It allows for precision rather then those smudgey wand tips that just crush the color on.

While I'm over the hustle of the holidays, I'm never over the holiday gift sets. The values are a total steal! While I am loving my Sugar Plum that doesn't mean I'm a one color girl. EVERY SHADE (how often can you say that?!) of Napoleon Perdis's New Limited Edition for holiday Luxe Lip Gloss Collection is FABULOUS!
I am giddy looking at the different shades. Five sexy, completely wearable shades for $39!! A $100 value.

You're paying about $8 a gloss for a high-end $20 one. That can even turn this Scrooge downright jolly!! The colors are superb and you cannot go wrong! If you need gifts or stocking stuffer's break the set up! I am a generous lady and I am not parting with mine. Nope. I dare you to get this and hand it off. It just is not going to happen.

Stacy B here! I think last week I spoke about a freak snowstorm in October and now here I am in short sleeves with a window open in my house in almost mid-November. I definitely love this unusual weather better than two weeks ago! There's nothing quite like a surprise warm day (or two) during a month when it's supposed to be cold. It's like a gift! Moods are up, people are outside again getting a little more fresh air and I save a little on the heating bill for the month!
 
But, don't be fooled into thinking it's summer-like warmth. Almost 70 in November is very different from 70 in June or September. There's no moisture in the air so it feels a bit cooler and it's very dry. I had a few static moments with my hair today and I am getting a little more dry skin around my nose and eyes. A few weeks ago I picked up a new lip conditioner from Maybelline in preparation for the dry weather. I'm reviewing Baby Lips this week to try and heal a few bits of dry spots on my lips and to prevent more from coming.
 
This is supposed to keep your lips moisturized for up to 8 hours, and while on, should help your lips restore healthy skin and moisture levels. And, it's SPF 20. Which I laugh about in New England. I know, I know, SPF every day, blah blah blah, but really, it's the north east, do you know how far away the sun is getting from us right now? I admit to failing on the SPF applications for about 5 months of the year. (don't hurt me!).

I cannot help that the Cinderella-gene in me surfaces even today when you'd think Goddess Granny would have cultivated a bit more refinement and understated glamour. It's never far below the surface and anything that shimmers,shines,sparkles,or suggests twinkle owns me at the first glimmer! I swear I was a crow in a past life (they are known to be attracted to shiny-things even at a great distance) because I can not resist! There is something about even a few rhinestones that just makes me happy and in this rather dreary world, I think that's an okay thing!

I don't dress with much light-reflecting abandon however, I'm not a little girl and no one needs to be subjected to me swathed in crystals from head to toe! I do have friends that CAN carry the look and I love as well as envy them! I rely on my bits of bling to suggest at my obsession and am rarely without at least ONE little sprinkle of star-shine somewhere even if's if only a dime store bling stretchy-bracelet worn to workout...as I said, it makes me happy and if it breaks all over the room, I truly believe it's my personal brand of "fairy dust" so there you have it!

One of my very favorite ways to add a touch of Tinkerbelle is to use one thin line of Urban Decay's cult-favorite, "Heavy Metal" liquid glittering eyeliner to the tops of my eyelids, very close to the lash line only...a sweep of "Catfight" makes me feel I can tackle the world and the ultra-thin brush prevents me from over killing the look,these are a MUST HAVE ITEM in anyone's makeup kit, SO many pros swear by them as well! They do not budge or flake...use with restraint and you will see what I mean:

Just this tiny bit of twink lights up your eyes in an amazing way. It's been one of my "secrets" for years earning me many compliments! Needless to say, when I had a sleek tube of the new and equally transforming "Stardust Sparkling Lipgloss" from our adored-genius product creators at Urban Decay land in my lap,I giggled and cooed as if it were a 3ct diamond. Before even opening it, I KNEW this lipgloss would be something special! Urban Decay tops the list of "what" is on. In my makeup world, that gets used the most and suggested even more and like a lemming, I am drawn to every UD counter in hopes of spotting maybe that one item I don't own or haven't tried! We LOVE this brand at Megsmakeup.com . All of us know about the vegan-amazing side of their ingredients as well so I am extremely biased when it comes to their "new babies!" Over the many years I've used UD, I can count on maybe 3 fingers the products that I didn't adore...that is saying a lot!

Back to the current object of my delight: "Stardust Sparkling Lipgloss" has a lovely applicator and boats the minty-fresh smell and slight flavor UD is famous for! The gloss is glittery and sparkly and shimmers up your lips like nobody's business without ANY gritty or annoying "particle" feeling. I don't know how they did it but it just glides on and does it's business without being obvious about it...this is THE shiniest lipgloss ever and gives your lips that coveted "pouf" without any need for those ingredients that cause sensitivity in some just by dancing with the light that shines off your beautiful lips! Wears really well and lives up to all my expectations!