Review: Sue Devitt Long Lasting Lip Liner

What They Say: "Create additional longevity for your lipstick or use to enhance your own natural lip shape. The revolutionary non-feathering texture contains Nylon-12, is long lasting, non-drying and offers maximum performance to provide radiant, enhanced lips. The perfectly shaped brush tip allows for a professional application."

Melissa Says: This liner is incredibly soft and creamy, yet it has great staying power. True, it doesn't last quite as long as my Revlon ColorStay lip liners, but it puts up a darn good fight. The fact that your lips still feel incredibly comfortable and NOT dry after applying it, before you even add lipstick or gloss, is a marvelous thing. The lip brush tip on the other end is also very handy for applying gloss or a nice not-too-thick layer of lipstick. This one's a winner for me.

Retail Price: $20.00 (at sephora.com)

DeLush Rating:

Review: Prestige Cosmetics Lightshine Lip Gloss and Pencil

What They Say: "New high shine "no-stick" formula is long-lasting and extremely comfortable. Semi-sheer weightless finish. Precision brush for perfect application."

Jen's Experience: I have a drawer full of lip glosses and more stuffed in boxes, so by now, I usually know what to expect when I see a lip gloss, particularly when it comes to consistency. I looked at this one and saw thick, gloppy, and most likely, very sticky. Well it really is quite thick, and I wouldn't exactly call it weightless. Despite that, it wasn't gloppy or sticky at all, and my hair has consistently resisted its siren call. The color I tested, Tobago, is a coral-based nude, which works well with more intense eyeshadows, but alone with my pale skin made me a little washed out. I would say that the shine is what really makes this lip gloss stand out, but at the same time, the heavy shine with a darker color seems like it might be overkill, at least with my pale skin.

I always use the matching pencil along with the gloss, even on touchups. The definition it gives is important with the thicker formula, and at least with the nude, the matching color means that you won't have ring around the lips in an hour when the gloss wears off. Sure, it's not the longest lasting gloss I have in my drawer, but the nude color and high shine make it a perfect, polished choice for work.

Rating:

Review: Laura Mercier Lip Pencil

What They Say: "Laura Mercier Lip Pencil is designed to outline, define & enhance the natural shape of the lip. Firm enough to draw a precise thin line, yet soft enough to blend, the creamy formula glides on smoothly & comfortably. Prolong wear of all lip colours by applying a lip pencil first - helps prevent lip colour from bleeding, feathering, or collecting in corner."

Jen's Experience: When I wear deeper colored lipsticks, I think that lip pencils are often essential to keep my color on my lips where it belongs. With all of the lovely reds and chestnut colors popular this fall, I've been getting a lot of use out my Laura Mercier lip pencil in Chestnut. It goes on so softly, but really does stay put. Because it blends so easily, I find that I can wear it with a variety of different red colors.

Sometimes I like to just wear lip pencil all over my lips and just wear a lip plumper or a gloss over top. Because this lip pencil is really thick, it just was a little too gummy to wear as all-over color. That's a minor thing, though, and not a recommended use of the product. As a lip liner, I am a big fan, and will likely be purchasing additional colors to go with my other lipsticks.

Retail Price: $18.00 (LauraMercier.com)

Rating:

Fall Product Reviews: Chanel Rouge Allure Lipstick and Precision Lip Definer

About Rouge Allure Lipstick: "The newest CHANEL lipstick -- destined to become an icon.

It combines fabulously wearable, lustrous colour and sensational comfort and is subtly etched with the world-renowned CHANEL logo. In a sleek black column that opens with a mere touch on the gold top."




Jen's Experience: I am always on the lookout for the perfect red lipstick, and there's no better time than this fall to get a classic red color. It's the perfect accent to a black ensemble.

I chose this color, Lover, from Chanel because it was a bright, traditional red color with heavy blue undertones. Yellow undertones in a red lipstick makes me look very washed out. Red lipsticks with blue undertones also tend to make my teeth look whiter, a true side-benefit to these bright colors. This might be a great red to try for those of you with pale to medium skin with blue undertones.

I found the application with this red, as with most reds, to be somewhat difficult. I found that the color applied more evenly when I used a coat of balm underneath, and I also had better results when I used a lip brush than when I used the lipstick directly. The color wears for a surprisingly long time, although when I'm dehydrated, my lips feel uncomfortably dry after wearing it for a while. The lipstick is very shiny alone even without a gloss applied over the top, but this would be a great lipstick to try with the wet, shiny look.

They mention the packaging in their product summary, and with good reason. It's ultra-sleek in the black container, and travels well since the lipstick cap doesn't come off without pushing the base.

Overall, this is truly a candidate for my perfect red. I wish that the lipstick was a little more moisture-rich, even if it was at the expense of the long-lasting color of this lipstick.

About Le Crayon Levres Precision Lip Liner: "Contouring lip crayon outlines, defines and corrects lip shape.

Creamy-textured pencil offers precise lip lining, to emphasize and maximize the shape of your lips with long-lasting colour.

Silicones allow ease of application. Vitamin E helps combat free radicals. Built-in brush for blending; comes with double-bladed sharpener.

Outline and contour lips, then apply lipstick with a brush. Ideal for making thin lips look fuller. For a matte effect, fill in entire lip with the crayon, then blur with the brush."

Jen's Experience: Le Crayon Levres in Wineberry is a perfect complement to the Rouge Allure lipstick in Lover. The Chanel lip liner is really the full package. It's not just a very capable lip liner (which, as they mention, makes a great matte lip color when used alone), but one end of the liner is a brush than can be used for blending. It even comes with its own sharpener.

Retail Prices:
Lipstick - $29.00 (Chanel.com or DeLush Delights)
Liner - $27.50 (Chanel.com or DeLush Delights)

Ratings:
Lipstick -
Lip liner -

Trish McEvoy Lip Gloss and Lipliner

About the lipstick: "Highlights Lipgloss can be used alone to give lips a natural tint or over lip color to enhance shade and provide a luscious, long-wearing shine."

Jen's Experience: Normally I wouldn't recommend lip gloss to add color to one's make-up wardrobe. While lip gloss normally does put some focus on the lips, usually it's all in the shine. Well, after visiting the Trish McEvoy counter at the mall, that rule is down the drain for me. I tried on several of their ultra-shiny glosses to find the perfect color, and I think I got just the right one in a much brighter pink than I would normally wear, which is their "Shimmer Rose". It's a little gummier than I would normally wear for a gloss, but I love the highly pigmented color that really coats my lips. When I wear my Stila Convertible Color as blush with this gloss, the colors look like they were made just for me.

Retail Price: $20.00 (Saks)

About the lipliner: "Designed to complement all of Trish's lip colors. Long-wearing formula with a creamy, smooth texture applies with ease for beautiful shaping."

Jen's Experience: I am a sucker for lip pencils, but normally I use them all over my lip, sometimes just the pencil and gloss. The Trsih McEvoy liners are meant as a final touch, to outline the lip and prevent your lipcolor from running and to give your lips a more defined shape. I know, you're probably thinking, "Ew..I don't want a big line around my lips!". Well, the liner I chose (it only comes in three colors) is called "Sheer Nude" and it is a dead ringer for the natural color of my lips. It blends in well with their lip gloss as well as many of my other lipsticks. While I may still use a lip pencil to color in my lips as a first step in the morning, this is my new finishing touch.

Oh, and the other end of the liner is a handy, dandy lip brush for blending. What a great bonus!

Retail Price: $18.00 (Saks)

Rating:

Bobbi Brown Lip Liner and Lip Color

About the lip color: "Give lips creamy, semi-matte color with rich, full coverage in a variety of shade options. Wear alone or pair with Lip Liner and Lip Gloss - depending on your desired effect. Cassis featured in Bobbi's NEW Winter White look is also available in the limited-edition Sexy Glamour Palette. Slopes, Brown, Rum Raisin, and Sandwash Pink shades featured in Bobbi's Picks-Lip Color palette."

About the liner: "This creamy formula goes on smoothly and evenly to give lips subtle definition. Available in a wide shade range to complement a favorite lipstick or gloss."

Jen's Experience: After seeing the richly-colored lips of the Bobbi Brown fall face, I bought their Plum liner and Tulle lipstick. The colors were exactly the types of shades that I would normally choose for myself, so I had a feeling I might like them!

My Bobbi Brown artist applied the lipstick first and then used the lipliner to seal in the color around the edges. That makes sense, but I think I prefer my normal approach to lip color. I apply the lip liner first over my entire lip and then apply the lipstick over it. I do think it is good practice to use a lip brush to apply the lip stick. You get a much finer layer of lipstick that really makes it last longer. After the lipstick, the artist applied their Hot Pink Gloss. Since I already own a zillion glosses, I didn't buy the Bobbi Brown gloss, but instead use LipFusion or even my Malin + Goetz Lip Moisturizer to give my lips some shine and to give my lipstick some staying power.

I think the lip liner may have been one of my best purchases from the makeover. The color is fantastic and it really has tremendous staying power. It stays true until well after lunchtime and is great for a night on the town -- your lips are never naked. The liner is non-drying and goes on very smoothly. I very often wear the lip liner alone with clear gloss on top for a more natural look.

I also like the color they picked out for my lipstick. I don't find the lipstick to be extraordinary in any way. It's not particularly long-lasting, but it is nice and creamy. I think you can probably find a similar color and texture in a drugstore brand like Revlon, though.

I think this lip palette is a great look for fall, and is a great alternative to the smoky eyes and pale lips look. That't not something you can wear to work, but some color on your lips will brighten any fall day.

Retail Price: $20/Liner, $20/Lip Color (Bobbi Brown)

Ratings:
Lip Color

Lip Liner

Smashbox Lip Pencil in Cover

I found a great set of Smashbox cosmetics on the Sephora website, so I have a range of their products to tell you about in upcoming weeks.   One of overall things I have to say about this set is that it is full of really bold colors that I would not have bought myself at the store.  But I am always happy to branch out, and in this case I have learned that sometimes it really does pay to try new things.

What They Say: "To create the picture perfect pout, industry makeup artists reach for smashbox lip pencils.

TIP: apply before or after lipstick or lip gloss to enhance and seal in lip color."

My Experience:  I know, most lip pencils are really the same; they're just there to keep the color on your lips.  Well, this one is different - and better - in two very important ways.  First, I generally use lip pencils under a gloss of some sort in order to give my lips a stronger base color.  This pencil goes on almost like a pen, but when I go to apply my LipFusion or other similar product on top, it doesn't taint the gloss!  It thoroughly coats my lips, but there's no residue or color whatsoever on my brush.  You would think that means that the pencil soaks in fast, losing the color and probably drying out your lips, but happily, it does a great job holding the moisture in my lips and giving them a nice pink shade for hours.  It's hard to get excited about lip pencils, but I think this is a very strong product in that category that I highly recommend.

Retail Price: $14.00 (Smashbox.com)

Rating:

Bloom Lip Definer

What They Say: "Bloom's Lip Definers have a soft, smooth texture to help define those lips, giving lips a neat outline. Available in six shades: Delicately Defined, Lusciously Lined, Subtly Surrounded, Outline and Trace. "

Jen's Experience: One day I walked into Sephora wanting my lips to look like a Dior ad I found.  They didn't have the exact shade of lip color from the ad, but they were able to give the same effect, and this was one of the ingredients.  Instead of using this to define my lips, I color in my entire lip to give more intensity to the color that I am wearing, and also to make my lipstick last longer.  Typically, I would like a lip liner that is more like a pen than a pencil I have to sharpen.  (Who wants little bits of wood scratching their lips when it gets too dull?  Luckily, that scenario has yet to happen to me with this product.)  What I really like about it is that it is really creamy going on.  I often put this on underneath a lip shine like my beloved DuWop Lip Venom, and it really lasts and is creamy enough that I forget to reapply the gloss.  How many lip pencils can you say that about?

Retail Price: $15.00 (Sephora)

Rating:

Clinique Quickliner for Lips

What They Say: "Provides all-day, non-drying wear. Can be used to line and define lips or used all over lips before lipstick application for extended wear. Helps keep lipstick in place. Prevents lipstick from feathering and bleeding. No sharpening required."

Jen's Experience: I got this product to wear when I was in a wedding so that my lipstick would look great for an extended period.  I didn't have much experience with lip liner, except that I hated the way it looked on people when they just lined the outside of their lips.  Eww.   The counter representative told me to line the outside AND fill in the entire area of my lips.  This would give a nice base to my lipstick, making it last longer and help to fill in the lines in my lips.  And I have to say, she was right.  I got a color that matched my Blushing Nude lipstick almost exactly, and I believe that the lipliner really made my lipstick last a couple hours more than it would have alone.  My only complaint with this product is that wearing this seems to dry my lips out a lot, making them a bit flaky, which isn't the least bit attractive. 

Tips:  Choose a color that is a very close match to the lipstick that you will be wearing for longer lasting lip color.  Another idea that is currently very trendy is to choose a light pink or nude lip liner color and follow that up with a clear super-shiny gloss.   For more even coverage, exfoliate your lips with a washcloth regularly, and moisturize them nightly.

Retail Price: $13.50

Rating: