Welcome to the gloss•a•ry, a monthly roundup of all that glitters from our own wand-toting shimmer expert, Michelle Carney. Tune in each month for the latest and greatest in pout perfecting products utterly devoted to your sparkly, sexy and oh-so-shiny lips.
The Twelve Days of Gloss-mas
This year, all I want for the holidays is lip
gloss. With so many new releases and sparkly
special editions from my favorite labels, I
can’t think of anything more difficult
than having to choose just one. Ladies, let’s
lend that mistletoe some extra sizzle this season...
jane
iredale Multi-Gloss Holiday Gift Set, $38
On that "Silent Night," I'll keep things especially
quiet with long-lasting smooches under the mistletoe.
jane iredale's famous lip gloss moisturizes
and plumps with a shimmery finish, making lips
ripe for the kissing. The collection's special
Multi-Gloss for Lips 2 Holiday Gift Set contains
five of the line's best-selling shades, Cosmo,
Pink Candy, Soft Peach, Iced Mocha and Mulberry,
wrapped in an elegant navy blue compact with
a mirror and lip brush. Plus with each gift
set purchased comes a special gift, a full-size
tube of jane iredale's new PureGloss,
Mimosa, a bronze-hued shimmer I'll be donning
on New Year's Eve. Available at www.janeiredaledirect.com
the lip scrub, $20
It’s so obvious really, a must-have exfoliating product for prepping the pout for all the gloss to come. the lip scrub by Sara Happ eliminates dry, flaky skin leaving soft suppleness behind. It’s the perfect primer, really.
The exfoliating sugar base is infused with natural extracts like cinnamon and peppermint oil that stimulate the lip. Six sophisticated flavors, Almond Crème, Brown Sugar, Cinnamon Sugar, Cocoa, Peppermint and Vanilla Bean, come packaged in chocolate-brown truffle boxes imported from Italy. Sara Happ, an enterprising Chicago native and self-professed Sephora junkie, initially created the product in her kitchen. Available at www.thelipscrub.com.
The Balmshell & The BalmSquad Gift Sets, $29.50 each
The Balm is “the bomb” when it comes to high-shine and pout perfection. This season, the line offers two colorful, comic-style keepsake tins (a $42 value) filled with two full-sized Plump Your Pucker plumping lip glosses that hydrate and fill in fine lines and a Stainiac cheek and lip stain for that winter-wonderland flush.
The BalmSquad teams up Strawberry My Daiquiri (strawberry ruby shimmer) and Root Beer My Float (sheer sparkling gold) with Stainiac in Beauty Queen (berry pink). The Balmshell shines with Razz My Berry (sheer raspberry pink) and Passion My Fruit (sheer sparkling mauve) with Stainiac in Prom Queen (light rosy pink). Available at Sephora stores and www.sephora.com.
Philosophy: A Few Good Men Lip Shine Trio, $25
Philosophy’s A Few Good Men box set houses three .5 oz lip shines in The Ice Cream Man (pink bubble gum ice cream), The Gingerbread Man (ginger ale) and The Milkman (chocolate milk). The perfectly blended lip-smacking formulas offer high shine, delectable scents and mouth-watering tastes. Available at www.philosophy.com.
Smashbox: Totally Fab Lipgloss Collection, $35
A limited-edition quartet of full-sized slickers
from Smashbox fills this 007-style metal cigarette
case. The houndstooth-print caps are mod-inspired
and house shades that are both sheer and shimmery
in Modern (gold), Stage (cranberry), Optimistic
(opal nude) and Magnify (mocha rose). Wear sheer
and bold colors together to create the illusion
of a plumped pout. Available on-line at www.smashboxcom,
and in-store at Bloomingdale's.
Goldie: Mini Lip Plumpers, $25
Five gold rings isn’t quite the fair trade for Goldie’s set of three mini lip plumpers, but I promise these sparklers shine just as brightly. The minis pack a whole lotta pout with the line’s now-famous lip plumper made with patented Marine Collagen Spheres, the collagen simulator Maxi Lip and Vitamins A and C. The high-tech formula plumps lips for up to five hours, while smoothing and hydrating. Shades include Razzle (a shiny berry red), Snowbunny (a sheer metallic white gold) and Baby (soft, pale pink). Available at C.O. Bigelow and Bath and Body Works stores and at www.bathandbodyworks.com.
Stila: Gift of Glaze Holiday Set, $28
The ultimate gift of glaze, Stila’s limited-edition lip glaze set (a $50 value) groups six of the line’s most popular shades in a shiny, silver gift box. Immense shine, a light scent and a fun click-pen applicator make lip glaze a standout. The collection includes Vanilla (sheer champagne shimmer), Brown Sugar (shimmering bronze), Apricot (sheer peach), Grapefruit (sheer pink), Starfruit (shimmering rose) and Raspberry (sheer fuchsia).
Stila’s glaze gurus say before applying a sheer gloss, choose a lip liner that mimics the natural lip tone, then fill in the entire lip with the liner to extend the wear of lip glaze. Available at www.stilacosmetics.com.
e.l.f. Plumping Lip Glaze Box Set of 7, $7
Santa’s “e.l.f.” knows a thing or too about bang for your buck. e.l.f., as in eyes, lips, face, takes a holistic attitude toward beauty with innovative technology, quality ingredients and what the company calls “superb delivery” at great value prices. e.l.f.’s pucker plumper infuses natural ingredients and comes packaged in a dual-sided tube with a subtle tinted plumper on one end and a clear glossy power-plumper on the other. The gift set includes Fire Coral, Baby Doll, Champagne, Oasis, Plum Pout, Mocha Ice and Ruby Kiss. Available at www.eyeslipsface.com.
e.l.f. Hypershine Mini Cell Phone Lip Gloss Charms, $5
I couldn’t pass up another piece of e.l.f. magic because every teenage girl should get this one-of-a-kind stocking stuffer (and I’ll always be a teen at-heart). This five-dollar dynamo packages eight hyper shiny, sweet and sheer colors, Vixen, Honey, Cloud Nine, Sugar Plum, Flirt, Joy, Blossom and Fairy, that individually snap through the charm string that loops through the cell. Available at www.eyeslipsface.com.
Mad Gab’s: Holiday Moose Smooch Gift Sets, $13 and $14
For holiday smoochin’ I love the Moose. Mad Gab’s all-natural Moose Smooch softens, “moose-turizes” and energizes the pucker with olive oil, beeswax and Vitamin E oil. Lip-smacking holiday flavors like pepperminty Candy Cane and heavenly Sugar Cookie only sweeten the deal. Stuff everyone’s stockings with special Holiday Moose Smooch tins for $3 each or get a five-pack for $14. Holiday Moose Gift Sets feature two Smooch tins and one Sugar Cookie or Candy Cane Moose Balm that pampers winter skin from head to toe. I propose all girls get the gift of Gab. Available at www.madgabs.com.
Avon Glazewear Mini Lip Gloss Set, $2.99
Be merry and bright with Avon’s Glazewear Liquid Lip Color. The long-lasting, moisture-inducing formula enhances the lip’s natural ability to retain moisture with Vitamins A, C and E. Two limited-edition holiday lip gloss sets feature five festive minis in tiny, shiny boxes. The Dazzlers Collection includes Dynamo, Mirage, Rave, Ruby Slippers and Dazzling Diamond. The Full Color Collection includes Brown Sugar, Darling Pink, Peach Fizz, Chocolate Fling and Chic Mauve. Available at www.avon.com.
EcoLips: Lip Care Kit, $23.95
EcoLips, the little organic balm company out of Iowa, uses healing organic herbs and moisturizing organic vegetable oils for lasting protection and moisture. The special lip care kit is an environmentally friendly stocking stuffer for the girl or guy that spends time in the sun, wind and cold. The set includes seven SPF 15 to 30 and vegan balms (mint, berry, sport, hemp, bee free, medicinal and gold) and four eco-friendly balm accessories such as a lanyard, clip, leash and key ring. Available at www.ecolips.com.
C.O. Bigelow Forever Mentha Tin, $36
C.O. Bigelow’s Mentha Lip Shine is always a chart-topper on the gloss hit list. The refreshing tubes offer three products in one – moisturizer, silky shine and a cooling breath freshener. Developed by Bigelow chemists, the exclusive peppermint formula contains active levels of therapeutic apothecary ingredients and comes in clear and tinted hues like nude, pink, red and red/brown. Sealing the holidays with a kiss, C.O. Bigs has issued a limited-edition tin containing 12 minis. Available at C.O. Bigelow and www.bigelowchemists.com.
