Too Faced La Creme Lipstick

Too Faced La Creme Color Drenched Lip Cream in Taffy (Outer Packaging)

Today I bring you a review and photos of the new (to me) Too Faced La Creme Color Drenched Lip Cream in the color Taffy (Retail price: $22, sold at Sephora, ULTA, and other Too Faced retailers). This present was actually given to me by a friend for my birthday last week and he chose the color, personally I think he did a great job! 

These color drenched lip creams are filled with lip-conditioning hydrators such as lotus flower which help to keep your lips moisturized (especially during the cooler months) while giving a plump appearance. 

Too Faced La Creme Lipstick Packaging

First let's talk about the packaging, everything about it from the heavy metallic feel to the embossed writing absolutely screams luxury product. On the cap, there is a monogrammed "TF" to add to the dramatic upscale flare of the packaging.

Too Faced La Creme Lipstick in "Taffy"

Taffy is described by Too Faced as a "pink marshmallow nude" and I think they're spot on, except that the color does not correlate with their "melted marshmallow" color in the Melted Liquified Long Wear Lipstick line (that one is a more blue-based and pale, similar to a Barbie pink) - that's where the "nude" comes in which differentiates the two shades.

This color is perfect for someone who is unwilling to take many lipstick risks or a daytime appropriate look (office, school, etc). I adore this color as it's really easy to put on in the morning and then go about a daily routine without worrying about using a lip liner or cleaning up with concealer after application around the lip line.

Even though this lipstick is considered a creme, it isn't sheer the way that might suggest. There is a good amount of buildable pigment in the formula and super moisture which almost feels glossy on the lips and has the staying power of 4+ hours (obviously not through eating or drinking as this isn't a staining product). The lipstick smells like a faint vanilla cupcake, it's extremely pleasant and easy to wear, it's not an overpowering or unpleasant scent.

Overall, I think the Too Faced La Creme Color Drenched Lip Cream is another great product from the Too Faced line and I can say that they are quickly becoming my favorite brand in the market for consistent pigmentation across products, great packaging and unique concepts, I also appreciate their efforts to use more "natural" and "good for you" ingredients in their products.

For the holidays, you can find the La Creme Lipsticks in a gift set,
Too Faced Under The Mistletoe La Creme Limited Edition Lipstick Trio and Glitter Bag: Shimmering Marshmallow Bunny, Shimmering Spice Spice Baby & Shimmering Naked Dolly which retails for cheaper than purchasing all 3 of the colors at $22 each.

Product Review: Wild Carrot Herbals Wild Rose Eye Cream

Wild Carrot Herbals is a small, family owned company from Enterprise, Oregon. I'd never heard of this brand until I went to the Pearl District Whole Foods in Portland while on our trip.

I was looking for an "affordable" yet organic eye cream to wear at night - since I have all my other creams in storage, I really needed something to tide me over.

The packaging really drew my eye, it looked wholesome, organic, like a little drum full of vitality. It also had the smell of roses, which reminds me of my grandmother since many cosmetics from Europe back in the day featured the essence of Rose. This was only $9.99 for 0.5 fl oz so I figured I'd give it a shot. I know I could buy cheaper creams from Target but they were full of chemicals, and I really did want to give organic a shot. I appreciate that the expiry date (which is about a year in the future from when I purchased it) is labeled on the outside of the drum and on the outside of the product for maximum visibility. It's super important not to smother your skin in creams that are expired, that way you could actually be doing more harm than good to your skin.

So did this product actually work? Yes, yes, emphatically yes. My eyes feel smooth, soft and some of the fine lines and wrinkles are not as apparent when I wake up in the morning after applying this at night. That being said, I am a 26 year old and I do notice some fine lines appearing and they are exacerbated by dry, cold weather. This cream really limits and even reverses the damage done to my skin, it leaves my eyes feeling soft, rested, and my makeup looks much more flattering on smooth lids rather than flaky, dry ones. As you can see in the photo, the formula is smooth, creamy, and the smell of roses is pleasant and not overwhelming. The cream easily blend into the skin and doesn't leave your skin feeling greasy, it also glides on very easily so you don't have to tug at your eye area. There was absolutely no irritation and a very small amount goes a long way. After using this cream for 2 weeks, I can say I've barely made a dent in how much there is. So although the bottle may appear small, it's definitely deceiving since you use such a tiny amount!

I went on a beauty hunt through the Wild Carrot website and I found this beautiful set called "A Bunch of Roses" which features the Wild Rose Eye Cream, grapefruit rose lip balm (oh my lord, I love grapefruits, too!) and unrepentant rose soap. I'm going to gift myself this set when my wild rose eye cream runs out! I think this would make a beautiful present for any special lady in your life.

Next I'm interested in trying the Luminous Lemon and Lavender Eye Brightening Cream since I know that Lemon has natural bleaching properties, this sounds like a product I could easily get behind.

You can purchase any of these items on the Wild Carrot Herbals website or on eBay.

DIY: Make Your Own Lip Scrub

Last weekend, I went into LUSH and impulse-bought a 'Bubblegum Lip Scrub' for $8, which is very pricey considering it really is just a sugar-based product that you scrub your lips with to smooth them out before applying lip balm or lipstick. I'd never tried lip scrubs before so I decided I would purchase this one to see what they should be like. I later noticed that I could make my own very simply so I figured I would save you all the time and money of going to LUSH and purchasing one (or getting one from any other makeup house, to be frank) by teaching you how to make your own.


What you'll need:
- Sugar in the raw (brown sugar but you can use white if you don't like or own brown sugar) - you want the sugar to be very coarse and not finely milled
- olive oil
- vaseline or petroleum jelly
- 100% aloe vera gel (come in container from drugstore or if you have a natural aloe plant you can squeeze it out of the leaves)
- chapstick or flavoring and food coloring of your choice (some people use honey but it is too sticky for my preference but it is always an option)
- clear glass jar (you can use any jar but I think it looks better in a small clear jar that you can easily carry around - small baby food container works very well for this)

You'll want to use about a teaspoon of vaseline, half a teaspoon of aloe vera gel, one quarter teaspoon of olive oil, one third of a chapstick (cut it off the stick) or smaller amounts of your flavoring/coloring agents, and as much sugar as will fill up your container and mix it all together until you get a paste-like consistency and the color/flavor is even throughout your jar. You  may want to mix it all in another bowl and trasfer it into your jar later, I find that this allows you better control over the consistency you're getting. When you are finished, this will be instantly gratifying because you can use it right away, it doesn't need to be stored in the fridge or anything like that, and you can use it as often as you'd like without worrying about how much it cost for you to purchase it because you can remake it anytime!

Which lipstick makes your teeth look white?

Before even attempting to pick out a color make sure you exfoliate and brush your lips with a toothbrush for the smoothest possible finish, wipe them down with a washcloth to remove excess flakes of skin. Hydrating your lips is crucial to this process because a moisturizing treatment is the key to smoothing down any wrinkles and lines you may have on your lips (use a thick lip balm without a drying agent/alcohol in it).



Regardless of which lipstick you choose, make sure that the formula is sheen/sheer because matte lipstick formulaas will get creased on your lips in every line and groove and make them appear dryer than they really are. Cinnamon and mint-flavored lipglosses and lipsticks will provide a plumping effect because the ingredients will cause a swelling reaction on your lips. Sheen and shimmer will also make your lips appear larger than they really are because it helps the light reflect in a way that creates a fuller effect. If you want longevity to your lipstick, make sure you fill your lips in with liner before you add your lipstick on top and then finish it off with translucent face powder, this is the trick makeup artists use to have lipstick last long periods of time.  



Red lipstick will complement all skintones



Choosing your lipstick color depends a lot on your skintone. If your skin is a pinkish hue then you want to choose blue-base red colors (not orangey, warm tones like your skin) and the opposite is true for olive skin, choose an orangey red (not the blue-based red which is cool toned like your skin). This contrasting effect will allow the red to make your teeth appear whiter. The deeper and more opaque red you pick, the better for creating a tooth whitening effect. But red lipstick easily can get on your teeth, thus diminishing the purpose of wearing it, so make sure you press a kleenex between your lips before you're done with the application to remove any excess, loose lipstick. If you leave extra lipstick on your lips it also will make your lips appear chapped and uneven instead of that glossy finished look you're going for.



Pink tones bring out the yellow in teeth

Mauve-based lipstick is also a good option to try if you're scared of doing the ultimate red lip. For real precision you will want to do your application either with surgically-steady hands or with a lip brush because strong colors like red must be applied perfectly in order to look good - any mistake will be readily visible. Whatever you do, if you're looking to whiten your teeth, do not wear pink lipstick, especially if you plan on doing a lot of laughing or talking. Pink lipstick will bring out the natural yellow in the enamel of your teeth and definitely showcase your plaque if you have any. You can feel safe using pink lipstick only if you have just returned from the dentist to have a deep cleaning or if you've recently completed a whitening regimen.