VALENTINE DAY GIFT GUIDE

Not sure what to get the special women in your life for Valentine Day? Don't despair! I've put together a handy guide of my favorite Valentine Day picks for all the lovely ladies in your life. This collection of beauty goodies would make the perfect gift for your sister, Mom, best friend or even your favorite baby sitter. So spread some love and show her that you care!

Three Custom Color - "The Sweetest Thing" Refillable Trio  (a $67.50 value!) $50
A sleek, portable trio with filled with "Icing on the Cupcake" Eye Shadow (a kaleidoscope of light-reflecting shimmers in gold, pink, teal, violet and blue), "Candy Cloud 9" Gloss (sheer pink with gold and silver shimmer with subtle sweet Cotton Candy flavor & fragrance) and "Lollipop" Lip & Cheek Stain (hot rosy pink). Three Custom Color  partnered with rising Design Star, Miles Ehan, to create this tasty capsule collection entitled "The Sweetest Thing".  

Too Faced - "Look of Love" Set   ($124 Value) $45
Embrace the look of love with this collection of best-sellers and exclusive products. Swoon over a seven-piece set filled with fresh and feminine shades in a chic, heart-stopping bag that speaks the language of amour! Set contains:
- "Look of Love" Eyeshadow and Blush Trio
- Glamour Gloss in "Barely Legal"
- Lash Injection Mascara
- Shadow Insurance
- Primed and Poreless (primer)
- Flatbuki Mini Brush
- Limited Edition "Look of Love" Cosmetic Bag

Stila - "Make Me Blush" Set ($41.50 Value) $20
A romantic trio that includes a multicolor blush inspired by Valentine's Day Conversation Hearts along with two juicy Lip Glazes. This set is a Sephora Exclusive!  Set contains:
- "Make Me Blush" Cheek Color
- Lip Glaze in "Hugs" (creamy rose) and "Kisses" (sparkling red)

Tarte -  LipSurgence™ Natural Lip Luster Power Couple  ($48 value) $38
This limited-edition pairing is a perfect match!  Tarte's best-selling natural lip tints are peppermint-infused and glide on smooth for a rich finish that will stay all day.  Includes:
- "Frisky" (bright pink)
- "Fever" (red)

Kiehl's - Saks Lipgloss Value Set   ($43.50)
Saks Fifth Avenue Exclusive containing four different colors of Kiehl's iconic lip gloss in a zippered logo case.  Set includes the following colors:
- "Lights On Broadway"
- "Berry 1851"
- "Pear Tree"
- "Pink Rider"

LUSH - "Be Mine" Gift Box   $45
This hatbox is a declaration of true and undying love for helpless romantics. It consists of a selection of six scrumptious treats for all you (bath) lovers. Set contains:
- "Sex Bomb" Bath Bomb
- "MMM Melting Marshmallow Moment" Bath Melt
- "Sugar Babe" Sugar Scrub
- "It's Raining Men" shower gel
- "Lust" Solid Perfume

Philosophy -  "Sweet On You" Set  $25
This delectably sweet, candy-heart scented trio of moisturizing formulas condition skin, hair and lips. It's the sweetest gift you can give to the sweetheart in your life. Set contains:
- Shampoo, Shower Gel and Bubble Bath
- Body Lotion
- Lip Shine (sheer rose shimmer)

JOSIE MARAN COSMETICS: HAUL VIDEO & REVIEW

Here's video review of my latest haul from "earth-friendly" Josie Maran Cosmetics created by supermodel Josie Maran.




PRODUCTS REVIEWED:

Argan Color Stick in "Petal Pink"  (neutral pink) $22
An argan oil-infused, sheer color stick that gives a lasting, natural flush to cheeks and lips.

Magic Marker Lip and Cheek Stain in "Mambo" (toasted beige) and "Flamenco" (cherry red)   $19
A long-wearing natural lip and cheek stain packaged in a portable pen for effortless touch ups on the go.

Argan Lip Gloss in "Compassion" (rosy pink)$18
This conditioning lip gloss comes in sheer, easy to wear shades that highlight your natural lip color with a sophisticated touch of shimmer.

Eye Shadow in "Cacao" *   $20
* (This shade is discontinued but you can try "Cappuccino" - a dark warm brown shimmer)
Vibrant, velvety shadows for the eyes.

Whipped Argan Oil Body Butter in "Sweet Citrus" $35
A velvety, lightweight and hydrating body butter is whipped to perfection, so you can spread the love with Josie Maran’s signature ingredient, Argan Oil.

I have to say I'm a big fan of this brand. I love that Josie Maran Cosmetics uses high quality, botanical ingredients in their products. I especially love all the products I've tried from the Argan Oil line.  Commonly referred to as "liquid gold" or "the gold of Morocco," Argan Oil is a wonderful source of vitamin E and essential fatty acids. It has incredible healing, conditioning, and anti-aging properties that help keep skin and hair nourished. But don't just take my word for it...try one of Josie Maran's cosmetic products for yourself and let me know what you think!



* Products were provided for review but I am not affiliated with the company, nor was I paid to review any of the products mentioned in this video.

NEW FEATURE: READER BEAUTY QUESTION

I was recently on photo shoot with my talented photographer friend, Christine Austin, when she asked me a beauty question. I thought it was an interesting question that would make a good blog post. I also thought that if she had this question, possibly other Karen's World of Beauty Readers would benefit from the answer too.  Christine wanted to know all about lip stains so here's some brief info on what they are and what they do:

Lip stains are a cosmetic product designed to stain the lips with long-lasting color which will resist wear. Unlike lipstick, a stain does not contain wax -  it  temporarily stains and saturates the lips with color like a dye, rather than applying colored wax to the lips like with lipstick. Lip stains are usually created to be waterproof so that the color will be long lasting, smear resistant, wear unevenly, or not come off on your teeth.

There are generally two types of lip stains; the kind that come in a bottle or tube with an applicator to brush the color onto the lips or in a jar and you use your fingers or makeup brush to apply the stain. Most stains are matte so you can apply gloss or blam on top to provide sheen or moisture to the lips. Some cosmetic companies now create sets that include a stain paired with a gloss or lip plumper.

Christine is not much of a makeup wearer and she told me going into Sephora is overwhelming.  With so many cosmetic lines and various types of products it's easy to be confused. Christine has fair skin with a cool undertone and brown hair so the products listed below are ones I suggest for her coloring but note that all these brands offer a variety of shades. Choose a lip stain color that will best suit your own skintone and look most natural.

PRODUCT RECOMMENDATIONS:

Stila - Lip & Cheek Stain  ($24) - Yumberry Crush (sheer pearlized pink)
A multi-tasking lip and cheek stain, packaged in Stila's iconic clickable pen, that reacts to pH levels to create a perfectly personalized hue.

Benefit - Posietint  ($28)
Benefit's Posietint is a petal-pink stain that plants a kiss of see-through tint on cheeks and lips that last for hours.

 

Laura Mercier - Lip Stain ($20) - Shy Pink (light natural pink)

Laura Mercier Lip Stain provides the visual effect of a stain with the comfort and sheen of a lip gloss.

 

NARS - Lip Stain Gloss  ($24)  Rage (rose coral)
Soft shine and sheer color that gently stains the lips. Shades can be layered for added intensity.  

Tarte - Natural Lip Stain with LipSurgence™ Technology  ($24)  Enchanted (rose)
The old meets the new with LipSurgence™ technology which is clinically proven to increase moisture content so your lips appear naturally fuller and healthier. Like the cheek stains, each shade of these natural lip stains leaves a natural hint of tint that will last throughout the day.

 

Pixie - Lip Blush  ($18)  Purity (a natural pink tone)

This feather-light water stain tints and tones your lips, creating a blushing healthy hue.

Hope you all enjoyed this new Karen's World of Beauty Feature and please let me know if you have any beauty questions you'd like answered.  You can email me or leave your questions as a Comment to this post. If you do, you just might be featured in the next blog post of "Reader Beauty Question."