Limited Edition Maybelline Baby Lips - Complete Set Review and Swatches

L to R: Twinkle, Melon Mania, Pink Wink, Coral Crush, Yummy Plummy

Same order as above

This post is quite belated because I picked up these Maybelline Limited Edition Baby Lips earlier this year, but I think you may still be able to find them in store. I actually ended up ordering all of them on eBay because I was going crazy driving around to drugstores looking for them. They were a bit more expensive on eBay (obviously), but I figure with the price of gas and my time, it really wasn't a bad deal in the end.  I don't really know why I like these so much. At the end of the day, they're just glorified chapsticks with a little bit of color and fragrance! Oh well, they're like Pokemon to me - I gotta catch em all. So lame lol.

You can't really see Twinkle on my arm because it is basically clear - maybe with a little bit of sheen. I don't have any of the non-tinted Baby Lips, so I can't really compare. In the bullet it has a very sheer pinky peach color, but it doesn't translate at all onto the lips. I like the smell which is a bit like Starbursts. Melon Mania is also very sheer despite the hot pink color of the bullet. This one doesn't have much of scent to me which might be a good thing considering I'm not a huge fan of melon. My least favorite of the bunch is Pink Wink because the light, creamy pink color leaves me with white, dead zombie lips. It also smells like bubblegum, which again, I'm not a fan of. Coral Crush is probably my favorite color for it's punchy sheer peachy orange color and citrus scent. Yummy Plummy is also one of the more pigmented colors in a mauve shade. I don't think it smells like plums, but then again, what exactly do plums smell like?? I'm not sure how this compares to the permanent Grape shade because that's the only color I'm missing! I guess I need to pick that one up.

If you're a fan of sheer lip colors, then Baby Lips are definitely worth trying out. They're only about $3-4 so they won't take a bite out of your wallet either. The hardest part is finding all of the colors in store! For more information on Cherry Me and Pink Punch, check out my original blog post here.

Spending Ban Haul

Remember that spending ban I was on? You know the one from less than a month ago? Well... it hasn't been going all that great. I bought a couple of things which I'm not proud of, but apparently I just can't resist a good sale!

Bifesta Cleansing Express - This is a cleansing water that is supposed to be better than Bioderma. I was at Mitsuwa (Japanese grocer store) over the weekend and saw it was on sale for $10.99 so I picked up a bottle. Hey - I'm just trying to save money here!

Fringe Holder - This is the pink Hello Kitty looking ribbon on the lower right. I wanted to try this ever since I saw something similar on Jen at From Head to Toe. It's basically just the grippy side of velcro and it keeps hair out of your face when you're cleansing or putting on makeup. I have super thick hair so while it does the job, it just somehow doesn't look quite right. Also on sale at Mitsuwa for $3.99.

Anastasia Kisses On My List - I was thinking that I didn't have enough lip glosses in my collection, but now I have way too many. I picked this up at Nordstrom Rack for $15 and I think the original price was $30. $15 for 6 glosses is cheap! The three shades on the right side are color adjusting so they change a little after application and they are GORGEOUS! The only thing I don't love is the plastic wand/spatula type applicator.

Zoya Polishes in Cho, Katherine and Tracie - If you want to get technical, these were free. There was a deal on Zoya to get 3 free polishes, all you need to pay is shipping. So there, I paid $10 for shipping, not on any beauty products. I was slightly annoyed though because shipping is usually $6.50, but they upped it to $10 for this offer! BAH! But I really like Zoya polishes and I'm very pleased with these three colors.

Maybelline Limited Edition Baby Lips - This was my one "allowed" purchase because I had been looking for these since before the ban. I just could not find these anywhere in store and had to resort to ebay to get them. They were a little pricey at $6.50 each, plus $1.50 for shipping, but I figured it was probably the same as wasting gas driving around town looking for these. Expect a separate updated Baby Lips collection coming up soon.

So that's it! My ban is back in full force. Although I did purchase a Diptyque candle on HauteLook this morning (half off!), but I don't think candles are really beauty products even though beauty bloggers talk about them all the time. That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

Shopping the Stash #1

So I've been buying entirely too much makeup recently and only have one face to put it on. I think I'll have to put myself on a makeup buying ban for the next 3 months or so. The one possible exception might be a foundation because for someone my age, I have very few foundations and only one without SPF (that I don't like).

I put all my stuff in this clear-ish Benefit bag thinking I might be more likely to use it if I see it. Yup I treated myself to this Benefit Legally Bronze kit using the $15 Sephora coupon. This kit is actually an amazing deal because it's only $38 for four FULL SIZE products including a Hoola bronzer and High Beam. Anyway, back to the stash...

Shu Uemura Atelier Made Eyebrow Manicure - A tinted eyebrow mascara that I picked up the last time I was in Japan. I need to use this up before it dries up.

Sonia Kashuk Brow Definer - This is a pretty soft eyebrow pencil that I can use to do my brows quickly.

NYX Eyebrow Cake Powder - I mix the two shades together and sometimes add a little bit of clear wax on top. The mini tools are surprisingly useful!

Blinc Tubing Mascara - This was a Birchbox sample and I actually quite like it. I'm going to do a full review soon.

Maybelline The Colossal Volum' Express Waterproof - The Colossal is one of my favorite mascaras. This is my first time using the waterproof version (of any mascara, actually!), so we'll see how I like it.

Stila Prime Pot in Taffy - I think this was a 100 point perk from Sephora a long time ago. It's a flesh tone primer, probably similar to MAC Painterly.

L'Oreal Infallible Eyeshadow in Amber Rush - I like this eyeshadow because it has serious staying power, even without primer. Amber Rush is a coppery color that I was unsure of how to wear for a long time, but I think it will look good with smudgey brown liner.

Tarte smolderEYES Amazonian Clay Waterproof Liner in Espresso - This was part of last year's holiday set, but I have to say this year's set is a lot better because it's no where near as glittery (although I don't believe there is a brown color). Espresso is more shimmery than glittery and lasts a long time.

Stila Smudge Crayon in Smoke - I guess this is kind of similar to the Tarte smolderEYES - a liner/shadow hybrid thing. I like this shimmery light taupe color for lining my lower lash line without looking like a Panda. Another sample, from Sample Society, I think.

Wet n Wild Color Icon Eyeshadow Singles in Brulee and Nutty - Dude, these were on sale for only $1 at CVS. People make a big deal about Brulee, but it's just a matte cream color. Nutty is a nice taupe.

Lancome Le Crayon Kohl in Black Ebony - This liner is just okay for me and not worth any big bucks. I don't remember how much it cost, but I know I got it with my employee discount when I used to work for L'Oreal. This pencil is really huge though!

Garnier Skin Renew Anti Dark Circle Roller - I don't think I really have bad dark circles, so this sheer tint is just fine for me. The tint though is just bordering on too light for my skin tone.

Wow that's a lot of eye products, but I guess if you think about it, you have eyebrows, liner, mascara, shadow, so you have a lot of stuff to use on your eye area!

theBalm Mary-Lou Manizer - I like this so much I just bought the full size!

Urban Decay 24/7 Concealer Pencil - A creamy pencil concealer that I mostly use for the occasional spot.

NYX Blush in Taupe - I'm using this as a contour and I think it's a great winter contour color because you don't end up looking too bronzey or tanned. However, this shade barely registers on my medium skin tone. Oh well, at least I can go crazy with it and not end up looking beat up.

Illamasqua Cream Blusher in Betray - Such a beautiful berry color, perfect for fall/winter! Just use the teeny tiniest amount though because it is super pigmented

Maybelline Dream Mousse Blush in Rose Petal - This one is a soft rosy pink which will work well with  bolder lip colors.

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Crush - A nice wine-y, berry color. Darker than what I usually go for, but hey, I'm trying to branch out a little.

Urban Decay LipLove in Stung - This is a very sheery dark purple, wine colored gloss. It has a pretty strong honey smell which takes some getting used to.

CoverGirl NatureLuxe Gloss Balm in Peony - I have three of these and Peony is the most pigmented by far. It's a red leaning pink, kind of like Revlon Cherries in the Snow.

That's all! I really hope I use up some products soon, but as you can see, all of these products barely have a dent in them! Le Sigh.

Maybelline Baby Lips

 Peach Kiss, Cherry Me, Pink Punch, Coral Crush and Twinkle

Same order as above

Maybelline and I have a love/hate relationship and let me tell you, it's personal. Maybe I'll go into details at a later date, but I'm just going to come out and say it... I freakin love these Baby Lips!

I've pretty much been buying the tinted ones because I have a billion clear lip balms that I need to use up. I think my absolute favorite has to be Cherry Me. I love the sheer red tint and while I generally don't like cherry flavored things, this one tastes nice and fruity and not like cough syrup. Punch is one of my favorite flavors and Pink Punch is delicious and quite pigmented, but the pink leans almost a little too blue for my taste and skin tone. Peach Kiss is pretty sheer, but great for a nice nude lip. Coral Crush and Twinkle come in a limited edition two pack that I purchased off of Ebay because I just could not find it in stores! I saw the display at Walgreens, but of course, they were out of this set. Coral Crush is probably my second favorite - it tastes orangey and has an orangey color. Probably, more appropriate for spring/summer though. For all intents and purposes, I would say Twinkle is clear. The bullet has the slightest pink tinge to it and perhaps there is a bit of shimmer, but definitely no color payoff. The only permanent collection color I'm missing is the grape/purple, but I haven't felt the need to rush off to buy them as I don't really like grape or purple!

Baby Lips really makes my lips feel soft and nourished. Now, I wouldn't say they're as moisturizing as the Fresh Sugar lip balms, but you can't really compare a $20+ lip balm to a $3 one. Overall, I would definitely recommend you give these a go for yummy flavor, a flush of color and soft kissable lips!

Lip Obsession

I kind of have an unhealthy obsession with lip balms. Well, all lip products in general. I probably have another 10 balms stashed away in my bathroom cabinet, but these are the ones currently in my rotation:

Nuxe Reve de Miel Lip Balm ($19) - I bought this after reading so much about it on the blogosphere. I wasn't really sure about it at first, but it has definitely grown on me. It is quite thick and a teeny bit gritty. The grittiness disappears though as the product is heated by your lips. I primarily use this at bedtime and when I wake up it is still on my lips! Very nourishing. It's a little pricey, but this little pot will last you forever.

Maybelline Baby Lips ($3-4) - I love this so much, I bought all 3 of the tinted flavors - punch, cherry and peach. The pictured one is peach and it is a very sheer nude with a peachy flavor. I think my favorite is the cherry (sheer red) because the pink punch is a little too blue based for me. It makes my lips super soft and I love the hint of color. There are also two clear ones in mint and unflavored.

Pangea Organics Egyptian Fennel with Grapefruit and Sweet Orange ($12) - I can't remember where I got this, but I think it came in a Birchbox. I really love the citrusy scent and again this one makes my lip really soft. This one comes in an extra large tube which is ok, but I'd prefer a regular sized one for more precise application.

Smith's Rosebud Salve ($7) - Love this! I carry mine around in my purse which is why the tin is dented.  Also, I had it in my bag while watching a tennis tournament in 90+ degree weather and it melted and got lopsided. Oh well, it still does the job. It's rose scented, but you don't notice it on your lips, so you don't feel like you're eating flowers. You can buy this on Amazon, but I'm not sure what stores carry it other than Anthropologie. Fortunately, I'm at Anthropologie quite often :)

Jecy's Favorite Virgin Lip Serum (??) - I bought this in Japan and I remember thinking it was a little pricey, so I'm guessing it was over $10. This is the one dud in the bunch and I mostly use this as a clear lip gloss. The consistency is a lot more like a gloss than a balm which explains the "serum." I don't really get virgin lips from this, but it's a nice gloss.