Kiss Me, You Fool

Let me start by saying that I've been mildly annoyed by dumb product names for as long as I've been wearing makeup, starting with Maybelline Kissing Potion back in the 70s. As if the sugary, strawberry scent wasn't embarrassing enough. I've weathered having to confess that my golden, peachy glow comes from a product called "NARS Orgasm." Seemingly half of Urban Decay's product names are things I don't really care to discuss in the office. Oh, the humanity.

My latest product enthusiasm also comes with a name I try to avoid saying out loud, but the product is so good that I find I have to with frequency. It's the new balm stain from Revlon, delightfully (and somewhat awkwardly) named Just Bitten Kissable (about $10). The color names follow the theme, with unhelpful non-descriptors such as Romantic.

But. They're great! They truly are both a balm (moisturizing, comfortable, sheer) and a stain (pigmented, exceptionally long-lasting). They come in a chunky plastic twist-up tube (apparently a dupe for Clinique Chubby Sticks, which I've never used) and go on with a minty scent but no flavor. The real treat is in the performance, which is exceptionally comfortable to wear, and extremely long-lasting. How long? Well, I applied right after breakfast, and after eating lunch (not particularly gracefully, I might add, with lots of lip-wiping) I still had a very respectable wash of color and moist feeling. I touched up, but could have easily gone about my day without doing so.

I have two colors so far, Romantic (L) and Rendezvous (R). Romantic is a perfect sheer red (I was a little nervous because it looks a touch blue-red based on the plastic tube) that I like even better than my NARS Flamenco, which I find doesn't wear very well. Rendezvous is that very-on-trend shade of tangerine that's hot this summer. I find it a little bright, but when I'm looking for something in that family it's lots of fun to wear.

Add here the usual complaints about drugstores lacking testers and product packaging that makes you guess at what's inside, but really, these are worth taking a chance on.

Today's look:

Face--CoverGirl NatureLuxe Silk Foundation in #310 Flax, MUFE HD Concealer

Eyes--MAC Paint Pot in Painterly, peachy shimmer eyeshadow from Inglot, MUFE Aqua Liner in Black, NYX Les Amoureux mascara

Cheeks--MAC Mineralize Blush in Dainty

Lips--Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Romantic

Scent of the Day--BPAL Celeste

Taupe Tattoo

Yes, that little-known play by Tennessee Williams, The Taupe Tattoo, was the inspiration for one of my new favorite eye looks.

This was my first look using the amazing Maybelline Eye Studio Color Tattoo Cream Gel Shadow in Tough as Taupe, one of the best products coming out of the drugstore these days. I simply applied it all over the lid (I found that a brush did a more precise job than my fingers, though I do love to use my fingers to apply creams) and the topped that with a layer of Giorgio Armani Eyes to Kill Intense Eyeshadow in Pulp Fiction. I have previously found Pulp Fiction a little harder to work with than my other eyeshadows from that line, due to a little more sparkle and fallout, but this gave it a lot of depth and controlled the sparkle very well.

Do check out this Color Tattoo stuff. It's a little expensive for the drugstore (in the $10 range) but it's super pigmented and while it may not live up to the 24 hour claim it makes, it definitely gives superlative wear.