Flower Beauty Cosmetics

A few weeks ago, I came across an end cap display at Walmart, featuring a new line of cosmetics. Drew Barrymore is not only the face of Flower Beauty, she's the creator. This totally makes sense since her film production company is Flower Films.

This brand is considered a luxury brand. It's cruelty free. The packaging is unique and worthy of sitting on any vanity. The prices also reflect that this line is a luxury line. I'm not sure if the average Walmart consumer is going to want to shell out for a new, spendy line of make-up. I know it's taken me weeks to accumulate what I have.

The first items I got were a sheer lipstick and a lip gloss. The lipgloss is a gorgeous pinky-peach nude. I love it. It's a great, fresh color that can easily be worn on its own or over another color. The shade is LG1. I'm not sure of it's name, the sticker on the side of it had that and I am not one for leaving stickers on my products. The sheer lipstick comes in a cool, square-ish tube. It has a slight hourglass shade to it. The bottom part is off-white, but the top is transparent and the color reflects the shade of the lipstick. Again, the sticker had the name of the color. I peeled it off and there is no shade number anywhere else on it. I'm certain "snapdragon" was part of the name.

Next I picked up the BB cream and foundation stick. First if all, I was psyched that there are shades for my ultra-pale, redheaded self! I like to use a combination of foundations to provide as flawless a look as possible. The Skincognito foundation stick can be layered up to full coverage or blended out for more sheer coverage. But I found that the BB cream had amazing coverage and didn't budge. You can see in the photo how it really covered the freckles on my arm! I love it! The shade of the foundation stick is SF1. The BB cream is BB1.

Now, let me tell you, this line has some if the trendiest colors I've seen. I had to refrain from buying a neon pink because I already have a few by Barry M. So I decided to get a nice nude, Nude Narcissus, and a pretty pink/coral color called Pink Peony. The color is smooth and the coverage is quite nice. There is a slight floral fragrance, but it's not a dealbreaker for me. These lipsticks are called Kiss Sticks and have a glossier finish than the lipsticks in the off-white tubes that supposedly have more of a velvet finish.

Last but not least, you KNOW I love my tinted lip balms. These come in a roll-up, chubby pencil. And it's no surprise that I love them. Sheer Blossom is nude and has some wonderful sparkles! Lacy Lauel is a pretty, sheer pink. I adore these. They feel good, don't require a mirror for application and give just the right amount of color. I must have more.

I need to look up the prices again. The BB cream was around $13, the lip colors around $8 and the foundation stick was around $9. My main gripe is that the shades are on stickers I will be removing from the outside of the packaging. I don't care I'd there is a sticker on the bottom of a tube, but I cannot stand when something runs the length of the tube. The lipgloss had a sticker on the end, which is great. The tinted lip colors have the shade printed on them. Perfect! But there's nowhere else on the lipstick tubes for a shade sticker. Both ends are decorative.

Do I want to try more from Flower Beauty? YES! I can't wait! But sadly, I have to wait until my wallet allows.

Tinted Lip Balm Heaven

Tinted lip balms are my favorite lip products ever!!  They are tinted just enough to give you some color on your lips and you can apply them without a mirror!  They make your lips feel good and moisturized without feeling heavy.  I know there have already been tons of reviews on Revlon's Colorburst Lip Butter, but here's my take on them.

As soon as I saw these in the store, I knew I wanted at least half of them.  I am a tinted lip balm junkie.  And I love all colors:  pinks, reds, nudes, berries, corals...you name it.  I don't discriminate.  And the range of colors they have are beautiful!  But this time, I decided to stick my toes in before I jumped headlong into a stockpile of new lip products!  Last week CVS and Walgreens had Revlon products "Buy one, get one 50% off", this week Rite Aid has that deal, if you are interested.  So, I went and picked up a couple.I got Berry Smoothie and Strawberry Shortcake.  And guess what?  Yep, you already know.  I fell in love with them.  They are moisturizing, the color is subtle and there is o overbearing fragrance or taste.  That's a big deal to me, if I find a smell or taste undesirable, I can't look past it.  I'm out.

Have I mentioned the packaging?  No??  Well, I love it.  The tubes are silver and come up to the top of the lip balm, so it's not packaged like a lipstick there.  But from the outside it looks like a lipstick.  The cases are clear, with a frosty finish.  There is a diamond pattern on two sides, with the other sides just plain frost.  And the case is a color some-what representative of the color inside!  Fabulous!  Perfect for the "throw it in your purse before you run out the door" types.  No one likes picking up a lipstick only to find it's not the shade they thought it was because the packaging was identical.

All in all, I have picked up a total of 7 of these.  The colors are mostly pinks and reds, although I'm eyeing up Creme Brulee which is a gorgeous nude.  But let's break down the colors I have:

• Red Velvet - A deep, red with cool tones.  Creates a lovely stain with a little more "oomph" or drama.
• Berry Smoothie - If you want a pinky color that is a tad darker than Strawberry Shortcake, this is for you.
• Pink Truffle - More of a nude color than a pink color.  This shade is universal and would work on everyone.
• Peach Parfait - A very sheery, shimmery coral.  
• Strawberry Shortcake - A very sheer wash of a basic pink that is not too bright.
• Sweet Tart - A lighter, warmer, bright pink.  Almost a coral, but not quite.
• Lollipop - A really fun, bright, mid-tone pink with a blue undertone.

I love these and I think you will too.  I am a huge fan of make-up that is quick and easy.  These fit the bill perfectly.  You will find these at most drugstores/big box stores for around $7.  Some places are a little less, some are a little more.  But you will usually find a sale at one of the drugstores around you, so be sure to check the weekly flyers.
 

A Palette Is A Palette Is A Palette?

Are all palettes created equal?

I know that in the wide world of make-up, the answer is no. Not all palettes are created equal, but some are. But for the past few months, I've been hearing a lot of buzz about companies like BH Cosmetics, Crown Brush and Coastal Scents. These companies specialize in HUGE palettes. I had initially shied away because these reminded me of the large palettes I would buy as a teenager. They were cheap, not that pigmented and in my formative years, I had a knack for making myself look like a clown with these sorts of products.

With so many great holiday sales going on, I managed to snag a Crown Brush palette on HauteLook and a BH palette on sale. I am still waiting on the Crown palette to arrive, but I can say that the BH palette has great pigmentation. The colors are lovely and bright. It really surprised me.

Whilst shopping around online, it's easy to see that many of these companies offer palettes that are similar, if not identical. The main difference is the price. And then you have to factor in that these products are sold on Amazon and eBay too! I saw one 120-color palette for like $14 total on one site and over $50 on another. Same palette.

So, I decided to make a collage of what I found while surfing. What's funny is that most of these companies don't even try to make their product stand out. They simply call a collection "Palette #1" or "1st Edition." "Metallic Madness" is another palette I couldn't help but notice a few companies had. Basically, these people buy from manufacturers and wholesalers in Asia and slap their name across it and that's it. But enough of my rambling, let's see some photos.

Here's "Palette #1" or "1st Edition":

Here's "Palette #2" or "2nd Edition":

Then there's the 66-color lipgloss palette:

And last, but not least, here's a 180-color palette/set:

I threw the last one in for the fun of it. Crown Brush has this 180-color set coming out in January, but it only took me a couple of minutes to find multiple places that are already selling the same thing. It certainly does pay to spend some time and research when you are shopping around. Now the ONE thing I cannot find is a palette similar to the pink "Cosmo" palette shown in the Crown Brush photo above. :\ **Please note, little is shown from Crown or Coastal scents because they mostly sell 88-color palettes and smaller.**

And if you think some of these palettes are not the same, they are. Simply pick a row of colors and you will find it, identically laid out, in all of the palettes. Yes, some have different lighting and yes, some are turned around but I swear, these are the same palettes.

Do with this information what you will. I know my BH palette was made in China. Almost all of the sellers with identical products on eBay are from Hong Kong. I am willing to bet that all of the palettes shown in this blog came from China. So, I think I'm going to pass on names for now and shop around by price. I'll let you know what I turn up! (And of course, I feel compelled to own most of these now.)

What do you think? Do you have palettes from any of these companies? How do you like them? Have you noticed a difference between brands? Would you recommend these to friends? What are you looking for in a palette?

On a totally UNRELATED note, I'd like to add that I have a sale going on in my Etsy shop, Jewelry by Glamourpuss. Use the coupon code: NEWYEAR and get 25% off your order!

And I have posted quite a few goodies on eBay, just click ----> HERE!

I know it's shameless self-promotion, but I'd really appreciate it if you took a look, spread the word or picked a little somethin'-somethin' up! Thanks!