Review: Styli-Style Glitter Punch Gel Lip Stains

The products featured in this post were given to Nouveau Cheap directly from the brand. For my full disclosure, please see the bottom of this blog post.

I'm a longtime lip stain lover, but in all of my years of wearing lip stains, I can't seem to recall ever seeing a lip stain with glitter. Yep, glitter. In a lip stain! If you're a lip stain lover, you must keep reading to see these for yourself.

Styli-Style Glitter Punch Gel Lip Stains in Cabaret and Peep Show

(retail: $6.49 each, 0.077 oz)

Available in six shades, these lip stain pens have a twist-up brush applicator, which is another thing I have never seen from a lip stain.

Keep reading for my full review...

New FTC Disclosure Guidelines for Bloggers

I'm interrupting the Review Blitz once again to bring you this very important message...

I realize that many of you don't have blogs, but I'm posting this because, effective immediately, you're going to see a small change in the blog posts here on Nouveau Cheap, and I wanted to let you know why.

This month, the Federal Trade Commission updated its guidelines about disclosures. You can read the full, updated set of guidelines here. Fellow blogger Carleen of Beauty and Fashion Tech wrote an incredibly helpful, detailed piece about these new guidelines here. If you're a blogger (of any kind) I strongly suggest reading Carleen's blog post.

What you can expect to see on Nouveau Cheap from here on out: Effective immediately, all of my product reviews will begin and end with a disclosure if I have received a product for free or if I had paid for it with my own funds. I have ALWAYS told you, within the first paragraph of my product reviews, whether something was given to me for free or if I paid for it, but now I'm going to make it the very first sentence of each product review, followed with my usual disclosure at the end of the review.

Also, if I happen to rave about a product on social media (Twitter or Facebook) I will start my rave with "given to me for free" or "paid for with my own funds" before I say something like, "I love this new lipgloss!"

That's about it--I just wanted to give you a heads-up about this in case you thought the sudden abundance of disclosures was coming out of nowhere. Again, if you blog, I urge you to read the guidelines for yourself at the link above.

Review: Desert Essence 100% Pure Jojoba Oil

Over the years, several of you have mentioned that you like to use pure jojoba oil to remove your eye makeup. I've always loved jojoba as an ingredient in skincare and body care (it works so well to hydrate my skin) but I'm ashamed to say that, until I purchased this bottle of Desert Essence 100% Pure Jojoba Oil from iherb a while back, I actually had never used this oil in its purest form.

 Desert Essence 100% Pure Jojoba Oil

(retail: around $10, 4.0 oz)

The four ounce bottle retails for $9.41 at iherb, but you can also purchase it directly from Desert Essence for $13.99 and they offer a 30 Day Satisfaction Guarantee. They also have a store locator here, in case you want to try to find it locally.

And let me tell you, this is a serious multi-tasker that I now find myself reaching for constantly. In fact, check out the Desert Essence website here to view all of the ways you can use this product (scroll to the bottom of the page). You can remove makeup, hydrate your lips, moisturizer your cuticles, massage your scalp and so many other things with this one little oil. 

Keep reading for my full review...

Review: Milani Color Statement Lipsticks: Pinks & Corals

Continuing my swatchfest of the new Milani Color Statement Lipsticks, today I'd like to show you the pinks and corals in this range, which were sent to me for review. If you'd like to see the reds and oranges, click here.

NEW Milani Color Statement Lipsticks

(retail: $5.49 each, 0.14 oz)

There are a whopping 30 shades in this range (I'll be reviewing all of the remaining shades in the weeks to come). For my detailed review about the texture, consistency, staying power, etc. of these lipsticks, please click here. If you want the short version: they're awesome. They are true-to-tube, ridiculously pigmented, super creamy and hydrating. They basically feel like a $25 lipstick when on my lips. I can't recommend them enough.

Alright, let's get to the swatches!

Keep reading...

Swatches and mini review: OPI Bling Dynasty

I've had this bottle of polish on my desk for months (I got it on clearance at a local discount store), meaning to review it. So now that I'm in Review Blitz mode, it's the perfect time to tell you why I love this gold polish so much and why sometimes one extra coat makes a world of difference.

OPI Bling Dynasty

(retail: around $8, 0.5 oz)

Bling Dynasty was released as part of the Spring 2010 Hong Kong Collection (wow, I can't believe that was three years ago!). A quick Google search told me that it's still available at lots of online beauty retailers, as well as sites like Amazon and Ebay. 

Keep reading for swatches!

Swatch Sephora eyeshadows, get one FREE (yes, free)

I told you that it would take something really special for me to break my Review Blitz, but this tidbit just came my way thanks to reader Connie, and it's definitely worthy of your attention:

image source: Sephora.com

NEW Sephora Collection Colorful Eyeshadows

(retail: $12 each at Sephora)

From the Sephora Community website:

THIS GIVEAWAY HAS BEEN EXTENDED THROUGH THE END OF MARCH.

Upload your photo to this thread by March 31, 2013 to receive a free eyeshadow!*** 

Introducing 80 new ways to smolder. The latest eye shadows from SEPHORA COLLECTION are available in four finishes—matte, shimmer, glitter, and mirror (a.k.a. crazy-reflective). They’re long-wearing , super blendable, and come in a wide range of richly pigmented shades. Oh, and did we mention there are also antiaging properties thanks to White Tea Extract? 

We are sure if you try our SEPHORA COLLECTION Colorful Eyeshadows, you’ll be as obsessed with them as we are. So sure, we’ll send you one FREE full-sized shadow just for testing them out! Here’s how to get it: 

1. Starting today (2/27), visit any free-standing Sephora store or Sephora inside jcp* 

2. Swatch 3 of your favorite SEPHORA COLLECTION Colorful Eyeshadow colors on your forearm. 

3. Take a photo of your swatched arm in front of the Colorful Eyeshadow display. 

4. Come back to BeautyTalk on or before March 6, 2013 and post your swatch photo in the thread below. In your post, include the names of the 3 shadows you swatched, and use the hashtag #sephoracolorful. 

5. Send a private message to the SEPHORAADMIN2 account with your name and the address where you would like your shadow sent.** 

That’s it! Happy Swatching!

For detailed instructions and information about this promotion, please click here. I am obviously not affiliated with Sephora, so I cannot answer any questions you may have.

Thanks SO much, Connie, for the heads-up about this one!

The Wednesday Question

Since we're in the middle of Review Blitz here on the blog, I thought it might be interesting to ask this question:

What are your favorite types of reviews to read here on Nouveau Cheap? Lipstick, foundation, eyeshadow, nail polish, haircare, skincare, fragrance, etc.?

Your feedback is invaluable, since I always like to give you more of what you love. Thanks in advance for your responses!

Review: Flower by Drew Barrymore Shine On Lip Gloss in Hibis-Kiss

Continuing my coverage of the Flower by Drew Barrymore products I purchased on the Walmart website a while back (Flower is exclusive to Walmart and you can click here for a store locator), today I'd like to show you the one shade I purchased from the Shine On Lip Gloss line:

 Flower Shine On Lip Gloss in Hibis-Kiss

(retail: $6.98, 0.18 oz)

There are ten shades in the Shine On Lip Gloss range and you can click here to view them. 

From the Flower website:

Creamy, rich, and smooth gloss

Pillow-like softness on lips

Medium buildable coverage

Keep reading for my full review...