Best Plumping Lip Product Ever

Oh. My. Gosh. 

Forgot about any plumping lip product you've ever tried, and believe me, I've tried several—Lip Fusion (love), Sexy MotherPucker (love), Lip Venom (just OK), etc. I may have loved some of those other brands, but I have now found my soulmate: Dr. Lip Bang's Lip Freak "The Strongest Buzzing Lip Balm in the Whole World." I promise you, this statement rings true.

Within 30 seconds of smoothing the Atomic Cherry (also available in Berry Sinister, Bubble Trouble, and Clockwerk Orange) flavor on my lips, I experienced the same vibrating sensation that Sexy MotherPucker produces—to the tenth power! The balm produces an intense yet not painful feeling that lets you know your lips will soon look as plumped as possible without getting a Restylane injection. You can wear it alone, but for a super saucy look I recommend applying it under your preferred gloss or lipstick.

I completely owe this product discovery to my treasured friend Emma (and she's treasured not just for helping me find this stuff). She picked it up at Harmons Grocery in Utah for only $7.99 (you can also buy it online at Dr. Lip Bang's site), and I plan to stockpile this genius product. 

Tell me what you think after you try it!

xoxo

Lash Chat/Maleficent Review with Liz & Housewife2Hostess

Housewife2Hostess and I saw Maleficent on Monday night and discussed our thoughts about the movie while she worked her magic by filling my lash extensions. Hear our views about the film and see my luscious lashes in this video!

xoxo

Boudoir Photo Shoot with Skye High Photography

The lovely Megan Skye Dolle of Skye High Photography (give her FB page a like!) recently asked me to collaborate with her and create the makeup looks for two models at a boudoir photo shoot.  The final product beyond impressed me, with Megan's work resulting in highly professional work that showcases the models' beauty and the makeup.

Megan shares my passion for connecting with and helping others through her work. "I am a photographer because I love beauty, I love building relationships, and I love creating and documenting memories for my clients. But I am also a photographer because I want to share the splendor, the struggles, the laughter, and the human experience that I have witnessed in my own life and in others. By doing this, I hope to spread compassion and ignite a sense of curiosity in everyone who encounters my works." Megan's work definitely shows evidence of her zest for life. Check out the photos from the boudoir shoot below, and more of her work on her website. 

Makeup used on Jamie and Rachell:

• Urban Decay Naked Palette
• Sonia Kashuk Eye on Matte and Eye on Shimmer palettes
• Anastasia Brow Wiz in Soft Brown
• Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion in Original (lavender tube)
• Cover Girl Ink It! Eyeliner in Black Ink
• Maybelline Dream Lumi Touch Highlighting Concealer in Radiant
• Beauty Blender
• Kat Von D Lock-It Tattoo Foundation mixed with Maybelline Dream Smooth Mousse Foundation
• MAC Studio Finish Concealer in NC20
• Smashbox Halo Hydrating Perfecting Powder 
• L'Oreal True Match Super-Blendable Crayon Concealer (for contouring)
• Benefit Watt's Up! (highlighter)
• T. LeClerc Pressed Powder in Banane
• NYX Slim Lip Pencil in Nude Truffle
• Soap and Glory Sexy Mother Pucker Lip Plumping Gloss in Punch Bowl (on Rachel)
• Soap and Glory Sexy Mother Pucker Lip Plumping Gloss in Candy Gloss (Step 1), mixed with Kardashian Beauty Honey Stick Lipgloss in Raw Honey (on Jamie)
• Brushes from the Crown Brush Syntho Set

Jamie Sheranian - Photo by Megan Skye Dolle of Skye High Photography

Jamie Sheranian - Photo by Megan Skye Dolle of Skye High Photography

Jamie Sheranian - Photo by Megan Skye Dolle of Skye High Photography

Photo by Megan Skye Dolle of Skye High Photography

Jamie Sheranian - Photo by Megan Skye Dolle of Skye High Photography

Jamie Sheranian - Photo by Megan Skye Dolle of Skye High Photography

Jamie Sheranian - Photo by Megan Skye Dolle of Skye High Photography

Jamie Sheranian - Photo by Megan Skye Dolle of Skye High Photography

Rachell McCloyn - Photo by Megan Skye Dolle of Skye High Photography

Rachell McCloyn - Photo by Megan Skye Dolle of Skye High Photography

It's Friday I'm in Love...with Bright White!

Have I ever been so thankful for the weekend? Probably. But I feel extra thankful today. It was a hellacious week with a great deal of stress that didn't afford me a great deal of blogging inspiration. But that's all the negativity I'm allowing in this post. This Friday is my FRESH START and what better way to renew yourself than with the color white? Although some people find all-white to be a bit mental hospital-ish, I find wearing or decorating with all white quite refreshing and peaceful. I scoured the net, and below you'll find my favorite white finds! Happy shopping, and happy weekend!


xoxo

MinkPink Tell Me Why Sweater from Nasty Gal - ON SALE - $39

Caslon Cotton Knit Jacket - Nordstrom - ON SALE - $35.40

Embroidered Circle Midi Skirt - Gap - $59

Urban Decay Eyeshadow in Zephyr - Sephora - $18

Embroidered Boho Top - Old Navy - ON SALE - $30

Steve Madden Lexii Sandal - Nordstrom - On Sale - $53.56

Mossimo Women's Ankle Pant - Target - $27

White Linen Patio Skirt - Banana Republic - $98

Beaded Hoops - Forever 21 - $4.80

Remember to Enter the Urban Decay/$50 Sephora Gift Card Giveaway!

Summer Sun Protection for Sensitive Skin

Ahoy mateys! I love summer. However, I don't love sunburns. We all need to protect our precious skin (and eyes...see yesterday's post on sunglasses) from the sun's damaging and harmful rays. 

I won't lie—I've done my share of laying out/tanning in the summer. However, my vigilance with wearing sunglasses and slathering sunscreen repeatedly on my face, neck, and chest has paid off. I realized this last year when I compared the skin on these areas to my back, which definitely suffered sunscreen neglect in the past. The difference astounded me. Freckles and sunspots mottle my back, but my face, neck, and chest remain pristine (and baby soft) in comparison. Additionally, because I've protected the particularly delicate eye area with sunscreen AND UV-blocking shades (and used eye cream since I was a young teenager) I'm 33 and have absolutely ZERO crow's feet. Boom! Take that, wrinkles.

Today I'm sharing my favorite, most-trusted sun protection products. These are the ones I've purchased repeatedly and will use by the pool this summer. The great part is that they can be used anytime (skip the SPF at night, however, because your skin needs time to breathe) during the year. The even better part is that for us sensitive skin people, I guarantee these products won't irritate. 

Purpose ($7.99 at Target) is the only moisturizer with SPF that I can use that doesn't make my skin get red, blotchy, and sting. The rest of the time I make sure that my moisturizer doesn't have any SPF, and I instead rely on the sun protection in my foundation. While you can use this at night, I recommend using a night-time treatment or moisturizer that doesn't contain SPF.

Shiseido UV Protective Liquid Foundation SPF 42 ($36.00 at Sephora or Nordstrom)This incredible came to my attention when I worked as a counter manager for Shiseido at Nordstrom. Honestly, once you use this, you might want to use it as a year-round foundation. Check out all the incredible reviews on Sephora.com Allow me to list just a few of the benefits: 

1. SPF 42 (no additional sunscreen required!)

2. Water/oil/sweat resistant (it will NOT budge)

4. Beautiful medium to full coverage without feeling too thick

Shiseido Sun Protection Eye Cream Broad Spectrum SPF 34 ($32.50 at Sephora and Nordstrom) This gem of a product moisturizes and protects your eye area, without any irritation. Don't let the price dissuade you, because this tube will last you throughout the entire summer and beyond.

Natural Ice Medicated Lip Protectant/Sunscreen ($1.69 at Walgreens) Forgot Burt's Bees. Seriously. I bought this last year before a trip to Lake Powell, because my lips get burned the second they see the sun. I was in a rush and this was highly visible at the end of an aisle, so I grabbed it before checking out. I'm so grateful I bought this miracle in a tube! It protects my lips, but I also discovered that it eliminates flaking and chapping. When I apply it, my dry skin seems to melt away. 

Happy shopping!

xoxo

Talk about it Tuesday: Trends that are just too Much

I definitely advocate stepping out of your comfort zone, particularly with beauty and fashion. What's the worst that could happen if you try a trend? You could find a new favorite item that ultimately becomes one of your style staples. Or, you could realize the error of your ways and viciously delete every Insta or Tweet with any evidence that you ever lacked judgement and reason. 

Sometimes, however, certain trends enter the style-osphere that just do not work for me. Perhaps a certain fashionista can pull them off with panache, but I'll leave that to them. I am definitely not saying that the following items are not fashionable; they are just not for me. But, if you like them, I'm happy for you (said in a slightly biatchy tone, but honestly I really mean it!). 

Wearing these would cause the following problems for me:

1. The most heinous muffin top in the history of mankind.

2. People running as if Godzilla had landed on the beach.

3. Me questioning my sanity.

You know when your parents said something to you like, "Why would you pay fer somethin' like that?" (In my mind it's in a deep southern drawl since I grew up in the South) Well, this is one time they were right! If you really want to try this trend, don't spend $199 (yes, I saw a pair of these for sale for that amount), just DIY. And please don't let me catch you wearing the tie dye atrocities in the middle. Those just look gross.

Experimenting with makeup can be a fun, liberating activity. But, expect some stares if you wear one of these styles off the runway. The only place appropriate to wear the cat eyeliner look is at one of those cafes where you can drink tea or dine with cats. Even then, I'm pretty sure the kitties will look at you with a "Seriously?" look on their visage. 

What fashion or beauty looks do you find too extreme for your taste?

xoxo

Sizzling Summer Selections

Reverse Pineapple Paradise Tank
nastygal.com

Shoe Cult Takeover Heel
nastygal.com

Faux Gem Collar Necklace
forever21.com

Too Faced Melted Liquified Longwear Lipstick
sephora.com

J.Crew The Cambridge Satchel Company® small leather satchel
jcrew.com

Matt Schnepf Costa Rica Retro Vintage Travel Poster Toucan Wave Surf...
inprnt.com

Beach Towel | H&M US
hm.com

I'm SO ready for summer. Yesterday I looked through all my pretty bikinis, lamenting the fact that A. My body is not in bikini shape. B. It's not warm enough to wear them. Both will hopefully come soon! In the meantime, here are some saucy selections to get you stoked for summer!

xoxo

Urban Decay All About Eyes Giveaway + $50 Sephora Gift Card

Hey y'all! 

Some seriously fashionable, lovely bloggers teamed up with me to bring you this incredible giveaway consisting of some of my all-time favorite beauty products. 

An Urban Decay Naked Palette (you get to choose which one you want!), a full-size tube of Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion in Sin (my favorite), an Urban Decay Glide-On Eye Pencil in Demolition, AND a $50 Sephora Gift will be yours if you win! 

Get started below to win $144 worth of products/gift cards, and be sure to check out the blogs of all these incredible women! 

This giveaway is brought to you by your host:

LOOK BY LIZ LEWIS

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And your Lovely Co-Hosts:

Emily - Something Gold, Something Blue

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Rebekah - Lipstick and Lullabies

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Agi - Vodka Infused Lemonade

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Darrica - Reese & CoCo

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Alli - An Alli Event

Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest | Bloglovin

Aisha - True Soul and Spirit 

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Jena - I'm Perfectly Human

Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | GFC | Bloglovin

Natalie - Natalie Loves Beauty

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To enter, add your entries to the form below. You can enter from May 8 - May 22, 2014. One winner will be randomly selected after the end date, and the winner will have 24 hours to respond via email with their address. Anyone 18 and older, anywhere in the world can enter to win. Void where prohibited. All entries will be verified to ensure fairness. Listed on www.hypersweep.com.

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Liz's Latest Finds - Lipstick, Self-Tanner, and Exfoliating Scrub

Oh don't worry, here's my "Monday Morsels" post on Tuesday!! 

So, I stopped by Sephora this weekend. Enough said. OK, well not quite enough, because I need to tell you about my latest finds. Prepare to start spending!

YVES SAINT LAURENT ROUGE VOLUPTÉ Silky SensualRadiant Lipstick in Nude Beige $35: After seeing the gorgeous Maskcara use this lipstick in Lingerie Pink in her birthday makeup tutorial, I developed a craving to sample this luscious product. I'm sure you've heard lipsticks described as "smooth," but compared to this velvety confection, the rest might as well be sandpaper. This product literally glides onto your skin, and nude beige is the prettiest, most perfect nude/neutral lip color I've ever seen.

KARDASHIAN SUN KISSED INSTANT SUNLESS SPRAY $19.99: You can get this only at Ulta, and it's definitely worth the trip to pick up a bottle. I got mine on sale for about $12 a while ago, and I really like several things about it. You can get away without using a tanning mitt, but I recommend having one on hand. Another trick/cheat you can use to smooth out streaks or drips is to have the plain, cheap round makeup sponges on hand (I use the Up & Up brand from Target) to smooth out problem areas.

Here's what I like:  
1. This product smells so much better than many self tanners. It does start to have a milder form of what I call that burnt tanning bed skin/buttered popcorn smell eventually (delicious description right?), but it's not as bad as many.
2. It has a nice, even mist when you spray it.
3. It provides an immediate dose of color that dries in about 15 minutes, it develops over the next eight hours, and it lasts about four days. 
4. I can spray it on my face and it doesn't make me break out. Woo hoo!
5. It's sulfate and paraben free!
6. I love the golden, just-got-home-from-a-beach-vacation glow it gives. As with any self tanner, you need to pay close attention to areas where it can cling and appear a tad darker, and I HIGHLY recommend doing a full-body exfoliation before using it. 

Here's what I don't like:

- Honestly, the only negative point is that some of the product collects around/under the cap. When I move from one area of my body to the next and stop spraying, I gently shake the can over the sink to get rid of any buildup. If you don't do that, you could end up with some random droplets of the product landing on you. 

SOAP AND GLORY FLAKE AWAY BODY POLISH $25: I heard about via a few YouTube reviews, but I didn't try it until this weekend. The soft, powdery, peach/vanilla/floral smell alone had me hooked. However, I am one of the pickiest people when it comes to a sugar or salt scrub (this gem contains both, in addition to peach seed powder). I like a hearty scrub that really works at eliminating dry skin (none of that useless liquidy, grainy crap) AND leaves your skin supple and moisturized. This meets my criteria. Also, the product has enough pliability that it makes the transfer from your hand to your body with disintegrating and falling to the shower floor! This just might be the scrub that keeps me from continually searching for a better one. 

Happy Shopping!!

xoxo

It's Friday I'm in Love . . . Assorted Awesomeness

Hey y'all, happy weekend! 

Sorry for the lack of a "Thrifty Thursday" post yesterday, but hopefully all the gems I'm sharing with you today will make up for it! There's jewelry, makeup, clothes, inspiration, and more...

If you saw my accessories post earlier this week, then you know I have a weakness for jewelry. I love these branch-like Kendra Scott bangles from The Jewelers Wife. 

Needing some motivation in your life? I highly, highly recommend joining the mailing list for life coach Danielle Dowling and perusing her website. When I read one of her incredible e-mails, my mind feels seriously illuminated and I have a renewed sense of energy. She's a seriously incredible woman empowering other women to realize their potential and live the best life possible!

I showcased some of my favorite nude nail looks on Tuesday, and I also discovered this incredible neutral nail polish color wheel on Pinterest. Can I please have every one of these gorgeous colors right away?! 

Need a pretty hook for your keys or coat? I've been looking for one that I really like for a while, and I believe I found it Anthropologie. How gorgeous is this mirror mosaic hook? And it's only $38 (ok it's not a Target price, but for Anthro, not too shabby).

I'm always on the lookout for great new anti-aging skincare products that can improve tone and texture. The pores around my nose will be my dying obsession! I'm excited to use the new extra strength version of the Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Alpha Beta Daily Face Peel. Have you tried these? 

 I hope everyone has an incredible weekend. Live it up!

xoxo