Musings of a Muse

What are some products you simply hate that other people love…..you know the ones that everyone raves on and on about but you just don’t understand why they love it so much!?

Jump ahead to hear mine!

Two products that come to mind for the Muse are MAC Fluidline and the Bare Escentuals Foundation Kit.

There are SO many better options around than MAC Fluidline! I think it’s ok but the way people rave on and on and on about how amazing it is really makes me sit and puzzle…??? What am I missing? It applies streaky and I have to sit and reline it…it’s just not that great…..

And jeez if one more person tells me how great the BE Foundation Kit is I may scream! I tried it three times! That’s right, three times! I purchased the kit on three occasions and every time I ended up feeling like I may itch my skin off! Gawd! It’s terribly itchy and it makes me feel like I have a mask on! Hates it!

How about you?

What product or products do you hate that the rest of the world absolutely loves?

Tell the Muse!

Although I’ve already reviewed Stila Pomegranate Crush this past Holiday Season, I couldn’t help but bring it out to play again as it is after all an official release for Stila Spring 2009.

I’m a big lover of Stila Cherry Crush so when I first got the chance to try an early release of Stila Pomegranate Crush I was dashing around circles in excitement. Stila Cherry Crush scored major points with the Muse so she had all sorts of high hopes for Stila Pomegranate Crush.

It just so happens that I fell hard for Stila Pomegranate Crush almost instantly and think it deserves a re-review for Spring!

The product comes housed in an awesome little click pen and applies easy to both face and cheeks with a quick stroke of the brush. I love the packaging however I did have some reserves about using the same item on my face that I had just used on my lips….sooooooooo to solve my dilemma and my anal germ obsession I’m happily sporting two of the pens one of which I use on my face and the other on my lips.

Pomegranate Crush is deeper in color when compared to Cherry Crush. It’s a much richer pink and gives cheeks that perfect natural flush that makes you look like you’ve just been kissed, just stepped out of the cold, or just been pinched on the cheeks. Taking all three of those things and bottling them up into a click pen is sheer genius. Pinched cheeks are absolutely essential for a youthful, fresh, natural look in the Muse’s opinion and very flattering for Spring.

The formula is a gel base and not at all drying on the lips or the skin. I did think Cherry Crush was tastier where as this doesn’t have too much of a scent or taste. I actually like both Pom and Cherry Crush better than I do Benetint as the packaging is super travel friendly and the color is more natural and pigmented.

Stila Pomegranate Crush is one of those great items to have in your purse for a quick burst of color onto cheeks to make you go from the stress of eight hours of work to the natural, freshness of a well rested you. It’s a simple, little to no makeup look that makes life simple and makes you look fabulously gorgeous. Can’t name many products that do all that with a simple twist of a pen!

Sportin’ Stila Pomegranate Crush on cheeks and lips

I absolutely adore it and it’s Muse Approved for purchase! Def a Spring and Summer essential!

Loves it!

Tried it?

Love it?

Tried Stila Cherry Crush? Loving that?

Tell the Muse!

Demeter Fragrance Library is a vast un-ending array of unique fragrances that are sure to please just about everyone but are they a Yay or a Nay?

Jump ahead to tell me your version of the story!

Tricky, tricky, tricky is the question today! It’s so difficult for the Muse to figure out if she’s on the yay team or the nay team when it comes to Demeter Fragrance Library.

One of the perks of Demeter is the ridiculous amount of unique blends available and how much product they put out over the course of the year. Tons and tons of LE blends are added daily some of which are borderline strange, unique, and terribly fun! Think Playdoh, Lobster, and Dirt for example!

As fun and fabulous Demeter is one minor problem plagues the brand which would be the linger of each EDT. The scents are all extremely fun but some suffer from a rather short burst of fragrance that lasts an hour if you’re lucky or less if you’re not so lucky. Sadly, it seems the amount of “toilette” that goes into each fragrance versus the amount of perfume oil is a pretty high ratio which means little to no scent time. My skin happens to suck these up at a crazy speed so within 30 minutes at most I’m having to reapply. However, the good news is that some are mighty strong, the Muse just wishes they all were.

So the question remains are they a Yay or a Nay?

I can’t help but say I’m on the Yay team for these as the variety outweighs the formula in this case and I do so adore quirky perfumes plus they aren’t terribly expensive that spraying yourself every hour on the hour won’t hurt the bank too much.

Yup, it’s a firm yay for me! I loves ‘em! Can’t help myself!

How about you?

Demeter Fragrance Library in your Yay book? Or Nay!?

Tell the Muse!

My inner bartender likes the idea of Milani Lip Mixer! Doesn’t it sound like a fancy drink? I’m positive the next Sex and the City Movie will feature the girls asking for a Milani Lip Mixer and not some boring old Cosmopolitan plus it’s probably heaps cheaper at $5.49 USD…gotta love the Muse for bringing the budget right?

Jump ahead to hear the deets on Milani’s newest gloss available for Spring 2009.

Milani Lip Mixer is a unique 3-in-1 formula that offers high gloss, reflective pearls, and a conditioning color with one swipe of the wand…damn…that’s a whole lot of everything in one little tube.

Now the Muse likes to thin of it as three layers that consist of a creamy color, a glitter top coat, and a glossy base. She thinks her way is easier to remember and keeps the frills to a minimum. Whatever way you dice it you’ll end up with the same awesome gloss that offers a nicely pigmented pout with hints of shimmer and a glossy finish all for a small price tag. Likey! If we’re being honest after around three uses the “mixer” becomes one gloss as everything ends up cocktailing together anyway so you’ll end up with a shimmery gloss and you can forget the rest.

I tried out two of the six new shades available and I must say I did like them especially because of the price. The colors I tried were Lip Mingle and Lip Fuse. Lip Mingle is a toasty brown, bronze shade with a heavy dose of golden shimmer where as Lip Fuze is a true pink shade with a slight lilac base and pink shimmer. Out of the two Lip Mingle was def my favorite as it pairs up incredibly well with a warmer eye look.

The formula feels more like a lip cream rather than a lip gloss but has a nice glossy finish. The conditioning color has quite a good pigmentation so the gloss can be worn alone or on top of your favorite lipstick. The texture isn’t tacky and feels creamy on your lips. The glosses have a slightly fruity grape taste which is quite pleasant, the Muse is a sucker for glosses that are flavored! Each gloss is $5.49 USD and of course can be cheaper depending on sales and such at your local drugstore (especially CVS who has BOGO offers all the time for Milani Cosmetics w00t!).

All in all I think Milani Lip Mixer Lipgloss is well worth checking out as it’s a rather nice little gloss with a sweet price tag! Loves ‘em!

Tried ‘em?

Liking them?

Tell the Muse!

Check out more from Milani at www.milanicosmetics.com

liiv Botanicals Vitalizing Face Serum is formulated with Plant Essence Technology which captures active plant extracts and delivers rejuvenating benefits directly to your skin.

Oh and it kinda sorta smells like dirt too!

Dude, for serious. I’m still trying to put my finger on it but so far I’ve come to the conclusion that liiv Botanicals Vitalizing Face Serum kinda sorta smells like dirt. Or maybe it’s dirt and rotten fruit…hmmmmm….I’m thinking Avon has some sort of reverse psychology going on with this. “If we make it smell pretty they won’t buy it but if we make it smell like dirt they’ll think it’s REALLY an important facial product!” Mark my words, make it smell like dirt and they will come!

But guess what? Even thought it has a strange odor it actually works pretty darn well! The serum is meant to be applied twice a day all over your face, targeting facial lines and wrinkles….the Muse hasn’t reached the wrinkle stage as of yet thankfully but it also promises to make my skin brighter and more radiant, I can appreciate that. The formula contains an SPF 20 which endears itself further to me plus it’s the most divine texture. Although it smells rather weird (don’t worry you’ll get used to it and even find it pleasant as time goes by) and looks kinda weird (think swamp water), it still manages to feel simply delicious. It’s cold and slippery and absorbs easily leaving your skin feeling soft, silky, and slightly moist as if it was drenched with a cup of cool water.

The product was created to reawaken the appearance of youth but the Muse likes to think her youth is around and still kicking so hopefully I don’t have to recover my youth in a bottle of facial serum, at least not yet anyway. However, if you’re seeking a product that’s meant to help visibly lift skin, enhance it’s brightness, and make it smoother and more firmer, liiv Botanicals Vitalizing Face Serum is something well worth checking out.

As for the rest of us….it makes a damn fine prep prior to moisturizer! My skin seems to love it and the extra moisture is a welcome relief for my dry winter skin. I haven’t noticed much difference since my testing began a week ago but I’ll definitely finish off this bottle and consider a secondary purchase as it’s an inexpensive product ($20 USD or less) and it’s organic with plenty of good for you ingredients.

Avon continues to delight me with the liiv Botanicals Collection.

See more of the collection by visiting shop.avon.com