Musings of a Muse

I really love DuWop. They do some fantastic products especially their Lip Venom Lipgloss! Some hate it and some love it! I happen to fall into the love group! When I heard that DuWop was coming out with a Cheek Venom I knew I had to try it!

The concept behind Cheek Venom is supposedly the same “technology” as Lip Venom. What the hell does that exactly mean?

Well…..

Lip Venom contains a tingly spicy mix of ingredients to get the blood flowing in your lips which causes one of two things: plumping and a reddening!

In steps Cheek Venom which does almost the same thing but this time around you’ll won’t get the plumping effects but the reddening or pinkening of your cheeks! The ingredients in Cheek Venom are almost identical to what can be found in the gloss version and in turn this cocktail creates a slight sting when applied and BOOM! You’re blushing!

One of the first things I’d like to mention is this stuff smells sincerely heavenly. It smells like a piece of Red Hot chewing gum! It’s spicy with a slight sweetness to it! I wanted to take a spoon and eat it! Yum! I was really hoping for an awesome product but it failed that mark sadly. It does what it promises! After application you’ll feel a slightly warming and maybe a bit of a sting (almost like someone slapped you lightly or pinched your cheeks) and you’ll have a gorgeous flush soon after however the glow is too sheer for me!

The product itself is not nearly pigmented enough for me and it gives a more natural pay off which I’m not completely loving! I’d have liked something a bit more when it comes to the color. The effect doesn’t last in regards to the “flush” you get when using this so you’re left with a very nice yet sheer hint of color from the actually cosmetic side of the product! At first use it looks pretty nice on and your face looks as if you had just worked out, stepped in from the cold, or had been pinched! However, as I said, the results don’t last very long and the blush itself isn’t pigmented enough to keep the effect all day long.

Each pot is $24 USD and comes in two shades. I ended up testing both colors but I’m not completely happy with the results! Colors available are Diamondback and Sidewinder. Diamondback is a peachy coral with hints of pink while Sidewinder is a muted neutral rose.

Sidewinder

Diamondback

All in all I love the concept and idea of Cheek Venom but a bit more pigmentation would have made this perfect. If you’re sensitive you might want to skip this! If you’ve used Lip Venom before and found it was too powerful and stung too much than chances are you won’t like the feeling of Cheek Venom!

With a little work DuWop can have a hit on their hands here but for now it’s just average for the Muse! If it’s natural you seek these be for you! If you’re more of a loud person that likes bolder looks you’ll want to skip these!

Click here to read about some of DuWop’s Spring Collection for 2008!

Click here to read my review on DuWop’s Moon Venom!

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Don’t you love when products combine SPF into the mix of things?

I’ve been very conscious of my skin lately and sun damage which makes me shop “smarter” for items that contain healthy amounts of SPF. I was pretty thrilled to see Stila combine SPF 20 with it’s Shine Lip Colors for it’s Summer Collection 2008.

Stila makes some great lipsticks, glosses, etc….and I’m currently in love with the Stila Shine Lip Colors. They are light weight, emollient, moisturizing, and pigmented! What more could a girl want?

I love a lipstick that not only combines the benefit of good solid color but also one that wears as if I have gloss on my lips, this being the case with this particular release of lip colors from Stila. The formula is a beautifully moisturizing lip color with plenty of good for you ingredients packed in plus SPF 20!

I think we all prefer lighter makeup in the Summer and these are the perfect solution for kissable, soft lips with a beautiful hint of color. Being beautiful and protecting my skin is always in style.

Although the collection is small, with only eight colors to choose from, I think that the line is a welcome addition to Stila’s Summer Collection. The colors I got are Sarah, a nude beige, and Anna, a beautiful sheer, pouting red!

Stila Shine Lip Colors with SPF 20 are most definately Muse Approved for purchase! I heart these!

Love ‘em?

Want ‘em?

Share with the Muse!

Psssttt………Stay Tuned to hear more about the Stila Summer Collection including reviews on Kitten Eye Wash, Kitten Lipgloss, and the popular, selling out fast, Kitten Eye Palette! Coming Soon!

Enjoy my rave review about Stila’s Cherry Crush Lip and Cheek Stain by clicking here!

Read through my babblings about Stila’s Look Book Palettes by clicking here!

Click here to read about Stila’s “Asia” Only Exclusive Palettes featuring the Stila Girls!

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Isn’t it nice to sometimes run across a product that not only works but is inexpensive as well?

And let it be so for Caress’s New Line of Exotic Oil Infused Cream Body Washes. Each 15oz bottle is a mere $4.29 USD (or cheaper in some cases if it’s on sale!) and totally spoils you in the shower! That’s good pickings to the Muse!

I’m an absolute addict when it comes to shower gels. I have many, many, many brands and types that are rotating in my shower constantly. I honestly can’t say I use the same product everyday since my shower is loaded up with options as if it’s a drugstore!

One particular product that’s cheap and inexpensive that I use a plenty of is simple baby oil. I keep baby oil on hand after using my shower gel to smooth on my legs, elbows, knees, etc….it’s a simple way of keeping my skin nice and soft (it’s also a good way to slip in the shower and fall on your arse but that’s a story for another day).

The good news is I no longer need my baby oil! I can get the same effects with Caress Exotic Oil Infusion Body Washes as they contain a nice healthy load of skin softening oil combined with a gorgeous body wash!

These body washes come in Brazilian, Japanese, and Moroccan blends. I was testing out the Brazilian version this morning which is a mix of passion flower and fruit oil. It smells floral but has that crisp, clean feeling that most Caress products have. It’s difficult to explain exactly but it’s a very nice smell! I especially love the fact that even after stepping out of the shower the scent does linger for a good while later and you’re carrying that “clean” smell around with you for part of the day! I have to say some of my more expensive shower gels don’t do that!

I’m liking the combination of not only a creamy body wash but also an oil body wash. It’s a very different texture from a standard body wash. It’s not as thick and not as creamy and has more of an oily, soft feel. On your skin it feels amazing! Especially so if your skin is as dry as mine! My skin literally soaks this up!

For under $5 bucks you seriously can’t go wrong purchasing one of these or all three! They are most definately worth popping in your cart during your normal drugstore run. If you’re skin is craving a bit of moisture after a long Winter and it’s ready to be soft, silky, and smooth this might be something you want to try out!

The Muse likey Caress Exotic Oil Infusion Body Washes!

Check out more great Caress products by having a click over here and learn how to beautify yourself at a nice inexpensive cost!

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I love Asian brands.

Here in the US we aren’t privy to many popular products available within various Asian countries such as Japan and Korea. One such product that isn’t as popular here as it is abroad are facial masks. Face masks are a very popular item that come in a number of different formulas and are available from many popular brands such as Kose, Kanebo, and in the case of my review, Etude House.

What exactly is a face mask?

I think here in the US we are pretty much conditioned to associate a face mask with something you’d get in a tube. Something you’d apply and either peel off, scrub off, or wash off. The most popular form of facial masks from Asia are actual masks! As in a mask with holes cut into it for your mouth and eyes. The masks are pre-soaked in different skin treatments such as whitening agents, lotions for dry skin, moisturizers for wrinkles, etc….different masks cater to different skin problems! Each mask is made of a linen like paper that is shaped and contoured to your face. You leave the mask on for anywhere from 5-10 minutes and allow the contents of the mask to sink into your face. It’s a beautifully relaxing experience that’s also very beneficial to your face. I’ve found masks are very helpful for my dry skin in the winter!

You might recognize the brand Etude House if you’re from Korea or you might remember it from a blog entry I did recently! Etude House makes a line of skincare entitled Moistfull. It’s a rather wonderful line of product with a nice, inexpensive price tag!

I’m particularly in love with the masks! The masks are packed full of a moisturizing lotion that makes your skin feel positively spoiled for 5 to 10 minutes with long term benefits! The mask is heavily saturated with a combination of lotion and serum that will make any dry, flaky patches on your face disappear!

I can’t begin to describe to you how amazing the mask feels when it’s on and how wonderful your skin feels after use! The mask fits perfectly over your face and I adore how it contours the shape of my under eye perfectly. Why is that important? This is the perfect solution for getting more moisture under my very dry eyes!

After 10 minutes of leaving the mask on my skin feels cool, refreshed, wonderfully soft, and moisturized! I normally do this treatment before bed while reading a few chapters of a book. The best part is when I wake up in the morning my face is literally glowing and I feel like I can go without makeup!

Etude House Moistfull Facial Masks definately get a hearty Muse Approval for purchase if you can find them! But fear not if you’re unable to locate them you can always use any number of the facial masks available from different brands such as Kose, Kanebo, Sofina, and more!

Facial Masks are a wonderful, and for me, essential part of good skin care!

Do you use facial masks?

What are you favorite brands?

Tell the Muse!

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Bath and Body Works is slowly updating it’s website with the new Summer Collections for 2008! One item I ran across while breezing around the site are the new C.O. Bigelow Body Washes!

Tis a mint infused fruity body wash that promises to invigorate you in the shower and wake you up! I’m just thrilled to hear they are infused with mint! How yummie is that?

Raspberry Mint, Lime Mint, Lemon Mint, and Orange Mint are available now from Bath and Body Works for $12 USD each!

Expect a review soon as I’m very tempted by these!

Want ‘em?

Tell the Muse!

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