Clinique BLACK HONEY Almost Lipstick Swatches and Review

If you're like me, when you saw Clinique Black Honey Almost Lipstick you were a bit put off.  It looks almost BLACK... where is the honey?  I have seen and heard a lot about this exact product, so this last trip to Sephora I grabbed one up and was excited to see what all of the hype is about.

What Sephora.com has to say about Almost Lipstick: 

What it is:
A glossy lipstick in an exclusive, best-selling color.

What it does:
This moist, emollient-rich formula makes lips shine while adding a touch of color. Black Honey, a shade only available from Clinique, is universally flattering�yet looks a little different on everyone.

Size: 0.07 oz

 
Black Honey ends up being a beautiful and subtle blush of color that is glossy and wearable.  The arm and lip swatches above are extremely heavy, so you can see that there isn't a lot of pigment to the lipstick.  If you're looking for a very safe, sheer berry lipstick that is extremely moisturizing and creamy, Black Honey is for you.

Clinique Black Honey Almost Lipstick retails for $14.50 and is available at Sephora, as well as at your local Clinique counter.

***This post contains an affiliate link.  For more information, please see my disclosure policy.

1000 Follower Giveaway!!!!

This Giveaway has ended! Thank you to all who entered, and be on the lookout for the next Giveaway!

The time has come! It's FINALLY time to formally announce my 1000 Follower Giveaway! It wasn't too long ago we were just doing the 500 follower giveaway, and I'm over the moon happy about the response that BlushingNoir has received over this time.

As a stay at home mom, I literally have everything invested into my kids. This blog is a way for me to escape, meet new people, and do something that I love that selfishly only benefits me ;) So I LOVE to do these giveaways as a way to give back and benefit YOU! Because this blog would not be what it is without the support of my readers =)

Now, there are MORE ITEMS TO BE ADDED. (Items have been added, you can view them HERE). They're just not here yet lol so I will be updating this giveaway throughout the month. Each time it's updated I'll post on the blog and redirect you back here from that post. This is the ONLY post where entries will count.

Lets see what we have for the giveaway, shall we? =) Please note, ALL items are brand new and unused.

Arriving in this awesomely huge and beautiful Lancome tote:

One winner will receive:
Items sponsored by BlushingNoir:

* Mary Kay Travel-Sized Sun Care Set
* Too Faced Shadow Insurance - Mini Size
* Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion 1 fl. oz. side
* Clinique Lash Doubling Mascara .14oz
* Lancome Hypnose Drama Mascara .135 fl. oz.
* Lancome Bright Expert Dark Spot Corrector 0.5 fl. oz.
* Lancome Renergie Lift Volumetry 0.5 oz.
* Lancome Color Design GWP Eye Shadow Quad 0.05oz. includes colors Latte, Bikini Golden, Snap, and Designer.
* Lancome Raspberry Ice Juicy Tube 0.33 fl. oz.
* MAC My Paradise Cheek Powder (from Surf, Baby!)
* MAC Creamola Cremestick Liner
* Le Metier de Beaute Paradis Lip Palette

Sponsored by Sally Hansen & NYC Cosmetics:

* 7 NYC Smooch Proof 16hr Lipstains in the following shades - Forever Mine Wine, Smooch Proof, Rock on Ruby, Berry Long Time, Forever Freesia, Never Ending Nude, and Forever Fuchsia.
* Sally Hansen Salon Effects Real Nail Polish Strips in Glitz Blitz

Sponsored by Golden Rose:

* Golden Rose Lipstick in 63
* Golden Rose Style Liner Metallic in 07

Sponsored by Wet N Wild:

* Wet N Wild Walking on Eggshells Coloricon Eyeshadow Trio

A huge thank you to all of the companies that are helping to support this giveaway! You're FANTASTIC ;)

Contest begins July 15, 2011 and will end on August 15, 2011 at noon EST. At that time all entries will go through random.org and the winner chosen and emailed. Once the winner replies and accepts I will announce it on my blog!
The winner has 48 hours to respond to the email or the prize will be given to another. The giveaway is open to anyone! Anywhere in the world!

HOW TO ENTER
1. You MUST be a public follower of my blog. Please leave your GFC name in the comments so I can find you.
2. Leave your email address so that I can contact you.
3. TWEET about this giveaway! Follow @BlushingNoir on Twitter and tweet the following message: Follow @BlushingNoir and RT to win a HUGE #giveaway of beauty items! Check it out here: http://bit.ly/nrGmKA
4. BLOG about this giveaway! Either by doing a blog post, or putting it in your sidebar (leave a link to your blog! Feel free to use a pic!)
5. FACEBOOK me! Yes, I finally set up a Facebook lol so follow! (leave your Facebook name that you follow under)
6. REFER a friend! Tell everyone you can about this giveaway so they can follow and enter too! Make sure your friend mentions your name, each time your name is mentioned will earn you one additional entry! (i.e. 10 people say you referred them to my blog, you will get 10 additional entries!)

***each number will equal 1 point (unless otherwise noted). Each point = 1 entry, the more entries the more chances of WINNING!

IMPORTANT - if your name is drawn I will be double checking all links and entries. If any are invalid at that time your entry will be disqualified and another winner will be chosen.

So, seriously... what are you waiting for?!

Enjoy, and GOOD LUCK!

PS - Check out other giveaways posted HERE!

Clinique CHUNKY CHERRY Chubby Stick Swatches & Review

I love, love, LOVE the Clinique Chubby Sticks. They aren't the same ones that we saw back in the 90's, which were matte. These are more of a stick gloss. Self-sharpening and super nourishing.

The first one that I reviewed, Graped-Up, I was in LOVE with. The color was perfect!

In terms of smoothness and shine, Chunky Cherry is spot on with Graped-Up. However, what I didn't like about Chunky Cherry was that I couldn't get ANY color on the inner part of my lips (see lip swatch pic below). I took that pic right after I applied, so it's not like it just wore away. I didn't have that issue with Graped-Up. Also, when I hear "cherry" I think RED. Not super deep red, but reddish at least... this is pink. Then, as it sits on your lips, it morphs into a hyper pink. Which some people may LOVE, but I'm not really on board with that bright of a color for a stick gloss that I just want to be able to toss on during the running of my kids. This product is not crazy pigmented, but Chunky Cherry is the brightest of the shades.

Chunky Cherry will likely go back to Macy's. The color is not a love for me. Maybe they'll have a different shade that I can exchange it for.

Clinique Chubby Sticks retail for $15 and are available at department store counters (if they have the stock). Your best bet for getting the shade you want is to shop at online department stores, Sephora.com or Clinique.com.

*** this post contains an affiliate link... for more information please read my disclosure policy.

Clinique Graped-Up 08 Chubby Stick Review & Swatches

Singing to the heavens that these are NOT limited edition. At least that's what my counter said lol They haven't had stock on the new Clinique Chubby Sticks since for as long as they've had them. The minute they get a shipment in, they all sell out. Which led me to ask if they only get 5 or 6 per shipment... they laughed... I was serious =\

In any event, I've been dying to try these out! I was a lover of the original Clinique Chubby Sticks, which were matte and in thick silver pencil form. This was back in the day when you still had to sharpen makeup yourself. My go to lip look for YEARS was the Clinique Chubby Stick in Vanilla Brownie and Estee Lauder Spiced Cider lipstick. Ahhh... the 90's.

After asking multiple counters at the various malls I visit for my first choice, Chunky Cherry, only sadly to walk away empty handed each time, I broke down and bought Graped-Up. Which was always in stock everywhere and last on my personal list. Desperate times call for desperate measures.





It's like it was meant to be. When one hears the name Graped-Up one literally would think, ok well it is going to be a dark purple. Negative. Look how shiny and light this shade is (see swatches below).




I have nothing else on in the lip swatch above other than Graped-Up. No lip balm or any extra gloss. That is ALL Graped-Up.

Since Graped-Up was last on my list it only proves that I need ALL of the shades that were placed above it. If I love the most hated shade THAT much... wtf am I going to do when I see the shades I've been totally dying for?!

The Clinique Chubby Sticks are lusciously glossy, hydrating, and pretty. Of course the staying powder isn't all that great, but they're super easy to apply and give off a flirty look for Spring/Summer. I hope to have more for you guys to see very SOON.

These retail for $15 and are available at department store counters (if they have the stock). Your best bet for getting the shade you want is to shop at online department stores, Sephora.com or Clinique.com.

*** this post contains an affiliate link... for more information please read my disclosure policy.

Clinique Smoke Grey (03) Brush-On Creme Liner Review & Swatches

A little background... last week I did my friend Tanya's makeup as a trial run for her wedding in June. Of course, being extremely nosy, I dug through her makeup bag to see what she brought with her... which, ultimately, ended in me running to Macy's to make a purchase to get the gift with purchase.

One of the things I picked up was the Clinique Brush-On Creme Liner in Smoke Grey (03). Before this I had no experience with a gel liner made by Clinique. It just looked SO taupe and SO gorgeous. I'm a sucker for a taupe.





The next day I put it on just using UDPP and MAC Grain Eyeshadow, since I wanted to be able to photo the full prettiness of the shade.



Please note, I normally don't do my liner THAT thick... but here's why it's like that. I found this liner to be extremely soft. TOO soft. (For reference I'm used to working with MAC Fluidlines and Bobbi Brown Gel Liners.) It was hard to get on evenly without it wanting to move, so I had to do it thick to even it out. You have to watch and wait for it to dry (which is not instant) because when it IS that thick, if you open your eyes it will transfer to the top of your lid.

It did stay on all day on the upper lid, on the shadow side AND on the side where it was not set with the Satin Taupe. However, it flaked a bit from the waterline during a tear fest in the evening (if you follow on Twitter you may have read how my daughter likes to smear poop.. third time in a week gets to you! But at least it was good timing for wear! lol). So I do not recommend this if you're trying to go waterproof for a funeral or other sad event.

And the brush it comes with just does not work. I feel like it's too tiny to maneuver well. My primary brush for a gel liner is the MAC 209. However, the 266SE actually worked the best for this product.

How did I fix it? Blended some MAC Satin Taupe in, of course!


And, for good measure, an arm swatch:


All in all... dry time too long... flaky... no bueno. Darn, too... because the color is totally gorgeous and exactly what I'm looking for in a gel liner. Basically, if you don't mind it flaking if you get misty eyed and you have the patience to wait for it to dry and to work with it so it goes on evenly, buy it. I don't have that kind of time.

Does anyone have any recs for something similar in color that is an awesome product?

Clinique Quick Eyes Cream Shadow in 09 Sea Shell

Still in search of the perfect "quick eye" to make my mom life easier I picked up Clinique's Quick Eyes Cream Shadow in Sea Shell.

Sea Shell is a really pretty tarnished gold with a gorgeous shimmer. It's not too garish of a shimmer, so I think this would look just right for our guys and gals who don't like to be too shiny. If you DO like to shine and glimmer you can always add on your favorite shadow to compliment this shade. It can be used alone or easily blended in to a coordinating look. I used it HERE with my recent Elizabeth Taylor FOTD.


(shown at the top dabbed on and for the bottom swatch sheered out)

I don't recommend using this in place of your usual eye shadow primer. I always use cream shadows such as this on top of Urban Decay Primer Potion. My lids aren't super oily, but UDPP is the only thing that will keep my shadows cemented on all day.

Clinique Quick Eyes Cream Shadow is available at fine department stores as well as many online retailers for a retail price of $15.50.

**This post contains an affiliate link. For more information please feel free to contact me or view my disclosure policy.

Clinique Bottom Lash Mascara

Always have trouble getting those lower lashes, or those hard to reach mini lashes in the inner and outer corners of your eyes? Clinique just solved your problem.

The Clinique Bottom Lash Mascara is meant for those teeny weeny lashes so you can coat them up and make them stand out. The mini size of the tube will throw you off a bit but there will be more than enough to get you through. I haven't used all of mine up yet (I've only tried it 4 times) but I imagine it will last at least as long as your tube of mascara will.




Here I'm wearing Clinique Bottom Lash Mascara (in Black) with MAC False Lashes Mascara on the top:

I am ALSO wearing Wet N Wild Coloricon Eye Shadow Trio in Silent Treatment ;)

Clinique Bottom Lash Mascara is only $10 and you can pick it up at Clinique counters or at places like Sephora.

**This post contains an affiliate link, for details please see my disclosure policy.