Showing posts with label Jill Stuart. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jill Stuart. Show all posts

Sunday, January 26, 2014

BEAUTY TIPS: HOW TO GET HEALTHY, GLOSSY LIPS

If you read my previous posts, you may see that they are all products reviews. Starting this year, I'd like to share with you the beauty tips that I gather throughout the years which have worked for me. Today I'll talk about how to have healthy and glossy lips because it's been requested by lots of people. I used to be plagued by chapped lips, but in recent years, my lips have improved significantly and they rarely get dry now. Here are four simple tips on how to moisturize and plump up the lips.

1. Use a good lip balm
There are thousands of lip balms out there, and it takes me years to find ones that really suit my lips. My current favorites are: Nivea Essential Care, Maybelline Baby Lips SPF 20 in Cherry Velvet, It's Skin Macaron Lip Balm and Jill Stuart Fruit Lip Balm N 001. I tried putting honey and olive oil on my lips, but they just kinda sat there and didn't do anything for me. My friends used them and they, too, didn't see any benefits.


I always apply a lip balm before going to bed, and thanks to this habit, I wake up the next morning with moisturized and glossy lips. Cold winds and scorching sunlight can seriously dry out the lips, so make sure to moisturize your lips well before and after going out in harsh weather.

2. Always remove your lip makeup
When I first used cosmetics, I didn't pay much attention to lip makeup removal because my lipsticks/lip glosses often faded away completely by the time I got home. However, after a while, my lips started looking duller and darker, so I did a little test. I used a wet tissue to wipe my lips after eating a big meal, and even though I couldn't see any colors on my lips, the tissue was actually stained pink! Since then, I always diligently remove my lip makeup when I get home, even if I only wear a lip gloss. If I put on a regular lipstick/gloss, a simple wipe can do the trick. When I apply lip tints, I use Bifesta Cleansing Gel to remove them. 

3. Drink 1.5-2 liters of water per day
Everybody knows of this, but not all of us do it. In the past, I rarely drink 1.5 liters of water a day, and as a result, not just my lips but my whole face looked lackluster. Ever since I increased my water intake, I could see a big improvement in my lips and my overall complexion. If your body lacks water, it really shows up badly on your skin.

4. Some bad habits to avoid
Many people tend to lick their lips when they are dry, but this is really bad because our saliva contains enzymes that can break down food and these can actually dry the lips out. So, drink water and/or apply a lip balm if your lips are dry, instead of licking them.
Some people have the habit of peeling the flakes off their lips and I have to admit, I used to do that when I was a child. But this is even worse than licking lips, because it can result in lip bleeding. A good way to get rid of flakes is that after brushing your teeth, use your toothbrush and the remaining of your toothpaste to gently scrub your lips for a few seconds. After that, apply a lip balm right away to nourish the lips.

Hope these tips will be helpful to you. If you have any other advice/tips, please share it with me. Have a nice day!

Thursday, November 21, 2013

REVIEW: JILL STUART FRUIT LIP BALM N 001 (PEACH-TINTED TYPE)

It was love at first sight for me and Jill Stuart Fruit Lip Balm. The price was quite stiff (HK$140), but since I loved the packaging so much and the online reviews for this seemed to be positive, I caved in and bought it on my trip to Hong Kong last summer.



This is hands down the prettiest cosmetics product I've ever had >.< I just adore the little pink gem on the top of the lid ^^ The box looked beautiful too, but it was ruined beyond repair during my flight home T-T This lip balm comes in two types: 000 Clear type and 001 Peach-tinted type. Since pink is my favorite color, I decided to buy number 001. Although it is described as peach-tinted, it goes on clear on my lips and I can't see any hints of color. It has a light strawberry scent.


The balm is moisturizing enough for me. I apply it once a day before I go to bed and when I wake up, I can see the dead skin cells on my lips (This is kind of weird, but I've never had to scrub my lips. I just use lip balms before bed and my lips will exfoliate themselves). After washing them off, my lips feel so soft and glossy. My lips are not usually dry though (cross fingers), and for me, lip balms are for prevention rather than cure, so I'm not sure how this will work for people with dry and chapped lips. It does contain some moisturizing agents like shea butter, honey and cocoa seed butter, so if your lips react well to these ingredients, this lip balm may suit you. 

Size: 7g

Ingredients: diisostearyl malate, hydrogenated polyisobutene, mineral oil (paraffinum liquidum), dextrin palmitate, butyrospermum parkii (shea butter), fragaria chiloensis (strawberry) fruit juice, honey (mel), prunus armeniaca (apricot) kernel oil, theobroma cacao (cocoa) seed butter, tocopherol, glycerin, simethicone, butylparaben, ethylparaben, methylparaben, propylparaben, fragrance (parfum). May contain: (+/-) iron oxides (CI 77492), titanium dioxide (CI 77891) 

(I really don't understand the "may contain" part on the ingredients list :| Why aren't they sure about what ingredients are present in the product?)

Pros:
- Moisturizing
- Gorgeous packaging
- Last for a long time (I think it will last for at least 6 months)

Cons:
- Expensive
- Contain paraben and mineral oil (which don't bother me, really)

Score: 8/10

Repurchase?: No. I bought this mainly because of the packaging. Nivea Essential Care gives me the same effect and it's way cheaper than Jill Stuart Fruit Lip Balm N.