L’Oréal Paris Infallible Pro-Matte Gloss.

Matte lips continue to be one of the hottest trends so far this year. I am slowly embracing this trend. You can't argue that a great matte lippie offers beautiful long-lasting pigmentation. Brands are doing matte better than ever in new creamy formulations that are easier to wear and more gentle on the lips. L’Oréal Paris has just introduced such a formula that I am really liking in their new Infallible Pro-Matte Gloss, and it may just be my favorite matte yet.

L’Oréal Paris Infallible Pro-Matte Gloss is a creamy liquid matte lip gloss which is sort of contradicting in name, but in finish it is not. This gloss provides a super smooth, beautiful velvet-matte finish to the lips in full-on gorgeous color — perfect for spring!

What I think I have really come to like about matte glosses like Pro-Matte Gloss, is that a liquid matte formula defines the lips. When a matte finish is combined with a gloss application, the liquid matte formula works to contour and fill the lips. I find that it makes the lips look more full and youthful, actually. This is very opposite of matte lipsticks. With the super creamy texture of the Infallible Pro-Matte Gloss, lips are almost hydrated as the gloss is applied. It simply feels very velvety and it wears comfortably all day without drying out the lips.

There are ten beautiful shades in the line-up with everything from nudes to reds.

Blushing Ambition (300)
Fuchsia Amnesia (302)
Rebel Rose (304)
Aphrodite Kiss (306)
Shanghai Scarlet (308)
Forbidden Kiss (310)
Rouge Envy (312)
Nude Allude (314)
Statement Nude (316)
Bare Attraction (318)

I got to try out five of them. My favorite by far is Blushing Ambition with Bare Attraction coming in a second. I want to pick up the other nude shade, Statement Nude.

L’Oréal Paris Infallible Pro-Matte Gloss sells for $9.99 each at your favorite drugstore or mass retailer like CVS, Target or Walgreens.

Spring 2016: Tarte Rainforest of the Sea Collection.

Tarte's spring 2016 collection Rainforest of the Sea™ is not only a beautiful makeup collection, it includes skincare that contains their new complex appropriately named Rainforest of the Sea™. This complex is tarte's next generation of ingredients that are made up of powerful antioxidant-rich algae and marine extracts to not only defend against environmental aggressors like all antioxidants, but these ingredients are designed to brighten and lend to a more radiant complexion. It's extraordinary to infuse that into makeup along with skincare that works right with the color products, don't you think?

Everything from the packaging to the products in the Rainforest of the Sea™ collection are breathtakingly beautiful. Once I saw the Eyeshadow Palette and Lighting Palette, I knew this was a must-have collection for the season.

I ordered the Rainforest of the Sea™ Eyeshadow Palette ($34) the second I saw it. This limited edition eyeshadow palette features eight beautiful shadows that are so luxe, they are almost creamy. This is tarte's formula that is velvety; I've always been a fan. This new formula with the Rainforest of the Sea™ complex hydrates and brightens the lids with the creamy powder formula. It feels amazing on and lasts all day. They are pigmented, buildable and never crease. The palette contains shades for your lid, brow bone, lining, creasing — everything is in this palette. The shades range from ivory and gold to bronze and dark brown. 

I'm also really liking the Rainforest of the Sea™ Skin Twinkle Lighting Palette ($42). With three shades for strobing and highlighting that work for all complexions, this is a palette you need to look at it. These perfecting powders feel amazing on the skin and do what they are intended for in a beautiful way. These shades reflect light off the skin to give it a soft focus glow when use correctly. It's not that difficult you just have to play with them and make it work for you. These shades will seriously work for all complexions as noted. The middle shade is a matte shade and it's actually a setting powder to use under the eyes and brighten/correct darkness. This is probably my favorite power in the palette because I find a lot of brightening powders highlight the fine lines around my eyes, but being a matte brightening formula, this one brightens and seems to blur the area diffusing any lines. The other shades are luminous perfecting powders for illuminating the contours and highs and lows of the face. They are not hard lighting powders and just give off a beautiful, natural glow to the skin. The easiest way to apply the powders in the Skin Twinkle Lighting Palette is with the Double-Ended Highlighter Brush ($34) which was made especially for the collection.

The other standouts in the collection for me is the Rainforest of the Sea™ Wipeout Color-Correcting Palette ($45) and the Rainforest of the Sea™ Drench Lip Splash Lipstick ($22).

I told you how important color-correcting was earlier this week in my top color-correcting makeup post and if I had tried the Rainforest of the Sea™ Wipeout Color-Correcting Palette before then, this palette would have definitely made the list. This all-in-one color-correcting palette features six creamy shades that works with any skintone to conceal and correct things like dark circles, redness and acne. It also has shades to contour and highlight the skin. The texture is easy to use and blend over the skin. It does not settle into the skin or fine lines — it actually seems to glide over them and minimizes the look of imperfections while giving it a brightened, soft focus look.

The shades of the Rainforest of the Sea™ Wipeout Color-Correcting Palette are numbered and it comes with a visual guide so application is simple. You can use your fingers to apply and blend or use the limited-edition Rainforest of the Sea™ Color-Correcting Brush ($24) which does ensure a flawless application. Its double-ended and was made for applying and blending cream products.

I have two shades of the Rainforest of the Sea™ Drench Lip Splash Lipstick. I was sent the shade Top-Down to try and after trying it and really liking the formula (I told you I was embracing this matte trend), I ordered Skinny Dip. Rainforest of the Sea™ Drench Lip Splash Lipstick is a satin matte lipstick that offers full coverage with not too much of a dull matte appearance on the lips. This is more of a creamy matte lipstick that is super hydrating. Again, this is because of tarte's Rainforest of the Sea™ complex which is combined in the lipstick with natural butters and oils. That means, the matte formula does not settle into the lines of the lips like a lot of matte shades nor does it dry out the lips. I am actually going to order more. There are actually 12 shades available from light nude dark blackberry.

The Rainforest of the Sea™ also features a unique 12-hour Water Foundation, Aquacealer Concealer, So Fine Micro-liner, Quench Lip Rescue and some skincare products that are all infused with the Rainforest of the Sea™ complex. I tried the Rainforest of the Sea™ Deep Dive Cleansing Gel which did a nice job at removing makeup and cleansing the skin while leaving it feeling hydrated. See the entire tarte Rainforest of the Sea™ line up here: Rainforest of the Sea™ Collection.

The tarte Rainforest of the Sea™ collection is available now at tartecosmetics.com and Sephora where it is an exclusive collection.

Spring is Coming — Make Sure Skin is Ready with AmLactin.

SPONSORED

Spring will be here in just over ten days! I, for one, cannot wait. I am in full-on spring prep mode. I am ready for the warmer weather, new makeup, clothes and spending more time outdoors. It is time that I get my skin ready for spring too. While it is cold outside and warm inside during the winter months, my skin has built up some extra layers of dry skin as a result of this low relative humidity. It definitely needs some extra attention. It's time to peel away those layers and uncover more soft, smooth and radiant skin with AmLactin Alpha-Hydroxy Skin Care just in time for spring.

AmLactin moisturizers are so effective at transforming dry, rough skin into soft skin. You see, each product is formulated with alpha-hydroxy therapy which gently exfoliates dry, dead skin cells and intensely hydrates. With creamy emollients and rich humectants that help retain the skin’s natural moisture, water is drawn to the skin so it looks and feels soft and smooth.

With so many products to choose from in the AmLactin line-up, there are plenty of ways to make sure skin is ready for spring.

Using the AmLactin Moisturizing Body Lotion, the AmLactin Cerapeutic Restoring Body Lotion or the AmLactin Ultra Hydrating Body Cream daily after you shower or bathe will get your skin off to a great start. I like using the Moisturizing Body Lotion after my morning shower and then the Ultra Hydrating Body Cream before bed to wake up with really soft skin in the morning.

Another thing that I have been doing before bed is using the AmLactin Foot Cream. I apply the Foot Cream and then put on a pair of cotton socks right before bed and wake up to beautiful feet. I mean, who wants to wear sandals with dry, cracked, scaly feet? Not me! Now I can paint my toenails and wear sandals this spring and not be embarrassed.

Want to learn more? Visit AmLactin on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

GIVEAWAY

Would you like to try AmLactin for FREE?

ONE winner will win over $100 worth of AmLactin Skin Care products! Follow these steps to enter my soft skin giveaway.

Visit AmLactin’s website and look at each product: AmLactin.

Then, in the comment box below, tell me which AmLactin product you’d most like to try so your skin is ready for spring!

Giveaway ends on 3/19/2016 at 11:59 PM EST. Representatives of AmLactin are responsible for shipment of the prize. You must be a resident of the United States and at least 18 years old to enter.

Uncover smooth, radiant skin with AmLactin Alpha-Hydroxy Skin Care. Its unique exfoliating and hydrating alpha-hydroxy therapy gently removes dead skin cells to reveal soft, hydrated skin. It’s the difference between skin care and skin therapy. AmLactin moisturizers are available on Amazon.com and at your local Target, CVS, Walgreens, Costco, Walmart and Rite Aid.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of AmLactin Skin Care. The opinions and text are all mine.