Bare Escentuals Buxom Big & Healthy Lip Stick and Insider Eyeliner – review
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase.
Could there possibly be a bigger fan of Bare Escentuals than I? I think not; and I think that is why I was asked to write this post. You see, ever since I first saw the swirl, tap, buff infomercial, I was hooked. When I tried it for myself, I was enraptured. My skin has always been difficult: prone to breakouts and blemishes, oil slicks that would make Exxon-Valdez jealous, and a sensitivity to rival Alan Alda’s.
Bare Escentuals was the first makeup that even remotely did what it would promise: my skin didn’t break out, my oil was kept to a dull shine, and my face looked natural. Love, love, love. Naysayers beware: I heart Bare Escentuals more than my Prius, more than my best fitting pair of jeans, more than my Minnetonka Moccasins, more than my bronze Michael Kors strappy platform sandals…more than any inanimate thing I own.
Originally, all I cared about was my foundation fix: I needed the foundation, mineral veil and warmth, that’s all. But then I began to notice their other products. It started with their eye colors: loose and heavily pigmented, they too worked better on me and had greater staying power than most any other. Nude Beach, we’ll never be far apart.
I started to segue to lips when I noticed the Buxom Lips color/gloss named for my mom, Stella. I had to get it. It smells like mocha, colors like a lipstick, shines like a gloss. Stella was ok, but it was a little too much like mom: brassy and loud. I really wanted to try the plumy Dolly but felt I had to give mom a bow. Next time, Dolly.
Now, thanks to we heart this, I was able to give the Sephora exclusive Buxom Big & Healthy Lip Stick a try. This is a fantastic treat: it’s smooth like your smoothest lipstick, but with a precision tip that makes lining easy. I got Brooklyn which is earthy, and nowhere near brass. (Oddly enough, a quick swipe of Stella looks superfab on top if I’m going out on the town for a night). This product claims to plump lips, too. My lips are a little on the plump side already, so I don’t know if I noticed this claim to be true, but I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt.
I’ve never tried the Bare Escentuals Buxom Insider Eyeliner (another Sephora exclusive), but seriously, I must. I’m counting on the Review Team to give me the lowdown on this one.
I’m also anxious to hear about a bonus item received, the Bare Escentuals Crash Course, a four-piece beauty shortcut. Included in this emergency beauty kit is an eye color in Gossip, the Flawless Definition Mascara in Black (miniature size), the 100% Natural Lipgloss in Wild Honey (also mini…and with a name like that, who doesn’t want to try it?), and a supercool metallic zippered pouch in which to keep all of this fabulosity.
Oh Bare Escentuals, what have you done to me? I am a slave to your charms…sing to me like the siren you are.
Let’s hear it ladies! Testers, tell us your thoughts on the Buxom Big & Healthy Lip Stick, Insider Eyeliner and the Crash Course. Any other BE fans out there to rival Sherri’s devotion? ~wht
Sherri is a true renaissance woman, co-authoring What Would You Do With This Room? My 10 Foolproof Commandments to Great Interior Design
I received Bare Escentuals Big and Healthy Lipstick in, “Las Vegas”- It’s a pretty vibrant pink shade. I like where BE is going with their makeup line. This is a three-in-one lipstick. What I mean is it works like a liner and fills like your normal lipstick and finally It actually plumps your lips! A true three in one product for $18.00. I think this is coming with me in my pocketbook to have in a pinch.. I just add a little shine to it and I’m a happy camper! I love that this product is NOT full of Parabens – Sulfates – Phthalates. I also like that its formula has antioxidant vitamins A, C, and E for soft, smooth lips. It also has exotic mango and avocado butters – no wonder if feels like butta on my lips! What I’m really happy about is that It also comes with a built-in sharpener. But I’ll be dammed if I can find it! One of the ladies at my office tried it on and of course broke the tip off! She’s not used to wearing any lipstick or gloss.. I was really tying to encourage her to wear it.. figures she goes and does that! If someone can enlighten me about the built in sharpener, I’ll be your best friend!
Well, Irene, you’re one up on me because I didn’t even realize the Big and Healthy lipstick HAD a built-in sharpener. I can’t say as I’ve needed it since the tip may now be rounded, but it’s not too big to line and fill. They sure did hide the sharpener! Anyone?
Hmm, I did not test the BE’s, but it looks like the lipstick has one of those sharpeners inside the pencil, that sharpens as you twist the product out (hope that made sense!) Irene, maybe try twisting the product down so it’s flush to the pencil and and then twist it back up. Hope that works!
.-= Tyna Werner´s last blog ..I heart the LA County Fair =-.
Fist off, the BuxomBabes glosses are one of my favorite gloss lines of all time anywhere. The color stays on SO well and I love the tingly-menthol-plumping goodness…and the colors are all so pretty!
I second Sherrishera and you definitely can’t go wrong with the shadows. Those little pots of shimmer will last forever. Nude Beach is to Sherrishera as Summer is to me. Loves it!
Now I got to try the Buxom Eyeliner in Amethyst (dark purple). Its creamy and applies in one smooth stroke. Doesn’t quite have the staying power of some competitor eyeliners, but it works well enough.
I got to try the Buxom Insider Eyeliner in Sapphire which is a really pretty blue. It goes on really smooth and it’s easy to make a thick dramatic look when applied to the outside of the lash. I know some of you may be having 80’s flash backs but it’s really not that bad. It’s a pretty blue that really pops. Also the built in sharpener is great! Just an easy twist of the stick and you get a fresh application of eyeliner.
I’m not brave enough to try this on the inside of my lash. I think I would poke my eye out when applying and I know for a fact I would rub it off throughout the day. But I think once I try it and learn not to rub my eyes I will like this look too.
The only thing I didn’t like was trying to get it off at night. Maybe I just don’t have the right eye makeup remover, but it looked like I had two black eyes when I washed my face. I had to scrub really had to get it all off.
I have not tried any of the Bare Escentuals’ products mentioned but I’ve tried their powder foundation. I’ve never gotten the color quite right, but it is everything they claim it to be. IT is light, easy to forget you’re wearing it, oil absorbing, and softens flaws like enlarged pores.
Ok, first of all, Ladies-the sharpener on the lipstick is at the end of the tube! Twist the colored part to the left and voila, out pops off a tiny and perfect little sharpener. Cori, Katie, I would imagine the eyeliner sharpener in the same place?
I chose to test the Buxom big and healthy lip stick in Monte Carlo, a beautiful, hot pink. And I have to say, I couldn’t love this more! The formula is really smooth, I love how it tingles (very rare for a lipstick), I love that it’s a combo lipstick and liner, and I love the built in liner, so handy. And the color? Oh, it’s gorgeous! Very fashion forward, really bright but totally wearable. I am loving hot pink right now and I think this may be my favorite.
Did it plump? Meh, not so much. I really believe most plumpers just FEEL like they’re plumping (that tingle, the rush of blood, it makes you more aware of your lips than you were before you put on the plumper, so you think “Hey, I have lips! And I think they may be plumper!”) so I really didn’t go into this with those kind of hopes.
But for every other aspect of this product, 5 shiny stars!
.-= stef´s last blog ..tarte multiplEYE lash enhancer – review =-.
I didn’t get to try any of the products that were reviewed, but I own their foundation, mineral veil, numerous eye shadows, numerous blushes (of course), and one of the Buxom glosses in Dolly, which is a very sheer, nude pink. I really enjoy their foundations, etc. in the winter when I’m less likely to sweat. Powders just look cakey on me in the heat. The buxom gloss I own is nice–it doesn’t really plump my lips up, but it doesn’t irritate them, either, like many plumping glosses do. I can’t recommend their blushes enough–they look really natural and last forever.
After checking out swatches on Sephora, I kinda want to try the Buxom stick in Brooklyn now…*sigh*
I didn’t try the lipstick or liner either, but also have and LOVE mineral veil. It’s got a wonderful twist up tube that keeps the powder neat, compact, and delivers the proper amount. It’s light enough to not feel heavy and cakey, but strong enough to keep my ridiculously shiny nose matte all day!
I’m also a big fan of their mineral veil and use it daily, but unfortunately I can’t use their foundation. Something in it causes my skin to itch like crazy. I’ve also used the BE eye shadows and love them. I think I’ll add the Buxom Lips to my list of must haves. Sounds like something I would love.
Just thought I would drop you a note that BM are now doing a Matte foundation version which has no bismuth in it – I reacted like you to the original ie itchface. This one is supposed to be itchfree.
Claire – thanks so much for letting us know!
Thanks oh brilliant one! You are righty-o again; I have finally found the sharpener! I am so happy. Just so you know, I did try that originally but it sure felt like it wasn’t moving an inch! I’m no weakling wither.. It took some strength to get it off.. it was more like holy cow, this is tight, i don’t want to break it!
Any lip product Stef gives 5 stars to I have to try!!! :)
I just bought the Wild Honey lip gloss on Ebay. I couldn’t stand not having it’s peachy pink goodness. Sigh, I am so powerless to my addiction…
.-= stef´s last blog ..I heart the LA County Fair =-.
Though I had been looking forward to a fall semester sans classes (my first since I was about 3 years old), I made an exception for bareMinerals’ Crash Course. At least there was no studying involved!
Like Sherri said, the Crash Course kit comes with bareMinerals Gossip Eyecolor, a mini bareMinerals Flawless Definition Mascara in Black, a mini bareMinerals 100% Natural Lipgloss in Wild Honey, and an After-School Bag (a cute, zippered pouch to carry all of your goodies in)!
Everyone who has gone shopping will attest to the fact that I’m simply drawn to the travel-sized toiletries (they’re just so cute)! So, I pretty much squealed when I saw the itty-bitty mascara in the Crash Course kit. Though the applicator is tiny, it delivers precise application. I had absolutely no problems with clumping and my lashes were long and fat, but still quite natural looking (as long as you’ve forgotten that such long lashes do not occur naturally). And, of course, since the mascara contains lots of nourishing ingredients, my lashes didn’t get crunchy!
The Gossip Eyecolor was quite intimidating in the pot. It’s dark gray, almost black, and sparkly. Out of the pot, it’s considerably less…gothic. I think it may be a key ingredient in creating the coveted smoke-y eye. I found that using a little bit all over the lid and then lining the upper lashes with the Eyecolor makes for a great look. But I also wearing the Eyecolor as liner alone (for a more work appropriate look). The bareMinerals are easy to work with and are surprisingly long-lasting (though the sparkle of Gossip faded a little bit by the end of the day).
The peachy/pink Wild Honey Lipgloss is pretty impressive too. It’s moisturizing and fairly long-lasting (though it didn’t last me through a meal). However, the orange-y undertones of the lipgloss made me feel as though my teeth looked less white than they usually do. It’s a problem that a couple white strips could solve, but just be warned that if off-white teeth is an issue for you, Wild Honey may not be your color!