primetime: duwop prime venom

Is it just me, or is there something a bit strange about wearing lip plumpers? While I like the ultimate result – slightly perkier, flushed lips – most of them come in a glossy format that just feels a bit off-putting once the cooling, tingling effect kicks in. But thank goodness for Prime Venom, Duwop's newest addition to its Venom line, which comes in a satin-matte balm. While I have to work myself up to reach for the Lip Venom, I would reach for this: It's a lot more wearable than the gloss, since you can just slick it on like a lipbalm (on its own or underneath lipstick) without looking like you're wearing a ton of goop. What's more, the tingling sensation, rather than feeling weird, actually feels kind of like the cooling effect you get from wearing that old standby, Blistex Lip Medex. It's not distracting, but just feels right, like its fortifying my lips and that all is good with the world.

lip rehab: bioelements instant emollient

For my nightly beauty ritual, I'm pretty good with covering the basics: removing makeup, moisturizing face, brushing teeth... But there's one thing I usually skimp on, and it's pretty minor (and in turn, rather lazy): I'll often forgo a lip conditioner and thus, my lips are a sorry, neglected state of affairs in the morning. To remedy the problem in the morning, I've been reaching for a new type of product that's been taking up space in my cosmetic bag of late: the Instant Emollient by customizable skincare brand Bioelements. It's $20, which might seem a high cost to pay for the small swath of skin that is your lips, however, it covets and heals with skincare ingredients such as vitamin E, aloe and a witches' brew of herbs such as ginseng, sumac, gotu kola, dong quai and watercress (you won't find those in your average Lip Smacker!). It simply melts into skin, transforming lips from scary sandpaper feel to silky smooth – the perfect canvas to apply lipstick, gloss or whatever you please. And much as I loved my Rootbeer Lip Smackers back in the day, I love that the Instant Emollient is not overly-scented – it has just a hint of Bulgarian rose oil added in.

What are your beauty sins? Let me know in the comments.

back to basics: MAC strobe tinted lip conditioner sticks

Remember the days when the only "makeup" you would wear was your Bonne Bell Rootbeer Lip Smackers? Yes, grade six was a long time ago, but I still kind of miss those simple, carefree days when lipbalm was all the makeup I ever needed. All the lipglosses and lipsticks in the world can't match a good lipbalm for me, which is why I'm loving the easy-breezy simplicity of the MAC Strobe Tinted Lip Conditioner Sticks. Far superior to your old Lip Smackers, these little beauties moisturize your lips while imparting a pretty whisper of pearlized color (hence the "Strobe" moniker). They look really bright in the tube, but are the most flattering, natural-hued pinks and berry shades when you put them on. My fave is the Strobe Current shade, the most perfect berry-pink. And while it doesn't smell like rootbeer, it does have that heavenly vanilla-y MAC lippie scent. Slip one of these in your purse, and you may not want to go back to your precious lipgloss anytime soon.