Decanting Lip Tars into Lipgloss Tubes (DIY OCC Lip Tar RTW)

I Purchased This Affiliate Link

Hey everyone! Today's post is on how you can decant your OCC lip tars from the original squeeze tube packaging into your lipgloss tubes in order to make your own version of the OCC RTW.

Recently, OCC came out with their Ready To Wear or RTW versions of their lip tars. It's the same lip tar formula but packaged into a lipgloss tube instead of the squeeze tube for easy application and touch up. I can't take credit for this idea, I got this from the MakeupAddiction subreddit. It's such a simple idea, I don't know why I didn't think to do this before. 

You can watch the video if you prefer to watch me talk about how to do it, reasons why to do it, etc., or you can keep reading below!

OCC Cosmetic Colour Pencils - Lip Swatches and Full Face Photos

Press Sample Affiliate Link

So I realized that I hadn't done any lip swatches of the OCC Cosmetic Colour Pencils, despite the fact that I much prefer them as lip pencils over any other use. I managed to swatch all eleven pencils in one sitting (and my lips are being drenched in lip balm as we speak). I think it'll be easier for you to get a sense of the color this way so I hope you find this post useful! I'll give my thoughts on each color as a lip pencil.

I do have a more in depth review on the formula here. I revised my thoughts on the formula a bit but for the most part it's still the same; I much prefer them as lip pencils as opposed to multipurpose pencils.

The pencils are available at Sephora (affiliate link) for $16 each if you'd like to get them now.

As always, pictures were taken in natural daylight. The pencils were applied straight on, no lip brush was used. I did apply a thin layer of lip balm (and wiped most of it off) prior to application because it made the pencils easier to apply but it did not affect the color. 

I'm experiencing major problems with Blogger adjusting the color of Anime, Grandma, and Hoochie which is affecting their accuracy so instead of hosting them here, I've uploaded them to an imgur album so you can see their true color unadulterated by Blogger's antics.

View Anime, Grandma, and Hoochie's pictures here.

Black Dahlia

Black Dahlia: "Blackened red" Much like the lip tar, the heavier the layer the deeper the color. Black Dahlia is a color that can be built up from a stained berry to a deeper red but I think it can be difficult to get a perfectly even layer on your lips. I applied a heavier layer here but you can get a sheerer color by applying a thinner layer.

Feathered

Feathered: "True white" While Feathered can get to fairly opaque coverage on the lips, it felt much drier and draggy than the other pencils so it was a little annoying to apply. I'd recommend a thin layer of lip balm (then wiped off) as a base so the pencil glides on a bit easier. This would be really cool to use if you wanted to do an ombre look.

NSFW 

NSFW: "True, balanced red" NSFW is so gorgeous. It's very similar to the lip tar and was wonderful to apply. You can get a really opaque, matte red look and you won't even need a color on top.

Pennyroyal

Pennyroyal: "Roasted peach brown" A bit too brownish for me but I think on other skin tones, it makes for a wonderful nude. This is eye-safe so if you have a tanner complexion, you may like this color for lining your waterline!

Pool Boy

Pool Boy: "Aquatic blue creme" Oddly enough, the pencil version of Pool Boy is different from the lip tar version. It's much darker though still beautiful. It would still be a wonderful match to pair the lip tar and pencil together!

Sibyl

Sibyl: "Midnight brown-out" For Arabelle, a brown lipstick. It's a brown that really edges on black and gives me all kinds of nineties vibes.

Tarred

Tarred: "True black" If you've been dying to pull off that matte black look (and wanted to use a true lip safe black), this is your color. Wear it, cherish it. Also, it'd be great for an ombre look.

Trick

Trick: "Warm, mid-tone beige" Trick is my new favorite nude color. There's enough pink in this beige so I don't look too ghastly in either direction. 

Of the eleven colors, Trick is my favorite. I would like Black Dahlia more but I think it applies too unevenly so it's a little high maintenance.

Disclaimer: I received these pencils courtesy of the brand. All opinions are my own. I'm not being compensated for this post. The link marked as an affiliate link gives me a commission based off your use of the link if you decide to make a purchase. Feel free to use a nonaffiliate link!

Keira Knightley-Inspired Red Carpet Orange Lip Look

I Purchased It Press Sample

Queen Lisa Eldridge recently posted pictures of this makeup that she did on Keira Knightley for her press tour for Jack Ryan: Shadow Pursuit and I wanted to do a quick recreation. If you'd like to get the look yourself, feel free to check out her blog post for the product list. I'm also loving that in spite of Valentine's Day coming up, there's been a shift from doing a typical red or pink lips to orange or purple lips.

(Forgive the iPhone picture, my camera battery was charging and I wanted to get a picture of this up!)

Product List
MAC Studio Sculpt Concealer in NC 30
Purely Cosmetics Diamond Perfect Finish Powder
OCC Radiate Lip Tar

If you're interested in replicating this look, feel free to follow this tutorial by the lovely Sona of MakeupbySona (in collaboration with L'oreal Paris). I'm not being paid anything for featuring this video tutorial, I just thought it might be handy for some of you to watch and to see how drugstore products can be used.



If you like anything that Sona is using, the video is actually interactive so wherever you see the True Match Makeup button, you can click it to purchase the item on Target.com. I don't make any money if you do choose to purchase anything so don't feel like I'm profiting from any of this! 

OCC Cosmetic Colour Pencil Swatches, Comparison, and Review *Revised*

Press Sample Affiliate Link

Along with the lip tars from the Spring 2014 Plastic Passion Collection, I was gifted the set of Cosmetic Colour Pencils (CCP). I'm going to swatch, review, and provide comparison swatches between the original lip tar and the counterpart cosmetic colour pencil.  I don't own all the lip tars but I do have five that I can compare the pencil versions to. Along with that, I will show the lip looks you can get by layering the lip tars with the counterpart pencils! I will not be reviewing the Anti-Feathered Cosmetic Colour Pencil in this post, instead I'll be testing it separately to see how well it performs at preventing feathering.

From top to bottom: Anti-Feathered, Feathered, Anime*, Sybil, Pennyroyal, Trick*, Tarred, Black Dahlia*, Hoochie*, NSFW*, Pool Boy, Grandma*

*Indicates that these are only lip and body safe. The rest of the shades (Feathered, Sybil, Pennyroyal, Tarred, and Pool Boy) are eye, lip, and body-safe.

I have quite a bit to say so I'll be putting the rest of the post under a cut!

OCC Plastic Passion Spring 2014 Lip Tar Swatches and Full Face Photos

Press Sample

While I was at IMATS Pro Night last Friday, I was very kindly gifted the lip tars from the upcoming Spring 2014 Plastic Passion Collection. There are also six nail polishes coming out in the collection. There were also accompanying loose color concentrates in the display but I don't believe they are part of the Plastic Passion Collection. Today I'll be swatching the lip tars that come in the collection.



I've got a lot of pictures so I'll be putting the information under a cut. Feel free to click to see all the information!

OCC Pro's Picks Lip Tar Set v2.0 Swatches and Review

I Purchased This Affiliate Link

This is part two of my lip tar swatching extravaganza. Today I'm swatching and reviewing the OCC Pro's Pick Lip Tar Set in v2.0. Compared to the v1.0 set, this set has a more varied range of colors and I think more suitable for those who like to mix their lip tars. I think it would be really cool if the sets came with like a little mixing palette so the consumer had a way to experiment with the colors; after all Iced (being a stark white shimmer) isn't a typical color you'd wear straight on the lips. The colors in the set include a mix of brights (Hoochie and Pretty boy), wearables (Kava Kava and Lydia), and an adjuster (Iced). Towards the end of the post, I'll show off the results of mixing Iced with Hoochie, Lydia, and Pretty Boy.

Where to Purchase: Sephora (affiliate link)
Price: $49.00 for five full size lip tars and a full sized lip brush.(.33 oz in each lip tar). Valued at $108 as the lip tars are $18 each and the lip brush retails for $18. 
Packaging: The lip tars and the lip brush are packaged in a clear bag with a zip closure. This bag is actually different from the bag you get in the v1.0 set. I personally think it's not as good because it's smaller and there are no dividers for your lip tars or the brush. It's also torn at the seam in one corner.
Do they test on animals?: Nope they don't and they never will. The lip tars are also vegan.
Wear Time: I can usually get about six to eight hours of wear (depending on the shades, the deeper reds wear better) but be wary of feathering. 

Swatch time. As always, the pictures were taken in natural daylight with no flash.

Hoochie: "Vibrant magenta" I really wish my camera could have captured the neon quality of the lip tar better. The color in my swatch is correct but it's so much more neon/bright in person. I'm not sure I'd describe it as a magenta because I always associate magenta as being reddish pink, this is more of a neon medium purple. It's definitely not for the shy. For a purple, it's actually quite easy to apply and isn't streaky or watery.

Iced: "Pure white frost" Unless you're living in a winter wonderland, you probably won't be wearing this color on its own. I think this is perfect though for those people who want to lighten up a color and also add some depth. Since the shimmer in Iced is so fine, when you mixed with another lip tar Iced adds more of a frost quality to the lip tar than any real shimmer or sparkle.

Kava Kava: "Medium peach" This is quite the milky peach. I think you do have to be a bit careful because it can settle in the lip lines. This is still a beautiful color but some finesse is required. It does seem like the beige lip tars are a bit more finicky with application.

Lydia: "Darkroom plum" I think this would be the perfect stepping stone color for someone who wants to get into wearing purple lip colors. Lydia is like a dusky berry pink with a slight plummy quality to it. It's not quite a pink but not quite a purple.

Pretty Boy: "Super-rich fuchsia" If this isn't a perfect barbie pink, I don't know what is. Pretty Boy is a bright and bold pink that needs no real description, it speaks for itself.

To show off the mixing properties of Iced, here are some combinations I did by mixing it each with Hoochie, Lydia, and Pretty Boy. You can see that they're not overly shimmery but just have this slight frosty quality to them without looking dated.

If you're into both bright and wearable colors and like to mix your colors, this set is perfect for you!

Disclaimer: I purchased this set myself. All opinions are my own. The link marked as an affiliate link gives me a commission based off your use of the link when making your purchase. The commission helps support me and the blog but feel free to use a nonaffiliate link!

OCC Pro's Picks Lip Tar Set v1.0 Swatches and Review

I Purchased This Affiliate Link

In an effort to continue my latest endeavor of turning lip tars into lipstick pencils, I bought both the OCC Pro's Picks Lip Tar Sets in v1.0 and 2.0 (all due to Sephora gift cards I hoarded from my birthday) and today I'm going to swatch and review v1.0 set and I'll swatch and review the v2.0 set in another post!

The lip tars in this set are Grandma, Melange, Ophelia, Stalker, and Vintage. Out of the three Pro Picks Lip Tar Sets, I'd say that this v1.0 set has the most "wearable" set of shades with a range from the very pink Ophelia to the darker deceptively intimidating Vintage (which is just a deeper berry red as opposed to be a super dark burgundy)

Where to Purchase: Sephora (affiliate link), 
Price: $49.00 for five full size lip tars and a full sized lip brush.(.33 oz in each lip tar). Valued at $108 as the lip tars are $18 each and the lip brush retails for $18.
Packaging: The lip tars and the lip brush are packaged in a clear bag with a zip closure.
Do they test on animals?: Nope they don't and they never will. The lip tars are also vegan.
Wear Time: I usually get about six to eight hours of wear (depending on the shades, the deeper reds wear better) but be wary of feathering. There's one exception that I cover later on.

Anyway, swatch time! I'm trying to experiment with how I present my swatch photos and a bunch of you said seeing a picture of my face wearing the color would be really helpful so I hope you like the collage presentation.

The swatch photos were taken in natural daylight with no flash and the lip tars applied with the accompanying brush.

 

Grandma: "Clean, classic coral" This is a beautiful bright and springy orange with a dash of pink. It's a universal color that would fabulous on both lighter and darker skin tone. There's enough pigment in the lip tar so it doesn't look overly milky on the lips and it wears beautifully.

Melange: "Terracotta neutral" Melange is quite an toned down orange beige, a little milky in composition. This is a color that looks very intimidating in the tube but is actually quite wearable on the lips. I really thought I'd hate this color but I like it, I think it's a very autumnal color (and I'm craving fall weather after the heat right now!!)

Ophelia: "Petal pink flush" Uh yeah, this is a pale bubblegum pink that's not very flattering on my skintone by itself. This would probably work better on paler skin tones or mixed in with another color to tone it down but it is a difficult of a color to apply evenly on the lips as it can show off brushstrokes if you're not careful. Wear time is poor compared to as the rest of the colors because it starts getting patchy on the lips so the "good" wear time is compromised and I personally can't wear this for more than a few minutes because of how uneven it starts looking on the lips. This is a better mixer than a color on its own.

Stalker: "Pin-Up blue based red" The most universally flattering shade in the bunch. It's utterly beautiful and wonderously pigmented. I don't own NSFW so I'm not entirely sure of the difference between that and Stalker but if you're looking for a true blue based red, this is it. (Stains terribly FYI). I'm so in love.

Vintage: "Deep true burgundy" Vintage is a step up in sophistication from Stalker. It's not a bold red but an alluring deep berry red. When you first put it on your lips it looks quite brown but when evened out, the red in the shade comes out. I'm actually a little surprised at how much I like the color, I thought it'd be a little too dark but it's wonderful if you're steering yourself away from the bright and bold reds.

If you're looking for a set of lip tars with colors that range from the palest pink to a deeper red, this set is for you! You're getting a 55% discount buying the lip tars in a set as opposed to buying them individually. 

Disclaimer: I purchased this set myself. All opinions are my own. The link marked as an affiliate link gives me a commission based off your use of the link when making a purchase. The commission made helps support myself and the blog however feel free to use a nonaffiliate link. 

FAQ: Turning Lip Tars into Lip Pencils

I've had a few people ask me a few questions on my lip tar to lip pencil tutorial (check it out here if you haven't yet!) so I thought I would write up a FAQ post answering ones that I've gotten!

The lip tars and the corresponding pencils are Memento, Radiate, and Pretty Boy.

Q: What are the advantages and disadvantages of the lip pencils over the lip tar?
A: There are a few advantages and disadvantages. 

Advantages

• Travel friendly 
• Less messy
• Precision without a brush needed
• Helps prevent any bleeding or feathering on the lips
• Can color customize
• Wear time is the same or improved 
• A more traditional lipstick feel

Disadvantages

• The end product is not vegan
• The pencils have to be sharpened so you lose some product that way
• The color can look slightly different due to the satin finish but the difference is so marginal. 
• You can't sharpen it too much otherwise the tip will break like a traditional pencil.

Q: Is the eyeliner base you use from TKBTrading lip safe?
A: Yes, the ingredients in the eyeliner base are lip safe. Prior to posting the tutorial, I made sure to ask the manufacturer (TKBTrading) who confirmed that it is.

Q: Will the lip tar lip pencils be vegan after the process?
A: No. This process will de-veganize your lip tar since the eyeliner base used in the tutorial contains beeswax.

Q: Why chubby pencils as opposed to slim line pencils?
A: I chose the chubby pencil barrels because I wanted to find a way to turn the lip tars into a traditional lip pencil and those are usually in the chubby pencil barrels and they are easier to fill than the slimline barrels without sacrificing precision. 

Q: What sharpener do you use to sharpen the chubby pencils?
A: I've had great results with my Essence pencil sharpener that you can get at ULTA and my Covergirl pencil sharpener.

Q: Will you be making a video tutorial?
A: I'm actually in the midst of recording one, it should be up soon!

Q: Is the color changed during the process?
A: In my experience, it looks like there's more of a difference than there actually is. When you swatch them on your hand, it looks like there'a huge difference but when worn on the lips, the slight difference is virtually indistinguishable. Check out my comparison of Pretty Boy Lip Tar and the corresponding pencil here!

Q: Can I make a custom color lip pencil?
A: You most definitely can! If there's a custom color that you like, you can mix it up (as long as it adds up to 2 grams) and make a pencil out of it!

Q: This looks like a lot of work! Will you consider making and selling these lip pencils?
A: I've been thinking about this actually and I think I will be. Feel free to contact me for more information!

Q: Does this work with the Stained Glosses or Metallic Lip Tars?
A: I do not know. I don't own either so I cannot assess to it. However you may want to keep in mind that the lip tar is essentially a colorant so if you have a sheer lip tar, then it'll produce a sheer lip pencil.

Q: The bottom cap for my lip pencil is loose, is there any way I can fix this?
A: If you take a pair of flat pliers to it, you can adjust it to fit the pencil better!

Q: What's the shelf life of the pencils?
A: I recommend you toss them after 6 months.

I hope this FAQ helped answer any questions you might have! Feel free to ask me questions and I'll be sure to answer them. Would you do me a favor and check out a poll I have going on my Facebook page? That would be so helpful!

OCC Lip Tar vs Lip Pencil Comparison

Press Sample

Hey everyone,

If you haven't yet, please read my last post on how to turn your lip tars into lip pencils! I meant to do a swatch comparison of the two but I was a little busy so I wasn't able to do it until today. I also wanted to show how the lip pencil can look once blotted and reapplied.

On my lips below, I applied the lip tar using a brush on one lip and I applied the lip tar pencil to the other lip. Which do you think is which? (This is Pretty Boy Lip Tar and Lip Pencil by the way)

**********************************************

The lip tar was applied to the top lip and the lip pencil was applied to the bottom lip. The lip pencil looks slightly lighter than the lip tar but that's due to the fact that it's slightly shinier, therefore reflecting more light. The bottom lip also tends to reflect more light due to the angle.

If you want to reduce the slight shiny finish, you can definitely blot your lips (I blotted the lip pencil, not the lip tar)

You can then intensify the color by adding another layer of lip pencil.

Or if you don't like the look of that, just reblot again. Although it takes more effort, I definitely think this look is the best.

When compared to the original (whichever way you wear it), the lip pencil can look a shade lighter due to the slight shine but I don't think it's drastic enough that it looks like you're wearing a completely different color. Unless you really looked hard, no one will tell the difference. Also, I encountered feathering/bleeding from the lip tar but I did not encounter that with the lip pencil. FYI: If you do a hand swatch comparison, the difference looks more drastic but it's not as drastic on the lips.

If you're someone who likes to custom mix their lip tars, you could definitely premix a color that you like from the lip tars (as long as it adds up to 2 grams) and make your own custom lip pencils instead of mixing it every time you go to apply. (Thanks Sam for the idea!) 

Someone on my Facebook page asked if you could do this with the stained gloss lip tars. I personally don't own one so I can't say for sure but I think the process would work the same since  the ingredients are the same as the lip tars. 

Should you do it? I'd recommend turning your lip tars into lip pencils if you don't like applying the lip tars with a brush, want the convenience of lip tars on the go, and dislike the bleeding of the lip tars. 

I hope you found this post helpful! Do send me pictures if you do decide to do this!

DIY Tutorial: Turn your Lip Tars into Lip Pencils!

Press Sample Affiliate Link

If you've been following me on my Instagram or Twitter, you'll know that my pet project has been turning my lip tars into lip pencils. It's an easy way to make your lip tars into something more travel-friendly and if you've had difficulty applying the lip tars with a brush, you'll find that the lip tars are easier and more forgiving to apply in pencil form. A lot of people have been asking so here is my tutorial on how to turn your lip tars into lip pencils!

I've found that these have a good wear time; after eight hours, the color started wearing away on the inside of the lip with the majority of the color still on the lip. I also thought this helped prevent some of the bleeding into the lip lines that I had with the lip tars in liquid form. 

Disclaimer: I have only done these with the regular lip tars, not the stained glosses or metallic lip tars so I can't say for sure how your product will turn out if you do use this tutorial with your stained glosses or metallic lip tars.

*Please do not use my tutorial or any of my blog content for commercial purposes.*

This post will be picture heavy so the tutorial will be under a read more tag! Please click to see the rest of the post.

Project of the Week: Turning my Lip Tars into Lipsticks

Koren/Enkore Makeup is the truly the King of DIY Cosmetics. I've been rewatching his old videos nonstop since school ended and came across these two videos on how to turn your lip tars into lipsticks. One version uses a premixed lipstick base and the other uses a chapstick base. Inspired by this, I purchased a few chapstick tubes and samples of a lipstick base from TKB Trading (I did not use a chapstick base) and went to town on my January Rising and Radiate Lip Tars.


I do think that once you've made them, you should wait a day for them to set firmly before using them. I made my January Rising lip tar yesterday but I thought they were too soft to use immediately, even after I put them in the freezer to harden up a bit; today though, they were firmer and easier to use.

For what it's worth, I think it will be easier to use a scale and candle method to melt the lipstick base, I found it a little fiddly to use a microwave since I had to be careful to ensure the lipstick base wouldn't boil. 

Just so you can see how the color didn't change, here are swatches I did of the lipsticks.

January Rising

Radiate

I hope you found this post useful! I think this is such an easy way to make your lip tars more travel friendly.

OCC January Rising Lip Tar: Swatch and Comparison

I Purchased This

OCC's January Rising was a special limited edition lip tar only available as a perk from a donation as part of an Indiegogo campaign by January Hunt to raise money for her gender confirmation surgeries. Only 1000 were made and I believe this color won't be sold in stores.

If you weren't able to donate to January's campaign, don't fret because it really isn't as unique to the other Lip Tars available in the line. January Rising was said to be a mix between Anime and Pretty Boy lip tar and while I don't own Anime, I do have Pretty Boy and was able to compare both. 

But first, here's a swatch of January Rising on its own. This swatch was taken in natural daylight and January Rising was applied using my finger.



Now January Rising vs Pretty Boy. In my humble opinion, it looks way more different in the swatches than it does when worn. Relative to Pretty Boy, January Rising is maybe a shade lighter and more neon.

Here is a hand swatch of January Rising and Pretty Boy, in natural daylight.

And here's how it looks on my lips. My top lip is January Rising, my bottom lip Pretty Boy. Any real discernible differences you see on your computer screen are negated when seen in real life. Both colors are beautiful but you'd really be hardpressed to see the difference if both were worn (I nearly forgot which was which in the picture).



The moral of the story is not to fret if you missed out on January Rising, Pretty Boy (and possibly Anime) will be close enough. I am glad they went this route, having a color that's relatively common because it means those who weren't able to donate won't have missed out on anything.

OCC SCI-FI LULLABIES Colour Collection & Power Plant Lip Tar Swatches, Photos, and News

I've got to get my recap post from The Makeup Show LA up soon but first I wanted to talk about the new Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics SCI-FI LULLABIES Spring 2013 Colour Collection. There are seven lip tars in the collection, with the majority in their new Metallic finish and several colors seem to be themed after the movie Blade Runner and rest off important figures or movies in the sci-fi/dystopian genre. To celebrate the Lip Tar's 5th Anniversary (it actually first premiered at The Makeup Show LA five years ago!!) and for Emerald being the Pantone Color of the Year, OCC created Power Plant which is a beautiful wintergreen with emerald shimmer. Power Plant is not considered part of the collection.

Lovecraft is a bright bubblegum pink with shimmer, Pris is a whitened beige with lots of white shimmer, Annika is a peachy pink, Clockwork is a terracotta-esque orange (how fortuitous to see A Clockwork Orange), Power Plant is an wintergreen with bright emerald shimmer, Zhora is an orange with a hint of peach, and Batty is a multi-sparkle black.

Availability: Lip Tars retail for $18.00 (a price increase that I'll talk about later on in the post). Currently, only Power Plant is available on Sephora* but the rest will debut online and in Sephora stores March 15th! You might want to check out your local Sephoras now though as they may already be carrying some of the colors (something I learned from The Doppelganger's post and lip swatches of Pris, Zhora, and Power Plant. Be sure to check out her post!)

The new lip tars also underwent a slight packaging change for the better; the names are now printed directly onto the tubes as opposed to on a sticker so no more issues with the names getting rubbed off!

I received Power Plant courtesy of the show so I have a lip swatch of it. Power Plant doesn't look all that impressive on its own but the best thing is that it works so well when mixed with other colors to add beautiful depth. The Metallic colors seem to be sheerer than the creme finishes as a whole and that makes it so much easier when trying to combine colors since you don't have to worry so much about adding too much and messing up your intended color.

Lip Swatch (Taken in natural daylight with no flash)

The base color for Power Plant is quite sheer so when you apply it, you mainly get the impact of the shimmer in the formula. As the color settles, you'll find the brightness from the emerald shimmer lessens. When applied a little heavier, it doesn't look very even on the lips and can appear patchy/streaky from the high shimmer content. If you want a more opaque-ish coverage, apply it using your fingers and not a brush. Honestly, I think it works best as a color to mix in with your other lip products and not necessarily on its own. 

I wanted to demonstrate Power Plant's cool awesome transformative powers by showing the result of mixing Pretty Boy and Power Plant. The top lip is Pretty Boy and the bottom lip is a mixture of Pretty Boy and Power Plant (I'd say 75-25 ratio of Pretty Boy to Power Plant). The addition of Power Plant creates a more purple color without adding too much shimmer. 



Regarding the price increase:

While I was at The Makeup Show, I had the pleasure of being able to talk to (talk to is being a little polite, I sort of bombarded) David Klasfeld, the founder of OCC, and I asked about the recent price increase of the lip tars from $16.00 to $18.00. He was very upfront and basically said that it came about after reevaluating the brand and product as a whole plus it resulted from OCC's growth from being just an independent brand into one that's being stocked at Sephora. He did make a point to say that he doesn't expect any other price increase to happen in the future for anyone that has any worries. I really appreciate that he was upfront to me about it and it is fair to say that the Lip Tars are a generous product, usually containing 3x the amount of traditional lipsticks so they were already a great value as it is. I did wish though that there was a bit of warning before the price went up.

When it comes to things we may see in the future, I asked about the potential for mini lip tars/a mini lip tar set and he mentioned that I should look out for something towards the end of the year (too long to wait in my opinion!). I suppose it might seem a little disingenuous to praise the lip tars for having a lot of product when I'm now about to say that they have too much but sometimes there is only so much of a color that I need so I'm really looking forward to the idea of minis, being able to potentially get tubes of colors that I'm more likely to finish. There was also mention of two more lip tar finishes coming out in the future (to accompany the Metallic and regular creme finishes in the line).

OCC is still a line I have great admiration for. Their decision to be vegan and cruelty free hasn't hampered their ability to come out with a varied range of products from concealers, airbrush makeup, tinted moisturizer, glitters, lip tars, etc. It certainly hasn't stifled their ability to create a wide spectrum of lip colors that work not only for the professional but also the consumer. 

Anyway, I hope you enjoy this post with swatches of the SCI-FI LULLABIES Collection. Do you think you'll be picking any of the colors up?

*Disclaimer: I received Power Plant lip tar for free as part of the Blogger Preview gift bag. I was not compensated for this post and all opinions are my own. The link marked with an asterisk is an affiliate link that gives me a commission based off your use of the link which helps support the blog. Feel free to use a nonaffiliate link if you like!

Top 6 Lip Colors of 2012

As part of an end of the year compilation, I wanted to talk about my top six lip colors of 2012. I wasn't as into lip products as much as eyeshadows this year which is why I could only come up with my six favorites (my next post will be on my top twelve favorite eyeshadows) These are all equally my favorite and aren't in any particular order. Nearly all of these lip products are essentially permutations of a red lip with one lone exception.

All the links go to my reviews on the lip product.

Besame Classic Color Lipstick in Besame Red: "True red, cool base, not warm. Like a navy red, bright and vibrant". A basic red but it's anything but a boring red. $22.00 for 3.5 grams

Bite Beauty Luminous Creme Lipstick in Tannin: "Poppy Red" If you're looking for more of a berry red, Tannin is perfect for that. A hint of wine adds depth to the color. $24.00 for 3.74 grams for

Darling Girl Cosmetics Hologloss in Mai : "Cherry red with golden green flakie" Why yes I am a narcissist at heart so the fact that this color is named after me is all the more reason to have it. 3mL for $5.25

Hourglass Extreme Sheen High Shine Lip Gloss in Siren: "Metallic red" The gorgeous metallic and copper red is unconventional but enough of a reason to get it. $28.00 for 5 grams

Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Lip Tar in Radiate: "True neon red" This is a bold watermelon red that works great to brighten up the winter days. $16.00 for 10mL

Too Faced Glamour Gloss in Flirt: "Pink mocha" When I want an everyday lip color, I go for this lip gloss. It's a my lips but better color. There's a bit of a tingle but nothing too painful. $19.00 for .12 oz.

Disclaimer: I purchased all the lipsticks. All opinions are my own.

*****************************

Can you guys tell me what your top lip colors of 2012 have been?

OCC Radiate Lip Tar: Swatch and Review

Can I call myself an official beauty blogger now? I feel like it's almost a rite of passage for any beauty blogger to own at least one lip tar. Honestly, I don't know how I managed to survive this long without one. I went back and forth on what color to pick but I saw this bright watermelon and I had to have it.

(Sorry about using the product picture from OCC, I couldn't capture the right color myself!)
Image source: OCCmakeup.com

Where to purchase: OCC, Sephora* 

Price: The full size is $16.00 for .33 fl oz.

Cruelty Free? They are 100% vegan and cruelty-free.

Packaging: Lip Tars are packaged in a plastic squeeze tube with a thin nozzle. It also comes with a plastic zip bag for travel and a short #010S Short Handled Precision Lip Brush. If you're curious, you get a lip brush with them even if you purchase the Lip Tars from OCC's website. I like the thin nozzle tip but I don't like how they've printed the color name on a sticker as it's already started wearing away on my lip tar. It isn't a huge deal since I only own one but I think as I start amassing a collection, I'm sure it'll get annoying. I do have some round stickers though so I might just start printing my own labels to stick on here.

Product Description: "A stunning new innovation in lip color, OCC Lip Tar combines the longevity of a lipstick, with the ease of application of a gloss. Goes on slick and moist, and dries down to a satin finish. Ultra-saturated in color, Lip Tar contains an unprecedented amount of pigment - a little goes a very, very long way! An intense yet featherweight layer of color that never looks or feels heavy. "

My Thoughts on the Formula/Wear Time:

The formula is quite different from most lip products I've ever tried. It is thin, a little watery but so heavily pigmented. A little truly goes a long way and you have to be careful not too apply too much as it can cause feathering. The included lip brush is perfect and necessary to get a precise line, which you need when the color is so bright and bold. I know Arabelle of FashionPirate uses Q-Tips to apply her lip tars so that's also a disposable option if you don't have a lip brush around.

Wear time is extremely strong, I've gotten six hours+ of wear but I did notice feathering on my lips by the fourth hour of wear. I think lip liner is necessary if you want to prevent feathering (drugstore brands like L'oreal and Maybelline make a clear lip liner and Cargo makes a "Reverse" lip liner specifically for this purpose). Beware, this lip tar stains.

The lip tar has a minty scent (due to the peppermint oil in the formula) and I personally love peppermint so this was a pro for me

Radiate is described as an "electric red/coral" and I definitely agree. I also think that the color is a little reminiscent of a strawberry.

As always, swatched in daylight.

Would I purchase again?

The lip tars do require more work and precision for application but I really liked it and want to purchase more. I didn't like the feathering on my lips but it is something that I can work around. I love that they're making unconventional colors popular and trendy, purple lips have really become commonplace. I'm holding out until IMATS LA in January to pick up more and my next might just be Belladonna.

Disclaimer: I purchased this product for review from the brand. All opinions are my own and I was not compensated for the review. The link marked with a * is an affiliate link which gives me a commission based off your use of the link. Feel free to use a nonaffiliate link for your purchase.

********************

I've got my first grad school application due this week so I'm super super busy trying to make sure everything is together plus working hours at the clinic on campus! 

The news of Urban Decay being purchased by L'oreal came out today. Needless to say, I am disappointed. I definitely don't profess myself to use exclusively cruelty-free products but when Urban Decay has been THE company to tout cruelty-free cosmetics only to join up under one of the major animal-testing companies, their cruelty-free stance rings hollow. Four months after deciding not to enter the Chinese market due to animal-testing, they're joining up with someone who does.

It may be important to consider who was behind the decision to sell. Urban Decay itself is owned by a private equity firm and though the company backed out of expanding into China, I wonder if the sale was out of the hands of the founder of Urban Decay.

What are your thoughts on the issue?

Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Metallurgy Holiday 2012 Lip Tars

Today I have a press release for the new OCC Metallurgy Lip Tars. If you haven't yet, check out the swatches from Temptalia! I only got my first lip tar a few weeks ago and I'm already hooked on the liquid lip color formula and bright unconventional colors.

From left to right: Authentic, Electric Grandma, Iced, Super NSFW, Triptych, and Yaoi (this is the metallic version of Anime Lip Tar and it took me way too long to realize the name was a play on the Anime lip tar)

Of the six lip tars, Super NSFW would probably be on the top of my list to get. I know it's not super unique but I get the best Christmas feeling just looking at it. Iced may also be one to pick up ever since I saw this picture by RisaRM on Twitter.


Do you plan on picking any of these up for mixing or straight up wearing?

Radiate

Maybe I can finally consider myself a legit beauty blogger now because I finally own an OCC Lip Tar (in Radiate). I'll have a good and proper post extolling its virtues coming up soon so in the meantime, enjoy this look I did with Radiate that I wore to a Halloween Party on Friday. (If you've liked my Facebook page, this was the lip product I previewed on Thursday!)

******************

I know Hurricane Sandy is traveling through the East Coast so if you're in its path, please stay safe!