Gluten-free Red Lipstick Shootout-- featuring Red Apple Lipstick

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VfCZHEwjSs

I recently compared and contrasted some of Red Apple Lipstick's fabulous new fall (gluten and allergen free) red lip colors with a few of their previously released colors in what I like to call a Red Shootout! I don't know which is my favorite as they're all unique and have their own beautiful undertones and twists on shades of red. In my quick little shootout video, I feature six shades of red and one berry/red lip gloss. Below I'll describe and compare the features of each one since the video is shorter and just a small visual overview. All of the products featured can be found at redapplelipstick.com

Red Apple Lipsticks Featured: (in video order)

• Red! 101 - This is the epitome of a classic red lipstick! It was the first color I ever bought from RAL and easily one of my favorite and most used colors. It's a blue based red that has the perfect amount of creaminess and shine. This really looks great on a variety of skin tones.

• Strawberry Lips - Closer to a wine color of red, Strawberry Lips is darker and has more brown undertones than Red! 101. Compared to Barcelona, it's slightly lighter in color and with less brown/orange tones in it. It has a silky finish with no sparkles but nice shine. It can be worn more sheer or darker depending on the number of coats applied.

• Light My Fire (new fall 2013) - The name of this one says it all! Light My Fire is a pretty and glowing coppery red with little shimmers that remind me of a warm fall bonfire. I really love how it slightly sparkles in the sun or shines at night.

• Ravishing (new fall 2013) - This bold red is described by RAL as "luxurious" and "crimson". I agree! It has fantastic color payoff as part of the instant color collection and is darker than Red! 101 and Strawberry Lips. I love the depth of Ravishing, and I think it even makes my teeth looks whiter when I wear it! I apply it with a lipbrush.

• Barcelona (new fall 2013) - This is such a great name for this one, it reminds me of a warm Spanish brick color. I think the brown/orange tones in this red would flatter a lot of different skin tones and it's a great color to play with intensities (sheer vs. bold).

• Fierce (new fall 2013) - The best bold and deep red/purple wine color ever! Fierce looks ultra dark in the tube, but applies lighter. I regularly use a lip brush to apply this vampy color for more accuracy--I don't want to go out of my lip line with such a bold color. While some women might think it's too dark for them, I say think again. You have total control of how light or dark you want the color to be since it's a mineral lipstick. I think a vampy dark lip in the fall/winter months is so chic!

• Berried Treasure (mint 2 be gloss) - I love this minty gloss and use it almost daily! It's a true berry color that is a little more on the sheer side, but with tons of shine and sparkle to brighten up your look. I paired this gloss over Strawberry Lips and got a great shiny mauve color! This gloss would look great on everyone in my opinion. It also contains added vitamins for great lip health and moisture around the clock.

Which gluten-free red lipstick is your favorite??

(Tip: Regularly exfoliate your lips of dead skin cells using RAL exfoliate stick before applying lipstick for an ultra smooth finish).

**Also worn in the video on my eyes: Red Apple Lipstick Mineral Eyeshadow in "Down the Earth" all over the lid and "Silver Lining" on the inner corners of my eyes and just under the brow bone for a natural awakening glow.

Allergy-friendly Summer Beauty Bag (gluten-free, soy-free)

Throughout the life of this blog, one of the most requested topics has been allergy friendly, toxin-free, gluten-free, and soy-free cosmetic alternatives. Not surprisingly, these products have proved challenging to find in the past. Today, there are many great products and awesome companies bringing us safe and beautiful collections that not only highlight our natural beauty, but keep us reaction free in the process! What goes on the skin sinks in, so being mindful is key. I've spent a good deal of time perfecting my own safe beauty bag and I'd like to share my favorite trusted brands and products with everyone in hopes of shedding some light on this popular topic. (Note: The following comments are my own unsolicited opinions). If you're new to my site, this is kind of a part-two to an earlier post I did on products in my beauty bag. Be sure to check it out for more information.

Top Gluten-free, Allergen-free Cosmetics Brand:

RED APPLE LIPSTICK

I discovered Red Apple Lipstick some time ago and I'm excited to say they are definitely my favorite cosmetics company by a landslide. The owners Jay and Andrea Harper are fantastic to their customers and are real innovators in toxic-free products. I recently was named the winner of their Red Apple Girls Instagram photo contest and was featured in an ad on their facebook page which can be seen here. Not only do they have amazing lipsticks, glosses, and eye-shadows, rumor has it a mascara is in the works! Check out their YouTube Channel for some great tutorial videos put together by Ashley from Red Apple Lipstick, and a few other videos from Jay, Andrea, and happy customers. Allergen-free, gluten-free, Vegan, paraben-free, cruelty-free, and awesome...what's more to love? (Picture above left: Wearing a matte lip in Secrets and using Silver Lining as an eyeshadow and face highlighter).

Favorite Red Apple Lipstick products for summer:

1. Lipstick in Sunkissed
2. Lipstick in Secrets
3. Lip-gloss in Diamond Sands
4. Lip-gloss in Amor Caliente
5. Eye-shadow in Down to Earth
6. Eye-shadow in Vamp
7. Eye-shadow in Siren

-Pictured from left to right: Red Apple Lipstick Lip-glosses in Diamond Sands, Hot Mess, Berried Treasure, Fuzzy Navel, Amor Caliente, and Nude Peppermint.-

Other Gluten-free, Soy-free Top Picks (shown above):

1. RMS Beauty -- "Living Luminizer" (shown top left) is one of my favorite products and is a great highlighter for a natural glow on the skin. It is rich in coconut oil and vitamins for the skin. I use it almost daily. Also pictured is a cream eye-shadow in Magnetic (bottom center) which is a lovely metallic prune shade.  RMS "un-coverup" is amazing as a light-wear foundation as well (not pictured).


2. Ultrapure Cosmetics, Mineral Makeup -- Flawless Finish Powder Foundation in Beach Babe (pictured with brush) is the perfect shade for my skin and is very lightweight. It lets your natural skin shine through and just helps to even out the tone throughout. Ultrapure Cosmetics carries a great pressed powder foundation, (shown in the very first photo upper right), safe mascara, eye-shadows, face cleansers, and eye-liners.


3. Physician's Formula -- While some of their products aren't labeled gluten-free, a lot of them are clearly labeled and can be found in most cosmetics sections in major stores. I use the Super BB All in One Powder with Zinc Oxide sunscreen and absolutely love it. It's gluten-free, hypoallergenic, paraben-free, and fragrance-free. It isn't specifically listed as "soy-free", but I have never had a soy reaction to it despite being very sensitive. I also use the mineral bronzer (shown in the very first photo far right) and eye-liners designed for hazel eyes (also shown in the very first photo upper right). Physicians Formula has a large range of products, so be sure to read the ingredients. Some products do contain soybean oil and I stay away from those. They are clearly labeled.

Pictured from left: Red Apple Lipsticks in Secrets, Strawberry Lips, Red!, Ultrapure Cosmetics Lipstick in Delicate Plum, and Red Apple Lipstick's Lip Exfoliate product.

What are your favorite non-toxic, allergen-free, gluten-free beauty finds?

Contest Winner, Happy Spring!

Congratulations to Anne H, the contest winner of the Red Apple Lipstick Mint 2 Be gloss giveaway!

Thanks to everyone who entered, and be sure to stay tuned for some other giveaways in the future. I also want to wish everyone a happy spring and share a picture of the beautiful spring flowers my fiance brought home the other day. Have a lovely start to the week!

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Red Apple Lipstick Lip Gloss Review and Giveaway!

Wearing "Hot Mess" Mint 2 Be gloss from Red Apple Lipstick

It seems like spring has finally sprung here (knock on wood!) and what better way to kick it off than with a colorful new line of lip gloss from Red Apple Lipstick? Red Apple let me in on a sneak peak of the new Mint 2 Be Gluten-free lip glosses and after trying them out over the holiday weekend, I was instantly hooked. I love the silky feel of the gloss and it's foolproof to apply, even for those it's-a-red-light-time-to-finish-my-makeup-while-driving-to-work types...not that I ever do that or anything.. The bright hues are amazing and the formula is not the least bit sticky--it really nourishes the lips.

I sampled the "Berried Treasure" and "Hot Mess" glosses, which have a fresh minty tingle, loads of vitamin C and E, and a flattering sparkly sheen. As always from Red Apple Lipstick, these glosses are safe and non-toxic, gluten-free, allergen-free, vegan, paraben free, and of course awesome. To learn more about why toxic free cosmetics are important, check out Mr. Jay Harper's ebook, "Toxicity in Makeup - Silent Killings for a Profit". Jay is the CEO and rocking visionary behind Red Apple Lipstick. I think we should all give Jay and his team a big thanks and round of applause for not only making us all feel a little more gluten-free gorgeous, but for also caring about our health in the process. Now for the Giveaway!!

Wearing "Berried Treasure" Mint 2 Be gloss from Red Apple Lipstick

I'm so excited to be hosting my first Give-away ever on the blog! Red Apple Lipstick will be sending one of the new Mint 2 Be lip glosses to a lucky winner on my blog! To enter the giveaway, leave a comment below letting me know which new Mint 2 Be gloss shown here is your favorite, by Friday at 2:00pm Eastern Time. One winner will be chosen at random from the comments below. Please only leave one comment per entry. All repeat comments will be counted only as one entry. Thank you and Good luck to all to enter!

Giveaway contest ends Friday, April 5th at 2pm Eastern Time!

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Red Apple Lipstick

 

-Wearing Red Apple Lipstick in Sunkissed-

I'm taking a quick break from my holiday shenanigans to let you all know about one of my favorite beauty finds of 2012, Red Apple Lipstick! I first heard of Red Apple through the magazine I write for, Delight Gluten-Free Magazine. I've been hard pressed to find a gluten-free lipstick that was also soy-free, allergen-free, and non-toxic, but this lipstick seems to have it all; creamy, smooth application and vibrant healthy color. It's also safe for all of you lovely vegans out there.

Looking in my search stats, I see that many of you have been scouring my site for more safe beauty finds. I know firsthand how frustrating it can be to pick up a product at the drugstore after attempting to read a long list of unclear ingredients, taking a chance, and then suffering the consequences with an allergic or celiac reaction. My honest and unsolicited opinion is that I know when I put this lipstick on, there's no guessing and no surprise reactions. I believe all of their rich shades would flatter any skin tone, as I've never been able to find a bright shade of red that looked great against my skin until I tried Red Apple Lipstick. "Red!" and "Sunkissed" (modeled above) are both two of my favorite shades. I plan to try their glosses and eye-shadows in the near future, so stay tuned for reviews to come. Check out all the Red Apple Lipstick products here. In the meantime, back to my holiday hiatus. Thanks for the great color Red Apple Lipstick, I am definitely an obsessed Red Apple Gal!

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