You Dropped the Balm on Me, Baby

I'd like to sing the praises of a new HG lip product I can't get enough of.

First, here's a little background on my obsesh:

In high school I would literally freak out if I didn't have some form of lip balm with me. I would get a panicky feeling if I somehow forgot it. My balm of choice back then was Carmex, but I would use nearly anything in pinch. I even had one of those crocheted hippie lip balm necklace caddies (kind of embarrassing- but I let it all hang out for ya). True Story: One time I went to Venice Beach for the day and forgot my Carmex- I used $3 of the measly $5 lunch money that I had, to buy another tub. (tourist prices, I know)

So I used Carmex for years and then we just grew apart and I flirted unashamedly with any and every lip balm (I was a balm whore!) I encountered. Then, I somehow fell hopelessly in love with Cherry Chapstick. And used it EXCLUSIVELY for nearly a decade.

In the last couple of months I've become more and more enchanted with all things 'Green'- I am a sucker for good marketing, plus I really do care about stuff. ;) SO, I'm toying with the idea of giving up beauty products with petroleum...

Enter Badger Organic Cocoa Butter Lip Balm (swoon!) First off, I can't resist anything cocoa buttery. It is just a weakness! Love the smell, texture and most of all, results, of products that have cocoa butter. Badger has several flavors of the balm, but the Creamy Cocoa is just the base without anything messing up the cocoa butter goodness. The simple ingredient list from their website:

Base Ingredients: *Extra Virgin Olive Oil, *Cocoa Butter, *Golden Yellow Beeswax, *Castor Bean Oil, Extract of *Aloe Vera, and CO2 Extracts of Rosehip, & *Seabuckthorn Berry.

* = Certified Organic

This balm is really moisturizing and the tube is huge! I am alternating it with my beloved Cherry Chapstick (that I will NEVER completely give up). Right now I use the Badger throughout the day- it is living in my handbag- and the CC at home- residing in my medicine cabinet. I think I've struck the perfect balmy-balance.

DO Believe the Hype!

Confession time: I have purchased yet another lip gloss. Smashbox Lip-enhancing Gloss in Hype! It looks very peachy-nude in the tube, but is actually slightly pink and 'me-only-better' on the lip. I tried this shade on one day at Sephora. I was having a rough day and decided to perk myself up with a lunch time trip to my little oasis in the mall. I'm not sure what drew me to it, it's not a color I would normally gravitate towards, but I tried it. I loved it. But I didn't buy it because, frankly, I just have too many glosses. Upon nearly every subsequent visit to Sephora I tried it. I kept loving it, but kept telling myself that I should NOT buy an $18.00 lip gloss until I have used up at least ONE of my current lippies. But the color is so pretty and the formula is very smooth and super long lasting for a non-sticky gloss. I resisted about one month. I caved this past Friday afternoon. And I don't regret it!

Here is what Smashbox has to say about it:

"TRUE COLOR– Vitamin E and sunflower seed oil nourish with a touch of creamy color. Velour wand perfectly contours lips. 8 stay-true shades."

I've Got Good News & Bad News, part 2... sweet tartes!

Now for the good news...

Report # 2 on my recent trip to Sephora:

I picked up something fabulous. Tarte Rise & Shine lip stain & lip-enhancing gloss. I am a huge fan of the Tarte gel cheek stains, which I have been known to wear on my lips even though they don't taste great. So, with the lip product, one end is a nice berry stain. You apply this with a wand and wait for 15 seconds. Then proceed to the other end where you will find a light pink gloss that seems to cause some sort of chemical reaction when applied. As soon as you touch it to your lips it begins to tingle. As it tingles it begins to darken the lip, creating a crushed berry hue with nice shine and oomph. Oh yeah, and it tastes good.

I may have to get another tube so I can keep one in my train case and one in my handbag.

After perusing the Sephora website I came across a cute little set- Lovin' the Fast Stain- which is a mini cheek stain and a mini lip stain. I don't recall seeing this at my new Sephora so, darn, guess I'll have to keep checking back in with them until it arrives...

Bombshell-In-Training

I spent a fabulous Saturday afternoon visiting Sephora and Bath & Body Works with my BSS (Bomb Squad Sidekick), S. and her super-fun little girl, J.

We spent over an hour sampling glittery stuff and perfumes. Little J and I have very similar taste in fragrance. We both are drawn to the sweet, food-y scents. J. couldn't get enough of the Britney Spears In Control Curious in the classic black atomizer with pink sprintzer thingy. I have to admit- it smelled awesomely chocolately, sweet, and was not over-powering. It would look perfectly at home on any mirrored vanity.

I smelled something new, Lawrence Dumont Vanilla Orientale. Oh it was so light and yummy with spicy undertones. I was going to purchase, but after wandering the store for an hour I re-smelled my wrist to find that the dry down was pure vanilla. Not even a hint of the "orientale" left. So disapointing. It still smelled good, but I have a Bath & Body Works vanilla perfume that smells just as good...

J. decided on a Sephora Girls coin purse/compact. It's pink with a cute little kitty cat and unzips to reveal a small collection of perfect eyeshadows and lip glosses for Bombshell-ettes.

S. finally chose a Tarte Blushing Bride blush gel stick. The color is so pretty and I can't wait to see her rosey cheeks next time we get together.

I made a small purchase that I'll report on later...

Pilgrimage to Mecca

After months of waiting, the boarded up store-front taunting me, SEPHORA has opened in my local plaza. Today was the grand opening and I promptly received a text message from my beauty-addicted friend, R.

So, after my Friday night dinner date with D., we headed over so I could spend the gift certificate that has been burning a hole in my handbag since my birthday back in May (May 18 to be exact, hint, hint). I could easily have put it to good use online, but I made a vow to myself that I would keep it until the store opened...

D. dutifully wandered about with me, smelling things I offered him, acknowledging my outbursts of 'cute!', 'pretty!', 'I've always wanted to try this and it smells fabulous/repulsive...', etc. But when it came time to check out, the line snaked around the store, D. ditched me and waited outside. No problem, I made new friends in line, gave some advice ("oh- get the travel tube of Smashbox Photofinish Primer, not the glass bottle", "Wet n Wild has a lip plumper that works way better than Lip Fusion for about $48 cheaper", "oooh, have you tried Smith's Rosebud Salve? It's fab!"), and managed to check out with a balance left on my gift card!

True to form, I bought MASCARA and PINK LIP STAIN/GLOSS. I also got samples of eye make up remover and teeth whitener. Reviews will follow... stay tuned.

Annie get your Gun

The old west... those broads were tough. You had to be tough to survive in that world. Can you imagine heading out west on a stage coach or covered wagon or even by train? It would take weeks upon dusty weeks to get to your destination and you had to maintain your dignity while wearing a corset!

My favorite show- Deadwood- on HBO shows some of these amazing (and crazy!) women. They did what they had to do to make it, but they looked great doing it. Maybe in real life their faces were a little more haggard, but they still curled their hair, wore beautiful full skirts, and put a little rouge on their cheeks- even if they had to drag those beautiful full skirts through the mud- they looked great!
I'm finding inspiration in the wild west women- scrubbed skin, a little blush, bee-stung lips, up-swept hair, a girly outfit, and a gun...

Poodle-icious

I am a MAC newbie- I've toyed with the occasional MAC product. I bought mascara once- not better than my beloved L'Oreal... I do use the "paints" in bare canvas as a primer before eyeshadow and it's great. But, for some reason, I had never fallen into the MAC cult. I love their marketing and advertising and apparently this new collaboration with Barbie got me.

I needed a pick-me-up on Friday afternoon, so I hit my local mall on my lunch hour.

The perfect pink lip gloss or should I say lip glass was unearthed....Pink Poodle! It's bright bubble gummy, but can be either a sheer was of color, or a bright pop depending on how much you apply. And, just like everyone says, it does last a loooong time. It's thick, but not overly sticky. It stayed inside my lip line which is very important to me. I can't stand when gloss migrates and feels like its crawling on my face. (as much as I loved the Philosphy gloss in Strawberry Daquiri, it would not stay put!)

If your inner-bombshell is craving a pink pout- take the Poodle for a walk...

Red Lipstick

Red lipstick- it is quintessential bombshell. I'm not always the diligent red lipstick wearer I should be. I fall into the low-maintenance trap and wear mauve, or nude, or gloss, or chapstick. These all have their place in a Bombshell's artillery of lip wear....but the perfect red....

I was recently inspired by some photos of an ex-beau's current flame's red lips. It's interesting how seeing someone you used to interact with on a daily basis can bring back such a flood of memories. But the real impact came from seeing his lady's chic red lips-so striking- I thought, "Wow- I should put in the effort to maintain the red lip all day- even during the mundane work day". Its so glamorous.

So the past few days I've made the effort. I've felt extra glamorous and even filing papers has felt more exotic.

Red Lipstick- ambassador to the world!

Ode to Drugstore Gems Part 1

The Bombshell Biker doesn't need expensive cosmetics- she wants them! There are times, though, when funds may be either low, or needed for other things (ski lift tickets, gas for a road trip, slot machines, etc...)

I have found many Drugstore Gems that I continue to use even when I can afford to go luxe. Some of these items I've happened upon in my many wanderings of the drugstore aisles (its quite therapeutic), some I've read about in magazines or other beauty blogs, or on Makeup Alley, some I've searched for when I needed a replacement for a higher end item that I either couldn't afford at the time, or needed access to right away (no Sephora in my town).

So today I will sing the praises a few of my favorite cosmetic gems that I use daily:

• My absolute # 1 product- expensive or cheap- is L'Oreal Original Voluminous Mascara in Blackest Black. At about 6 bucks a tube, you get thick, dark, dare I say..."Voluminous" lashes. Sometimes I apply about 10 coats, but one or two will still get you amazing thickness. It stays put through an hour of Turbo Kickboxing! But amazingly, washes off with regular foaming face wash.


• Almay Line Smoothing Compact Makeup spf 15. I use the shade called Buff 140. This is a very creamy foundation that comes in a little compact with a mirror and a separate, ventilated compartment underneath that houses the sponge applicator. I discovered this Almay makeup when I ran out of my beloved Stila stick foundation and the 'powers that be' had regrettably decided to take my Stila counter at my Macy's away from me! I use my Stila foundation brush #27 to apply the Almay (if I'm in a hurry I use the little sponge that lives in the compact). It has nice coverage, feels cooling on my skin, is moisturizing, AND has spf 15. Its about $12-14. About 1/2 the price of the Stila (although the Stila seems to last longer). I still buy the Stila when I'm near a Sephora, but the Almay is great for everyday use- whether I'm just going to work, or if I'm riding on the back of a motorcycle in 100 degree heat all day!


• Jane Eye Zing in Goldie Looks. I really just stumbled upon this subtle, but shimmery champagne-ey gold eye shadow. I was looking for something as a warm counterpoint to my signature cool, silvery NARS Bombshell. I saw it at Rite Aid for about $2 and thought I'd give it a whirl...yay! I love it by itself or over a matte beige from Clinique.


• Cherry Chapstick- my staple, staple, staple! I keep a tube everywhere. It imparts the tinyiest hint of color, moisturizes like crazy (without being greasy which is my complaint about most lip balms), and makes me feel good! AND its about 99 cents a tube!


• Last but not least today- Revlon Super Lustrous Lipsticks in Cherries in the Snow and Mauvy Night. The classic black tubes with gold trim are so vintage-y and very Bombshell! They are about $6 and you get long wearing, but not drying, color. The Cherries in the Snow is a perfect blue red and the Mauvy Night is a very "me only better" color for my lips.

I like to mix my Drugstore Gems with my higher end products, that way I feel pampered and fiscally responsible at the same time.

Bombshell Ball Game!

This afternoon I'm going to a football game. My beloved local junior college is playing in the second round of the championships!

Being a Bombshell Fan is probably one of the easiest looks to pull off. Basically, one must stay warm, wear appropriate footwear for navigating steep stadium steps, and protect one's skin from the sun and wind.

Fortuitously, my team's colors are red and white. This means I can wear my red wool coat with the faux leopard fur collar and cuffs! (I will also have my giant red foam "We're #1" finger proudly displayed- but that's not very "Bombshell-ey" so I won't discuss it further, although having 'team spirit' and being enthusiastic are very Bombshell)

Lately my sunscreen of choice is Cetaphil daily moisturizer spf 15 for everyday use. If I'm going to be out in the sun all day then I definitely use something stronger. But the Cetaphil will work fine for today- the game doesn't start until 4pm which means it will be dark an hour into the game.

If you are attending a sporting event of any kind, this basic Bombshell look will work:

• Dark jeans (bootcut jeans with boots (duh)/heels/wedges-I recommend wedges for the comfort factor at these types of events or cuffed jeans with sneakers/ballet flats)


• Cotton or Cashmere sweater layered over a close fitting t-shirt or blouse


• Glamorous coat, preferably in a color that coordinates with your team, but not necessary, and definitely NO team logo jackets (unless your boyfriend gives you his letterman jacket ;) and a team jersey is another topic all together that I will discuss at a later date.


• scarf and gloves (and a hat if you live in a really cold climate)


• wool blanket for sitting on or wrapping up in...


• Sunscreen


• neutral makeup, but red lipstick would definitely be appropriate if desired!

Go Team!

The Bombshell Biker goes live!

While riding on the back of my husband's motorcycle I have lots of time to think about fun things. One day, the idea of the Bombshell Biker popped into my head. A blog where I could share my beauty secrets and tips for looking pretty and girly while participating in an active lifestyle. Let's face it- helmet hair is not the most glamorous and flattering look for anyone. (And while I'm on the subject- I do not wear chaps, bandanas, those weird leather 'hair harnesses' for a braid, or any of the other typical "biker" accouterments.)

I thought about how I like to do all kinds of active things in my life and I want to be comfortable while participating- but I do not want to look like a tom boy- or worse- a boy! My original idea for the Bombshell Biker tag line was, "for girls who love boys that ride bikes." But I realized that its about way more than sitting on the back of a motorcylce looking cute...
its about an entire lifestyle- taking advantage of every situation and being prepared for every situation so that you can have fun, be comfortable, and feel pretty at all times!

I plan to post as often as possible about what works (products, tools, accesories, etc), what doesn't, and what happens along the way. I welcome your comments and feedback, too!