Beautypress.com released an excellent report on lipstick trends through the years that I found to be totally fascinating reading, so I wanted to share it with you!

Beautypress writes:

According to Li Edelkoort, one of the world’s best known trend forecasters, there is an interesting connection between body, lips, and timeframe, influenced by focus and proportion. Many factors come into play when analyzing lipstick trends: emphasis on particular body parts, celebrities of the time, and most importantly, the economic and financial status of American society in general. Perhaps you knew that the length of a woman’s skirt is dependent upon the economy, but who knew the color and shape of a woman’s lips could be so telling of the times?

Read on for a summary of each decade’s trends!

In the 1920’s, the trend was for a matte-finished heart shaped mouth. Lip colors were black and garnet red, and the trend idealized the flapper, the women who go out to dance, drink illicitly distilled whiskey, and push the envelope of their independence. Edelkoort notes that since legs are the focus of the body, “breasts are smallish, and girls are boyish” and eyes are large and lips are thin. Clara Bow’s “cupid’s bow” lips are a perfect example of the period.

The 1930’s look is a mouth drawn outwards with square edges emphasizes the stern, perfectionist appearance of the sober 30’s. Women idolize Greta Garbo and Marlene Dietrich - powerful, yet glamorous women who are not afraid to determine their own fate, and lip color is a silky/glossy reddish brown.

The trend in the 1940’s is a full mouth formed with symmetrical curves, to represent the courageous, self-assured look of the 40’s despite wartime privations. Stars of the Silver Screen such as Rita Hayworth, Joan Crawford, Bette Davis, and Katherine Hepburn encourage the idea that women are equally as capable in filling roles formerly occupied by males. Lipstick becomes an instrument of individual morale, symbolizing strength while disguising sorrow and lip color is a brilliantly glossy vermillion.

The post-war period of the 1950’s was a time of rebuilding economies and a time of quiet rebellion for women seeking to oppose the traditional roles of women (which they fought to suppress during wartime) while embracing their feminity and sexuality.  The look of the time is a voluptuous mouth with the lip line extended beyond the natural shape, in colors of pink or red. Marilyn Monroe and Audrey Hepburn represent the era.

A full, soft pout goes hand in hand with the rebellious habits of hippies in the 1960’s, a period  characterized by the exploration of outer space, the sexual revolution, Woodstock, and the anti-war movement. Emphasizing the two extremes of the era, Twiggy and Brigitte Bardot are symbols of the rejection of conventional beauty, prosperity, and consumption. Lipstick is applied discreetly, in colors like shimmering beige-like mother-of-pearl, baby pink, and silver/white.

In the 1970’s, it’s all about disco! An outlined, shiny mouth in colors like glittering crimson or burgundy red convey self-confidence, in this era when women were breaking social conventions and explore boundaries, and fighting for their political and social rights. It’s not all serious though, Saturday Night Fever, Studio 54, platform shoes, and soulful divas like Gloria Gaynor and Diana Ross also define this decade.

A dark, wide mouth represents the provocative punk look of the 1980’s, while in fashion, women and men alike play with the idea of reverse gender roles. Music videos hit the scene, and women like Cyndi Lauper and Madonna flood the airwaves with bold, provocative messages about female strength and sexuality. Strong eyes and dark lips become a popular trend and lip colors are dark to black with metallic effects.

The 1990’s is the era of the supermodel, with women like Cindy Crawford, Christy Turlington, Naomi Campbell, and Linda Evangelista setting the ideal for women’s beauty. The lips are a clearly outlined mouth painted in natural colors, either shining or matte. Brown becomes popular, but overall the colors run the gamut.

In the 2000’s (the first decade of which is almost over!) the lips are a more natural shape and color. The colors are soft, in shades like apricot, beige, and pink. Trends reveal a desire for natural beauty, and a return to more basic essentials, as the economy declines and “green” awareness picks up. I believe women like Reese Witherspoon and Jennifer Hudson exemplify this more “natural beauty” trend.

There we have it! What lipstick trends do you predict for the future? Will everything old become new once a again?

Beautyfix 3 arrived the other day! In general, I think it’s great this time around, but there are a few things I would change, this time around. Read on for the details!

Beautyfix 3 comes with nine products and the great bag. (LOVE the bag, by the way! They are the perfect size for packing your lunch.) Unless you’re really paying attention though, you might not notice that there are actually twelve products total, but each member will only receive nine – and you don’t pick. Unfortunately, I didn’t get either of the two products I was most interested in! *sad face* I really think it is more straightforward to offer everyone the same set of products.

But with only one exception, the products are all quite nice and the value is excellent. As I mentioned before, there are products from brands like Decleor, Bliss, Juara, etc., some full size, some deluxe-sample sized. The only misstep, in my opinion, is the inclusion of a Degree body spray, an item that can be picked up for under $5 at any drugstore. It’s like playing “One of these things is not like the other things…” and can you spot what doesn’t belong? Right.

Overall, I still feel that Beautyfix 3 is worth ordering. I’m really excited to try the products I received, since everything (well, everything but the Degree) looks and sounds great!

It pains me to write less-than-glowing reviews. I try to pick products to try or buy that I think have a really good chance of pleasing me, and usually I’m right on. Therefore it totally bums me out when something I thought was going to be great turns out to be more of a flop.

This time it was with the should-be-fabulous Blum Naturals Exfoliating Towellettes. I picked a package up at Pharmaca, the place where I buy vitamins. They “are infused with natural and organic botanicals that remove eye & face makeup.” Also, “these exfoliating pads contain micro beads that help to clean and left away dead skin cells.” The ingredient list is good too:

Aqua/Water, Decyl Glucoside, Orange Peel Extract (organic), Aloe Vera Extract (organic), Gluconolactone, Sodium Benzoate, Glycerin

It’s a simple formula with a mild cleanser and some nice humectants. I also VASTLY prefer the package style with the snap lid for cleansing towelettes instead of the more common sticky-flap approach, since it keeps them fresher, longer.

So what’s the problem? The towelettes are too dry to get the job done. I just don’t feel like they are effective as a makeup remover because they don’t have enough liquid to work well. The so-called microbeads are dots imprinted on the cloth, but I don’t think they are raised enough to actually be exfoliating my skin. But the dryness is the bigger issue. It’s not just my package either. Since I poked around the ‘Net to see what others thought, I see this dryness complaint popping up, so I don’t think it’s just my package.

It’s too bad though – I so wanted to love these! They smell great, the formula isn’t drying at all, and I like that they are a more natural product. I haven’t given up entirely on Blum Naturals though. The sensitive skin formula seems to be getting good reviews, so I’ll probably give those a whirl next.

It has been BEASTLY hot in Portland today. It is supposed to continue being beastly hot for the next few days. Yuck!

As I’ve written about before, I wear less makeup when it’s really hot because I sweat a lot and there’s nothing less pretty than powder rivulets! Cream blush becomes my best friend!

Kohl’s Flirt! brand makes a nice mini-stick cream blush called Big Deal Lip & Cheek Tint that I am liking a lot. Online there are three shades, but I think they also do limited edition colors once in a while. I have the shade Bittersweet, which I bought on sale, and which seems like it’s closest to Hoola Hoop (available online). It looks like a bright pink in the tube but looks very pretty and natural on the skin.

The pigmentation is light and buildable. This is good for anyone new to cream blush, since it’s unlikely you’ll go overboard (always easier to add more than to take away!). The wear is decent, without much fading throughout the day. On these hot days, it doesn’t last as long as in the winter, but the tube is small enough to bring along for touch-ups. It looks very natural on the skin, and the price is right ($12.00 per tube, regular price).

I sure hope it cools off soon!

Askmewhats has nail art tutorial for bling bling nails.

The Beauty Chick reviews CoverGirl and Olay Simply Ageless Sculpting Blush.

Beauty Junkies Unite shows you the right way to get cheeky with 4 easy cheek stains.

Best Things in Beauty spotlights the new Giorgio Armani Beauty Fall 2009 colors.

Claire’s Beauty gives Clarins Delicious Self-Tanning Cream a test drive.

Denim Debutante has an in-depth review of Paige Premium Denim.

Fabulous Over Forty is giving away Sothys Sun Care to one lucky reader. Enter now.

The Glamour Whore shows off the hair raising talent of Olivier Chomienne.

Gloss Menagerie reviews Softlips Pure Honeydew.

Gouldylox Reviews sneak peek at Milani Eye Tech Infinite Liquid Liners.

Hairs My Story has a gorgeous summer tropics FOTD.

in a word…fab has a sneak peek at J.Crew’s Fall 2009 Collection.

It’s complexion week at the Informed Makeup Maven, and don’t forget to enter her cool giveaways this week!

Krasey Beauty discovers the beauty in going organic with Revolution Organics.

Visit Lipgloss Break and Enter to win The Cure 24/7 hair treatment and Sunkissed Glow fragrance by JLo!

My Beauty Bunny shows you how to get gorgeous, healthy, post-beach hair!

Sicka Than Average schools you on the best sunscreens for that pretty little face of yours. Protect ya neck!

ThisThatBeauty runs down fall’s hottest collections!

Unfunded takes on Farmer John with some killer denim cut-offs.

VexInTheCity invites you to share her addiction – her make up collection.

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I am a huge fan of cleansing cloths. There are some nights (more than I care to admit) when I just don’t have the energy to go through my nightly beauty routine. But if  I don’t do something to wash my face, the inevitable result of such laziness is blemishes.

The lastest cleansing cloths I’ve tried are these new ones from Skyn Iceland, the Glacial Cleansing Cloths. They are basically a cloth version of their Glacial Face Wash, and are meant to cleanse and detoxify the skin without overdrying. They will remove makeup, help prevent breakouts, and soften the skin. No water or rinsing is necessary!

I like these cloths a bunch! They are a generous size (I hate it when they are really small), gentle on my skin and eyes, yet effective at taking off all my makeup. My skin has a tingly sort of feel after I’m done, but it isn’t unpleasant or irritating.

The real test comes after using them for three or four days in a row. With other brands (like Pond’s, which I otherwise like because they’re cheap) I can’t use them for more than a day or two without getting breakouts anyway. The cleansing cloths that get two thumbs up are ones that pass the three or four day mark with no breakouts, which the Glacial Cleansing Cloths do. WIN!

They are a little pricey, $15 for 30 cloths, but they are definitely  made with better ingredients than cheaper products. Plus, it’s worth it to have a product that prevents breakouts, instead of causing them. Two thumbs up!