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PremiumI never intend to be but I always end up becoming a last-minute shopper. I'm sure I'm not the only one judging by the massive crowds at all the retail stores this week.
Thought I'd share some of my personal picks for last-minute beauty gifts!
I was originally going to do two separate posts for these kits so it wouldn't be confusing, but they do kinda overlap a little so I might as well post them together!
This is the Long-Wear Age-Repair Kit. It comes with four full-sized Korres Cherry Oil lipglosses in 23 Light Purple, 22 Rose, 54 Fuchsia and 25 Natural Purple plus three full sized Lip Butters in Jasmine, Pomegranate and Quince. The price tag says this set is $39, but I got it for $30 on sale at Sephora.com. 
A simple yet attractive presentation. The products are nestled into a pink cardboard tray.
Jasmine, Pomegranate and Guave Lip Butters. 
22 Rose
23 Light Purple
25 Natural Purple
54 FuchsiaAs you can see, the shade names don't seem to match the color of the gloss at all. Rose is the only one that really looks like its name. Also worth noting- the shades in this kit vary greatly from the ones in the photo on Sephora's website.
23 Light Purple, 22 Rose, 54 Fuchsia, 25 Natural Purple.
The lip butters are the top row. Jasmine, Pomegranate and Guava. 
23 Light Purple, 22 Rose, 54 Fuchsia, 25 Natural Purple.The glosses are somewhat sheer but buildable. Natural Purple is a creme while the other three all have subtle shimmer.
The finish is glossy but not over-the-top glossy, it's a nice middle ground. They provide a nice amount of color and subtle sparkle but none of the colors are particularly flashy or outrageous. They're all very natural and flattering, 'my lips but better' is the phrase that comes to mind.
Korres describes these are 'Long-Wear' and I'd have to agree. The color and shine last on the lips for several hours, even after drinking from a cup (which usually obliterates my lipgloss). It could be due to the smooth texture of the gloss- it's not at all sticky. It's slick and smooth and it doesn't want to stick to everything like a lot of glosses do. They feel very moisturizing and my lips actually feel better after these have worn off- they're like a treatment and a gloss fused together. I really like this formula.
The special ingredient in these is Cherry Oil, which they claim creates a water-resistant shield. It does that, but it also has another benefit: It smells awesome. These have a very light scent of natural cherry. No medicine or candy cherry scent in here. Just light, sweet, unobtrusive natural cherries. It even tastes a little like cherries. It's not sweet or flavored, but the scent of the oil in these does add a little bit of a cherry taste.
The colors are all extremely flattering on me. Like I mentioned before, they're subtle and natural, so they're likely to suit many different skintones. The Light Purple shade is my favorite- it's a perfect pink nude lip on me. I have pigmented lips so it's hard for me to find lighter colors that look right. This is light without being whitish/pale/pastel.
The packaging is also nice. The caps are a rich bronze plastic with golden shimmer running through it. It looks really classy and luxurious. The tubes are a little odd looking with all that random writing all over it- it sorta gives the impression of a medicine or a natural remedy type product that you might find in an apothecary. The wands are standard doe-foot wands that only hold a small amount of product- you will have to apply twice if you want full coverage.
I really love the Korres Cherry Oil gloss formula, and now that I know it rocks I want to try all the shades they make!
This kit also contains three Lip Butters. Last year when I was asking for good winter lip balm recommendations, these were suggested by quite a few people. I like them but they do have their flaws.
The finish is glossy but not over-the-top glossy, it's a nice middle ground. They provide a nice amount of color and subtle sparkle but none of the colors are particularly flashy or outrageous. They're all very natural and flattering, 'my lips but better' is the phrase that comes to mind.
Korres describes these are 'Long-Wear' and I'd have to agree. The color and shine last on the lips for several hours, even after drinking from a cup (which usually obliterates my lipgloss). It could be due to the smooth texture of the gloss- it's not at all sticky. It's slick and smooth and it doesn't want to stick to everything like a lot of glosses do. They feel very moisturizing and my lips actually feel better after these have worn off- they're like a treatment and a gloss fused together. I really like this formula.
The special ingredient in these is Cherry Oil, which they claim creates a water-resistant shield. It does that, but it also has another benefit: It smells awesome. These have a very light scent of natural cherry. No medicine or candy cherry scent in here. Just light, sweet, unobtrusive natural cherries. It even tastes a little like cherries. It's not sweet or flavored, but the scent of the oil in these does add a little bit of a cherry taste.
The colors are all extremely flattering on me. Like I mentioned before, they're subtle and natural, so they're likely to suit many different skintones. The Light Purple shade is my favorite- it's a perfect pink nude lip on me. I have pigmented lips so it's hard for me to find lighter colors that look right. This is light without being whitish/pale/pastel.
The packaging is also nice. The caps are a rich bronze plastic with golden shimmer running through it. It looks really classy and luxurious. The tubes are a little odd looking with all that random writing all over it- it sorta gives the impression of a medicine or a natural remedy type product that you might find in an apothecary. The wands are standard doe-foot wands that only hold a small amount of product- you will have to apply twice if you want full coverage.
I really love the Korres Cherry Oil gloss formula, and now that I know it rocks I want to try all the shades they make!
This kit also contains three Lip Butters. Last year when I was asking for good winter lip balm recommendations, these were suggested by quite a few people. I like them but they do have their flaws.
They're a sheer tinted thick balm with minimal shine. They actually remind me more of a lipstick than a lip balm. They have a very stiff, waxy texture that does last a long time on the lips, but it never feels very moisturizing to me. My lips don't really feel softer or less dry after wearing these.
They are lightly scented. The Jasmine seems to have a subtle vanilla-like scent, while Pomegranate and Guava have a subtle fruit scent.
I think the best use for these is to apply them after a lip scrub. That way you can lock in the moisture and smoothness, since these form a nice protective barrier to keep moisture in.
I would use these more often, but they have one fatal flaw for me: they come in a jar. I hate sticking my fingers in things and I also hate having to carry a lip brush. I don't carry these with me because of this; I keep them at my vanity near a clean lip brush and use them while I apply my makeup.
But, thankfully, Korres read my mind and created this:
The Line-Smoothing Lip Butter Glaze Trio!
Here are the swatches again. Lip Butters on the top row- Jasmine, Pomegranate, Guava. Lip Butter Glazes on the bottom- Jasmine, Pomegranate, Raspberry.
The glazes have a much smoother, slicker texture but aren't quite a lip gloss texture. They're a spreadable balm with a high gloss finish. They melt when you apply them to your lips and that's a dead giveaway that there's a lot of nice natural butters or oils in the formula.
They don't last as long on the lips as the Cherry Oil glosses or the original Lip Butters in the jar, but they make up for less longevity with increased moisturizing ability. These do actually make my lips feel less dry and they have a less waxy texture.
All of the shades are shimmer-free and sheer. Jasmine is, of course, the lightest, providing a light pink tint, Pomegranate is a perfect bright coral tint and Raspberry is a subtle red-burgundy berry tint. The original Jasmine in the jar was unwearable for me because it left a white cast on my lips- too light for my coloration. Fortunately, the new Jasmine glaze is sheerer and pinker so it's not ghastly on me anymore!
They're scented the same as the Lip Butters- light, subtle scents.
They are packaged in a plastic squeeze tube with a slanted tip applicator. The tube for Jasmine is my favorite- soft pink tube with bronze writing and the same shimmering bronze cap as the cherry oil glosses. Very 'healthy' and spa-looking. Unfortunately, the outer packaging for the kit isn't as nice as the tubes- it's in a ziplock bag with paper label stickers. Not my idea of pretty!
I wish that they had these Glazes in squeeze tubes before! I greatly prefer them because they're lighter, glossier and much more sanitary- no more putting your fingers in a jar! These were a great idea and I hope they make them in every shade.
Both of these kits get my seal of approval. They're inexpensive, attractive, contain full-sized products at a reduced price and the items inside are great quality. I'd like to give these as much as I'd like to receive them!
They are lightly scented. The Jasmine seems to have a subtle vanilla-like scent, while Pomegranate and Guava have a subtle fruit scent.
I think the best use for these is to apply them after a lip scrub. That way you can lock in the moisture and smoothness, since these form a nice protective barrier to keep moisture in.
I would use these more often, but they have one fatal flaw for me: they come in a jar. I hate sticking my fingers in things and I also hate having to carry a lip brush. I don't carry these with me because of this; I keep them at my vanity near a clean lip brush and use them while I apply my makeup.
But, thankfully, Korres read my mind and created this:
The Line-Smoothing Lip Butter Glaze Trio! This one has Jasmine, Pomegranate and Raspberry, but the Raspberry is almost the same as the Guava in the Lip Butter kit.
Here are the swatches again. Lip Butters on the top row- Jasmine, Pomegranate, Guava. Lip Butter Glazes on the bottom- Jasmine, Pomegranate, Raspberry. The glazes have a much smoother, slicker texture but aren't quite a lip gloss texture. They're a spreadable balm with a high gloss finish. They melt when you apply them to your lips and that's a dead giveaway that there's a lot of nice natural butters or oils in the formula.
They don't last as long on the lips as the Cherry Oil glosses or the original Lip Butters in the jar, but they make up for less longevity with increased moisturizing ability. These do actually make my lips feel less dry and they have a less waxy texture.
All of the shades are shimmer-free and sheer. Jasmine is, of course, the lightest, providing a light pink tint, Pomegranate is a perfect bright coral tint and Raspberry is a subtle red-burgundy berry tint. The original Jasmine in the jar was unwearable for me because it left a white cast on my lips- too light for my coloration. Fortunately, the new Jasmine glaze is sheerer and pinker so it's not ghastly on me anymore!
They're scented the same as the Lip Butters- light, subtle scents.
They are packaged in a plastic squeeze tube with a slanted tip applicator. The tube for Jasmine is my favorite- soft pink tube with bronze writing and the same shimmering bronze cap as the cherry oil glosses. Very 'healthy' and spa-looking. Unfortunately, the outer packaging for the kit isn't as nice as the tubes- it's in a ziplock bag with paper label stickers. Not my idea of pretty!
I wish that they had these Glazes in squeeze tubes before! I greatly prefer them because they're lighter, glossier and much more sanitary- no more putting your fingers in a jar! These were a great idea and I hope they make them in every shade.
Both of these kits get my seal of approval. They're inexpensive, attractive, contain full-sized products at a reduced price and the items inside are great quality. I'd like to give these as much as I'd like to receive them!
