Brighten Up with Sonia Kashuk’s Satin Luxe Lipsticks & an awesome $100 GiftCard Giveaway!

Do you know what Kate Middleton and I have in common? We favor a signature look. We know what works and we stick to it. Lined eyes, check. Bronzed skin, check. Pink blush, check. Soft, loose, bouncy curls, triple check.

Occasionally, though, a gal has to step outside of her comfort zone. (After all, the Duchess did recently wear sparkly gold Jimmy Choos and a deep plum polish on her toes.)Inspired by her breakaway from a classic round-toe pump and royally proper soft pink pedicure, I too decided it was time to make a bold beauty move, and so began my encounter with the bright lipsticks I’ve always admired but was afraid to wear.

I’ve always been eager to try the Sonia Kashuk products I saw in the beauty section at Target (especially after reading rave reviews about her makeup brush collection), so when Target sent me some products from Sonia Kashuk’s collection, I felt it was time to break out of my soft pinks and nudes and bring my lips into spring by trying a bright pink shade.

I was intrigued by Sonia Kashuk’s Satin Luxe Lip Color because the formula was created to feel silky and smooth when initially applied and then it’s supposed to morph into a long-lasting lip stain--because in America, we send people to the moon and make lipsticks that morph from smooth and moisturizing to a long-lasting stain.

I first tested it on my hand and noticed it didn’t wipe off easily like most lipsticks, but that’s okay, because I like a challenge. I had to work on it to remove it completely, so for ladies who like their lips to stay bright after sipping coffee…and eating a muffin…and having that second cup of coffee, this may just be the lipstick/lip stain for you.

Though it’s available in 14 shades (including tried-and-true colors like “Nude Pink”), in my quest to step outside of my signature look, I test-drove “Pink Punch.”

First, let’s talk packaging, as I’m a big fan of all things pretty. I liked the simple black case and also that the top shows the color so that you don’t have to turn your lipstick upside down and squint to figure out what color it is as you’re fumbling through your makeup bag (never while driving, of course) or your vanity. I also loved the “SK” stamp on the top of the lipstick. It’s a nice touch and very Tom Ford-esque (only without the hefty $40 price tag).

Something I love is that the Satin Luxe Lip Color has an SPF of 16, plus lots of other great anti-aging ingredients like Brown Seaweed Extract to preserve skin elasticity, and Ceramide 2 and Palmitoyl Peptide to visibly reduce the appearance of wrinkles (because, sadly, lips get wrinkles too). With summer just around the corner, SPF on the lips is a must. As we all know from sipping a too-hot drink, lip burns hurt…especially so when they’re inflicted by the sun’s harsh rays.

I was nervous to put on such a pigmented color (because hello, I just started filling my wardrobe with color this year…my lips were totally uncharted territory), but I cautiously applied it and was pleasantly surprised to see how much it brightened up my skin at 7:30 in the morning.

Though it’s a long-lasting formula, it’s a cinch to re-apply because there’s already a great stain on your lips to act as a base for the color. I also like that although it’s a lipstick, it has a nice satin finish that makes lips look moisturized and healthy, and it’s not too thick or glumpy. (Is that even a word?)


So, here comes the moment we’ve all been waiting for--the bright pink lips, in all their glory:

Now that you’ve seen this pretty pink lipstick, I know you’ll want one too--and BlogHer is giving away a $100 Target GiftCard to one lucky winner (so, um, you can totally buy the lipstick and, like, 10 other things). If you’d like to enter, please leave me a comment
below that answers the following question:

How much is too much to pay for lipstick?

Seriously. You all heard me in my “products I regret buying video” talking about the underwhelming $30 Dior lipstick I bought (it’s not a bad lipstick, but $30 was steep for a non-holy-grail product). At $9.99, the Sonia Kashuk lipstick is a steal, especially because it’s long-lasting and multipurpose. (I like to dab a bit on with my finger and top with gloss for a softer look.)

Here are the official entry rules:
No duplicate comments. You MUST leave a valid email address along with your comment.
You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:
a) Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post
b) Tweet about this promotion and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post
c) Blog about this promotion and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post
d) For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.

This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older. Winners will be selected via random draw and will be notified by e-mail. You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.

The Official Rules are available here. This sweepstakes runs from 6/4 to 6/30. Be sure to visit the sponsor's brand page on BlogHer.com, where you can read other bloggers’ reviews and find more chances to win!

Good luck!

FTC Disclaimer: Target sent me the Satin Luxe Lip Color and other products from the Sonia Kashuk line for me to review. I am being compensated for this review, but as always, these are my honest opinions about the product.