Review: GLEAM by Melanie Mills

Happy Monday, lovelies!  So a while ago, I received a couple of products from Melanie Mills, former head makeup artist of Dancing with the Stars!

These glosses are super-hydrating with a high-gloss finish.  The wear a little sticky (which you all know I LOVE), and they are fully opaque.  They leave behind the most amazing stain, so I like to apply Uncontrollable and Up Against the Wall straight from the applicator, then blend out with my fingers.  I apply Naked with the applicator and try not to blot because I adore a glossy nude lip. These are also scented; the fragrance is reminiscent of MAC lipglasses.

Uncontrollable: It's a bright, blue-based fuschia -- it leans a little mauve.  I can see this being a little cool for some very warm-skinned people, but this colour is right up my alley.

Up Against the Wall: Blood-red with just enough blue and brown to suit everyone.  I can 

Naked: This is a corally, brown-based nude.  I usually have a hard time finding nude colours that work on me (i.e., don't make me look dead or my teeth look yellow), and this one fits the bill perfectly.

Here's my thing about this line of lipgloss: this is a perfectly edited collection, which is extremely rare.  Another line that I find to be similarly well edited are the Tarte Amazonian Clay Blushes.  I kind of sort of really really love that there's one red, one coral, one fuschia, one raspberry and one nude and one of everything else.  There's certainly a side to me that loves that MAC and Inglot do 12 slightly different shades of taupe, but consumers just get overwhelmed if you give them too many choices. Kudos to Melanie for her forethought.

She also sent me her signature product: Body Radiance!  These bring the nicest sheen to the body, as evidenced by the DWTS clips I YouTubed.  I've tried to DIY this myself before, by adding shimmer powder into a body lotion, but that always ends up a) looking patchy or b) all over my clothes.  These shimmers are waterproof and transfer-proof.  In other words, a godsend.

I received two colours out of four -- Light Gold (left) and Rose Gold (right).  I thought Light Gold would be nicer on my olive skin, but I actually think Rose Gold looks much more natural.  These feel amazing and would make a great body lotion on their own.  I'm hoarding mine for an evening beach party so I can look all candle-lit and glowy!  If you grab one of the darker colours, it's the easiest way to fake a tan for a day.

All these products can be purchased directly from her site.  Lip Radiances retail $24 USD for 0.176 fl oz and Body Radiances range from $15 to $40, depending on the size.  Melanie's also got a book coming out, and it's rumoured to be the next Making Faces!  Can't wait, and I'll let you know if I hear anything about it!