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Winter is coming and so are the holidays! I'm so excited and have been shopping like mad to get all my gifts for everyone. Online shopping is a savior for me because it's much quicker to grab a bunch of things for everyone and the deals are insane! Anyhoo, we're here to talk about beauty so let's jump into my picks for this winter!
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We're going to start with the lips because that's what I'm most excited for! I chose from nudes, pinks, and of course--festive reds. There's an affordable option and a high end one so you can take your pick. :D
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| Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Rose Velvet (L) and Tarte Power Pigment in Exposed (R) |
My lips get quite chapped during the colder months so Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Rose Velvet is a nice neutral that helps camouflage the dryness underneath. I don't like gloss so this is the next best thing for me. It isn't so balmy that it slips and slides everywhere but it contains just enough moisture to keep my lips from getting more chapped. It's quite pigmented so you don't need much but touch up is a breeze thanks to the neutral color. ince my lips are pigmented, most lipsticks appear brighter than they really are in the bullet but this appears darker on my lips than swatched on my arm, which I don't mind too much as the pinky brown color is quite trendy these days. Tarte Power Pigment in Exposed is much more like a balm than a lipstick. The swatch above took 5+ layers but that's about intense as it gets. On my pigmented lips, the color doesn't completely nude out my lips but it does tone it down if I'm not looking for a bright look. Packaging is a twist up and the pink ombre tube definitely stands out in my collection. Tarte has the most whimsical designs for their packaging, making this a beauty in my makeup bag. This shade also comes in the form of a powder blush, lip gloss, and gel blush as well so if you are in love with this color (like I am), you can put it all over your face too!
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| Maybelline Creamy Matte Lipstick in Mesmerizing Fuschia (L +T) and Bobbi Brown Artist Stick in Bright Raspberry (R + B) |
Pinks are my favorites because they can provide the same brightening effect without being too serious. I have so many pink lipsticks so it was quite hard to pick just one. The Maybelline Creamy Matte Lipstick in Mesmerizing Fuschia is part of the highly popular collection released earlier this fall. To this day, I still see most of the lipsticks out of stock at the drugstores around me. **POTENTIAL DUPE ALERT** I picked this up mainly because I thought it looked quite similar to Bobbi Brown Artist Stick in Bright Raspberry. From the swatches, Mesmerizing Fuschia looks pinker than Bright Raspberry but on my lips, the colors are indistinguishable. If you have pigmented lips like me, try out Mesmerizing Fuschia if Bright Raspberry seems like a color you'd go for! If you've seen my review on them or my Lipstick Addicts Tag, I mentioned how much I love the Art Sticks. I mean, the rounded nub is enough proof about how much I love this color as most of my lip products are still in their original shape for the most part, haha. These are both matte but Bright Raspberry is a true matte while Mesmerizing Fuschia has an almost unnoticeable sheen unless it's right next to a true matte. However, both are not drying if I make sure to drink enough water in the day.
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NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in Monte Carlo (L) and NARS Satin Lip Pencil in Luxembourg (R)
A good holiday red is becoming easier to find these days and never goes out of style. I decided to pick out two classic reds as I think it's the most flattering red on most people--though there are several vampy reds I have my eye on right now. ;) Out of all the ones I've tried, NARS Satin Lip Pencil in Luxembourg is a bright tomato red that hides my chapped lips well. It's quite pigmented so you don't need much for a big impact. I would consider it glossy rather than satin but it is much thinner than a true gloss. Since it has a glossy finish, it does transfer a lot more than my usual mattes but I don't get transfer to my teeth, thankfully. **DUPE ALERT** My next option, the NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in Monte Carlo has the same color as Luxembourg but in a matte color. It looks identical swatched and on my lips, I was so surprised. It doesn't stain my lips but has pretty good staying power if I eat carefully. It doesn't shrink or tighten on my lips like the Stila All Day Liquid Lipsticks do (now that I think about it, Monte Carlo might be similar to Beso as well). A great affordable option to the more expensive lip products out there!
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| NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in Copenhagen |
Unfortunately, I don't have any vampy lippies in my high end collection so this one has to suffice. Since I don't wear dark lips often, I can't justify spending $$$ on something I'll wear for one season. The NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in Copenhagen is utterly gorgeous but applies a bit patchy if I'm being honest. I wait for the first layer to dry then add a second for full opacity. Any more layers after that and it gets a bit gloopy. It's a darkened reddish plum shade that looks similar to the Dior Addict Fluid Stick in Intrigue but that one is marketed as a gloss. Staying power is decent--there is slight transfer to my cups in the first 30 minutes-1 hour to wear but nothing serious. Color doesn't fade until I eat something heavy or oily--mostly in the inner part of my lips.
As the weather cools down and gets winder, my poor skin gets dry. To not emphasize the dryness underneath, cream blushes are a must for me! I've tried a few from Tarte, Revlon and Josie Maran so my favorites are down below.
Out of the three, the Tarte Cheek Stains have my heart, hands down. Not only is the packaging adorable, the product itself is pigmented, blendable, easy to use and long lasting--everything you could ask for! The only thing I dislike is the price tag but that's being nit picky. I love both of these shades as Exposed gives me a bit of color without being overwhelming, perfect for light makeup days. Flush looks absolutely scary in the tube but it can be sheered out for a--you guess it--naturally berry red flush. You don't need a lot so rub lightly.
I've tried all of the almost all of Revlon's cream blushes but I didn't like them as much as my Tarte. They were a bit hard to pick up and blend on my cheeks with my fingers--my preferred application method. Colors were bright but they don't come off as vibrantly. This one is in a different packaging but performs basically the same way as the other with a similar texture but I continue to use it because I love the subtle plummy mauve color.
Josie Maran is famous for her Argan Oil and now you can find it in all her products. The JM Argan Color Sticks don't smell that great but the colors are vibrant and blendable. Mine are deluxe sized because I got them in a set from Sephora last summer. I have a full size that's LE so I'm not going to talk about it. These are what I consider traditional cream blushes in terms of texture. They are a bit heavier on the skin than the Tarte Cheek Stains but these also have good lasting power and look just as natural. It's hard to go overboard with these so those with a heavy hand will appreciate how buildable these are. Also interested in trying out her Watercolor Cheek Gelees as they look interesting--let me know if you have some color recommendations.
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| From left to right: China Glaze Hologlam Nail Polish in When Stars Collide, e.l.f. Nail Polish in High Tide (LE) and Glamour Girl, Revlon Parfumerie Scented Nail Enamel in Italian Leather, and Sally Hansen Hard as Nails Xtreme Wear Nail Color in Red Carpet |
Moving onto the nail polishes! I love dark colors but they tend to make my hands dirty. These medium colors make me feel in season without the dreaded muddy-looking hands. If you can see a trend, I tend to stray towards glittery or shimmery colors during the holiday season. 4 out of the 5 I chose have sparkle to them but the sparkle vary among them.
- China Glaze Hologlam Nail Polish in When Stars Collide is more of a holographic polish. It's the first one I own and I definitely would collect more! It's a bit thin so two coats is a must.
- e.l.f. Nail Polish in Glamour Girl is a neutral option with a bit of glamour The gold shimmer is subtle but when it catches the light, your nails just sparkle! The shimmer a pain to take off but it adds a bit of interest to an otherwise plain darker nude (for my skintone) polish.
- Revlon Parfumerie Scented Nail Enamel in Italian Leather is an olive green that doesn't make me look like a zombie thanks to the very subtle gold shimmers in it. I was a bit hesitant about this one at first as I hate the smell of leather but it had a rich perfumey perfume scent--not in the least bit unpleasant as I had first anticipated. The scent lasted about 2-3 days, even with a top coat. I needed about two coats for full opacity.
- Sally Hansen Hard as Nails Xtreme Wear Nail Color in Red Carpet is definitely a "look at me!" red. The red glitters are bigger than the ones in Glamour girl and Italian Leather but don't leave a bumpy texture when dry like some other glitter polishes. It's really opaque and I never need more than one coat, making it perfect for a last-minute holiday manicure. Staying power is also phenomenal so no need to redo before attending multiple parties :D
My last pick is the e.l.f. Nail Polish in High Tide, which is unfortunately, limited edition. I should've checked this list out beforehand so I'm sorry. I'm not sure if the set it was in is still available but it can't be too hard to find a suitable dupe. My photos below are quite true to life so bring it along when you're out shopping! I don't have anything like this in my collection so it's a keeper. I'm not keen on green polish so this is like dipping my toes in without going in head first.
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So that's all for this post! I haven't posted an official Favorites on the blog in a couple of months but I haven't been trying out that many new things. I did post a few pictures on my Instagram of some items I was currently enjoying if you wanted to know. :) I'm seriously loving cream blushes these days as my skin is feeling dehydrated lately. the Stila Convertible Colors are definitely on my to-try list, especially Petunia and Lotus--can never get enough pinks!
If you're interested in seeing my winter skincare routine,
leave a comment for me down below!
XOXO,
MWAH ♥
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