Today is the last day of winter, and I hope you’ll all join me in a chorus of “Hooray!” as we begin to look forward to warmer temperatures and sunnier days. I, for one, am ready to put winter – and the corpse-like hue of my complexion – behind me.
If you think I’m exaggerating, please allow me to share this story with you. While setting up for a photo shoot at work several weeks ago, my colleague snapped a few photos of me to test the lighting. He looked puzzled at his camera as he flipped through the pictures. “I think there might be something wrong with the flash – you don’t look well in these pictures.” So I took some test shots of him to compare. Turns out, our setup was fine. I simply have the skin tone of a vampire.
Enter Pacifica Fluffy Blushy, which I purchased not long after the photo shoot incident in hopes that it would help me look more… alive. It comes in five shades. I opted for Bloom, a peachy pink. And let me tell you, I’m in LOVE. It has a light, bouncy texture that applies like a cream and is very subtle – you can build for as much or as little color as you like. As a person who sees herself on video meetings every day, I can tell you that even the lightest application of this little blush makes a huge difference. Amazing what a slightly rosy cheek can do for a person!
If you, too, are suffering from a winter pallor that is downright concerning, I can’t recommend this blush highly enough.
Between festive outings and the dryness that comes with winter weather, I’ve been cycling through a variety of lip products, looking for the perfect balance of hydration and enhancement. Sure, there a times when my lips feel dry or I’m about to venture out into the cold and I opt for my trusty winter standbys, Burt’s Bees Beeswax Lip Balm or Candy Cane Chapstick. I remain a loyal fan of both of these classic balms. But sometimes a girl wants something a bit more glam and holiday-worthy than clear Chapstick.
I couldn’t resist the ultra-glam Gucci Lip Balm in No More Orchids, a pretty medium pink tinted balm in even prettier packaging. This balm is more pigmented than I expected, and quite long lasting, but sadly isn’t very hydrating. I imagine I’ll be wearing it nonstop when spring arrives, but probably not to any holiday parties.
On days when I want to look fresh faced with just a hint of lip color, I’ve been reaching for NCLA Beauty Balm Babe 100% Natural Lip Balm in Pink Champagne. It’s a silky, shiny, lightly pigmented pink balm that protects against the cold and tastes great, making it a great choice for anyone looking for a subtle lip look while standing under the mistletoe.
As much as I like the NCLA balm, more often than not I find myself wanting just a bit more color on my lips. Which brings me to my pick for best holiday lip product: Love + Sage Well Red Tinted Balm. Packaged in a perfectly portable tube, this smooth, hydrating balm features the prettiest slightly brick-red shade that goes on sheer and is easy to layer on for more color. I turn to it again and again because the shade feels just right for every occasion, whether I’m heading to the office or going out for holiday cocktails with friends.
I have always been a sucker for shiny new school supplies, so imagine my delight when Benefit and Influenster sent me a tube of Benefit’s new Boiing Cakeless Concealer, shaped like the eraser end of a pencil. As my recent posts have indicated, I’ve been very into reducing and camouflaging my under eye circles, so I jumped right in to give it a try.
I’m a sucker for a clever marketing campaign, so when I opened up an NCLA order last month and found a postcard reading “PSA: Mercury Retrograde starts March 4,” featuring a picture of the brand’s newest Jelly Balm lipstick, I knew I’d be purchasing it.
At a business event a couple of months ago, I couldn’t help but admire a coworker’s lip color. Known for her bright smile and attention to detail, she looked perfectly polished and was sporting a pretty, slightly shimmery gloss.
It was a tube of Back Row Smooch, a pretty and fairly neutral medium pink. It features a simple sponge-tip applicator that delivers just the right amount of gloss. As soon as I slicked it on I knew why she loved the texture; the gloss feels hydrating and silky smooth, not tacky or goopy. And while a 3D lipgloss might sound a little intense, it translates to a subtle iridescent effect that plays up your pout and is really quite flattering. I find that the initial shimmer wears off after about an hour, but the color lasts and my lips feel moisturized long after that. As an added bonus, my hair doesn’t instantly stick itself to my mouth when I’m wearing this stuff. It’s basically the holy grail of glosses.
I have always been a sucker for cute packaging. Three summer-ready lip balms? Neat. Three summer-ready lip balms in a sporty little zipper pouch? Where do I get mine??
FOR THE LOVE OF GLOSS 