My Top 3 Valentine's Day Beauty Must-Haves

Surprise! It's a bonus weekend post. 

I don't do this very often, usually only during challenge months, but I recently got an email from the Beauty Crop** announcing a special Valentine's Day sale starting today through the 4th! Everything on their website will be 30% off. Yes, everything. 

All the lipsticks I've recommended. All their brush sets. Everything. 

I wanted to share 3 of my favorite products from the Beauty Crop that will be perfect for Valentine's Day! Whether you're heading out with your honey or just want to treat yourself, these 3 pieces will be perfect: affordable, high-quality, and, most importantly, cruelty-free. 

1. Glow Milk Liquid Highlighter** 

The Beauty Crop's liquid highlighters (Glow Milk & Lighting Crew) are genuinely 2 of my favorite beauty products of all time because they are both dupes for the Cover FX droppers that everyone mixes into their foundation. (Ok, not everyone...) I love using both, but especially for Valentine's Day, the Glow Milk Liquid Highlighter is such a good option. Made from all-natural ingredients and in a beautiful, pale pink color, it's so much fun to use because of the cute packaging. Please just imagine how cute it will look in Instagram photos! It's regularly $19.50, but at 30% off, it will be less than $14! 

2. Fineapple Makeup Brush Set**

When people ask me what item they should definitely invest in when it comes to beauty, I always say brushes; a good brush set that you love will stay with you for years! I love this one from the Beauty Crop because it comes with such a nice case and the brushes are so cute. A stand out set of brushes that you love is something that you will revel in using every day--and these ones make me so happy! This set is normally $49, but with 30% off, it will be only $34.30! For 8 brushes and a case, that's an absolute steal. 

3. GRLPWR Liquid Lipstick in Piedaho**

I love the GRLPWR Liquid Lipstick formula; it's soft and comfortable, while still being super matte and full coverage. The color Piedaho is a deep, rich, burgundy; it's so pretty, especially for Valentine's Day. Whether you're vamping it up solo or heading out for dinner, it's the perfect color to wear with your favorite outfit (whether that's a dress or pajamas at home is up to you). Normally, Piedaho is $14.95, but with 30% off, it will be about $10.50! You can get 2 for that price! 

Whether you're looking for a little treat for yourself or to invest in a gift set (like the Brewtiful Face Gift set**, a personal favorite!), you don't want to miss this sale. 30% off everything ends on Sunday, February 4--to get shopping! 

Disclaimer: as noted in my disclosure policy (which you can read here), a double asterisk (**) indicates an affiliate links. An affiliate link means that for every sale, I make a small commission; affiliate links & posts like these help me keep the lights on at Writing Between Pauses. Thanks for supporting my blog & me by clicking these links, checking out these great products, and maybe making a purchase or 2! 

Why I Stopped Using Nail Polish

A few years ago I was obsessed with nail polish. It was my thing. I posted my nails constantly to Instagram, I followed nail artists, I bought nail polish by the bucket load...

I haven't painted my nails in probably 2 years. My nail stamping supplies, which I absolutely loved and hoarded, have gone unused. I will probably resell them soon. A few weeks ago, I went through my massive nail polish collection, which filled an entire drawer in my bathroom, and threw away or donated over 50% of it--closer to 75%. The rest I will probably donate to my husband's school soon, keeping just a few of my favorites. 

It took a long time, but finally, I realized: I just can't paint my nails. I love it; I love how nail polish looks; and I wish I could be one of those people who wears nail polish all the time. But I can't. 

For several years, I struggled to get my nails to look decent without polish. 

My nails are very thin (by nature); I have small nail beds and weak, thin nails that are prone to splitting and peeling. I kept them painted because they were really short and ragged without polish; polish gave them an extra layer of strength, I thought. 

While trying to figure out why my nails were such garbage (despite spending a lot of money on expensive topcoats and basecoats), I started finding articles that suggested that, alongside skin types, there are also nail types. My mind was blown. Aren't nails just... nails? Aren't they the same for everybody? 

No. Just like not everyone has the same hair type, not every has the same nail type. Our nails are as unique as we are. 

The Common Nail Types

I tried to find good sources for all this, but unfortunately, the biggest article I could find was the Daily Mail, which I won't be linking to. This is jammed together from my research (written down in my journal a few years ago). 

There are 4 major nail types: 

1. Oily
2. Combination
3. Dry
4. Sensitive

You can have oily and sensitive nails, dry and sensitive nails, or just one at a time. If you can wear nail polish for days and days and never have it peel, you've probably got dry nails. (Your nails are also prone to being hard and brittle, however.) If your nail polish peels up within a day or two, you've most likely got oily nails. If your nails seem relatively perfect and you have no idea what these problems like "rigid breaks" and "peeling" are, then you probably have combination nails.

And if your nails react to nail polish by splitting, peeling up in layers, resembling wet paper, and breaking constantly, you've got sensitive nails.

So, I'd like to reintroduce myself: my name is Michelle and I have oily, extremely sensitive nails. 

What Nail Polish Did to My Nails

My most common complaint in my nail polish days was that I couldn't get my nail polish to stay for longer than 3 days and if I took my nail polish off, my nails would peel in sheets, the layers of my nail separating from each other. My nails would get so weak from the peeling layers (which I would file to try and normalize, but it did nothing) that they would resemble wet paper; even if I wanted to use them to, say, peel a label off something or open something, they would just bend back or up. 

It finally got to the point that I was so fed up with my nails, I didn't see a point in painting them anymore. So I stopped. I ignored them. I unfollowed all the nail artists on Instagram because it made me irrationally jealous (why do they get such nice nails and mine can't grow past my fingertip without peeling?). I put my nail polish in a drawer and forgot about it. 

Then I got pregnant and had Forrest. I painted my nails occasionally through that time, but didn't do any fancy nail art, as I had been doing, and I definitely wasn't buying new polishes. I decided to just let my nails heal for a while and, in the flux of having a newborn, didn't have time to paint my nails anyway. 

As I got more into skincare and makeup again, I ignored my nails. They seemed to stop peeling so much. And then, in November, I looked down and noticed them. Because they were long. My nails, which had always been short, short, short... were long. They were so long I immediately thought, "I need to file them, this is ridiculous." I started looking for care tips and applying jojoba oil and vitamin E gel to my nails every morning and night. It made a huge difference.  

But the biggest difference, I've noticed is that it was only when I went over a year without nail polish, letting my poor, ragged nails heal, did they get healthy enough to actually grow. 

My husband can attest to the fact that for the first years of our relationship, I never clipped my nails. Never. I didn't need to. They stayed short naturally. I didn't file them either, except to file the tips to try and reseal the layers of my nail that peeled up constantly. 

When I painted my nails frequently, my nails were garbage. They were bad, weak, and honestly ugly to look at. When I stopped, my nails improved so much that now I actually wish I could paint them. (But I don't because I don't want to undo all that hard work!) 

Am I Sure It Was the Nail Polish? 

When I was explaining this story to someone recently (who had noticed my nails), they asked, "How can you be sure it was because of nail polish?" 

The truth is: I don't know. But knowing what I know about nail types, I have to assume it was the cause. Sensitive nails peel and weaken when they are exposed to harsh chemicals, like those in nail polish. (As a note, nail polish is absolutely safe; I do not believe it is absorbed or dangerous. But for some nail types, it's just not healthy for those nails.) That's what my nails did; they peeled so badly that people noticed and my nails got so weak that I couldn't do anything with them. 

It's possible it was something else environmental, but it's hard to be 100% sure. That being said, I'm pretty confident in my decision to drop nail polish for good from this point on in my life. While it's beautiful, and I love it and wish I could wear it, I also really love having nice nails now! 

Beauty Series: My Favorite Nude Lipsticks

Welcome to my 3rd part of my beauty series about my favorite lipsticks; you can read my past pieces here. 

Today, it's all about nudes. This was hard for me to narrow down, for different reasons than my past two posts. What is a nude lipstick? Many of what I consider "nudes", when I swatched them, just looked, well, pink. They looked no different than my favorite pink lipsticks. I started to panic a little bit internally, wondering if this would work... but finally, I narrowed it down to 3 contenders and had to decide if nude was a different designation than pink. 

Ultimately, I think it depends on your skin tone! Nude lipsticks tend to fall into the taupe-brown family; they might have some pink, or orange, or red undertones, but primarily, they will wear as brown, beige, or anything in that family and match your skin tone pretty closely. That's what makes them nude!

One of the biggest battles as beauty bloggers that we face is dealing with problematic attitudes towards make up, one of which is the terms "nude" and "flesh tone." These are old ways of describing makeup that we don't really have new terminology for yet; it harkens back to a time when makeup was only marketed to people who are white, so "nude" and "flesh tone" are primarily thought to be pale, beige skin tones. (The recent dust-up about Tarte's Face Tape foundation is proof that even large makeup brands are still struggling with this one-sided approach to makeup and beauty.) So it goes without saying that, when I talk about nude lipsticks in this blog post, I'm basing that on what I would consider a nude for my skin tone. Hopefully, in the future, we'll have better terminology for these shades! 

From left to right: L'Oreal Infallible Lip Paint in Tongue Tied; NYX Cosmetics Soft Matte Lip Cream in Stockholm; and Tarte Tarteist Lip Paint in Birthday Suit. 

1. L'Oreal Infallible Paints Matte in Tongue Tied

L'Oreal Infallible Paints Matte in Tongue Tied

I have a funny story about this lipstick. When I first bought it, I posted a photo on my Instagram stories, wondering if it was too orange-brown for me. I got a DM reply from someone I didn't know, picking apart my coloring and telling me it made me look washed out. Oops. Maybe I didn't want to know! 

Despite my early misgivings, this has become one of my favorite nude shades. It's definitely more on the brown side; as you can see from my photo and swatch, it's more of a very pale, milk chocolate (maybe chocolate mousse) color, as opposed to a pinky peach tone. Funny enough, it matches the color of the freckles on my arm almost exactly. It's pretty long wearing and retails for $9.99 (but you can often find sales at drugstores). 

2. NYX Cosmetics Soft Matte Lip Cream in Stockholm 

NYX Cosmetics Matte Lip Cream in Stockholm

If you've been following me on social media, you know this used to be my number 1 lip color. I wore it... constantly. The bottle I took a photo of is actually almost empty; I really struggled to get a swatch! It definitely skews to a more warm, orange-y nude, which is why I like it for summer. I do find that it oxidizes after a few hours of wear, so it becomes a little darker and more suited to my skin tone. 

NYX's Soft Matte Lip Creams are pretty divisive; some people love them, so people hate them. They can take a bit to get used to! But I quite enjoy them, even if they aren't as long-lasting as other lips. For a matte, they're very, very comfortable. They retail for $4.95 and are available at most drugstores, as well as Ulta. 

3. Tarte Tarteist Lip Paints in Birthday Suit

Tarteist Lip Paints in Birthday Suit

I received this lip paint in a free birthday gift from Sephora, which explains why it is tiny. However, I love it so much, I'm planning to buy a full-size in the future (once I feel like I've adequately saved enough money). I love how comfortable it is to wear throughout the day, how it doesn't slip and transfer, and that it's a nice, pinky-nude shade that is flattering for lots of skin tones. It retails for $20 and is available from Tarte's website, as well as Sephora and Ulta. 

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If you're in the market for a great nude lipstick, I love the Beauty Crop's GRLPWR liquid lipsticks; their mini set of all their nude shades is only $24.50; you can buy it here**. 

**Note: a double asterisk next to a link denotes an affiliate link, which means I receive a small commission for every sale. Affiliate links help me keep Writing Between Pauses running! For more on my disclosure policy, click here. 

Beauty Review: My January Ipsy Bag

Can you believe it's time for another Ipsy bag review? Since I wrote my December review late, it feels like these are happening back to back! If you'd like to see my past Ipsy bag reviews, click here. 

This month's Ipsy bag had a work out theme (herumph) because it's January, after all. I'm quite happy with the things I received, except for the bag. I'll get to that in a minute. First, let's list these products, shall we? 

1. So Susan Liquid Matte in Raisin Flesh 

This is a full-size liquid lipstick that retails for $14.00 and comes in 6 shades. You can visit So Susan here. This liquid lip promises "brilliant moisture without the stickiness and long-lasting colour without the flakiness." These are lies. Absolute, bald-faced lies. This liquid lip is gorgeous; I love the color Raisin Flesh (a deep, rich, pink-mauve), but on the lips it wears... really oddly. If you apply too much (like, the normal amount you'd put on), it doesn't dry down and basically shellacs your lips together. I put it on when I first opened my Ipsy bag and then drove home; I had to pull over halfway home, grab a baby wipe, and scrub my mouth. I couldn't part my lips it was so sticky! When I rewore it later, I applied a super thin layer and it dried down better; but this lipstick does that thing where it wears off only in the middle, leaving me with a super attractive halo every single time I popped into the bathroom. 

Needless to say, this isn't something I would recommend to wear all day; good for a single event, perhaps, where I won't be eating or drinking, but it is not long-wearing and the texture is super odd. 

2. Vasanti Cosmetics Kajal Waterline Eyeliner in Intense Black

This full-size eyeliner retails for $19.00. You can view it here. I have to be honest, this was an item I knew was going to be disappointed to me. As a personal point, I do not tightline my eyes; to me, this is a trend that ages you... to around 2005, when everyone was walking around looking like a raccoon! I haven't tightlined my eyes since I was probably 19 years old and I'm not looking to start again. It makes my eyes look smaller. Period, end of story, I don't want to talk about it anymore. 

That being said, this is a decent pencil; it's creamy and quite pigmented. It's just not my thing. I could see myself using it on my top lashline, but absolutely not my waterline. 

3. Preventative Measures 101 After Hours Lip Balm

This lip balm retails for $8 and is available here. I love a good lip balm and this is another one. It smells, lightly, of papayas and goes on pretty smooth. It doesn't have any ingredients that cause irritation or dryness (looking at you, Burt's Bees with peppermint oil!). It is, however, just a lip balm. 

4. Purlisse Beauty Blue Lotus Seed Mud Mask

This mask retails for $48 (!!!!!) for a full-size and is available here. 

I have to say: I wasn't sure about this mask when I saw I would be receiving it, but I quite like it. When I first applied it, I started to grumble because it felt like it had walnut shells in it. But after reading the ingredients more closely, I realized it is crunched up blue lotus seeds--still a little intense for an exfoliant (they are much too rough), but for a mask every 1-2 weeks, not bad. I did like the smell and feel of this mask and it made my skin feel good and my pores look small. 

5. The Balm Cosmetics Mary Lou-Minizer 

The full-size version of this retails for $24 and is available here. I expected to be disappointed by this as I'm not a huge fan of the Balm... but this highlight is pretty nice. It's not chalky and goes on pretty smooth. It also makes a great eyeshadow color. It's pretty smooth and pigmented, but blends in nicely. I really love it! I wish the size they'd sent to us was larger; it's the size of a small eyeshadow pan, as opposed to the larger compact. 

The Verdict

This bag is perhaps the ugliest bag I have ever received from Ipsy. I've been struggling not to be like, "I love this product, but did you SEE this UGLY BAG?" while writing this entire review! The bag is heinous! It's going into my donate bin, alongside the liquid lip and eyeliner. (Both sterilized, I promise.) 

Per usual, let's add up the cost of this bag if you purchased each separate item. The total is $113, but that uses the prices for full-size and I received 2 trial size products. And while $113 value for a $10 purchase is quite big, I was disappointed by both of the full-size objects I received. 

Not every Ipsy bag will be a winner! I left feedback regarding these items on my Ipsy account, so I'm hoping for a better month next month! If you want to try Ipsy for just $10 a month, click here to sign up using my referral code. 

Beauty Series: My Favorite Pink Lipsticks

Welcome to my second installment of My Favorite Lipsticks series! You can read all my past posts here. 

This week, I want to talk about my favorite pink lipsticks. When it comes to lipstick, I tend to gravitate towards the pink family--specifically mauve pinks. In fact, I have a major problem with repeatedly buying essentially the same shade of lipstick over and over and over again. 

For that reason, it was really difficult to narrow down to 4 or 5 lipsticks that I consider my favorites! But I managed and I tried to pick a variety--instead of my usual pink-mauves. 

1. NYX Cosmetics Powder Puff Lippie in Puppy Love

NYX Cosmetics Powder Puff Lippie in Puppy Love

This is a new addition to my collection (it's the middle swatch on my arm). I would describe it as a fairly bright coral color--it's quite pretty, if a little bright (and therefore, intimidating). The finish of these is a "powder finish," which is exactly what it sounds like; it does transfer a bit, but otherwise stays in place most of the day. I really like it because it's fairly light and doesn't dry out my lips throughout the day! One of these will set up back $8.50 and are available here.

2. L'Oreal Colour Riche Shine in Burnished Blush 

L'Oreal Colour Riche Shine in Burnished Blush

I reviewed these lipsticks last week here, and really debated about including Burnished Blush here. But I decided in the end, it is one of my favorite pinks because it's a unique finish; I've worn it quite a bit since I received these from Influenster in December! As I said in my review, these are not long-lasting lipsticks, but they are very moisturizing--so if you're struggling with dry lips this winter, it's a great option!

3. Wet'n'Wild Liquid Catsuit in Rebel Rose

Wet'n'Wild Liquid Catsuit in Rebel Rose

This, should anyone ever ask, is my favorite of this list of favorites. I wear this lipstick so much that it actually lives in my purse. When I first heard rave reviews about Wet'n'Wild Liquid Catsuit lipsticks, I was hesitant; Wet'n'Wild was that super cheap drugstore brand that didn't have good make up, right? That was what I thought of Wet'n'Wild at least! But I was set to rights by these lipsticks and, truly, Wet'n'Wild is not the same brand it was 10 years ago. 

This color is my favorite dusty rose mauve color; I wear it probably every other day, if not every day. (It's the swatch to the right of the NYX Powder Puff!) It can look quite dark at first, but dries to a lovely mauve color. The best part about Wet'n'Wild Liquid Catsuit in Rebel Rose? It lasts all day! I have a few shades (Goth Topic, Coral Corruption, and a few others) and this is the one that stays the longest. It's lovely. It's perfect. It's $4.99 (and you can often find them on sale, they're $2.99 at Target right now!) and available here.

4. Kat Von D Studded Kiss in Lolita

Kat Von D Studded Kiss in Lolita

This is my only high-end lipstick selection for this list and I have to confess: I bought this at TJ Maxx for $6.99. (That's my tip for finding high end lipsticks, honestly: check your local TJ Maxx and Marshall's!) Lolita is described as a satin-matte "chestnut rose" and that's a fairly accurate description. (Lolita is the swatch to the far right in my photo.) 

Lolita is one of those holy grail shades. I quite like this lipstick as a break from mattes (have you noticed a theme? Mattes really destroy my lips!) and the color is just a bonus; it's a slightly pinker version of Rebel Rose, so it makes a nice complimentary color if I need to switch halfway through the day. Typically, Studded Kiss lipsticks cost $19 each and are available here. 

 

5. The Beauty Crop GRLPWR in Tickled Pink**

The Beauty Crop GRLPWR in Tickled Pink**

When I first received this lipstick from the Beauty Crop, I didn't expect to like it: it's so pink. It's almost bubblegum. (It's the fair right swatch in my photo.) However, it's a gorgeous color, so I decided to give it a try. And I'm glad I did; this is another one of my tried-and-trues. In fact, I wear it so much that I'm almost out already! This lipstick also lasts all day and wears pretty comfortably; unlike other mattes that leave me feeling parched halfway through the day, I can wear this one all day and not feel like my lips are about to fall off. 

These lipsticks cost $14.95 and, right now, Beauty Crop is offering a buy 3, get 1 free deal! You can take advantage by clicking here**. I recommend Date Night, Imma Bawse, Tickled Pink (of course!), and Frose. 

**Note that a double asterisk next to a link indicates that it is an affiliate link. If you purchase through these links, I make a small commission--but that doesn't sway this being one of my favorite lipsticks! For more about my disclosure policy, click here.  

Beauty Review: L'Oreal Color Riche Shine Lipsticks*

As always, the asterisk (*) in the title of this post indicates that I received this product free in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own, however. You can read more about my disclosure policy, and review standards, here. 

A few months ago, I decided to go cruelty-free. This has been harder than I expected, because many brands still test on animals and even if they don't, they are often owned by larger groups that test on animals. This is the case with L'Oreal, who has their own make up brand, as well as owning several other make up brands (like Kiehls). 

I read a great argument recently that talked about how it's ok to have an ideal (being cruelty free) but not sticking to it 100%. I consider myself a vegetarian these days, but sometimes I do eat meat--so what do I call myself? It's hard to know! However, it's ok to be imperfect. 

And while make up isn't a necessity, sometimes things just work. Take, for example, the L'Oreal Pro-Matte foundation; for about 3 months, it was my absolute favorite foundation. It's the closest match to my skin ever. It doesn't oxidize. And even better, it didn't break down throughout the day. And then, they reformulated and I was devastated. I realized how important that foundation was to me, how it made me feel like my skin was so beautiful. I believe whole-heartedly in being cruelty free when it comes to my cosmetics, but sometimes, like any imperfect human, I fall in love. 

The case could be made for these lipsticks as well. 

I received these L'Oreal Color Riche Shine lipsticks from Influenster in exchange for a review. Let's look at what L'Oreal has to say about them: 

Ultra-rich, ultra-radiant shiny lipstick. Glossy, high color finish for lips that Shine. Available in 16 luminous, high-definition shades.

Those are some promises, aren't they?! Truly, they aren't wrong: these are very, very high shine lipsticks and they are insanely pigmented. I received the shades Enamel Red (924), Lacquered Strawberry (920), and Burnished Blush (906). 

Enamel Red is a true red. Lacquered Strawberry is an extremely bright, hot pink. And Burnished Blush is a light, mauve-y pink shade. These are three fairly standard colors and, for that reason, I was a bit disappointed. Sometimes, I just want to try something outside of my standard red-pink-blush family. I'm a bit notorious for always wearing a red or mauve lip! 

Considering there are shades like Gleaming Plum (an almost neon purple), Varnished Rosewood, and Glossy Fawn, receiving three standard colors was a little wah-wah. 

That being said, I love the shades I received. I will probably wear all three of them throughout the year. I especially like Enamel Red. Despite being a traditional lipstick, with all the problems that come along with transfer, short wear time, and high shine, it felt really good on my lips: moisturizing and smooth. And even as it wore off, it left a decent enough stain of color so that I didn't get that annoying halo look. 

The only gripe I would have is that these lipsticks all require a pretty heavy lip liner, as well as primer. Why? Because I found them sinking into my skin around my lips and bleeding. I don't have fine lines (I say, my hand to my chest, looking shocked), but looking in the mirror after applying these, I briefly wondered if I do have fine lines. After a long talk with my mom, I was assured that I do not, in fact: these lipsticks just bleed very badly! Lip liner and primer (I used Bite Beauty's primer) works to keep it at bay. 

Were these lipsticks moisturizing? The website says that: 

Experience a hydrating and lasting chine effect coupled with a rich color pay-off. This lipstick's true color formula has 60% more oils, leaving lips comfortable and conditioned throughout the wear and for days after. 

Did my lips feel hydrated while wearing these lipsticks? Yes. Would I say it kept them hydrated for days? Absolutely not. However, if you're over how dry matte lips make you feel (trust me, I understand), these are a great option because they are so heavily pigmented! 

What's my final verdict?

Would I purchase these lipsticks on my own? Part of me wants to say yes, because they are great, hydrating, and have some gorgeous colors. But a larger part of me says that no, I wouldn't, because L'Oreal isn't a cruelty-free company and I want to stick to my guns. However, if you're looking for a hydrating, high pigment lipstick, these are a wonderful option for you.  

These lipsticks retail for $9.99 and are available from L'Oreal's website here. 

Beauty Series: My Favorite Red Lipsticks

Last week, I introduced my new beauty series on my favorite lipsticks. I've been so excited about this project since November (when I first got the idea) and narrowing down my favorite lipsticks to just a few was a challenge! In my bullet journal, I'll be cataloging all my make up soon, but my lipsticks alone are numerous! 

For me, a great lipstick is long-wearing, comfortable, and affordable. These 4 red lipsticks hit all of those criteria. Let's jump right in! 

1. NYX Matte Lipstick in Eden 

This is one of the first red lipsticks I really, really loved. I am embarrassed to say that I own two tubes of it; I bought one and then, I think I forgot the name so I bought another upon seeing it. NYX describes it as a bright blue-red. It is definitely still very pinky, however, so not as true of a blue-red as I would like... but for under $6, it is extremely long-wearing. My only gripe with it is that it can be hard to apply: I usually use a liner, then a small brush to re-line with the lip color, then I fill in. If I wear a primer, it lasts all day without feeling super dry. 

2. Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lip in Nahz Fur Atoo 

I'll be honest: these lipsticks are a little more expensive than I would usually wear, but I picked this one purely for the color. Nahz Fur Atoo is a true blue-red, a deeper color than Eden. It's the color I've been trying to find for years. At $21, it's definitely more of an investment, but I think it's worth it. Many rave about Kat Von D's Everlasting Liquid Lip formula and while it is definitely comfortable, I find that it doesn't dry down like I expect many liquid lips to and does transfer quite a bit. (With such a deep color, it's something to pay attention to.) However, the color and comfortable wear is definitely worth it to me and I've yet to find a dupe with as perfect of a color! 

3. Smashbox Be Legendary Lipstick in Legendary

I got this from my December Ipsy bag (you can read my review here). It is a bright, pink-red that I absolutely was suspicious of, but now love. I've worn it several times since I got it in my Ipsy bag. For a more traditional lipstick, it wears for a very long time (and leaves a nice stain, so even when it wears off, you don't end up with that weird inner lip issue!) and is super comfortable. I also find that I don't need a lip liner with it; unlike some traditional lipsticks, it doesn't travel into the fine lines that are forming around my lips. At $21 for full size, it's another one that's a bit of an investment, but if you're looking for a beautiful bright red, it's definitely affordable! 

4. NYX Ombre Lip Duo in Bonnie & Clyde 

I love this ombre lip duo! It's a bold choice: one end is a deep red-plum color; the other end is a bright pink-red. I line in the deep color and then do about 1/3 of my lips (at the corners) that color as well; then I blend in the pink-red color. It gives a gorgeous ombre effect that is striking. I love both colors in this duo, but I love that, together, they blend into a very retro-looking blue-red. For only $16 (remember, it's basically 2 lipsticks--you can wear them separately!), it's a great choice if you want to try something a little different. 

Tell me: what's your favorite red lipstick? 

5 Beauty Trends I Want in 2018

Beauty trends, for the last few years, have been, quite frankly, a little wild. It feels like more people than ever love make up and spend time collecting and experimenting with beauty products and skincare. Over 2017, I started collecting a list of things I really, really wanted to see when it came to beauty--things that go against the trend (specifically on Instagram) when it comes to beauty. 

Here's what I'm going to be experimenting with in 2018. 

1. A reduction in skincare complexity

Does it feel like skincare routines have reached peak complexity? Some people are walking through 10+ steps every single night! When people talk about the Ordinary, a brand that sells affordable skincare products, they seem to start speaking a language I don't understand. To those new to skincare, who might not have skincare concerns (like serious acne or congestion), it's all just a lot. It's too much. 

Personally, even though I have serious skincare concerns (y'all know my acne story), I've dialed back my skincare routine a lot. I wash my face with jojoba oil every night, then a cream cleanser, spritz with Mario Badescu rose toner, and then top with jojoba oil. That's it! That's all I do! When people ask me about their skincare routine and how to improve it, and I see they're working with 8+ products already, I tell them the truth: you're doing too much. 

Sometimes, it's just too much! Some of these things really do work, like the 11-step Korean Beauty process, but realistically, it's just not good for every single skin type out there. In 2018, I want to see a return to simple, clean skincare routines that work without fuss and constant adjustment. 

2. Single-shadow eye looks

I love doing my eyeshadow. It's my favorite part of doing my makeup. But sometimes, working with all the transition shades and blending gets really exhausting. It just makes me tired. Lately, I've been experimenting with single-shadow looks that still allow for interest and dimension (without looking like I did in 7th grade, like I'd just smeared a color over my lid and called it good). I specifically like shiny, glossy, and metallic single-shadow looks. 

3. Purple blushes

I've been really into blush lately, a part of my routine that I think I ignored for most of my life. I used the same blush for about 10 years straight, and then in the last few months, I've acquired... 10 blushes, probably. I'm kind of a sucker for them. And all of them are the same purple-mauve family, a color that you don't often see. Most people think of blushes in shades of light pink or peach, but I really want to see more people rocking deep mauve and purple-toned blushes, because they look more natural and give your face more dimension. I'm about it! I really love the Beauty Crop's Mauve-ulous* blush duo. (I also recommend the Let's Get Cheeky set*, because it's such a great deal!)

4. Reduced contouring & highlighting

Listen: contouring is great. It looks great. Highlighting is pretty. It looks pretty!

But I'm so tired of doing them. I stopped contouring about 3 or 4 months ago because my make up routine was so long every morning! As well, I think we've hit peak contouring and highlighting; it's just become, like skincare, too much. It's being forced on us now. It's not fun anymore! Lately, I've been rocking a more subtle highlight, primarily by mixing the Beauty Crop's Lighting Crew* into my foundation. For an everyday look, I just don't think contouring and highlighting are realistic and, frankly, we don't need any more contouring and highlighting palettes on the market. There are so many as it is! Let us use up what we've got! 

5. Light or medium coverage foundation

Sometimes, I watched those sped up beauty videos on Instagram and find myself marveling. Extremely talented men and women will cover their face in stripes of Hourglass's stick foundation, one of the most full coverage foundations out there, then blend it in... and add Shape Tape and contour and more. It's just... a lot. And in person, that doesn't look so great. 

If you learn make up from YouTube and Instagram videos, it gives you the wrong idea of how those things look in person because they're using smoothing filters on their videos! Most people can't use more than medium coverage foundation or else it will end up cakey, no matter your skin texture. I would love to see more beauty guru's rocking light or medium coverage foundation and showing some real skin texture--freckles, pores, congestion, everything! 

What beauty trends do you want to see this year? 

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