NARS Velvet Lip Glides

November 14, 2016 in Makeup

-This post is in collaboration with 0.8L-

I first mentioned the new NARS Velvet Lip Glides back in my NARS Neutrals post - I tried the shade Bound, fell in love, and immediately went back and bought Area. I raved about them then, and I'm going to rave about them now - I still have all the love for them that I had a few weeks ago.

Wearing NARS Contour Blush in Olympia, Blush in Impassioned,* Multiple in Copacabana,* & Velvet Lip Glide in Bound. Nails are NARS Manosque* - photo by my boyfriend, Brett!

NARS has come out with yet another revolutionary lip product, putting their own spin on the ever-popular liquid lipstick trend. The Velvet Lip Glides are meant to be a hybrid between a lipstick and a gloss, giving the highly-saturated pigment payoff of a lipstick while applying effortlessly like a gloss.

As with all NARS products, the packaging is gorgeous - the lip glides are housed in sturdy acrylic tubes with NARS's signature rubbery black matte material on the lid. They apply with a doe-foot applicator that is more flat and paddle shaped. This helps the product glide evenly onto the lips, and the thin shape helps to define the lip line. It actually reminds me of those super soothing paint-mixing videos in the way that it spreads the product so evenly over the lips.

When first applied, the Velvet Lip Glides appear quite glossy, but they only feel creamy and hydrating on the lips, never sticky. Over time, the gloss wears away, leaving a beautiful semi-matte stain. I take it this is where they came up with the "velvet" portion of the product name. These have a really impressive longevity on the lips, lasting a good five to six hours on me before I need to reapply. And because the gloss wears away over time, it's easy to reapply without things getting chunky or crumbly. They come in such a beautiful range of colors that I'm going to need to try more from - I've got my eye on Stripped, the beige-y nude, and Toy, the deep plum, to try next.

If you want to try the Velvet Lip Glides for yourself, you should head over to 0.8L - it's a website kind of like Influenster that lets you apply for campaigns to try and review products for free. Their NARS Velvet Lip Glide campaign opens today at 10am EST, so be sure to go check it out! And let me know if you apply.

This post has been in collaboration with 0.8L, but all opinions are my own. Both Velvet Lip Glides pictured were purchased by me, although 0.8L sent me a duplicate of the shade Bound as well as some other products from NARS (used in picture of me applying the Lip Glide). Please see my disclaimer for more information.

Cold Weather Skincare

November 11, 2016 in Skincare

Now that the weather is cooling down, my skin is really feeling it. I have slightly dehydrated skin year-round, but the cold weather and dry heating really kicks it into overdrive, and if I'm not careful I can end up with flaky lizard skin. I've started switching up my skincare to some even more nourishing picks to make up for this so I can keep looking super dewy all the time.

CLEANSER | I use balm cleansers all year to wash off my makeup, but I've been using an ultra-nourishing one as my morning cleanse as well to prep my skin for the day. The Pixi Nourishing Cleansing Balm* is such a thick and luxurious balm that really feels like both a drink for the skin and gives a good cleaning.

FACIAL OILS | I love a good facial oil, especially when my skin starts drying out. I've got three favorites on rotation at the moment - the Pixi Rose Oil Blend, the Clarins Blue Orchid Facial Treatment Oil, and the Drunk Elephant Virgin Marula Luxury Facial Oil. All three are the perfect consistency to use morning or night - they're heavy duty enough to nourish the skin all night long, but still lightweight enough to wear under makeup without making everything slide around. They all give the skin such a juicy, dewy glow that I'm all about.

MOISTURIZER | When the weather cools down I love picking up some thicker creams that will pack in the moisture longer. The cream I've been using nonstop lately has been the Drunk Elephant Lala Retro Whipped Cream - it's got the most beautiful texture that I've ever tried. It truly does feel whipped, so it's a nice, rich cream, but it doesn't feel heavy on the skin. It contains a blend of oils so it really is intensely nourishing.

MASKS | I really amp up my mask usage in the winter. I go for lots and lots of moisture masks, like the Glossier Moisturizing Moon Mask and the Farmacy Honey Potion.* The Glossier mask leaves the skin so plumped and hydrated, making it perfect for the morning pre-makeup application, and the Farmacy mask is my number one for cozy nights in, as it heats up as you rub it in.

BODY CARE | After paying so much attention to my facial skincare, it's only natural that I'd step up my body moisturization game. I've mentioned before how itchy and dry my legs can get, and I've finally found the perfect combination of products to combat that. I start off by spraying and rubbing in the Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse* - I've finally tried this, and the verdict is it's a cult product for a reason. It's so hydrating without being greasy or thick - I love that you can just spray it on, and it absorbs so quickly. After applying a layer of the oil, I go in with the Too Cool For School Egg Mellow Body Butter.* This is such a beautiful cream - it almost does feel like butter. It smells so so lovely, and again, it deeply hydrates the skin without being greasy. These two are definitely a dream team.

What kind of products do you start reaching for when the weather cools down?

*Some products mentioned have been sent to me for consideration, but all opinions are my own. Please see my disclaimer for more information.

Re-ignited Love

November 10, 2016 in Makeup

Over the past few weeks I've been trying to reign in my spending in order to save up a little bit for the Sephora VIB Sale. I'm not sure how successful I was, but in that time I was able to fall back in love with quite a few bits in my collection. I really need to rotate my daily makeup drawers more often so I don't let things fall by the wayside so much.

It Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC+ Cream | This is my go-to cold weather base at the moment. The heating being turned on just makes my skin so splotchy and red, so I reach for higher coverage bases. I love this CC Cream because it feels so lightweight on the skin but gives such great coverage. It's getting tougher and tougher to squeeze some out of the pump, so I think a repurchase may be on the cards soon.

Urban Decay Naked2 Basics Palette | I've recently been using the new Naked Ultimate Basics Palette (review) for awhile now, and it's made me fall back in love with one of the original basics palette. The cool shades in the new palette pull quite plummy, so on days I want something truly neutral I've been going for the Naked2 Basics. It's full of the prettiest cool brown shades that put together such a chic look.

NARS Laguna Liquid Bronzer | I was obsessed with this at the beginning of the summer, and I have no idea why I stopped using it. It looks so natural on the skin, even when I'm at my palest (though let's be real I'm probably the same shade of snow white all year round), and I love how the liquid formula adds such a luminous sheen. This is definitely going to come in handy in the cooler months as I try to not look like a ghost.

Clinique Cheek Pop Blush, 'Nude Pop' | The Cheek Pop blushes are some of my favorite blushes, and not just because of the adorable flower-shape of the powder. This is quite a creamy powder that blends effortlessly over the skin. The shade Nude Pop is the perfect no-blush blush, adding a beautiful hint of definition and color without being over the top.

Estee Lauder Genuine Glow Blushing Creme, Sweet Cheeks* | Another cheek product I've been loving again lately, the Blushing Creme stick is my go-to for a flushed cheek. It adds a really natural pink flush to the cheeks that looks like you've just come in from the cold. It really makes the skin look more youthful and radiant.

Laura Mercier Matte Radiance Baked Powder, 'Highlight' | How could I forget about the beauty of this highlighter? If you want pure, lit-from-within luminescence, you have to try this. I love a pop of metallic sheen on the skin as much as the next person, but lately (perhaps because I've been wearing more blush) I've been opting for something a little more natural. This sits on the skin beautifully and adds radiance to the face.

Colourpop Matte X Lippie Stix, 'Cami' & 'Pillow Talk' | My sister just got Colourpop's new set of Matte X Lippie Stix, and she was texting me about how much she loved the formula. It really inspired me to pull my two shades out of the shadows, and I've fallen in love all over again. It's a really weightless formula that just glides right onto the lips and doesn't feel drying at all. The shade Cami is a perfect fall color - it's a mauve shade that's not quite nude and not quite bold. Pillow Talk is a cool taupe-y brown shade that reads like a true brown on me. It really takes that 90s look to the next level.

What products have you fallen back in love with lately?