The Nude Lip: Top 5

As one of my Beauty Resolutions at the beginning of the new year, I decided I wanted to wear more lipstick. I had gotten into the habit of only wearing some lip balm, which is fine, but I started feeling guilty about the drawer full of lipsticks that were being unloved. On weekends I try to go for my bolder shades, but during the week I like to stick to nudes and neutrals for work. There are five that I've worn (well, four and then a new favorite) nonstop, so I figured it was time for a roundup.

Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipstick, 'Pillow Talk' | This is the newest to my collection, and yet it was the inspiration for this post. It wasn't until I wore this every day last week that I realized I had actually stuck to my resolution and had worn lipstick almost every day. Like the name suggests, it's the counterpart to the famous Lip Cheat. This is the ultimate pinky-brown nude that really enhances the lips, and the Matte Revolution formula is one of my favorites - a comfortable, creamy matte.

The Estee Edit Mattified Lipstick, 'Sunday Vibe' | I've mentioned this one a lot since I got it in the Sephora VIB Sale late last year but for good reason - it's such a good nude. This one is much more beige-y than Pillow Talk, but it doesn't drain the skin of all life. It has a nice hint of peachiness to it that brightens the face. The formula of these lipsticks are quite similar to the Matte Revolutions - another creamy matte.

Milk Makeup Lip Color, 'C.R.E.A.M.' | Another creamy matte - can you tell what my favorite finish is? This is a lovely pinky nude that's quite similar to Pillow Talk, but with perhaps a touch more mauve. It's a perfect "my lips but better" shade for me that I reach for whenever I'm going for a slightly more noticeable option.

Top to Bottom: Pillow Talk, Sunday Vibe, C.R.E.A.M., Nude Pop, Cake

Clinique Pop Lip Colour + Primer, 'Nude Pop' | I absolutely love the Clinique Lip Pops, and Nude Pop is my favorite shade from the line. It's the most pink of the bunch here, so it's one I reach for when I'm feeling dull and gray - it perks me right up. The formula is creamy, comfortable, and longlasting.

Glossier Generation G, 'Cake' | I had to mention a Generation G here - they make for the perfect easy lip. The sheer matte formula is one that's truly unique and it really gives that "lived-in" look to the lips. Cake is a perfect peachy nude that adds a touch of warmth without being too orange on me, which is no easy feat. I have all of the available shades besides Zip, and I think Cake is my favorite. You can shop through my rep page to get 20% off your first order (or if it's not your first order, you'd still be helping me out!)

What are your favorite nude lipsticks?

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The Monthly Review | January

Usually I start out my end-of-the-month posts with a statement of how quickly the month went by. But this wasn't the case with January, it just dragged by so slowly and I'm pretty happy it's finally over. I always feel like January is such a downer of a month, too - the holidays are over, and it's just dark and cold and gloomy all the time. I'm trialing a new type of monthly post instead of a favorites post, so without further ado, let's get into it.

BEAUTY

Of course I still had to throw some beauty in here. This month basically centered around the Glossier Priming Moisturizer Rich* (review) for me. I was lucky enough to be sent it early to try it before the launch, and it really is something special. A late favorite was the new Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipstick in Pillow Talk. The Lip Cheat in the same shade is my absolute favorite, so I had to jump on the limited-edition release of the matching lipstick. I've gotten back into wearing eyeshadow this month and I have the Tom Ford Eyeshadow Quad in Nude Dip to thank for that - it's probably the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. I've also fallen for the Colourpop Pressed Eyeshadows in the last week of the month - I'll have a review up this week.

TV/MOVIES/BOOKS

Brett and I binge-watched Westworld earlier this month on HBO, and I was blown away by it. Every episode left me with more questions, so I'm excited to watch Season 2 when it comes out. I also watched all of A Series of Unfortunate Events when it came out on Netflix - I loved those books when I was a kid, and it was really cool to see them brought to life (I loved the movie with Jim Carrey, but it was nice to see the books followed more closely). Most of the other things I've been watching have been things like the original Star Wars and Singin' in the Rain. I was really shaken by the deaths of Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds at the end of December, so it's really motivated me to revisit their work. If you loved them, too, I'd definitely recommend the HBO Documentary Bright Lights, which took a super intimate and heartwarming look at their relationship. Similarly, I've also been reading Carrie Fisher's books this month. When I'm on lunch at work though, I'm still working my way through George R.R. Martin's A Storm of Swords. 

Just this past weekend, Brett and I saw La La Land and I absolutely fell in love with it. I'm a huge fan of old-Hollywood musicals, and it really brought back that kind of nostalgia for me. I won't spoil it, but I was left pretty emotionally-wrecked by the end of it. But I'm still planning on seeing it again!

MUSIC

After listening to nothing but Christmas music nonstop last month, it was nice to get back into some normal music. I went back into listening to my playlist of oldies like Simon & Garfunkel, Carole King, and James Taylor for the most part - it's the kind of music my dad always has playing when I'm home, so it feels super comforting whenever I listen to it - it feels like home. I can already tell that after this weekend, though, I'll be listening to the La La Land soundtrack a lot - I've already been annoying Brett by listening to the Planetarium song around the house.

OTHER HIGHLIGHTS

I know I said this month dragged by, but there have certainly been highlights. Brett and I tried a few new restaurants, including an Indian place right down the street from us and a ramen place that just opened the next town over. My two best friends from home also visited this month, and I got to ask them to be my bridesmaids! We had a super fun afternoon catching up. I'm already looking forward to February because just this weekend I'll be trying on wedding dresses for the first time, getting lunch with my grandparents, and getting my fourth tattoo.

Let me know how you liked this "review" post rather than a normal monthly favorites! What were your highlights of the month?

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I'd also like to take a moment to say that there have been many horrible things happening in the country and in the world this month, and the continuation of my regular posts is in no way a reflection of my ignorance or apathy towards what's going on. I want to keep this space a positive escape, but I'm working to use my voice on my other platforms, like Twitter, to share my opinions and amplify voices that should be heard.

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Four Blogs to Follow

I've been reading blogs for such a long time, longer than I've been writing my own. I love having a read through other people's blogs - seeing them working so hard and being so passionate is super motivating and inspiring. There are tons of blogs I try to stay up-to-date on, but right now there are four from which I make sure to never miss a post.

Cindyhyue

Cindy's blog is a work of art - her photos are gorgeous, every post is informative and well-thought-out, and I just love how she lays out the photos and text in each post. She makes me want pretty much every product she features because she manages to make it look so gorgeous in photos. We have really similar taste in products, so I always have a browse of her blog if I'm feeling spendy - lately she's got me wanting to try all things Tatcha.

Amelia Says

Amelia's blog is another one that's just beautiful - I just love how she plays with light in photos! She's a huge Glossier fangirl like me, and like Cindy, we also have similar taste. She writes the most detailed, well-researched posts on skincare ingredients that are super interesting. You can really see the amount of work and creativity that she puts into every post, so it always leaves me coming back for more.

The Minimal Journal

Caitlin's blog is one that I've only started reading recently, and I can't believe I didn't start earlier. She brings such a refreshing attitude towards beauty, focusing on a more pared-back approach rather than the "buy everything" mentality you see a lot nowadays. She's another one with lovely photos, and she always posts the most beautiful looks. She's really talented, and I love how she pairs a more dramatic eye with fresh skin - those kinds of looks are right up my alley.

Thirteen Thoughts

Paula's blog has been one of my favorites for awhile. She writes a mix of beauty, lifestyle, and blogging tips posts that are always so well-written and interesting. I'm sounding like a broken record here, but her photos are absolutely beautiful as well - you can really tell they're hers when you see them. I especially love her tips posts - they're actually some of the only tips posts I read because she comes off as genuinely helpful and not at all preachy. I've learned some super useful camera tricks from her!

What are some of your favorite blogs to follow?

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