Falling For Lip Gloss

I feel like glossy lips are slowly but surely coming back on trend - it was matte everything for such a long time, with every brand coming out with liquid matte lipsticks, but I think with the warmer weather returning, simpler, glossy lips are making a comeback.

When I want a clear gloss I always go for the Glossier Lip Gloss - you're in luck, because this once limited edition beauty is coming back today! Just check the Glossier website (or my rep link) to see when it's back. It's actually a really moisturizing gloss and leaves a glassy sheen. This was the one that got me back into glosses when it came out in the late fall last year. Another sheer option is the Dior Addict Lip Maximizer Plumping Gloss - this is such a comfortable gloss. It feels weightless and cushiony, and it does very subtly plump up the lips without stinging. I love the pleasant minty scent, too.

Another minty, plumping gloss is the Buxom Full-On Lip Cream - I have the shade Hot Toddy, which is a beautiful warm nude shade. These also feel really comfortable on the lips and not too sticky. The pigment is definitely discernible on the lips, but it still allows whatever is underneath to show through. I'm dying to get my hands on White Russian next.

I've recently gotten back into wearing the Jouer Moisturizing Lip Glosses.* With all the hype around the Lip Cremes, I forgot how lovely the glosses were. My favorite shade is Sorbet, a warm pink with subtle golden shimmer that really enhances the lips and is perfect for spring. This is another non-sticky, "cushiony" formula that actually nourishes the lips. And if you want the OG gloss/balm hybrid, look no further than the Clarins Instant Light Natural Lip Perfectors. These don't get as much love as they used to in the blogging/YouTube world, but they're still such beautiful lip products. These don't feel like a gloss whatsoever - it really feels just like applying a lip balm.

The two most recent additions to my collection are already shaping up to be my favorites. I just talked about the NARS Lip Gloss in Chelsea Girls last week, but I definitely need to get my hands on more NARS Lip Glosses. The formula is beautiful. I also just got the new Chanel Rouge Coco Gloss in Caresse (714) after hearing Grace from Damselflavored rave about it. It's such a beautiful gloss, and the fact that it's Chanel makes it feel all the more special. Caresse is a beautiful brown-y nude shade that's pigmented enough to wear on its own but will let a lip color underneath shine through.

Lastly, if you're wanting a lip gloss that packs a punch in the pigment department, definitely check out the Anastasia Beverly Hills Lip Glosses. These don't get as much love as the Liquid Lipsticks, but they're insane - it's like applying a glossy liquified lipstick. I have the shade Kristen, which is another pinky brown shade (surprise, surprise). These do feel a little heavier and stickier than the rest of the options here, but it's to be expected with the pigment load. It's still a lovely gloss nonetheless and one I reach for when I'm running out the door but need to look put together.

What are your favorite lip glosses?

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The Monthly Review | March

March absolutely flew by - all in all it was a good month. I picked out bridesmaids dresses, had a good month at work, and Brett graduated from the Police Academy!

Beauty/Fashion

This was another good month beauty-wise, meaning I spent more than I probably should have on new products. The month started out on a high note with the launch of Glossier's newest product, Cloud Paint* (review). These have been pretty much the only blushes I've used all month - they just look so natural on the skin. I keep thinking I have a definite favorite shade, but it changes every time I put one on - it's very rare that I've found a product where every color is flattering on my skin. I've also been using my custom MAC Palette (review) that my sister made me as an early birthday present nonstop. She filled it with the most perfect shades for me, and it's made me fall back in love with MAC. I've also fallen hard for the Bobbi Brown Bronzing Powder, which I reviewed on Wednesday, and the NARS Soft Matte Complete Concealer this month - I love the NARS Concealer so much that I bought a second shade to create my perfect shade match.

I've also gotten back into wearing perfume lately - at the beginning of the month I was using a sample of the Elizabeth and James Nirvana Rose. I'm a sucker for anything rose scented, and I love the smoky edge to this one. At the end of the month I finally treated myself to the Byredo Rose of No Man's Land Perfume Oil, and I could probably never wear another perfume again and be happy about it. It's probably the best-smelling perfume I've ever worn. I'm going to try to wrap my head around the scent and put up a more detailed post on it soon.

I actually have a fashion favorite this month, too - I finally ordered myself the Odette Earrings in Silver from Common Muse when I saw they were back in stock, and I couldn't be happier with them. I love everything on Common Muse's site, so I may have just started a dangerous habit. Their classic, minimal pieces really speak to me - I like that they're not overly dainty.

TV/Music/Podcasts

I had been meaning to start watching Grace & Frankie on Netflix for the longest time, and this month I finally did. I instantly fell in love and keep marathoning it on the weekends. It's such a funny and endearing show, and the whole cast is great. I also watched the entire second season of Love in one sitting when it was released this month - for some reason I don't even really like either main character, but I still can't get enough of the show and wish I could have Mickey's entire wardrobe.

Once again, I'm still on my Van Morrison/Simon & Garfunkel/Carole King kick, but with the release of Ed Sheeran's Divide, I've had some new stuff to listen to. I love pretty much every song on it, but I actually think Nancy Mulligan might be my favorite.

I got back into podcasts this month - the three I've been rotating between have been Fat Mascara, You Must Remember This, and My Dad Wrote a Porno. Fat Mascara was great this month especially because they had Emily Weiss, CEO and Founder of Glossier, on as their interviewee - it was definitely my favorite episode so far. You Must Remember This has been super interesting this month too, as the "Dead Blondes" series continues. There were three episodes dedicated to Marilyn Monroe, and as someone who has only seen two of her films, it was really fascinating to learn more about her life. And of course, my favorite thing to listen to on my way home from a long day at work is My Dad Wrote a Porno. It's a guy whose father has written a self-published erotic novel, and he and two of his friends get together every week to read a chapter. It's absolutely hilarious, and I'm sure people driving by me think I'm a maniac laughing in my car.

Other Highlights

One last physical object that's been a real treat to use this month has been my new camera! I upgraded from my five-year-old Canon Powershot to a Canon Rebel T5i - my first DSLR! It's been so much fun taking photos and learning all the settings, and I can already tell an improvement in my photos. The kit lens it came with has been great, but I also got myself a 50mm lens that I love using - I used the kit lens for the flatlay at the top of this post, but the other photos within the post were taken with the 50mm. 

Onto actual life highlights, I mentioned I picked out my bridesmaids dresses this month! My sister had a big fashion show trying on dress after dress until we settled on two she loved - one had a little bit of sparkle, so we decided that she would wear that one as my Maid of Honor, and then my other three bridesmaids would wear the other dress we loved. The other big thing this month was that Brett finally graduated from the Police Academy, and at the top of his class! I don't think I've ever felt more proud and happy for him. He starts his first official day on the job today!

I hope everyone had a great March and an even better April! What were the highlights of your month?

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The Everyday Lip Duos

I've been getting back into wearing lip products on a day to day basis - it's about time, because my makeup collection is filled with more lip products than anything else. For my everyday makeup look, I've been using a lip pencil all over my lips for long lasting color, topped with a comfortable formula. And everything I've been using has been a neutral or nude color, of course.

The Pink-y Nude

On days when I want something a little more pink, I've been starting off with a layer of the Bite Beauty Lip Pencil in 010. I've mentioned this lip pencil quite a lot lately, as it's quickly become one of my favorites. The Bite Lip Pencils are absolutely beautiful - so creamy and comfortable and yet longwearing. 010 is my perfect "my lips but better" shade - just the slightest bit deeper and rosier than my natural lip color. I've then been topping it with the NARS Lip Gloss in Chelsea Girls. I've had this shade on my wishlist since it came out, and I'm so happy to finally have it. I've been getting back into lip glosses lately (I just got one of the new Chanel ones a couple days ago - more on that soon), and this formula is lovely. It's not too sticky and yet not slippery - it will definitely stick around on your lips for awhile. Chelsea Girls is a perfect everyday beige-y pink shade that goes really well with the 010 Lip Pencil.

The Brown-y Nude

If I'm not wearing a pink-y nude, it's a brown nude. Again, I start this look with a Bite Beauty Lip Pencil - I just can't get enough of them. For the more brown look I use the shade 036, a taupe-y color with just a hint of rosiness. This shade really defines the lips and helps them look fuller without even having to overdraw them. On top, I've been using the Lise Watier Fondant Supreme Lipstick in Jennifer. I heard of these from Allana Davison's YouTube videos (if you don't watch her do it now, she's a gem), and she always gave them such high praise that I had to pick a couple up when they had a sale for International Women's Day. These are the most comfortable lipsticks I've ever tried. They feel just like a lip balm, but there's definitely enough pigment to consider them a lipstick rather than a tinted balm. The weartime is impressive, too, considering how creamy they are. Jennifer is the most beautiful nude - it looks pretty pale when swatched, but it lets some of your natural lip shade shine through, so it looks incredibly natural and goes with anything. Together with the lip liner, they make the perfect brown nude pairing that I just can't get enough of.

What are your favorite lip pairs for everyday?

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