Pink Makeup for Valentine's Day? Groundbreaking

Happy Valentine's Day! I'm not the biggest fan of the holiday and usually opt for a cozy night in, so as such I don't really have any groundbreaking date night looks. I do, however, have a bit of an obsession with the color pink/wearing the color pink on my face, so I've dug through my collection to pick out some of my favorites. Maybe some of these will give you a bit of inspiration if you're putting together a Valentine-themed look.

EYES

NABLA Cosmetics Dreamy Eyeshadow Palette (review) - An underrated gem. It has the prettiest collection of pinks, rose golds, and purples to create a whole bunch of unique yet wearable looks.

Milk Makeup Eye Pigment, 'After Party' (review) - My favorite shade of Milk's Eye Pigments. It's a lovely rose gold that leans true pink instead of copper, and the formula doesn't budge all day - just make sure to apply thin layers so it doesn't feel stiff.

Stila Glitter & Glow Eyeshadow, 'Kitten Karma' - The prettiest pink champagne that packs a punch of glitter. These beautiful shadows are 100% worth the hype.

Butter London Glazen Eye Gloss, 'Frosting' - A super similar shade to the Stila Kitten, but with metallic shimmer rather than glitter. These have a super cool bouncy texture that sets down and doesn't budge on the eyes. They look glossy, but don't feel glossy.

NARS Dual Intensity Eyeshadow, 'Rigel' - An icy pink champagne that adds a ton of brightness to any eye look. It's beautiful both all over the eyes as well as in the inner corner.

Dior Fusion Mono Eyeshadow, 'Chimiere' (review) - I still don't know if these are being discontinued or not, but this is a great one so snap it up if you're worried about missing it. It's a more muted pink shimmer that adds a chic amount of sparkle and sheen to the eye.

NUDESTIX Rock N' Roller Eyeliner, 'Golden Rosé - I thought these were gimmicky at first, but I'm actually really loving them. This true rose gold makes for the prettiest eyeliner shade that's not too bold but still adds some definition to the eye.

BLUSH

Givenchy Le Prisme Blush, 'Vintage Pink' - An underrated gem in my collection. It's a beautiful true pink that brightens the skin. I like swirling all four shades together for a pink glow.

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush, 'Ethereal Glow' - My new obsession. It's a super pretty cool-toned pink with just enough glow to make the skin look really healthy.

Bite Beauty Multistick, 'Mascarpone' (review) - The best multitaskers. Mascarpone is a deep salmon pink that's warm enough to brighten the skin, but not so warm that it pulls orange on me. It works beautifully on eyes, lips, and cheeks for a monochromatic look.

Glossier Cloud Paint, 'Puff' (review) - My one true love. If I had to get rid of all but one blush I would choose this one in a heartbeat. It is the perfect shade to add a natural flush of color, and the formula is absolutely foolproof.

Lilah b. Divine Duo Lip & Cheek, 'b, true' - This is described as a mauve online, but to me it's a true pink. It also adds a beautiful flush to the cheeks that mimics the look of being out in the cold. It also works beautifully on the lips.

HIGHLIGHT

Fenty Beauty Killawatt Freestyle Highlighter, 'Girl Next Door/Chic Phreak' (review) - One of the prettiest highlights I own. The pink base doesn't show up as much as you'd think, and it leaves a more wet-looking sheen on the skin.

Dior Nude Air Luminizer, '002 Pink Glow' - This leaves the prettiest soft pink glow on the skin (hence the name I guess!) and it looks equally stunning sitting on my vanity.

Milk Makeup Holographic Stick, 'Stardust' - This is more of a blush topper for me but beautiful nonetheless. It's a soft pink glaze with a lavender shift that takes any look to the next level.

Lilah b. Divine Duo Lip & Cheek, 'b. dazzling' - This one is super subtle but still lovely. It's the one to pop on on a more minimal makeup day for a soft champagne pink sheen.

Fenty Beauty Matchstix Shimmer Stick, 'Starstruck' (review) - This one packs a punch. It's a little glittery, but it makes a statement for sure.

LIPS

Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment, 'Bloom' - These lip treatments are some of my favorites. They're so nourishing on the lips and pack as much pigment as a regular lipstick. Bloom is the prettiest pure pink that adds a flush of color to the lips.

Givenchy Le Rouge Perfecto Beautifying Lip Balm - This is one of those balms that adjusts depending on your body's pH/temperature. It leaves a nice pink tint to the lips and feels moisturizing and a little plumping. Plus the packaging is to die for.

Dior Addict Lip Glow, 'Raspberry' - Similar to the Givenchy, but it creates a brighter pink hue on the lips. The Lip Glows are probably my favorite lip product, period.

Dior Addict Lip Glow Pomade - This gel/gloss hybrid leaves the lips looking soft and smooth, gives a glassy sheen, and also leaves the tiniest hint of a pink tint.

Hourglass Girl Lip Stylo, 'Activist' (review) - A beautifully creamy formula that stays put pretty well. Activist is a nice peachy pink.

Clinique Pop Lip Color & Primer, 'Nude Pop' - The best nude pink shade in my opinion. These Lip Pops are comfortable on the lips, smooth out my lip lines, and last a long time.

NARS Lipstick, 'Dolce Vita' - One of the most versatile nudes in my collection. It's quite sheer, so it adds just a hint of pink nude that can be worn alone or over a liner to tone it down a little.

Pixi Beauty MatteLast Liquid Lip, 'Really Rose' - Like the name suggests, it's a true rose shade. These liquid lipsticks are quite comfortable and contain rosehip oil to help nourish the lips. 

Glossier Generation G, 'Like' - Probably my most-worn lipstick. It leaves a sheer matte stain in the perfect pink shade. My lips. but pinker.

Bite Beauty Prismatic Pearl Lip Gloss, 'Pink Pearl' - This is the prettiest gloss I own, and it looks perfect over the Gen G in Like. It gives a metallic pink finish that doesn't look overdone.

YSL Rouge Volupte Shine Oil-in-Stick Lipstick, '44 Nude Lavalliere' - Another great pink nude that's a little more pink than nude. The formula feels beautiful on the lips, and it's a pleasure to reapply.

Marc Jacobs Le Marc Liquid Lip Creme, 'Shush, Blush' (review) - I forgot how much I loved this until I pulled it back out for this post. It doesn't set down like most liquid lipsticks, keeping it comfortable and not crackly. Shush Blush is a beautiful deep pink.

Surratt Beauty Prismatique Lipstick, 'Lili Doree' (review) - The key to a rose gold lip. It's a creamy formula that gives the lips a rosy tint with a whole lot of gold shimmer that never feels gritty. Another "chic sparkle" product for sure.

NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil, 'Intriguing' - The Velvet Mattes are some of my favorite lip products. They're easy to apply, don't budge, and fade evenly. Intriguing is one of the newer shades and is a lovely peachy pink - as peachy as I'll go.

Nudestix Gel Color Lip + Cheek Balm, 'Rebel' (review) - This leaves the softest pink sheen on the lips that feels ultra-balmy and comfortable. It leaves a nice dewy sheen when used on the cheeks, too.

Guerlain Kiss Kiss Creamy Satin Lipstick, 'Rosy Boop' - Another beautiful rose shade that looks so chic and pulls any look together. The formula is lovely, and the packaging feels so luxe.

NARS Velvet Lip Glide, 'Bound' (review) - I forgot about my love for these when the Powermattes came out, but they're beautiful just the same. They don't set down to a fully matte finish and stay extremely comfortable. Bound is a cool pinky mauve that looks good with the cool toned makeup I usually wear.

Pat McGrath Permagel Ultra Lip Pencil, 'Bare Rose' - Last but not least, my ultimate favorite lip pencil. It's the perfect nude pink that still gives my lips some color rather than taking it away. It's super creamy to apply but doesn't move at all once on the lips - probably going to be my wedding lipstick.

If you made it to the end - thank you! What are your favorite pink products?

Some products mentioned have been sent to me for consideration, but all opinions are my own. This post contains affiliate links.

NUDESTIX Love Me Nudes Kit - Natural Edition

You probably know my love for NUDESTIX by now - I love the products' versatility and how easy they are to use. They make the perfect additions to both barely-there and dramatic looks. Just in time for Valentine's Day, I thought I'd review one of their newest lip kits, the Love Me Nudes kit.

The Love Me Nudes Kit comes with six full-size lip pencils in a variety of nude shades. There is also a "Bold Edition" containing, you guessed it, some deeper nude shades. There are four formulas included in the kit - Gel Color Balm, Intense Matte, Magnetic Matte, and Cream - so it's a great way to try the brand if you haven't before. 

T-B | Mystic, Rose, Retro, Purity, Ally, Tay Tay

Ally and Tay Tay are the two Gel Colour Lip + Cheek Balms included in the kit, named for the founders of NUDESTIX. Ally is a pale peachy nude, and Tay Tay is a petal pink nude. I've written about my love of the Gel Color Balms before, so it's no surprise that I love these. They give the perfect amount of sheer color to the lips, and they leave a beautiful dewy finish when worn on the cheeks.

There are two Intense Matte Lip + Cheek Pencils as well, Purity and Retro. Purity is a neutral mauve-y nude that will flatter lots of skintones, and Retro is a warmer brick red shade. Purity is probably my most perfect nude shade out of the whole kit, and it's one of my favorite NUDESTIX shades - I already owned it on its own! Retro makes a beautiful, more bold statement and it perfectly blurs the line between wearable and bold. You get the punch of a red, but the brown tones in it keep it more neutral. The Intense Matte formula is lovely and longwearing. It's not transfer-proof, but it won't smudge on your lips and is comfortable rather than drying.

The one Cream Lip + Cheek Pencil included is in the shade Mystic, a satin nude with a hint of both brown and mauve. This makes the most perfect everyday shade, I think. It goes with everything, it's a super comfortable formula, and you practically don't need a mirror to reapply. The formula is beautifully creamy and leaves a soft sheen on the lips that makes them look a little fuller.

There's also one Magnetic Matte Lip Color, in the shade Rose. This is another favorite that I already had on its own. It's a true rose pink nude, which is my favorite kind of nude to wear. The Magnetic Matte formula is one of my favorites by NUDESTIX, too - it applies so creamily but sets down to a liquid lip-like finish. They're super lightweight on the lips and don't feel drying. They also will not budge, much like a liquid lip. I like that it's easy to reapply though, unlike most liquid lipsticks, as you can layer the pencil without worrying about it crumbling or cracking. 

The Love Me Nudes Kit costs $59 and is a $144 value. Proceeds will be donated to LOVE IS LOUDER, a project of the JED Foundation that provides support against bullying and depression as well as suicide prevention. 

You can also get 10% off any NUDESTIX purchase through their website by using the code DADMUNK10 at checkout!

Will you be getting either of the Love Me Nudes Kits?

The Love Me Nudes Kit was sent to me for consideration, but all opinions are my own. I make a small commission on orders using the code listed above. Thank you for your support!

Five to Try

Another month, another five products I think you should try. This time there's a little bit of everything - some makeup, some skincare, and even some haircare. In order to separate these posts from my usual favorites/loving lately posts, I try to pick out products that are innovative and something unique. 

Stratia Liquid Gold | I had heard rave after rave of this from various skincare bloggers on Instagram, so when my skin started freaking out and getting irritated out of nowhere, I ordered it right away. It's a thin lotion that can be used on its own as a moisturizer or as more of a serum (which is how I use it). What makes it so great for the skin is that it's chock full of ceramides, cholesterols, and fatty acids. It mimics the composition of the skin's barrier, so it's incredibly effective at repairing damage. It works to not only alleviate the symptoms of a compromised skin barrier, but also by strengthening the skin and "teaching" it to heal itself. I've been using this morning and night since I got it, and I'm hooked. It instantly feels so comforting on the skin, and it's definitely doing all the work in making sure my skin survives the winter.

Smashbox Photo Finish Primerizer | This is another one I picked up after hearing great reviews. I had put it off for awhile, thinking it was essentially the same thing as the Glossier Priming Moisturizer, but it is a bit different. It has a thin, serum-like consistency that sinks in quickly, leaving a slightly tacky surface for makeup to adhere to. This doesn't add any dewiness to the makeup I put on top like the Glossier moisturizer, but it beautifully plumps up my skin and makes sure makeup sits beautifully on top and won't catch on dry patches. I always had issues with my makeup lasting all day without my skin just drinking it up, and I have noticed much better longevity with some of my favorite bases when using this first. Finally, a primer that showed me that primer is actually necessary!

NUDESTIX Brow Stylus Pencil & Gel* | This was recently sent to me in a set of some NUDESTIX eye favorites, and I thought nothing was going to get me to stray from my beloved Glossier Boy Brow + Milk Makeup Gel Brow combo, but this has. It's one of those triangle-tipped pencils on one end and a slightly tinted brow gel on the other. My one complaint is that it doesn't have a spoolie, but I always have one on hand when I'm doing my makeup anyway, so it's not a big deal. I love that the pencil isn't crazily pigmented, so despite it being that chunkier shape, you can still get a natural, feathery-looking finish. And the brow gel is no joke - it's definitely crispier than Boy Brow, but it ensures your brows definitely won't budge and separates them nicely for that fluffy look. By the way, you can get 10% off any NUDESTIX order by using the code DADMUNK10 at checkout!

Laura Mercier Velour Extreme Matte Lipstick | I totally picked this up on a whim after seeing Anna say one of the shades was similar to the Glossier Gen G in Cake, but more pink and pigmented. I ended up not getting the shade she was talking about, Vibe, but instead picked Fresh, a rosy pink nude. The color is beautiful for adding a flush of color to the lips, and the formula is phenomenal - it feels so creamy yet lightweight when it's applied, but it dries down quickly to a comfortable matte that doesn't budge. I'm really loving these lightweight mattes that are coming out lately.

Amika Silken Up Dry Conditioner* | I was 100% intrigued by the idea of a dry conditioner. I had never even heard of one. Like a dry shampoo, this Dry Conditioner helps to refresh the hair, giving it some shine while it moisturizes. I love pairing this with the Amika Dry Shampoo (one of the only dry shampoos I can use without my hair feeling gross) - I use the shampoo in my roots to absorb oil, and I use the dry conditioner through the lengths and ends of my hair to help it look more swishy and less fried. It's been so helpful because the dry winter air has been making my hair look awful! It also cuts down on static a lot, which is a huge lifesaver. This makes my hair look freshly blowdried and super lovely.

Have you tried any of these products before? What's your favorite thing you've tried lately?

Products marked with an asterisk have been sent to me for consideration, but all opinions are my own. This post contains affiliate links.