Alright, alright...maybe I wasn't THAT good, but I found some great sales. While Santa was still overly generous to this makeup brat, I admit I may have *ahem* snuck a few things into my own stocking.
Let's get to the good stuff. First up, skincare and fragrance.
1. REN ClearCalm Clarifying Clay Cleanser - (Sephora - $32.00 for 5.1oz) Try saying that 3 times fast! So, I got this because my skin was freaking out in the dry cold air of Colorado this Christmas. I love REN because they are good quality products without a whole lot of filler and other chemicals that could clog up already problematic skin.
2. Micro Needle Roller - (Amazon.com - $12.00 - I bought the 0.5mm) Ok, a full series regarding my more extreme cosmetic adventures is shortly forthcoming. I have lots of hyperpigmentation spots on my face and read about micro-needling as a treatment. Basically, surgical needles are put on a roller and yes, you roll it over your face to help serums and moisturizers penetrate deeper. Also, the micro punctures are supposed to help stimulate blood flow and collagen production. Yup, folks - like your front lawn, you're basically aerating your face. With needles. Oy vey. This seemed like a good idea when I read about it.
3. Sabon NYC Body Butter (sabonnyc.com) / $12.00 per 3.7oz bar - So my lovely young sisters-in-law gave me these for Christmas. I got the Lemon Mint and Patchouli Lavender scents. I HATE putting on lotion in general. But the cold air has been so utterly drying, I have had to slather it on to keep my skin from cracking. The body butter bars are a cool idea. Cut off a chunk and the heat from your hands and body melt it, turning it into a moisturizing lotion for your skin. Like the name "butter" suggests, these get quite greasy. The feeling does go away after the product sinks in, but for me, that took at least 30-45 mins after application. Definitely moisturizing and I love the scent, but some may be turned off by the initial greasy feel.
4. Kate Somerville ExfoliKate Intesive Exfoliating Treatment - (Sephora - $85.00 for 2oz) Dry skin and dead skin can dull a complexion like no other. I picked up this award winning exfoliant after trying a sample I got in one of my beauty subscription boxes. This is powerful stuff- DON'T make the mistake of using too often or for too long before you know what your tolerance is. The first time I used it, I ended up using longer than I should have and my skin felt windburned and sensitive for the entire next day. A little goes a long way and 2-3 times per week is enough to keep my skin exfoliated and the dry flaky patches away.
5. L'Occitane Shea Butter Honey Hand Cream - (Available at L'Occitane.com $10.00 for 1oz. tube) Even though I generally loathe putting on body lotion, I can't be without L'Occitane's shea butter hand cream. I have one within reach wherever I go. I keep one on my desk, one in my purse, one by the bed. I have tried a few of them (they come in a myriad of different fragrances), but I am addicted to the original and this lightly fragranced honey version. The cream sinks in quickly, moisturizes well and leaves no greasy feeling. As a calligrapher, I am constantly washing ink off my hands. L'Occitane's hand cream has been a lifesaver. HG / Hall of Fame status achieved.
6. Careprost Solution - (Amazon.com - $30 - $40 for 3ml) Okay, this another kind of "extreme" beauty product. Essentially, it's the generic version of Latisse eyelash growing serum. It has the same active ingredient. My stick-straight, stubby Asian lashes are nothing to write home about, so I started using this before Christmas. So far, no major change. Will be posting my progress as I continue to use it.
7. Diptyque Eau de Toilette in Volutes - (Beautybar.com - $88.00 for 1.7oz) - Got this in a beauty box. Tried the sample. My guy couldn't stop sniffing my neck. Seriously. Of course, I knew I could expect to get the full size version. If the description of your ideal perfume includes the words bright, sweet, or citrus, this is not for you. How to describe the fragrance? Spicy, musky, but also delicately feminine. Exquisite.
STOCKING STUFFERS
1. Ecotools Bamboo Deluxe Concealer brush - $4.00 at Drugstore.com
2. E.L.F. Eyelash and Brow Wand - $1.49 at Drugstore.com
3. Skindinavia Makeup Finishing Spray - $29.00 for 4oz. - Raved about by beauty gurus on youtube, I was so excited to get this finishing spray. If you're like me and your makeup tends to migrate, this might help.
4. E.L.F. Angled Eyeliner Brush - $3.00 at Target.com
5. Sonia Kashuk Synthetic Crease Shadow Brush - $9.49 at Target.com - SUPER soft. Rivals my higher end brushes. Love it!
6. Revlon Lip Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Crush - $8.99 at Drugstore.com
7. Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Raspberry Bite - $7.00 at Drugstore.com
8. Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter in Raspberry Pie - $7.49 at Drugstore.com - Ok, from #6, 7 and 8 you can see I clearly have a thing for bright fuschia lips right now. If red was my go-to color for the holidays, fuschia is the color I'm going for to herald in spring.
9. & 10. L'Oreal Color Riche Caresse Wet Shine Stain in Endless Red and Infinite Fuschia - $9.99 each at Drugstore.com - If you are, like me, a fan of YSL's Rouge Pur Couture Glossy Stains, then this could be the new drugstore product for you. L'Oreal's drugstore version just launched and the product packs a ton of shine and color for a 1/3 of the price. L'Oreal actually owns YSL, so I was expecting great things. So far so good, but to me, I love the luxe packaging of the YSL version, but this might be a great option for trying some trendier colors (hello, fuschia!) at a lower price point.
11. Wet n Wild Color Icon Trio in Knock on Wood - $2.99 at Drugstore.com - I have jumped on the bandwagon. These are great shadows. Great color payoff and I love the groupings of colors. I already have my eye on 3 other sets (I'm Getting Sunburned, Walking on Eggshells and Silent Treatment). As inexpensive as these are, why not?
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| Swatches of #6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11 |
12. OPI Nail Varnish in Vampsterdam and The World is Not Enough (not pictured) - $8.00 at Drugstore.com
13. Butter London 3 Free Nail Varnish in British Racing Green - $15.00 at Beauty.com - The color of 2013 is emerald green according to Pantone. While I couldn't find a great emerald green nail polish, I did come across this darker green from Butter London. My nails are still recovering from being split, but once they've mended, I can't wait to pop this on for some fun color.
WHEW. Ok, that was just part 1 of the Christmas Haul. Stay tuned for Part 2!
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