I had said I wasn't going to write a "what I got for Christmas" post on my blog, but then after (unsurprisingly) spending all of my Christmas money on beauty things, I thought I'd pull together all the new beauty bits I'm trying out - from the ones that were gifted to me by my parents and sister to the ones I went out and bought myself with giftcards after.
Maison Margiela Replica By The Fireplace Candle
Do candles count as beauty? I'm not sure, so that's why I'm starting with it. I got this from my sister after we both had been pining for the perfume but were unsure of how it would actually smell on us. The candle is absolutely beautiful - the scent still fills a room when lit, but it's not overpowering. The scent is exactly like a fire - cozy, warm, with equal notes of smokiness and sweetness.
Pat McGrath Labs Permagel Ultra Lip Pencil, 'Bare Rose'
This was also a present from my sister - she bought herself one back in the VIB sale and was constantly saying how good it was, so I of course needed one too. She got me the most "me" shade of the bunch, Bare Rose, which is a lovely nude pink that goes with everything. They really do feel like a gel on the lips, rather than feeling dry or waxy, and they stick around for so long. They actually remind me of the Marc Jacobs lip liners, which are my other favorites.
Lilah b. B. Merry Divine Duo Lip & Cheek Set
I've been so into lilah b. lately. I had had my eye on their Divine Duos, and this set seemed like the perfect way to try them out. My parents got me this, and I was super excited to open it on Christmas morning and try them out when I put on my makeup for dinner that day. It comes with a beautiful wine shade that sheers out to a perfect flush on both the lips and cheeks, and a subtle rosy highlight that's perfect for more minimal days. The formula is creamy and super easy to blend - it's quite effortless.
Lilah b. Divine Duo Lip & Cheek, 'b. true'
I loved the formula of the Divine Duos in the set that I spent a giftcard on this beautiful neutral pink shade. I haven't used it on my lips yet, but it's probably the most perfect blush color on me. I'm already hooked, and I can already see myself getting very into collecting all these beauties.
Essie Nail Polish, 'Mooning'
I also got this from my parents Christmas morning, and I'm so excited because I was getting tired of rotating through the same few nail polishes over and over. All I really own are nudes and neutrals, so this lovely toned-down blue will be a perfect break from that. Essie polishes are some of my favorites and tend to last the longest on me. I'll be sure to post it on Instagram when I use this on my nails!
Cover FX Natural Finish Foundation
I haven't needed a new foundation, but I've been on the hunt for one anyway. I always want something with lighter coverage (or that can be sheered out) and a glowy finish, and this ticks all the boxes for me. It feels quite thick coming out of the tube, but it spreads so easily on the skin, and a little goes a long way. It can definitely be built up to a full coverage, though I prefer wearing it more toned-down. It has the most beautiful finish - it's dewy, but it looks so natural and skinlike. I haven't worn it for a full day yet, so I will report back on wear time. I have the shade P10, and it may just be the most perfect foundation match I've ever found.
YSL Rouge Volupte Shine Oil-in-Stick Lipstick, '44 Nude Lavalliere'
I 100% got this because of Allana Davison, and she's right - it's the most perfect nude. Every time I've featured it in an Instagram photo, people have asked for the shade name, so I guess it's an all-around crowd-pleaser. YSL lipsticks are some of my favorites and are just beautiful - I had never tried the Oil-In-Stick lipsticks before, but they feel so creamy, comfortable, and moisturizing on the lips. It doesn't last incredibly long on me, but wearing it over the Pat McGrath lip pencil makes it last longer and makes a perfect pair.
Lancome Matte Shaker, 'Rosemantic'
I wasn't planning on spending a Sephora giftcard on this, but I saw they were on sale (I guess they're reformulating them?) and Sephora had an extra discount on sale items. I had one shade and love the formula, so I went for Rosemantic, which is a deeper, cool-toned rose shade. It's so beautiful and will be perfect in this cold weather!
Dior 5 Couleurs Eyeshadow, '757 Dream Matte'
This was another sort-of impulse buy, and although I have way too many eyeshadows (and often don't even wear eyeshadow), I just couldn't pass this up. I've heard great things about this formula, and the collection of cool, purple-toned shades in this little palette had me head over heels. I prefer cool-toned eyeshadows, and I didn't have anything quite like this. The shadows feel so creamy to the touch and are quite pigmented, so I'll report back once I actually use it on my eyes.
Herbivore Pink Cloud Rosewater Moisture Creme
I had my eye on this since they first announced its launch, and honestly it was mostly for the color and packaging. I'm a sucker for anything blush pink. But this cream is quickly becoming one of my favorites - I'm still in the early stages of testing, but so far, so good. It's a light, almost air-whipped texture that still drenches the skin in moisture. It feels like almost nothing on the skin, and yet my skin feels completely hydrated - usually I need to feel like I smeared a stick of butter on my face to feel like I'm moisturized, but this one does the job while totally sinking into the skin. I've used it both day and night and it's lovely either way. It plumps up the skin so much that is perfect to use before makeup.
What beauty bits have you picked up recently?