Makeup Monday: Spring Haul

It’s been almost two months to the day since my last Makeup Monday post. Can you believe it? In that time, I’ve worked my butt off, traveled, and amassed more beauty products than I know what to do with. When I was gathering the standouts from the past couple of weeks, I noticed one key trend – I’ve been all about the lips. Without additional fanfare, here are the six products that have been rocking my world lately.

NARS Bronzing Powder Brush, $52 – While this is meant to be a bronzing brush, I think we can all acknowledge that those are very loose guidelines for brush use (generally speaking). I’ve gravitated towards this beauty for everything from loose setting powder to bronzer. I love the shape of the handle, the domed brush shape, and how well everything blends together after I’ve used it. Some of the bristles got a little out of shape during my recent trip to Seattle, but that’s nothing that a good wash can’t fix.

Anna Sui Lipstick #301, $30 – When you’re a beauty addict and a friend offers you a product that you’ve always been curious about, no matter how many similar products you own, you always say yes. That’s exactly what happened when my friend Cannon was going through a major purge & tossed this Anna Sui tube my way. It looked like an ordinary neutral pink, but it is truly so much more. If you’ve never tried this line, the lipsticks smell like rose water (aka Lauduree macarons) and this color in particular adds a glossy sheen to the lips making them look fuller than they are. The color is a beautiful yellow pink that feels fresh in contrast to the radiant orchid colors that are ever so popular right now. The wear time is pretty normal, but nothing extreme or short-lived. Between the packaging, the fragrance, and the color, this lipstick is pretty much perfect. More please!

Josie Maran Lip and Cheek Oil in Everlasting Honey, $18 – Whenever I walk into Sephora, I make a beeline for the Josie Maran display. Before I’d even heard a peep about the launch, almost every color of the new Lip & Cheek Oils was already sold out. The doll who was helping me made a few samples of colors he thought I’d like, and I happily tucked them into my bag in anticipation of my trip to Seattle. The first time I used Everlasting Honey was on the flight and from the first swipe I was hooked. The is one of those rare products that is as great on the cheeks as it is on the lips, delivering a combo of moisture and lasting color. Honestly, I look forward to reapplying this product, which I can rarely say for so many others that I wear. Everlasting Honey is a warm coral-y neutral, perfect for beach babes (or those that want to look the part).

Dior Rouge Dior Lipstick in Grege, $34 – After I purchased the Dior eyeshadow quint in Grege, I knew that collecting the rest of the products in the grege line wouldn’t be far behind. After I learned that there is a lipstick of the same name, I knew I had to get my hands on it immediately. When I entered the beauty floor of the Nordstrom flagship in Seattle, I headed straight for the Dior counter. This color is very similar to my beloved NARS Biscayne Park Satin Lip Pencil, although the NARS color is a bit lighter and more pink. The Dior formula is creamy, hydrating, and beautifully pigmented. Nothing beats pulling the Dior packaging out of your makeup bag for touch ups, and when it’s an effortless color like Grege, you can’t lose.

Yves Saint Laurent Kiss & Blush in Rose Epicurien, $40 – YSL has always been one of those lines that has hypnotized me in store, but I’ve purchased very little. I have a couple of lipsticks and the requisite Touche Eclat, but not much else. When my friend Maree from A Little Bit Etc told me to check out the Kiss & Blush, I added it to my mental list but didn’t give it much thought. When I came upon the display in Nordstrom, it was like angels were singing to me. I knew that I had to have color #9 immediately. It’s a beautiful orchid, more purple than pink, with a lovely creamy quality. It’s a little tough to wear on the lips, but perfect on the cheeks. As much as I’ve rebuffed the color of the year & all the hoopla that comes with it, this color is stunning and subtle.

MAC x Proenza Schouler matte Lipstick in Mangrove, $22 – Aside from the obviously beautiful packaging, I felt like the beauty blogger black sheep for not loving the Proenza collection from the moment it was announced. I decided to give it another try, and dug into the stash. At first application, Mangrove took me by surprise. It appears much more coral on the lips than in the tube. It is what I wish Scarlet Ibis (from the Iris Apfel collection) would have been. I received so many compliments on Saturday that I wore it on Sunday as well. Everyone had to know what it was! In fact, a friend swatched it on her hand and after a shower, it still wouldn’t come off. It’s still available online, and perhaps at some local counters, so get it while you can!

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