Nail of the Day

OPI "Every Month is Oktoberfest"

I picked this little gem up a few years ago when OPI released their Germany collection, and it's safe to say that it's my favorite nail polish that I own.  It's a beautiful red in the bottle, but when it's on the nails in bright light, it pulls toward purple just a touch.  Two coats will get you a beautiful, opaque finish.  It's gorgeous for fall and winter, but to be honest, I tend to wear it year round.

MAC Haul

During a lovely little New Year's Eve brunch, a girlfriend of mine mentioned that she wanted to run into H&M to look for an LBD for her plans for the evening.  On our way out of Lloyd Center, we passed the new MAC counter in Macy's, and it was all downhill from there.

MAC Viva Glam VI

While I wasn't looking for anything in particular, I feel like I'm always searching for a good, everyday lip color; nothing too bold, but definitely the ol' My-Lips-But-Better shade.  I am getting braver with lip colors, but it's still on probation.  Anyway, I asked the makeup artist what she would recommend, and she pointed me in the direction of Viva Glam VI.  It's a beautiful plummy, rosy, work-appropriate shade and I'm excited to have it in my collection!

 MAC Rebel

MAC Lip Liner in Burgundy

The friend I was shopping with also wanted to pick up a new lipstick, but she was a little lost as to what color she should aim for.  Red lips make her feel a little self-conscious, so the artist tried a few purple-ish shades on her and we finally landed on Rebel.  Being the highly suggestible girl that I am, I had to follow suit and try it on myself.  We paired it with the MAC lip liner in Burgundy and I was sold.

MAC Mineralize Skin Finish in Perfect Topping

Slowly but surely, I'm becoming more brave when it comes to makeup.  I started adding bronzer to my beauty routine earlier this year, and I've recently gotten the itch to give highlighting a try.  This is from the new Lightness of Being collection, and as beautiful as it is in the pan, it's even more gorgeous on the skin.

What new products have you picked up recently?

2014 Favorites

I had a lot of fun making the list of my favorite products of the year.  2014 was the year that I really started indulging my love of makeup and exploring new products, colors and techniques.  Bolder lip colors, winged liner, bronzer; it was my year of stepping outside of my comfort zone and trying new things.

Macadamia Deep Repair Masque

Anyone that keeps up with any sort of beauty blog or YouTuber know that the Macadamia Deep Repair Masque has gotten a lot of love over the last few years.  I can justify the hefty price to myself for a couple of reasons: one, it does an amazing job making my hair feel healthy, despite all the heat trauma I put it through; two, it lasts forever; and three, it smells delightful.  I use it as my daily conditioner in conjunction with an everyday clean shampoo and I don't find that it's too heavy or intense for everyday use.

Urban Decay Naked Palette

Ah, the Naked palette.  I started watching YouTube beauty videos right around the time that the Naked 2 came out, and I pounced on the third edition as soon as it came out, but the original was never really on my list until I watched a simple smoky eye tutorial over the summer.  Luckily, my birthday was not long after the realization that I had to own this beauty.

L'Oreal Miss Manga Mascara

Holy grail status alert: I love, love, love this mascara.  Even the non-waterproof version doesn't flake, smudge, or transfer on me, and I am just crazy about what it does for my lashes.

Aveeno Smart Essentials Nighttime Moisture Infusion

I love a good drugstore find.  I'm more than willing to splurge on skin care items as an investment in the longevity of my skin, but I'm definitely not going to complain that I can find a great product at Walgreens for an entirely reasonable price.  As an added bonus, I started using this moisturizer not long after our wedding early in the year, so the scent will always make me feel incredibly nostalgic for this phase of my life.  Memories!

MAC Turquatic Perfume

Oh, wow.  There is something about this scent that reminds me of high school, but ever-so-slightly more grown up.  I will absolutely continue to purchase this fragrance; I love it for everyday wear.

Nyx Soft Matte Lip Creme in Cannes

Along with the rest of the world, my primary goal for the latter half of 2014 was to find the perfect Kylie Jenner lip option.  I may or may not have done an embarrassing amount of research on the subject... At any rate, this is one of the more affordable products that I put to the test, and it swiftly became a daily staple for me.  For a matte lip color, it's not overly drying, it sets quickly, and it lasts for quite a while on the lips.

Urban Decay Naked Basics 2 Palette

For all the love I gave to the original Naked palette with all its shimmer, once I got my hands on the Naked Basics 2, I had a hard time putting it down.  Around Thanksgiving, we had pretty limited access to our house while we were doing some remodeling, and this was the only palette I brought with me during our various times out of the house.

What were your favorite products of 2014?  What are you looking forward to trying in 2015?