There’s a lot that changes in my makeup bag but my tried and true eye makeup staples rarely vary. I’m really particular with my eye primer and liquid liner especially. I test every shadow primer I can in the hopes of finding a good one, but I’ve yet to find one that performs as good as the original by Urban Decay. For some weird reason, I only like this in the mini tube, which honestly lasts for many months. I happily shared this and a few other tidbits on Meg Biram’s blog. I love her monthly beauty blogger q&a session! It’s fun to see what others are treasuring and it’s usually the case that I’m inspired to make a Sephora run.
Today’s gift guide goes out to all of my fellow bag ladies. Which is every female reading this, right? We’re so easy to shop for. I’m bag lady central. Or, as I pronounce it, begs. The Wisconsin in me really comes out when I say the word. While this gift guide could have gone on for days, I edited myself and pulled together what I think is a supremely awesome set of bags that would make someone very happy this holiday.
Here’s what you need to know.
The holidays translate to amazing value sets in the beauty world. Take this Guy Bourdain x NARS Larger than Life eyeliner set. Or the MAC “Stroke of Midnight” gift sets which come with some of the best bags I’ve seen from the brand in years. Love the nylon black and white with gold piping. Bonus? The mineralize brushes that come with this setare stellar.
I can practically feel the butter soft suede and leather on this midnight blue and gold Baggu envelope clutch. I want to put my things in there, badly.
Just add red lipstick to this Jouer “It” bagand you have a truly chic gift.
Butter Londonhad me with the quilted patent bag but really lured me in with four of their best polishes (Yummy Mummy!) all for under $40. This is one of my top picks for the season!
I’m still all about a pink lip for spring. Especially now that spring is real! Finally, I tucked my wool coat in the closet until next season. Since we last discussed, I’ve weaved in a few more shades of pink to the lip color rotation. A mix of gloss and lipstick, and lots of layering of the two. Here’s the line-up, tucked in my Stephanie Johnson Malibu lemon pouch!
Discovering a new brand is always fun, and I’ve been enjoying the getting to know Manna Kadar Cosmetics. Especially MKC’s Lipstick in Savoir Faire, a neutral rose that goes with all. This color is exactly what I wanted the famed NARS Dolce Vita to be on my lips, but that turned brown on me. I need a pink undertone otherwise my lips translate rose shades into an unflattering muddy color. MKC’s formula is extra creamy and a swipe saturates my lips for hours.
MAC launched a new Mineralize Lipstick, with a fancy new bullet and packaging. There are a handful of pretty neutral colors, but my favorite is Grande Dame. It’s classic rosy pink — not too bright and not too subtle. The kind of color that brightens everything up instantly. It has just the right amount of shine for a lipstick. These are totally worth a visit to the MAC counter.
Tarte Maracuja Divine Shine Lip Gloss wins for most spring-like packaging. There’s something that just feels right when clicking a floral-adorned tube of gloss onto lips in May. The shade Amused is extra bubblegum in the tube but a little less so on the lips. The cool blast of peppermint you feel on lips is a bonus.
The original Jouer Lip Enhancer is a nightstand staple, and the Tinted version in Cosmo is the daytime equiv. Just like the original, it’s intensely hydrating, plumping and smells slightly of roses. The soft cool pink doesn’t impart too much color on its own but can be easily amped up by layering over a lipstick. I reapply this constantly throughout the day for extra moisture!
