Plucky Charm : 2014

I've been winterizing my hair and makeup collection lately and come across a few products that seemed share-worthy. Full disclosure, some of these products have nothing to do with the holiday season or winter in general but they are fantastic nonetheless so they made the list. Deal with it.

Starting off with a couple of hair products...

These two babies are my go-to products to get the textured, tousled look. I have naturally wavy hair so I usually go to bed with wet hair and fix wacky parts in the morning with my flat iron. I like to spritz a few pumps of the surf spray all over after I finish flat iron curls. It helps to keep my hair piece-y instead of becoming 4 thick ringlets. The pret-a-powder is great to dust at the roots and then tousle with your fingers. It gives an instant lift and helps to freshen second day hair. You can also use this powder before doing a messy braid to give your hair some grip and texture. There are a variety of applications. I like that.

When it comes to dry skin...

Here in Utah the air is dry as a bone. Especially in the winter. I have naturally dry skin but when it gets cold I also get dry patches and eczema. I have tried drug store and top of the line creams all claiming to revive dry skin but the creamy moisturizers are either to greasy or not rich enough to fight the dry patches. Thank goodness for the new(ish) hydrating oils on the market. There are a TON of moisturizing oils that have popped up in beauty store the last few years and I must say, I am obsessed. I absolutely love Josie Maran Argan Oil but decided to try something new with the Tarte Pure Maracuja Oil. I've been using it every night for about a month and I am loving it. It is a dry oil so it absorbs quickly in to the skin. I also like that is doesn't leave behind a filmy residue like some oils. It's mid December and I am usually knee-deep in patches and eczema by now but the Maracuja Oil seems to be doing its job. My little beauty secret is to mix a drop of Lavender Essential Oil in with my moisturizing oil. Lavender helps to soothe irritation and calm inflammation so when my skin is looking red or I have a blemish, this helps to calm it down. I can usually see obvious results overnight when I mix in a little lavender. I like to smooth the combination on right before I go to bed because the fragrance of the lavender oil helps me to relax and fall asleep. Good stuff.

For the complexion...

These two are my dream duo to get dewy glowing skin. A pump and a half of the Dior BB cream gives me light coverage all over and helps to balance my uneven skin tone. It has a radiant finish that looks great on Normal to Dry skin without looking greasy. It is also very light weight. For a little highlight, I use Napoleon Perdis Auto Pilot Radiance Boosting Primer. I use my ring finger to pat this on my orbital bones, bridge of the nose, cupid's bow, and forehead for an instant glow. You can also layer it underneath foundation for a more subtle look. It has a nice neutral undertone, not too pink, not too golden.

This Laura Mercier mineral powder is a new favorite as well. It comes in a ton of shades but my favorite thing about it is that is feels like you're wearing nothing and it gives you that 'no makeup' look. If you want your skin to walk the line between flawless and natural this product will take you there. Highly recommend.

Why didn't I find this powder until now?!!? I haven't always been a fan of powder due to my snake like skin and its tendency to look chalky but this Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder has taught me a new way. It comes in a few shades and finishes. The one I own is the Dim Light which is a neutral beige color. The powder is very sheer and because it's baked it smoothes the texture of your skin. Luminizing and highlighting products have a tendency to show the texture and imperfections on the face so I love this powder because it smoothes everything out without cutting the glow. I like to use a fluffy brush to dust it under my eyes and across my cheeks to set concealer and blend my blush. Sephora also sells a 3 piece palette that includes the Dim Light finish as well as 2 of the other Ambient Lighting powders. I have a feeling it will end up in my makeup bag very soon.

Moving on to color products... Starting with the face.

Benefit Cosmetics makes my favorite bronzer, blushes, and highlighting cream. I had a dream they made a box that had all my favorite blush colors, the best bronzer, and the most beautiful highlighting cream all in one adorable tin. Oh wait. That wasn't a dream. It's FOR REAL. The Benefit Cheeky Sweet Spot is as good as it sounds. And get this, it costs $36 DOLLARS!!!! You know one Benefit box blush costs $28, right? Granted the sizes in this set are slightly smaller than the individual products, but still. Best value. Best blushes. It also comes with a mini Watts Up highlighter and an adorable travel size brush. This set can be elusive, so if you see one at Ulta or Sephora snatch it up quick.

For the eyes...

This is what my daily eye makeup routine looks like. Everyone knows and loves the Urban Decay Naked palettes because, well, they're amazing. What I love about the Naked 2 Basics palette is that is has all the quality of the Urban Decay eyeshadows in a travel friendly size. Oh, and you don't have to worry about using up your 3 favorite colors like with the full size Naked Palettes because every shade in this palette is totally wearable. Just FYI most of the shades are matte finish, but there is a nice pearly white color for highlighting. Urban Decay also had the wisdom to create the Subversion Mascara primer which lives up to the Urban Decay reputation. I like to sweep on 2 coats of primer before my favorite mascara which is the Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara. I'm that person who buys a different mascara every time I run out but that was before I met the Better Than Sex. It is really that good. Need I say more?

Finally, for the lips...

Anyone who knows me can tell you I am all about my lipstick. I am pretty exclusive with NARS lipsticks but I challenged myself to branch out (a little bit) and have found some nice seasonal colors. My favorite lip looks for fall and winter have been purples and deep reds. The three colors I have pictured here have been my go-to shades. The far left is NARS (I have a problem) Audacious Lipstick in Dominique. This particular shade is a light lavender with a greyish undertone. The Audacious line is on the spendy side, $32, but the formula is so creamy and stays on for hours. Worth the money in my book. You can find this line at Sephora and Nordstrom but this shade is exclusive to NARS stores and online from nars.com. Second we have the NYX Simply Vamp Lip cream in Shade 03. Coming in at the other end of the price spectrum at $6.49 (at Ulta), you can afford to venture in to some bolder shades. The chubby pencil applicator makes it easy to create defined lines which is essential with a dark dramatic color like this one. It's perfect for the popular 90s grunge look. I also included another seasonal favorite, Lipstick Queen Sinner Lipstick in Wine. Deep purple and burgundy colors are everywhere this winter but I love this shade in particular because it is so wearable. It's like a goldilocks lip color. Not too dark, not too light. Lipstick Queen has great quality lipsticks and the Saint and Sinner line is creamy and very pigmented. A little goes a long way.

That sums up my novel of seasonal favorites! Hope you enjoy!

P.S. If you have a product you think is to die for, I'd love to try it out myself. Just comment below :)