I suppose I could have included today’s post with yesterday’s, but with the amount of favourites I had in these two categories last year, I felt they deserved their own. I have always been obsessed with nail polish, and 2014 was no exception. I probably doubled my collection over the last year and found great new colours and formulas.
1. Essie, Lilacism. I probably wore this shade at least five times last year. That might not seem like a lot, but if you’ve seen my collection, that you would know that that is in fact a high compliment. This is the perfect purple shade with a slight grey tone to it, so it can be used in the spring and fall, even summer and winter. Also great if you’re shy about bright colours but want something fresh.
2. Formula X, Thrilling. The perfect nude. That is all.
3. Formula X, Farenheit. At last I have discovered my perfect Christmas red! The formula of this is amazing. It lasted more than a week. And the colour! Beautiful. It’s deep without being too dark, and bright without skipping the richness.
4. Essie, Absolutely Shore. This was my one of my favourite summer shades, especially for my toes. It has an almost minty green look, but much lighter which I feel makes it so fresh. Perfect for your summer pedicure.
5. Essie, Mint Candy Apple. Ah, my other favourite summer. This bright shade just makes my heart happy. Waiting patiently (or impatiently) for spring to start wearing this beauty again!
6. Essie, Cute as a Button. The perfect shade when you need a pick-me-up. This is one of those shades that I can’t stop looking at when I put it on. Smiles for days with this one.
Now, for lips. In the last few months of the year, I really got back into wearing lip stick and coloured glosses. As I said yesterday, I’ve become more confident in wearing makeup in the last year, and one of the biggest parts of that is lip colour. I don’t wear lip stick or gloss every day, but when I do, these are the ones I reach for.
1. NYX Mega Shine Lip Gloss in Dolly Pink. The perfect bright pink lip. Love, love, love.
2. Clarins Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector in Rose Shimmer (01). My new favourite gloss. How did I live without this? I’m not sure. Because my natural lip colour is quite pigmented, the light pink colour of this gloss doesn’t really show up on me. But, this is the perfect gloss for days when you want something extra on your lips, but don’t want to try too hard. I may have to pick up a few more colours.
3. Kiehl’s Lip Balm #1 in Mango. I use this (along with the original or cranberry) on no makeup days, before going to sleep, or when I need a shot of hydration to my lips. It sinks in, but also adds a nice bit of shine. Perfect for everyday.
4. Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter in Raspberry Pie. Depending on your skin tone, and lighting, this one can be either a berry or a reddish pink (or pinky red, I suppose). Either way, this is a great one. And the formulation is great. It’s creamy, and nourishing to the lips. Just all around a lovely pick.
5. Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Berry Couture. The perfect shade for venturing into the berries of lip colour. This one is a lighter (but not sheer) wash of colour that is definitely build-able, which I love. I was super nervous about wearing berry hues, but this one gave me the bug and now I can’t wait to experiment with more berry tones next fall.
6. EOS Lip Balm in Pomegranate Raspberry. When I was working, I used this every day. It smells delicious, and it works really well at keeping chapped lips at bay — perfect when I was working in a dry bookstore.
7. Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment. I am obsessed with this company (though not with the price tag). Everything I have tried is just amazing and this balm is as amazing as the rest. So hydrating, so smooth, so perfect. This is especially great after using the Fresh Sugar Lip Polish.
8. Revlon ColorStay Lipliner in Red and Colorburst Matte Balm in Standout.This is seriously the perfect pairing for a Christmas red lip. Normally, I go for a brighter red lip, but I decided to venture out of my comfort zone and go for a deeper shade. So glad I tried this one. They’ll see you a mile away with this one (in the best way possible).
9. Covergirl Lipperfection Jumbo Gloss Balm in Berry Twist. Perfect for just a hint of colour. This is a great sheer balm that can definitely be built up into a deeper colour.
There you have it! I suppose I could have narrowed it all down a bit, but it’s so hard to choose when I found so many good nail and lip products in 2014! What were your favourites?
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