I haven’t written quite as much lately because I’ve been a tad busier and my mind hasn’t had beauty quite on the brain as much either, but that never seems to mean I don’t have time to try something new or browse good ol’ Walgreens. Or Sephora. Or Glossier. I’ve also been super into reading up on beauty these days, so my input has been outpacing my output big time.

I’ve discovered a couple new products that I’m thinking will become new favorites.  The best part of these is that I discovered and chose to try them all of my own, and not because they were in a magazine or on a blog (no irony here) or seen on social media.  That’s the best- when you find something new entirely on your own and then love it.

1.  BareMinerals Gen Nude Radiant Lipstick

One of my favorite beauty brands of all time has totally upped their lip game within the past month with four new lip products.  In the world of Kylie Lip Kits, ColourPop cosmetics, and Kat Von D, it’s not to a company’s advantage if they ignore lips these days.  But BareMinerals, being the naturally-focused name that they are, chose to revamp their lip products in total BM fashion- by focusing on making all products “nude”.  That is, by creating a range of products called Gen Nude that covers every shade of “nude” there could possibly be, in four different finishes.

When I came across all this new awesomeness while wandering through Sephora, I was so impressed that a company finally seemed to grasp the fact that “nude” is a very relative term in makeup, and what counts as a shade of nude lipstick for one woman does not at all count as one for another.  So what this amounts to are a line of products that are a whole bunch of delicious “my lips but better” tones, and I had a really hard time choosing just one (and yes, I allowed myself just one).  I ended up choosing the Radiant Lipstick because the texture was like butter and it felt more like a smooth balm than a lipstick.  I use something like this far more than gloss, and I prefer it far more than matte finish.  I’d wanted something with more brown in it than my typically grey-pink that I go for in lips, so I picked Honey Bun after trying on maybe six or seven.  I really, reeeeeeeally like this stuff.

The other products include the Buttercream Lip Gloss, the Matte Liquid Lipcolor (there’s your Kylie competition), and the Under Over Lipliner.

2.  Maybelline Brow Drama Pomade Crayon

What a cinch this stuff is.  I’d wanted something to add more pigment to my brows when my Glossier BoyBrow just wasn’t enough, but I didn’t want to mess with anything too expensive like Anastasia’s Dip Brow that I knew I wouldn’t use so much, or anything that required any other tool besides my hand.

This chubby crayon is the perfect solution.  It goes on really smoothly (it is like a pomade) and very concentrated, so I use a light hand.  I bought it in its darkest shade, Deep Brown, because my brows can handle a decent amount of pigment.  It’s just so easy to use, and then I add some BoyBrow or brow gel and the whole thing is done.

3.  LivingProof Prime Style Extender

As you may know, I can be extremely lazy when it comes to styling my hair.  I’m always looking for that product that will somehow do everything and nothing.  I want my hair left with texture, but not with any crunch.  I want to cut down on frizz (especially out here in the MidWest), but I don’t want things too smooth or flat or without wave.  I tried Bumble and Bumble’s Don’t Blow It but frankly, it did nothing for me (and not in the way that I want, apparently).  If I air-dried my hair without it, it basically made no difference.  But I still can hardly ever get myself to blow dry my hair!  I’m always wanting to air dry, and so the quest for the elusive leave-in styling product continues.  Oils have usually fared well (like Davines Oi or MoroccanOil), but even they can weigh me down a bit and take away from the matte finish I prefer.

Enter LivingProof Prime Style Extender.  It gives my hair just enough tack without stick, holds a style well for 24 hours (and I can’t ask for much more in this weather- hairstyles don’t last more than a day out here), brings out my wave, and doesn’t have any weight to it.  I started using a travel size I received to blow out my bangs, and then started wondering how it would fare on my entire head.  So far, so good!  It’s the best product I’ve used yet when it’s come to air drying (and it’s also supposed to be really great for blow drying, too!).

4.  NARS Audacious Mascara

And this one’s getting thrown in just for fun, because who doesn’t love a fresh, new mascara?  I got a smaller size of this mascara for free with a mini NARS makeover and a purchase, and I’ve liked using it for my “second layer” of mascara like how I use BeneFit’s They’re Real!  After using a slightly tackier, cheaper formula with a very dense brush (usually a CoverGirl Lask Blast formula), I like to use a more wet formula with a very spiky brush like Audacious to separate and “hug” the bottom lashes to really build the base and lash line- I wiggle it around on my lash line a couple times, being careful not to touch my eye.  Such formulas usually help to darken the lashes overall, too.  The formula alone isn’t my absolute favorite, but then again I virtually never use one mascara on its own.  I always use at least two.

Anything new you’re trying lately?  It seems that I’m stumbling upon new launches left and right, but I’m being very selective about what I give a chance to because I feel like I’ve got so much more than I could ever need in the first place.  Let me know if you pick up one of these, or if you’ve been using something new that’s too good not to share!  xo, MR