So, sometimes I think too hard.  I think too hard about nearly everything here and there.  I think too hard about what I’m supposed to do with my life, when the answer may be very simple.  I think too hard about whether or not to buy something that I start feeling bummed out about it, and I then put everything in my hands back on the shelves (though this has saved me a ton of money).  I think too hard about what old T.V. show to watch after my husband goes to bed to the point where I’m paralyzed and I end up not watching anything.  I sometimes see friends of mine that act more on impulse and they appear to have more fun.  And that may be true sometimes.

And yet, there are times when the wait is all worth it.  You’ll put something off, or be excruciatingly picky about a decision, and you realize in hindsight that things have totally worked out in your favor because of how much you thought about it.

This happens to be the case when it comes to my latest cosmetic pleasures.

I used to purchase just about anything cosmetic.  Like, anything.  Sometimes I still think I operate the same way, and so I’ll head over to Sephora or a drugstore with the intent of purchasing whatever and I’ll find that I just don’t have the same bug anymore.  There are so many purchases that I can no longer justify because I seriously have some great version of almost any product by now.  I can talk myself out of anything, and it’s lame and responsible and boring.  Blah.

But what about these babies?  Well, some of them have been around for a while, and I’m learning to really appreciate them.  Like the lipcolors you see here.  Lip gloss isn’t something I gravitate toward at all, and I really don’t wear anything on my lips other than Burt’s Bees unless it’s a full-on bright lip, with liner and everything.  So, when I look for a lip gloss, I tend to go for something really, really plain.  I mean it.  The Chanel Glossimer in Plaisir looks pale pink, but it’s transparent.  There’s really no color to it at all.  It’s my “clear” gloss.  And the MAC Cremesheen Lipglass shown here has the most amazing texture (“like buttah” according to IntoTheGloss), and while it looks rosy in the tube, it’s very close to my natural lip color.  I’m highly unattracted to a colorful, super-wet lip, and so when I apply lipgloss it’s usually, like, a dot on the center of my bottom lip and that’s it.  I prefer a matte look, but when I feel like it, I’ll dab on the Cremesheen in Strictly Plutonic, which, of course, is from a limited edition collection and so I’ll never have it ever again once the tube’s done.  Oh wellsies.  The Dior Addict Lipstick in Tulle works the same way.  I basically looked for a lipstick that gave just the barest hints of shimmer and just enhanced the lips enough to look a little extra done-up.  My husband woke me up the other morning in time to put makeup on, and when I got to work one of my coworkers asked, “Are you wearing lipstick?  I can’t tell.  But it’s so pretty!”  That’s exactly what I wanted out of the Dior.  Yes, it’s lipstick, but it’s just the faintest little addition of sparkle to make things fun without overkill.  It’s like a breath of lipstick.  I don’t know.  That image sucked, but I tried.

As for the eyeliner, that’s been a long time coming too.  I’ve been using Bobbi Brown’s gel eyeliner to create a cat eye or topliner for a couple years now, and while the product is amazing, the look of the product isn’t particularly sleek or “wet”.  I sometimes love the look of a really sharp, wet black line across the top of the eyes, and I feel that a felt tip eyeliner serves that purpose best.  I’ve used a felt tip from Physician’s Formula, but the hue was blue-black (so when you smeared it on your hand, it was more blue than true black … a huge pet-peeve of mine).  Taking upon the suggestion of WhoWhatWear.com, I purchased L’Oreal’s 12HR Infallible The SuperSlim eyeliner.  I have the say that the sucker has delivered.  The color is a true black, the tip creates an incredibly precise line without drag, and it has great staying power.  And it’s a drugstore score!  Woo!

You may also have noticed the newest addition to CoverGirl’s LashBlast collection, Bombshell Volume by LashBlast.  If you’re a regular reader, you know this is my favorite line of mascaras (between drugstore and high-end), and I’m pretty much done with all others.  This little baby that debuted in late December is two-sided, with side #1 meant for building volume and side #2 meant for coloring the lashes an inky pitch black.  I’ve been pretty impressed with the outcome, but I have to admit that after applying both sides I still reach for the Clump Crusher for a little extra oomph and separation of the lashes.  It may just be the fact that I can’t resist piling on, like, five different types of mascara at a time, but I still say that the Clump Crusher (the lime green tube in the LashBlast family for those who are unaware) is the very best of the bunch, and at this point is my favorite mascara of all time.

And finally, I’m happy to share the exciting news that I’ve (quickly) reached my 2014 skincare goal of adding a serum to my routine!  I had been interested in looking into one with some light anti-aging properties (hint: vitamin C and sunscreen are all you really need to begin with), and yet most of them were just too out of my budget range.  I managed to stumble upon Caudalie’s Vinosource S.O.S. Thirst Quenching Serum while on the hunt at Sephora, and it was priced for a nice holiday deal along with its matching eye serum.  I paid less than fifty for both products combined (and Sephora giftcards scored this one for me!), and I couldn’t be happier.  Instead of sludging through another cumbersome step in my morning routine, I actually enjoy applying this serum as I get ready for my day.  It’s like a cool drink of water for my skin, and it smells fresh and clean.  I’d highly recommend this if you’re looking for a naturally-based serum without heavy anti-aging properties.

So, these are my favorites … for now.  And I’m glad I stuck it out for some of these and didn’t just pick the first thing that seemed to serve the purpose.  It’s worth it to take your time to find that great eyeliner, that awesome serum that doesn’t break the bank.  It’s patience that’ll bring you the really great products and that will bring you your new favorites.   xo, MR