Ten Affordable Pink Lips for Valentine's Day

With so many pretty choices how can you choose just one?
(shown in order listed below)

I bring to you ten gorgeous and affordable pinks for Valentine's Day. I have picked out ten different shades from light to bold and everything in between so there is sure to be one for you! 

Ten gorgeous and affordable pinks for Valentine's Day!
(shown in the order listed below)

Jordana Twist & Shine Moisturizing Balm Stain "Sweet Pink" - I love the Jordana Balm Stains because they are inexpensive, easy to apply and have an amazing shade selection. This light pink is super wearable because it doesn't lean too cool or too warm. This is a great everyday shade that will be perfect paired with jeans, flats, and a cardigan for a low key celebration. 

Rimmel Show Off Lip Lacquer "Apocaliptic" - The Show Off Lip Lacquers from Rimmel are some of my favorite lip products ever because they are fiercely pigmented and so darn affordable. Apocaliptic is a gorgeous bright pink shade that you have got to get your hands on, even if you're not a pink person. It's just so pretty! This shade would be perfect paired with a leather jacket and some kick-ass boots. 

Victoria's Secret Beauty Rush Lip Gloss "Mango Madness" - I may be cheating a little bit because I don't think this lip gloss is still available, but it's too pretty to not be included! Do not let the name fool you - this is not the color of a mango! I love to use this lip gloss over lip stick to give it more dimension. The sparkles are so beautiful. This would be a great lip to pair with a flowy dress. 

NYX Mega Shine Lip Gloss "Dolly Girl" - This lip gloss has recently become an obsession of mine. I picked it up from Ulta after seeing it featured in Ingrid's (missglamorazzi) January favorites and I am in L-O-V-E! This is the perfect hot pink gloss - it looks scary in the tube, but is actually very wearable because it comes out kind of sheer, but is easily buildable. This lip gloss would be great paired with anything! 

Revlon Lip Butter "Sweet Tart" - If you like Revlon Lip Butters and you're a fan of pink you probably already have this in your collection! Sweet Tart is a very pretty bright pink that I think would look great for a day time date - maybe out to lunch or shopping! The formula is very moisturizing and lasts about five to six hours on me so you don't have to worry about touching up during your fun day date! I picture this lip paired with an oversize (heart) sweater and leggings.

E.L.F. Hypershine Gloss "Pink Pop" - If you're looking for a pink that leans a little fuchsia than this gloss if for you! It's a little on the sticky side though, but for only $1 it's totally worth it! Apply this to the center of your bottom lip for fuller looking lips. Wouldn't this color be gorgeous with classic outfit such as jeans and a statement blazer? I think so!

Revlon Colorburst Lacquer Balm "Vivacious" - This is a gorgeous bright pink with an extreme glossy finish! If you don't like shimmer, don't worry because there is none to be found in this bold shade. Pair this with an LBD to sass it up a bit. 

NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream "Instanbul" - This soft pink nude is very similar to the Jordana Balm Stain, but more nude and with a matte finish. I am a big fan of the Soft Matte Lip Creams from NYX. The formula is very comfortable and there is a huge shade selection. This would be great with an LPD (little pink dress)! 

Maybelline ColorSensational The Vivids "Wild Rose" - How can I put into words how much I love this color? This lipstick is a bright, bold rosy pink and is absolutely stunning. I want to pair this with dark blue jeggings, a simple tee, and kitten heels. 

Cover Girl Lip Perfection Lip Color "Bombshell" - The last pink lip color I bring to you is a little on the purple side, but still bright, bold, and gorgeous. I definitely think of a bombshell wearing this. Pair it with a printed crop top and black circle skirt for the unexpected bombshell look. 

That wraps it up for my list of ten affordable pink lips for Valentine's Day. What are you wearing on your lips for Valentine's Day? Also, stay tuned for my red version! 

xoxo,

A

January Favorites

January Favorites 2014

So I know this post is super late, but I still wanted to get it up because I will (hopefully) be blogging all year and the thought of approaching the end of 2014 with a missing Favorites post makes me very uncomfortable! I know, I'm weird! Let's get to the point. January was a simple month in terms of the products I used. I was sick for most of the month so I didn't use much makeup at all and when I did I stuck to known favorites. Here's what I loved in January 2014!

● MAKEUP ●

l-r: UD Naked Basics, Cover Girl Wetslicks, Maybelline The Rocket,
OPI Grape Crush, Maybelline Baby Lips, Benefit The POREfessional 

I would not have been able to survive January (or any month) if I didn't have Benefit’s The POREfessional primer. This stuff is amazing and is the only makeup product so far that I have deemed holy grail. I use this over my nose where I have the most visible pores and does a wonderful job at blurring them. I tried out a few different face powders in January so I don't have a favorite and since I was sick a lot I pretty much stayed away from foundation and concealer so this was the only face product I couldn't live with out in January. 

Urban Decay Naked Basics was my baby in January. I can create simple and easy looks in just a matter of minutes which is ideal for me since I started my new work schedule (I have to be to work at 7:30 am now).  I like to use W.O.S. all over my lid, Naked 2 in my crease and outer corner, Foxy as a brow bone highlight, and Venus in my inner corner. Occasionally I will use Faint if I want something a little bit more dramatic, but I usually don’t have the time in the morning. I finish up with Maybelline The Rocket mascara - perfect for separately lashes and building volume.

I also kept my lips very simple in January. Maybelline Baby Lips in Quenched was a true life saver - in fact I used a whole one up in just two months! Unfortunately, I threw it out and didn't even think of saving it for a future 'products I've used up' post. Seriously though, this lip balm is incredible. It makes my lips very soft and I can feel my lips soaking this up instead of it just sitting on top. When I wanted a little bit of color I reached for Cover Girl Wetslicks lip gloss in Raspberry Splash. It's a gorgeous shade and very easy to wear and apply.

● NAILS ●

OPI "Grape Crush"

My favorite nail polish of the month was OPI's Liquid Sand in "My Current Crush". It's a gorgeous grape purple shade with silver sparkle. I picked this up at Ulta on clearance. It came with a top coat and both were only $9! I wore this pretty polish for a good two weeks. 

● SKIN, HAIR, BODY ●

l-r: PINK Warm & Cozy, Simple Facial Toner, Olay Moisturizer,
Suave Moroccan Oil, The Body Shop Shea body butter

My favorite fragrance of January was Warm & Cozy by PINK. It smells like vanilla and peony and is surprisingly perfect for winter. I use this after the shower and I feel so refreshed! Instead of lotion, I've been on a body butter kick. The Body Shop had some insane deals during Christmas and I picked up quite a few mini body butters. My favorite has been Shea. It's simple and perfect for every day. I like it because it doesn't clash with any fragrances or perfumes I might be wearing. 

My face has been loving Olay Fresh Effects Long Live Moisture! face moisturizer. It has a satin finish and a really great smell. It comes out white when you pump it out, but it warms up to be slightly pink and iridescent. It makes the skin look healthy and glowy, but not glittery or shimmery. I've been using this since summer and am still in love! At the end of the day I use Simple Soothing Facial Toner. I picked this up as a recommendation from Lindsey Hughes (beautybaby44). This. Is. Amazing. I use it every night before bed and it makes my skin feel great. I can see a difference when I use it. My skin looks fresh and cleaner than if I just washed it with face wash. And the best part? It's so inexpensive - I paid $5.99 at Target.

My last favorite of January is Suave Moroccan Oil. I have been using this every day and my hair feels so much softer. My mom even noticed when she was braiding my hair a few weeks ago (yes, I still ask my mom to do my hair sometimes, even though I'm 22). I prefer to use it right out of the shower when my hair is still a little damp. 

So that concludes my very first favorites post! What did you love in January?

xoxo,
A

MY CURRENT MASCARA ROTATION

l-r: Cover Girl Clump Crusher, Too Faced Lash Injection, Maybelline The Rocket, 

Jordana Best Lash Extreme Volumizing, Maybelline Great Lash Lots of Lashes

I am the type of person that always has a few masaras open at any given time. I like different mascaras for different things - one for my bottom lashes, one for separating, one for volume...ideally there is a mascara out there for me that does it all! Unfortunately, I have not found said mascara yet so I always have a few that I am currently using. Here are the mascaras on my current rotation.

Cover Girl Clump Crusher by LashBlast, $8.99 at Ulta

Ah, the Clump Crusher. I don't think I've ever seen a drugstore mascara with so much hype! I remember Tracy and Stefanie from eleventhgorgeous raving about this mascara last spring and thinking I must have this in my life. Honestly, it's not my favorite, in fact I kind of dislike it...a lot. 

I never seem to have luck with Cover Girl mascaras.  The wand for the Clump Crusher is rubber with a slight curve and short, stubby bristles. It does not do anything for my short, sparse, thin lashes. This mascara does live up to it's name in that I do not have any clumps, but it doesn't give me volume or length which is truly what I need. It is, however, amazing for my bottom lashes! The wand is the perfect size to get every single lash on my lower lash line and the formula does not smudge at all. I'm happy that I found a purpose for it. 

The only thing is this mascara tube is kind of bulky so traveling with it is kind of a pain especially since I know I'm only going to be using it for my bottom lashes. I don't regret buying it because it was pretty inexpensive and I was so happy to finally try it even though it's not my favorite mascara out there. 

Too Faced Lash Injection, $21 at Ulta

Too Faced is one of those brands with the most gorgeous packing - from the eye shadow palettes, to the bronzers, to the lipsticks (seriously have you ever held one of their La Creme lipsticks in your hand? It's a magical moment!). Everything is simply stunning. Their Lash Injection Mascara is no exception. The packing is not only pretty (there are gold bows along the top of the wand!), but it feels expensive. Also, call me crazy, but the smell of this is kind of amazing. It doesn't smell fruity or floral-y...in fact I can't tell what the smell is, but it's kind of nice! I would have never guessed that I would like the smell of a mascara! 

Now, about the actual mascara. It's not that impressive. At least for me. It does a nice job separating my lashes and coats them, but very thinly. Do not get this mascara if you are wanting anything really dramatic. I use this mascara on my 'no make up' days. And I don't mean no make up days where I'm actually using twenty-seven products to achieve a "natural" look. I mean I've got Benefit POREfessional to hide my pores, Rimmel Stay Matte powder all over my face, mascara and a sheer lip gloss. This mascara is about one step above natural lashes. Sort of like a "my lashes but better". Definitely not dramatic, in fact quite natural. 

This mascara came in the Be Merry and Be Bright holiday set exclusive to Ulta so I did not pay full price for this mascara. I was glad I was able to try it, but I won't be purchasing it again. Mostly because there are too many mascaras out there I want to try so a mascara has to be AMAZING for me to purchase it again and this one was just sort of meh. 

Maybelline The Rocket Volume Express Mascara, $7.49 at Ulta

I absolutely love Maybelline mascaras! I don't think there has ever been one that I truly disliked. That being said, The Rocket Mascara is one that took a long time for me to warm up to. The first time I used it I scratched my cornea with the wand! Those bristles are T-I-N-Y! This mascara is another rubber wand - for the most part I seem to prefer those kinds of wands. As I said the bristles on this wand are very tiny so you have to get really close to the base of your lashes. I have poked myself in the eye many times using this mascara. Other than the possible danger of using this the actual mascara is really nice! 

The formula was perfect from the get go - it wasn't too dry or too wet. This mascara builds volume very quickly, which is what I look for most in a mascara. I've had this mascara the longest (almost six months) and it's still going strong. I have a few other mascaras that I have purchased, but haven't opened yet that I want to try out. If those don't work out I will definitely be buying this again. 

Jordana Best Lash Extreme Volumizing Mascara, $2.99 at Walgreens

It's kind of surprising that the least expensive mascara on this list is actually my favorite! This mascara from Jordana is absolutely incredible. I bought it on a whim in July fell in love immediately. The wand is the perfect size for me - it's not massive like The Rocket or super tiny like the Clump Crusher. The formula doesn't flake or smudge at all. However, my favorite thing about this mascara is that it leaves my lashed feeling soft. Yes, you read that right - SOFT. It's amazing! I've never in my life tried a mascara that makes my lashes feel this amazing. This is very close to becoming a holy grail product. The picture shown is of my second tube. I think this might be the first time I've repurchased a mascara. Okay, let's just slap a holy grail sticker on that sucker. I highly recommend this mascara to anyone with easy access to Jordana cosmetics. It's seriously worth it! And if you don't like it? Well, it only set you back $2.99.

Maybelline Great Lash Lots of Lashes, $5.99 at Ulta

Having heard so much about this mascara from Lindsey and Meghan Hughes (beautybaby44 and missmeghanmakeup) I decided to pick this up when Maybelline was BOGO at Ulta a few months ago. Now, I will admit that my expectations were very high for this mascara because it's the only mascara I've seen Lindsey use other than Benefit's They're Real! and she admitted this is her holy grail. I'm not that impressed so far. Granted, I've only used this a handful of times, but I think my lashes are just too thin for this to be beneficial. I can imagine this working wonders on someone with naturally thick lashes, but sadly that person is not me. It takes so many coats to get a little bit of volume and I just don't have the time so I haven't been reaching for this much. I did try layering the Jordana Best Lash Extreme Volumizing Mascara over this once and I really liked the result so I may start using mascara as a base. I'm not prepared to give up just yet, but as of now, I will not be repurchasing. 

That's it for my current mascara rotation! What mascara(s) are you currently using? Have you tried any of these mascaras? Do share! 

xoxo,

A