Best Beauty Purchases 2016

Morning! Some of my favorite posts to read at this time of the year is people’s favorite posts, best of, or recaps. I just love looking back and seeing all the good and positive from one year and heading into the new year with hope and happiness. Another favorite post of mine to share and to read from other’s are their favorite beauty products! When I initially went to write this post, I didn’t think I had too much to share, but then when I reviewed my Instagram and published posts- I had a lot! I was pretty successful in the beauty product department for 2016 and didn’t really have any stinkers, but today I’m sharing just my absolute favorites of the year with you!

My Favorite MAC Lipsticks

As a self-proclaimed beauty junkie, my two areas of weakness are eyeshadows and lipsticks. I’ve been buying a ton of lipstick lately and during a late night nursing sesh I’ve found two more I just have to add to my collection- MAC Pure Zen and Crème D'nude. Late at night when I can’t sleep, I love to browse shops, Instagrams, and Pinterest and always seem to find more beauty items to check out. I have an ongoing list in my phone’s notes of specific products and colors I want to see in person and that list is just ongoing and revolving.

I recently tried and attempted to clean out my makeup drawer and purse and every time I do that, I’m amazed at just how many lipsticks I own. How could I ever use all of them completely? How could I ever rationalize buying another one? Do I really need another pink lipstick? Yes. The answer is always yes. So, to justify buying those two I found during the late night sesh, I’ve challenged myself to wear a new lipstick every day during my work week. It’s been an easy challenge to do and I’ve loved re-discovering some old favorites. Hello MAC Pink Nouveau, why haven’t I been living in your sweet pink glory??? There were even a few I just didn’t love anymore and tossed out or put aside for Back to MAC. I thought it would be fun to share my favorites, starting with MAC and will do a future post with my drugstore favorites.

Here are my absolute, favorite MAC ones, left to right:

Angel (the lipglass is also my fave!), Creme Cup, Snob, Pink Nouveau, Hue, Silly, Brave, Long Legged & Fabulous, and Lickable

What are your favorite colors? After cleaning out my drawer, I've realized I'm in need of a true nude and a great red. Any suggestions?

Friday Faves

Happy freaking Friday everyone!! I felt like it couldn't come fast enough. I don't have any crazy plans this weekend, I have to work a few hours tomorrow and then we're heading to a family birthday party for my niece. Then Sunday is NOTHING. Nothing. I can't wait! We're just going to head to church and do stuff around the house. Most importantly will be napping. Lots of napping... Who am I kidding? The only one in this house that naps is Emma, and if Ellie even thinks that I'm napping she likes to come over and pat my face, shower me with kisses, and sing me songs. All of which is very, very sweet, but does nothing to help or keep me asleep.

For today's post, I wanted to share with you guys some of my recent faves. There's some amazing shops, lipsticks, and beauty finds I've found and need to share. I've been posting about this stuff on my Instagram, but haven't had a chance yet to share it here. So this will be kind of a round up of some super awesome stuff that you should check out. Just some items I want to shout from the rooftops to anyone who will listen.

First up is this beautiful jewelry and if you follow me on Instagram, you'll already know that I've been living in this Mia and Mac necklace and earrings. This year will be our fifth wedding anniversary, and I wanted something special with our wedding date and this vertical bar and circle charm is perfection! It's so simple, chic, and feminine, I have literally worn them every single day for weeks now. The gold bar earrings are also on repeat. Enjoy 20% off your order with "Kristen20" at check out too! I also love these infinity earrings and necklace and these heart earrings are adorbs!

Ever since Emma started teething, she has started drooling non-stop. It’s crazy! She has 0 teeth, but I feel like she’s been teething for months! Ollie and Olina sent me these gorgeous bibs and I absolutely love them! My first thought when they were delivered was how well made they were, they’re great quality! They’re nice and thick, really soft, with a terry cloth backing, and I just love the sweet designs and prints. The bibs also have two snaps to grow with your child so you can use them for longer. She also makes matching quilts and burp cloths that are to die for! They would make the sweetest gift for any expectant mommy, just beautiful and special pieces that would last a lifetime.

L-R: Showy // Long Legged & Fabulous // Tokyo // Silly

Now that spring is here, I’m all about the pink lipsticks. Ha ha ha I’m joking, I always love pink lips! Thanks to late night feedings and Target, I’m now the proud owner of four new lipsticks. You know, because you can never have enough. Silly and Long Legged & Fabulous are both from the MAC Flamingo collection, Silly is a fabulous matte shade while Long Legged and Fabulous is the perfect pale Barbie pink. Revlon’s Balm sticks are seriously the best! They are super creamy and smell amazing! They’re really moisturizing and this color in Showy is so fun. Then, as if I needed another pink, I also went and bought NYX Matte Lip Cream in Tokyo. I love NYX makeup, it is really a great quality and Target just expanded the line at their stores which makes is much easier to shop!

You guys, you need to RUN and buy yourself this Real Techniques Blending Sponge! Run! It is so amazing and I swear my makeup looks flawless now. It’s so soft and squishy and blends your foundation and concealer beautifully. I run it under water and give it a good squeeze 2-3 times and then use it to blend my makeup in and I seriously love it. I don't think there's another sponge that could possibly be better. The shape offers different sides and shapes that really help to blend perfectly in tough spots.

Those are my gems guys! These four things have been used and worn daily in the Lawler household and because I'm a loud mouth, I just couldn't help but share them with you guys. Thanks for stopping by, hope you have a wonderful weekend!! What are some of your recent faves? Have you found anything that you just couldn't live without?

Recent Faves

Happy hump day! Only two more days left in the work week and Saturday will be here before we know it! There's been a few items I've been loving lately (and Ellie too) and wanted to share with everyone. Nothing crazy or expensive, just some everyday goods we enjoy. 

1. Honey Chamomile Tea

This has been in my tea pantry forever and I recently started drinking it again and haven’t stopped. It’s so delicious and perfect for chilly mornings. I add a little bit of honey (Savannah Bee’s is delicious!) and it’s the perfect touch. It’s the perfect drink at night to unwind during a House of Cards episode, anyone else watching?

 Dark Places // SkinnyGirl Bar // Image Lip Treatment

2. Dark Places by Gillian Flynn

I’ve now completed all of Gillian Flynn’s books and this one is by far my favorite. Gone Girl was great, I didn’t catch the ending, but it was a bit boring at the start for me. Sharp Objects, I knew who the murderer was from the get-go, but still enjoyed the book overall. Dark Places though… it snagged my attention from the start and I couldn’t figure out the ending until the last three chapters. It is a great read and perfect for a weekend getaway. They're making it into a movie with Charlize Theron as the main character and I can't wait to watch! Gillian Flynn is so twisted, I’ve really enjoyed the dark tales in her books.

3. “Sugar” by Maroon 5

No joke, I think this is the first Maroon 5 song I’ve truly ever liked. I love the sweet lyrics (pun intended) and the beat. The video is even cuter! Being married has done Adam Levine good- I hope I enjoy their future songs just as much. I'm finally getting Ellie to enjoy a song other than Uptown Funk.

4. “Uptown Funk” music video

This video (and song) get played at our house daily, on repeat, otherwise we have a tyrant on our hands. It’s Ellie’s favorite song and she gets down on the dance floor to it.

Essie Go Ginza // Sally Hansen Blue Away

5. Spring Nails

After getting my nails done last week, I’ve been obsessed with bright and pastel polishes. I have a couple saved on my to-buy list, but you can check out my summer favorites post for my tried and tested colors!

Recent Faves

sunnies // pave earrings (from Olive + Piper, sold out, identical here) // pearl earrings
hot pink gloss: Revlon Pink Ruby (more down below!) // light pink lips: MAC Creme Cup Lipstick & Angel LipGlass

Ever since this trend post back in July, I’ve been obsessed with both double stud and cuff earrings. I put it on my Christmas wishlist for my family’s Secret Santa and they totally came through with this gorgeous pair of 360 Pave Double Studs from Olive + Piper. Then this past week during my break and usual trip to Target, I found the double pearl earrings in their jewelry section. Score! I had been wanting a pair for a while, but they were always gone before I could check out (Jane has had them on sale several times,for as low as $2.99!). I love the versatility of the earrings, you can mix and match with other stud earrings to create a different look. These studs are so easy to wear and add a touch of edge to any outfit.

Painting Ellie's toes!

For the first time, I finally painted Ellie's toes a few weeks ago. I have no idea why I waited so long, there was no reason or rhyme for it. She loved having her toes painted and keeps looking at them and showing everyone. I tried to get a cute after picture, but she wouldn't stand still. Even now, weeks later. I can't wait to paint them again, it's so much fun being a girl mama (I'm sure boy mamas have just as much fun though!).

Boot Cuffs // boots

White Plum had an awesome flash sale for $2.99 and I had never really worn boot cuffs before, but I absolutely love these! I’ve bought a few boot socks in the past and they never fit right or are tall enough for my boots! It’s so frustrating, so I kind of gave up on them. Hello boot cuffs! These are great and I love that since they’re not socks, you can adjust them to any height. I was kind of worried that they would ride up if I wore them over my socks, but it wasn’t an issue. Win-win!

Revlon’s HD Lip Laquer in Pink Ruby

This month’s People StyleWatch (the one with Taylor Swift on the cover) featured Revlon’s new lip gloss in Pink Ruby so I snagged that too on my weekly Target run. Oh my word. I’ve never in my life seen such a pigmented gloss before. It’s like a lipstick with some shimmer and lasted all day long. I only re-applied once (my biggest lipstick downfall) and it left a gorgeous stain. I had several clients and co-workers compliment the gloss and the hubs wants me to wear it this weekend for a triple date we have planned. I seriously want to go buy more shades, I want to snag Tourmaline (a great Barbie pink) and Pink Sapphire (a baby soft pink) as well, but my Target was sold out of both. You can check out some swatches here. The only hang up, is the gloss isn’t very moisturizing or slick/wet. That’s not a deal breaker for me, but did want to let you all know. Side note, anyone else take pics of stuff they see and want to check out? I do it all the time so I don't forget.

 

Active Lightweight Sports Bra

These bras are one of my favorite ever. I love to wear them just at home and to sleep in. Ready for some TMI? I used to be one of the girls that whipped my bra off the minute I came home, but since being pregnant and nursing for 14 months and having to wear a bra 24/7 I can't stand not to sleep in one now. Isn't it crazy? I know, I'm aware. These bras are super comfortable and thin (I can't imagine working out in them other than for yoga and maybe pilates though). If you're looking for something like this, snag it! Plus, I love the fun bright colors.

What are some of your recent favorites/purchases?

Hope you have a fantastic weekend! What are your plans?