Holiday Beauty Exclusives Are Finally Worthwhile!
Every year around this time, beauty brands hock their holiday collections. These are usually sample sizes of their bestselling products, or a special set of exclusive items, or a combination of the two. They're also usually fairly underwhelming. Holiday 2014, though, is looking to be an exception. Or, as I hope, the beginning of a revolution. No more lame-o gift sets that are at best just OK. I now have a full-blown Holiday 2014 Beauty Shopping List. In fact, I've even started purchasing my presents to myself, and one of these items is now on its way to me. Happy Holidays!
Clinique Black Honey Beauty
Clinique Almost Lipstick in Black Honey is one of the greatest lipcolors of all time. It's gorgeous and flattering on every being on the planet. You could swipe black honey on Hero and he could easily pass for a supermodel. Probably. One good test of a great product is if it goes unchanged for over 20 years (Or longer: The first incarnation of Black Honey was released in 1971). Another excellent test is if stores can't even keep it on the shelves. It's barely October, the 2014 Black Honey Beauty gift set isn't even in most brick and mortar Sephora stores yet, and it's already sold out at least once online. If this wasn't already a must-buy for you, that should prove it right there. It can't even get to the shelves, let alone fly off them. The set includes a full size Almost Lipstick, a Superbalm Moisturizing Gloss (about 1/2 full size), a Different Nail Enamel (about 1/3 full size), and a full size Quickliner For Eyes, all in the eternally beautiful, flattering-on-even-my-dog shade Black Honey. Like I said, it's already sold out at least once on Sephora's website, but as of this writing it's back in stock, and for the low, low price of $25. To put that in perspective, Almost Lipstick alone goes for $16 (I remember when it was $12.50, back in the 90s, which makes me feel OLD). This is also the one item on my shopping list that I've already purchased, because DUH.
Tarte Pin Up Girl Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blush Palette
Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blush is probably my absolute favorite blush. Actually, now that I'm ranking things, I think Tarte may be my favorite high-end beauty brand, period. I've been a Tartelette since the very early aughts, when Tarte was almost solely known for Cheek Stain and any information on founder Maureen Kelly began with informing you she was a 9/11 widow. Now there are much more important things to talk about, like this palette that is rocking my entire world right now. Up until now I have owned one, maybe two Amazonian Clay blushes at a time, but I've craved more. Sadly, I am also determined not to be in horrific amounts of debt, so most of my makeup wishlist stays firmly in "wish" territory. When I saw this palette as part of a Sephora exclusive offering for Holiday 2014, I was instantly sold. I didn't even check how big it was, I just saw five gorgeous shades of my favorite blush and said, "A THOUSAND TIMES YES." This weekend I saw this palette in-store and my jaw actually dropped on the floor (I think. I blacked out for a few seconds). In my mind's eye, I was thinking this palette was maybe slightly larger than an Urban Decay Naked Basics Palette. NOPE. These blushes are each almost FULL SIZE. (I've done the math, they're about 80% the size of a regular blush.) Considering you get FIVE completely flattering shades of the Best Blush Out There for $42 (plus some pretty case that comes with hair pins, but who's actually going to use those, right?), and ONE regular Amazonian Clay blush is $26? That's an insanely good deal. INSANELY GOOD. I may need to go place another Sephora order after I write this post. Or during. Just a sec...
Urban Decay All-Nighter Makeup Setting Spray Duo
"Wait," You may be thinking, "Didn't she just tell me to buy this stuff, like, three months ago?" Yes, yes I did. But that was before! Now it is IMPERATIVE that not only you, but I, and everyone who has ever had their makeup not last absolutely all day buy this makeup setting spray. That is because NOW, you can buy TWO full size bottles for $39. ONE full size bottle is $30! Was there some kind of measuring error at the Urban Decay plant? Because I don't understand how this amazing bargain is being offered to the masses. I wrote in my previous post about this setting spray to beat all setting sprays that I don't even own a full size bottle, but now, with a deal like this for the taking, I'm about to own TWO.
Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush Palette
Hourglass's Ambient Lighting Powder and Ambient Lighting Blush have been on my wishlist for what feels like forever. I was intrigued by the Ambient Lighting Palette, which provided three Ambient Lighting Powders, but when they released an Ambient Lighting Blush Palette for Holiday 2014 I knew I had held out for the best of the bunch. These are three almost-full-size Ambient Lighting Blushes in what look to be absolutely lovely shades, in gorgeous packaging, all for $58. Have I mentioned before that I'm a total blush fiend? Was it two paragraphs above this one? Because I am. I love a blush. And these are state of the art, game changing blushes. It may be time to expand my Hourglass reach beyond their life-altering primer.
There are actually more holiday releases that have my excited, but we've spent enough imaginary money for one blog post. Because I don't actually have any of these items in-hand, all images are from Sephora's website. (They didn't sponsor this post, they're just my favorite store that sells my favorite things.)
