Happy Nude Year!

Happy Nude Year!  Today is all things nude – makeup, perfume….

As I’ve mentioned before, I’m a big fan of the pinky-nude lipsticks that are YLBB* so I can rock a very natural no-makeup look, or I can really amp up the eyes and not look ridiculous.  Sure, I look fine without makeup, but since I’m pale skinned and silver-haired, I can look washed out in cold, gray winter.  It doesn’t take much time and effort to look a lot more awake and alive – pop on a little mascara, a pop of blush, some soft lipcolor and boom!

Here are a few recent discoveries and thoughts on various categories in the nude theme:

Huda Beauty Power Matte Lipstick (above) – these are more satin than matte, and they aren’t all nudes, but most of them are nude-ish, and whoa the formula on these is incredible; they are unlike any other lipstick I have tried.  They apply like a creamy dream yet dry down nonsticky and weightless – they literally feel like nothing on the lips.  The differences among some of the shades is pretty subtle, so I’d recommend trying them on in person if at all possible.  I love Girls Trip and Rendezvous, and I know Anniversary is a big blogger favorite among folks with more medium-toned skin who can wear a beige-ier shade.

Believe Foundation at Dollar General – yes, it’s true; this dollar store came out with its own line of makeup and YouTube lost its mind.  The surprising favorite is the foundation, which has a gorgeous natural satin finish and costs five dollars.  I love trying foundations, so I know whereof I speak.  This stuff is good.  The other favorite (Anita and I are both converts) is their Volumin’eyes Mascara (in the purple tube), something about that wand gives a great curl and it’s not clumpy.  Worth checking out if you’re in the states, and (like everything else) I assume you can get it shipped to other countries via Amazon or eBay.

Speaking of which – I’d heard raves about this No. 7 HydraLuminous foundation that isn’t available in the US, so I found a UK eBay seller – I think I paid as much in shipping as the foundation cost, and I don’t care, because it’s got a luminous, natural-looking finish and it’s great on dry skin.

Moving on – I was browsing candles online (as one does) and I stumbled across an amusing story about how the Westin Hotels sell their (branded) hotel ambient scent online to appease rabid fans; I don’t think I’ve ever stayed in a Westin, but it sounded nice, and so I bought one.  And it is nice, unobtrusive in the way you’d expect it to be; clean musk, faintly floral, and not cloying.  The drawer sachets are really the winner, however.

Finally, I’m back into some “nude” scents (thought I’d never get to fragrance, didn’t you?) – the kind of cozy skin scents that feel wonderful in cold, damp winter.  Thoughts:

• I dug out my bottle of Barbara Bui, which is now sitting on the hall table so I can spritz on the way out the door.  Is anyone out there still loving Barbara Bui in 2020?  Helloooo?
• I wish I hadn’t given away my bottle of Estee Sensuous Nude awhile back…. anyone remember that one?
• I thought SJP Lovely was the most boring thing on the planet when it came out, but almost fifteen years (!) later I’ve come to appreciate its subtle yet well-crafted charms, particularly in comparison to a lot of the scents assailing me when I walk into Ulta;
• Frederic Malle Outrageous – you know…. the most outrageous thing about this is how focus-group-friendly this thing is, and so the name seems a bit of a joke; however, it’s a lovely skin scent, especially in summer.

What about you?  What are you curling up with these days?

*YLBB = Your Lips But Better, and it varies wildly from person to person, depending on skin tone, lip shade, etc. Whatever you think your best “enhanced” natural lip shade would be.