So last week I turned 26! How about that? I actually had some real highs & lows this year but I think I’m coming out of it a much happier person. Shed some serious baggage, improved myself, & am starting out this year on a definite positive note. I can’t ask for much more! Instead of doing a birthday haul today I thought it might be fun to show you some of my favorite birthday gifts from years past in the beauty category- what do you think? I can still do a little birthday haul soon if you’d like to see it! Keep reading to check everything out!
What I tend to request most on my birthday makeup-wise is palettes! They can be pricey but since I’m usually dropping hints to my husband (who honestly got me most of the items on this list!) I don’t feel too bad! Some of my favorites I’ve gotten from past birthdays are items I’d admired for a long time before owning.
The Urban Decay Electric Palette is definitely one I admired online because of its so vibrant! I did a tutorial using it here which I still break out for pops of color. Another Urban Decay favorite is the Naked 2 Palette which I have ended up using even more than the first! This was one of my first totally cool-toned palettes & it has seen a lot of love. The Lancome 5 Pan Eyeshadow Palette in Mint Jolie (swatches & review here!) is incredibly special to me- my husband splurged on it one year for a birthday when he really spoiled me! I actually love it so much that I bought it for my mom for her birthday this year! Last is the Lorac Unzipped Palette which I felt like I was the last person to pick up- likely why it was a birthday gift! I really love the shades here & reach for it when I want a bit of rose gold glam & shine. Here’s a review & eye tutorial using this gorgeous palette!
Fragrances are my husband’s favorite gift to get me I think- which is probably why I have so many! My beloved Marc Jacobs Daisy Eau So Fresh Sunshine was limited edition for Spring 2013 (review & some of my other perfume favorites from that year in this post!) & it is still one of my favorites each season. I absolutely adore the top notes which are so juicy consisting of notes like strawberry, apple blossom, & grapefruit. Another Marc Jacobs favorite is Lola– which I have like 3 bottles of. This scent is a date favorite & one my hubby always recognizes- & another splurge when we were newlyweds! Dolce by Dolce & Gabbana is the most recent of this trio & one I just can’t stop wearing with such a beautiful feminine touch. All three are fragrances I reach for a lot!
If you love peaches in your lip products- well then this Tarte Butter Lipstick in Sweet Peach is absolutely incredible. This is my most-used shade from the Tarte Set I reviewed & lip swatched here! Because my birthday falls around the Sephora VIB sale each year, Sephora is where I tend to pick up some of my gifts! This super hot pink Kat Von D Everlasting Love Liquid Lipstick in Backstage Bambi was my first taste of her lip products so this is definitely still a favorite! The OCC (Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics) Stained Gloss Lip Tar in Dekadent actually came in a trio but this jelly-like purple shade is definitely my favorite! I love that it leaves the stain behind which is a pretty unique shade that I wore a lot last year in the warmer months.
Last is some eyeshadow singles & one very special nail polish. Probably the most-loved out of this bunch is the Lancome Color Design Lustrous Eyeshadow Single in All That Glitters. I did a tutorial using it which you can see here but honestly when I’m feeling lazy or in a rush this is my go-to going out eyeshadow just for the gorgeous shine alone! I think the Too Faced Exotic Color Intense Eyeshadow singles are being discontinued but I still wanted to bring up the shade Violet Femme. One of my absolute favorites that really makes me think of spring, see the swatches & review here!
After I did this Jane Eyeshadow Tutorial here I knew I wanted more shades! I picked out numerous shades for my birthday & the Jane Eye Shadow in Canyon which is a stunning red-based copper definitely is a favorite for the way it makes my eyes look so blue! Last up is a nail polish I thought I’d lost hope finding- until I was spending a birthday gift card & it was in the clearance section of Sephora! What!? This is the Sephora + Pantone Universe Nail Polish in Waterfall which is said to dupe some truly spectacular shades…& totally makes me smile each time I wear it.
Whew! Some of my absolute favorites of all time are in this post & it brought back so many memories! What are some of your favorites you’ve gotten on holidays?
