Turn the winter blahs into winter hurrahs

I've always loved playing with makeup--it's art for your face--and I've always loved before and afters in magazines or on blogs. One blog in particular, maskcara.com, has amazing pictures of before and afters. Maybe it's the weather, but when you've got another gray day on the horizon and fifteen feet of iced up snow outside it's hard not to feel like the before picture in a makeup tutorial.

This is why when I get a bad case of the winter BLEARGHSSS I turn to these products to make me happy and turn me into somewhat of an after: 

1. Pretty sparkly nail polishes: Oh god I have about a thousand nail polishes. These are some of my favorites:

These are all Formula X by Sephora. The one on the left is gold with purple sparkles and is the prettiest color on. Unfortunately I have the worst skills at applying polish ever, so this will never be one of those blogs where you will get to see my perfectly manicured hands clutching a bottle of polish. I won't subject you to the horror that is my application technique. 

2. GlamGlow Youthmud face mask: This one is Tingle-rific and has chunks of stuff in a grayish base that make me feel like I've been hanging out in a mud pit with The Lord of the Flies boys. The packaging is pink because 25% of the proceeds go to Breast Cancer research which is pretty cool as I am one of those people who will be 100% more likely to buy something if it is pink--despite my knowing the sorcery behind the marketing (and despite my being all hypocritically "why does everything have to be pink for girls, rah rah other colors rock rah rah"). This mask makes my face feel tight and fresh and clean. My husband (Random) remarked that I looked "fresh faced" after using it, and he rarely remarks on my skin except (of course) to crow gleefully whenever I have a blemish.  

I mean it's mud + youth and that clearly equals yes please. 

3. Bright lippie: I'm obsessed with bright lips--they just instantly perk up my face, even with no eye makeup. My current faves: Dior Pink Caprice, a buildable blue-based pink with a slight shimmer, and MAC's Girl About Town, a bright fuschia that is not too blue based. I've also been loving MAC Snob, a creamy blue based pink. All of these lippies look great with some neutral eye shadow and black winged liner. 

Top to bottom: MAC Snob, MAC Girl About Town, Dior Pink Caprice 

Left to right: Dior Pink Caprice, MAC Girl About Town, MAC Snob (Swatches in natural light on NW 20 skin) 

4. NARS eye shadow duo in Kauai: this sucker is highly pigmented and the colors just work. You don't think they will because purple and gold on the eyes seems overly dramatic and rockstar-y, but they apply like a dream and blend beautifully. I like the gold washed over the lid and the purple in the crease. The purple is deeper on the skin than it appears in the pan and the gold wakes up tired eyelids. Wear with a neutral lip (MAC Angel or Creme Cup are good choices). I wore this combo the other day and felt ten years younger and put together all day. 

NARS eyeshadow duo in Kauai. Like gilded butter for your lids. 

Swatched on NW 20 skin. 

Well that's it for my winter blah perk me ups.

What products do you turn to when you are feeling BLAH?