Holiday Beauty

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: I *love* this time of the year.

I love picking out presents for our friends and families, feeling the excitement of the new year about to start, and -- obviously -- getting glammed up for night after night of fabulous holiday parties!

But as we started dressing up more frequently a few weeks ago, I started to realize: my make-up routine was in a rut. More than a rut -- my makeup routine has pretty much been the same, every single day, for like TWO YEARS (basically a streamlined version of the products I wrote about in this post). Sure, sometimes I experiment with a lipstick or a new blush, but pretty much, I've been doing the exact same thing every morning for the last, oh, 700 days or so.

So obviously it was time to brainstorm some new beauty looks! I like to keep my makeup pretty minimal, so I wanted something that wouldn't look too dramatic -- just pretty, glowing, and easy to recreate time after time.

First, I started with smooth and moisturized skin -- which isn't easy at this time of the year! I apply Simple Skincare Replenishing Rich Moisturizer at night, and Simple Skincare Protecting Light Moisturizer in the morning before I put on my makeup. During the summer, I can sometimes get away with moisturizing once a day, but during the winter, twice is an absolute must. (And sun protection is crucial, even during the winter, so make sure to use at least SPF 15!) Then I used concealer under my eyes and a light layer of Cle de Peau foundation, to create a smooth, even and radiant base.

Since I usually do a brown smokey eye, I picked a look that was a lot more subtle and natural -- the eyeshadow here is white and pale pink (from Mark.'s Tenth Anniversary Compact), and it's crazy how much brighter and more refreshed the effect is! I also used a black liner from Urban Decay to give a little bit of definition around my eyes, and then smudged it with white liner (COVERGIRL Flamed Out Shadow Pencil) to tone it down a little.

For the cheeks, I usually combine blush and bronzer, but since I haven't been getting spray tans since I found out I was pregnant, I thought I'd play up my pale skin in this look! I used soft pink blush from Mark. and Estée Lauder Illuminating Powder Gelée to get glowing cheeks with just a hint of pink.

Last, I blended three lipsticks and glosses to create this neutral, glossy lip! I started with a base of Estée Lauder Pure Color lipstick in Spiked Toffee, and then blended Aerin lip gloss in Festive. Then I added just a hint of Estée Lauder Pure Color lip gloss in Frivolous Pink to finish it off!

What do you think? Now that I'm out of my beauty rut, what other holiday looks should I try out?