Ten Lip Products to Try for Fall

*Affiliate links used

As much as it pains me to say goodbye to the long, sunny days of summer, I think I'm finally ready to embrace all things fall. Yes, bring on the blanket scarves, the plaid shirts, and everything pumpkin spice. I'm a New Englander, and when the leaves start to turn its hard to not find yourself getting swept up in that autumnal spirit.

One of the first places I turn to welcome each new season is my everyday lip collection. While it's true that there are no rules in makeup, I personally find it fun to change up shades and textures at different times of the year. Which, for right now, means trading in my peaches, corals, and vibrant pinks for rich reds, warm nudes, bold berries, and rusty hues. After spending a good amount of time swatching and playing with a somewhat ridiculous number of lipsticks, I've got ten gorgeous shades to share with you. From your classic mattes to sheer glosses, I think there's a little something here for everyone!

Best of Beauty 2016: Must-Have Makeup

I don't know about you, but I am SO ready to wrap up 2016. It's not that this was a bad year (although there were definitely some less than spectacular moments), it's just that I'm excited to wipe the slate clean and make 2017 my best blogging year to date. Looking back at where things were at this time in 2015 I honestly had no idea how much I would grow in 365 days, how many new friends I would make, or how many opportunities would come knocking on my door. This year I took my first swing at fashion blogging and got featured on the Stitch Fix website. I was accepted into Ipsy Open Studios and got to network with some fantastic ladies. I experienced my first Generation Beauty and was able to connect with so many amazing brands. I honestly feel so humbled by all of the love I received in 2016 and am so proud of myself for all the work I've put in to make my content better than ever. So with the prospect of a new year ahead I find myself totally geared up and ready to take on even more new adventures.

Of course, I shouldn't get too ahead of myself. 2016 deserves a proper send off with a final look back at all of my favorite beauty launches and discoveries of the past year. Since there were so many great products to talk about, I've decided to break things down into two posts. Today we're chatting all things makeup related - from beautifully blinding highlights, to the dreamiest of lipsticks. I've got my top picks for every category ready to go, and I can't wait to show you which ones came out on top!

Shop the Stash: Brows

Has anyone else noticed that I am SUPER overdue for my next installment of Shop the Stash?! I've been a little bit distracted with all the new goodies I took home from Gen Beauty (can you blame me?), which means my quest for rediscovery got temporarily put on pause. But now that I've had plenty of time to play I'm ready to get back to business!

For those of you who might have missed out on my first couple of posts from this series, we're going through my makeup stash one category at a time in the hopes of rediscovering amazing products I've been neglecting. As we "shop the stash" I'll be giving you mini reviews of each product and tips on how I like to use them. So far we've covered my collection of eye primers, concealers, and bronzers, and today we're going to be chatting all things brow-related!

For the longest time I never considered eyebrows a necessary step of my makeup routine, but now I feel naked if I leave the house without them done! As a result I've ended up with quite an arsenal of products to fill, define, and highlight those bad boys. So let's take a look at everything and see which of these brow goodies are my absolute faves!

September Favorites

September, where the heck did you go?? Last month was a bit of a whirlwind for me, but it was honestly one of the best I've had in a long time. I got to go on my first international vacation, got to attend my first Generation Beauty event, and have been feeling better about my content here at Little Blushing Birdie than ever. I feel like my brain is bursting with inspiration and I'm truly so excited to share all of my ideas and opinions with you guys.

But before I get ahead of myself, let's give September a proper send-off by recapping some of my favorite beauty discoveries from the last month. Many of these were products I scored at Gen Beauty and haven't been able to put down since. So, get yourself nice and cozy, grab your cup of tea, and let's chat September faves.

June 2016 Favorites

Hello lovelies! It's time for another round of monthly favorites. Every time I sit down in front of the camera I feel like a broken record. Wasn't it just yesterday that I was saying the same things? How is it that every month seems to fly by, and yet certain days can feel like an eternity. Oh life and your many mysteries. I probably shouldn't try to understand.

Anyway, enough philosophy. It's time to talk beauty. This month I have a small collection of goodies to share, many of which you've probably seen me chat about in these parts already. A gorgeous eyeshadow palette, an orange blush that I became unexpectedly enamored with, THE perfect nude lip balm...you guys know what I'm talking about. But if you'd like to hear more, keep on reading.

New-In from Nudestix: Gel Color Lip + Cheek Balm

So you guys already are probably aware my love for Nudestix is strong. Their products are hella cute, super convenient, and never slouch on performance. It all started with the Lip + Cheek Pencil in Ripe (which I've been reaching for a ton this spring) and has only taken off since then. About a month or two ago I was perusing the "Just Arrived" section of the Sephora website (cause really, when am I not?) and was thrilled to discover a new Nudestix product had launched. From the second I laid eyes on them, I knew the Gel Color Lip + Cheek Balm was going to be boss, and I also knew I needed to have them in my life.

Now, full disclosure, because you guys know I'm all about honesty in these parts. My genuine enthusiasm for Nudestix landed me on their PR list, which means that from time to time they'll send me their products for free. I'm never asked to write a review, nor say anything positive about whatever I'm sent on social media or otherwise. Basically they're just trusting that their products are great, and if people like them, they'll want to share them with their audiences. Nudestix is in no way compensating me for talking about their products, however I AM a Sephora affiliate, which means if you go out and buy these lovely pencils using one of the links from this post, I can earn a small commission from your purchase. So if that's something you aren't cool with, I totally respect that.

Phew, all right, now that we've gotten the formalities out of the way, let's get back to talking makeup. These pencils looked pretty legit, and I was incredibly thrilled to be sent three to try. Want to know more? Yeah you do!

March 2016 Favorites

Here we meet again for another monthly favorites post. As I've gotten older I think time seems to pass faster than ever. How has the first quarter of 2016 already gotten past us? Anyway, I've got a nice little collection of products to share with you all this month. For the most part my beauty routine hasn't changed a ton. Most of the products I shared in January and February are still part of my daily rotation. I've done some serious beauty shopping in the last month (Ulta's 21 Days of Beauty may be partially responsible), so I expect that April will bring lots of new and exciting things to share. Anywho, let's move on to this month's faves!

New in From Nudestix: Intense Matte Lip + Cheek Pencils & Blur Pencil*

Is anyone else totally loving this sudden streak of spring weather we're having? Being able to walk outside without a coat is literally the most glorious feeling after months and months of freezing in the frigid New England air. Of course, the shining sun isn't the only thing that's got me in a good mood lately. I've recently acquired a few new beauty products that have me feeling equally giddy. Call me a makeup addict, but I just never tired of the thrill of swatching a new lipstick or testing out a new foundation.

In particular I've been having quite a bit of fun playing with a few goodies from Nudestix that I was sent to try. I am in no way sponsored by the brand, or even asked to write a review. I just honestly appreciate the concept behind their products and enjoy showing you guys what's new and interesting. Speaking of which, let me introduce to you the latest products to help you #gonudebutbetter - the Intense Matte Lip + Cheek Pencil, and the Blur Pencil.

Best of 2015 Beauty: My Makeup Picks

Happy New Year! It's hard to believe, but 2016 is already here. It's amazing how quickly 12 months can fly by and all of a sudden its January again. While 2015 was a relatively low key year for me in my personal life, I feel like it was pretty exciting for me blog-wise. I started out my first affiliate partnerships, revamped my YouTube channel, worked with some great brands, and tried SO. MANY. PRODUCTS. I wrote 171 posts (that's more than the two previous years combined!), totally revamped my site design, and have finally started to figure out this whole social media thing. In the end, blogging is definitely a labor of love, but I couldn't be happier about investing my time and energy into creating this space that I can share with all of you. I've got so many plans and goals for the coming year, and hope that you'll all be up for joining me on that journey.

But, before we get to ahead of ourselves, I want to give 2015 a proper send off. I've spent the last few weeks rifling through my cabinets, digging through my drawers, and perusing my old blog posts to come up with an epic list of my most favorite beauty products from the past year. For a moment I considered making one short list encompassing my best-of-the-best products, only to quickly realize that it's kind of impossible to just pick one favorite makeup or skincare item from the hundreds that I've tried. So instead, I offer you this. Over the next few days I'll be sharing my best beauty discoveries of 2015, with each post focusing on a particular group of products. So let's start things right by talking about everyone's favorite beauty addiction - makeup.

Nudestix #TooCute Mini Lip/Cheek Pencil Set

Is anyone else as baffled as me that Christmas is right around the corner? I'm still trying to brainstorm gift ideas for my dad (the most difficult man to shop for in the world) and have a pile of things to wrap, and just realized that I've got ONE WEEKEND left before the holidays are here. HOW DID THIS HAPPEN? I swear, when you are a kid the month of December lasts for an eon, but as an adult you blink and two weeks have evaporated. Fortunately, even though I personally may be riding the Holiday Strugglebus, my favorite beauty brands are seriously bringing their festive A-game this season. Which brings us to this lovely little gift set!

This year I got an early present from my new beauty bestie, Nudestix. As a little thank you for sharing the love this year (and because they are oh-so-sweet) they sent me this SUPER ADORABLE set of mini lip and cheek pencils. Earlier this year I totally fell in love with the Lip +  Cheek Pencil in Ripe that came in the Limited Edition Prestige Headliners Birchbox, and couldn't help but exclaim my feelings from my theoretical internet rooftop. Somehow, miraculously, Nudestix heard said profession and reached out to me. Honestly, that is perhaps one of the coolest things about blogging. Obviously I have a bit of a passion for beauty products, and I get really excited to share my thoughts (good, bad, or otherwise), and I think it's so amazing that through a blog you can reach people all over the globe and form friendships that would otherwise never have come into existence. To know that beauty brands out there can read my reviews and say, "Hey, thank you for sharing your thoughts!" still blows my mind sometimes.

Speaking of which, let's get back to these #TooCute lippies. I was kind of devastated to see that this Limited Edition holiday gift set is sold out online already (although your local Sephora may have some still in stock), however, you can still snag a full-sized pencil at any time. All Nudestix products come in a handy little tin, making them perfect stocking stuffers for any fellow beauty lover. So, rather than shed a tear over missed opportunities, let's swatch and play a little bit instead.

Brows on Fleek: Nudestix Brow Stylus & Brow Wax Reviews*

Sorry vampy lips, there's another fall makeup trend that's seriously stealing the spotlight. Whether they're ultra defined or soft and natural, anything brows is so hot right now (Mugatu, anyone?). From pomades, to gels, to powders and pencils, the beauty scene is currently overflowing with products to help you get those #browsonfleek. Wanting in on the action, up-and-coming brand Nudestix recently launched their own badass brow products to add to the mix. There's the Eyebrow Stylus Pencil & Gel, which ingeniously pairs a defining pencil and setting gel in one sleek stick and the Brow Wax pencil to help tame even the most unruly of brows. As someone who loves all things brows and all things Nudestix, when they asked if I'd like to give them a try my response was an incredibly enthusiastic yes. I've had my hands on these bad boys for a few weeks now, and can't wait to share my thoughts on them with you!

August 2015 Favorites

Hey friends! I'm not gonna lie, I'm pretty excited to share last month's collection of favorites with you. I feel like I had SUCH a good month beauty-wise and really fell in love with a multitude of different things. Narrowing down the list to something that wouldn't make for an epic-ly long blog post was pretty challenging, but I think I've done all right. From makeup, to skincare, to some body bedazzlement, I think I've managed to cover all the major beauty bases. Come take a look!

Limited Edition Birchbox For CEW Prestige Headliners Collection

Hi everyone! Happy Friday! I've already started my weekend early (which, not gonna lie, feels pretty darn fabulous) and am taking the extra time away from work to blog like a boss. For those of you who are Birchbox subscribers, you may have noticed that two new Limited Edition boxes have just become available. Every summer Birchbox collabs with the Cosmetic Executive Women to bring you two boxes of award-winning beauty products to try - one containing the best of the best from the drugstore, and the other offering high-end goodies. Anyone can make a purchase from the Birchbox shop, so even if a monthly sub isn't your jam, you can totally still snag one of these LE boxes while they last! You can purchase both boxes together at a discounted rate of $28 AND you can even layer on a coupon code to snag a freebie from the bonus shop. This time around I decided just to purchase the Prestige Headliner's box, as many of the products in the Mass Appeal box are things I already own or have tried. This box on it's own retails for $18 and contains over $50 worth of product. Shall we take a look inside?