My Favorite Makeup Things: Winter 2021
Winter 2021 beauty favorites. Photo by Alicia Michelle
Note: This post does not contain affiliate links (for now).
2020. What a year.
It began with so much promise – I had just launched my blog, my PTSD was finally under control, and I was poised to swap cities, to make a triumphant return to Washington, DC upon securing a new job.
Upon seeing the initial news, headlines about a sudden disease outbreak in a Wuhan, China, I brushed it aside. It was just another H1N1, another SARS, another ebola, I thought, a novelty virus that would fizzle out after a month.
Boy was I wrong. And I doubt I was the only one.
In spite of many, many setbacks, I created this brief post to celebrate 2021, to usher in the return of the light after 2020’s dark days, and to welcome the abundance that is sure to come with the rollout of vaccines and rollback of social restrictions.
Everyone should have a red blush in their makeup collection, and Glossier’s Spark, a gel-cream yellow-based red that’s packed with pigment, is a great option to start with. When diffused onto the cheeks with a stippling brush, Spark imparts a soft-focus, just-been-kissed flush that’s perfect for chilly days and warm complexions.
A winter afternoon’s stroll in Paris, France. Photo by Alicia Michelle (2016)
Red is a tricky lip color for me. Too blue-based and it washes out the golden undertones in my skin. Too muted, and it looks flat. NARS Dragon Girl, a saturated, medium red with a touch of cool pink, a velvet matte finish, and a whole lot of depth, is just right. Bright enough to pop without venturing into neon territory, and just cool enough to impart that timeless, universally flattering old world glam cameras go gaga for. For maximum chic, I love to pair this shade with dewy skin, Glossier’s Spark, and a swipe of mascara.
Every now and then, my inner child asks me to buy her something. Glitter is her weakness, and in the face of Fenty Beauty’s Fairy Bomb Shimmer Powder in the shade Trophy Wife, I had no choice but to obey her demands. Fenty truly does shimmer like no one else; when applied to the décolletage and shoulders with a fluffy powder brush, this warm yellow gold imparts ethereal multidimensional sparkle that looks uber-flattering under recessed lighting and over rich skin tones.
Note: This shade is sold out on Sephora and Fenty’s websites, but you might be able to hunt it down elsewhere.
I recently discovered Olive & June, an LA-based nailcare brand, through a beauty YouTuber named Matilda on Video. HGC, a warm neutral reminiscent of fresh cream, released as part of Olive & June’s Fall 2020 collection. This brand’s polish formula and modern shade offerings is unlike anything I’ve experienced before, and two coats is all you’ll need to get a salon-quality manicure from the comfort of your socially distanced home.
The Arc de Triomphe at twilight. Photo by Alicia Michelle (2016)
Alkemia’s Arabesque has a special place in my heart, as it accompanied me on my first self-funded solo trip, a vacation to Paris in December 2016. Alkemia itself is an indie perfume brand based in Salem, Massachusetts. Founded by Sharra Lamoureaux in 2009, Alkemia is renowned across the fragrance community for their high-quality, vintage-style oils and unabashedly sensual product descriptions.
Arabesque, a dense, creamy sandalwood blend with vanillic facets, is hands-down one of Alkemia’s best offerings, one that pairs well with your favorite cashmere sweater and a lover’s embrace.
How did you celebrate 2021? Let me know in the comments!
