Tuesday, August 12, 2014

Radiant Orchid Obsession!

Hi everyone! 
So, I'm sure most of you have already noticed, Radiant Orchid is EVERYWHERE!! And... I am totally obsessed! I cannot seem to get enough of this color lately! I've just been gravitating to it in all forms! It's so pretty, bright and fun... and seeing it just seems to make me happy! It's kind of funny because when this color was first named as Pantone's Color of The Year for 2014, I was a little blah about it. I went on a huge plum craze a few years ago and had just kind of been over the whole purple thing. But, the more I see Radiant Orchid working it's way in to popular trends, the more I want all things Radiant Orchid! Told you... I'm obsessed! I started realizing that I have developed a little collection of various Radiant Orchid items and I thought I would share with you! 
My first real introduction to Radiant Orchid actually came from a lip product that was in my June Birchbox! When I first opened the box and saw the LAQA & Co. Sheer Lip Lube Pencil in Menatour I was a little skeptical. I immediately thought "Damn! What a waste, I'll never wear this!". But then I swatched it and was pleasantly surprised that I didn't hate it! And then, I put it on my lips, looked in the mirror and LOVED it! I was really surprised that the color worked for me. That was just the beginning of a budding obsession! It has easily been one of my go-to lip products all summer! The product itself is a sheer, but very pigmented creamy and smooth consistency. Even with the bright color I find that it glides on super easily and doesn't bleed all over my lip line. The staying power isn't the best, and does need to be reapplied after eating or drinking! If you are looking for a simple way to ease in to the Radiant Orchid trend, this is definitely a great option! 
One night over dinner my boyfriend asked why I never wear "color" eyeshadows (as in blues, greens, purples, pinks, etc.) and why I always stick to "brown". Truth is I just never thought most bright colors looked very good on me and always wanted to avoid looking like a clown! Or worse, Mimi from that Drew Cary show years back (I think it traumatized me)! Any way, a few days later I was browsing CVS and was staring at one of my other recent obsessions, L'Oreal' Infallible Eyeshadows. I saw a pretty Radiant Orchid-ish shade and thought it would be a nice way to work some "color" into my eyeshadow look and see what my boyfriend thought of it! So on our next date night I used this color all over the lid and then went into the crease with a dark brown from the same collection and used a little gold highlight on my brow bone and inner corners! He loved it! Now, he is a guy so the most I got out of him was "It looks nice... I like it!" Haha, but it was nice to change it up a bit, not just for him, but myself too! It's nice to get out of "the box" every now and then!
Now, this next product is where I think my obsession really started to take off... I was standing at the Clinique counter with my mom a few weeks ago while she made a quick return, and I saw the Cheek Pop blushes. All of the pretty, bright, fun, pinky, purpley, orchid colors started to draw me in! I swatched a few of them and felt that rush of excitement that all makeup addicts feel when they find a fun new product! ;) I decided it wasn't worth trying to resist and that I had to have one! I chose the color Plum Pop which was a little on the pinker side of orchid, but I was still new to the trend so I didn't want to go cray.. and because... Mimi. Once I started using this at home I found the color to be less intense than I wanted it to be. I was a little bummed at myself for playing it safe and thought that I should have gone with one of the truer purple orchid colors they had in the line. I still may go back and pick one up though ;)
In the meantime, I wanted to make the color work for me and decided that I needed something to help it along to give it the more purple orchid feel I was going for. I picked up a Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blush which I also have been loving) in Orchid Hush, which is a cream blush. This totally helped the Clinique blush pop! I've been putting my blush brush into the Maybelline cream blush and stippling it on my cheeks, and then topping that off with the Clinique powder blush in the same stippling motion. 
This works wonders for the color I wanted to achieve and by topping it with the powder blush I am able to set the cream blush! I've been loving the combination for the last two weeks or so!
My next purchase came when I decided that I needed to check out the NYX Butter Glosses! Any other time I would have definitely gone for a coral or nude colored gloss from this line. But, I was full on in the midst of Radiant Orchid obsession and decided to go with a color that would satisfy my urges to have more of this fabulous color in my life! I chose the color Strawberry Parfait. I love these glosses so much! They are very sheer, but still pigmented enough that they have decent color payoff. The texture is smooth and not at all goopy! I love this gloss on its on for a more subtle every day look or used to top off a more intense color and add some shine. 
For most of this summer I have been using Revlon's Gel Envy Nail Enamels! These things are amazing! They are super pigmented and opaque, and the whole system is easy to use and pretty fool proof! I saw the Radiant Orchid-ish color, Up The Ante, in a magazine and literally had to stop at CVS on my way home the next day so I could have it! There was only one left on the shelf, so I knew it was meant to be! ;) I went home that night and got to work on my mani-pedi with my pretty new polish! After one coat of this color I was deeply in love with it! It is soooo gorgeous!!! I have been wearing it for almost 3 weeks now with no end in sight! The color makes me instantly happy when I see it on my nails! If you buy only one thing in the Radiant Orchid trend, make it this nail polish! You will not be disappointed! :) I promise!
In my last Ulta haul post I talked about new NYX Butter Lipstick that I picked up in the color Hunk! I've used this one a few times over the last week and I LOVE it! Its a bit of a deeper Radiant Orchid shade, but I love that it is bright enough to be worn now in the later summer months and that it will totally work as a nice Fall color also! Best of both worlds if you ask me!
And lastly (for now at least), my Radiant Orchid obsession has officially made its way into my wardrobe! I was in Old Navy this weekend and when I saw the color of this t-shirt, and that there was only one left, AND it was my size, I quickly scooped it up! Its just a simple v-neck t-shirt, but I love the simplicity of it and that I will be able to dress it up or down! Its also a great transitional top for in between Summer and Fall!
 I'm sure the t-shirt will be the first of many items in this color to be added to my wardrobe this Fall! I already have my eyes on some jewelry and accessories! :)
Is anyone else dying over this color lately? If so let me know what goodies you have found and what I should try out! I can't wait to see what other fun Radiant Orchid things come out for the Fall season! I hope everyone is having a good week so far! As always, thanks for reading!

♥ Nichole 


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