Oh, boy! Here we go and the turkey isn’t even cut yet. Forgive us if we’re jumping the gun, but we just couldn’t wait any longer. The worst part of kicking off the Chic Critique “Wish List” series is trying to narrow down my 10 foot scroll of ideas. But for you dear readers, I want you to know I persevered. Today, I will share all what I want for Christmas and all week you can find out what your other Chic Critiquers are jonesin’ for this Holiday Season. Enjoy, and may your days be merry and bright!
For the past few years, my husband and I have focused most of our resources (read: money) on our kids’ and siblings’ Christmas gifts. We have each gone without gifts for a while. Over the years, because I knew I wouldn’t be getting anything, I have trained myself to not even look so as to save myself the heart ache.
Well, this year we have decided to set aside a little money for ourselves and man have I made up for lost time with the way I have been pouring over every catalog and website I have come across and adding (and adding and adding) to my wish list. My tastes run rampant from a new Kitchen Aid Mixer to fabric for re-covering my dining room chairs to buttery leather riding boots. No matter what I chose though it seemed to always have a practical spin. (Ah, the curse of motherhood.) When I had to think about what to write for this post though, I decided to get positively self-indulgent and head somewhere only a girl could love… cosmetics!
I got a Sephora mailer the other day and I wanted every single thing in it. This was largely because each of the gifts shown was a collection, which means I not only get to indulge in products I know that I love, but I can also try new ones I’ve been dying to try but unwilling to pay full price for. The best part is each one is reasonably priced so one could put all of them on her wish list if one chose.;)
Let’s start with mascara. For $40 you can try the LashStash which contains a top 10 of mascaras including a purple Tarte version and if you have seen me here before, you know I love my Tarte. And what girl couldn’t use a new mascara, or ten?
Once I have multiple mascaras to choose from, I’m gonna need to pucker up. That’s where the Give Me Some Lip set comes in. Again, for $40 you get to try 10 of Sephora’s most popular lip glosses and for me those are good numbers to stick with. I figure, if I don’t like one, my daughter can play with it and when she loses it in the couch cushion, no one will mind because it only cost $4 and I’ll still have dazzling lashes and a perfect pout!
Of course before I get my face on, I’ll have to do some prep work. Here is where I add to my list the ultimate brand indulgence, L’Occitane’s Shea Butter Discovery Collection. For $32 you get milk soap, shower cream, body lotion, lip balm and hand cream in travel sizes that will make you think you’ve escaped to the Four Seasons for a night. I love L’Occitane but have only gotten to indulge in it when I’ve been lucky enough to be housed at the chic hotel for work travel. L’Occitane smells divine, looks like art and makes my skin feel, well, like buttah. I adore it all. In my real life though, I’ve got more of a Dove soap budget, so even a travel size L’Occitane is gift enough for me.
With all these fun holiday treats on my wish list, I’ll be soft and pretty for the parties that come with these Merry days. Hmmm… maybe I need to add little black dress and Laboutins to this list as well. A girl can dream right?
Cristie can typically be found writing about much more practical and much less glamorous things on her blog The Traveling Circus.
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