There’s no other way to ring in the holidays than with a picture-perfect makeup look. And because in-person celebrations are not in the cards this year, having products that make you look fabulous on Zoom is extra important.
Grande Cosmetics—known for their natural beauty-enhancing products—offers two products in particular that not only get me excited for the holidays, but make life easier on the days I’m feeling extra lazy: GrandeMASCARA Conditioning Peptide Mascara ($25) and GrandeLIPS Hydrating Lip Plumper Gloss ($27).
GrandeMASCARA
My mascara graveyard takes up drawers of space in my bathroom, but one that’s never added to the clutter is Grande’s Conditioning Peptide Mascara. My love for the formula goes far beyond its lengthening and volumizing powers, as it’s also infused with conditioning ingredients like peptides to strengthen, vitamin B5 to moisturize and a natural wax blend to promote softness.
When I initially applied this mascara, I immediately noticed the interesting shape of the brush, which was long and skinny but had a mixture of hard and soft fibers. After the first few layers, I loved the fact that there was zero clumping. My lashes looked lifted, separated and thick—a real rarity for those short, stubby hairs.
When it came time to remove my makeup for the day, the product came off quicker than it took to apply. Plus, it didn’t leave me with any dreaded eyelash bald spots. A mascara that delivers on its claims and keeps my lashes healthy in the meantime is more than deserving of a home alongside my other vanity staples.
GrandeLIPS
No matter how much they’re trending on TikTok and Instagram, lip plumpers have never been my thing, until I tried this hydrating, smoothing formula from Grande Cosmetics. While I often find that plumpers are dehydrating, GrandeLIPS is made with hyaluronic acid—it holds 1,000 times its weight in water—so it improves firmness in my lip area and stimulates additional plumping ingredients in the gloss.
Also included in the ingredient mix is vitamin B3, the pièce de résistance for smoothing my lips and “filling” in fine lines, along with their patented Volulip formula to promote collagen production and soothe the irritated skin that typically lies around my lip area.
Since this gloss comes in many different colors—everything from a sparkly amber to a deep plum—I can easily apply it on top of a lined and filled pout for an extra dramatic effect. The steps to perfection are short and simple: Choose your favorite lipstick and liner—my favorite duo is the GrandeSTAY-PUT Invisible Lip Liner ($15) and the GrandeLIPSTICK Plumping Lipstick ($20)—click the bottom of the gloss bottle to release the product, and apply straight to the lips. As the holidays haven’t been feeling the same this year, these staples are sure to get me in the mood for a celebration.
