Buh-byeee Emerald… Hellooooo Radiant Orchid!

That's right folks, Radiant Orchid is the 2014 Pantone Color of the Year.  For those of you who already know what that means… Mazel (That's the Hebrew phrase for congrats).  For those who have absolutely no idea what in the world I am speaking of… Let me enlighten you.  Pantone is a company based out of New Jersey that is known for its color-matching system.  We, beauty junkies know allllll to well that not all taupes are created equally and so an entire system was created… This system is used so that designers and manufacturers can "color-match" their creations so that no matter who/what/where is used to print or manufacture an item there is consistency (for a much more in-depth explanation you can read Wiki).  To make a looooong story short, in 2000 Pantone announced it's first Color of the Year (Cerulean) and has continued to do so ever since.  In 2012, Pantone and Sephora teamed up and created a makeup line based on the then CotY (Tangerine Tango) and thus a new craze was born… Sephora+Pantone Universe- check out this year's products here!

While I have not ever purchased any of the makeup from this line it's still fun to look at and I absolutely love this year's color.  I also love orchids.  They are my favorite flower.  I swear.  My favorite.  Take note.  So in a nod to Radiant Orchid, I present you with a few items that may already be in your makeup stash…

I'm going to start with the nail polish.  Essie's Play Date.  I fell head over heels in LOVE with this color.  I was visiting my mom one evening and she came home with her nails freshly manicured and polished and this bottle was in her hands.  My sister and I promptly commandeered the polish and did our nails.  Yes, we were all "twinsies!!!"  While I admit this shade does not match EXACTLY, it's still in the same range.  In fact, on my last shopping trip to Sephora I had this on and one of the associates walked up just to compliment and comment that I was wearing the CotY.

Oh Wet & Wild… Where do I begin… First I must mention, "I AM NOT ON THE WET & WILD BAND WAGON".  Yes, for a drugstore brand, SOME of their products are pretty decent and very inexpensive…BUT I'm still just like "ehh, whatever."  I do, however, really like this palette.  Some shades are definitely better quality than others (the darkest shades swatched the best, for me).  Overall though, I feel you can definitely achieve a very "Radiant Orchid" look using just these shadows and they blend well.  I found mine at my local Target, ON CLEARANCE!!! 

I saved the best for last.  Bite Beauty.  OMFG.  I'm officially OBSESSED.  Seriously.  This is the Bite Beauty Luminous Crème Lipstick Duo in Vivid that I recently hauled.  I now want every shade of lipstick from Bite.  I'm not kidding.  This formula is amazing.  It does NOT dry out my lips whatsoever.  And the color lasts!  The shade shown is Violet.  And this screams RADIANT ORCHID to me.  I think it's beautiful and it's the perfect bright lip for a neutral eye.  If you don't own this, GO get it girls.  You need this in your life… And makeup collection…

What are your favorite picks for the Color of the Year??? Let me know!!! xoxoxo

-StephieeBee