The first month of the new year has already crept upon us. I can't believe how incredibly fast time has flown. A lot of things happened last year and I hope that this year brings a lot more great things as I transition out of high school and into college. On a less serious note, I have collected some of the products I found this beginning month, to be great products to start off the new year. I have many favorites, but I wanted to show you all the ones I have been reaching for the most this month and probably will next month, too.
The one mascara that I have been grabbing every time I use makeup is the Revlon lash Potion mascara. It has really grown on me since I first bought it. This was one of my Amish store bargain buys that I posted about last year. It has a great lengthening formula and is great at opening the eyes up more.
For my eyeshadow base, I use Urban Decay's Primer Potion. I've gotten way more into primers this year and love the way they can make my makeup last. I never knew why I was oblivious to any primers at all. I actually bought this version of the Primer Potion at Nordstrom Rack for only 10 bucks! It's a steal and I think I'll have to go stock up on some more for the future because it's pretty much the same as the new version they came out with. There's really no creasing or makeup moving around at all and I will continue to use this product forever until Nordstrom Rack stops selling it.
I haven't been wearing liner too much lately, but when I do, I have been loving the Urban Decay 24/7 Glide On Velvet Liner. I feel like this liner has really changed the game for me and has been applying very smoothly. When I want to create smoky looks, this liner really does the job.
I have never been a huge fan of shadow sticks, but when I bought this on a whim at that Amish store, I was so glad I did. The Maybelline 24 Hr Color Tattoo in Creamy Chocolate has been amazing under the eyes and for lining my lids. It gives off more of a bronze tone and looks beautiful on a golden eye look. I really love the look of it.
Next, is this Essence Brow Pencil that has been quite the handy tool when it comes to fixing my un-sculpted brows. When I'm not using my Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow, I grab this and naturally touch up my brows for a subtle definition. It's not too waxy and is very easy to use, especially for beginners. I love taking this pencil on the go.
I have fully transitioned to using this palette and cannot get my paws off of it. The Anastasia Beverly Hills Modern Renaissance palette has been my holy grail palette these past two months. The colors are insanely pigmented and look great on just about everyone. Check out my in depth review I wrote last week, here.
Powder is something that I use almost everyday to just keep my face matte and oil free. I have been on the lookout for a really nice pressed powder and Mac Studio Fix powder has really stood out to me. I'm one to keep repurchasing a powder if I love it, however, I think I will definitely have to keep this one stocked in my collection. It has a cute compartment for a puff pad to take easily on the go, which I love and keeps me matte all day long.
On the bandwagon of primers, I have been using and getting the most out of my Laura Geller Under Makeup Mattifying Primer. I put a dime sized amount and just use my hands to spread it all over my face before applying makeup (kind of like a moisturizer in a way). It's really great under any foundation and I can't put on makeup without it. It makes all the difference and allows my face to stay oil free all day!
I hope you guys enjoyed my compiled favorites for this past month. I have a lot of great things planned for February and am excited for what this year brings. What has been your favorite products this month?
For all of my years I've had with makeup, I've always wondered what it was like to actually own a Nars product, let alone four, because I was darn right broke (and still am). After constantly wanting more from my foundation, I decided to splurge for myself and purchase the ever-so-praised, Nars Velvet Matte Tint in the shade, Finland. I knew that I needed to try out Nar's foundations before spending 45 bucks on a product. It's a pretty big investment, but my attitude towards it was just psyched to get something better for my skin that I could wear wherever, whenever without creasing, sliding around, and becoming oily easily since it is a matte foundation.
I walked into my Sephora and bee lined straight to the Nars counter just so I wouldn't have gotten distracted by the other amazing products Sephora has to offer. Commercialism, people! Anyway, I wandered over and a nice woman greeted me and I immediately got help to find the best foundation for my skin. The lady color matched me first and I think it only took her one try to figure out my shade. Props to her! I felt very comfortable with the shade and it wasn't too orange or yellow.
Nars has four different types of foundations and I ended up trying the Sheer Glow and the All Day Luminous, along with the Velvet Matte. The lady gave me three quarter sized containers of each to bring home and put to the test. To be honest, it was more than enough product to use for about a week or two (and I still have extra) to try out. You only need a pea sized amount which is great.
I knew immediately that I did not want any part of the All Day Luminous because it is a water based foundation and with my oily skin, it was a complete no-go. I was unhappy with the application as I found it to stick into every nook and cranny on my face. It took a lot to actually build coverage on my face and I have heard a lot of disappointing reviews about it. I also tried the Sheer Glow, which was okay, but I still didn't want the "extra" glow it promised, or the Sephora lady promised.
When I tried the Velvet Matte though, I knew right away that I liked it a lot. I used a Beauty Blender with all of the foundations and I think it worked best with this one. It truly is velvety smooth and leaves my skin feeling soft and crease free. With that said, I have been wearing it for about a month and it lasts a good eight hours before I notice some natural oil around my t-zone. I never thought I would like matte foundations, because they usually make my skin look dry and cracked, but this one practically does the job of a hydrating foundation without bringing out excess oil.
You get a very copious amount of product in the tube and I only use less than a pea sized amount for my entire face. Another thing that really impressed me was that it had an SPF 30. This foundation sort of reminds me of a tinted moisturizer (which I think they have as well), but without being too light coverage. It has a great medium coverage and is pretty buildable if you wanted more. For my situation, I normally don't wear a crap load of product during school, so this is great for an everyday makeup look. I think this could also be very elegant for a night out or even prom. I think because it is so matte, it's perfect for an event like that. It smoothes out everything and leaves a very natural finish.
I know paying this much for a foundation is ridiculous and there are some great alternatives out there, but a girl's gotta live a little, amirite? I was already using up my older BB creams before buying this so, I would be stuck with a pile of foundation to use up. I really think splurging on a great face product is worth it. Especially if it's something you could practically wear anywhere. I love keeping the sample jar as a travel jar so I can bring a little bit of the foundation wherever I travel. Surprisingly, I haven't heard any negative things about this foundation at all, but if you have tried it, please share your thoughts! I'd love to hear them :)
It's always great to put off time to pamper yourself and I am a true believer in it. Among the chaotic week filled with work, school, and other things, we kind of forget to think about ourselves every once and awhile. In the beauty franchise, many brands have their own skincare lines and very nice, high quality (and high priced might I add) skincare products. Most masks you find at Sephora can range from $20-$100+ dollars. For most of us, we find ourselves at our local drugstores looking for the best masks for the cheapest price.
Especially for an easy and inexpensive mask, the Que Bella range of masks are so individually made for different skin types and my friend gave me this awesome pack of them (I think I already used one of them to try it out).
Each mask is priced at around two bucks; there are cream, gel, and sheet masks and are all made with 80% natural products. Obviously, with it being very inexpensive, they are not made with 100% natural ingredients and contain preservatives to let them last for a longer period of time. There's a very generous amount of mask in each packet so, you could easily share these with friends who have the same skin type as you.
So far, I have used a couple more of these masks and really like them. They're not you're 24 karat masks, but these are really great to use as a little pick-me-up on a cozy, Sunday night. These are sold at Target and I believe Walmart and Ulta, as well.
Sometimes, with cheaper masks, I find them to make my skin tingle a bit. I haven't had any allergic reaction to it, so I think they're okay for sensitive skin. A couple of the masks tingled, but I read on the back that it was normal for them to do that. If you are a bit skeptical, I would recommend reading the ingredients to see if you are prone to a reaction from it or just buy one and try it to see. These are super fun to do at sleepovers and parties, so I would definitely recommend these for anyone of you looking for a cheaper way to look gawrgeous! See you guys on Thursday. XX
I think it's been awhile since I have reviewed an eyeshadow palette and I am very excited to be sharing this one with all of you today. The Anastasia Modern Renaissance palette has been a product that I have always admired, ever since it came out last summer, while walking past the beauty counters in the shops. I wouldn't say that I absolutely love palettes in general because they're way too big for me to ever use up, but I think this will be the first palette I have and will use up until I'm scraping the shadows from the pan.
I wrote briefly about this palette in my Christmas post as it was one of the gifts I received this past year. I think what really drew me to this palette was the entire aesthetic of it. It comes in a beautiful blush, velvet packaging that is very cute and is probably the first thing I noticed. Obviously, I was drawn to the incredibly beautiful shades. The rich golds, vibrant oranges, and deep red shades really stood out to me.
I like to buy palettes when I know I have room and the need for new eye shadows. I was holding off for awhile before Christmas to get a palette because I knew I wanted this one--and this one only. This palette is priced at around $45 and really isn't that bad for a 14 color palette (compared to an Urban Decay palette). I was so eager to try out the red shades because you would never think red would be a shade to put around your eyes. I wanted to try something new with my eye makeup and I have really loved the contrast it gives when you pop the color in the crease or on the outer lid. I recently did an eye look on my blue eyed sister, and it looks so classy and elegant. The overall theme of the palette was really well thought out. I love the renaissance inspired colors and the names are really unique to that period. I honestly feel like an artist when I use it.
I have swatched the palette a couple times in Sephora to see how the color payoff is and I was so impressed. SO IMPRESSED by Anastasia Beverly Hills. I know she has amazing products already and this palette takes the cake. Each shade is so buttery smooth. There is minor fall out here and there depending on the amount you use, but other than that, the powders are all amazingly opaque and vibrant like any paint would be.
For the sake of saving time and not having to swatch and touch every shade with my finger, I swatched two shades that I really love using. This one above is Primavera and is the perfect inner corner, champagne shade. It has just the right amount of shimmer to it and makes any eye look pop. It also is great to use on top of the lid to add a bit more definition.
I also wanted to swatch Red Ochre for you guys so you all can see the pigmentation of the deeper shades. It just looks so yummy! I think this would be a great touch to any eye look to add some color especially during the summer or fall. I guess you could also use it in the winter, but ohhh do I love this shade of red.
Each color blends really nicely and some of the deeper shades like the reds and oranges are actually better when applied with a finger to ensure all of the color to appear on the lid. Otherwise, using a brush works just as well.
Another shade I fell in love with was Buon Fresco, which is a very rich taupe (in the center above Red Ochre). I think this shade is great used all over the lid and nothing else. I have heard every blogger rave and express their love for this palette and I thought I could add to the mix for any of you looking for a new palette to try out. I think palettes can be hard to find or just hard to own because they can be expensive, too big, or maybe they just aren't the right shades you like or are comfortable with. Everybody has their own preferences and that's what I love about the variety of palettes out there. Have you tried this palette yet?
If you've ever strolled past the Nordstrom cosmetic counters, then you have definitely ooed and awed at the endless amounts of makeup and perfumes. Specifically the Jo Malone counter, or at least I have. I'm going to be honest, the blogging world (and Katelavie, thanks Kate) made me get this perfume and I couldn't be happier about it.
I have had many different types of perfumes in my life and I don't think this one is similar to any of them at all. I've never had anything from Jo Malone and I never knew how much I would love all of their perfumes. To speak very candidly, this stuff ain't cheap. I asked for this perfume as a Christmas gift this year and it was truly generous of my parents to get it for me. Prior to asking for this perfume, I did go into Nordstrom (the only place close to me that sells it) and try out all of the other perfumes to make sure I knew which one I loved the most. I'm not very picky with scents, so one can imagine how hard it was for me to decide.
On Jo Malone's website, I wanted to do some research as well as trying the scents out in store, they have many scents and many other products to choose from. They have colognes/perfumes, candles, lotions, room sprays, diffusers, soaps, body washes, and really nice gift sets for the holidays. They have pretty much every scent for anyone's taste, men and women: citrus, fruity, floral, spicy, woody, and light floral. I was very stuck between this one, the Peony and Blush Suede, and the Lime Basil and Mandarin scent. I'm all about sweet smells and really enjoyed these two. I honestly would have been pleased with any of the scents, though.
The colognes come in two ratherly small sizes: 30 ML (1 oz) or 100 ML (about 3 oz). It seems like a very small amount, but it's not like you need a huge spray bottle to get anything from it. One spritz goes a very long way and I would most likely use this on special occasion. Most perfumes these days come in very small sizes, too so that's another thing you have to consider.
I decided on the peony scent because I loved the freshness it had to it. The lime and mandarin one was just a tad too strong for me and I think this floral one is perfect for any time of the year because the other one seemed like a very summery scent. If you know me and my love for Soap & Glory's Sugar Crush, then you know why I was drawn to this lime scented perfume! It's very youthful and lasts all day without leaving that icky, old person smell that's not really pleasant at all on your clothes. If I had to buy another perfume, I would probably stick with the florals and might try out the spicier scents, too. I think the smaller size is the way to go if you are wanting to try out more of their colognes.
As for the packaging, I absolutely adore it. It's minimal and very elegant. It comes in a really pretty box (that I want to display in my room cuzz why the heck not) and a really nice bag as well. I'm not too keen on the overly decorated perfume bottles, I think it just gets in the way sometimes and distracts from the actual product like they're trying to hide something. Less is more, people!
I've had a really nice experience with this product and intend on purchasing more from Jo Malone in the future. So far, I haven't noticed anything bad at all with this product. Obviously, if it was priced lower I would love it even more. I guess I am a victim of the blogger bandwagons, but is it that bad? Isn't that what we are for anyway? To review products and open up about our opinions on them. Sounds pretty valid to me :) What's your guys' must have perfume?
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