May 2013 Favorites

May Favorites

MUFE Mat Velvet +: Now that I finally have a bit more color to my face I was able to start using my Mat Velvet + foundation. This is probably my favorite foundation ever. It covers like a dream, leaves my face looking matte but not dry, and stays all day. Plus, if I do want to retouch it I can add some more at the end of the day and it never looks cakey. I'm not too keen on the higher price tag, but I really do think it's worth it if you have combination or oily skin. 

Covergirl Outlast Foundation: I feel like this a drugstore sorta dupe for the Mat Velvet +. It provides buildable coverage, leaves your face with a matte finish, and stays on almost all day long. However, if you have any dry spots on the face you will probably want to skip this. Whenever I have acne healing I almost always get dry patches. They look horrible when I used this foundation over them. I also find this foundation applies better when I skip a primer and heavy moisturizer. If I use either of them then I feel like the foundation never really sets unless I powder afterwards. Overall, even with its flaws, this is a great drugstore foundation.

February 2013 Favorites

My beauty favorites for February are short and sweet just like the month was. Between traveling and lots of studying I used the same products every day. Here are some things that I discovered this month or that really stood out to me.

Skin and body: I've really enjoyed using Origin's Checks and Balances face wash and Modern Friction face scrub. I received these items with three others in a sample kit from Sephora. The face wash is labeled as "frothy" which is right on point. I use it with my Clarisonic Mia and this stuff foams like crazy. It has a minty smell which is nice in the morning especially when I'm sleepy. My skin hasn't broken out since using this and it removes all my makeup. Plus, a little bit goes a long way. I will definitely purchase a full size bottle once I use my sample up. The Modern Friction scrub is interesting to use. I apply a quarter size amount to my dry face using my dry finger tips. Then after about 30 seconds-1 minute I wet my fingers and scrub some more before rinsing with water. It has the perfect amount of roughness and gentleness. I like to actually feel a scrub but I want it to be gentle enough not to turn my face red. This definitely does the trick.

I also discovered a new razor that I received from BzzAgent. The Schick Hydro Silk for women has 5 blades and a water activated moisturizing serum strip that keeps my legs super smooth without breaking out in razor bumps. 99% of the time I will choose a men's razor over women's but this one did just as good as my favorite men's razors!

I found the Sonia Kashuk Limited Edition Brush Couture 4 piece Brush Set at my local Target. I love Sonia Kashuk brushes, especially the ones with limited edition prints. This set comes with a duo fiber brush, large eyeshadow brush, crease brush, and angled liner brush. My favorite brushes in the set are definitely the duo fiber which I use for bronzer and the liner brush which I use for cream liner and my brows. The best part? The $12.99 price tag!

My best friend passed along her ELF Eyebrow Kit in Medium because it was too dark for her. The $3 gem has a wax and powder that are so simple to use. I normally just use the wax to fill in my brows but if I have extra time I put some of the powder over it.

I also rediscovered my favorite cream blush: MAC's Blushcreme in Brit Wit. This is the original formula that MAC no longer sells. I use my Real Technique's Stippling Brush to grab a TINY bit of this pigmented cream and swirl in on the apples of my cheeks to my hairline. The color is a dusty mauve that is extremely pigmented and smooth.

What were your February favorites?

January 2013 Favorites

LypSol- I found this lipbalm at my local Walgreens. It reminds me a lot of Burt's Bees lipbalm but stays on my lips longer and moisturizes them more. It seems like actually sink into my lips, unlike some balms that just stay on the top layer. It also has a cute little bee on the side that moves the balm up and down in it's tube. How cute!

L'Oreal Infalliable Foundation- This medium-full coverage foundation has been a lifesaver for me this month. Depending on how much time I have I either apply it with my Real Techniques' buffing brush or with my fingers. Two thin layers of this foundation gives me enough coverage that I can go without concealer and lasts me most of the work day. I think it covers better than my beloved Laura Mercier Silk Creme Foundation and the price tag of $10ish is a lot better than that $43.

Covergirl + Olay Simple Ageless Blush in Rich Cinnamon- This cream blush doesn't have a lot of pigment to it and that's why I like it so much. It's very hard to over do it when applying this blush. The Olay moisturizer that is swirled within the blush provided extra moisture to my chapped cheeks this month. The Rich Cinnamon color provides a warm flush to my cheeks. Perfect for this nasty winter weather.

Essie Penny Talk- This rose gold metallic polish is one of my favorites. You do have to work with the formula a bit because too little can make it look streaky. Rose gold jewelry doesn't look flattering against my skin, but this polish does!

Essie Topless and Barefoot- My favorite nude polish. Normally Essie's nudes and lighter colors give me trouble, but this one is the perfect formulation and coverage.

Nivea Creme- The magical cream in the little, blue tin pots have been a lifesaver this month. I dab a bit on my hands and elbows every day. The thick creme sinks in quickly and doesn't leave me feeling greasy. I have also used a bit on my chapped nose to calm the redness and moistuize the chapped areas. Best thing about this stuff? A travel size costs .99.

Revlon Lipbutter in Berry Smoothie- This has been my go-to lip product for the month. My lips are pretty pigmented already, so I like to call this my "my-lips-but-better" shade. I can swipe it on without a mirror and it doesn't accentuate any chapped areas. I'm almost done with my tube of it and that makes me a little sad.

L'Oreal Colour Riche Lipstick in Fairest Nude- This is a fairly popular lipstick on YouTube and now I see why. I love the creamy formula and the pinky-nude color. It's much more natural that those "I just swiped concealer on my lips" shades. I've read that a lot of people don't like the smell of these lipsticks, but I do. It reminds me of my mom's makeup when I was young. I think this is a great shade to start with if you want to experiment with nude lips.

Maybelline 24 Color Tattoo shadows- I didn't wear much eye makeup in January, but if I did I was reaching for any of my Maybelline Color Tattoo cream shadows. Most of my shades are neutrals, so I haven't been picky. Which color is your favorite?

What were your favorites for the month? Link your post below or comment. I would love to find out!

2012 Beauty Favorites

2012 has been a crazy year for me. I got married, started graduate school, and celebrated my 1 year anniversary at my big girl job! 2012 has also been a crazy year in the beauty world. So many new products have surfaced during the past 12 months which meant lots of money and time were spent searching for products. Here are my favorites that I discovered or kept using during the past year. 

Drugstore= any product that can be found at Wal-Mart, Target, CVS, Walgreens, etc. 

High end= any product that can be found at the high end section of Ulta, Sephora, or department store counters.