June Favorites

This past month I found myself only reaching for the same handful of items.  None of them are too wild and out there.  For the eyes, I stuck mostly to neutral colors and for the lips and cheeks I did peachy pink colors.

This browbone shade from the 8 pan Wet n Wild Comfort Zone Palette I used a lot.  I would apply it all across the lid by itself for some brightness, yet simplicity, or I would sweep a bit in the inner corner.  I never actually use it on the brow bone.  I'm not a fan of shimmery shadows on my brow bone.

From the same palette, I used the other brow bone color.  It is more of a brown/taupe.   I really enjoyed this one for a slightly darker eye look without being too deep.  Even this one is quite lovely done simply.

Obviously, I reached for Wet n Wild a lot.  This is another.  This is a single pan shadow in the color Nutty.  It shows up with more brown and more warmth on my lids than it appears in the pan.

For my cheeks, I wore Sonia Kashuk Super Sheer Liquid Tint in Poppy.  It smells like amoxicillin.  HAHA, that sounds weird, but I always thought that smelled good.  I'm thinking this was their attempt at a bubble gum scent.  It isn't unpleasant, in my opinion.   But, this leaves a very nice pinky-coral flush to the cheeks. 

On my lips, I have been using another Sonia Kashuk product.  It is the Ultra Shine Sheer Lipgloss in Cheerful.  It doesn't deposit a lot of color because I have pigmented lips.  There is only a hint of color for me.  I think if you have paler lips this would show up better.  But, when I am being simple and minimal, this is amazing.  Plus, it isn't sticky and goopy on the lips.  Oh, and it has a brush applicator.  Not a doe foot.

A stand out polish this past month was Julep's Martha.  It is extremely pale pink.  I absolutely loved wearing it.  It is ultra feminine, delicate, and just all around lovely on the nails. 

This next item is going to seem strange.  I have ADORED using my aloe plants.  I will either snap off a tiny piece from the tip of the leaf, or remove the entire leaf, cut what I need, and refrigerate the rest.  I cut open the leaf and use the aloe inside on my face.  After showering and using my astringent (which I will discuss in a future natural skincare post), I will massage the aloe vera gel into my face.  It helps with redness and really soothes the skin.  It also leaves my face feeling amazingly soft.  I think everyone needs an aloe plant (or five).

I have been rotating around three different perfumes this month.  I've been loving Lolita Lempicka Coral Flower for the scorching hot days.  It is a balmy, sea air kind of perfume.  It reminds me of walking along a beach side.   The other is L De Lolita Lempicka.  I also wear this one when it is warmer.  I originally bought it to wear in the winter, but discovered it transforms to a perfect summer fragrance.  The final perfume is vera Wang Princess.  For days when I don't want anything too strong or something that could offend, I spritz this on.  It is my easy, go-to perfume. 

For a more thorough review of the perfumes, check out these previous posts:

• Lolita Lempicka Coral Flower
• L De Lolita Lempicka
• Vera Wang Princess

April 2013 Monthly Favorites

I'm trying to do better at remembering to post about my monthly favorites.  I think I've done okay so far, remembering the past couple of months.  HA! :-)

I'm really trying to keep my selections down to a minimum because, really, even on a product heavy month...  there are only a small handful of items I keep coming back to and really enjoying using. 

In the blush realm this month, I've busted out pretty much all brights.  There were one or two days where the weather was gloomy and I went for a more toned down blush, but for the most part, I was lusting after cheery colors.   The colors here are:

• elf: Pink Passion (square pan to the left)
• Sonia Kashuk: Sunset (round pan at the top right)
• Revlon: Flushed (round pan at the bottom)

Pink Passion and Sunset are both powder blushes and Flushed is a cream.  They all are quite pigmented so I slowly build up the color.

I tend to use my makeup brushes just out of habit and not thinking too much about them.  However, I've been using these two elf brushes like crazy since I bought them, and each day I think about how amazingly well they apply my makeup.  They cost me $3.00 and work wonders!  On the left is their flat top powder brush which I have been using to buff in my liquid foundation.  On the right is the small stipple brush which I have been using to apply my under eye brightener and concealer.  

I have been wearing a lot of brighter lipsticks this month, but one I have had in my purse and tend to top up with, or have used on its own from the get go, multiple times...  is Revlon's Lip Butter in Tutti Frutti.  It is a bright, orangey-coral without being obnoxious.

The shadows, I am showing because I have been wearing the brighter colors as liners.  While I adore fun colored liquid liners (like Urban Decay, for example), I've found that using a powder gives me a softer look, which I've been enjoying.   These are in the I ❤ Matte palette from Wet n Wild.

My skin took a turn for the worse this past month because I stopped taking one of my oral medications my dermatologist had me on.  I wanted to try and tackle my skin issues without ingesting a pill.   Everything flared up and was horrible for a couple of weeks.   I repurchased some Jason's Tea Tree oil and a gritty exfoliant to use.  The tea tree oil I have been using after washing my face.  I wet a cotton ball with cold water and then drip 2-3 drops of the oil on.  That is wiped all over my face as an astringent. Also, on individual pimples, I drop a bit onto a q-tip and use that to apply directly to the spot. The exfoliant I chose is just a cheap, Kroger brand scrub that is medicated with salicylic acid.  While this scrub is one of the more coarse kinds, I don't have problems with it as long as I'm being gentle and not trying to scrub away the flesh of my face.  HAHAHA!  The two of these things seem to have really helped.  At the very  moment, I have a single blemish that I'm treating but everything else has dried up and gone away.

I was all over the place with my perfume this past month.   The three I've worn the most are Coach Poppy, Dior Miss Dior, and L De Lolita Lempicka.  Coach is the sweetest and the one my husband commented one night and said he liked out of all of my perfumes.  This is also the one he bought for me this last Christmas.  Miss Dior is a delicate scent that makes me feel very feminine.  I wanted to save this one as more of a special perfume, but I love it so much that I've been wearing the heck out of it.   The final one (L de Lolita Lempicka) was a bit strange of a choice because it is a perfume I love in the fall and winter.  It is such a cozy perfume because it has notes of cinnamon.  However, I found that in the heat, it is just as beautiful of a fragrance.  It is different in the warmth, though!  Instead of this cozy, comforting perfume... it is a relaxing, sandy beach kind of perfume.  It is amazing how different it seems in different seasons!  I'm thrilled it works so well in heat, too, though, because this is one of my all time favorite perfumes!  This just means I get to wear it year round!

Target Haul (mostly brushes)

For a couple of months now, I've wanted to try and find a new brush to use with my liquid foundation, but wasn't sure where I should start.  I have a natural hair buffing brush I use, and like the look it gives, but it would shed hair with every use and absorb a lot of product.  I have other brushes intended for liquid foundation but nothing I was over the moon about.   Anyway, I managed to pick up three brushes and a new blush to try out while I was running errands this past weekend. 

I'll admit, I've never used any of the Studio line e.l.f. brushes.  Some get really good reviews and others seem to be a miss.  I couldn't remember which ones people recommend, but I couldn't take my eyes off of this super bright pink.  It is called Pink Passion.  Holy moly it is bright!  I have the hot pink Revlon cream blush, but even still, I think this one might be a hair brighter.

For a product that only costs $3.00, the packaging is sleek.  It is simple and clean looking.  I really like that. Inside, there is a mirror which is perfectly adequate for what you'd need it for (if you even use it).  

While I won't do a full review just yet, because I've only worn it twice, I will go ahead and say...  what you see in the pan really is that bright!  I had to be careful with application or I'd have looked crazy.  I really like that, though (not the looking crazy part...).  I'd rather have a product that I have to use lightly rather than a product I have to fight to get to show up.

This is the brush I was after when I was browsing the e.l.f. products.  It is their powder brush.  Though it is labeled as a powder brush, the back of the package says it can be used with wet or dry products. Because the bristles are Taklon, it won't suck up as much of the liquid foundation.  

The flat top also seems to be what people love.  That style, typically, is good for buffing in the product. Mine, you'll notice, isn't perfectly flat and uniform, but I didn't realize this until after I had bought it.  That's okay.  I've used it a couple of times and it seems to do the job perfectly well.  

This next brush was a random one that caught my eye.  I can't recall hearing much (if anything) about this small stippling brush.  However, I believe I've seen reviews about small styled stippling brushes in other lines.  While they don't get a ton of attention, the reviews I have seen have been positive.

This is styled the same as all other stippling brushes, it is just much smaller.  I picked it up thinking this could be good for under eye concealer.   If I wore highlighters, that probably would be a good use for it, too.

This last brush was a must the moment I saw it.  I know Sigma has created some brushes in this style.  They are intended for liquid foundation and are rounded.  They taper at the top, though, to create a point.  That point is ideal for getting in around the nose, inner corner of the eyes/nose area, etc.  This cost me $12.00 but I figured if it worked out nicely, it would be well worth it.

From this picture it just looks like the standard paddle style foundation brush, but it isn't.  It is rounded. 

I'm really excited to have a few new brushes to try out.  I will be posting up my thoughts/reviews once I've used them some more.  I don't want to jump the gun and say I love them until I'm certain they're doing what I want them to.

November Favorites

This month, the family has been battling colds and allergies, so for the most part, I have been extremely simplistic with my makeup.   I have been wearing products that would erase discoloration and/or bring life to my face, but haven't messed too much with fun eye looks.  That is why you aren't seeing any eyeshadows.  I did wear them, just not enough to be included in a "favorites" post.

The products I used to create the illusion of a more alive and awake face were items by Maybelline, Coty, and Sonia Kashuk.  I started by covering any blemishes or red areas with the Sonia Kashuk Hidden Agenda Concealer Palette.  I don't really mess with the deepest shade or the powder.  I stay in the lightest cream shade and the green. Then, I will use the product in the little pot.  That is actually one of the Maybelline Age rewind concealers.  It is the one in the Brightening shade.  My tube broke, though, so I had to depot it.  That is where it lives now. That goes under my eye area and a little bit down the center of my nose.  I think it actually works well to bring light down the center of the face that way. On a good day, I will stop there and just set it with the Coty Air Spun Loose powder.  Now, if I feel I need more coverage, I will have started with the Maybelline foundation at the very beginning.  I like this foundation when it gets colder.  I know these Maybelline concealers are supposed to be for under the eyes, but I have found that certain shades can work on blemishes too!  However, don't dab them directly on the blemish.  Dot some out onto your hand (or palette) and then use a finger to pick it up and onto that area (or with a brush).

The lip balm I have been using will come as no surprise.  It is the Jack Black Lemon & Chamomile lip balm. I love this one so much. I feel like it really hydrates and heals chapped lips better than other products. It has been in a lot of "favorites."  

The blush is Sonia Kashuk in the color Flamingo.  This may seem like an odd color choice since we are in the middle of fall.  I found that this particular pink gave the perfect "came-in-from-the-cold" kind of glow.  Plus, when I'm not wearing much else, it bring just a bit of life and color to my face without screaming that I am wearing a blush.  

The Mascara I have been reaching for is one that I had forgotten how much I enjoyed.  It is the Maybelline Lash Stiletto mascara.  It is in the regular formulation because I don't care for waterproof mascaras. While this doesn't add thickness to my lashes, I love the length that it gives.  I don't have long lashes but when I put this on they look quite impressive!

Finally, is the perfume I have worn most often.  While I, probably, prefer one of the other Lolita Lempicka perfumes that I recently purchased over this one, this is the bottle that I have actually worn the most.  It is just the original Lolita Lempicka.   I do have a review on the scent of it.  It is one that I'd highly recommend checking out.

I wanted to get this post up a couple of days ago, but with not feeling my best, I am in a bit of a slump and haven't done much in the way of blogging or preparing/taking photos.  My nails are also in a rut, but I am trying to pump moisture into them so, hopefully, they'll get some length back on them.  I would like to get at least a couple of holiday designs up on the nail blog.