January Favorites

I spent the majority of January sick and rarely left my apartment so I didn't end up wearing much in the makeup department. I did however end up using a lot of skin care products this month!


Makeup:

Physician's Formula Touch of Glow Nude Wear Concealer/Highlighter- I can't rave about this stuff enough! I wasn't expecting to love it as much as I do! The few times I did leave my place during the month of January (you know, when I ran out of chicken noodle soup or cough syrup) I would always put this stuff on under my eyes and it made me look a million times better. It conceals AND brightens and the packaging is super cute! I like the twist up design of this also but I've found I get a little overzealous when twisting the bottom and end up with a little more product than I wanted. I'm practicing though!

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Lip Stain in Smitten- I did end up going to a concert this month as my boyfriend and I received tickets for a Christmas gift. It was at the beginning of the month before I got sick so I did end up getting at least one good face of makeup on during the month of January. I wore this lip stain for the concert and ended up loving it so much it's been in my purse ever since. The color is SO beautiful. It's slightly darker than my lip color and the color stays on for hours. I also love that it feels like a lip balm on the lips. No sticky feeling!

Skin Care:


Softsoap Body Butter Coconut Scrub- I usually use the St Ives Oatmeal and Shea Butter Body Wash but when I ran out last month, I sent my boyfriend to the store for a new bottle and they didn't have it! He ended up picking up this coconut scrub for me instead (He knows me so well!) and it is amazing. I love coconut so the smell is so yummy but it's really the texture that is amazing. It's thick and creamy like a body butter with tiny exfoliating beads in it. I use this to wash my body and to shave my legs since it's so creamy.


Neutrogena Wave Vibrating Power Cleanser- I bought the Wave at Target about a year ago when it was on clearance. I'd always wanted to try it and it was about $5 so for that price I figured, why not? I don't use it every day but I use it whenever my skin starts to feel dry and dull. Since I was sick this month I ended up using it quite a few times. My skin just felt icky and dry and the Wave made my skin feel so much healthier.

Jurlique Moisture Replenishing Day Cream- This day cream came in a Birchbox last year and I used quite a bit of it this month. I use my Benefit Total Moisture at night but my skin was SO dry this month I needed more help. I don't love the smell of this (I'm so not an herbal scent person) but I love how thick it is and how it feels on my skin. It definitely helped revive my dry skin this month.

Lush Sweet Lips Lip Scrub-I've had this product for a while now and I don't even think they sell it anymore but since it's only a sugar scrub I still use it. Along with dry skin this month I've had crazy dry lips. I use this stuff to scrub away the dead skin on my lips before I slather on my lip balm. Even my boyfriend uses this stuff! You can find similar scrubs here.

Random:

Books:

I did quite a bit of reading this month and somehow have ended up with too many library books checked out (I use an online library check out app on my phone/iPad) so now I'm trying to get through them all. I read Reconstructing Amelia by Kimberly McCreight and I really enjoyed it! It's almost like a dark Gossip Girl murder mystery full of twists and by the end of it I was dying to finish it so I could piece everything together. I also started reading the Little House on the Prairie Collection. My mom bought me the boxed set of books when I was a child and I've already read them but I decided to read them again after she found the collection the last time I visited her. They are pretty quick reads but I really enjoy them. I'm currently almost done with the second book and am reading them in between all of my library check outs!

TV Show:

Friday Night Lights- OH. MY. GOSH. I am obsessed. I watched all 5 seasons of Friday Night Lights in 2 weeks while I was sick. I couldn't stop. I have had it in my Netflix Queue forever and always wanted to watch it because HELLO CONNIE BRITTON (love her!) but always avoided it because...football. I am SO happy I started watching it though because the show was amazing. I already miss it and feel the need to start it over again. Also, Tim Riggins. He is probably my favorite character off any TV show I have ever seen. My boyfriend is tired of me saying the words Tim Riggins but I mean look at him!!! Did you watch this show? If so, we could talk about it all day if you want to! ;)

I cannot believe it is already February, where is the year going?!

My Every Day Makeup Bag

As much as I like to use and try out various products whenever I do my makeup, I still have my go-to makeup products that I use when I'm doing my every day makeup look. So, I thought I'd share my bag of every day makeup with you today! These are all products I love and would recommend as I use them all the time!

I got this cute pink, white and gold bag in the Dollar Spot at Target. It's supposed to be a pencil pouch but it's lined inside and holds my makeup perfectly.

1. Revlon Nearly Naked Foundation in Shell. This is my every day foundation. It applies to my skin really well, stays all day, and feels like I'm not wearing foundation at all. I love it!
2. Laura Mercier Foundation Primer. This is the small size that I got with a kit when I bought the Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer. I've been using this primer for a couple of years now and I really like it. It goes on smoothly and helps keep my foundation on all day. Since I've been using this primer I haven't had any trouble with 'patchy' foundation.
3. Benefit Dallas Box Blush. I use this product as a blush and sometimes as a face bronzer/highlighter. It's not a bronze color but it gives a really nice glow to the face. This stuff looks great during all seasons too!
4. Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder in Transparent. This is the best drugstore powder I've used! I've been using it forever it seems and it barely looks like I've touched it. I use this powder to set my makeup every day.
5. Jane Bronzing Powder in Inspire. I started using this bronzer last year and I use it exclusively for my bronzer these days. It's a great color for my skin, not orange but not too dark brown either. I like to apply this under my cheek bones, across my forehead and along my jawline.
6. Physician's Formula Touch of Glow Nude Wear Concealer/Highlighter. I just started using this stuff this month but I LOVE it. It is amazing and sometimes I just apply a little of this under my eyes and I'm good to run errands for the day. It makes my face look brighter and my eyes look more awake.

1. E.L.F. Studio Eyebrow Kit in Medium. To fill in my brows, I just use some of the powder on an angled brush. I then follow the powder with the darker wax in the more sparse areas of my brows. This stuff is SO cheap and lasts forever!
2. Maybelline Great Lash Mascara in Clear. I use this clear mascara to set my eyebrows when I'm finished filling them in. I have crazy eyebrow hairs that tend to go all over if I don't tame them with this stuff!

1. Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette. I've only been using this for a month but man is it fabulous. I can put together so many eyeshadow looks using it and all of the colors are so gorgeous.
2. Rimmel Scandaleyes Waterproof Kohl Liner in Nude. I use this nude liner to line my lower waterline to brighten my eyes. I never forget this step because it is important when making my eyes looks brighter!
3. Covergirl Perfect Point Plus Eyeliner in Black Onyx. Guys, I've been using this eyeliner since high school! Some days I'll do liquid liner but for every day makeup, it's always this eyeliner. It's self sharpening, smooth, and has a smudger on the other end. It applies so fast and easy it is almost (almost) impossible to mess up.
4. Maybelline Volum' Express Waterproof The Rocket Mascara in Very Black. This mascara is a great every day mascara. I really like the consistency of the formula and I find that it doesn't clump. It makes my lashes look really nice but without being over the top which is why it's an every day mascara for me.

Do you use any of these products? What do you have in your every day makeup bag?

A Little Ulta Haul

I stopped by Ulta to pick up a few essential items: makeup remover and a nail file. Of course you can't stop at just the essentials when visiting Ulta. Plus, who's to say what is essential and what isn't?
I browsed around for a bit and noticed they were having a buy one get one 50% off on most of the drugstore brands in the store. SCORE! They also had their usual $3.50 off coupon that the ladies at the counter scan for me when they see my Ulta member card. This made me feel a little better about picking up a few items for fun.

Neutrogena Oil-Free Eye Makeup Remover- I usually purchase the Neutrogena Makeup Remover Towelettes to remove my makeup but I decided to buy the liquid version for removing my mascara. I always wear waterproof mascara and I've tried so many different removers claiming that they take off waterproof mascara and they almost never work. Neutrogena is the only brand I've found that easily removes my waterproof mascara.

Sally Hansen Ahead of the Curve Sapphire Nail File- I misplaced all of my nail files and instead of buying a pack of regular files, I chose to buy this file with super fine grit. I almost never file my nails (so bad!) but it's something I need to start working on if my nails are ever going to be shaped nicely.

Essie Nail Poish in Lots of Lux- I spotted this nail color while Christmas shopping with my best friend and thought it was SO gorgeous. Since I was shopping for others, I didn't buy it but told myself I'd go back for it someday. Well, while walking up and down the aisles, I thought I'd check to see if they had it in stock. I found a shelf full of the newer Essie colors and after searching through the heaping pile, I was able to snag the last Lots of Lux they had! Whew! Talk about lucky!

Physician's Formula Touch of Glow Nude Wear Concealer/Highlighter- Ulta had an end display featuring the new Physician's Formula Nude Wear products and I couldn't help but snatch up this concealer/highlighter. Not only is it adorable with that little bow on it (love bows!) but I've been looking for a more brightening product to use for under my eyes. I'm excited to try this out and see how it works!

Real Techniques Stippling Brush- I picked up this stippling brush after reading reviews online that it makes your skin look flawless. I've used a brush and a sponge to apply my foundation and currently I'm liking the sponge a lot more. I'm curious to see how my foundation will look when I use this brush to apply it. I'm always looking for products that make my skin look flawless but also natural.

Maybelline Colorsensational The Buffs Lipstick in Nude Lust (920)- Last time I bought a nude lipstick, I made the mistake of getting a color that was way to light for me. I didn't want that to happen again so I made sure to research this collection before making a purchase. I actually ended up going for a color that I wasn't planning on but it turned out to be the perfect shade!

Rimmel London Lash Accelerator Serum- Who doesn't want longer, thicker lashes? I was searching online to find an inexpensive lash growth serum that really worked and after reading the reviews on Ulta.com for this serum, I was hoping they had it in stock. I was super excited to see it in store and grabbed it up. I'm going to test this out for a month or so and I'll share my results with you all!

Revlon Colorburst Matte Balm in Audacious (245)- As I mentioned in my post about the Colorburst Matte and Lacquer Balms, I've been meaning to try a color other than a red. Since Revlon had the buy one get one sale going on, I decided to pick one up. I saw this bright orange pink shade and figured it would be an amazing color for Spring and Summer. It goes on super bright so I'll have to play around with it a bit.

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Honey (001)- After wearing my Kissable Balm Stain in Smitten on Saturday night, I remembered just how much I loved them. I wanted another but wasn't sure which color to go with next. Leighannsays on Youtube (love her!) has recommended the color Honey multiple times in her videos so I decided to give it a try!

I'll obviously be trying out the products I've listed above and I'll share my opinions on them after I've put them to use. I'm really excited about that lash accelerator and also that beautiful nail color!

November Favorites

December is here and I am so excited! I've already decorated my apartment for the holidays and put up the tree and I'm about to start in on my huge list of Christmas movies. Before I move on to December though, I want to share my favorite beauty items from November (and a few random favorites too!).

Makeup:

Covergirl Outlast Stay Fabulous 3 in 1 Foundation- I had purchased this foundation for my best friend's wedding in October after reading amazing reviews online about its staying power. I tested it out the night before her wedding and really liked it but the day of the wedding, I noticed patches of skin where the foundation wasn't covering. I put it aside after the wedding and went back to my regular foundation. In November though, I finally decided to give it another chance. I changed up my application technique (see below) and ended up falling in love with this foundation. It stays put all day and looks and feels like you aren't wearing any makeup. I wear the color #825 Buff Beige.
Ulta Super Blender Sponge- I bought this application sponge a couple years back at Ulta. It is similar to the Beauty Blender although most of the reviews for this product say there is no comparison and that the Ulta brand sponge is too hard. I stumbled upon the sponge again last month when going through my makeup collection and decided to give it a try. I am SO glad I did because I've used it over my regular foundation brush throughout the entire month of November. I just pump a small amount of foundation on to the bottom of the sponge and dab it all over my face to blend the product. It gives my skin a flawless finish and makes it easy for me to build up coverage on parts of my face that need it. I also use the smaller tip of the sponge to blend my concealer under my eyes.

Benefit Dallas Blush- I've had this blush for years! So long in fact, they have redone the packaging on this product. I used to use it as a bronzer but have recently started using it as a blush. It's a gorgeous dark pinkish brown color and I think it will be perfect for Winter time. I've loved all of the Benefit boxed blushes I've tried and they last forever!

Jane Concealer- I picked up the Jane concealer in Light back in October for my best friend's wedding. I heard rave reviews about it from multiple people and since it was so inexpensive, I picked it up to give it a try. This was another product that I didn't like the first time I used it. I also thought the color was too dark for being a 'light' shade. Once I started using the sponge applicator to apply it, I found that it actually blended very well and didn't settle into the lines under my eyes. Definitely a keeper!

Maybelline The Rocket Waterproof Mascara- This is a product I bought a while back and finally decided to open it up when my go-to mascara ran out. I love the formula of this mascara and the brush is very similar to my usual mascara. This mascara went on like a dream and there wasn't a single clump to be found! It also held the curl in my lashes all day. Of course, I tend to only buy waterproof mascara as I find it holds the curl in my lashes way better than regular mascara anyways. Regardless, this mascara is a great every day mascara and I would definitely repurchase it.

Revlon ColorBurst Matte Balm in Sultry- I was so excited when Revlon came out with their new matte and lacquer balms and was lucky to pick up the colors I wanted before they flew off the shelves! I will actually be sharing a full review on these soon but I have found myself wearing the matte balm in Sultry a lot. I've been gravitating to dark lips the last month and Sultry is the perfect shade for Fall/Winter.

Essie Nail Polish in Smokin' Hot and Cashmere Bathrobe- My most worn nail polishes last month would have to be Smokin' Hot by Essie for my nails and Cashmere Bathrobe by Essie for my toes. The photos do not do these colors justice at all. Smokin' Hot is this deep smoky plum color (they advertise it as gray though?) and it's absolutely gorgeous. Cashmere Bathrobe is a dark gray with tiny iridescent sparkles. At first I thought the sparkles were just silver but after looking closer, I realized the sparkles are actually purple, pink and green depending on how you move.

Skin Care:

Burt's Bees Intense Hydration Eye Cream- I have been noticing that my under eyes have been super dark lately and I am getting little creasy wrinkles as well. I did some research to see what I could get at the drugstore to help the problem and found that Burt's Bees products have excellent reviews. I got the Intense Hydration cream and have been using it for the last few weeks and am already seeing an improvement! I apply the eye cream in the morning and also before I go to bed at night. My dark circles have diminished and the lines under my eyes are slowly disappearing. I am super impressed with this product and the fact that it is under $20.

Hair Care:

Organix Renewing Argan Oil Weightless Healing Dry Oil- I have super fine, thin hair that is always frizzy. I tried this oil because it claimed to be a dry oil. I use it every time I curl/flat iron my hair as a heat protectant and I love that it doesn't make my hair greasy. It is also great for spraying on your hair later in the day to tame that frizz!

Fashion:

Socks- My fashion favorite for the month of November is fun socks! The weather has been colder and I have been loving layering my knee high socks over tights and wearing fun socks with my boots. I have a whole drawer full of socks and most of them are from Target because not only are they so inexpensive but they are so cute!

Random:

Book: The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern- I started reading The Night Circus in November and have almost completed it. I use a library app on my phone to check out and read books so I have a deadline that I need to finish it by. So far, I highly recommend it because it is so well written and so interesting that I find myself squeezing in a chapter whenever I can, while I cook, while brushing my teeth, etc. If you are looking for a book to pick up, you will not be disappointed by this one!

TV Show: Reign- Oh. My. Gosh. I am obsessed. I started watching Reign on a whim one day and now I am completely hooked. It's a little bit history and a lotta bit drama and all around perfection. Also, I look forward to reading these AMAZING and hilarious recaps after each episode.

What were some of your favorite things during the month of November?