April Favorites

April was a great month for products for me as I wore makeup more often. I work from home so most of the time I'm bare faced and in pajamas so it's wonderful when I have occasions to get dressed up for. The thing I love most about my favorites for April is that most of them are products that are easy to apply for a simple and natural look.


Makeup:


Nyx Butter Lipstick in Lollies- These butter lipsticks are amazing and I want more of them. They are so smooth and the colors are beautiful. I have 2 of the colors right now but I've been wearing 'Lollies' a lot since it's a light peachy pink that is perfect for a touch of color. The color 'Fizzies' is next on my list!

Benefit They're Real Mascara- I bought this mascara a while ago and while I liked it, I didn't like that it wasn't waterproof. I am all about the waterproof mascara so I kind of tossed this mascara to the side. This month I found it again and decided to try it out during the day and I actually ended up loving it! It is great for day time as it doesn't quite hold my curl as well as a waterproof mascara does BUT it does make my lashes look super long. Plus, it was so much easier to remove than I'm used to! ;)


Essie in Borrowed and Blue- I talked about this polish in my Spring Nail Colors post as it is one of my favorite nail colors for Spring. It's a beautiful pastel blue and I got so many compliments when I wore it!

Skin Care:

Hempz AromaBody Body Moisturizer in Pineapple Lily (Limited Edition)- I found this moisturizer in the sale section and I am so glad I picked it up. I have been slathering this stuff all over my body when I get out of the shower and it makes my skin feel so soft. Also, the scent is amazing. Especially if you like smelling like a pineapple. I am so bummed that it is limited edition because I won't be able to get another when I run out! They actually have it on Amazon right now but I'm not sure how long it will be in stock.

Hair Care:

Redken Hair Cleansing Cream Shampoo- I picked this up last month as I've been meaning to find a good cleansing shampoo. I usually use a very moisturizing shampoo but I need something to use every couple weeks to really clean my hair and get rid of any product build up. After using this I fell in love!!! It smells just like fruit Mentos. SO YUMMY! It makes my hair feel really clean and of course, my hair smells amazing after using it. This shampoo will be perfect for the Summer to pull out any chemicals after swimming in a pool.

KMS California Tame Frizz Taming Creme- I wanted to try a new product for my hair now that the weather has been getting warmer. I usually use the Argan Oil by DermOrganic (which I still love) but I decided to switch things up. KMS California's Tame Frizz line has a few different options, including an oil, but I chose the Taming Creme. This stuff smells amazing and I love how it makes my hair look and feel when I use it before blow drying. It smooths my hair so much and doesn't make it greasy. If you have thin hair like me, I'd suggest keeping it on your ends only. I use so little product each time that this bottle is going to last me forever!

Random:

Book: I read 4 books last month but my favorite was 'All The Truth That's In Me' by Julie Gardner Berry. When I first started reading this book, I was super confused because it wasn't at all what I thought it was going to be. The cover and description make it seem like a modern story but it's actually set back in the Colonial days. It doesn't give specific dates but based on the fact that they used a pillory, I think that could put it in 1700-1800's. The writing style is also a bit different but I'm so glad I stuck with it because it was SUCH a good read. I really enjoyed it and highly recommend it if you love historical fiction or mystery novels.
Show: I'm currently in the middle of SO MANY tv shows. I am such a sucker for tv series and sometimes I overwhelm myself trying to keep up with them all. My boyfriend put on the first episode of House while I was picking up a pizza and by the time I got back and started watching too, I was addicted. Now we are on to season 3 and we just love it! Dr. House is my favorite, I love how snarky he is. Every episode his team always disagrees with him and I always scream at the tv "Don't argue with House, he always figures it out!!!"

What were some of your favorite things in April? Can you even believe it is May and Summer is coming?!

February Favorites

February was almost a makeup free month for me. I came down with a Sinus Infection/Pneumonia combo and spent most of the month coughing, congested, and sleeping. Since I was feeling slightly better by the end of the month, I did end up applying makeup a few times but I really stuck to the same products I've been using since December and January. Most of my favorites for the month were items I used despite being ill and also the things I entertained myself with while laying in bed.


Makeup:

Real Techniques Stippling Brush- I picked up this brush last month during an Ulta haul. I had been using a sponge to apply my foundation but decided to try this stippling brush as I have read good things about it. I used it the few times I applied makeup during February and really loved it! It doesn't get my makeup quite as flawless as the sponge applicator does but it makes my makeup look more natural. It was great for quickly applying and blending my foundation.

Skin Care:

Formula 10.0.6 Best Face Forward Daily Foaming Cleanser- This has been one of my favorite face wash finds. I had never heard of the brand before when I saw the products at Ulta but they were on sale at the time so I decided to try one out. I am so glad I picked it up because I absolutely love it! The scent is amazing (Passionfruit and Green Tea) and it makes my face feel so clean and smooth. It's a gel consistency and does not have any microbeads in it so I was really surprised by how soft it made my face feel. I used this a bunch this month since my face was so dry and I was feeling so gross.

Neutrogena Oil-Free Eye Makeup Remover- Here is another item I picked up during my last Ulta haul. I already use the Neutrogena Makeup Remover Wipes but still seem to have trouble removing my waterproof mascara. This stuff is a miracle solution for waterproof makeup! I've tried quite a few different makeup removers that claim to remove waterproof mascara and this is the only one I've found that actually does! I will definitely continue purchasing this remover!

Hair Care:

Lush No Drought Dry Shampoo- I've been using this dry shampoo for a few years now and it's definitely my favorite. I had some greasy sick person hair this month so dry shampoo was my best friend! I'm not really a fan of the spray dry shampoos as they always seem to run out quickly and I don't feel like they do a whole lot for me. This dry shampoo comes in a large container (it seriously takes forever to use it all) and it smells like lemons.

Olivia Garden Turbo Vent Pro Shaper Brush- This brush right here is a miracle worker! It really deserves a review post of its own so I will probably put one together in the next month or so. Basically, this brush dries my hair in about 6 minutes (I have really thin hair) and makes my hair smooth and almost entirely frizz free. I couldn't live without this brush now. I can't seem to find the exact one I have online but here is a link to a similar one.

Random:

Book: I've been keeping track of all the books I read each month and this month my favorite was The Silent Wife by A.S.A Harrison. I wasn't quite sure what to expect when I started reading it but it was definitely a page turner for me. I think I read it in 2 days! The story follows a middle age couple whose marriage is slowly falling apart. It starts out telling you that the wife kills her husband (not a spoiler, it tells you in the description of the book!) and then explains what happened to get them to that point in their marriage. It was a quick read and I really enjoyed the twists and turns of the plot.

Movie: Since my boyfriend and I had a super low key Valentine's Day and stayed home, we decided to go see a movie the Sunday after. We chose to see The Wolf of Wall Street as we both wanted to see it and both love Leonardo DiCaprio as an actor. The movie was phenomenal and we absolutely loved it. It is 3 hours long but we made sure not to drink anything so we didn't have to leave the theater the whole time. I will say that since it was a Sunday afternoon the theater was filled with people old enough to be my grandparents. The theater actually ended up filling up and I had an older gentleman sit in the seat right next to me. I hate when theaters get that full! Anyways, being surrounded by old people during this movie was super awkward as I don't think they realized how raunchy the movie was going to be. Within the first ten minutes my boyfriend and I looked at each other and both starting cracking up because you could tell that these people were blown away by the language and graphic scenes. Regardless, this movie is fantastic and we both really want to see it again. Except maybe this time when it comes out on Blu Ray and we can watch it in our own home. :)

What were your February favorites? Have you seen The Wolf of Wall Street?

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?!

December Favorites

I cannot believe 2013 is over! December was a very busy month for me and I didn't think I had much to share for monthly favorites until I put together my list. I thought my November favorites covered my current beauty routine pretty well but it turns out I did have a few different favorite products for December.

Makeup:
Revlon Nearly Naked Foundation in Shell (#130)- In November, I used my Covergirl Outlast foundation a ton but as soon as December rolled around I found myself going back to my Nearly Naked Foundation. I absolutely love the Nearly Naked foundation because it feels like I'm not wearing foundation at all. It doesn't give as much coverage as the Covergirl Outlast foundation but in December my skin was actually looking quite nice so I was able to use less coverage.
Physician's Formula Classic Nude Eyeshadow Palette- I used this palette an awful lot this year but with all of the holiday events happening in December, I found myself using it almost every time I did my makeup. The farthest right shade has been my go-to highlight color for my brow bones and inner corners and I find that this palette gives me so many different neutral color mixing options.
Maybelline Color Tattoo in Bad to the Bronze- I found myself using Bad to the Bronze as an all over lid color/eyeshadow base before applying the eyeshadows from the Classic Nude palette. It looks gorgeous on its own but it also looks great with powder shadow over the top of it. I also find that when using it as an eyeshadow base the powder shadow tends to 'stick' better and wear longer.
Essie Nail Polish in Beyond Cozy- I am IN LOVE with this color. It is so so gorgeous and I wore it the week leading up to Christmas. I found that the glitter dries super fast when applying (which is awesome!) and also is a lot harder to chip. The only downfall of this polish is how dang difficult it is to get off. It was a struggle but I thought it was worth it! :)
Revlon Nail Enamel in Rich- This color is one of my favorite nail color finds of the year and I wore it a ton during December. It is such a unique color that I had to buy it the second I saw it. I usually put on at least 2 coats of this shade and it ends up looking like a dark bluish/black base color with golden glitter throughout. This glitter however is so fine it is not difficult to remove and comes off just as easy as any other polish. An all around win in my book.

Skin Care:
Benefit Total Moisture Lotion- My usual face moisturizer is the Benefit Triple Performing Facial Emulsion but I ran out of it right before the start of December. Since my face has been pretty dry this winter, I decided to start using the other Benefit moisturizer I had, the Total Moisture Facial Cream. I found that the trick with this is to not slather on too much, a little bit goes a long way. It made my skin so moisturized and so soft! I will definitely need to go buy a new bottle of my usual Benefit moisturizer but I'm keeping this one on hand as well for my dry skin moments.

Hair Care:
Redken Extreme Shampoo and Conditioner- I've been using this Shampoo/Conditioner duo for a few months now but I really saw the difference in my hair this last month. My hair is usually super frizzy, dry and static-y in the wintertime but since I started using this shampoo and conditioner, I've found my hair to be much more manageable. I have very fine, thin hair so I was worried it would get weighed down but that hasn't been a problem at all!

Random:

Books:
I read like a crazy person in December and finished 2 books, After Her by Joyce Maynard and The One I Left Behind by Jennifer McMahon. Both of them had to do with serial killers and both of them were fantastic! I had to keep reading day and night because I wanted to know what happened so badly. I may do full reviews on these books sometime but just I wanted to mention them as favorites for the month in case you are looking for a new read!

Music:
Eric Church: Chief- I am obsessed! I grew up listening to country music so I usually am all about the 90's country BUT my brother has spent the last year or so suggesting different musicians and songs to me and I fell in love with Eric Church. My brother bought me his album 'Chief' for Christmas and I've been listening to it nonstop. My favorite songs on this album are 'Homeboy' and 'Springsteen'.

What were some of your favorite products for December?

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?