October Favorites 2020

Oh hey. It's only been 2 years since I've done this. How's everyone's 2020 going?? (nervous laughter) 

ANYWAY, I'm very happy to be doing this again. October has been a rough month between injuring my foot, being on crutches and with the anxiety from the election (more nervous laughter). 

But let's talk about good things! Like these products I've been loving this month. 

bareMinerals BareSkin Complete Coverage Serum Concealer in Fair 

I'll confess. I have way too many concealers right now that I really should use up. Maybe there will be a future post for that too. But I've heard great things about this concealer and how underrated it is. So when I saw it for $12 for Ulta's 21 days of beauty, I figured this was the time to try it. 

Guys, I can't stop using it. Now, it's not going to be intense full coverage such as the Tarte Shape Tape or even the growing popular Loreal Infallible Waterproof Concealer. But there's just something magical about it on how it provides coverage in a natural way. It's lightweight but it's still nourishing especially for the under eyes and a little bit still goes a long way. 

I mostly like to blend it with my finger but you could do a beauty blender or concealer brush and it still blends into the skin so well. And it holds up throughout the day. 

Honestly I don't think I have anything negative to say about this product - except that now I'm pretty much ignoring all the rest of my concealers that need to still be used up. 

bareMinerals Multi-Tasking Concealer in Bisque

I promise this post won't all be about bareMinerals, but I truly forgot how great their products are. 

Going hand in hand with the concealer, I picked this up too during the Ulta beauty sale. The combo of the serum concealer with this under eye setting powder is uh-mazing. It has a peach undertone which helps brighten up the under eye more and sets the concealer flawlessly. It also has an SPF of 20 which is a nice bonus.

Again, a little bit of this powder goes a long way! So just work with a light hand. 

Revolution Pro Eye Elements in Central 

As I was going to find the link to this, I realized Ulta stopped carrying this eye primer. Luckily it's on the Revolution Beauty website! (and as I post this currently on sale for $4.80) I'm really hoping that Revolution isn't planning on discontinuing this because.. 

This is a fantastic eye primer. I purchased this because Jessica Braun on YouTube mentioned it's a dupe for Mac's Painterly Paint Pot. I never tried it because ya girl doesn't have money for that. So I figured I try the affordable option. 

Basically this is an eye primer that conceals your eye lid (redness, veins, discoloration) so you have a nice blank canvas for other eyes shadows. You can also just simply wear it on it's own which is what I've been doing. 

I love how simple this eye look can be with a little bit of eye liner and mascara. I also really love using the color Magnetic for when I want more of a Champagne color and just feeling a little bit more fancy. 

It's simple, it's easy to use, and stays on well throughout the day. What more could you want from an eye primer? 

NYX Matte Liquid Liner

I feel like my liquid liner game changes every year. Earlier days of makeup it was e.l.f , then Sephora, then Kat Von D Tattoo Liner, then Milani 16 hr. liner (which I'm still on the fence about) 

But I finally found this one form NYX and every time I see it at the drugstore, there always seems to be one left (so that should tell you something) The thin and flexible brush applicator helps with control and precision. I also love how the brush holds just the right amount of product. Doesn't skip. Doesn't glop. No one likes glop.

When you apply, it starts off as a satin liquid liner so you have time to work with it before it dries down matte. And has long as you have a good eye primer, this last well throughout the day. 

So if you're in the market for an affordable, easy and effective eye liner, this is a great one to try. 

PONDS Cold Cream Makeup Remover

I think sometimes we can all get caught up on the new best thing that we forget about the basics like PONDS which has been around forever in drugstores. 

I don't use this for all over the face (even though you could) It doesn't have a scent, doesn't sting the eyes, and removes eye makeup SO well. It just melts everything off. Every time I use this product, my eyes look very emo afterwards and the "Black Parade" begins to play in my head. 

Afterwards, I use some warm water on a cotton round or my Campanelli makeup remover cloths to remove the cream. That's pretty much it. Easy, quick and simple. 

Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Blush in Love

I'm pretty neutral about Selena Gomez so when I heard about her makeup line, I didn't really think much of it. But I started to hear great things about her products especially her liquid blush - and I love a good liquid blush. So I decided to treat myself to the Best of Rare Beauty from Sephora to get a sample of this makeup line. 

All the products are really great but the liquid blush really takes the spotlight for me. I will say though apply this product gradually. I found in my experience it's very easy to go from natural to clown blush without the proper application. 

I find the best way to apply this is one cheek, one dot of the blush and blending it out. You do have to work quickly before the blush sets. I'll then go to the next cheek applying the same process. Afterwards you could go in with a second dot application. 

If you follow that process, the results are so beautiful and your cheeks look naturally flushed. The color also stays on all day which is impressive for a liquid blush. 

Although I have cons for the application process, I love the results so much that I can look pass it. 

Double Sided Magnification LED Makeup Mirror

Not a product I was expecting to talk about but I really need to talk about it. 

I bought this on amazon looking for a new mirror since the lightening in our apartment isn't the best (especially with daylight savings happening) and I'm so happy I did. It has 3 different light settings and can be rechargeable with a USB. I also love the magnification side and how it stays in position for applying false lashes or filling in eyebrows.  

The great thing about this is that you don't have to be a huge makeup lover to have this. I truly think this would be a great gift for anyone that's looking for a better personal mirror with better lightening. And I'm sure there are other options out there. This was just the one I bought and I love!

Although I haven't been wearing makeup everyday because I'm still living that quarantine home life , I do find myself feeling a little bit better when I use these products. And that's really the point of makeup at least to me. Yes to cover up my gross acne, but more importantly to feel good in what I'm wearing. 

November Favorites 2017

As I type this, I'm currently recovering from my post wisdom teeth surgery. Not really the most funnest of times but hey, I get to eat a lot of mashed potatoes and I'm super okay with that.

A very delayed post but here are the products I have been gravitating towards during this month of November (also a pair of shoes that I can't stop talking about and everyone probably wants me to stop talking about- well too bad) There's also some awesome skin care products as well and I'm thinking of doing another skincare update post in the near future.

Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed Highlighter in Moonstone:

I've had this highlighter for a while now and I just started realizing how lovely this highlighter is. I think the reason I didn't why I didn't  gravitate to it so much was because Becca highlighters never stay on me which was always upsetting because the finish on their highlighters are beautiful. They give a natural glow and nothing super dramatic or shimmering. You can definitely build this up to be bold glow on the cheeks but I personally love the subtle glow. I find that when I use the Becca Backlight Priming Filter before the highlighter, that it helps tremendously with the longevity. I've also been enjoying this as a light glowy eyeshadow because why not multitask a product?

I would suggest  if you're interested in trying this combination, to get the Glow on the Go Highlighter Set for $20 to get the powder and liquid highlight. It still works the same way they just unfortunately don't have the Moonstone shade but I've heard wonderful and beautiful things about the Champagne Pop shade (which I don't fully understand how I haven't tried that shade yet). 

Perricone MD Blue Plasma Cleansing Treatment:

This has been one of those items this month that you don't realize that you use it everyday until you start thinking what products you were using a lot of. I've been using this as my day time toner right before makeup application. Even after cleansing my face in the morning (and this is after fully taking my makeup off and cleansing the night before) I put some of this on a pad and it removes even more debris that I didn't even know was on my face. It does this without stripping the skin and my face looks more radiant and it feels great to have a face that's fully cleaned off and well hydrated. I'm going to be quite sad once this little bottle goes.

Boscia Sake Hydrating and Brightening Essence:

If you need hydration or brightness to your skin, you need this essence. This has been so incredible for my skin especially having the post cystic acne scarring. I'll use this before my moisturizer to add extra hydration (especially during these cold months) and over time I found that this had helped brighten my face. It helped reduce the redness from my scarring and I truly think it's the reason why I've been getting great compliments on my skin lately. I didn't think I would love something so simple as an essence, but it has helped me tremendously and it's very close to being a holy grail skincare product.

Update: I have went a couple of days without using this and I've notice that my face seems a little dull so I truly think this does show incredible results.

sephora.com

Stila Written in the Stars Glitter and Glow Liquid Eye Set:

I'm beyond happy that I finally bought this and it upsets me to even talk about it because it may not be available anymore. HOWEVER, search through your sephora store and you might be able to find these because these are fantastic. They do have another option as well with six minis for $45 (which is still a great deal considering how much a full size is) On a bright note, they have all of these shades available full size but for the deal and for the amount of times I will actually use these, I find the mini sizes perfect for me. I love that with these that you have the option to do a full opaque glitter eye, glitter eyeliner, or a subtle and iridescent wash of glitter. I would avoid over layering these as they do tend to crease if there's too much product. Other than that, these glitters are very comfortable and there's a little bit of fall out with these, but nothing to drastic. These little glitters just make me so happy for the holiday season and I'm really glad I picked them up.

Top: Smoky Storm
Middle: Kitten Karma
Bottom: Diamond Dust 

Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Exposed:

This has become a classic product in my makeup drawer and an all time favorite. There's just something about this time of year that I love more about this blush from Tarte. In fact all of their blushes are beyond stunning. I know the inside looks super crummy (It had an accident earlier in the month *sobs*) but this is a very much loved product. I've had this about 2 years now and the pigmentation and longevity of this blush is still going strong. Something about this shade though provides a a natural warmth and color that I think would work so well on so many skin types. I just have no bad things to say about this blush at all. It's 100% worth the $28 and I may repurchase this for the rest of my life (too dramatic? probably).

Coastal Scents Revealed 2 Palette: 

We're back to a classic rediscovered favorite and it was actually one of the first palettes I did a review on (oh the memories). It's very easy to be distracted with new palettes coming out especially during the holiday season, but I forgot how great this one was. It's suppose to be the dupe for Urban Decay's Naked 3 palette. Although this palette has similar lighter shades from the Naked 3 palette, I love that the Revealed 2 palette has more variety of the deep mauve and plum shades that pair beautifully with the lighter ones. There some shades in here that pull in similar shades from the Modern Renaissance palette as well.

I like the thin packaging and magnetic closure however, it's not the most durable palette. At the same time, you are paying for what you're getting and $20 (a lot of times this will go on sale for $10) for 20 shades is not bad at all. Pigmentation on this palette is great I think for beginners and for anyone really. Although some of the shimmer shades can be a bit chalky, the majority of the shades are very buildable and blendable. Overall, great palette that has been forgotten about and I'm glad I re-introduced it back in my makeup life.

Rockport Cobb Hill Aria:
Someone really needs to stop me from talking about this boots but I need to share them because they are worth the price if you're looking for comfortable and cute durable boots this season. I wear these to work everyday and I can stand in these for a whole entire day without pain. These pair so well with so many outfits whether you're wearing it during the day or wearing them out for the night. Right now, the brand is doing an extra 30% off so definitely take that opportunity to invest in a good pair of solid boots this winter. 

rockport.com 

So that's it for my November Favorites. It's been an exhausting month but we're heading into the homestretch of 2017. I have so so many posts for all of you and so much more holiday shopping to do. There's also an overall 2017 beauty products favorite post coming up too so stay tune for that ♥

October Favorites 2017

Well hello hello. I know my October Favorites are extremely late, but hey I got some great products that might make it worth it. October was a bit of a hectic month. I had my beautiful best friend's wedding so a lot of my time was bouncing around between the wedding and work. Nevertheless, I have some favorite beauty products (and tools) from this past month including rediscovering my love for the drugstore products yay!

Dose of Colors Baked Browns Palette:
I guess you can count this as a rediscovered favorite but I purchased this palette back in April at IMATS. I knew though that I would have enjoyed this palette a lot more in the Autumn season. I mean the colors alone are beautiful. It reminds me of a portable version of the Sephora Pro Warm Palette (which I LOVE and I do have a review of it here).

I did get this palette discount when I went to IMATS for around $25 but honestly, the quality of the matte shadows in here is worth the retail price of $32. The mattes are just as creamy and comparable to Kat Von D's matte shadows (which I truly believe she does create some of the best matte eye shadows). These shadows blend beautifully without getting muddy and the colors (used with a good primer of course) last all day. I love that the colors can be a simple everyday neutral eye, to a really define, warm evening eye.

I almost didn't picked this up at IMATS until after I swatched the shades. I'm really glad I did decide to purchase it

Loreal Infallible Pro-Matte Liquid Lipstick in Shakedown: 
Oh my...you guys....this is up there for favorite liquid lipstick formulas (here is my list of the ones that made the cut in my book). I saw that emilynoel83 had this color on his lips in one of her snapchat stories and been hearing the rave all over social media about formula on these including the pro-matte glosses.

There's so many things I love about this product that I'm not entirely sure where to begin.  For starters, I LOVE the shade. It's the brown lip color that I feel like I've been looking for all season but it has that hint of mauve undertones. It gives me major 90's vibes. I also love the doe foot applicator and how precise it is to get  a crisp line and by corners of the mouth. The formula is so interesting. It has a bit of thickness but when it dries down (which does take a while) it's a comfortable matte on the lips. I noticed when I press my lips together, it will slightly stick but it's not too much of an annoyance since I rather not have my lips be deprived of moisture. It's the longevity of this that blows my mind. Even with eating and drinking, there's some fading and a bit of transfer, but the majority of the color is still there and it doesn't come out of the lip line. It's amazing and makes me feel so much better to bring this out with me knowing I don't have to worry about how bad the reapplication process will be. Beyond impressed with this formula and so incredibly happy it's from the drugstore. Even better, try getting this when a $3.50 off $15 coupon for ulta that comes around (which is what I did plus I had points saved up to take more money off).

So good. Ok I'll stop talking about this now (for now)

Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser Dark Circle Treatment Concealer:
Quite a mouthful to say but what a beautiful product. I've forgot how much I love this concealer and the brightener as well. I also just remembered that I did have this in a favorites a while back but I feel like I didn't give it enough love back then. So let's give it some love now.

These concealers are lightweight while still providing a natural full coverage. I love how the concealers brighten up the under eye area. Finally, one of my favorite things about this is because it's so light weight, it doesn't emphasize on fine lines and looks flawless from beginning to the end of the day.

Maybelline concealer, you have been much loved (if you can tell from the little amount of products I have left in them).

Beauty Blender Micro Mini:
Ok so this isn't a necessity, but I can't believe how much I've been liking this small beauty blender . It's a lot softer and more lightweight than the original beauty blender which makes this perfect for the delicate under eye area. Surprisingly, I've also come to love this with cream highlighters as well.

As I mentioned, I don't think this is a necessity, but if you happen to get one, I would definitely give it a shot first before turning it down (like I almost did). Besides, look how cute it is?

sephora.com 

MBA Cosmetics Chromalights in Champagne Toast:
Now that we're getting into the holiday season, I plan on making glitter a part of my daily routine. If you've seen my face at all for the month  of October, then you know I have been drenching myself in this glitter especially ever since I got my hair dyed to auburn again. I also purchased this at IMATS back in April and I've been using this glitter along with the Dose of Colors Baked Browns palette. The great thing about this product is that the adhesion is already embedded in the glitter so all you have to do is press it onto your eyes. There's some small fallout with the first time applying this but throughout the day, the glitter stays put. It as a really creamy feel which I love because some glitters can be too harsh for the eye. For $10, you get a lot of product and a little goes a long way. I've got so many compliments on this color and I really can't wait to go back to IMATS to try out more of their colors.

Finally, I've incorporated this glitter into my Halloween look for work which was an autumn edition of Mother Nature and possibly one of my favorite looks that I ever done. I applied the glitter to my liquid lipstick leaves on my face to give them some dimension.

Every Drop Beauty Spatula:
Ok bare with me but my last two favorites are tools. However, they are amazing tools. This was also another purchase back at IMATS and honestly I will probably pick up two more this coming year. If you care about using your products to the fullest and getting your money's worth, then you need to get this item. I've always contemplated on getting one for years and I'm so glad I finally decided to get one. I've used this for so many things including skincare items (which as we all know can be pricey) and was very shocked at how much product was leftover. I would be able to get another week or two out of the bottle. The spatula at the end of it is silicone so it washes off easily. I'm obsessed and I've saw recently that they also make a spatula for lip products which is something I'm definitely going to look into.

Makeup Paw Palette:
So this isn't the exact one I got off of amazon however I actually got mine at Primark for about $3 and I can't get over how much I've been loving this set. The spatula is perfect on one end for getting product and the other side for mixing. The metal plate makes it easy to remove the content with makeup remover afterwards. I've been using this a lot to mix liquid lipstick colors and I've also been using this with my inglot duraline and my eyeshadows to create an eyeliner. This has been just a really handy tool to have and I think it's going to be a great addition to my makeup routine.

So yes that's a wrap up of my October Favorites. We're getting into the homestretch of 2017 including an ultimate favorites list for the year. I can't wait to get into the chaos of the holiday season. It exhausts me sometimes but I also secretly love it.