April Favorite Beauty Products!

Hey guys!!

I'm pretty excited to share my April favorites with you. This past month I tried a ton of new things, especially makeup. So let's get started!

So here is an overall overview of my favorites for this month. I decided that it would be fun to take pictures outside. This was good in theory, except my golden retriever Murphy insisted on helping...

It ended up being a long process with his help.

Makeup

Clean and Clear Night Relaxing Makeup Dissolving Wipes

Because it was new and has cool packaging, I was lured this month to try these wipes. Overall, I think they are really good. Just like the white package of the original version, it's just as amazing at removing mascara, just with an extra scent added. It's super strong scent, so if that bothers you, this probably isn't the product for you. But it's really nice overall and I've already repurchased for when I run out.

Benefit Creaseless Cream Shadow in RSVP

This month I've been obsessed with shimmering champagne eye looks. First, I gotta say that this cream shadow has the prettiest packaging ever. Beautiful. Second, this is a really subtle cream shadow. I definitely recommend you pack it on with a synthetic brush for more color, but I've had no problems with it creasing when I put a powder eyeshadow over it.

Hourglass Mineral Veil Primer

This is a super hyped up product and this month I picked up the travel size that costs $18 to see what all the fuss is about. The Sephora makeup artist warned me that this leaves a blue-ish cast on the skin at first, but does a great job of concealing redness. I have to admit, this is the BEST primer I've ever used for my face. It makes my pores disappear, redness invisible, and makes my foundation last all day. It's truly amazing, although the pricetag makes me flinch a little bit. (Okay, a lot)

Beautyblender Solid

I can't believe I've lived my life without this soap. Basically it's bar of soap made to clean Beautyblenders and makeup brushes. What I didn't expect was for this to be utterly life-changing. It gets out the toughest stains in brushes and leaves them feeling and looking amazing. It beats the Sephora and MAC cleansers, it beats baby shampoo, and it's definitely a lot better than the handsoap I tried previously on my beautyblender.

Benefit Gimme Brow

Recently I wrote a review on this product and I'm still loving it. It has made my brow routine so much easier and faster and I'm going to be forever thankful for that. It's fool-proof and makes my brows look amazing.

Makeup Forever Full Cover Concealer

While I love my MAC Select Cover concealer, this is a better color match and I've been obsessed with it the later part of this month. It definitely helps cover up blemishes, my undereyes, and redness around my nose. It's kind of hard to blend unfortunately, and I find that it likes to blend off rather easily, but for the most part it's a pretty good concealer.

Rimmel Scandaleyes Flex Lycra Mascara

This might be my new favorite mascara of all time. Yes, I went there. I've been using this all month and it's still wet, it's still going off effortlessly. And it still gives my lashes a huge, volumized look. Plus it makes them look a million miles long. If you are in the market for a new mascara, you need to try this one out. I'm so surprised that I had never heard anything about it on Youtube, because it's amazing!

Real Techniques Powder Brush

I thought I could never love a powder brush more than my Sigma one, but that changed this month. This brush is super affordable, applies product perfectly, and it is really easy to use.

MAC Matchmaster Foundation

I wrote a review on this too, and I can't say enough amazing things about this. If you have oily skin, you need to try this. It makes my skin glow while still being matte, and leaves me looking naturally beautiful. I love this stuff.

MAC Careblend Powder

This with my foundation is amazing. It's perfect for sensitive skin and doesn't cake on. I'm so glad I invested in this powder.

Urban Decay Primer Potion in Sin

In addition to the Benefit Creaseless Cream Shadow, I also purchased the Urban Decay version too. This is amazing too. This is not a cream, but a primer, but also gives a great champagne pink glow to the eyes. It stays on all day and gives a strong hint of color.

MAC Peachykeen blush

I've worn this blush everyday since the end of March and I still can't get enough of it. I love this stuff. It gives a perfect pink color to the cheeks for spring.

Nail Polish

Deborah Lippman Blue Orchid and Flowers in Her Hair

These spring colors have been amazing this month. Blue Orchid is like a periwinkle blue that is just beautiful and applies great. Flowers in Her Hair is the perfect mint green and is probably my favorite mint green I've used yet.

OPI Lucky Lucky Lavender

I didn't expect to like this color, but I think it's my favorite of spring this year. It's absolutely gorgeous and very unique.

Zoya Remove Nail Polish Remover

I got this free in an order I made earlier this month and tried this purely out of curiosity and was so pleasantly surprised. This just melted the nail polish right off of my fingers and toes, even easier than acetone, but better because it's not nearly as harsh.

Haircare

Suave Humectant Moisture Conditioner

I love using this along with the Herbal Essence Body Envy Shampoo. It makes my hair super shinny, smooth, and soft. Plus this smells really good too.

Moroccanoil

This is an old favorite, but I've used this on my ends this month and I just love the smell and the huge change it makes to my hair. It's amazing.

Body and Skin

Olay Refreshing Nectarine Body Wash

I picked this up on a whim earlier this month and I'm obsessed with the amazing scent and how soft it makes my skin feel. It's even better than Bath and Body Works shower gel.

First-Aid Beauty Blemish Patrol Pads

I don't know how much of a difference these are making to my skin, but I love how refreshing and clean they are. Plus I've had a much better skin month, so I'd like to think these have something to do with that.

Marc Jacobs Daisy Eau So Fresh Delight

This is my go to spring scent. It smells fruity and floral and simply amazing. Plus the packaging is super cute to look at too.

Candle

Last but not least, I need to include my Market Peach candle. With spring comes the need to constantly have this burning and I still am obsessed with this scent. I love it.

So there you have it. What have been your favorites this month?

March Favorites

Hey guys!

This month I got to try out a lot of new products, so I'm really excited to show them to you. I'm in full spring mode (even though as I write this it's only about 50 degrees outside), so a lot of things that I'm gonna share with you kinda show that I'm in a spring state of mind.

As you can see, there's a bunch of favorites this month and I can't wait to share them with you.

Nail Polish:

Left to Right: Victoria's Secret "Lucky," Essie "Bikini So Teeny," Essie Romper Room," and Essie "Lilacism"

 
VS Lucky

I was skeptical about nail polish from Victoria's Secret, but this was great. The application was flawless, the polish lasted a week!! And the color is truly gorgeous. A perfect mint green color.

Essie Bikini So Teeny

I love this pale blue polish. This month I've really been into light blues and purples and this became a new obsession for me. It has a subtle shimmer and the color is so unique.
 
Essie Romper Room

Very similar to Fiji, but this is a little pinker. I love it! I think it's the perfect girly color for spring and I can't get enough of pale pinks.

Essie Lilacism

This is very similar to Bikini So Teeny, but with a touch of purple. I wore this twice this month, which should show you just how much I adore this color.

Makeup and Skincare:

 
Boots Expert Sensitive Gentle Refreshing Toner

After I wash my face, I like to go over my skin with a cotton pad with this toner to make sure I pick up any last traces of dirty or makeup. This makes my skin feel super clean and I think it kind of helps reduce redness. I really like this and it's super affordable at Target, but I think overall the Simple Toner is better. But I'll continue using this for now.

Real Techniques Blush Brush

I have really enjoyed using this blush brush this month with my Milani Luminoso blush. It's very soft and I think it makes apply blush really easy. If you are looking for good brushes, definitely check out Real Techniques.

NARS Alhambra Eyeshadow Duo

I'm obsessed with this two colors for an all over the eye look. I mix them together and it just creates the perfect shimmery champagne color. The quality and packaging is amazing, like most NARS products and I can't believe I've lived without this duo.
 
Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara

I began using this mascara sample this month and fell in total and complete love. This mascara makes my lashes super defined, very long, and so volumized. I can't get enough of it.
 
Benefit They're Real Mascara

I also started using a full size of this mascara and I'm just as impressed with this. It is definitely more of a lengthening mascara and I love how it hardly ever clumps. It stays all day and I really love using this too.

First Aid Beauty Skin Rescue Deep Cleanser with Red Clay

I featured this in my February favorites as well, but I wanted to feature this again because it has worked wonders with my complexion. I love how soft and clean it makes my face feel and I feel like it's definitely helped clear up my face.

It Cosmetics CC Cream

This has been my go to face product in March because it has a medium-full coverage, felt nice on the skin, has SPF and is super easy to apply. By far the best CC cream I've tried.
 
Hair and Body:

Big Sexy Hair Spray and Play Hairspray

At Ulta this month, I got this on sale for $10 and am so glad I took advantage of the sale. This hair spray is fantastic at holding my curls all day, without the awful scent of the L'Oreal Elnet.

Herbal Essences Body Envy Shampoo

I've used this shampoo as a clarifying shampoo to make my hair really clean and less heavy. It definitely does the job and makes my hair smell like oranges, which is seriously the best thing ever.

The Body Shop Mango Shower Gel

I've fallen in love with The Body Shop shower gels this month and one that I'm obsessed with is the Mango scent. This smells like fresh fruit and is perfect for spring and summer. It leaves a light scent on my skin and leaves me feeling soft and clean.

Victoria's Secret Pure Seduction Bloom

I love this body spray. It's been my go to scent this month and I can't get enough of it or the cute packaging.

 It's a 10 Miracle Leave-In with Keratin

I forgot to take a picture of this at first, but I've been crazy about the It's a 10 Miracle Leave-In with Keratin. I got this for free at Ulta and I think it makes my hair feel and look even better than the original version. It also smells way better. It's great at detangling and at making my hair soft and smooth.

Candle:

Bath and Body Works Honeysuckle Bouquet

This candle is such a great spring candle because it's the perfect floral. It's not super overpowering, but has such a great flowery scent. Plus the packaging is super cute too.

What were your favorites for the month of March?

The Guide to Oily Skin

Hey guys!

When I first started using makeup, there was always one question I was faced with that seemed really daunting: do I have oily or dry skin?

For people that have been using make up, this might seem like a silly question. But when you are new to things, it can be really hard, since this is usually a question that only you would know.

It really helps when you do know the answer, because it can help you pick the right kinds of makeup and skincare product for you.

I thought that maybe I could help out a little.

Signs of Oily Skin:

-You notice shinny spots on your skin: especially on your forehead, nose, and chin.

-You feel like you need to wash your face several times a day.

-You often get pimples

-You have an oily scalp: meaning you wash your hair or need to use dry shampoo often.

-You feel your makeup sliding around your face during the day.

A quick way to tell if you suffer from oily skin: buy a pack of oil blotting sheets (my favorite are the Deep Clean ones by Neutrogena). Press a sheet against your skin. If you turn the paper into something that looks like the picture below: you've got oily skin.

A few tips for people with oily skin:

-Even though you might not want to, moisturize! Skin becomes oilier the more it dries out. I like the First Aid Beauty Daily Face Cream.

-Choose face products that say they are oil free and mattifying. I like It Cosmetics CC Cream and the Smashbox Photo Finish Light primer.

-A good powder is your best friend. I love MAC's Studio Fix Plus.

-Finding a good cleanser that cleans deep into pores is super important. I love the Neutrogena Clear Pore and First Aid Beauty Skin Rescue Deep Cleanser.

-Blotting sheets like the Deep Clean ones above, are so helpful!

-When all else fails, Urban Decay's DeSlick spray literally works miracles.

Make sure to check out all of my latest posts: My Nail Polish Collection, My Everyday Makeup, MAC First Impressions/Haul, and Covergirl 3-1 Foundation Review.

Spring Cleaning: My Everyday Makeup

Hi guys!

I'm really excited because right now I'm on spring break, so that makes me feel like I finally have time to take care of so many things in my life and relax!

One of the things that I've already tackled is reorganizing my daily makeup collection.

It had started to get a little out of hand and I wanted something that didn't look nearly as cluttery. This past Saturday, my mom and I were shopping at the store Garden Ridge and I found a couple of these cosmetics drawers. Although they aren't exactly the heavy quality of something from the Container Store, they were only $20 each and they fit all my everyday makeup a little more.

I love how clean and put together my dresser top now looks thanks to these drawers.

Let's take a super quick look at how I organized these four drawers:

The first one is dedicated to my liquid products. In here I have:

-Aveeno Smart Essentials Moisturizer

-First Aid Beauty Daily Moisturizer

-Urban DeSlick Spray

-Covergirl Foundation

The next drawer is dedicated to my face products like foundation and blush such as my It Cosmetics CC Cream, Smashbox CC Cream, Rockateur Blush, and Make Up Forever Full Cover Concealer.

Another drawer is dedicated to my eye makeup like primers, eye shadow, mascara, and eyeliner.

And the final drawer is actually kind of empty, but right now it holds a few hair bands, lip balms, and cotton rounds.

Having my everyday makeup organized in drawers instead of a makeup bag just makes me feel so much more permanent and less nomadic, plus I love being able to see everything when I'm getting ready. Plus these cute little drawers give me a chance to display my pretty perfume bottles on top of it too, which makes me so happy!

5 Things I'm Loving

Right now, there's a few things that I can't get enough of.

1. I'm obsessed with Pure Seduction Bloom from Victoria's Secret. Not only is the packaging freaking gorgeous, but it smells like spring in a bottle. I couldn't help but go out and buy the shower gel as well.

2. I'm equally crazy about this nail polish from Vicky's as well. I think this is the most perfect mint nail polish. It's the color "Lucky."

3. Don't get me started on Benefit's They're Real mascara. This makes my lashes look like they are a million miles long. Plus it goes on without a single clump. It's truly one of my favorite mascaras ever.

4. My first NARS eyeshadow duo in Alhambra is so pretty I can't stand it. This pink and sparkly gold combine to make the prettiest all over lid color ever. I can't believe I've lived without this for so long!

5. My boyfriend. I can never get enough of him.

Review of Smashbox CC Cream

Hey guys!

Let me just say, it seems like within the next month, my life is going to just explode. I have this big capstone project (the biggest and final of my career) due on April 14, and right now my entire life revolves around trying to make it work as well as dealing with all the stresses of state testing and getting the students to actually pay attention to me instead of wishing it was spring break.

But anyway, in between preparing lessons and sleeping, I've been testing some new face products. One of those is the Smashbox CC Cream. This was recommended to me by a makeup artist and Sephora and I've been trying it out for a couple of weeks, so I thought I'd share my thoughts with you.

As you've probably heard, CC creams are great for people with problems with redness and dark spots. They offer a little bit more coverage than a BB cream, but are still usually a light to medium buildable coverage.

According to Sephora, this Smashbox CC Cream is supposed to be a color correcting cream that "fades imperfections, even complexion, and prevents future discoloration." It has SPF 30, supposed to be lightweight, neutralizes and brightens skin, as well as primes, perfects, and protects. It adds moisture without creating extra oil.

My Thoughts:

Overall, I think this is a pretty good product. It feels pretty nice on my skin (by the way, this month I've been STRUGGLING with combination skin, both insanely oily with dry patches around my nose and chin). I find that toward the end of the day, it can get a little oily (what doesn't?) and it can cling to dry patches as well. But it is lightweight and doesn't make me feel like my face is caked with makeup.

I'd say this is a light to medium coverage, but very buildable. One thing that I have noticed, is that after wearing for about 15-18 hours, this can still be on my face in some of my less oily places. I'm shocked that it lasts that long for just a CC cream. Of course, in my red areas, I do notice it starts to wear in the 6-8 hour area, but that's pretty decent.

This is after about 10 hours of wear

It covers my redness pretty well without any concealer, and I usually just wear some powder over it. I do use a primer underneath, because I find that it really clung to my dry spots without that. I also use a moisturizer and apply this with a Beauty Blender to make sure that I didn't get any of those awful patches. This definitely applies patching and awful if you don't blend it in well.

I haven't noticed any long term skin benefits, but I've been using it two weeks, so it's tough telling on that. I wear the color fair and I think it might be a smidgen yellow on me, but I think it blends pretty well into my skin color.

However, I do think $42 for 1 oz of product is ridiculously steep. I'm not sure if I'll repurchase just because of that fact alone. But I am enjoying it right now and I'm going to continuing using it in a rotation with other products. Is it better than the Stila CC Cream? Yes, without a doubt. I think it offers much better coverage and feels so much better on the skin.

Have you tried out the CC Cream rage or do you think it's too gimmicky? Also check out my Stila CC Cream review too.

First Impressions of Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara

Hi guys!

Recently I picked up this little Beauty Blogger sample kit from Too Faced. I mostly picked it up because I wanted to try the Better than Sex mascara. Honestly, I wanted to try this mascara mostly because of the name. Hey, that's pretty much the sole reason why I went out and bought NARS Deepthroat and Orgasm (they are great blushes though, besides the names).

Let me tell you, the name might make you cringe (or giggle if you are me), but this mascara is amazing! I've tried it twice, and already I am contemplating throwing out the $23 for the full size. It's that good.

I've been loving the Rocket, which I thought was the bee's knees, but this just might be better. The brush is super similar to the Cover Girl Flame Out mascara. Which sucked in my opinion. But something about this brush is just better. It somehow reaches all my lashes and just defines and lengths them, while making them huge!! Seriously! Three swipes and I thought my lashes might hit my eyebrow!

So here are a bunch of really bad pictures taken with my Iphone, but I just want you to know, that I'm super obsessed with this stuff. It's perfect!

This picture shows that one eye has mascara, one doesn't.

So as you can see, I love taking pictures of myself. And I really think Better than Sex is a great mascara. Yes, I can see how it can get a little clumpy, just if you have the Rocket or Clump Crusher on hand in case things get crazy, I think it's fantastic. It might be my all time favorite high-end mascara.

January Favorites

Hey there!

It's now officially February, which I have some mixed feelings about. I love Valentine's Day (any holiday where there are hearts, red, pink, polka dots, and lots of cute little floral things is at the top of my list), but I really don't want this semester to fly too much, since April is the month that I pretty much have the biggest, most important school project of my life due. Seriously, I'm kinda freaking out about it.

Anyway, since I didn't do a December Favorites and because I've tried out a lot of new things in the month of January, I'm pretty excited to share with you my favorite products this month. So let's take a look.

Milani Brow Fix Kit

This month I found myself in a little bit of a brow product bind. I had been using the Maybelline Define a Brow (which I truly dislike, but was too cheap to buy anything else), but when that ran out, I didn't know what to use. I found this product just laying in my makeup collection collecting dust. Last spring I picked this up, but deemed it too light to use. However, I've found despite the fact it's a little light, it makes my brows look so good! Like natural and put together at the same time. I combine the two brown colors with an angled Sigma brush and then just fill them in, then follow that up with a little clear mascara. I'm so pleased! Sometimes, the key is to just shop your makeup collection!

Victoria's Secret Passion Struck Body Wash

I don't know if others feel this way, but after Christmas this year I was in the mood for spring. Forget the snow, sweaters, boots, and cozy scents. I was ready for fruit, floral, coral, sundresses, and flipflops. So even if the weather doesn't agree with me (hello, snow!), this body wash definitely helped me cure my spring fever. It is one of their new scents and I really like it because it's girly, fruity and floral, but not obnoxious at all. It's said to smell like Fuji apple and vanilla orchid and I really love this a lot.

Benefit Rockateur Blush

This is the first Benefit blush that I've ever tried, and honestly I was a tad skeptical when I heard all the rave reviews about this blush when it first came out. First of all, I dislike the name for some odd reason. And I'm a little late to the huge rose gold craze. But, I decided to pick this up this month and am so glad I did! This is such a pretty, natural, everyday blush color. I've found the best brush to use to apply this is my MAC 168 because it's firm and layers the product on really well. Plus I'm always pleasantly surprised by the floral scent. And I think the packaging is pretty cute too.

Jordana Best Lash Extreme Mascara

I picked this up on a whim on New Year's Day from Kmart and seriously, I can tell you how amazing this mascara is. I can't believe not everyone owns this mascara. It's volumnizing, lengthening, and so dramatic! When it comes to mascara, the bigger/faker looking, the better in my opinion. And this just comes out beautifully! I've definitely gotten my $2.99 worth of this stuff!

Suave Moroccan Infusion Shampoo & Conditioner

I went back to a summer staple this month and have refallen in love with it. In my 2013 favorites I talked about my love for the Total Repair 5 from L'Oreal, which I had been using almost religiously. However, I began to notice my hair was lacking some of the shine and healthiness it used to have. So I went back to this duo and instantly saw a huge change for the better in my hair. It's so shinny and smooth when I use this stuff! I can't believe how affordable it is either!

Lush Popcorn Lip Scrub

I picked this up after Christmas and I love it. I think it's without a doubt a winter must-have if you have chapped lips. Not only does it taste amazing, but it really helps your chap stick sink in deeper after you use this.

Lorac Behind the Scenes Eyeshadow Primer

This came with my Lorac Pro Palette, and at first I turned up my nose at it. I figured it would be subpar like the Urban Decay Primer Potion or the Too Faced Shadow Insurance. However, I eventually found myself using it and falling totally in love. Guys, this is even better than the NARS version (and $3 cheaper!). I ask my eyeshadow to last all day (which means usually about 10-12 hours teaching) and this primer holds up that entire time. It's amazing! If you have oily lids, you need to check this stuff out because I can't get enough of it.

Lorac Pro Palette

I received this for Christmas and I'm so glad that I did! I must admit, this is better than the Naked Palettes. I think the shadows are all great quality, they last all day, have great color payoff, and I love that there's both matte and shimmer eyeshadows in here. I've used this palette all month long, never straying away from it. I can't get enough out of the Nude or Light Bronze colors. I usually wear one of those with Taupe in the crease.

So that's my favorites for January! What have you been loving this month? I love product recommendations!

By the way, if you like seeing what products I've featured in my monthly favorites previously, make sure to check out this page of my entire list of favorites!

Review of Stila CC Color Correcting Cream

Hi Guys!

A couple of weeks ago I had a pretty big Sephora gift card haul that I talked about on the blog.

One of the most exciting things that I picked up was the Stila CC Cream. To be honest, before the makeup artist suggested this product, I had never even heard of it. And besides the Kitten eyeshadow (which I adore), is the only Stila product I've even tried. So I was a little skeptical of using it.

I've now used it for about two weeks, so I thought that was enough time to give a pretty good review of my thoughts about it.

So according to the Sephora website, the description says that this CC cream is a "skincare meets cosmetics hybrid, offering the ultimate in color correction while creating a flawless, natural looking complexion."

It also says that this CC cream has:

-SPF 20 with broad spectrum protection

-Color corrects to reduce hyperpigmentation

-Softens fine lines and wrinkles

-Adapts to skintone

-72 hours of hydration

-Brighter, more youthful looking skin

-Without Parabens

-Oil Free

-Sheer-medium buildable coverage

-Matte to Satin Finish

So as you can see, that's a lot of stuff.

First Impressions

So when I first tried this, I wasn't really impressed. See, I have pretty oily skin. I wouldn't say it's as bad right now as the height of July, but I can still get pretty oily if I don't use Urban DeSlick spray or powder.

And the very first thing I noticed when she put it on me in Sephora, was how oily it is upon application. However, when she set it with powder, that went away instantly, which was nice. It became a very nice matte finish. In fact, it was even less oily than the Garnier BB Cream for Combination to Oily skin that I had been using previously.

So as far as the application goes, the description isn't lying when it says that it comes out green. It does, just like one of the primers that is green. The makeup artist told me that this would be great on the redness in my cheeks and nose area. From what she told me and from what I've observed in using it, it works much better if you kind of warm it up and rub it in place for a couple seconds before spreading it. The makeup artist claimed that this was to perfectly match to your skintone, and maybe that's true, but I see it more as just making the pigment come out instead of having the weird streaking green color correcting stuff stay caked on your face.

It's thicker than the Garnier BB Cream, but average to what I've seen from brands such as Smashbox.

This is definitely a sheer coverage CC cream. I feel like it kind of blurs and it sorta tones down my redness, but it's not medium coverage, even when layered with a second layer (I haven't tried a third layer yet because A.) it's $44, so I treat it like liquid gold and B.) it is really oily upon first application and I'm not ready to see if a third layer makes it really really really oily.

My recommendation with Stila's CC Cream, is that you find a really great coverage powder. Currently I'm using the Sephora Collection 8 Hour Mattifying Foundation (jury is out on the that as well, but that's a different review for a different day), but I've also used the MAC Stuido Fix Powder and both are really good in conjunction with the CC cream. I like to think that this CC cream is more of a color correcting primer in actuality, making your powder the real star. Which is not the purpose at all, but it's how I feel it works best. If you want light coverage, you need to use powder with it, preferably a foundation powder.

As far as scent, it smells kinda sunscreeny, but nothing obnoxious that would deter me away from this product. It fades pretty quickly. And so far it hasn't broken me out either, which is great.

Oh and in case you are curious about application, I have tried this with mattifying primers (samples of the Becca Ever Matte and the Korres Pomegranate Mattifying Primer) and using my Urban Decay De Slick spray as a base and all three work pretty equally, with my findings being that the De Slick using leaves me the most matte. Of course, no matter what primer I use, I always follow after the CC cream, powder, and blush with the De Slick spray.

I also use my fingers and haven't tried any other way of applying this. Also, I'm the color fair if that helps.

But my final thing that I have to say about this product is the price. It's $44 for 1.3 oz. That's a lot, especially considering this is sheer coverage. I'm still weighing the price, but I'm pretty sure it's not worth it. I'm not sure at this point whether I'll repurchase, but if I do (or don't), I'll let you know.

(Interested in more CC Cream reviews? Take a look at this one about Smashbox CC Cream!)

Sephora Gift Card Haul

Hi there!

For Christmas my aunt gave me a gift card to Sephora, which was pretty much like having a second Christmas in my book. See, I usually buy my higher-end stuff from Ulta because I like their rewards point system better (although, maybe it's just the Ulta stores in my area, but I always seem to come across the snottiest employees, so I definitely don't visit there for the customer service or their coupon policy), so I don't get to play around with brands such as NARS or some of the other awesome stuff at Sephora.

I knew coming into Sephora that I really wanted some new face products. As much I love the Garner BB cream for combination/oily skin, I know deep inside that the shade is just too dark and yellow for me. And I really wanted to dabble in some higher-end stuff while I could.

After talking to a makeup artist and getting my skin color matched with their new computer program (seriously, I have no clue how it works, but it was beyond cool to watch), she recommended for me the Stila CC Cream. She matched me to the lightest shade, which I would have never thought would match me, but I think it looks pretty good.

In all honestly, I had never heard of it before. In a week or so I'll give a better first look at it, but so far I really like it.

I also picked up some more face powder (she recommended the Sephora brand, which I'm kinda skeptical about, but I'm too lazy to drive to MAC to pick up more of the Studio Fix powder).

Two total random things I never intended on buying were the Josie Maran Bear Naked nail polish removing wipes and Deborah Lippmann's Daytripper. The wipes called me because they have polar bears and peppermint scent and Daytripper is a color I've been lusting over for just about two or three years.

Overall, I thought it was a successful trip to Sephora.

And in case that wasn't enough shopping, I then went to Ulta to do some more damage. I had triple rewards points for the week, and I couldn't pass that down (why does it seem every time I actually have a good coupon or deal at Ulta, is when I don't need to buy anything? I think they plan this...).

 

 

I needed a new Urban Decay De-Slick spray really bad, so  picked up another full-size one.

 

Everything else I got was just truly impulse shopping and the promise of 3x reward points.

 

They had Body Shop lip balms 50% off, so I got this set of three (coconut, shea butter, and mango flavors) for $6.99. Which means that I essentially got 2 of them free, which is awesome.

 

And this Too Faced Beauty Blogger kit totally called me. Mostly because it has a sample of the Chocolate Soleil bronzer and the Better than Sex mascara. First of all, if something promises to smell like chocolate, you know I'll be all over it. Second, I love mascara. And I love products with kind of dirty names (one of the main reasons why I own the two NARS blushes that I do, although the colors are definitely worth it even if they weren't named anything raunchy). And I love samples. So I snatched this up fast.

 

Finally, I picked up this Real Techniques blush brush because I've heard amazing things about their brushes and thought this was a good place to start.

 

 

Last but not least, I had to pick up a new floral/fruity body wash. And Victoria's Secret always comes through for me.

 

 

 

 

I'd say it was a successful trip. I love trying out new things and I think I have a lot of great new options.

 

Have you gone shopping recently? Let me know if there's any products I should try out? 

 

My Top 13 Beauty Favorites of 2013

Happy 2013!

I hope you had a great holiday season and are excited for the new year. I personally am kind of shock just by how fast time has flown. I can't believe that my last semester on a college campus is over. I can't believe that in less than a week I'll be student teaching. And I definitely can't believe that (hopefully) in a few months I'll be graduating from college.

Anyway, hopefully I can get back on the blogging bandwagon a little bit more. Being sick and moving back home definitely have made the last month a little bit stressful.

But anyway, I thought it would be fun to take a look at my beauty favorites from 2013. A lot of them I've mentioned a lot, but a couple may be new. 

Country Chic, Makeup Wipes, Stila Kitten, Makeup Wipes, Eyelash Curler, Essie Lollipop, Cover Girl Ink It, Naked Basics, MAC Studio Fix, Urban Decay DeSlick, Orly Rage, Cat Eyes Mascara, Voluminious Million Lashes Excess, L'Oreal Total Repair 5 Shampoo and Conditioner

Bath and Body Works Country Chic

Since this scent was released a few years ago, this has been hands down my favorite. I adore this scent. I included a picture of the old packaging because I haven't purchased the new packaging yet and also because I like the old one better (seriously, sunflowers don't really relate to this scent at all). I love that it's fresh, floral, and even has a hint of lemon. I love ever yform of this scent. When I was trying to think of a scent that represents this year, and the year before, and the year before, it's this one without a doubt.

Clean and Clear Makeup Dissolving Wipes

I can't say it enough, but I love these wipes. They are amazing. I really don't know how I lived my life without these in it. I love the Simple wipes and the Equate ones, but they aren't even in the same league as these Clean and Clear ones. These take off the hardest to remove mascaras (in my collection that is Benefit's They're Real). They don't break me out, they don't have a funny smell, and they don't burn my eyes. Try these out, especially if you like taking off every speck of makeup.

Stila Kitten

This was an eyeshadow that a year ago I was lusting over and debating if it was worth the hefty pricetag. A year later, I wish I would have purchased it sooner. This is without a doubt, my favorite all over the lid color. It's the most stunning shade I've ever used. I love champagne pink colors, and this one beats Urban Decay's Sin, MAC's Jest and Naked Lunch, and my Cover Girl Shimmering Sands palette. I think I wore this color more than half of the days this year. Considering how much I like changing my look, I think that says a whole lot.

Tarte Eyelash Curler

Although I think it's not available with the Aztec print any more, this Tarte eyelash curler has been amazing for me this year. I think eyelash curlers are one of those tools that you don't put much thought into unless they are failing you. In 2012 I used at least four different curlers, mostly because they didn't work for me. But since April I've used this one from Tarte religiously and it's worked great. It doesn't pinch or hurt. It's easy to clean. And it's adorable. Plus the refill pads online are $1! How nice is that?

Essie Lollipop

Now this is a newer favorite, but without a doubt I've determined that this is the perfect red for me. I don't know about you, but finding the perfect red nail polish is like the Amazing Race. It's literally one of the most trying and exhausting hunts you can ever go on. At least if you are me. I found this in December and bought it honestly on a whim. But you know I love a nail polish when I use it more than once. Especially if it's consecutively. There's something about this polish that makes it better than all the other Essie's I've ever used. The formula doesn't get sticky or dry. The brush is fantastic. It's like a new brand of polish masquerading as an Essie polish (don't get me wrong, Essie is probably my favorite. But this one is like liquid gold). Essie describes this color as a candy cane red, which is probably why this color was my Christmas red I chose for the holidays this year.

Cover Girl Ink It! in Black Ink

Where do I begin with this eyeliner? I have no clue. Because no matter what I say about it, I don't think it can fully describe how much I love this stuff. It's a drugstore liner that (at Walmart and probably Target) you can get under $5. And it's amazing. It's black. It's easy to work with. It stays put. And did I mention it was cheap? And doesn't involve sharpening? And that I love it? Seriously, if you like mechanical eye pencils, try this one out. It doesn't disappoint.

Urban Decay Naked Basics Palette

This, like the Stila Kitten, was something that I debated for a really long time about getting. That's because my Naked palettes are really things that I reach for that often. But since I bought this back in April, I've been obsessed with it. For most of 2013, I found myself using at least 3 shades daily (that's half the palette!). And it looks like I've barely made a dent in it. My favorite look this year was Kitten across the lid, Naked 2 blending in the crease, and Faint in the outer corner. Then I would take Foxy and use that as a highlight. I did that every day from April to December. You know you love a look when you do it almost every day for 8 months.

MAC Studio Fix Powder

This was definitely a summer staple for me. I was afraid of this powder because of it being allegedly cakey and heavy. But it literally was a lifesaver for me in the summer. Because of the heat and humidity, I hate wearing BB creams and anything liquidy on my face. So this powder provided coverage (up to medium coverage actually) that would last no matter what. Now I use this to set my Garnier BB cream and it still is amazing. I hit pan a few months ago and I know the second I run out, I'll buy another because I can't live without this powder.

Urban Decay De-Slick

In 2012 whenever I saw people raving or using this spray I'd usually scoff about how they paid $29 for water to dilute their high-end foundations. But this year I found that this spray is a lifesaver. It rids me of needing primer (which I think are the most pointless products ever by the way). It makes my face matte and refreshed and works great with the MAC Studio Fix powder. I've repurchased this at least 4 times and I probably will again here in the next week or two.

Orly Rage

Like I mentioned earlier, when I use a nail polish consecutively, I love it. A lot. I've used this at least five times in the last two months. I love the rose gold of this polish and it's staying power. It's so pretty!

Maybelline Colossal Cat Eyes Mascara

I think it's common knowledge here on my blog that I love this stuff. First, the packaging is adorable. It's yellow and has a leopard print. How perfect could it be? Second, I love the wand. It's pretty much my favorite wand of whole time for both top and bottom lashes. Third, this mascara makes my lashes so defined, black, and works great at the corners of my eyes. I really don't understand the poor reviews of this mascara because in my opinion it beats the Falsies, the Rocket, and countless others so easily!

L'Oreal Voluminous Million Lashes Excess

I'm a sucker for L'Oreal mascaras, especially the Voluminous Million Lashes kind. What I loved about this mascara was how quickly and easily it built up. I love the false lashes effect and this definitely did it. Plus it had great staying power and cute packaging.

L'Oreal Total Repair 5 Shampoo and Conditioner

Back in October I tried these on a whim. They had the travel sizes in the dollar spot at Target and I decided I want to try something new. Thankfully I decided that, because I love this stuff. I thought I loved Suave Moroccanoil, but it doesn't even compare to the amazingness of these. I love how soft, smooth, shinny, and manageable it makes my poofy and frizzy hair. Plus it smells good. And it's affordable. And that it doesn't build up in my hair at all. Which is really nice since my hair can get greasy kind of easily.

So those were my favorites of the year. When I was doing this, I kept asking myself, if something happened to them, would I repurchase them? And with every single one of them, it was a definite yes. And most of them I have already repurchased (the makeup wipes, Kitten, the mascaras, Country Chic, and De-Slick). What were your favorites of 2013? Are there any products you are looking forward to trying for 2014?