April Favorites

aprilfaves

Sure it’s a week in to May already, but I’m telling you my April favorites dammit. And you’re gonna like it. Maybe. Or something?

Not a ton of color things this month because I’ve been all about skin care recently! As you may or may not have read, I’m obsessed with Urban Decay’s B6 Spray (see my review here). That’s definitely been a favorite. I use it every single day before I apply my makeup, and sometimes in between as a little boost, or afterwards to calm my skin down even more. ($33, Urban Decay)

I’ve also been really enjoying the Garnier Moisture Rescue Refreshing Gel-Cream. I still feel weird calling it a cream, because it’s totally not. But it’s still a great moisturizer even if you have sensitive skin like mine. I like the refreshing scent too. It’s very “spa” to me. In case you missed it, my review is here(~$10, Drugstores)

If you’re in the market for a fan-friggin-tastic spot treatment, do check out Murad’s Acne Spot Treatment. The active ingredient is sulphur, which I find way more effective than salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide. It’s also much more gentle on my skin than spot treatments made with those ingredients. It works beautifully, even though it smells kinda funky. A little goes a long way, so the tube will last you a while. Just keep in mind the expiration date (usually about a year is par for the course for these types of products). ($17, Ulta)

Two other secret weapons I’ve been relying on for the past month are Proactiv’s Refining Mask and Origins’ Clear Improvement charcoal mask. I’ve been tag-teaming my skin with these two masks to try and keep my pores as clear as possible. Both masks also make my skin soft and smooth. The charcoal mask from Origins is better for dry skin, gently removing impurities from pores. The ProActiv mask has an active ingredient of 6% sulphur and contains kaolin clay to absorb oil. (Origins Clear Improvement mask is $24 from Sephora, Proactiv Refining Mask is available from proactiv.com and Proactiv boutique kiosques).

I’ve been using and enjoying Urban Decay’s Naked Skin Beauty Balm, too! It functions as a primer with a bit of coverage too. It’s weird, even though it only gives you a little coverage, the “optical blurring” effects truly make it look like you have more coverage than you actually do. Does that make sense? I don’t know. But it’s pretty magical. See my full review here($34, Urban Decay) Whether I’m just wearing the UD BB cream or doing a full face, I have been setting my makeup with Urban Decay’s Naked Skin Ultra Definition Loose Finishing Powder. The first time I felt this powder I literally said “holy shit” out loud. It’s sooooo silky smooth. Just a little bitty bit is needed to set your makeup and give it a smooth finish. ($34, Urban Decay)

Color-wise, my Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Honey has been a constant staple in my purse. How many favorites posts have I mentioned it in?? I wear it a few times a week. I can’t stress enough how much I love this lip. Mine doesn’t even have any lettering on the pencil anymore because I’ve used it so many times the lettering has worn off! These are so comfortable to wear, and the colors last forever. The particular shade Honey goes with a ton of different looks. If you like colors like MAC’s Viva Glam V, you should definitely check this chubby pencil out. You won’t be sorry. Plus, it’s super cheap. ($8, Drugstores)

A few days ago, I finished up my second Senna Sketch-a-Brow pencil. I’m sad because it’s gone, but happy because it happened. Does that sound like an InstaQuote? I’ve tried a lot of brow pencils that I like and enjoy, but I’ve never used up two of any one kind except Senna’s. On the one hand, I want to go out and buy more immediately. On the other, I’m hesitant because I apparently go through brow pencils super fast. I mean I just bought that thing the first week of March! It’s hard to decide. Bloggers have such weird problems. ;) ($18, Senna Cosmetics)

After finishing my last tube of my beloved Maybelline The Rocket mascara, I received a sample of Rimmel ScandalEyes Retro Glam to try. Great news – I really like this mascara! It agrees with my eyes well (certain mascaras irritate the crap out of my eyes). It’s buildable, it’s really black, it doesn’t clump. Every once and a while if it’s really hot conditions it will smudge slightly, but it’s over all really solid. I would definitely purchase it again sometime. ($7, Drugstores)

And there you go! Those were my favorites during the month of April. What were you loving on in April?

My Most Beloved Beauty Products of 2012

things_cats_need_540

It is the time of the year when we pause to reflect back…blah blah blah, here’s the stuff I was most obsessed with over the past 12 months. :)

[Read more…]

November Favorites

It’s November favorites time!!! Woo woo! Since I started a new job in November I have been wearing a lot more makeup, but I’ve also been getting up super early and spending a LOT of time in my car, so I’ve just been keeping a few choice products in a makeup single makeup bag and “living” out of that bag (plus the various lip products in my purse…) [Read more…]

February Favorites

Hello hello everyone! It’s MARCH, so that means it’s time to talk about FEBRUARY. Err, in other words, my favorites from February. Woot!

Favorite Hair Products


Um realistically my favorite hair product in February was my beloved Stephanie, aka Awesome Colorist, but since calling her a product is kind of rude, I’ll go with the kind that are in bottles!

Ahh the precious. I have talked about the Alterna Caviar Anti-Aging Overnight Hair Rescue (long enough name for ya?) before, but it is basically like an intensive night cream for your hair. You put it in at night and then wash it out in the morning. I love it! My hair has been dry (because really I’m overdue for a trim) and this doesn’t make it go away completely (needing a trim is cured by, -gasp- getting a trim) but it really helps. Now, no lies this stuff is expensive, so it’s definitely a splurge item. ($35 at Sephora or Ulta)
Another favorite of mine recently has been the Wen Cleansing Conditioner in Winter Vanilla Mint. This scent was limited edition around holiday, so I’m sorry for talking about it now, but I just now have really been using it the past month, give or take. I already used up a bottle of the Sweet Almond Mint last fall, and reviewed it for Stylebell. I love Wen Cleansing Conditioners! They don’t weigh my fine hair down and they really make it feel bouncy and healthy. The Winter Vanilla Mint smells like candies, and if I had to point out any flaws it’s just that it makes me hungry. (Available at QVC – $29)

Favorite Skin Products

I haven’t really been doing a whole lot differently with my skin. Still using either Caudalie’s foaming cleanser or my Neaclear. I’m also still using The Body Shop’s Vitamin E moisturizers (love love love love love!). But as I’m wearing more makeup lately, I’m adding a few things that help makeup “play nice” with my skin.

I’m still learning how to deal with my dry skin. For years I had oily skin, and I’ve really only had dry skin for the past year or so. It’s a whole new experience! I took for granted that I never had the problem of my skin looking too matte. Now, even on days where I’m not wearing any makeup, I like to go over my whole face with MAC Strobe Liquid. It’s just a thin, slightly hydrating lotion that has a very pretty pearly pink luminescent quality. It gives my face that natural glow that has since left me along with my overactive oil producing skin, lol. I’ve also been using my MAC Fix+ more, as it takes down the powderiness of face powders. (Strobe Liquid and Fix+ are available from MAC for $30 and $20 respectively.)


Favorite Color Products

Wee! The fun part! Like I said, I’ve been wearing more makeup lately. I made you a collage!
These are all the things I’ve been feeling much love for over the past month. I’ve been wearing very little in the way of foundation or concealer, but I do sometimes wear a little MAC Mineralized SkinFinish Natural just to even out my complexion. Sometimes you just wake up looking a little blotchy, yanno? Yeah.  And NARS Laguna is a staple product that I’m obsessed with because it adds warmth/glow without looking orange or dirty. (MSFN is $29 at MAC; NARS Laguna is $34 at Sephora)
The drugstore lip products are killing it right now, and I’ve been wearing my Rimmel Stay Glossy Lipglosses and Revlon Lip Butters pretty much exclusively day to day. Revlon Lip Butters are another one of those products that have been getting a ton of hype lately, and they’re TOTALLY worth it. I have three (Creamsicle, Candy Apple, and Sweet Tart) and I LOVE THEM. I was just saying on Twitter that I want more. :) (Price varies on these from drugstore to drugstore.)
I’ve been on a bit of a NARS Eye Shadow kick, using the heck out of my Doceurs de Paris palette and my Best of NARS palette, particularly a couple shades from the Kalahari and All About Eve duos. But as usual, I’m using drugstore mascara. Rimmel ScandalEyes is my lash of choice lately. It’s really dramatic. It’s not my absolute favorite mascara, but I like it. I will be reviewing it more in-depth soon. If you liked MaxFactor 2000 Calorie mascara but are living in the states and can’t get it anymore, try Rimmel ScandalEyes. I think you’d like it. For my brows, I still love my Billion Dollar Brows brow powder (holy grail!) but I have been really liking the new Senna Cosmetics Sketch-a-Brow pencil too. The effect is very natural-looking and it’s so simple to use. (NARS eye shadows vary in price at NARS; Rimmel ScandalEyes will vary depending on the drugstore, and Sketch-a-Brow is $18 from Senna Cosmetics)
I just realized I completely forgot another product when I was making my collage!
The Magic Hair Pad is one of those genius inventions that makes you think “why didn’t I think of that?!”. The concept is super simple– it’s a square of velcro. Really. That’s all it is. But you press it into your hair to hold it out of place while doing makeup, washing your face, doing a facial mask, etc. GENIUS. The picture shows black, but they come in pink too. I like them so much sometimes I will sport one just to hold my bangs out of place while I’m hanging out around the house. Not the most fashionable statement, but the rest of my outfit usually consists of flannel pajama bottoms and a tank top when I’m doing this, so I have thrown fashion to the wind at that point. ;) But pretty much any girl with hair needs to own these. I think that’s most of you. (Available in a pack of 2 for $7 at MagicHairPad.com)









Samples of some products mentioned here were sent by PR for consideration.
All opinions are my own, and not sponsored by any brand/company.
No compensation was received for including these products as favorites.
Disclaimers are fun to type because they are super tiny and stuff. xoxo <3

Rimmel Kate Moss Lipstick Collection

I know I’m totally late to the lipstick party on this one, but the Kate Moss collection from Rimmel London is not to be missed. Better late than never? The collection consists of seven shades that really span the gamut of what you’d need for any occasion. 
First of all, the packaging is adorable. The tubes are matte black with the Kate <3 logo in red. They look so chic and sophisticated, pretty much like you’d expect from something collaborated upon with Kate Moss! They smell sort of… cherryish. It’s an artificially fruity fragrance but not artificial in such a way that it’s gross or off-putting. In fact, I quite like the fragrance! 
I have one of these, in shade #12. Now if I had to say one negative thing about these it’s that they just have numbers instead of actual names. For me, names are a lot easier to remember, but whatever. It goes on so brilliantly pigmented, and so smooth. The color is rich and saturated, and the finish is matte without being dry and crackly. 
This is supposed to be coral I think, but on me it’s most definitely very orange (with reddish undertones). I never would have predicted this, but I love this color so much!!! By the way, in the photo I am also wearing Rimmel Scandal’eyes mascara, which I will be reviewing soon as well (love!!). 
If you couldn’t tell already, I highly recommend grabbing a couple of these if you see a shade that strikes your fancy. You can see swatches of the other colors at Fleur de Force. I have seen them at CVS, and I know others have purchased theirs from Walgreens as well. I think they’re around $5, and it’d be $5 well spent.
On a side note, I wish someone over at Rimmel would rein in the photoshopping just a little bit. The visual at the top of this page is Kate Moss. But it’s Photoshopped Kate Moss. They don’t NEED to photoshop her so much. She looks like THIS for chrissake:
And the Rimmel website features a Zooey Deschanel who isn’t even recognizable. So yeah. Lipstick = good.  Over retouching = bad. But go get these lipsticks. They’re faaaabulous. 
Sample provided for editorial purposes.

Rimmel Stay Glossy Lip Gloss Review

I first heard about Rimmel Stay Glossy lip glosses while watching a video by EmilyNoel83 on Youtube (love her, you should watch her if you don’t already!). She described them as having a really nice formula, and I have tried a lot of the same ones she has and liked them so I thought I’d like the Rimmel Stay Glossies too. ‘Cause I’m smart like that. ;)
Turns out, I was right! Ha. I picked up the first one on a whim when I was in CVS just after New Year’s. I had some extra bucks that made the gloss only about $2. They’re not very expensive (around $5) anyway, but at that price trying one was a no brainer! The shade I grabbed was Captivate Me (on top in the picture above), which is a berry pink color. Since then I’ve also picked up All Night Seduction, which is a peachy pink infused with gold (sort of similar to something like MAC Nymphette).
The first thing I noticed was these have a really unusual applicator. It’s a doefoot, but it’s shaped really… weird. Weird good though! It’s like a tapered paddle shape that makes applying the gloss to the lips really easy. Check it out:
The above picture is a side view of the doefoot applicator from All Night Seduction. Here’s a view of the top:
Neat huh? I like it. It’s really soft and cushy feeling too. I feel like it actually helps application rather than just smears it all around. 
The formula of the gloss itself is pretty unique. I’ve tried a lot of different glosses and none of them feel like these. It has a very cushiony feel on the lips. When you rub your lips together with this gloss on, it almost feels like a balm. It’s not that sticky, either! I’m most impressed with how moisturizing this gloss is. Very few are truly moisturizing for me. Usually they’re just “not drying” or worse. 
The tube says these provide up to 6 hours of shine. I don’t know if it’s 6 hours, but these do last a long time on the lips. You’ll need to reapply if you eat something, but otherwise these wear pretty darn long. The color does fade a little toward the end, but you’ll still have shine and the color fades evenly (no ring around the mouth effect).
Swatches!
Top: All Night Seduction
Bottom: Captivate Me
Overall I really love these, and have been wearing them very often. I almost always have one or both in my purse these days. I definitely plan on getting more shades. The pigmentation with these isn’t super bright on these particular shades, but there are others (a hot pink and a red) that look pretty bright. There’s also a black shade that intrigues me. ;)
Have you tried Rimmel Stay Glossy lip gloss? What do you think?

Rimmel Match Perfection Foundation Review

It’s been a little while since I’ve done a foundation review, so when I got the opportunity to try out Rimmel Match Perfection, I jumped at the chance.

Rimmel Match Perfection Foundation has 3 facets that made me really intrigued by it:

  • Smart-Tone Technology – mimics skin’s texture and tone
  • Oxygen Complex – helps skin to breathe so the color stays truer longer
  • Blue Sapphire Complex – fights yellow tones to keep skin from looking sallow
Sounds pretty advanced. As Mr. Boyfriend would say, “that’s pretty f’ing fancy”. Yeah. Cool right? Here’s how it broke down for me.
Texture – Liquid, not too thick or too runny. Went on smooth & blended easily.
Finish – Satin – Not too matte or too shiny. It’s REALLY shiny at first but kinda calms down. 
Coverage – Light to Medium (Buildable) – Minor imperfections and discoloration were covered easily, but if you have post-acne marks or other scars you probably will need an additional concealer.
Sun Protection – SPF 15
Shades – 16, from Ivory to Warm Caramel
Wear – This foundation actually wears pretty decently for a drugstore foundation. I was pleasantly surprised in that regard. It lasted through a 8 hour work day.
Okay, so those are the basics. Now for this skin tone matching complex business. Ivory, on a whole, is quite a bit too dark for me. I don’t think this is the fault of Rimmel because a lot of foundation is too dark for me. I’m paler than the average bear. ;) I do notice that the color/tone does change/adjust after being on my skin a few minutes. It’s kinda wild. Once it adjusts it does look a lot closer to my skin color, but alas still too dark. I think if either I were a little darker or if this were just a little lighter, the adjustment would have been able to compensate. If you’re someone who tends to be in between foundation shades, this might just be your holy grail. 
I would highly recommend setting this with powder. If you don’t, it can stay a little sticky. I have normal/combo skin and a couple of eensy dry patches, and this foundation doesn’t make them look way worse like many foundations do. I think this would be fine for any skin type except if you’re at the extreme end of one or the other (ie really really oily, or really really dry). 
The suggested retail price of this foundation is $8.99, although we all know drugstore prices tend to vary a little bit from store to store. It’s available wherever Rimmel is sold, such as CVS, Wal-mart, Walgreens, and Target. You can hit up the Rimmel website for more info on where to find it. It would appear that in the U.K. there is a powder and concealer to go with this foundation, so keep a look out for those in U.S. drugstores in the future. 
Sample provided for editorial purposes.