Best of Beauty 2013 Tag

I saw this tag floating around on YouTube which was perfecting timing since I was toying around with a favorites of 2013 post. But I didn't want to be all over the place with it. So helped me focus...to a point. I do have more than one answer for some. I mean come on, some times it's hard to have just one product for a category. These are not necessarily products that launched in 2013. It's a mix of stuff I bought in 2013, items that did launch in 2013 and stuff I just reached for a lot.

Let's get to it!!

Primer - Black Radiance Primer
I had thought that this primer was only good for me during the summer but I had used it a lot in December with Urban Decay's De-Slick. They are the perfect combo on my skin all year round. So I think it's safe to say that this is my holy grail primer. I picked up two more during the CVS sale when they were 50% off.

Foundation - Bare Minerals Matte Foundation
No surprises here but Bare Minerals Foundation in the matte version is hands down my favorite foundation. I use it everyday. The coverage is buidable to light/tinted moisturizer coverage to full coverage. There are other foundations that I kind of want to try, Then I'm like why bother when I have one is working for me just fine. If you've played along with me on my blog then you know I've stumbled across a liquid foundation at the drugstore. It popped up in my December favorites.

Concealer - Bare Minerals Stroke of Light
I know this more of an eye brightener but it is toted on providing light to medium coverage for the under eye area. I don't have major dark circles, so this perfect for me. Some other concealers I've used for the under eye I think were too heavy or I was too heavy handed with them. You can use a little or a lot of this and not have any issues with applying and blending the product. It's lightweight and blends nicely into skin. I've also used to to brighten other areas on my face. So it can be a 2 in 1 product. I think I'm on my second or third tube of this. It will always be in my stash. I do what to try their newer concealers in the pot.

Powder - Bare Mineral Bronzing Mineral Veil
I have several versions of Bare Mineral's Mineral Veil and I enjoy all of them. But THHHHEEEE one that is my hands down favorite in the Bronzing Mineral Veil. It's just bomb. It just is. I have the regular sized and a super sized that I got from QVC and I am still tempted to get another jar. It's not permanent to their line and I wish it was. For deeper complexions they always push the Tinted Mineral Veil. The Bronzing Mineral Veil in 10 times better in my opinion!

Bronzer - Bobbi Brown Bronzing Powder in Deep Chocolate
Y'all already know how I feel about this bronzer. So there is no need for me to say anything else. I mean look at the huge pan in the center of the product! This gets used. No doubt about it.

Blush

• MAC Raizin - finally got my hands on this through a MAC sale that was taking place on Beyond the Rack. This in THEEE blush that MAC artists mention for brown girls. I can see why. Ladies that use this blush absolute love it. I reached for this several times throughout the year and had to force myself to put it away each time since I have a crap ton of blushes. It is the perfect everyday blush no matter what eye look or lip color you have on. It's a matte blush described as golden reddish-brown. It is a matte blush.
• NYX Desert Rose - I picked this one up in 2013 and it's the perfect pink blush for deeper skin tones. It's another blush that goes with just about any eye and lip combo. It's another product I had to force myself to put away. Y'all have seen my blush drawer :)

Highlighter - Bare Mineral Advanced  Bare Radiance
This is another product that I had to make myself put away. I'm not a big fan of highlighters. Some I feel require to much "effort". You have to be careful not to pick up too much product, blend it, blah, blah, blah. If you are someone who is "afraid" of highlighters or feel that they are too much effort then check out Bare Minerals Radiance powders. They are some my favorite products to use for highlighting. I picked up the Bare Minerals Advance Radiance from QVC. It is so pretty. It is described as a amber-nude sheen . I have also used this as an eye shadow and got a several compliments. For some skin tones, you may be able to use these as a blush. Radiance powders are multi-use products.

Brows - Iman Brow Pencil
Another product that should be no surprise. I found a seller on Amazon selling it with free shipping, so I ordered two more pencils. It's the perfect dark brown that doesn't run a warm brown or red.

Eyeshadow Palette - Urban Decay Smoked Palette

I gushed over this palette in my August Top 3 post. It's just the perfect palette to me. It's right up there with the original Naked palette. You can do a full look with this and not reach for any other shadows which is a big plus for me. It has neutral shades and pops of color.

And a quick honorable mention to the original Naked Palette. It's funny that I saw this palette in a a bunch of people's favorites videos for 2013 and it's not a "new" palette. It's just bomb and another product that I had to make myself put away. I'm undecided if I am going to pick up the other Naked palettes. Perhaps Naked 2 and maybe Naked Basics but I think I'll pass on 3 based on some of the comments I've heard. I may swatch it next time I'm in Ulta or Sephora.

Eyeliner

• Pencil - Mally Evercolor Starlight Waterproof Liner in Espresso and Evercolor Ultimate Waterproof Eyeliner in Express-O-Lance
• Gel - Bobbi Brown Gel Liner in Espresso
• Liquid - LORAC Front of the Line Pro Liner in Black

As I've mentioned before dark brown liners are my happy place. They give you definition to an eye look without being too much like black can be. Mally and Bobbi Brown's liners were three that I reached for a lot. The LORAC liquid liner is so easy to use and goof proof for me.

Mascara

• Lancome Definicils Precious Cells (not pictured) - this is my absolute favorite mascara. It's pricey but I still love it. It's a good every day, all occasion mascara. I love the wand and the formula. This'll be something that I purchase once a year since it is a pricier mascara and mascara is the one beauty product that doesn't keep for long.
• Mally Volumizing Mascara - this is my second favorite. It's funny that a long time ago I didn't like this mascara and now it's a favorite. I love the formula which is a little drier than some. I love the wand and just what it does for my lashes. With various sets I order from QVC, I always have a tube on hand.

Lip Pencil - NYX Lip Liner in Expresso
Again this shouldn't be a shocker. I use this lip liner everyday.

Lipstick 

• MAC Riveting Rose - this is another product I got when I didn't know about stuff being limited edition. I keep checking on eBay to see if I can find one at a decent price. When it comes to lipstick shades, I like the deeper berry tones. This is described as  a rich red-berry with purple and plum frost.". I just love it and it wears well throughout the day. I went through my stash to see if I have something similar to this and I don't, which is shocking. I'm going to be bummed if I can't find another one or if Mac doesn't re-release it.
• Wet n Wild Sugar Plum Fairy - another product that doesn't need explanation since I've talked about it so much. Another berry toned lipstick that I wear all year.
• Milani Color Statement Lipsticks - yes I'm mentioning a whole line of lipsticks lol. These lipsticks are bomb.com. What makes them even more fantastic is that they are available at the drugstore. So you can catch them on sale, use reward coupons on them, catch other deals, etc. The color selection, formulation and staying power on the lips is awesome. I have 6 of these lipsticks and I still have a few more on my wish list. Pictured below are the first 3 that I purchased. If you are new to lipstick, want to play around with color or looking to try a new brand then check these out!

Lip Gloss 

• Buxom White Russian Lip Cream - these lip creams are newer to the Buxom line. I got my tube based of all the hype I heard about this gloss. It is well deserved hype. Times when I didn't know what to put on my lips I reached for this throughout the year. It's the perfect nude gloss for any skin tone.
• Maybelline Color Sensational Lip glosses - I have gushed over these all year. They are fantastic glosses that are available at the drugstore. They have great pigmentation for a lip gloss. They are moisturizing and feel good on the lips. I have 13 of these glosses and of course I want more colors. Sick I know.

Beauty Subscription - QVC New Beauty Test Tube
I am not currently subscribed to this but I was earlier in 2013. I enjoyed it and may subscribe again. The QVC version of the New Beauty Test Tube includes products from brands at the Q. In some cases you receive full sized products and the sample sized products were generous amounts. You also get the New Beauty magazine. Through QVC you can do a single shipment or auto delivery. Auto delivery is a total of I think 4 shipments every 90 days.

Skincare - Serious Skincare Glycolic Cleanser
Skincare wasn't a part of the tag but I decided to throw it in. I tried this line late in the year but the products I've tried are awesome. If I had to pick one product that I've tried then it would hands down be the Glycolic Cleanser. I've been using this day and night and I feel that it has been a game changer for my skin.

Nail Polish - Essie Smokin Hot

Also nail polish wasn't part of the tag and I wasn't going to mention it but one polish that I really loved for 2013 popped into my head. I picked up Essie's Smokin Hot after seeing in a video on YouTube. It's purple gray shade and I love gray based polishes. Took this one with me on a work trip and wore it on my toes for the longest time.

And there you have it! Let's see what  2014 brings!

December 2013 Top ??

I hope that everyone had a fantabulous Christmas!!

Welp we've made through another year. Seriously where did 2013 go?? Lawdy! I've included some products I did not like for the month. There's a lot going on in this post and it's quite long. I tried to group stuff together. Also tried to do some formatting stuff but Blogger isn't cooperating *sigh* So I'm sorry that this is long but here we go!

Eyes

I played around with Tarte palette from the Bow & Go collection as part of my "Palette Play December 2013". I really enjoyed playing around with this palette. It's a great everyday palette where you can do a complete look and not reach for additional eyeshadows. Tarte eyeshadows are smooth, buildable and easy to blend. They are definitely in my top 5 for eyeshadows. I kinda of didn't want to put this away to use the next palette on the list.

Lips

I have mentioned this lip combo before. I reached my good old trusty Heroine lipstick by MAC this month along why Mary Kay's Nourishine Plus lipgloss in Berry Tart. These two pair nicely together. Also if you have been wanting to try Heroine, it is now a permanent lipstick to the line and no longer limited edition. Which is nice but for those of us who went through hell and high water to get it, I'm like -______-. Ok not really but if you have ever tried to purchase limited edition MAC products when they launch, then you know what a bitch it can be. I especially feel for those who went the eBay route and paid a lot more. I got both of mine at the regular price.

I pulled out two of my favorite Revlon lipsticks that are my instant favs when the cooler temps set in. Black Cherry and Va Va Violet are just bomb.com.

In the video Partition by Beyonce, she's wearing a dark vampy purple lip which is right up my alley. So I went and pulled out a couple of Maybelline lip products that were a part of their fall collection and are limited edition (booooooo!). I pulled out Midnight Plum lipstick and Purple Royale lip gloss. I enjoyed both but the lip gloss baaaabbbbaaayyee gave me LIFE EVERLASTING! These Maybelline glosses are fantastic. If you're looking for a good inexpensive gloss then try these. They have a definite favorite for year (that post is coming as well).

Face

I had this listed as a surprise product of the month but decided that this was a hands down favorite. I picked up Revlon's Nearly Naked foundation at CVS during their winter beauty sale. It was 75% off. I got for $2.39 or something like that. So my feelings would not have been hurt if it didn't work out for me. I got the shade Cappuccino which reminded me somewhat of the Warm Almond shade I wear in one of Bobbi Brown's foundations. So I put it on and it blends into my skin nicely. It doesn't look cakey, it is somewhat buildable, held up nicely on my skin and didn't break me out. I was really impressed. So much in fact that I went to another CVS and picked another bottle. I mean for $2 and change, how could I not?? Dare I say that I have found a foundation at the drugstore!!??!?! Color me shocked.

I've had Mally's Invisible Bronzer in Deeper for a while now. I got in in a TSV kit. I've mentioned in previous posts that Bobbi Brown's Bronzing Powder in  Deep Chocolate is my holy grail bronzer. I've hit pan on it but still have a good amount of product left. Buuuuut I got it when I wasn't really checking for items being limited edition which this bronzer shade was and I haven't lucked up finding another one online. Anywho...I pulled out Mally's bronzer around the middle of the month. I swatched it next to Bobbi Brown and it's a little lighter but not much. Like Bobbi Brown's, it is a matte bronzer that doesn't run red or orange. I use it to bronze the outside of my face and to contour. I've been loving it this month. I looked online for giggles (QVC and Mally's website) to see if it's available for purchase but of course I couldn't find it. But again between the two bronzers I have, I am good and don't need another one for a while.
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Milani's Baked Blushes in Fantastico Mauve and Red Vino were in heavy rotation this month as well. I saw Fantastico Mauve on sale at CVS. I think with a 50% off sticker on it. Both blushes are nicely pigmented, brown girl friendly and give a nice glow to the cheeks.

Nails

The Good Tidings We Bling Sephora polish was probably a favorite last December and will probably be a favorite every December until I use it up. It's the perfect red and green glitter polish from Christmas nails manis.

Another polish I enjoyed this month is Butter London's West End Wonderland. I think this is my favorite gold glitter polish because you can build it up. It's also easy to remove unlike some glitter polishes.

Body

Funny I mentioned Korres Mulberry Vanilla Body Butter in my January Top 3 post. I tried this out original in the Ultra Hydration Trio set that was a Today's Special on HSN and opted for auto ship. "It combines the scent of fresh mulberries with warm vanilla". I love pairing it with philosophy's Falling in Love fragrance.

I picked up Carol's Daughter Angel Cake body cream and shower cream in a set from HSN. It came with two of each product. I had debated on whether or not if I want to keep the second set of  body and shower cream. I had toyed around with the idea of giving it to someone for Christmas. Well let's just say I'm keeping the second set lol. I love this scent. The notes of it are nutmeg, Moroccan rose and Tahitian Vanilla. It's a sexy scent but not overpowering at all. I liked paring it with Kate Walsh's Boyfriend.

I got the Josie Maran Agran Balm in a set that was a Today's Special Value on QVC. I wasn't reaching for it since I was trying to use the Cocoa Butter Vaseline I had up. Once the Vaseline was done I went back to using the Argan Balm. I use it mainly on the drier areas on my body. I enjoyed using it this month and I like it. But when I use it up I don't plan on repurchasing it. For one, the price of this product is $42. Plus I get the same results using Palmer's Cocoa Butter and the Cocoa Butter Vaseline and they are waaaaaay cheaper. There a Shea Butter with Cocoa Butter product that I've come across that I'm interested in trying that's cheaper as well.

Other Stuff

Beyonce...Beyonce...Beyonce! If you've been living under a rock and hadn't heard, Beyonce dropped her 5th album on Friday, December 13. The internet and everything was a blaze that day. I mean who drops and ENTIRE album with no word? And videos. Still don't know how she pulled that off. Anywho...I gave it a quick listen and Partition became an instant favorite (judge me alllll you want *insert grin*). Rocket is another fav with my baby daddy Justin Timberlake harmonizing in the background, Then one morning I woke up early and couldn't go back to sleep. So I popped my headphones in and gave it a thorough listen. I love it. It's definite something I can listen to from beginning to end and not skip a song. Love her or hate her, the chick is bad and doing the damn thing.

My favorite coffee creamer was back in stores. It usually shows up around Thanksgiving. When I saw it I was all over it. Been buying them two at a time. One for work and one for home. Peppermint White Chocolate is so good!

A Christmas Story!! Every year TBS airs it for 24 hours and I pretty much watch it for 24 hours. Alternating it with whatever channels are showing Elf and Home Alone, Home Alone 2 all day.

I made some white chocolate chip red velvet cookies this month for a cookie exchange and ended up making some more on Christmas Eve. They were so good and a crowd pleaser!

Surprise Product of the Month

I ordered the Lancome Tresor fragrance set from HSN when it was a Today's Special. The set came with the Tresor perfume and body lotion.  It's hard ordering a scent online you haven't smelled before. But currently HSN has an extended return policy. So I was fine with ordering it. The moment I got it and smelled it, I was like I've smelled this before. Then I got to thinking if one of my aunts or grandmothers wore it. I couldn't put my finger on it. The scent is described as "the elegance of rose, the sparkle of apricot blossom and the sensuality of sandalwood". Vanilla is one of the notes in this fragrance as well. If you haven't guessed I'm a sucker for scents with vanilla in it. So far I'm enjoying it. There are some other scents in the Tresor line that I'm curious about. May give them a smell next time I'm in Ulta.

I also picked up the Too Faced Pretty Rebel Eye Collection when I ordered the Tresor fragrance set. The set came with a quad, eyeliner and mascara. So needless to say I "cheated" during Palette Play December lol. I didn't put it together that the four shadows in the quad where from the Pretty Rebel eyeshadow palette. So I thought that was cool. The eyeliner is in espresso which is my favorite eye liner shade. I loooove a deep dark brown liner more so that black. The mascara is amazeballs! I'm talking one coat and you have lashes for days!!! One doggone coat!!!! I have never tried a Too Faced mascara. The wand is a rubber was with shorter bristles which I feel works best for my lashes. My lashes feel like my lashes which is the biggest thing for me when it comes to a mascara and it's easy to remove.

I had a sample size of Supersmile Whitening Toothpaste in Original Mint from a New Beauty Test Tube. I forgot I had it. I like the way my teeth felt after using it. It's a pricey products, so I doubt I'd get a full size tube.

I'on Like it at ALL!

I never really mention and products that I'm not like for the month since this is favorites. But there were a couple of products that got the strong side eye from me this month.

I picked up one of Maybelline's new eye makeup removers. They've been out for a while but they are still somewhat new. There were 3 kinds and I got the one that was more of a gel. I used it as directed with a cotton pad and just with my fingers. This joker irritated my eyes! It wasn't unbearable but it was annoying. When I opened my eyes they were red. I'm like really? Really!?!? I have yet to find an eye makeup remover that I like and I'm not looking anymore. Usually whatever face cleanser I use gets the job done. So I'm sticking with that and not wasting anymore money!

I picked up two bottles of the L'Oreal True Match foundation. They were on sale at Ulta for $2.50. So for $5 I wouldn't be hurt if I didn't like them or if they didn't end up working for me. I picked up shades 9.5 and 10. I am terrible at matching myself when it comes to foundation. This was no exception. Both shades were too dark for me. 9.5 may work for me in the summer *shrugs*. I just didn't like how it applied and the finished looked once I applied powder, bronzer, etc. I am SOOOO used to my Bare Minerals foundation and being BEAT TO THE GAWDS with little effort. The only liquid foundation that I LOVED was Bobbi Brown's Natural Finish Foundation but it was discontinued last year. I may go get a sample of her Skin Foundation. But then again I might not. But now that I've found the Revlon one, I'm good.

Another product I don't like is the Walgreens Textured Cotton Rounds. I ended up getting these when they were on sale. I like the premium ones with the black label. So I get these home and use them with my witch hazel toner and they pretty much fall apart on my face! I'm like really!?!? How do you jack up a cotton round! I didn't realize until recently that they were textured. Both sides are textured. I'm used to the ones were one side is smooth and the other is textured. Won't be buying these again.


Phew.....FIN!!!!!!!

I think for 2014, I'm may go back to categories. Who knows.  I probably will still do "surprise products" The top 3 things was cool but I felt liking I was restricting myself at times. But on the flip side I don't want to have a long list of things either. We shall see if I can find a happy medium in 2014.

A big THANK YOU to everyone who has read, commented and shared my posts. I just get on here and babble. Didn't think folk would actually read what's going on in my crazy head and there's quite a bit ;) "See" you all next year!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Dear 2013 & Dear 2014

(Courtesy of Microsoft)

Dear 2013,
I'm over you.

Dear 2014,
Not really looking forward to you either because I'm not expecting anything different from 2013.

Usually I look forward to the new year but now I'm like whatever. This year overall has been crappy. But I can't sit here and say that xyz is gonna happen and it's gonna be a GREAT year. You know what I mean? Not trying to be a Debbie Downer. Just how I feel at the moment.

November 2013 Top Ummm??

I hope that everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving!!

More than 3 products this month *shrugs*. It'll probably be more than 3 for December since I've a TON of beauty come in *head palm*. Let's get to it.

I had another work trip this month. Florida this time. Usually I don't go to this meeting but due to a coworker resigning in September and no replacement for her, I ended up being the sucker who had to go. Here some pics of my room and my view. Not too shabby.

As always packing a trial within itself. I kept simple for the most part. Well simple for me lol.  I had ordered the Glamour Now November Bare Minerals Today's Special Value from QVC the Saturday before my trip. I said if it came before I left then I would take it with me. I was able to play with the items the day before I was scheduled to leave. This set is the bomb! It's very rare that I like all the pieces in a set like this. But I like ALL the pieces. The quad is absolutely gorgeous. I also feel that the shadows in this quad very long wearing, more so than so of their other Ready shadows. The luminizer..babaaaayyyeee it's amazeballs! I'm always leery of  highlighters and how they will show up on my deeper skin tone or too shimmery/glittery. No issues with this. Unfortunately the set is sold out on QVC's site. I didn't know it had sold out. Every now and then sets like this show up on Bare Minerals website when they do their one day flash sales. So keep a look out.

As I've mentioned before I have a love/hate relationship with MAC. Maybe I'll explain my issues with them in another post. I picked up the lipstick Riri Woo mainly off of hype. I got it, worn it and I liked it. Had thought that I could have done without purchasing it since I have other red lipsticks in my stash that I really really like. I had worn in a few times before my work trip and I took it with me. I hate to admit it but this lipstick is the bizness. It's the retro matte formula and a little drying on the lips but that easy to solve with moisturizing your lips beforehand. The retro matte formula is very longer wearing. Seriously you don't really need to touch it up. Usually by the end of the day all I do is put a little Carmex over top of it if my lips start to feel dry or I want to have more of a glossy finish. I'm tempted to get another tube.

Another product I that I reached for before my work trip and took with were some OPI nails polishes. I always paint my nails before a work trip and take a couple of polishes with me. I had went back and for between some L'Oreal and OPI polishes that I hadn't reach for in a while. I ended up picking out Suzi Love Cowboys (this cracks me up since my coworker's name is Suzi) and Yodel Me on My Cell. Suzi Loves Cowboys is a perfect nude polish in terms of matching with my skin tone, not necessarily my nail color. It's brown neutral  creme shade. Yodel me Over on My Cell is a a pretty blue green color.

The Wen Tea Tree Oil is part of the original oil that Chaz Dean launched that were $20. They are no longer available which is a bummer. I have an extra bottle on standby. The newer treatment oils are pricier. I've only tried one. Anywho...this oil is a rock star! I use this on my hair daily and use it an as overnight treatment on my hair and scalp weekly. This along with the Tea Tree Cleansing Conditioner have done wonders for my hair in terms of manageability and hair growth. I'm bummed that this oil has been discontinued. I have a promo offer from QVC so I plan to pick up the newer Tea Tree Treatment Oil and give it a whirl.

I don't think I've mentioned People's StyleWatch magazine before in a post. I was watching Jerusha Couture's October Favorites (love her videos...check her out if you're a handbag/fashion gal) and she mentioned one of her favorite mags and it made me think of People StyleWatch. I've subscribed to a bunch of similar magazines that talk about beauty, fashion, etc. (InStylye, Elle, Harper's Bazaar, Allure, so on and so forth) but this is on the only one that I have kept my subscription for and it holds my interest. I like the length. It's not too long but it's not like a brochure or anything. There's a good number of ads but it's not filled with them like some mags. I also love that the products they show have varying price points and they show looks for less (both fashion and beauty). Not everyone is going to be able to afford or want to spend their pennies on high end brands. They also do larger issues around Spring and Fall fashions which I love as well. They also feature plus sized clothing and articles which I can appreciate. It's just an awesome magazine to have if you're a fashion or beauty girl.

Another beauty TSV I got from QVC this month, was the "Bow and Go"  holiday collection that Tarte brought to QVC. They along with other beauty brand bring specific sets to QVC for the holidays and they are ALWAYS and amazing value. Ok back to the kit...one of the items included in this kit is the Lights, Camera, Lashes mascara. I hadn't had this mascara in my stash in a good while (can't remember if I've mentioned it in a favorites post before). I forgot just how much I love it! I cracked it open the following day when my order arrived. I love everything about the mascara, especially that my lashes feel like my lashes! That's a big deal breaker for me when it comes to mascara. It is also easy to remove. This came with 2 tubes and I had debated on gifting one. BUT ummm that's not gonna happen.

Surprise Products of the Month

Revlon launched some new Kissable Lip Stains. I picked up one of the matte ones called Shameless. It is a GORGEOUS purple shade. I hadn't seen it in my area but when I was in Florida, I saw it Walgreens. It was the last one in the display, so you know I jumped on it. It is long wearing and comfortable on the lips. I thought it would be similar to MAC's Heroine but it's a deeper.

I've had Deborah Lippmann's Ridge Filler Base Coat for a while. I got it in a set from HSN. When I first used it, I didn't really "get" it since I've always used traditional clear base coats. I had grabbed this to see how it would look on its own on my nails. I was like meh when I applied it. So I grabbed a nail polish to put over top. Used it a second time and it finally "clicked" for me. Here is the description for the base coat

"Help your nails and ridges look more healthy. This ridge-filling base coat from celebrity manicurist Deborah Lippmann not only helps fill and conceal ridges, but it helping provide a longer- lasting manicure. It leaves behind a smooth matte, bump-free finish for your lacquer to adhere."

It made my polish go on easily and evenly. I've had some issues with one nail and it did fill in the problem area. I also had good wear time using this base coat. The bottle I have is pretty much still full, so I'll get plenty of use out of it. Downside is that this joker is $20. So unless I luck up and get in another kit, I doubt I will repurchase it on its own. I also love her Addicted to Speed Quick Dry Top Coat but it's pricey as well.

I received a Jane Cosmetics eyeshadow in Juniper from my beauty pusha. It is described as a black blueish-green. It is a very pretty shadow. I wore it all over the lid with a matte dark brown shadow in my crease blended out. Pigmented, easy to apply, blend and inexpensive. I had never heard of the brand. Apparently they relaunched themselves. The brand is available at Ulta.

October 2013 Top 3

Last post of Blogapalooza!! Woot! Thank you for riding this out with me. Didn't think I would be able to do it. This was kind of fun BUT I will NOT be doing this again anytime soon. A professional blogger I am NOT!

Here is my top 3 products for the month!!

Wen Fall Apple Spice!!!! I could have mentioned this last month but at the time I had only used it twice. This new Wen seasonal scent and the cleansing conditioner is Amazeballs!!!!! I had said that I wasn't going to purchase anymore of the Wen seasonal cleansing conditioners since the ones for the past two years were not coming back. I caved when I heard that they were bringing back the auto delivery program for the 32oz size on QVC. I'm glad I did! This seasonal to me is smoother, creamier and more moisturizing than the previous ones. I could not stop touching my hair after I used it. I'm kind of kicking myself for not order and another one. It is still available so I might. My bank account is like girl have multiple seats! I'm looking for to the winter seasonal which Winter Cranberry Mint!!! *swoons*

I was talking to a makeup loving friend of mine about the new Bobbi Brown Chocolate palette and Bobbi Brown eyeshadows in general. It was a lovefest going on lol. When I heard a new Rich Chocolate palette was coming out I was excited since I love the original one. But when I saw that only two of the shades were new and the others were repeats there was honestly no need for me to pick it up. I hate when brands do that. So I decided to pull out the original Bobbi Brown Chocolate palette that  I have. To me this in the original nude/naked palette before all the other brands jumped on the "trend". It doesn't look like much but it is an awesome all occasions palette. I had a lot of fun using it this month.

I randomly picked out NYX Blush in Desert Rose to play with. I used it just about every day for about a week and half. It is very pigmented but not scary pigmented that if you apply too much that you'll end up looking like clown. A very brown girl friendly shade and you can beat the price of $5. Plus you can always catch a sale at Ulta or Cherry Culture.

Surprise Products of the Month

Revlon Grow Luscious Mascara
In the Princess Tag, I hinted that I may have found a drugstore alternative to Lancome Definicils Precious Cells. Well this is it. I did a random Google search for dupes and came across this blog post. So of course I was curious. I was in Walgreens and they were having a buy one, get one 50% off on Revlon products. So I picked up a tube. So far I'm enjoying it. I have only tried one Revlon mascara. It was a favorite then ended up being a regret. So we shall see.

Revlon Honey Bare Lipstick
I think I may have found a new favorite nude lipstick. This was the other product I picked up at Walgreens for the buy one, get one. One of my favorite YouTubers, Jennifer Wan has mentioned this lipstick a bunch of times and it's one of her favorite. I had seen it other times when I've been out and about but just never picked it. I love it. It's one of the new shine lipsticks from Revlon. So you don't need to top it with a gloss and it's moisturizing like other Revlon lipsticks. I love that this is a nude lipstick that you don't have to baby. You can put it on and be done with it. This just might be my holy grail nude. We shall see.

Tarte BB corrector
Tarte had a Today's Special Value in September. I was not going to get it. I swear I wasn't. When I saw Musings of Muse's blog post on the two auto delivery shipments I was sold. I'm such a sucker. Anywho...one of the products is the BB tinted corrector. I have never used a corrector before. Typically you apply this over your under eye concealer. But I tried this on it's own and I really like it. Especially with the double ended brush that came with the kit. It reminds me of Bobbi Brown's concealer which I like but it's not as heavy to me and a tad easier to blend. I don't think I like it as much as I like Bare Minerals Stroke of Light though.

On to November and some good Thanksgiving eats!!!!

September 2013 Top 3

Fall is here!!!!! I love when the weather transitions from summer to fall. Bring on the boots, cozy sweaters and yummy good food!! Football is back!!!! Woot! Also bring on the deeper shades of makeup. Especially the lippies! Speaking on lippies, I feel like this is the favorite lippies edition since everything is a lip product. Excuse the nail polishes show below. If you're wondering it's Essie's Damsel in a Dress.  This polish has been on my wish list forever and I randomly stumbled upon it in Walgreens. Now for my favorites!

I am OBSESSED with Maybelline's Lavender Intrigue lipstick....OBSESSED. I gushed about this lipstick on Instagram. Called it the wrong name and everything! *head palm* It is just gorgeous. I could wear it everyday and be happy. It's not too dark, wears well throughout the day and feels comfortable on the lips. I don't have a lot of Maybelline lipsticks (outside of the Vivids) but I like the ones that I have. One of the "trends" for fall beauty is purple lipsticks. These trends kind of irritate me. I'm like where have y'all been? Purple has BEEN the trend. At least with a lot of people I know. So I guess we're ahead of the curve LOL! If you are a purple lippie lover then you should definitely check this out. It's limited edition which SUCKS! It's part of Maybelline new Fall collection.

Mary Kay True Dimensions lipstick in Rosette was given to me courtesy of my beauty pusher Crystalis007. I swear she's become my beauty BFF lol! I hadn't tried this line of lipsticks from Mary Kay before but had seen posts about them. These are great. They remind me of Revlon Lip Butters. This color matches my natural lip color. So it's a good everyday shade that I can throw on with any eye/blush combo.

Maybelline Lavender Lavish lipgloss is the BUSINESS!!!! It's also part of Maybelline's Fall collection. My beauty pusha Crystalis007 did a post recently on this gloss and she mentioned that she's already gotten a backup. I said to myself I wasn't going to purchase anymore back ups of color products (lipstick, glosses, eyeshadsows, etc) because Lord knows I do not need them (you'll see this during October's Blogapalooza). BUT she was nice enough to scoop one up for me when she was out and about! I have looked in couple of stores but some trifling people had OPENED them up! I hate, hate, HATE THAT! It's sealed for a reason you big dummies! Hmph! Anywho...This gloss pairs well with lighter purple/lavender lipsticks. I've paired it with MAC's Daddy's Little Girl, Revlon's Berry Haute and another lipstick that escapes my mind right now but it was in the same color family. I was like OMG with each lip combo. So I'm glad that I got a backup since I plan on wear this lipgloss a lot!

Something a little different...I guess I'll call this the surprise item of the month. There are times when I want to mention an item but it's not necessarily a favorite because I haven't used it enough. If that makes sense and these items did take me by surprise. I picked up two of the Maybelline Eye Studio quads that are part of the Fall collection. They are limited edition. I saw them in CVS when I was looking for some of the lip products from the collection. I told myself no, you don't "need" them. I ended up in Walgreens looking for one of the lipsticks that I couldn't find and ended up picking up Violet Femmes and Fall Temptation. Neutrals and purple shadows are my weakness. I've played around with them and they are really nice. I've never tried these quads before. Some have compared them to the Lancome Color Design palettes.

Let me mention a quick regret purchase for the month. I had picked up Sonia Kashuk's Jewel of an Eye palette from Target. A couple of weeks ago there was a deal on Target's Cartwheel app. If you are a Target lover then download this app to your phone and save on various products. The deal was 20% off her larger palettes. So I was like sweet! I didn't have any of her palettes at the time and people have spoke highly of them. I had 2 single shadows of hers, but never really used them since they were colors I didn't really wear (I don't have them anymore). I've played around with this palette and now I'm like meh. I could have done without it. The brown/neutral shades are nice. Some of the colors I had to DIG into to build up color on my lid. I thought maybe I was tripping. I had mentioned to a friend of mine who got different palette with the Cartwheel deal. She felt the same way about the palette she picked up. I was going to pick up her other 2 neutral palettes but now I'm not. Debating if I was to keep this palette or put with my giveaway items.

And there have it! Maybelline got a lot of love from me this month. Let October Blogapalooza commence!!!!! \O/ Hopefully I can keep up.

August 2013 Top 3

Let's jump right into my top 3 favs for August!

I picked up Revlon Pink Pout  lipstick from CVS when I had a $3 off Revlon coupon. It's a matte lipstick but it's not super matte or drying on the lips. A makeup loving friend of mine mentioned it to me. She's a pink lipstick lover. I can't remember off the top of my head what MAC lipstick it's a dupe for but it is one. I'm leery when it comes to light lipstick shades and my skin tone. I'm worried that it's too light or will look milky on my lips. When I put it on I was like ooooohhh! I really like it! First time I wore it on its own with a little Carmex on top. Then I wore it with MAC's Going Casual Cremesheen gloss. Loooooove this combo! Both are a pinky lilac color and complement each other nicely.

I mentioned this as an early fav in July for August and I called in right lol. I had a work trip this month and for some reason deciding what makeup products to take was the worst! I went back and forth and in circles. Then I got fed up and said I'm taking the Smoked palette and that's that. This is a really good palette to travel with and just plain good for everyday use. It's a great mix of neutral, colors and smoky dark shades. It also has my favorite black pencil liner in Perversion. I used it with some Maybelline Color Tattoos and MAC's paint pot in Eclair and the shadows on their own over a primer. This palette is also good because you can do quick looks that look like you did a lot but didn't. At most I used 2 shadows and was done with my eye look. I really enjoyed this palette and glad that I finally picked it up! I had to force myself to put it away when I got back so I can use some other eyeshadows.

Went back to a favorite face primer of mine during my work trip as well. I took Black Radiance's Shine Control primer and I used it with Urban Decay's De-Slick. I still have the old bottles. I have the XL size and I refill the little bottle. This combo is BOMB.COM!! It kept my face makeup looking good all day. When I looked in the mirror later on in the day I was shocked. Now mind you it wasn't as humid in Cali and it can get in the DC area but still these two together was awesome. A few times I did use Mally's face defender but I really didn't need to. I have some other face primers on my "to try list" and they are pricier ones. But now I'm kind of like why bother?! You can't beat the price on the Black Radiance primer. It's less than $10 at the drugstore and if you can catch a BOGO or have a coupon you can save even more on it. So dare I say that I have found my holy grail primer?

And there you have it! This was easy to do this month. I can't believe it's almost fall and boot season!!!! Can't wait. 2013 is almost done! Wow! I'm already thinking about how I'm going to do my monthly favorites for 2014. I may do categories or something like I did before but maybe do the top product in each *shrugs*. We shall see. September goooooooooo!!

July 2013 Top Ummm....

Ok sooooo I tried to stick with 3 items lol. It's my birthday month and I liked a lot of stuff this month, so let's get to it!

Eyes

I had meant to mention Bare Minerals Ready 2.0 in The Escape last month but it slipped my mind. I picked this up from Ulta when I have some reward dollars to use. At first I thought this wouldn't work for my skin tone. I should have known better. The two shades are Daydream (nude cream) and Wanderlust (brown suede). It is the perfect duo for an everyday/any occasion eyelook. You can play it up with any lip/cheek combo. I had to force myself to put it aside to use some other products.

I grabbed Lancome's Hypnose Star mascara to play around with and loved using it. I like this better than Hypnose Drama. It's less messy and easier to apply. I love the formula, the wand and it's easy to remove. Their Hypnose line claims volume which this does give but it also lengthens and separates the lashes nicely. I plan on repurchasing it when I use some other mascaras up or it I can find a deal/coupon to use.

I have had The Balm's Nude'Tude palette for a while now. I think I got it via Hautelook. I've used it a few times. I like it but I wasn't wowed by it. I even asked another makeup lover if she wanted but she never responded to my email. So I grabbed it again and started playing with it and I do really like this palette. It's their take on the neutral palette craze that seems to still be going strong. You can get a lot of looks out of this palette, from simple daytime to a smokey eye for the evening.

Mally Evercolor Eyeliner in Espresso is a deep dark brown shade which is my favorite color eyeliner. Sometimes black liner can be too much. A nice dark brown liner gives definition to an eye look without being too harsh. Her liners apply smoothly and last nicely on me.

Face

Bare Minerals Flawless Finish Brush came in the Problem Solving Brush Collection  that I purchased from QVC when it was a One Time Only value. This brush is amazing! It is super soft and does give you a flawless finish. I use it with Mineral Veil. It would also be perfect to use once you finish your face makeup and want to blend everything in. If I could purchase this brush outside of the kit, I would get another one.

Another brush I have been loving is Elf's Powder Brush. I had originally bought this brush to use with liquid foundation due to reviews I had seen people mentioning that the like it with liquid foundation. To me it was just ok for liquid foundation. Emilynoel83 had mentioned in a video that she had be using it with powder and said it would be good with mineral foundations. I was like well huh? Gave it a go with my Bare Minerals foundation and I LOVE IT!!!! Seriously! It makes the application of the foundation super easy and blends it in beautifully. Not bad for a $3 brush. I haven't seen it in my Target recently but I'll keep checking. I want at least two more. I tweeted Emily gushing over her recommendation. I'm always kind of shocked when she tweets me back lol. She is very sweet and down to earth.

My beauty pusher Crystalis007 had did a video on mixing products. She a big blush mixer. I had never mixed my blushes before. I had purchased  Black Radiance's Baked Blush in Plum Sorbet. I like it but it didn't show up enough for me on my cheeks. So randomly I mixed it with La Femme's Purple Passion blush. LOOOOOOVEEE!!

In another one of her videos, I believe Crystal was talking about must have products and she mentioned a cleansing oil. Someone had commented on that video saying they use coconut oil and a baby wipes as a makeup remover. I was like hold time. I have a jar of coconut oil (Nutiva) and I ALWAYS have baby wipes on hand (CVS brand is my favorite). So I said let me try this out. I did and I LOVE it. Melts the makeup right off and no irritation to my eyes or my skin. I follow up with my Clarisonic and whatever cleanser I have on hand. I will be sticking with this and it's most cost effective that purchasing makeup remover wipes or a cleansing oil.

I've mentioned MAC blush in Notable before so I'll be brief lol. I love this blush and seriously could use it everyday. I'm going to force myself to put it away. It's described as a muted brick rose color and rose colored blushes are my favorite blush color for my skintone. If you can find it on eBay for a decent price or CCO....grab it!

Random
Another favorite for the month was that I actually met my beauty pusher Crystalis007! She lives in my area and she emailed me saying we should meet and that her husband wanted to meet me too. He's gotten a chuckle or two from comments I have posted on her blog lol. So we nailed down a date and time and dinner was had. Both Crystal and her husband were super duper nice and I had a good time.

And something different....an item I hauled during July that I'm calling as early fav for August. I've only used it a few times but I love it already LOL! As an Ulta beauty member, I got a $10 off coupon for my birthday. First I said I was going to use it on some new Bare Minerals items from their Power Neutrals collection. But from seeing swatches online and seeing items in the store I decided to pass *pats self on the back*.  So I walked around and looked at this, that and the other. Then it hit me....fool get something that you've been wanting!!! Duh! *head palm* So I picked up Urban Decay's Smoked palette. I've been wanting it since it launched and now I have it woot!

Phew and there you have it! Work trip next month and I have been pre-packing in my head. The makeup portion always makes me want to scream LOL! Back to our regularly scheduled top 3 in August!!

June 2013 Top 3

Happy June everyone! I cannot believe June is pretty much over! Oye vey. I feel like it should still be March! Ok so let's get to it!

I picked up Aveeno's Ultra-Calming Makeup Removing Wipes thanks to my beauty pusher crystalis007. If you have not checked her out please do. She has a blog and is on YouTube. When it comes to removing my makeup, I pretty much use my Clarisonic and face cleanser of choice. I didn't really do the whole makeup remover thing be it wipes, cleansing oil, etc. I want to say a couple of months ago I randomly picked up Say Yes to Cucumbers makeup remover wipes from seeing a review on Instagram and I did like them. I was going to include them as a favorite that month but the more I used them I just thought they were ok. They weren't really all that moist for my liking and the wipes were kind of small. Fast forward to Aveeno's wipes. Crystal did a review of these on her blog and she did mention them in a recent video. She loved them and has reviewed other Aveeno products. Her reviews are pretty much spot on so I said why not. I went over to CVS and picked up a pack. These are fantastic. They are a nice size and not dry but not overly moist. Also they do not irritate my skin. I used to use some Aveeno skin care products a few years ago and I never had any issues with them. They help get the majority of my makeup off. So I use this first then followup with my Clarisonic to get any residual makeup off. I also take some of my face cleanser to get off the rest of my mascara. I would definitely repurchase these and continue using them as part of my evening skincare routine.

I felt like I had been neglecting my Buxom lipglosses. So I pulled out a few to play around with and one that I loooooved was Trixie. Trixie is described as shimmering golden rose. I feel like it's more of a peachy shade and not really rose. I guess it's the golden part *shrugs*. When the warmer weather hits we all want to pull out our brighter makeup shades. I love this gloss during the spring and summer.  It's a nice way to brighten up your lips without looking crazy or being too bright. These are some of my favorite glosses. They feel good on the lips and even though they're glosses they stay on your lips. If that makes sense :D

Keeping with the bright color theme, I was loving on Maybelline's Coral Rush blush this month. The name says coral but the joker is a nice golden orange color. It is pigmented as all get out. So you need a light hand when applying this. It's limited edition and I got it awhile ago. I'm glad I scooped it up. My brown girls, you need this in your life. If you don't want to splurge on a higher end orange blush then check this out.

And there you go! On to July which is my birthday month! \O/ Bring on my free Starbucks drink and birthday coupons to my favorite stores *two step*.

2013: Organize, Purge & Save - Check In

At the end of December I posted about my organizing, purging and saving efforts for 2013. I guess you can say these were kind of my "resolutions"/goals for the year. Since 2013 is half done (insert shocked face), I decided to post an update. On the saving part I haven't done much. There was this money challenge that was going around on Facebook that I said I was going to take a stab. Lasted about 3 weeks. So clearly I'm still working on the saving part *head palm* I've included some before and after pics and it is what is it. I don't mind comments but keep the smart azz ones to yourself :D Here we go!

The pic above is a before pic of my closet that I had on my phone. I've made progress in the organizing and purging areas. I have gone through my clothes and I got rid of a lot. Either the items needed to be pitched, they were too big (yay weight loss! \O/) or didn't like the items any more. For the items that were too big and did not like, were donated to a local organization that my family and I have donated to for years. I plan to go through my closet again before the end of the summer. Next up I went through my shoes and did the same with pitching and donating. With the clothes and shoes it's "hard" mainly due where I currently work which is casual and that's putting it mildly. I still "put myself together" but I don't have to dress up everyday. I have sold some of my handbags and have some I'm going to give away/gift. I went through them again and I have more lined up to see if I can sell them. A lot of people told me to try eBay. I don't have the patience to deal with eBay. Plus everyone has their bags on there, so there is no way for me to "stand out" as new seller.

In my beauty world.....*head palm* lol!.... I did do some reorganizing and I purchased a 10 drawer cart from Amazon to reorganize my stash. I got everything off my one dresser with the exception of one item but still that's awesome in itself. I also shifted some stuff around that was on my other dresser. No alllll the drawers are not full but I can now "see" everything which in nice and a big help. Can't use what you have if you don't know what you got! In the smaller drawers stuff was crammed in them and it was hard to get to stuff. I decided to see if I could do the "no buy" thing again and ummmm yea that's not going too well *sigh*. But I have been in use up mode and I have used up quite a bit of skin care and bath and body items. I did go through a pull some items to give to family members who are always circling my stash when the come to the house LOL!

(Courtesy of Microsoft)

In my book world I started going through my books and asked myself "are you REALLY going to read this?" So I have a stash of books that I am going to donate to the library. I was going to list them and see if friends wanted any of them. I did that with some of my makeup items but the money I spent on shipping stuff to people...hmph! So they are going to library! I need to list them for donation purposes which I'll get around to before the month is out. Then I'm going to go back through what I have in my room again and the books in the storage unit. Hopefully I'll go through everything and get the books I want to keep out of that doggone storage unit before the summer is out.

I came across this New York Times opinion article about living with less on the QVC Beauty Banter forum. Very well written piece and I can sooooo relate! I know I've had my "retail therapy" moments or saw something in a magazine or a beauty vlogger talk about a product and just haaad to have it!  It's "fun" for the moment but then when you get home and have to put the item/items away it's like ummm what the hayle!?!? I'm trying to do better. I have my good moments and bad moments. We all get caught up in "things" and then those "things" take over. I'm not saying you should deprive yourself but there should be a happy medium and not struggling and stressing on what to do with our '"things". Then you're not enjoying so then what's the point in having them? Make sense?

And there you have it folks. I'll check back in during December.

May 2013 Top 3

Here are my three favorites for May. Didn't have too much trouble this month picking three items.

L'Oreal released the Miss Candy Colour Riche nail polish collection for summer. These polishes are gel/jelly texture. I originally picked up two of these polishes (Lilac Coolers and Miss Pixie). Then I searched for nail swatches of the entire collection. That was a mistake lol. I went back and picked up three more (Berry Nice, Jolly Lolly and Bubble Trouble). At first I thought I wouldn't like them. They're are not opaque. You can build up the color somewhat but you can still see your nail. But they aren't bad. I think they are perfect for spring/summer. I did a jelly sandwich with a glitter polish and I loved it. These will probably be my go to polishes for spring/summer.

I picked up my first MAC Paint Pot in Eclair. I can't remember which collection it was released in since it seems like MAC has a new collection every other week (a rant for another day). But it was a fairly recent collection and it's limited edition. It's described as light chocolate with gold pearl. I'm really loving this shade. I've worn it on it's own and with a powder eyeshadow over top of it. It has really good staying power. I have Indianwood and Constructivist on my wish list.

I randomly grabbed Tarte's emphasEYES aqua-gel eyeliner in black that came with the True Blood palette. I used off and on throughout the month and realized that it's an awesome eyeliner. It's a true black. Some black eyeliners have a grey/off black look to them which I don't care for. It goes on smoothly and lasted on me all day without fading. I also love that it is a retractable liner and you don't have to sharpen it. I looked on Tarte's website and found it in the sale section. So I guess they are phasing it out which is a bummer. I may pick up another one since the price is really good.

And there you have it. Short and to the point. On to June! I already have some items in mind that I started using at the end of this month *shifty eyes*

April 2013 Top 3

Ok so I had this post pretty much done in April and had meant to post it before my work trip. Which didn't happen. In looking at what I thought were favorites had me going hmmm. So I thought back over what I had been reaching for and really loving and re-did the post and got it back down to 3. Originally there were 6 things. So here we go!

Every now and then I reach for my Urban Decay Naked palette and fall in love with it over again each time. I love colored eye looks but I'm a neutral girl at heart. You can create a bunch of looks from simple to dramatic with this palette. This time around I used more of the lighter shades in the palette. When I first got it I only used about 5 of the shades and was kind of  "afraid" of the lighter shades. But now that I'm more comfortable with applying eyeshadows and know how to make things work for me skin tone, I don't have a problem with the lighter shades in the palette. I took it with me on my work trip as well. My favorite shadows in the palette are Buck and Darkhorse. I could wear these two shades together everyday and never get tired of them. It's one of my go to eye looks when I don't know what to do or don't feel like doing much. I love Urban Decay eyeshadows. I'm still debating if I want to pick up the Naked 2 palette. The Smoked palette is on my list to get.

I've had the Urban Decay All Nighter spray for a while now and have used it off and on. Wasn't sure if I needed to pitch it since I've had it for a while but it hasn't broken me out or irritated my skin, so I guess it's still good. When I first used it, I liked it but was never really wowed by it. I started using some new skin care products and they dried my out a little bit and my skin got flaky. So this made my Bare Minerals foundation look not so great. Once I applied it there were still some flakes. So I grabbed the UD spray, did a few spritz on my face and it really helped. It also helped keep my makeup in place all day.

Justin Timberlake's new album came out in March and I have been playing in non-stop in my car. I also have it on my phone. The album just flows from beginning to end. I love the beats and the outros he did on almost all the songs. It's like 2 songs in 1. It's hard for me to say what my favorite songs are. At first I kept listening to 2 or 3 and now I keep listening to another 2 or 3 on repeat. I will say that Mirrors is probably my main favorite. I first heard it when he performed on Saturday Night Live and kept listening to it on Spotify until I got the CD. Love the video for it too. JT is really on his grown man flow and I love it! He's coming to my area in August but I won't be able to go due to a work meeting. I know it's early but I'm calling this as album of the year.

On to May!

March 2013 Top 3

Happy March! Spring has sprung! Well somewhat but the warm weather is coming and I cannot wait! Played around with a bunch of stuff this month but it was kind of hard to pick three things that wowed me. Here's what I picked.

A go to eye combo that I reached for towards the end of February into March, was Maybelline's Color Tattoo in Rich Mahogany and MAC's Extra Dimension eyeshadow in Havana. For me this is the perfect smoky brown eye look that will go with just about any lip/check combo and can be worn day or night. I've been trying to use the Color Tattoos I have more since I have most of them and I do like them. The MAC Extra Dimension shadows came out last year and they are really nice shadows. They are very smooth and easy to blend. Both products were limited edition. MAC is coming out with a collection that has new extra dimension shadows next month I believe.

Maybelline Color Sensational High Shine Lip Glosses are new glosses to the Maybelline line. I started out wth Rasperberry Reflections. I picked up Mocha-mazing and Luminous Latte about a week ago. THEN I got two more.  I picked up two more that are limited edition ones in Mirrored Plum and Fiercely Fuchsia.  Can I just say that I'm lightweight over limited edition stuff, especially at the drugstore. (rant for another post).  These are some great glosses with great pigmentation, shine, are comfortable to wear and you can't beat the price. I have my eye on a few more shades and perhaps a backup of Mirrored Plum since it's limited edition and a gorgeous shade that I know I'll get a lot of wear out of.

I picked up Essie's Pillow Talk during an Ulta visit. It was on sale so I was like why not.  This is the perfect polish when you don't want a whole lot going on your nails, but you want something on them other than clear polish. Very sublte and pretty. I didn't think it would look good on me. Some lighter shades don't pair well against my skin tone but this one is great and would work on any skin tone.

Well there you have. Straight to the point this month. On to April and the beginning of work travel *two thumbs down*

February 2013 Top 4.5

Happy February! Sooooo I have more than 3 products this month lol. It was bound to happen. I had the post pretty much done but then remembered a lip product and a quick honorable mention. Here are my top 4.5 favs for the month!

I first heard about The Balm's Meet Matt(e) Nude palette in emilynoel83's video. When I saw it I knew I had to have it. So I ordered it as soon as it was available on their website. I was so pressed that I ordered it on my phone while on the bus back to my hotel during my work trip LOL!!!! I wish I had waited only because it popped up on a Hautelook sale for half the price! I knew it would be on there eventually but not that soon. Oh well. Lesson learned. If you're a matte eyeshadow lover then you will love this palette. It's great for everyday. I'm a big fan of barely there eye looks and this palette is great for that.

While in Florida during my work trip, my coworker and I stumbled into Victoria's Secret. Their end of the year sale was still going up and I picked up four of their Beauty Rush lip glosses for like $2. They are originally $9. These are nice glosses. They are just right when it comes to stickiness and color pay off. They are great for layering with a lipstick or wearing on their own. The only thing I don't like which is minor, is that the color name is on a sticker and not directly on the packaging. I left them on so that I could name them in this post. The glosses I picked up are Uptown Girl, Feeling Rosy, Bare it All and Shocking.

A scent combo that was my go to towards the end of January and into February was Bath & Body Works Coconut Vanilla Shower Gel, Warm Vanilla Sugar Body Butter and Pacifica's Indian Coconut Nectar Perfume. Coconut and Vanilla are two of my favorite scents. I loved the combination of these products together. I also really really liked the body butter. I have more than enough body creams and butters to use up, but when their sale rolls around again I may pick up some more.

The product that bumped this up to the top 4 is the Maybelline Color Whisper in A Plum Prospect. I picked it up at Target but there are popping up in all the drugstores and such. Ok so I love purple/plum/berry toned colors on my lips. This color is gorgeous on. It wears pretty we after eating, drinking and talking. It does sort of stain my lips. I reapply to add some more color and shine during the day. These are very similar to the Revlon Lip Butters. For me personally I like the Lip Butters more so than the Color Whispers. To me the Lip Butters are more moisturizing but the Color Whispers are still nice. I did pick up another Color Whisper in Some Like it Taupe and it's a nude shade. A perfect throw on and go color with any look. I was tempted to get some other colors but I don't think I will. It's not like I'm lacking in lip products. I will say that when I run out of A Plum Prospect, I will get another one.

Honorable mention....so I guess this is top 4.5 favorites lol...my current skincare routine. The combo of products I have been using have been doing a great job for my skin. There have been days here and there that I've gone make up free and haven't tripped over it. I may do a post on it. We shall see.

On to March and we spring forward. Come on Spring!!! \O/