Eyes
I typically don't use traditional foundation (paddle) brushes when doing my makeup. I have 3 of them. But recently I pulled out my Real Techniques Essential Foundation brush to use to blend Bare Minerals Stroke of Light under my eye and I LOVE IT! To me it mimics the patting motion that I do with my fingers. I also pulled out my Eco Tools Foundation brush to do the same thing and have been loving it too. So score for putting brushes I typically don't use to use.
I haven't used the Bare Minerals Ready 2.0 The Enlightenment in a while. This month I reached for it more to blend out my eye looks and highlight under my brow.
Lips
My berry toned lip favorite for the month has been Lancome's L'Absolu-Rouge lipstick in Berry Noir. I loved how this felt on my lips. If felt more like a lip balm than a traditional lipstick, it wears nicely throughout the day and the color is gorgeous.
I'm back on EOS lip balms. I haven't had any in a while until a friend of mine gave me Strawberry Sorbet. Then I picked up the newer ones in Coconut Milk (pink stripe) and Vanilla Mint (blue stripe) from Ulta when they were buy one, get one half off. I currently have Strawberry Sorbet and Vanilla Mint open. They are good to prep your lips before putting on lip products or if just don't want anything heavy on your lips.
I picked up the Studio 35 Beauty Cocoa Butter Lip Balm from Walgreens randomly one day. I have really been enjoying it. It's another lip balm that doesn't feel heavy on your lips but it is really moisturizing.
My nude lip favorite for the month has been Revlon's Mink lipstick. This is great nude lipstick. It goes with anything. It's not "too" nude and you don't have to baby it.
Buxom's Full-On Lipstick in Barcelona came in Buxom's Red Hot Set that I got from Sephora during the VIB Sale. I have not tried these lipsticks from Buxom before getting this one. So I was excited to give one a go. I love the way that this lip product is shaped. It's not as fat as a traditional chubby lip pencils. So you can be really precise with the application. I also love the color. It is described as scarlet apple but to me it's a brick red. It wears nicely throughout the day and doesn't dry out your lips.
Face
The blush that I could not get enough of this month is MAC's Fever blush. It's described as an intense reddish-burgundy shade and it's a permanent blush. It's great to pair with berry and red lip colors.
The Sigma Small Contour F05 brush is a brush that I have two of but hadn't been reaching for it to use for contouring and applying bronzer on my face. I added back into my rotation this month and have really been enjoying it. I have also used it for blush and applying my Bare Minerals foundation. It's a good multipurpose face brush.
My favorite brush to apply blush with is an angled blush brush. The e.l.f Studio Angled Blush Brush is awesome. It's super soft and makes blush application easy. You also cannot beat the price of $3! I plan to get another one.
I picked up the Cetaphil DermaControl Oil Control Moisturizer SPF 30 from Ulta a while ago. I haven't been wowed by it and hadn't planned on repurchasing it one I use it up. Was talking to a friend of mine who uses Bare Minerals foundation and I asked her what primer she uses with it. She was like most of the time she doesn't use one. I was like say what now? She was like their foundation is touted as a skin care foundation and she gets better results with it and less oil production without a primer. In my mind I was like shut the front door and got the thinking. The Cetaphil lotion is touted as an oil control one which I didn't really see using it as part of my normal face/makeup routine. So I was like let's try it like a primer. So this is my last step in my skin care routine. I let it sit of my face while I get dressed and do my hair and then I proceed to do my makeup. I have been LOVING it this way. Who knew! I have also tried this with the L'Oreal Youth Code Texture Perfector Day/Night Cream as well which also works but I like the Cetaphil lotion a tad better. It'll be interesting to see how this works for me when the warmer temperatures roll back around.
I think I've found the missing piece to my routine with the St. Ives Even Bright Pink Lemon and Mandarin Orange Scrub. When I finished up Kate Somerville's ExfoliKate, I was on the hunt for a similar product. On Instagram, a person I follow posted her skincare routine and she had 2 scrubs by St, Ives that she uses I was going to check Ulta but I ended up in Target. I was looking at the St. Ives Scrubs along with the Target version of them. I went with the Even Bright one since I already have items in my routine to address acne and I wanted something for brightening. Also this is a moderate scrub. I don't do harsh scrubs and some of the reviews I read that people like their other scrubs but they felt harsh on the skin. The base of this one is creamy, so it easy to work on the skin. I have an updated skin care post that I had wanted to get up last months. It's coming. On the packaging it says, "polishes away little imperfections for bright, radiant skin". It also say that says visibly even toned skin and I can say that it does. After using it my skin does appear brighter. Also so post acne marks are starting to fade. So another great drugstore skin care find!
Nails
I picked up OPI 's A-Piers to be Tan from Ulta on sale. I mean seriously on sale. I got for $2 and some change. It's a pretty warm tan shade. I will be keeping this in easy reach.
Maybelline Color Show Downtown Brown is a unique nail polish. It's hard to describe what it looks like because it depends on how the light hits yours nails. It can look brown or green but it also has a hint of red in it. Some have called it the nail polish version of MAC's Club eyeshadow which a duo chrome shadow that unique as well. I went Amazon to see if I could find it. I did but haven't taken the plunge to get a back up, like I really need it.
Maybelline Color Show Avante Green and Sinful Colors Call You Later was my favorite nail look this month. This would be good to wear closer to Christmas. It's bright and festive looking.
Body
If I had to pick a favorite scent for the year, it would probably be Bath and Body Works' Amber Blush. I got this scent Memorial Day Weekend. I have used up the body cream and the shower gel is just about done. It's a bit fruity and a bit sassy at this same time. It's not too much for day and it definitely can be worn at night.
I came across the CVS Intense Relief Moisturizing Hand Cream during a CVS visit. This is the CVS version of Aveeno's Active Naturals Intense Relief Hand Cream. I'm always on the hunt for a good hand cream. I've been liking Aveeno's Positively Nourishing Whipped Souffle, so I why not give this a go. I have really been enjoying this hand cream. It sinks into the skin nicely, it doesn't make my hands feel sticky and it's soothing. I keep it on my desk at work. I would definitely repurchase this.
Random Stuff
From avenue.com
I don't like coats. The heaviest coat I want to wear is a leather jacket. I do have a peacoat that I usually wear in the winter time. I was poking around on Avenue's website and I saw that they had quite a few quilted jackets. I went into the store near me to take a look. I ended up getting the Quilted Anorak Jacket with Hood. It's not heavy but somehow it does keep me warm. For the purpose of going to and from my car during the work week, it suits my needs. I also like the hood and that it's detachable. I also like that it zips up to my neck. So if I'm not wearing a scarf, I can keep my neck warm.
Surprise Products of the Month
Thought I wasn't going to have anything here. I picked up The Maybelline Nudes palette over the summer and just going into this month for November Palette Play. I was excited about this palette because there aren't any true large palettes at the drugstore from your traditional drugstore brands like Maybelline, Covergirl, Revlon, etc. Then I was a little leery since the reviews on it have been so so but I should have know better. I've had a lot of Maybelline quads, especially the Styling Smokes ones which I loved. I got rid of them only because I had similar shades in other mid-range/high end shadows. I'm glad I picked this up. The colors are nice and great for everyday. This would also be great for travel. It can also take you from day into night. I rarely use a black eyeshadow since I'm scare it'll be too much and hard to blend. The black shadow in this palette is pigmented just enough and easy to blend. I also love how Maybelline put this palette together. You have 13 looks with this palette that they have mapped out for you on the back. There are 3 quads, 4 trios and 6 duos. So if you need some guidance, it's there. There is a Smokes palette that I have seen people get from Walgreens. I haven't found it yet. There is also supposed to be a Brights palette. I can't wait to get my hands on them.
The Buxom Pen & Ink Long-Last Eyeliner was also included in the Buxom Red Hot Set I mentioned above. It's shaped differently from your traditional liquid liner and I LOVE IT! It makes the application so easy! And doing a cat eye is so simple. They have a dark brown that I want to check out to see how dark it is. One think that has me worried is that some of the reviews say that it dries out quickly. So I will keep an eye on it but so far it's still working for me. If it holds up, I have found my holy grail liquid liner.
Meh Products of the Month
I picked up the CVS Soothing Hand Cream. This is their version of Neutrogena's Norwegian Formula Hand Cream. I've heard good reviews on the Neutrogena one but every time I'm in CVS I don't see it. So I decided to try this one. I did not like it. It's a gel consistency. It doesn't sink into the skin nicely, it's not all that moisturizing and it can make my hands feel sticky. So I won't be repurchasing this.
I ended up returning the Anastasia Beverly Hills Tamanna palette to Nordstrom. Shocker I know. Do not get me wrong, it's a beautiful palette. But when I used it, I would look at it and I had to force myself to create a look with it. So there was no point in me keeping it.
Another random lip product purchase from Walgreens was the Vaseline Lip Therapy in Creme Brulee. This was my first time trying a Vaseline Lip Therapy and I wasn't impressed. It's not all that moisturizing. You'd be better off using regular Vaseline. So in the trash it goes.
And there you have it. Not too bad this month. Tried not to "talk" too much. I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving!
On to December!
