This post! Oye vey!
February was a fun month. I've purchased way more than I should *insert strong eye*. But I've found some new stuff, I got rid of stuff, found a potential replacement for a previous holy grail product that has been discontinued and I didn't like quite a few things in February. This post really took on a life of its own. So I'm sorry if it's a lot or if something doesn't make a lot of sense. I was tired of looking at it and ready to just get it up. Plus I need to start thinking about stuff for March.
Let's get to it!
Top 5
Blush Combo - IT Cosmetics Vitality Cheek Flush in Mauve and Maybelline Mater Glaze in Make a Mauve
This was my go to blush combo for the month. Some mornings I just automatically went for these two products. Both products are nicely pigmented and have good staying power on their own. They pair nicely together and created an even longer lasting blush look.
Serious Skincare Project Age Defy
When picking up a skincare set, it's very rare that I end up liking all the products in the set.
This set right here is phenomenal and I think it's the missing piece of my skincare routine. If you listen to various beauty folks, a lot of them say that you should have retinol (vitamin A) in your skin care routine. I hadn't in a while. I saw this set and said why not and whoa! The set includes:
- A Defiance Serious Skin Detailer 2-Part Facial:
- 2 fl. oz. Deeply Dissolve & Activate (Step 1)
- 4 fl. oz. Draw & Tighten (Step 2)
- 4 fl. oz. 8 Million IU A Cream XR
- 2 oz. A Force XR Serum Concentrate
- 60-count A Defiance Vitamin A Retinol Pads
After using the Skin Detailer, my skin was instantly brighter and nice and smooth. The A Cream and Serum are the STARS of this kit. They have a mattifying and smoothing effect on my skin. So they are excellent underneath my primer and foundation. The serum is a potential replacement for the L'Oreal Youth Code Texture Perfector Serum that is discontinued. I like the Retinol pads as well. My skin so far is smooth, the blackheads/whiteheads I had around my nose are gone and whatever breakouts I have had, have cleared up super fast. I can't wait to see the long term effects of these products on my skin.
Lancome Teint Idole Ultrawear Makeup Stick in 500 SuedeW
I saw this foundation presented on HSN but something said check and see if Sephora had it and they did. They kept saying during the presentation that it was sold out a major retailers. Pft! I had a Sephora gift card too. So score! The only stick foundation that I have tried is Bobbi Brown's and it was ok. At first I thought I got the wrong shade. I'm terrible at shade matching myself. But when I got it on my face with concealer, powder and everything else, it was fine. I think this is the easiest foundation I've every used. I do a few swipes here and there, blended it out and I'm done in no time. I was kind of shocked. It blends into the skin beautifully and you don't look "made up". If that makes any sense. I also love that you don't feel it on your face. You know how later on in the day, you can feel your foundation on your face and you just want to wash it off immediately? I didn't have that problem with this foundation. I'm curious about getting a lighter shade for some highlighting *insert shifty eyes*.
Harmon Face Values Hydrating Makeup Remover Cleansing Towelettes
I mentioned loving their regular wipes back in
October. I think I tried the CVS version of the Neutrogena Hydrating wipes and didn't care for them. I stopped in Bed, Bath & Beyond to repurchase the regular wipes but they were out. I picked the hydrating ones up and I think I found my holy grail makeup remover wipes!!!! Oh happy day! The regular ones are good but these are a little more moist and glide across the face nicely. With some wipes they're moist but I'll do one half of my fave and then they start to feel dry. Plus my skin feels amazeballs after using it. I've already been back to pick up two more. Also you can't beat the price. They are $4.49 and Bed, Bath and Beyond always have coupons. Most wipes I see at the drugstore are around $6/$7.
Covergril Clump Crusher Mascara
I've had this for a while and finally cracked it open when my Tartre mascaras were done. This has been a past favorite and I'm glad it still works for me. This is a good everyday mascara but you can build it up. I think I'm going to stick with Covergirl mascaras when it comes to drugstore mascaras. I've had good luck with 3 of them so far and there is one on my radar that I still want to try (Professional Super Thick Lash Mascara).
Yays!
Zoya Maxwell Lipstick
I picked up the
Plum Lips & Tips Quad Set from Zoya. I remember seeing this set around the holidays. I had a promo code and in my cart it went! I've really been into Zoya since I got their last Cyber Monday bag. I have used the polishes and I do like them but the star of the set is the lipstick in Maxwell! It's a beautiful shade that glides on to the lips with ease and lasts all day. It is described as "a deep plum with a subtle fuchsia fleck in a hip". Fleck in a hip? Ok *shrugs* This is my second Zoya lipstick and I'm tempted to see what other shades that they have.
Paula's Choice Resist Perfectly Balanced Foaming Cleanser
Back in
October, I mentioned that I was not overly wowed by this cleanser. It's has been in my current skin care rotation, mainly to use up so I can move on to another cleanser. For some reason, I have really enjoyed using this cleanser this time around. I noticed that I started been using two pumps when I used it with my Clarisonic. So maybe I wasn't using enough. Go figure. Or it could be a better cleanser for me in the winter time. Who knows lol. So this may end up back in the rotation after I make my way through some other cleansers I have.
Serious Skincare DERMAL CREPE RESIST Intensive Facial Cream
I ordered yet another Serious Skincare set (
Serious Skincare Resurface & Smooth Anti-Aging Trio) when it was a Today's Special on HSN2. I know a second HSN channel Lawdy lol! I mainly got it because it had a supersize of the A serum that I have been loving. It also a jumbo size of the Glycolic cleanser which I like and didn't mind having again. It also come with the DERMAL CREPE RESIST Intensive Facial Cream. I was kind of meh about this product even before trying it. I saw the presentation this product alone when it launched and of course the focus was on more mature skin and its benefits. At the tail end they said anyone could use it. I was like yea right. I had also checked out some of the
reviews of the product and they weren't' all that great. But I always say you need to try a product for yourself and make your own decision. When I got the kit home, I used it as my night cream and I was AMAZED. It absorbed into my skin nicely and my skin felt so smooth. The next morning my face was still nice and smooth along with nicely hydrated. It was not greasy which was my main concern since I have oily skin. I feel like my skin needed this since it has been a rough winter. It'll be interesting to see how it works for me as night cream with the weather gets warmer.
MUA Nude Eye Shadow Palette
I grabbed this at CVS when MUA products were 25% off. I was floored by this palette! I think it is one of the best eyeshadow palettes at the drugstore. The L'Oreal Nude Palettes are excellent too. This palette is what sparked me to look at the drugstore eyeshadow palettes. So I pulled a bunch and they are listed in my
March Shop My Stash post. Let's just say quite a few are going. Probably all of them. The shadows in this palette are pigmented but not powdery. They blend so nicely and I didn't have to reach for another palette or single shadow to complete my eye look. It's one of those, I had to force myself to stop using it palettes. It just easy to use. Throw a couple shades together and you have a pretty eye look. I also like that it's a somewhat darker nude palette which I really enjoy and it compliments my skin tone better. There are two other palettes available at CVS. I'm not sure I'll get them since one is a smokey palette. If I want a smokey look, I'll reach for the Urban Decay Naked Smokey, Smoked or Black palettes. If I didn't have those them maybe I would check the MUA one out. The other I think is metallic and I'm sure I already have similar shades. See I'm growing up and making progress lol. I am glad that I did pick this one up. It may be my travel buddy this year for work trips and such.
Boos!
Nivea Shave Balm
This product has been HYPED all over YouTube and social media. I was in Walgreens one day and said why not. It goes on nicely and it did not irritate my skin. To me I don't think my foundation applied any better and it certainly did not keep my foundation in place. I'm an oily girl and I need something that will help keep my oil at bay along with my foundation in place. This did not do that. Also with it being winter time too, I should not look like an oil slick. I don't mind blotting here and there. But recently with other products I have been using, I really don't need to. So I know this is a no go for me come summertime. If you have drier/normal skin then this may be something for you. I may see if my brother wants it.
Soap & Glory Hand Food
I meant to mention this last month. I've used this product before. It's another YouTube made me do it product. I liked it but was never wowed by it. I picked it up at Ulta when they had a promo going on, I think in December. I've had it on my desk at work and just NO!!!!! I don't know what I was thinking trying this joker in the first place. To me it's not that moisturizing but I CANNOT get over the scent! It's too heavily scented and it lingers. I can touch something and the scent will be on whatever I touch. I prefer hand creams with a light scent that goes away or no scent at all. I will not repurchase this ever again. I've noticed that Soap & Glory products overall are heavily scented.
Olay 4-in-1 Daily Facial Cloths.
Emilynoel83 has raved about these (and the Walmart version) for years. She says she likes them better than a typical makeup remover wipe. They were on sale at CVS for $3.99 and said ok I'll give them a whirl. They aren't bad but to me it's "extra effort" to use them. They are dry and you wet them to get them sudsy. So I get it wet, run it over my face, rinse and then use my Clarisonic with whatever cleanser. I can grab an makeup remover wipe, run it over my face and then use my Clarisonic. First time I used them they did irritate my eyes. As I continued using them, some days they were fine and others they did irritate my eyes. So I'm done with them. Especially after discovering the Harmon Hydrating wipes. Now I don't know whether to pass them on to someone or just toss them.
Crystal Essence Mineral Deodorant in Lavender & White Tea
This is the second natural deodorant I've tried and yea...just no! I know they are supposed to be better for you. But when I can smell my own body order and I'm going about a REGULAR day or even on days when I bumming around the house, that's a no no! Plus I do sweat. Even in the winter time because I layered up with a lot of clothes. So this is a definite no go for my come summer time. I may try om's and that's it.
Bare Minerals Ready 8.0 Palettes
I mentioned in my
February Shop My Stash post, that I was going to play around with my Bare Mineral 8.0 palettes. Well I'm sad to say that I barely touched them. I may have done one look with each if that *sigh*. It's funny how your tastes change. Or how you OBSESS over something and then you're like meh whatever. They are great shadows. I have some of the their duos and quads and I really like those. I think it's the color selection in the palettes. I would stare at them and say ok what I am doing today and nothing really spoke to me. I can take an Urban Decay palette, Tarte palette, one of the Too Faced Chocolate Bar palettes or a host of others in my stash and go to town. So I bagged them up and they have left my stash. I'm playing no games this year when it comes to what's in my stash. If I don't absolutely LOVE and USE a product, it's going. It's a waste to have it just sitting in my cart.
Milani Conceal + Perfect 2 in 1 Foundation + Concealer
I ordered 2 shades because I had no idea on what one shade would work. I got Spiced Almond and Chestnut. Spiced Almond was too light and I gave it a friend. Chestnut works but it can run red on me. This foundation is oil free but it is not matte. I guess it has more of a satin finish. It's not a totally dewy look. I used powder and my favorite primers with it but yeaaaaa ummmm no! I'm an oily girl. I don't need any help looking dewy. So if you're an oily girl then skip this foundation unless you like a satin/dewy look. When I first wore it, I was somewhat of an oil slick BEFORE noon! It's wintertime, I should not be having this problem with my foundation. Even using it with my current holy grail primer The Present by philosophy didn't help but so much. So yea. I'll keep playing around with it. It's not that bad but my preference is a matte foundation. This a definitely no go for me when the warmer weather rolls around. When I used it up, I don't plan on repurchasing it.
Phew this was a lot of stuff for a short month! Sorry for the glare on some of the pics. Remember that Google is your friend and I do mention where I got items from/where it's avaialble. ;)
I think that's all. It's enough right? I forgot a couple of things but we'll see if they make the cut next month or later on down the road.
See you in a few weeks for March Top 5 & More!
