2015 Top 10

This post *insert long deep sigh*. I didn't know how I wanted to go about doing this post then I was sick and THEN this doggone massive snow storm decided to show up! I had wanted to get this up earlier in the month.

I started thinking about this post back in November. At first I wasn't going to this with the categories like I did in 2013 and 2014. I thought about doing a Top 10 post for 2015 to keep in with the theme for 2015. I started my post with the categories and just wasn't feeling it. I had some standout favorites in some of the categories. In some of the others, I was listing something kinda for the sake of having something in that particular category.

So I left that post and started this post. I just started listing items that I constantly reached for, enjoyed using and were just hands down awesome products that I "obsessed" over. Plus I'll throw in a couple of brand mentions towards the end. Sound good?

So here we go!

L'Oreal Infallible Makeup Extender Setting Spray

I picked this up as a potential alternative to Urban Decay's DeSlick. It's pricey for drugstore but you can always catch a deal, use coupons, reward dollars, etc. I lucked up got two when I ordered two Target Beauty boxes and there were only $5 each. This sets my makeup, takes anyway the powdery look and helps my makeup stay in place all day. Even with everyday use, it lasts a long time.

Philosophy The Present

When I first got this I liked it. I thought it was good but I was kinda nonchalant about it and had no intentions on repurchasing it. The more I used it with or without makeup, the more I really, REALLY liked it! I got it on sale via Philosophy's website. It went on sale again and I missed out on it. This product is witchy magic. It smooths and mattifies the skin. It just makes your skin look good. I've worn this a bunch of times alone over my moisturizer. Using this as a primer for foundation *pauses* it's so doggone good. I'm hoping I can catch another deal but regardless, I plan on picking up another tube.

MAC Raizin Blush

Every time I reach for the blush, it's all I want to use. It looks good on and it goes with just about makeup look. Whenever I use it, I have to force myself to put it away. If for some reason, something happened to all of my blushes and I had to rebuild my blush stash, Raizin would be the first one I repurchase. This definitely is in my top 3 for blushes.

Covergirl Queen All Day Flawless Foundation in Mocha Q835

I've raved about this doggone foundation since I think March of last year. I never thought I would find a drugstore foundation that I would enjoy. Better yet, that would work for my skin tone! I can't get enough of this foundation. I've traveled with it for work, used it on days when I needed something to last on my all day, just whenever I want my foundation application to look GOOD! I originally picked up at Walgreens. After that purchase, I ordered it online from Target and I order two bottles at a time. It blends nicely into skin, has good coverage and staying power. What more can you ask from a foundation? Lol!

Black Radiance Soft Focus True Complexion Soft Focus Finishing Powder

Just like with the Covergirl foundation, I never thought I would find a face powder that I could use at the drugstore. I ended up getting all three shades. My favorite is the Milk Chocolate Finish, It pairs beautifully with the Covergirl foundation. It evens everything out and just makes my foundation application flawless.

Eyeko Visual Eyes Liquid Eyeliner

I don't know what it is about this liquid liner. Of the ones I've tried, it's super easy to use, gives you a nice dark line and it lasts all day. You can do a thin line, a thick line or a cat eye with ease. I have three shades in Ebony, Mocha and Marine. Mocha is my absolute favorite. I have a backup of it on hand. I'm hoping there's another Hautelook sale, so that I can scoop up a couple more. It's the perfect dark brown shade.

Colour Pop Lip Liners

If you've been following me along, then you know that I pretty much have stuck to a brown lip liner only. I've looked and purchased some other colors from various brands. I feel that they were never deep enough to give the definition I like when I use a brown lip liner. I had look at some from MAC and was going to get some but then I stumbled on to Colour Pop. Their lip liners are $5, pigmented, smooth and last all day. I have 5 (Pitch, Ellarie, Leather, BFF3 and Nevermind). My absolute favorite and most used is Ellarie (blackened violet) which should be surprising since I like berry and darker red lippies. It pairs with those shades nicely. I'll need to purchase another one soon.

Wen 613 Eau de Toilette

I got this fragrance in June and I wore it non-stop. I even took it with me on my work trip to Philly. The notes of vanilla, rosemary and lemon blend well together. It's not too strong of a fragrance but it's not a wimpy one either. It lasts on me all day. This is another product that I kept using and had to make myself put it away. If you saw my fragrance stash then you would know why lol.

Formula X Polish in Beyond

I don't know what is it with this polish. I got it at Sephora in JcPenney and was stuck on it. It was hands down my most used polish of the year. It's a d ark teal shade but it's not too dark that you couldn't wear it in the spring/summer. It's a pretty year round shade. I love formula. You can get an opaque application in one coat.

Philosophy Purity Made Simple

I've used Purity off and on for years. This year I got reacquainted with it and really enjoyed using it. I remember someone saying in a video that it's gentle to the point of being boring, I was like what? It's gentle yes, but I don't think it's boring. It does was a cleanser is supposed to do. It cleans your face without stripping it. It removes makeup nicely and my skin feel so soft after using. So yea not boring at all. A definite keeper in my skincare arsenal.

So you know I would somehow go over 10 right? And since this isn't a beauty product, it's totally acceptable LOL!

My favorite handbag for 2015 was Aimee Kestenberg's Leather Soho Satchel. I picked this up on Gold Distressed when it was a Today's Special Value on QVC. I carried this bag for a while and didn't want to switch it out. It's a good everyday bag that holds all my stuff. I love the long strap that turns into a shoulder bag. I like that on me it came to my hip with the long strap. Some complained that it wasn't long enough to crossbody but I'm fine with it. This isn't the kind of bag I think make a good crossbody bag since it's larger. I would like it in another color *shifty eyes*

Now for some brand favorites!

I purposely didn't mention a palette because I knew I would kind of cheat lol. I've mentioned before that Urban Decay is one of my favorite brands when it comes to eyeshadows. I purchased 3 palettes from them in 2015 (Naked Smoky, Vice 4 and Gwen Stefani) and I love all three and they were my favorites for the year. I also tried out their new blushes in 2015 and they are awesome. I tried some samples of thier lipsticks and they were nice and the one gloss I picked up was nice too. So Urban Decay was tops for me in 2015.

Tarte has been another brand that has impressed me in 2015. The items I've picked up this year have been from sets available from QVC and they have just been awesome. Tarte is another brand that's a eyeshadow and blush favorite. I played around more with their lip products this year and they are really nice. I purchased two of their matte lipsurgence from Ulta. Their lipsurgence gloss in Exquisite was a go to shade for me in 2015.

And there you have it! I tried to keep it short and sweet. Let's see what 2016 brings. I already have some ideas for my 2016 favorites post *insert evil laugh*

Stay tuned...

December 2015 Top 5

Happy New Year!

I've been sick the first few days into the New Year boo! I wanted to get my December Top 5 to you along with what I'll be playing around with in January. So two posts today! Woohoo!

Let's get to it!

UD Gwen Stefani Eyeshadow Palette

I'm glad I didn't listen to the naysayers and scooped up this palette. I got mine from Sephora. It is so pretty and versatile. I was never "stuck" on what to do with it. The three darkest shades create a BOMB smoky eye! *swoons*. The colors are pigmented, smooth and easy to blend. If you're curious about this palette, take a look at it while you're out and about. I don't think you'll be disappointed. Lipsticks are supposed to be launching this Spring. Some samples came with the palette and the colors are beautiful.

Urban Decay Vice 4 Palette

Yep another Urban Decay palette. This is the only Vice palette that I own. I wanted to get the Vice 3 palette but I passed on it. This one for some reason I could not stop looking at. I grabbed it during the Sephora VIB sale and I'm glad I did. The colors are super pretty. There isn't anything too crazy in the palette. Slap two colors together and you have an eye look that looks like it took a lot of effort. I enjoyed using this palette in December. Currently this is on sale for $39. I did a quick search and I don't see it on Sephora's site any more. I did see it on beauty.com (free shipping). I'm not sure if it's on sale in stores. So grab it if it has been on your wish list! I highly recommend it.

Zoya Renee

I got this shade in the 2015 Zoya Cyber Monday Mystery Bag. The bag was awesome! Everything accept two items were full sized products. All for $20 and free shipping. I'm definitely ordering again this year. I got stuck on this polish after doing my holiday festive nail post. I couldn't get over how this is the perfect red shade. It's not too bright. It's not too dark. It doesn't run orange. It doesn't run berry. It's from the Redbook Collection where Zoya teamed up with Redbook and special everyday ladies were nominated to have this own nail polish shade. It is described as "the plush classic Christmas Santa red."

Qtica Intense Overnight Lip Repair Balm 

This is another item from the Zoya Cyber Monday Mystery Bag. I slapped this on my lips one night, not really expecting much. It comes out white and it's somewhat thick. I didn't think it would blend into my lips easily but it did. Once I got it on my lips I was like oooohhh. It has a slight tingling sensation that doesn't last long. It feels so nice on the lips. The next morning, my lip were soft, smooth and hydrated. I have not used a lip scrub since using this product. It's a level up from Carmex. This is a $12 product but I would consider purchasing it. Now I'm curious about other products in this line. *shifty eyes*

GILI Roma 2 Tote

I switched to this bag after my work trip earlier in November and I'm still carrying it. A couple of times I was going to swap it out for another bag but I just didn't want to. This bag is an easy bag to carry (for me it is). It's a larger bag but I love larger bags. I do carry a separate "work bag"during the week, but sometimes it's annoying to carry two bags. So it was nice to be able to throw everything I needed for the day into one bag and keep it moving. I have also traveled with this bag. I was in Ulta one day and a lady complimented me on it. I wish I got it black. My cousin has it in black and it looks really nice. I may see if I can find a new one on eBay. When I saw my grandpa, he called my bag luggage LOL!!!!

And a quick bonus...

My brother graduated from college! Woohoo! A lot of ups and downs but he did it! It was fun weekend.

I'm not sure if I'll stick with 5 items or go back to categories. Or do something completely different.

Stay tuned!

December 2015 Yays! & Boos!

Post #75 for 2015! I think this is a good place to end it. I was trying to get my December Top 5 up to but dah well. Tomorrow is another day!

Here we go!

Yays!

Tarte Airbrush Finish Bamboo Foundation Brush

I've had this brush in my stash for a good while but I never used it as foundation brush because it was so big. I don't even think I've used it with my Bare Minerals foundation. I randomly grabbed it on morning to use with my Covergirl Queen foundation and I was totally surprised. It buffed the foundation it to skin nicely and the application was flawless.

EcoTools Domed Bronzer Brush

This used to be one of my go to powder brushes that I hadn't used in forever. I had it in a stack of brushes to give away. When I pulled out the Tarte brush, I said why not to using this brush. Then I remember why it was a favorite. It's excellent for powder and blending everything together.

BH Missy Lynn lipsticks in Miss Lynn & L'Amour

I ordered all 4 of the Missy Lynn lipsticks. When I swatched them on the back of my hand, I was like ooooohhh they are super smooth! They apply nicely on the lips. They're not drying and have nice staying power. Of course I was drawn to the two darker shades.

BH Cosmectics Studio Pro HD Brow Pencil

I picked this up I think after Thanksgiving when it was on sale for $3.50. Sold! I got the shade Ebony. I've never tried Anastasia's Brow Wiz but I saw some reviews comparing the two. I refuse to pay $21 for a brow pencil. A brow pencil is one product that I do use up in a decent amount of time. Also I use it pretty much everyday. Even on the days when I don't wear any makeup. I'll still fill in my brows. So something inexpensive is the way I chose to go. I like the packaging and I like the shade. You can really define and shape your brows with this pencil. I would definitely repurchase it.

Bath & Body Work Be Joyful

Lawd knows I did not need more Bath & Body Works! I was in the store with my friend when the had all the signature items on sale for $5. My friend actually go this for me but I did purchase some items too gah! This smells so good! The key notes are Sparkling Clementine, Gold Mango, Frosted Jasmine, Winter Melon and Shimmering Sugar. It's not too fruity but it's not heavy like a winter scent. I think it's a good a year round scent. I text my friend and said that I may need to get more of the lotion during the semi annual  sale lol! Sadly it's not part of the current sale going on now. It is part of the buy 3, get 3 free promo going on and you can throw a coupon on top of that if you have one.

Boos!

Tarte The Brow Architect 

This was included in the first Essence Beauty Box that I received and I was excited to try it. When I got around to using it, I was like oh my damn and not in a good way. The shade I have in deep and ain't nothing deep about it. It's very cool toned and almost grey vs being a dark brown. There's no brown in it. I think I ended up grabbing my Iman brow pencil to try and make my brow look halfway decent. Maybe I got a bad one *shrugs*. In the trash it goes.

Benzac Acne Solutions Acne Eliminating Cleanser

I was going to use this up. I really was. I probably have about a fourth cleanser left in the tube but I just can't. I just don't like this. I don't like the consistency and I feel like it hasn't done anything for my skin. The only plus to this cleanser is that is has a lower percentage of Benzoyl Peroxide, so it didn't dry out my skin. Also in my haste to get rid of it, I tossed it before I could take a pic. I ordered this from drugstore.com and it's also sold at Ulta.

Benzac Acne Solutions Intensive Spot Treatment

I don't feel bad tossing this out since I got it as a gift with purchase with the cleanser. Again I don't like the consistency. Ain't nothing "intensive" about this treatment (and yes I said ain't nothing). The couple times I went to use it this month. it BURNED! I was like oh hell no! I'm sticking with Clean & Clear's acne spot treatment. That's my holy grail product. I also have a Bare Minerals Blemish Therapy (that I forgot to include in my skin post! D'oh!) that I've really enjoyed in the past that I can add to the rotation to use up. Tossed this with a quickness as well before snapping a pic.

LaserShip

This is the WORST shipping company! QVC has started using them for some of their east coast orders. I've read that Amazon also uses them as well. I've had an issue with every order that QVC has used them to ship an order to me. If you check their social media or look at reviews on the company, they are absolutely terrible. I have no idea why a vendor would use them as a shipper. One of my recent orders never arrived. It was this constant back and forth with them but they basically lied to me saying that the item was delivered. Whatever! QVC has refunded which is "fine" and they gave me a $20 credit on my account but I don't have the item. I could reorder it but the same mess could happen again. It makes me leery to order from QVC if they continue to use them. Now mind you this has been with orders I have shipped to my office. I haven't had any issues with home deliveries since they come via the post office or UPS. I usually have stuff shipped to my office because someone is there during normal business hours. I don't feel like going through the hassle of notices being left on my door when having stuff shipped to my house. But shoot I might have to if this mess with LaserShip keeps up. Just gimme my stuff!

Fin!

Next year I may combine this with my favorites post. We shall see. Stay Tuned!

I hope everyone has a safe and Happy New Year!

Product Play December 2015

December is upon us! Can you believe it?? I feel like this year flew by. Literally. That's alright. 2015 wasn't a bad year but it wasn't really a great year either. The last few months have been kind of rough.

Anywho...

Here's what I'm play around with this month!

Palette Play

I'm leaving this kind of open ended. I still haven't touched my Bare Minerals Ready shadows. I've picked up some palettes that I have not really used and I need to try and do some looks with them to determine if I'm going to keep them. Two are from Urban Decay (Vice 4 and Gwen Stefani), so I highly doubt that they'll go back. But then again you never know. Then I also picked up the Jem and The Holograms palette purely for nostalgic reasons. I'm an 80s baby and I LIIIIVVVED for Jem! I still watch the cartoons. Thank you Netflix! I also picked up the compact mirror.

Hey Gwen!

This is seriously too cute!

Polish Play

Leaving this kind of open ended too. I have two more shades to try on from the Allure & Butter London set from last month. I randomly picked up two Covergril nail polishes from CVS. This was my rage nail polish purchase. I know I'll use the Sephora by OPI polish in Good Tidings We Bling that I use every year in December.

Fuchsia Flame and Emerald Blaze

Out of my Face

Here's what I used up in November:

• Key West Health and Beauty Organic Unrefined African Shea Butter
• Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid 1 oz
• Amla Legend 1001 Oils Cream Night Wrap
• St. Ives Even & Bright Pink Lemon & Mandarin Orange Scrub

I'm adding a couple of hair products to the mix:

• Fantasia P.M. Night Time Oil Treatment
• Amla Legend Damage Antidote Oil Moisturizer

Kind of a lack luster month. It beeeeeezzzz that way sometimes.

And FIN!

Thank you for taking the time to read my rambles and for commenting on my posts. As I've mentioned before, I do this for fun. I'm not trying to get stuff sent to me. I'm not trying to make any money from this. This is part my beauty diary and random musings. I like talking about makeup, beauty, and other randomness. So if you've enjoyed anything that you've read, then that's enough for me.

We'll do this all over again come January. There may be a twist perhaps *insert shifty eyes*

Stay tuned...

November 2015 Top 5

I feel like this is the work travel edition of my top 5. These were some of the items that I took with me to Florida and continued using once I got back.

Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette

In my November Product Play post, I mentioned that I was thinking about taking the Naked 2 palette with me to Florida. I did take it along with the Naked Smoky palette. I reached for the Naked 2 palette more so. Of all the Naked palettes, this one doesn't get a lot of love but it's really easy to use. This was good for quick and simple looks. The two shades I wore a lot on their own are Tease and Busted. They are very pretty one shadows looks. Urban Decay is another brand that I've been impressed with this year.

NYX Hi Definition Photo Concealer Wand

I picked this up during some sale at Ulta in Nutmeg. I swatched it against Bare Mineral Stroke of Light and the shades matched. So I was happy there. The consistency of this is thicker since it's a concealer and Stroke of Light is an eye brightener with a thinner consistency. I've used this for a while and I really do like it. It has nice coverage and blends out nicely. I would definitely repurchase this concealer and you can't beat the price. Its funny one morning after doing my face makeup (primer, foundation, concealer and powder), I realized each item I used was a drugstore product. I never thought there would be a day when I would be able to do my face makeup with drugstore products. So shout out to the drugstore for increasing their shade ranges. They can still so better but they're getting there.

Colour Pop Ellarie Lip Liner

For the girl who has used brown lip pencils 100% of the time, has found a new favorite in the Ellarie lip pencil from Colour Pop! Ellarie is described as blackened violet. I've seen people say it's a dupe for MAC's Nightmoth. It pairs nicely with so many different shades! I've worn it with reds, berries, mauve, purple and pinks. I should try it when different shades of brown. It's just bomb. It gives so much definition to whatever color you pair it with. It's even nice on its own. I'll be due for a replacement soon. Shoot I may order two. It's that good. Colour Pop lip liners in general are SO GOOD and only $5! I can't even. I just can't.

Black Radiance Soft Focus Finishing Powder in Milk Chocolate Finish 

I thought I had talked about this powder a lot more. I mentioned it back in February but I promise you I have gushed about this powder to others lol! It's just good stuff and it pairs beautifully with the Covergirl Queen All Day Flawless foundation. It has about 8 claims listed on the back and I swear all of them hold true. It evens out the foundation, gives you a hint more coverage, mattifies your skin, it sets everything and it makes my skin look FLAWLESS! FLLLLLAAWWWLESSSS! I do have it in the two lighter shades and they are nice to play around with to under my eyes. You can see that I've made a nice dent in the powder. Pan is near! That's it. I'll stop here. I'll keep on gushing about this doggone powder lol! Another great drugstore find for me this year.

Dooney & Bourke Multi Color Nylon North/South Triple Zip Crossbody

I took this bag with me to Florida. I usually try to take a smaller bag with me on work trips. I never took this bag with me because I couldn't fit my wallet in it. Which really was stupid because I carry a larger wallet. I do have a smaller wallet that I carry from time to time for work travel but haven't used it in a while. This bag has three compartments and I love it. I used the smallest compartment as my "wallet". It held my ID, debit card and cash. The middle compartment held my room key, hand sanitizer, hand cream and things like that. The main big compartment held my cell phone, tissues and lip product of the day. While travelling it held my boarding pass, shuttle pass and even my Kindle fit. It's a small bag but it holds the essentials that you need while travelling. Also it was never too heavy, no matter how much I packed in it. The crossbody strap on the bag is nice. Usually they are short on me and the bag hits me at an awkward position. I also used the bag when I ran quick errands and did not necessarily need my everyday bag when I got back from Florida. I'm definitely keeping this bag nearby, so I can grab it when I need it. I got it from QVC. It's no longer available but I'm sure you can find this similar style elsewhere

And there you have it. Short and sweet.

On to December. I can't believe it! Seriously where did 2015 go??!

November 2015 Yays! & Boos!

Here are my yays and boos for November!

Yays!

tarte Holidaze of Giving 15pc. Gifting Collection

Once the November QVC Insider was ready, I could not wait to see what the November TSV was going to be from tarte. I flipped through and didn't see anything. I said wait a minute. Flipped through it again and saw this set. The set is currently at sale price and the available easy pays on the set have varied since it launched. I got it on 4 easy pays. They did something different this year since it's their 15th anniversary. The set it a good value but at first glance I wasn't interested. Then I saw a YouTube video on it and the swatches of the lip products made me take a second look at the set. Even if I only kept the lip products, the set it still a good deal since the Lip Surgence lip pencils are $24 each and the glosses are $19 each. There are 3 Lip Surgence pencils and 2 glosses in this set. So I said what they hey and ordered. I'm so glad I did. tarte has really impressed me this year with the sets they've brought to QVC. The shadows in this set are beautiful along with the two blushes. The eyeliner are nice and smooth. I'm already a fan of the Lights, Camera, Lashes mascara. The lip products are nice too. I've tried the eye cream and it's nice. I may gift it. This is your full face. I cannot wait to travel with this set. Between this set, the Ulta set and the Sephora set, I'm glad I got this one. If you're a Tarte fan or want to get a good mix of products to try from the brand then pick up this set. It's not pictured about, so check out QVC's site for pics and the presentation video.

Jack Black Intense Lip Balm in Shea Butter & Vitamin E

I think I got this sample size in a promo set from Sephora with some other items. When I first used I did not like it at all. Something was like try it again and if you still don't like it then trash it. I've been using in the morning to prep my lips and I have really been enjoying. It's not too moisturizing or overly greasy to interfere with the various lip products I've use it with. It makes my lips nice and smooth. Right now I can't say if I would go and purchase a full size since it does what the Neutrogena lip balm does for me and it'a cheaper product. I do like that it has a higher SPF of 25. The Neutrogena lip balm has an SPF of 15. I see on Sephora's site that there a mint one and I do like mint lip balm annnndddd there's a set of 4 available *covers eyes* Abort, abort!!!! LOL!

Love by Sofia Vergara 4-piece Fragrance Gift Set

This set was a Today's Special and it was of Sofia Vergara's new scent. Of course I jumped up on it since I enjoyed her first fragrance so much. I really like the new scent. But what surprised me was how much I liked the Shimmering Body Lotion and Creamy Shower Gel. Usually items like these in a fragrance set are throw away items. The lotions on me are never moisturizing enough and the shower product is usually runny and doesn't lather up well. This is not the case with these two products in this set. If you're looking for a fragrance gift, I highly recommend this set. It's currently on 4 flex payments and has free shipping. With HSN you currently have until the end of January to return or exchange purchases which is nice.

Boos!

Wen Fragrances

Chaz recently launched two new fragrances to his line. Now I RAVED over the 613 fragrance in my June surprise products post.  But I already knew what 613 smelled like from the cleansing conditioner and I always loved the scent. I ordered the Eau de Parfums of Fall Tuscan Pear and Sweet Toasted Almond when they launched on QVC. Eau de Parfums are supposed to be long lasting. These are not. Well on me they don't last long. The Fall Tuscan Pear scent reminded me of Bath and Body Works A Beautiful Day even though it more of a apple scent. The body mist last longer on me than the Fall Tuscan Pear EDP. I did like the Sweet Toasted Almond scent a bit better from first sniff. But the more I smelled it, one of the notes just did not agree with me. So both went back. Needless to say, I won't be trying anymore additional scents from Chaz. He is developing a signature scent. I am curious about that one but I will try to stick to my guns and not order it. I have no need for anymore fragrances.

Essence Beauty Box

I was beyond excited when I saw that Essence was coming out with their own beauty box. I pre-ordered in September and I got my first box in October. It was ok. There was a full size Tarte brow product that I wanted to try. I wasn't necessarily over the moon for the other products. Then The Posh Blog did a Periscope on the second box (she did one of the first box as well). I hadn't gotten my box yet when I watched. Before she even showed the items, she said she was not happy. I was like oh Lawd. As I watched I could see why. The products were lackluster. At least for me. Hair products were included with the two boxes I received which is cool. However they are more do geared towards someone with natural hair, which I do not have. Now I have used products geared more so towards natural hair with any issues. In the second box a mini size (and I do mean mini) of a Black Opal lipstick was included. I was like seriously we couldn't get a full size? Then a sample size of a Smashbox mascara was included that I could get from Sephora or Ulta. So needless to say I was not impressed and did not even want to bother with a third box. I emailed them and cancelled my subscription. Maybe the boxes will get better but right now, I'm not here for it. The Target Beauty boxes I have purchased have been more exciting and better deals than the two Essence Beauty boxes I received.

Real Techniques Deep Cleansing Gel Brush Cleaner

I came across this at Ulta and wanted to give it a go. It's just ok. The Dawn Simply Clean dish soap I picked up from The Dollar Tree is better and double the amount of product. If your brushes aren't super dirty then it gets the job done. I wouldn't use it on brushes with a lot of products on them like foundation or concealer. I'll probably just use it on my eye brushes and maybe blush brushes going forward.

Burt's Bee Moisturizing Lip Balm in Mint Cocoa

This was another random Ulta purchase. I was actually looking for the Pumpkin Spice one but didn't see, so I got this one instead. I'm not impressed. It's doesn't seem all that moisturizing to me and there's nothing mint about it. It kinda smells weird too. Dah well.

On to December!

Product Play November 2015

Daylight savings time! Booooooo! It's going be dark at 4 o'clock *sigh*. Anywho...

Here's what I'm playing around with for November.

Palette Play

I have a work trip this month *sigh*. Usually I'm done in the summer but circumstances have changed that for this year boooo! If I was in the position to quit my job right now, I would. For my work trip I am going to take the Urban Decay Naked Smoky palette that I gushed over in my October Top 5 post. I'm also taking 4 Mally shadow sticks in Trailblazing Brown, Gunmetal, Plum and Saddle Shimmer. I may also take the Naked 2 palette for giggles.

When I get back, I HAVE to make any effort to play around with my Bare Minerals Ready shadows and decide whether or not they are staying in my stash. I still love their loose shadows but for some reason, it seems that I have fallen out of love with their Ready shadows. If I do decide to get rid of them, I have NO idea on what to do with them *sigh*. I don't mind giving stuff to people but I don't want to give them to someone who is not going to use them. I might as well keep. We shall wee.

Polish Play

I had NO business picking up this Allure & Butter London Arm Candy set from Ulta. It was just sitting there in a display at the register saying hey, hey girl, look at meeeeeee! Buuuyyyy meeeee! So I got it. The shades in this set are So Major! (loden-green shimmer), The Sweet Spot (dusty-pink creme), Violet's Revenge (blue-purple creme) and Front Row (wine creme). I may add some other Butter London polishes as well.

Out of My Face

Here are the items I used up in October:

• Bath & Body Works Lemon Vanilla Body Wash
• Wen Remoist in Tea Tree
• Bonus: Bare Minerals Matte Foundation in Golden Deep - woohoo! This was an unexpected surprise to use this up. I was going to hold off repurchasing another jar but I've already picked up another one with a 20% coupon from Ulta II received. 
• Bonus: Wen Fig Cleansing Conditioner 16oz
• Bonus: Wen Tea Tree Cleansing Conditioner 16oz
• Bonus: Ole Henriksen Nurture Me Cleansing Clothes (10 count)
• Bonus: Duri Miracote Super Fast Dry Through Top Coat
• Bonus: Bath & Body Works Sugar Plum Dream Ultra Shea Body Cream

Looking at this list, I've used up a lot of stuff in October. Woot!

Here's what I'm adding to my use up list:

• Shea Moisture Superfruit Complex 10-in-1 Renewal System Hair Masque
• Murad Clarifying Mask
• Wen Winter Cranberry Mint Cleansing Conditioner
• Bare Minerals Blemish Therapy foundation

Let see how this month plays out!

October 2015 Yays! & Boos!

And we have another post today! Woohoo!

Here are the products that took me by surprise this month, along with some fail products.

Yays!

Wen Nourishing Mousse in Fig

Me? Use a mousse? No way! I think back in the day I used a random mousse from the drugstore to scrunch my hair. Bad idea lol! I heard that the Wen mousse was coming out in Tea and Fig in September. You know Wen's Tea Tree and Fig are two of my favorites. During the presentation Chaz Dean was saying how different it is from traditional mousse and it's treatment based. I was curious and said why not. The Fig mousse was on advance order. So I ordered and waited. When I got my shipping notice, I was like ok let's see what's what. I've used the mousse when I air dried my hair and with the blow dryer. I can't explain it but if gave my hair some extra oomph! It made my hair really smooth and soft!

Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid

I have another beauty pusha lol! I follow Felicia of ThisThatBeauty on Instagram and Twitter. I recently started following her on Snapchat and she is er'thang! She is my big sister in my head. She's 40 and does not look it at ALL and she's just super cool. Skincare is one of her big things. She has a series on her blog that's pretty in depth on how to get rid of dark spots. She snaps her skincare routine and in one of her snaps she RAVED about this product. Y'all know it don't take much for me to try something. When I ordered there was a promo on the trail size for $9 and free shipping. So I ordered it and the Resist cleanser. I've been using it morning and night and I can tell a difference in my skin. It's a lot smoother and brighter. Since it has Salicylic Acid, it has helped with my breakouts. I have already ordered a full size. I've been eyeing various items from Paula's Choice due to reviews I've heard and read. I've been somewhat leery since she does review products and has her own line. My first introduction to Paula was through her book "Don't Go to the Cosmetics Counter Without Me". I checked it out from the library YEARS ago. I didn't read the whole thing since it was hella thick. I wasn't impressed because I felt that she pretty much slammed a lot of products. I wrote a review on Amazon and it's probably my least liked review which tickles me for some reason. There may be some comments on it by now lol! I haven't bothered looking. You know how people on the Internet can be. Anywho I'm glad I reserved judgment and picked up this product. I've picked up samples of some other products. There may be some more Paula's Choice items in my future. If you're interested in ordering and saving $10 off your order, let me know.

Serious Skincare Double-Size Creamerum Evolve PLUS Evolve Eye

This was Today's Special on HSN. Lord knows that I did not need any more skin care but I ordered it anyway. The creamerum is a cream and serum in one. I instantly was surprised by the Evolve Eye. I've tried a lot of eye creams and I think this is one of the best ones I've tried. It absorbs into the skin so nicely but it's not heavy or greasy. It doesn't interfere with my eye makeup on under eye concealer and I feel that I've need less concealer under my eyes as well. The Creamerum Evolve I've tried before. I was undecided on it when I first tried it. So I sent it back. This deal was so good with the Evolve Eye included, I said ok let's give it one more try. It's light and also absorbs into the skin nicely. I've used it on its own, with the L'Oreal Youth Code Texture Perfector Serum and other moisturizers and it has worked well with other products. At night I have be using it more so like a night cream. I do feel like my skin is smoother, brighter, nicely hydrated and has helped with dark spots from breakouts. It doesn't interfere with my face makeup when I use it during the day. I think everything goes on a lot easier with it. I'm glad I signed up for auto ship.

Harmon Face Values Makeup Remover Cleansing Towelettes

This was a random purchase from Bed, Bath & Beyond. These are comparable to the Neutrogena Makeup Remover Cleansing Towelettes. I think these were $3.99 which is a great price. I think the Neutrogena ones were $4.99 at Bed, Bath & Beyond which is the cheapest I've seen it in any store. I really enjoyed using the Harmon ones. What shocked me the most was that each towelette I used was nicely saturated. You know how sometimes you run into a wipe or two that is somewhat dry? I have not had that problem with these. I am definitely going to repurchase another pack or two.

Boos!

Murad Clarifying Toner

I've been getting facials at Massage Envy and they use Murad products. Of course they encourage you to use the products to help maintain your skin. The lady I've been seeing is nice and not overly pushy but it's kind of getting on my nerves. I've tried 3 products and they are pricey. The most recent product I've tried is the Clarifying Toner. I ordered it from Ulta. I don't have sensitive skin and don't mind the tingly sensation from a toner. This joker burns! When I first used it I was like oh oh oohhhhhh! The sensation lasted for a good while too. It did make my skin feel soft after using it but this joker is  $24 and I feel that I've gotten better results from the Neutrogena Oil Eliminating Astringent that I have repurchased multiple times or with Dickinson's Witch Hazel. So back to Ulta this went and that's why it's not pictured above.

Paula's Choice Resist Perfectly Balanced Foaming Cleanser

I'm undecided on this product. I don't hate it but I'm not overly wowed by it. It does get my face clean and it doesn't feel stripped. It's a foaming cleanser and I've mentioned before that I'm not a fan of foaming cleanser. I didn't realize it was a foaming cleanser until after I ordered it. I've use it twice a day and it gets the job done. I'm going to continue using it. Maybe my feelings will change. I want to try her Skin Balancing cleanser but I'm trying to be good and use what I have on hand now. Let's see if it holds.

NYX Proof It! Waterproof Eye Shadow Primer

My eyeshadow primer woes continue. I was poking around on Ulta's website when there was a NYX promo going on. I looked at the reviews and said why not. I like the consistency and how tacky it got when it set. So I thought maybe this would do the trick and get my shadows to stay in place. Yea well not so much! I tried it on its own and various shadows sticks along with a powder shadow. Oh well it was inexpensive. I'm at the point now where I want to get rid of every eyeshadow I own. I even tried previous holy grail primers and the same thing! Something has got to give.

Laura Mercier Sleek & Chic Palette

I ordered this palette from Nordstrom when they were price matching it at 10% off. I really enjoy the two previous palettes. So I excited to get this one. This one only have 3 repeat shadows. So that's not too bad. I played around with it and I just wasn't moved by it. Plus I feel like the shimmery shades aren't all that pigmented. I kept going back in a few shades multiple times to build up color on my eye lid. I don't have this problem with her other two palettes. So back it went.

And there you have it! Let's see what shenanigans take place next month.

October 2015 Top 5 + a book bonus

Happy Halloween!

I hope everyone has had a fantabulous October.

A quick update to my Makeup Geek pigment rant. I got an email on the 12th saying that my order has shipped. I was like say what now??? I looked and it was the order that had the Kaleidoscope pigment. So I emailed them and said, hey I haven't ordered anything and what is this about? I get a response saying that they were sending my replacement empty jar. Nesssaaaaa girrrrllll I was fit to me tied! I responded back saying I did not want the empty jar and that it's pointless since I have lost half of the product. I get a response to that email the 13th apologizing for the miscommunication and that a full replacement of Kaleidoscope was coming to me. I was still skeptical after all the hoopla. So I waited to see what would actually show up. I got the order on the 16th but did not get a chance to open the box until the 19th. It was a replacement of the pigment. The sifter was separate from the actual pigment which I don't mind since I think it was the culprit in the first doggone place. I may transfer the product to the empty jar I ordered from eBay. So I'm glad that they made this right and replaced the product. The handling of the situation overall leaves a lot to be desired. I still don't plan on ordering any additional pigments from the company. I'm undecided if I will purchase anything else from the company in the future.

Ok enough of that! Here's my top 5 for October and a book bonus!

LaFemme Blush in Bordeaux

This has been my go to blush since last month. It's just an easy shade to wear and goes with just about any look. It reminds me of Mac's Raizin. They could be cousins.

BH Cosmetics Forever Nude Aqua Gloss

I've been eyeing these glosses for a while and I finally ordered two when they were on sale for $3. If I didn't like them then I wouldn't be crushed since they are inexpensive. I picked up Cinnamon Stick and Chai Latte. These glosses are fantastic! They remind me of MAC Lipglasses but better! I've never been a big fan of MAC Lipglasses but I do have some that I like. These have a vanilla scent similar to MAC but they are not a sticky as MAC. They apply nice and feel good on the lips. They  are very brown girl friendly nude shades.  I'm definitely going to pick up some more shades. My friend said you can practically get stuff for free on Black Friday since the deals are so good. *patiently waits*

Fresh Cream Body Polishing Scrub

Once I used up philosophy's Living Grace Olive Oil Scrub, I cracked this open. This has been my Saturday morning treat in the shower when I wash my hair. The Fresh Cream scent in the body polish is amaze balls! This applies nicely on the skin and rinses easily. That's my one gripe with some body scrubs, some are hard to rinse off. I was all set to get another tube of this but recently found out that the Olive Oil Scrub in now available in Fresh Cream! I'm working through the last of Fresh Cream Shower Gel. This indirectly on my use up list.  As soon as I use it up, I'm ordering the Olive Oil Scrub. Woohoo!

Formula X Nail Polish in Beyond

This is another one of the Formula X polishes that I got at a ridiculously good price at Sephora Inside JcPenney. This has been my go to, midweek polish change. I grabbed it one day because I didn't know what I wanted to change my polish to and instantly I was like ooooooh. I wore it I think 3 times this month and I really don't want to put it away. It applies easily and smoothly on the nail. It's dark teal color. If you can find this shade, I highly recommend that you pick it.

Urban Decay Naked Smoky Palette

I already knew I was going to add this to my stash but I was going to wait until November during a promo/sale. I ended up exchanging an item for it and I think all I had to pay was $30. So not bad. I knew I would like palette since I like the Black and Smoked palettes. I reached for this palette more than the two BH Cosmetics palettes that I pulled out to play with for the month. I've seen complaints about it being too dark. Yes, you can go dark but you can do some simple everyday eye looks as well. To me it's an easy palette to use. I was going to take some Bobbi Brown shadows with me on my work trip next month. I think I may take this palette instead and some Mally shadow sticks. This is another item that I highly recommend.

Book Bonus - Ramsey/Tesano Series by AlTonya Washington

Ok I'm cheating here but I had 6 items this month and I wanted to talk about all 6 in this post lol! I had mentioned in one of my book lovin posts, that one of my book goals was to get caught up series that I fell behind on. One series is the Ramsey/Tesano series by AlTonya Washington. I had read most of the books in the Ramsey part of the series but hadn't read the Tesano books of the series. The Ramseys are in the later part of the series as well. I decided to reread the series and then tackle the newer books. This series is so intricate, blink and you could miss something. As I was rereading, I did remember most of it but I did forget some parts. So it was nice to have a refresher. This series has a bit of everything! I'm talking mystery, suspense, intrigue, murder, love, and so on and so forth. I can't wrap my head around how AlTonya crafted this series! There's one more book due out that will end the series and then there's supposed to be a book on the Tesano Elders. I'm currently on a Lover's Control. If you looking for a series to get into or new author to check out, then check on the Ramsey/Tesano series and AlTonya Washington!

Not too bad this month. On to November! November??! Jeez!

September 2015 Top 5

I don't know why but I just couldn't get myself together to get this up at the end of the month. Oh well. Here's my top 5 for September.

Ashea Shea Butter Pomade

This is a long time favorite. My hairdresser introduced this product to me years ago and she sold it in her shop. For some reason I stopped using it. From time to time I would look online for it but did not feel like paying the high shipping costs that I came across. When I was at the Ubiquitous Health & Hair show, I saw Ashea listed as one of the vendors in the program. At first I was like nooooo. I said to my friend let's find this booth and sure enough it was them! I was toooooo excited. They had some good deals going on. I got 3 jars of their Shea Butter Pomade. Yes it is that serious and I was not playing. I picked up some of their other products as well. This stuff is awesome. It smells GOOD, it moisturizes and add shine to your hair without weighing it down and it makes my hair super soft!!! I use it with my flat iron and on days when I throw my hair back. One problem I've always had with pulling my hair back is that by the time I take it down at the end of the day, it can be really dry. Using this I have not had that issue, My hair is just as moisturized when I put it up in the morning to when I take it down in the evening. I'm so glad that I have this product back in my hair rotation. The rep at the Ashea booth said you can even use it on your body. I can't wait to try it out as a body moisturizer.

Wen Replenishing Treatment Mist in Fig

There was a Wen Today's Special Value on QVC in September and it was my "dream set". I have tried the Replenishing Treatment Mists (RTM) before but never in Fig. Fig is considered the most moisturizing of the various scents/formulations in the line. When it comes to the styling products in the line, Fig works best on my hair. The Fig RTM makes my hair soft and moisturized. At night I spray this in my hair along with the oil I'm going to talk about next and tie my hair up. In the morning when I comb my hair down it feels amazeballs. So glad I have this in the super size. I have put a nice dent in already.

Wen Fig Sweet Orange Treatment Oil

I am also no a stranger to the Wen Treatment Oils but this is also my first time trying it in Fig Sweet Orange oil. The oil was also included in the set that I got in September. Now I LOOOOOOVVVEEE me some Wen Tea Tree Eucalyptus Treatment Oil, It's a holy grail product. Fig is giving Tea Tree a run for its money. Like with the Replenishing Treatment Mist, I find it very moisturizing for my hair. I've used it as an oil treatment before washing my hair, on my hair wet and dry. I'm glad to have this in my rotation and of course I signed up for auto delivery on this set. So I have two more shipments coming woohoo!!

Brush Egg

I saw this in a video and I was curious. I know Sigma has their brush glove or whatever it's called and it's like $30. Uhhh no thank you! I paid $3.99 and got free shipping from Amazon. This little joker makes washing makeup brushes so easy and it speeds up the process! It's really good for face brushes which are a pain to wash. It gets everything out along with whatever you use to clean your brushes with. If you hate washing your makeup brushes then give this a try. I may pick up a few more for Christmas gifts for some of my makeup loving friends.

Ulta Matte Lip Creams

I had no business picking these up lol. When I went to exchange the Anastasia Shadow Couture palette for the L'Oreal Youth Code Texture Perfector Serum, I ended up looking at some Ulta brand products. There was a buy 2, get 2 free promo going on and I had their $3.50 off $10 coupon. These are nice. They remind me of the NYX Soft Matte Lip Creams. They stay on your lips and don't come off easily while eating and drinking. Also they don't dry out your lips. Of the 4 shades I picked up, Stirring (berry shade) is my favorite. It's the second one pictured above I wore it several times during the month. The other 3 shades I picked up are Passionate, Allusive and Striking.

And there you have it. Mostly hair products this month which is interesting to me. I tried to keep it short and sweet since this is so late. I did start a surprise products post for September. I think I may just combine it with October or I may get it up this week. We shall see on that.

I think my blogging mojo is coming back. I think I may do another Blogapalooza like I did back in October 2013. I'm thinking about doing Blogmas for December! I need to think on it some more.

Stay tuned...

Product Play October 2015

Happy October!

So my Top 5 for September isn't done. So let's talk about what I'm going to play around with for the month.

Palette Play

I ordered the Carli Bybel palette from BH Cosmetics palette last month. It's currently out of stock. You can enter your email address to be notified when it's back in stock. It sold out super fast. I ended up ordering during the second pre-orders but it didn't take long for me to get it. I'm also going to play around with the Missy Lynn palette again also from BH Cosmetics. I think these two palettes will pair nicely together.

Polish Play

Here is ANOTHER OPI mini set that I got in July...oye! I was going to play around with some Formula X polishes but they weren't speaking to me. I'm in the mood for dark shades. Tis the season lol! Speaking of tis the season, why have I been signing Christmas songs lately? o_O This is the OPI 38th Birthday Mini Lacquers Box Set. OPI did this set for HSN's 38th anniversary and it sold like hot cakes. 38th anniversary and 38 mini polishes!!!! I looked at it during the day and ordered before I left work. By the time I got home, it sold out. I do have some of the shades in full size but not many. The ones I do have are favorites, so it's no biggie for me. This set is super cute. It was at an event price when I ordered and it was an awesome deal.

Out of My Face

I got rid of quite a few nails polishes last month. I gave all the L'Oreal nail polishes I had to my cousin and her little one. I trashed ALL of my Revlon polishes. They probably were still ok or I could have used some nail polish thinner on them but I couldn't be bothered. They were some of the first nail polishes I bought when I really started to get back into nail polish. I have used up some items from my long list last month and a bonus item.

• Bath & Body Works Oahu Sunset Body Cream
• Nivea Essentially Enriched Body Lotion
• Wen Treatment Oil in Summer Coconut Lime Verbena
• Wen Treatment Oil in Tea Tree
• My DNA Serum (I'm actually going to pass thing along to a friend.)
• BONUS: Covergirl Queen All Day Flawless foundation (LOVE this stuff)

Slowly but surely things are getting used up or passed on! Woot!

Short and sweet this month.

Let the play commence!

Product Play September 2015

Happy September! Fall is almost upon us! *twirls*. Since I was kind of blah and lazy last month, I didn't really reach for the items I pulled out to use last month. So I'm going to continue using them this month and add a couple of items.

Palette Play

I'm adding Morphe's to the mix. This was an impulse buy for sure. I was on their site looking at a different palette and then I saw this palette. Browns and purples are my happy place :D. This is the pictured I posted on Snapchat.

Polish Play

My obsession with OPI mini polish sets continues! I've had my eye on this set for a minute. I picked up the OPI Coca-Cola Nail Lacquer 10-piece Mini Set from HSN. When aLoveTart raved about Coca-Cola Red being her new all time favorite red, I jumped on ordering this set. I have worn Coca-Cola Red already and it is very nice.

Out of My Face

I FINALLY use up philosophy's Senorita Margarita shower gel 16oz and Living Grace Olive Oil Scrub 32oz! Woot! I added them back in March! Lawd! I'm so glad to be done with them. Here's what I'm adding to the list:

• Wen Treatment Oil in Tea Tree
• Wen Treatment Oil in Summer Coconut Lime Verbena
• Wen Remoist in Tea Tree
• My DNA Serum
• Bioderma Sensibio H2O
• Bath & Body Works Vanilla Lemon Shower Gel
• Bath & Body Work Oahu Sunset Shower Gel
• Bath & Body Works Oahu Sunset Body Cream
• Nivea Essentially Enriched Body Lotion
• Bath & Body Works Vanilla Bean Body Souffle in Wild Madagascar Vanilla
• Soap & Glory The Righteous Butter

Here's what's left from the long list that I posted back in June:

• Christie Brinkley Recapture Day + IR Defense Cream
• Perlier Hemp Cuticle Oil
• St. Ives Even & Bright Pink Lemon & Mandarin Orange Scrub 
• Bare Minerals Bronzing Mineral Veil
• MAC Heroine Lipstick

Oye vey *sigh*. Let's see how this goes.

And a quick update to my August 2015 Top 5. I'm still counting it as a surprise item for the month but I ended up returning the Anastasia Beverly Hills World Traveler Shadow Couture Palette. I compared it to some of the shades from the Maya Mia palette. While they are not dupes, to me they are similar. It also reminded me of some shades from the Too Face Semi Sweet Chocolate Bar palette. So back to Ulta it went and I also returned the Artist palette from Anastasia. I am seriously trying to slow down and possibly go on an extended no buy when it comes to eyeshadows and eyeshadow palettes.

Ok enough rambling.

Here we go!

August 2015 Top 5

Long time no see. August was a blah month. I cannot believe that we are going into September! I mean it was just April! I think my body knows Fall is coming and the days are getting shorter. I've been super tired/can't be bothered to do much lately. Oye vey! I need to get it together. The upside is that FOOTBALL is BACK!!!!! Woohoo!

Here's my top 5 for August and a bonus *shifty eyes*. Also since there are only a few products, I decided to throw in the meh and surprise products in this post. I didn't feel like doing a separate post. See laziness I tell you! I'll try not to be too chatty.

 Let's get to it!

MAC Raizin

I have been reaching for two blushes this month and they both happen to be from MAC. One is Notable which I have talked about before. The other is Raizin which I really hadn't reached for in a while and now I don't want to put it away. It's is a great everyday blush for deeper skin tones. It's described as golden reddish-brown and it's matte.

philosophy The Present

I purchased this when it was in the outlet section (sale section) of the philosophy website after hearing Wayne Goss rave about it. I got it for $15. The original price is $30. I've used it off and on and I liked it but wasn't wowed by it. It reminds me of the Rimmel Matte Primer. Since it's from philosophy, it has some good for you skincare benefits. The more and more I've used it with and without makeup, the more I have enjoyed it. It would repurchase it again, if I can catch it on sale.

Mask Duo

I was watching crystalis007's July favorites video and she mentioned doing a mask duo with two Glam Glow masks (Supermud Clearing Treatment and Thirstymud Hydrating Treatment). She said that it's a great at home spa treatment and using the two masks together had done great things for her skin. She recommended trying it out with similar products and that you didn't necessarily need the Glam Glow masks since they are expensive. I had two masks that were similar to The Supermud Clearing Treatment masks (Queen Helene Mint Julep Masque and Murad Clarifying Mash) but I didn't have a moisture mask. I picked up Queen Helene's Olive Oil Masque from Bed, Bath & Beyond. So I gave it a go alternating with the Queen Helene and Murad masks with the Queen Helene Olive Oil Masque and I LOVE the results. My skin felt super smooth, plump and hydrated. It's like a reset for your skin. The one mask pulls the gunk from your skin and the other soothes and puts moisture back into your skin. If you have some similar masks in your stash, give them both a whirl. This will probably be my Sunday evening treat going forward.

Covergirl Queen All Day Flawless Foundation

I've gushed over this foundation as a surprise product back in February. It was a favorite back March and now it's a favorite again. You can probably already guess that it's going to be my foundation of year when I do my 2015 favorites post. This has been my go to foundation for the month. I took it with me to Philly and I just can't stop using it. My friend says it's magic brown liquid and it really is. The coverage is great, it blends nicely into the skin, it lasts all day and doesn't break me out or irritate any breakouts that I may have. I want to check out the shade before and after Mocha just for giggles. I have two bottles on hand now. When I get to the second bottle, I will order two more. It is that serious and it's not a game. I don't want to be without this foundation. I don't want to get too crazy with backups since it does have an expiration date due the sunscreen being in it. If you have not tried this foundation, grab a bottle and give it a try. You will not be disappointed.

philosophy Summer Grace Whipped Body Creme

This is another philosophy product I scooped from the outlet section of philosophy's website. I had the spray fragrance and when I saw there was a whipped body creme, I wanted that too. Their whipped body cremes are one of my absolute favorite body moisturizers. This one however seems to leave my skin super soft and hydrated all day. The summer grace scent is described as a "warm, bright floral fragrance of sun-kissed bergamont, passion flower and warm coconut musk."

BONUS: Ubiquitous Hair and Health Trade Show

Sneaky sneaky with a bonus favorite lol! I went the Ubiquitous Hair and Health Trade Show last Saturday. I went last year and had a good time. This year it was held at the Convention Center downtown in DC. There was more room which was nice. You could sit down and grab a bite to eat. There seemed to be the same number of vendors but there were some new ones present. The plan was NOT to buy a crap ton of stuff but I ended up buying a crap ton of stuff lol. Below is a pic of the inside of my bag *head palm*. Ledisi was the musical performance and she was fantastic. If you are in the DC area or happen to be in the area when this event is going on I highly recommend checking it out!

Surprise Products of the Month

Neutrogena Pore Refining Toner

I stopped at Bed, Bath & Beyond to purchase another L'Oreal Youth Code Texture Perfector Serum and Neutrogena Clear Pore toner. At this particular location they have a HUGE skin care section and but they didn't have the Clear Pore toner. So I ended up grabbing their Pore Refining Toner. I was curious about this line since I've heard good things about it. I took it with me to Philly and really enjoyed using it. My skin feels super soft and I do feel it makes my skin feel and appear smoother after using it.

Anastasia Beverly Hills World Traveler Shadow Couture Palette

I'm always leery of hype brands/brands that send a crap of stuff to instafamous beauty folks on Instagram and YouTube. The only palette I have from Anastasia that I do like is the Maya Mia palette. I picked up the Tamanna palette but returned it and I missed out on the Amrezy palette. I picked up this palette with my Ulta $10 off birthday coupon. From pics I saw beforehand, I knew the eye shadow colors were right up my alley. I've used it off and on throughout the month and had to make myself out it away. The shadows are nicely pigmented and blend nicely. This is good everyday palette for any level of  makeup lover.

Colour Pop Lip Liners

I've had Pitch (blackened chocolate brown) for a while. I used a couple of times when I first got it but put it away to use up the NYX liner I had in Espresso. The NYX liner has been my go to due to price and availability. I finally used it up and reached for Pitch. One thing I will say about NYX liners, they are hard and you have to do a few swipes to build up the color. Colour Pop liners are SUPER SMOOTH and PIGMENTED! The first time I used Pitch I was like WHOA! It took some getting used to to since I was used to the NYX liners. Now I really like it. This month I ordered BFF 3 (deep peachy brown), Ellarie (blackened violet) and Leather (Deep blackened violet). BFF 3 is lighter and warmer that Pitch. It's ok but it won't be my everyday liner. Ellarie is gorgeous! I wore it it a matte read lip pencil and I love it. I wore Leather with MAC's Heroine lipstick and the two together are perfection! I'm excited to have darker liners that I can wear with various red, berry and purple lippes. I will definitely repurchase Pitch which I could use on its own with other lippies since I can make a dark brown liner work with just about any lippie color. It may be outdated but it's what I like and am comfortable wearing. If you're looking for some new lip liners, check out Colour Pop.

Meh Products of the Month

Neutrogena Pore Refining Cleanser

Since I had been enjoying the Pore Refining Toner so much, I decided to pick up the cleanser when I was in Walgreens. I like how my skin feels after I use it. However, I cannot get over the smell and it irritates my eyes something terrible. I can't open my eyes at all when I use it and I don't have it that close to my eye area! The fumes or whatever from the fragrance of the cleanser are very strong. I read reviews on Ulta about it irritating people's eyes. I'm so bummed. I may try to finish using it or I may just toss it. I'm using the Ambi Even & Clear Foaming Cleanser that I picked up from the Ubiquitous Hair and Health Trade Show and so far I'm enjoying it.

Nivea A Kiss of Olive Oil & Lemon

This was a YouTube made me do it product. MakeupbyTiffanyD has raved about this product for a long time. When I've been out and about, I've searched for it with no luck. I finally saw it at Ulta and picked up it. I used it at night. I didn't find it all that moisturizing for my lips and I can't get past the taste. So in the trash it goes and I'll stick with Carmex for my lips at night.

And there you have it!

On to September!

Product Play August 2015

Last month I said that I may skip August. An OPI purchase last month inspired me to go ahead a post some items for August. So here's what I'm messing around with for the month.

Palette Play

This month I'm going to play with the Urban Decay Smoked palette and the PrettyLilMzGrace palette from Sedona Lace. I was going to pick up the new Urban Decay Naked Smoky palette with my Ulta birthday coupon but decided to wait. Then the Smoked palette popped in my head. I saw the PrettyLilMzGrace palette in a YouTube video from PurpleyeAvi. I proceeded to watch some other videos on the palette. I have never heard of PrettyLilMzGrace, so I went to her channel and watched a couple of her videos. At the time when I ordered, Sedona Lace was having a 20% off site wide promo and I used PrettyLilMzGrace's $5 off coupon code. Score!

Polish Play

I picked up the OPI Brights Mini Nail Lacquers set from Living Social. I like these sets from OPI. They're usually a good price but it was a better deal getting it from Living Social. Plus it's a nice way to pick up the majority or all the polishes from a particular collection. I also got the Orly Dare to Dream set from a coworker for my birthday and I LOVE Mulan! I watched it on Netflix not too long ago. It's probably in my top 5 for Disney movies.

Out of My Face

I used up some more products from the long list I posted in June and I have some bonus ones too woot! Here's what I used up in July:

• Christie Brinkley Complete Clarity Daily Facial Exfoliating Polish
• Christie Brinkley Recapture 360 Night Beauty Treatment
• Alpha Hydrox Retinol ResQ
• Korres Mulberry Vanilla Shower Gel
• Wild Rose Daily Brightening & Refinishing Buff Cleanser
• Bonus: Christie Brinkley Complete Clarity Facial Cleansing Wash
• Bonus: Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer 0.33oz
• Bonus: Philosophy Renewed Hope in a Jar 0.5oz 
• Bonus: Wen Cleansing Conditioner in Tea Tree 32oz 

Since I used up a TON of stuff in July, I'll probably add some more items to the list in September. I have a few more things I'm hoping to get used up in August *fingas crossed*

Let's play!