March 2019 Hit List

Here are my March favs!

Anastasia Beverly Hill Sultry Palette

Anastasia Beverly Hill is a brand that I've tried here and there but then I end up returning the items or giving it away. To me they're are an instahype brand which is not necessarily a bad thing. It's just a brand I never really took to. The only reason I picked up this palette was because it was on sale. I ended up grabbing it from Sephora. First glance it's pretty but I wasn't expecting much. The more and more I used it the more I enjoyed it and the really liked the looks I did with. I rarely use all the shades in a palette. I've used all of them but one. I used this as an everyday palette and it wasn't too much on my eyes for daytime. If you can snag this on sale, I say go for it. I'm tempted to get the Soft Glam palette.

tarte Tartelette Toasted Palette

I'm still going through my stash and purging items. I pulled this palette as a potential get rid of item. I have the other two Tarlette palettes and the main reason at first for keeping this one is to have "all of them together". It sat in my basket and I wasn't reaching for it. Then I finally started playing around it and really like it. During the warm palette craze I got this and the Urban Decay Naked Heat. When I was deciding which one to keep I went with the Toasted palette. The mix of shades in this one spoke to me. I use all of the shades and not just a few here and there. I like that it's a compact palette and it's a complete palette. I don't have to reach for something else to do a complete look. If you're looking to spend a little more on a warm palette to add to your stash then I recommend this one.

Morphe Brush M173 Mini Buffer Brush

I've purchased quite a few Morphe brushes over the last few months. I was looking for some replacement brushes and didn't want to pay a lot and Morphe fit the bill. I picked up the Mini Buffer Brush to use with my under eye concealer. The reviews on it are really good. But when I got it home I instantly thought this isn't going to blend my concealer out. I thought it would be too stiff. Well it's not and it blends out my under eye concealer beautifully. I've tried with multiple concealers and haven't had any issues. So score! I may grab another one. You can't beat this price. Forgot to snap a pic of it. Whoops LOL!

Urban Decay Vice Lipsticks

I pulled out a bunch of Urban Decay lippies to play around with for March. I've raved about the Urban Decay Vice Lipsticks in previous posts. They are definitely in my top 3. favorite lipsticks. The three shades I wore the most in March are Nighthawk (brown red), Cherry (deep wine berry) and Gash (deep red). The staying power of these shades is fantastic. I really didn't need to touch it up throughout the day but of course I did just because lol! And I just realized that Cherry was a favorite last month! I really want to keep in the rotation but I'm going to put away for now. It may come back out. Warm temperatures be damn! I wear dark lippies year round!

MAC Boom Boom Bloom Collection

MAC isn't a brand I really keep up with. Most of the time my friends tell me what's going on and what I should check out. I think I saw this collection on Ulta's website and was intrigued.  These shades are right up my alley. There are only two item left on Ulta's site but you can see the full collection on MAC's site. I ended up ordering the palette (Kabuki Doll), two lipglasses (Heartmelter - midtone rosey pink and Cherry Mochi - warm raspberry pink), a lipstick (Frambose Moi - raspberry pink) and the Fix+. The packaging is super cute! I haven't used a couple of the items but what I have used I have enjoyed. My favorite item is the Heartmelter lipgasss. I reminds me of Secret Agent from LORAC which is a favorite but Heartmeleter has a more pink to it. If these colors are your jam then check this collection out.

ELEMIS Pro-Collagen Super Serum

I have reached for this serum so much and used it up quickly! The one that I don't like is the packaging only because I can't tell how much product I have left lol! I have raved about the moisturizer in this line but I think I'm liking the serum more! I snagged a duo on auto delivery from QVC when it was a Beauty Steal. During the day sometimes I use just one pump during my a.m. skincare routine and it doesn't not make me oily and my foundation application is so good! It absorbs in the the skin nicely. I feel like my skin is nice and plump but also smooth. In the evening I really like using this after doing a mask or peel that leaves my skin feeling a little tight. Two pumps of this along with with water moisturizer and I'm good to go! This is pricey but I love what it has been doing for my skin. So it's a keeper in my skincare rotation.

L'Occitane Intensive Hand Balm

I've ordered 3 L'Occitane sets from QVC since the beginning of the year *head palm*. One of the sets I ordered is the L'Occitane Ultimate Moisture Collection. I've always been a fan of their hand creams. They are so lux! I've never tried the Intensive Hand Balm and it was included in the set I purchased. During the presentation the on air guest said use this at night before you go to bed. So I keep it by my bed and just before I settle in for the night I slap some on my hands and they feel so go! There are so soft and don't look dry. I use this during the day too but I use it mostly at night. If you're look for a real treat for your hands this is it! I think this is the most luxurious hand cream I have used.

A nice mix of items for March. I have work travel coming and my blog mojo is still blah. So we'll see if I get posts up for April. I have been posting my monthly empties on Instagram as well. I used to post my favorites. I may start posting them again there. So follow me along there since I think this blog may becoming to an end. Or may be on pause for a bit.

TTFN - ta ta for now!

February 2019 Hit List

Hi, hey there, hello!

It seems like I blinked and February was over. Then I went back and forth on what to include in this post since I had swapped items out to start using different products for March. And now we're at mid-March *head palm* So here are my favorites from February.

Urban Decay Vice Lipstick in Cherry

A friend was nice enough to pass this along to me. This was released with the Naked Cherry palette. It is described as deep wine berry. I have way too many lipsticks in this of shade. Berry shades are my favorite. Urban Decay cream lipsticks are fantastic. They are easy to apply, wear nicely on this lips and don't dry out my lips.

philosophy renew with hope & purity super- size 4-piece skincare kit 

If you've been following me along for a while now, you would have noticed that skincare has become a thing for me. I've picked up stuff and had stuff passed along to me. In trying this and that, philosophy has stayed in my mind. I said if they did a nice basic set for QVC then I would definitely get it. Guess what? They did! I picked up the philosophy renew with hope & purity super- size 4-piece skincare kit from QVC. It doesn't get much simpler than this. You have a cleanser, serum, moisturizer and peel. The only product I hadn't tried is the peel and I love it. It's super easy to use and the results of bright and smooth skin are so good. Using this set was like coming home. Purity and the renewed hope moisturizer are past favorites. The serum I've used before but at the time I was new to serums and didn't think it was doing anything for my skin. Now I really enjoying it. I like doing a nice elaborate skincare routine with a bunch of steps but sometimes I just want to keep it simple. The only items I needed to add are an eye cream and SPF. I've added other products here and there and they've placed nicely with this kit. Of course I opted for auto delivery and I'm so glad I did. I don't see myself canceling this one.

Morphe Fluidity Full-Coverage Concealer

Curiosity and the price is what got me to pick this concealer up from Ulta. I looked at the shades and the shade description for C4.45  (rich with peach undertones) is the same as the shade I use in tarte's Shape Tape (Deep) for under my eyes. When I got it home I swatched against Shape Tape and they were pretty much spot on to each other. The Morphe concealer is not a thick as Shape Tape which I like. It makes it easier to blend. I don't have serious under eye issue so I don't have a lot to cover up. Some reviews I read complained about the coverage not being enough. For me it's fine. Overall I do  like the concealer and the price is phenomenal compared to Shape Tape. I went back and picked up another shade C5.15 (deep with neutral undertones) to use on my face. This shade is a little lighter that the Shape Tape shade I use (Rich) but once everything is blended out and powder is added, it works out fine. I'll continue to use but I can't say right now if I'll abandon Shape Tape for it. If you're looking for a good inexpensive concealer then check this one out.

Zoya Nail Polish

I hadn't used any Zoya nail polishes in a while so I grabbed a bunch and really enjoyed using them. Two favorites were Pasha (soft, pale, taupe-kissed beige nude with silver frost and the barest hint of silver microglitter.) and Jem (dark, red-toned purple with subtle gold and fuchsia flecks).

Lancome Long Time No Shine Loose Setting Powder in Deep

Here's another item a friend passed along to me.  I have some nice friends. I didn't really need another powder since I was still loving the Cover FX  Perfect Setting Powder in Deep. I decided to give the Lancome powder a go and I really like it. I may like it more than the Cover FX powder *gasp*. I've alternated between the two and I like how my makeup looks with the Lancome powder. It has a little more color to it, it mattifies my skin and my makeup looked fresher at the end of the day. I can't wait to see how this powder works as the days get warmer. I just might ditch the backup I have of the Cover FX poweder. We shall see!

And there you have it. Not too bad. Now let's see if I can get my March favs up in a timely manner. HA!

January 2019 Hit List

Hola!

I had the bright idea of doing weekly favorites and as you can see that did not shake out LOL! Here are my favorites for January. There are quite a few past favorites and you'll see that they are well used. Let's get to it!

Laura Mercier Artist Palette

If you've been following me along then you know that I have mentioned this palette many times. I've traveled with it a TON! It's just so good. The matte brown shades are everything. Cafe Au Lait and Coffee Ground together is my go to look when using this palette. The shimmery brown (Chocolate) is a favorite and the matte navy blue (Deep Night) is hands down my favorite navy blue eyeshadow. Not like I need a backup of this or any palette but if this was made available again, I would seriously consider getting another one.

Mally Beauty Nude Attitude Eyeshadow Palette

This is another past favorite that I reached for a lot in January. It has a good mix of shades that are great for everyday and any occasion. It's easy to throw a look together with this palette. I believe it's laid out in quads but of course you can use it however you'd like. The only thing I don't like is the packaging. It's bulky and I wish is was slimmer in design. Then I would definitely travel with it.

Bobbi Brown Blush in Desert Pink

During one of my makeup purges, I had my Bobbi Brown blushes out to get rid of then I came to my senses. Don't ask me what I was thinking. I've used these blushes so much. I've used them on a regular everyday basis and I've traveled with these blushes. The one I used consistently throughout the month is Desert Pink. It is described as a soft natural pink and it is the perfect pink blush. It looks like nothing in the pan. It also looks like it would appear ashy on my deeper skin tone. Trust me it's not. If you're looking to splurge on a blush, I recommend getting an everyday color that you know you're going to use from Bobbi Brown. I really want a red blush from the line. *shifty eyes*

Mario Badescu Facial Spray with Aloe, Herbs and Rosewater

I mentioned this facial spray in my last hit list post. I'm still enjoying and reaching for it January. I was on Ulta looking at his other facial sprays but said no no no! Use up the sprays you have first girl! It's been the final step in my evening skincare routine and I just love the extra dose of hydration. I haven't tried it my makeup routine yet. We'll see if I add it in.

Mascara combo - Julep Length Matters Mascara and Tarte Tarteist Mascara

These two mascaras are past favorites. Each one on its on perform nicely. Together these two create lash magic! The Julep mascara give nice length and you can kinda "style" your lashes with it. The Tarte mascara is really pigmented black mascara that gives you volume. A big thumbs of for this mascara combo.

MAC Lip Liner in Chestnut

After loving MAC's Nevermore lip liner and falling out of love with NYX's Espresso lip liner, I decided to give Chestnut a go. It is described as an intense brown. I'm not sure about intense but I do like it. It goes on smoothly, there's no tugging and it's creamy. I would definitely repurchase it. I have my eye on a couple more MAC lip liners too.

Elemis Papaya Enzyme Peel

A friend was nice enough to pass this on to me. I've had it for a while and just got around to using it this month. I have loved everything that I've tried from Elemis and this is no exception! It's a cream exfoliator. I was confused by this lol. Most exfoliators I've tried have had some form of beads or physical component to them. This does not but it performs like it does! I love that it's not abrasive. When I rinse it off my face is smooth and bright! So winner winner chicken dinner!

And for a meh item.

I mentioned the Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask as a past favorite in my July 2018 Hit List. Lately it's gone from a yay to a nope! It doesn't seem to keep my lips moisturized and I've also been getting a white film on my lips which is a BIG NO! So I don't know if it's gone bad or I just can't use it during the winter months. The two Revlon Kiss Balms I've been using (Exfoliating and Tropical Coconut) are still performing for me and both together are way cheaper that the Laniege so I'll stick with these for my lips.

And there you have it. Short and sweet.

On to February!

November/December 2018 Hit List

Another two month combo. I had work travel in November. I went back to Florida.This meeting I usually don't attend and really didn't need to attend but I digress. Next thing I knew it was Thanksgiving then hello December! Even with the little bit of stuff I had going on it was a lot. And now here we are. So let's see what tickled my fancy for the last two months.

elf Baked Eyeshadows

As always when it come to what eyeshadows I'm taking on a work trip I draw a blank. I wanted to play around with the all Makeup Revolution Reloaded Palette in Basic Mattes some more that I picked up from Ulta. I was thumbing through my stash and came across these elf Baked Eyeshadows in Bark and Chocolate Dream. I remember when these made the rounds on YouTube. I used to use these all the time and really liked them. I thought these two would pair nicely with the Makeup Revolution palette and off to Florida they went. These two shades are my favorite everyday go to kinds of shades. Bark is a deeper shimmery chocolate bronze shade and Chocolate Dreams is a shimmery chocolate brown shade. These are pigmented and easy to wear. I try to do easy makeup when traveling for work and these fit the bill. I'm going to leave them in my travel makeup bag.

Covergirl Professional Super Thick Lash Waterproof Mascara

I picked this up from Ulta during a promo. I think one of my YouTube favs mentioned it some time ago and I finally decided to give it a go. This is another product I took with me to Florida. I really like it. It gave me a nice full natural looking lash. Even thought its waterproof, it isn't hard to remove.

Morphe Jaclyn Hill Dark Magic Palette

When I originally saw The Vault collection I said I wasn't going to get all 4 palettes. But I ended up getting all 4 palettes LOL! The Dark Magic Palette was the main one that caught my eye. It's mix of dark goodness that I like. I also like that there is a mix of neutral shades in this palette. I know there have be complaints about this palette. I've had no issues with any of these shadows.

Facial Mists

I randomly started using facial mists as the last step in my evening skincare routine over the last couple months. I've used them off and on and felt like I was drowning myself along with my hair and top getting drenched. So I didn't really get the hype. I've been rotating through the following mists: Jordan Samuel Skin Hydrate The Mist, Georgette Klinger Coconut Facial Mist and Mario Badescu Facial Spray with Aloe, Herbs and Rosewater. You can also use this after your makeup but I have not used these that way since I love the Urban Decay All Nigther Spray. All of these are an extra dose of hydration to the skin and my skin loves them and they have other good skin care ingredients. My favorite of the 3 is the Georgette Klinger one.

Vitamin C

I've slacked on using Vitamin C in my routine. My skin was fine but when I added Vitamin C back into my routine, it really made a difference. My skin was much brighter and even clearer. I've used a couple of products from Serious Skincare that I've talked about before. I used the Serious Skincare Vitamin C Ester Pads in the morning. I used the Serious Skincare Super Mel C Antioxidant Rich Beauty Cocktail both morning and night. The Bolden Brightening Moisturizer SPF 30 is a newcomer to my routine. ThisThatBeauty talked about on Instagram and I was curious so I picked it from their website and their mask up. Their SPF contains Vitamin C and antioxidants. It melts into the skin, doesn't leave a white cast and it's moisturizing but doesn't make me greasy. I definitely plan on repurchasing it once I use it and a couple of other SPFs I have up.

Nivea Essentially Enriched Body Lotion

This a past favorite that I decided to pick up again. I was talking to my friend recently that I'm kind of over pricey body products. This is very moisturizing but not greasy and leaves a nice sheen/glow to the skin. I love the almond oil in it. I've also been using this on my hands. I ordered this online from Target. Can I just say that Target has been my go to lately for picking up everyday items! When I can't get to to the store, I've been ordering online. Their shipping has gotten a lot better. It's just about as good as Amazon. And the Target Red Card comes in handy with free shipping and 5% off. I have the debit card.

Jamaican Mango & Lime Jamaican Black Castor Oil

I've been eyeing Jamaican Black Castor Oil (JBCO) off and on for years but never tried it. I picked up a couple of bottles from Sally Beauty when they were on sale. I picked up peppermint and eucalyptus. Both smell amazing and I've enjoyed using both on my hair and scalp. I've also mixed them in my conditioner and deep conditioner. I picked up coconut from Target and I have been using that just on my hair. It also smells amazing, moisturized my hair and makes it soft and shiny. If you are looking for an amazing inexpensive hair oil then check out JBCO. I've also picked up JBCO Hair Food from another brand and I've enjoyed that as well.

Farmacy Green Clean Makeup Meltaway Cleansing Balm

These long products names! This has been in and out of my Sephora cart for a while now. I finally grabbed it during the Sephora sale. This cleansing balm is fantastic! FANTASTIC!! This is hands down one of the best cleansing balms I have used. It smells nice, it's not heavy or makes my skin feel greasy and it's gets all my makeup off! I know Farmacy runs sales and promos on their site. So I will definitely check them out so I can grab more once I get low on it.

Revlon Kiss Balm in Tropical Coconut

I have raved about the exfoliating balm. So I went to see what other balms are available in this line. When I saw a coconut one with SPF I said SOLD!! I'm always on the hunt for the "perfect" lip balm with SPF for daytime. This one is good! It's moisturizing but not too moisturizing that it interferes with lip liner application and whatever other lip products I throw on top of it. I've worn it on its own as well and I don't get that white film line I can get with other lip balms. I got it from Target. The next time I'm in store or place an online order I'm grabbing two more.

CeraVe Moisturizing Cream

I've been curious about this cream and picked it up from Ulta. I really really like it. It moisturizing and soothing on my skin. I may go back and grab the travel sized bottle.

Juicy Couture Viva La Juicy Pure Parfum Spray

I picked up the Juicy Couture Viva La Juicy Pure Parfum and Body Creme Set from HSN when it was a Today's Special. I soooooo did not need this! I have another bottle already. This is the pure parfum and the scent it is supposed to last longer *shrugs* LOL! Bottom line I'm sucker. Auto ship was available so of course I went for that option. The bottle is limited edition and it is so pretty! I hadn't worn this scent in a while and I forgot how much I enjoy it. I've also picked up the rollerball for travel. It's a good everyday, year round scent.

Mented Cosmetics Semi-Matte Lipstick in Brand Nude

I talked about their palette back in my September/October Hit List but have not talked about the lipsticks. These are so good. I love the semi matte formula. It's long wearing and not drying. Brand Nude is described as a deeply pigmented tan shade. It's pretty much the perfect brown nude. I almost have all over their semi-matte lipsticks. I think I'm missing two and will pick those up. I'm not sure if I'm going to do a 2018 favorites. If I was these lipsticks would definitely be on the list.

Mented Cosmetics Matte Lipstick in Red Rover

Mented launched matte red lipsticks and of course I haaaaad to have them right? They had a set with all 3, so that's what I grabbed. I've only worn one so far and that's Red Rover. Red Rover is described as a deep red with blackberry undertones and it is beautiful! Their matte formula is very similar to their semi-matte formula.

OPI Nutcracker Collection

These were my go do nail polishes in December. I enjoyed all 4. I picked up Tinker, Thinker, Winker? (sparkling silver), Dazzling Dew Drop (shimmering glimmering gold), Black to Reality (dark daring red) and Envy the Adventure (lovely luscious green). I got a lot of compliments when I wore Tinker, Thinker, Winker? and Dazzling Dew Drop. If you're looking for something for New Years or special occasion nail polishes then check these two out.

Ocean's 8

I could have mentioned this in my last post. I did see this at the movies with my mom and really enjoyed. So I knew I was going to get the DVD when it was released. Lately I've been getting Blu-ray with a digital copy. I also watched this on the plane coming home from Florida. I actually have this on in the background while I'm working on this post. Love the cast of characters, the story line, the music in the movie, pretty much everything. I'm curious if there's going to be a sequel.

A downer is that Serious Skincare is no longer being sold on HSN! Gah! They haven't given any updates on what shopping channel they're going to. It's not like there are a ton of options. I've only shopped on their site maybe twice. HSN had the better deals. So we shall see if they'll continue to be in my skin care routine. I have back ups of my favorite items so I should be good for a while.

I know this year has been kind of lackluster and I'm not sure what next year will bring. We shall see. Thanks for following me along! I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday and has a fantastic New Year!

September/October 2018 Hit List

Hey. Hey there. How ya doing? Can you believe that it is November! All I can do is shake my head. I couldn't get my act together to get my September favorites up then October came and went. Today was the day to get this post done or it wasn't going to happen! So now you get  two months of favorites.  Let's get to it!

L'Oreal Infallible Lip Paints

I mentioned picking up Nude Star last year. I picked up more shades and some were gifted to me. I hadn't used them in a while and decided to pull all the shades I had out when I was attempting to destash various lip products. Well these aren't going anywhere. These are some awesome lippies. The feel good on the lips, they don't dry my lips out and the color range is awesome. If you're looking for a long wearing lippie at the drugstore then check these out. I have some additional shades I want to pick up.

Sally Hansen Cuticle Oil

I got this in one the those Allure beauty boxes and it has been sitting. I finally cracked it open and I really like it. It's not greasy and it absorbs in my cuticles nicely. I also like that it a a brush applicator. It makes it easy to apply.

ColourPop Lippie Stix in Thousand Percent

I can't remember what made me pick this shade up but can I tell you I love it! I could wear this shade everyday. I took it with me on my last work trip. It is described as a rich chocolate cherry. This shade is also super long wearing. Check out the swatches of it on their website!

Makeup Revolution Reloaded Palette in Velvet Rose

One of my YouTube favs Jennifer Wan mentioned this palette. It's very inexpensive at $7, so I said why not and grabbed it from Ulta. On the Makeup Revolution website, the shades in the palette are described as "essential beiges and browns, multi-functional shimmery golds, burgundy hues and an ultra pigmented black with a copper glitter twist". I've really enjoyed this palette and it sparked me to purchase additional Reloaded palettes. I was very tempted to travel with this palette but I opted to take their all matte palette which I was kind of leery about but ended up really liking it as well. If there's a certain color scheme you want to try but you don't want to spend a whole lot on a palette then definitely check these palettes out.

LORAC Front of the Line PRO Liquid Eyeliner

If you have been following me for a while you know that a dark brown liquid eyeliner has been my go to. Since I haven't found a replacement for a previous favorite, I have been reaching for my LORAC liquid liner which is a past favorite. I've been liking the look of black liquid liner more and more. This one is easy to apply and lasts all day. I pick it up from Ulta when it's on sale for $10 and grab two of them.

Breathable Nail Polishes

If you've noticed, I haven't done a lot of nail polish posts. For whatever reason my nails have taken a beating over the last few months. I'm still painting them with regular nail polish but I have been reaching for various breathable nail polishes from Julep and Essie. With these polishes you get a hint of color on your nails and treatment. I've been using these for my mid week polish change. Or if I don't have a look going on then I'll reach for one of these. The super size Julep polishes I got from QVC. The Essie polishes I picked up from Ulta.

Mented Cosmetics Everyday Eyeshadow Palette

One of my makeup up loving Sorority sisters introduced me to this brand. I've been following them on Instagram. I've picked up several lipsticks and glosses. So of course I was curious abut the palette. When I got it in the mail I was surprised by the size. It's bigger than I expected which isn't a bad thing. It's only nine shades but it's just enough for a neutral palette. I feel like in the larger neutral palettes shades can be redundant. The shades are pigmented and easy to blend. My favorite is the dark matte brown Brown Out. Surprise surprise. I've enjoyed this on its own but I've enjoyed it more using it with other palettes. It's a good companion palette. The only downside is that the shade names are printed on a separate piece of card stock.

Urban Decay Naked Palette

This palette right here! I had the original (with the double ended eyeliner), got rid of it, saw that it was being discontinued, repurchased it then had buyer's remorse. Phew! When I received this in the mail I was excited but then I was tempted to return it since I've been on a clear out my makeup stash kit (which I'm kind of getting over). I used it a few times and remembered why I liked this palette so much but was still tempted to return it. The more I used it, I said nope I'm keeping it. It's a great mix of neutral shades and I've used it with other palettes which I never did previously and it made me like it more. So yay for having this back in my stash! I still feel like we're getting played and it's not really being discontinued.

MAC Nevermore Lip Pencil

This lip pencil was in the MAC Aaliyah collection and I didn't purchase it at first. One of my friends raved about it. MAC described it as black. My friend described it as a cross between Chestnut (intense brown) and Currant (intense reddish-purple). Her description had me intrigued so I picked it. When I applied it, the dark lippie lover in me swooned! It is perfection! If you are a dark lippe lover you NEED this in your arsenal! I've already purchased 2 back ups and I rarely purchase back ups anymore. It is smooth, creamy, pigmented and long wearing. I don't own any other MAC lip pencils but now I'm curious about some of the longstanding iconic shades that everyone raves about. So we'll see if more end up in my stash.

ColourPop Ultra Glossy Lip - Shayla x ColourPop

I have both of the glosses from Makeup Shayla's ColourPop collections but I hadn't really used them. I reached for Drippin' on a day where I was doing a makeup no makeup look of sorts. Drippin's is described as a soft peach with gold & silver glitter. It is BOMB with a brown lip liner. I kinda want a back up of Drippin' but I don't really need one. If it's ever discontinued, I'm getting another one. So then I reached for Neat Freak. It is described as a peachy champagne with pink & gold glitter. It is super pretty as well. Both of these would make great topper glosses. I had looked at some more expensive glosses and said NOPE! I'm fine with these. I may check out some other Ultra Glossy Lip shades. These feel great on the lips too.

Julep Length Matters Buildable Lengthening Mascara

I ordered the Julep 4-Piece Fall Beauty Basics collection when it was a QVC Beauty IQ Steal. Of the 4 pieces, the Length Matters Mascara is the product that stood out the most. This mascara kind of reminds me of Tarte's Maneater mascara. The applicator is plastic which is my favorite mascara applicator and it is has short bristles. It really defines, lengthens and curls my lashes. I've enjoyed it on its own or as a first coat mascara and then layer another mascara on top of it. I would definitely repurchase it.

philosophy The Present

This was my go to primer. I've repurchased it many times. I had an oh no moment when I thought it was going to be discontinued. At some point while using this, my makeup just didn't look right. So I stop using it. I was so bummed. I reached for it again to see what was what. If I was still having issues with it then I was going to toss it. Well we're back in business! My makeup is going on nicely and lasts with this primer. I don't know what the issue was but I'm glad I tried it again.

Let's see what the rest of November brings! I'm hoping not a lot new wise because I need to pump the breaks on my beauty spending. We'll see how that goes bahahahaaa!!

August 2018 Hit List

Can someone please tell me where Summer went? I am looking forward to Fall as always but after that comes Winter *sigh*. I hate Winter!

Here are my favorites for August. Some of these items came with me on my work trip to Chicago.

IT Cosmetics Miracle Water

I picked this up from QVC when they had a Today's Special Value (which I did order but I sent it back). What intrigued me about this product is that is a 3 in 1. It's skin-brightening radiance booster, anti-aging treatment essence and skin-softening micellar cleanser. I've mainly been using during my evening skin routine and I LOVE IT! It gets any extra dirt and makeup off my face, my skin has been brighter with continued use and my skin is super soft after using it. I'm always looking for something to brighten my skin and I've been wanting to add an essence to my routine. It's an easy product to incorporate into your routine. I also love the water like consistency. This month I have been using "thinner" products like this and I have really been enjoying them. Of course I opted for auto delivery. It also can with a mini Secret Sauce moisturizer but I have not tried it yet.

Erborian Bamboo Matte Lotion

This is another "thin" product that I have added to my morning skin care routine. A friend was nice enough to pass this along to me. It is available at Sephora. I have been eyeing a matte face primer from this brand. This product combined with the next product below has done wonders for my foundation application. My skin in smooth and nicely matte not dried out. When I was in Chicago even my boss mentioned that my makeup looked good. I was like well then! I plan on repurchasing this product during the VIB sale in November.

Luzern La Defense Urban Protect Daily Moisturizer

I thought I had talked about this before but apparently not. Another product that my friend passed along to me. It can be purchased from their website. I've mainly used this when I travel for a daytime moisturizer and I forgot how much I really like it. It protects your skin from all the bad stuff we encounter everyday like pollution and such. It absorbs nicely into the skin and I feel like mattfies, smooths and plumps out my skin. It feels perfectly moisturized. So this combined with the Erborian Bamboo Matte Lotion...HELLO! As much as I love it I highly doubt I'll purchase it when I'm done mainly due to the cost. I mean it's $85! But never say never. Stranger things have happened.

Tarte Tarlette in Bloom Palette

I went back and forth on what palette to travel with and I settled on this one. This is an awesome palette for travel. I think it's the third time I've traveled with it. It's super easy to use and I had no trouble with my looks lasting all day. Also the dark matte shades in this palette are everything! I think this may be my go to palette for travel.

Urban Decay Darkhorse Eyeshadow

I took the Urban Decay Rollergirl palette with me to Chicago mainly for one eyeshadow. I used Darkhorse a lot. It's the perfect dark brown eyeshadow. It's described as a deep mocha . I'm tempted to get in a single shadow. Or repurchase the original Naked palette I destashed since the palette is being discontinued and is currently on sale. I could wear a dark brown eye look everyday and be happy.

MAC Blush in Notable and Raizin

If you've been following me along these two blushes have been long time favorites. Both are matte blushes Notable is muted brick rose color. It's hands down my favorite pink blush. Raizin is golden reddish-brown. These two blushes go with almost any look that I do.

ColourPop Bardot Blush

I just mentioned this blush last month. I was about to put it away but still kept reaching for it in August. I may leave in rotation come Fall. I think it'll pair nicely with my favorite dark lippies! It is described as rusty red copper

Urban Decay Vice Lipstick & Hi-Fi Shine Lipgloss in Rapture

These two were impulse buys while I was in Chicago. I forgot my Beso lipgloss that I also talked about last month. So I was going to buy another gloss. Sephora doesn't carry Beso. So instead of walking out of the store, I picked up not one but two new lippies *head palm*. Rapture is described as a dusty rose (lipstick) and rose mauve (lipgloss) and it is beautiful! I pretty much wore this lippie the entire week. I paired with a purple line and a berry liner and it looked good with both. I may have finally ordered Backtalk during the recent Sephora Insider Appreciation sale too *twirls*.

OLEHENRIKSEN Balance It All™ Essentials Set

This more of a surprise item vs favorite. I picked this set up from Sephora. I had a sample of the cleanser and I really liked it. I got this set to get more of the cleanser and to try the toner and moisturizer. I used these products on a super hot day were I was sweating a lout. Also I went to Sunday brunch and the AC in the restaurant I was in didn't seem to be working or due to the huge windows letting in all the sunlight in overtook the AC. I thought I would be a greasy mess when I got home but I wasn't! I was shocked. I did use another serum and SPF with these items but then didn't interfere with the OLEHENRIKSEN products. I'm going to pull this set back out and use it in September since it's still hot out.

And there you have it. A nice mix of products for the month. Let's see what September brings!

Here's the view from my room in Chicago.

July 2018 Hit List

Here are my favorites for July!

Urban Skin Rx Even Tone Cleansing Bar

I hadn't used this in a while then one of my favs, ThisThatBeauty mentioned loving it in a blog post and it remind me to pull it back out. My skin was all over the place in July and this helped get me back right. I had more breakouts in July than usual and with breakouts come dark marks. This helped clear these marks up and brighten my skin overall. I also would use it as a mask and leave it on for a few minutes before rinsing it off my face. I want to try their clear skin cleansing bar. I may pick that up in the next month or so. So if you skin needs some brightening check this cleansing bar out. The line is now at Target.

Serious Skincare Mega Force Liquid Exfoliant

This is another product I added back into my skin care rotation that helped get my skin back right. This liquid exfoliant helped get dirt and dead skin off my face along with keeping it smooth. Getting dead skin of face helps with those pesky dark marks and helps to brighten the skin. It also has Salicylic Acid which helps my skin when it comes to breakouts. This bad boy will not be put to the side again!

Clinique Dramatically Different Hydrating Jelly

I've been curious about this ever since seeing crystalis007 mention it on her Instagram page. I read several reviews saying this is great for oily and combination skin needing moisture. After using it I totally agree! It is lightweight and sinks right into the skin but doesn't make my skin feel greasy. I got this size as gift with purchase from Sephora. But this size is available to purchase for $5! There are two other sizes available as well. If you skin is craving moisture then check this out.

L'Oreal Brow Stylist Shape & Fill in Brunette

I went to Ulta to the L'Oreal Brow Stylist Definer which is my new favorite brow pencil. I thought I mentioned it recently but I guess I haven't. I accidentally picked up the L'Oreal Brow Sytlist Shape & Full and I was like oh ok! I really like it! I have thick brows and I feel like sometimes I can over do it with a thinner brow pencil. A few quick swipes of these and I'm down and my brow looks natural which I love! So score for picking up the wrong product LOL!

ColourPop Bardot Blush

ColourPop has gotten quite a bit of my money this year. This blush was  on sale then ColourPop sent a 20% off on sale items and I said why not. It is described as rusty red copper and I wore this blush a lot in July. It an easy to wear blush. I slapped it on and had the prettiest color and glow on my cheeks. It's perfect for summer and I can't wait to wear in the fall with some dark lippies!

Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask

This product has made the rounds on YouTube and Instagram. Everyone has raved about it. I finally picked up to try for myself from Sephora but then it sat. I forgot I bought it *head palm*. Once I remembered I had it, it went into my evening skincare routine. It is so good! It's not sticky or greasy. I wake up in the morning and my lips are soft, plump and hydrated! On weekends when I'm bumming around the house during the day I'll throw this on my lips.The only downside it I don't like that it's in a jar. Other than that it's great!

Urban Decay Hi-Fi Shine Ultra Cushion Lip Gloss in Beso

I was curious about some of the pink glosses in this line. My makeup loving sorority sister raved about this shade. It's her go to and she buys multiples of it at a time. I was like well let me check this one out. I'm so glad I did. I love it! It is described as a deep pink-mauve cream. It's a little darker than my natural lip color. It's not too much color for day time yet perfect as a nighttime lippie too. I've raved about the formula in previous post. I may check out Backtalk next which crystalis007 has raved about.

Buxom Lip Polishes and Creams

Recently I picked up Crystal (berry which really in purple *shurgs*), Margaret (mocha rapture) and Blushing Margarita (lip cream - rosy nude). Lately if I top a lipstick with a gloss, a Buxom one is what I am reaching for. I also love wearing these on their own with a lip liner. I think it's safe to say that these are my #1 favorite. If  could own all of them I probably would but there are like a 100 of them. So yea I don't think that's happening lol!! I have however been looking at the shade selection and any holes I want to fill in my lip gloss stash. So let's see what other colors I pick up! *twirls*

And now on to the not so favorites.

Maybelline Fit Matte + Poreless Foundation in Truffle 362

I was going to mention this last month but forgot. A lot of people have raved about this foundation. So I was excited to try it especially when they added more shades to the line. I snagged this from Walgreens when I had some reward dollars. It applied nicely and when I was done with my face it looked nice. However this did not keep me matte or poreless throughout the day. I tried it with various primers and powders I had on hand and it just did not look good at the end of the day. I was a greasy mess and it emphasized my pores. So this is a definite no go for me.

L'Oreal Infallible Pro Matte Liquid Lipstick 

I picked up two of these lippies in their new Les Chocolats line from Ulta. I got the shades 70% Yum (dark chocolate) and Box O Chocolate (pinky brown nude) They smell really good and that's the only good thing about them. I was so excited about 70% Yum and it was terrible! It was on patchy and I knew it would look like a hot mess by the end of the day. I layered the Buxom gloss in Sarina over top and it saved it. Box O Chocolate wasn't as bad since it a lighter shade. It's a kinda weird shade. I went heavy on using a brown lip liner and I also topped it with a gloss. I think used Buxon's Blushing Margarita. Adding a gloss defeats the purpose of wearing a liquid lipstick and I do love a matte lip. But adding a gloss also saved my lips because the formula is super drying and not comfortable to wear. So I say skip these. There are much better liquid lipstick formulas out there.

July was fun playing around this and that. On to August!

June 2018 Hit List

Finally just one month of favorites! Here's what made the list in June.

OLEHENRIKSEN Find Your Balance™ Oil Control Cleanser

I got deluxe sample size of this cleanser as a point perk from Sephora. This is a really nice cleanser. I've used mainly in the morning. I love the minty scent and the tingle. Once I rinse it off my face doesn't feel completely stripped of moisture. The other items I apply on my skin after sink right in. Also throughout the day my skin didn't seem as oily. Now I'm curious about the other items in this line. I would definitely repurchase this cleanser.

Lancome Teint Idole Ultra Longwear Makeup Stick SPF 21

Back in November 2016, I mentioned I was done with this foundation when it broke off. Wellllll lol! I had a Sephora gift card that helped offset part of the cost. This is a pricey foundation. So I decided to give it another go. It was favorite and I really did like the foundation. I was just irritated with the "delivery system". This time around I have been very careful with it. This is such an easy foundation to use. Swipe it, blend it and go! I love the finish. Your skin looks like skin. You do't look made up. Let's hope that this one doesn't break off.

OPI Cajun Shrimp

I haven't talked my about nail polish lately. I was going to do a post on some recent favoritism. I still might. I randomly grabbed this polish when I was looking for a bright pink polish. This is definitely not pink lol. It's a very pretty bright coral shade and I love it against my skin tone. I wore it several times in June which you know means it's a favorite. I definitely want to wear this on my toes for my next pedicure.

belief The True Cream Aqua Bomb

I got this from Sephora as a point perk or a gift with purchase. I can't remember which one. This has be on my loves list for a while now. So I was excited to try it in a deluxe sample size first. You get a nice amount of product in this size 0.33 fl oz. I think I have been using it for 2 or 3 weeks and there's' still a good amount of product left. If I can grab another one then I will for my travel bag. This is a gel moisturizer and I've had good results using gel skincare items. This sinks right into my skin, it kind of mattifies my skin and helps keep my oil at bay during the day. It's the right balance of moisture for my oily skin. It also plays well with whatever SPF I put on top of it. I have not used this at night yet. If you're an oily girl looking for a good moisturizer then check this one out. There also a version (The True Cream Moisturizing Bomb) for drier skin that has good reviews. I'm curious to check out to use as a night cream. I will definitely purchase a full size of the Aqua Bomb.

MAC Aaliyah Collection

I know this collection just came out but I love it and I'm already plotting on what backups I'm going to get. Not like I really "need" them but that's not the point LOL! I got everything except the Follow Your Heart lip liner. I loved Aaliyah and was absolutely crushed when she died. So when I heard a collection was coming, I was so excited. If anything has caught your eye in this collection then get it! I would recommend Hot Like... lipstick. It's a fantastic red lipstick. I'd also recommend Li Li's Motor City lipglass. It is the perfect coral colored lip gloss. I also really like the Age Ain't Nothing eyeshadow palette. It's tiny but is a great mix of shades that'll take you from day to night. Now let me finalize my backup shopping list!

Childish Gambino - This is America

 

Courtesy of YouTube/Vevo

I haven't mentioned a song in a while. This song is one I've had on repeat in the car. I mean on repeat for my whole commute going to work. I heard it when he performed on Saturday Night Live. The video however is what brings the song together. The imagery in it is pretty intense. I've only watched the video 2 or 3 times. It's a lot to take in. If you have not heard the song then check it out.

Short and sweet! Now on to my birthday month! *twirls*

May 2018 Hit List

Let;s talk about some May favorites! This was almost an all drugstore favorites for May bit a couple of high end products snuck in there. Here they are!

Covergirl Queen Major Shade Liquid Lipsticks

I picked up two shades in Rebel and Cake Walk from Amazon. I was moved to order after seeing a tweet from Covergirl showing Cake Walk on a brown skinned woman and it looked gorgeous! Rebel I randomly got. Both are nude shades. I thought Rebel would be darker but it's the perfect my lips but better color. It's a mauvey nude. Cake Walk it a peachy nude. I definitely want to pick up more colors.

Black Radiance True Complexion Loose Setting Powder

This is Black Radiance's take on a yellow/banana powder. I wasn't moved to try others but since their True Complexion setting powder is still one of my favorites I decided to give it a try. I have not used this on my entire face. I've used it to set my under eye concealer which I really don't do. However I have noticed a difference. I feel like my whatever makeup I put on my under eye area (eye liner, eyeshadow and mascara) goes on smoother and lasts longer throughout the day. I picked this up from Target. The Target I went to have a very nice Black Radiance display which I was pleasantly surprised by. Good job Target!

Maybelline Fit Me Loose Finishing Powder in Deep

I picked this powder up from Ulta after I saw crystalis007 rave about it on Instagram. This is a nice powder. It goes on smoothly, it's not cakey and sets my makeup nicely.  If I had to pick between the two I would pick the Cover FX Perfect Setting Powder that I raved about back in January. It's still nice to have a drugstore option. I do prefer the packaging of the Maybelline powder over the Cover FX powder. I feel like it's more secure and product won't spill out.

L'oreal Infallible Pro-Last Waterproof Pencil Eyeliner

I saw several people rave about these new eye pencils from L'Oreal and said why not. I ordered them from Ulta and I got black, brown and grey. These remind me of the Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencils . They go on smoothly and don't move. My oily eyes can appreciate these eyeliners. Of the 3 I reached for the black the most which is surprising since I'm a brown eyeliner girl. I may pick up the other 3 shades (Cobalt Blue, Nude and Purple)

Juvia's Place Palette The Festival Palette

When I saw this palette I mentioned to my friend that some of these shadows would be good blush shades. So this is a favorite as blush and not as an eyeshadow palette. I used the shades Izafa (red) and Iri Ji (bright pink) and they were gorgeous on the cheeks. I didn't get around to using Ofala (orange) but I will before the summer is over. Now I need look at the other Juvia's place palettes in my stash and see what other eyeshadows would make good blush shades.

Bobbi Brown Bronzing Powder in Deep

If you've been around long enough then you'd remember that the Bronzing Powder in Deep Chocolate was my holy grail bronzer. The shade was limited edition and it was never re-released much to my dismay. My friend and I were chatting about the bronzer and I said ok let me try the Deep shade and it's really nice. Its very pretty, not too much and it's very natural looking. So yay! Still wish they would do Deep Chocolate again LOL!

COSRX Oil-Free Ultra-Moisturizing Lotion with Birch Sap

A friend was nice enough to pass this along to me. I used it a few times when I first got and I wasn't sure how I felt about it. I used it again recently at night time with some Drunk Elephant items and I really really like it. It's not a heavy moisturizer. It feels silky going on and it's just the amount of hydration for my skin. It plays well with other moisturizers and face oils too. I think this may too moisturizing for me to use in the daytime but I may play around with it some more as a day time moisturizer. I have seen this on Ulta's website and Amazon. I definitely plan on purchasing this when I use this bottle up.

Lancome Blush Subtil Shimmer in Sunset Coral

The is a blush that has been in and out of my giveaway pile. It's a very pretty deep coral shade and I have reached for it a lot in June. The shimmer is subtle so your cheek doesn't look like a glitter bomb, I also love the simple sleek packaging. I purchased this brand new from a blog sale a long time ago. I don't see the shade listed on Lancome's site. So I guess its been discontinued. Not like I need more blush but I'm curious about their other blush shades. All of them look very pretty *covers eyes*.

And there you have it. Let's see what June brings. I already started the post. Let's see if I can get this one up before mid-June. HAAA!!

March/April 2018 Hit List

I was all set to do my March favorites and then I kept using a lot of the items into April. Then work travel started back up again and voilà, we have another combined favorites post. Hopefully this will be the last one. Still trying the get my blogging mojo back.

So here it goes!

tarte Maneater Mascara

This has been my go to mascara. I love it on its own and mixing it with Lights, Camera Lashes or the Tarteist Lash Paint mascara. It gives me volume, length and curl. It may be taking the place of  Lights, Camera, Lashes as my favorite tarte mascara *gasp*

Vaseline Intensive Care Cocoa Radiant Lotion

I got this to try out before trying their body butter that I raved about back in November. When I first used it was just ok. I went back to it in March to use up. The more I used it, the more I liked it on my body and hands. My skin can get really dry and itchy especially in the cooler months. This lotion helped keep my skin happy! I've already purchased another bottle and I also picked up their oil. I think I have found my go to body moisturizer products! Yay!

L'Oreal La Palette Nude 1 & 2

These two palettes have been on the chopping block for a while now. When I added them to the rotation to use and I really enjoyed using them. These two palettes are super easy to use and I think they're great for everyday looks. My eye looks just looked good without a whole lot of effort. I've really been into simple looks lately. I debated on traveling with #1 palette for work. I know people have crapped on these two palettes but I think they're really good. The eyeshadows are pigmented, smooth and easy to blend. They are pricey for drugstore BUT L'Oreal is on sale all time and you can use rewards dollars that your favorite drugstore offers. So check these out.

MAC Extra Dimension Pleasure Model Blush

This blush is described as a "soft terracotta with pearl". I always reach for this blush once the weather gets warmer. Even though now it seems like the weather doesn't know what it wants to do lol. Since I have been wearing warmer nude lippes this is the perfect blush to wear. It's an easy blush to wear. It's not too much but a nice bit of warmth on your cheeks.

Essie Good to Go Top Coat

I'm always up to try a new quick dry top coat. I picked this up from Ulta and I do like it. I like that it doesn't make my nail polish shrink. I've noticed this with some other quick dry top coats. It hasn't gotten goopy on me either. I would definitely repurchase it.

Creme of Nature Argan Oil Leave-in Conditioner

This was a random Target purchase. I've been looking a product to replace Wen's Replenishing Treatment Mist. I've used this on my hair wet and try and I really like. I've already purchase another bottle. On dry hair it's a good refresher and on wet hair it's a good detangler and it gives my hair the extra moisture it desperately needs. I have my eye on some other products I want to try in this line.

Pantene Gold Series Intense Hydrating Oil

After speaking with a friend about this line, I picked up the oil and the deep conditioner and the butter cream. Of the three items I've tried the oil is my favorite. It's good stuff! It's thicker than most hair oils I used. I would say it's more like a serum. It's very hydrating but doesn't make my hair greasy. Any time I see a deal or coupon I scoop up another bottle.

Suave Professionals Coconut Oil Infusion Damage Repair Shampoo & Conditioner

Another friend recommendation. A lot of coconut hair products do a number on my hair. My hair ends up dry and brittle. This was not the case with this shampoo and conditioner! I've used the conditioner more like a deep conditioner and my hair loves it! My hair is soft and more manageable after using these products. Also you cannot beat the price. I scooped these up from Target and I believe they were $2.99 each. I'm sure your can find them cheaper at other stores but Target is my jam lol. I'm curious about the other shampoo and conditioners in the Infusions line. Also the Suave coconut body lotion was a fav of mine back in the day. I love the scent.

Palmer's Ultra Gentle Facial Cleansing Oil

I think I have found my favorite drugstore cleansing oil! Woohoo! I think I saw this on Instagram then took to Walgreens to see if I could find it. What I like about this oil is that it's not super thick and it doensn't take forever to rinse off.

Palmer's Micro Fine Exfoliating Facial Scrub

Pick this up with the cleansing oil. I use this after I was my face and my face feels so soft,, smooth and looks brighter. Whatever serums and moisturizers I use afterwards sick right into my skin. Also this is not an abrasive scrub. The beads in it are very fine and do not feel harsh on the skin. I think the "base" of the scrub helps to which is nice and creamy.

Urban Decay Hi-Fi Shine Lip Gloss

I have 4 of these glosses. I was gifted 3 in Jawbreaker, Snapped and Shadowheart. I picked up 1993 with a recent 20% off coupon at Ulta. These are so good I want more *head palm*. They go on nicely on the lip, nicely pigmented and feel good on the lips. There isn't much more that you can ask for from a lip gloss. They have a slight minty tingle to the lips but it's not uncomfortable. Think I may check out a pinky nude or maybe a red *shifty eyes*

And a quick mention. I've been eyeing the brand Elemis for a while now. During my work trip I picked up this set that was on sale at a spa. I used the item while I was away and I thoroughly enjoyed both the cleansing balm and the moisturizer. I keep eyeballing QVC for a good set to pick up.

One items I did not like is the Studio 35 Beauty Brush & Sponge Cleaner. I actually picked this up from Walgreens back in January during my work trip. I forgot my alcohol that I used to spot clean my brushes. I picked this up and it did the job for the most part to spot clean my brushes but it's "technically" not for spot cleaning brushes. When I got back home I did use it twice as a brush cleaner. I feel like you have to use a lot of product to get the brushes I used for foundation, concealer and face powder clean. Then for giggles I went back and used the Dawn dish soap that I typically used to clean my brushes and there was still product coming out after using the Studio 35 cleaner. Also I feel that it's pricey. I think it was $8. I know it's cheaper than brush cleansers you find at Ulta or Sephora but compared to Dawn dish soap I can get for $1, it's pricey.

And a quick update to my recent palette obsession play. After using the L'Oreal palettes, the MUA palette was just ok to me and I'm just going to toss it. I've had it for a while. So there's no point in passing it along to someone. I went back and forth about the Dose of Colors Marvelous Mauves palette. At first I was like no I didn't like it but then I ended up liking the two looks I did with it. But again I went back to the L'Oreal palettes. Specifically the purple/pink tones and I thought about other shadows I already have. I did use one of my Laura Mercier palettes with it as well. I wanted to be able to use it on it's own. So it went back to Ulta and I exchange it for another palette. You'll see what in my next palette obsessions post.

Phew this was a long one! Let's see what May brings.

January/February 2018 Hit List

Different name but still talking about favorites. Some months I have more than 5 items I want to talk about. Some months there maybe only 2 things I want to talk about. And since February is almost out the door, I decided to go ahead and combine January and February. Hopefully this won't be too long.

Here's what made the list for January and February!

Bath & Body Works Exfoliating Hang Soap in Toasted Vanilla Chai

I picked this up during the semi-annual sale at the end of last year. This hand soap is expensive! It's $7 and it was half off which is still a lot. But I had a coupon and a gift card. It smells really good and I love the exfoliation in it. It made my hand super soft. I would get it again when it's on sale and I can add a coupon. I'm just sayin!

Drunk Elephant Beste™ No. 9 Jelly Cleanser

A friend was nice enough to give this to me to try. I joked with her watch I'm going to like it since it's pricey. She has raved about this cleanser. I have it in the old packaging. It's available at Sephora and the price tag for this cleanser is $34. Sure enough I really like it. It's a gel cleanser and gel cleansers have been my favorite lately. I've used it morning and evening. It cleanses your skin without stripping it and my face feels nice and smooth after using. I said I was going to repurchase it when I used it up, but my cleanser stash is not lacking right now lol. I also like how the Drunk Elephant line doesn't have a ton of products. It's a well curated skin care line. I'm debating on taking it with me for my next work trip.

Neutral Eyeshadow Palettes
Laura Mercier Artist Palette, Bobbi Brown Chocolate Palette, Mally Nude Attitude Palette

Nude/neutral eyeshadow looks have been my go to for January and February. They're just easy when you just want to look pulled together and get out the door in a decent amount of time. Don't get me wrong I still love colorful eye looks but this has what I've been reaching for lately. The Laura Mercier palette kicked it off. I took it with my on a work trip I had in January. This palette will be a forever favorite. The Bobbi Brown palette is a past favorite that I hadn't reached for and debated on when I was clearing out products. It doesn't look like much but it's so pretty on the eyes. They are nude/naked shadows that I can wear. Similar palettes that have come out are so light that the shades don't show up against my skin tone. I don't have that issue with this palette. I hinted at the Mally palette in a previous post when I mentioned playing around with her palettes. It's an awesome palette with warm and cool neutrals along with Slate and Carbon to do a classic smokey eye.

Vaseline Deep Moisture Vitamin E Petroleum Jelly Cream

One of my favorite beauty folks The Style and Beauty Doctor mentioned this product on her blog and Instagram. I looked in various stores and could not find it. I found it on Amazon and I had it saved in my cart for a while. I saw this 4.5oz tube on Target's website and said let me try it in this size first. I used it on my body and I did like. I LOVED it as a hand cream! I'm very picky about what I use on my hands. It absorbs nicely and it's not greasy. The size is perfect for travel. I already have another tube in my Target cart right now. I think I've tried the Petroleum Jelly Cream that's at The Dollar Tree. The next time I'm in there I want to double check and see where it's made.

The Body Shop Body Mist in Shea

I randomly reached for this one morning and it has been my go to scent for the last couple of months. It's described as a subtle, sweet, nutty scent. I picked mine up from Ulta. I forgot to snap a pic of  this *head palm*. Google is your friend LOL!!!!!!

Nude Lippies
MAC Strip Me Down, Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb in Fenty Glow, Maybelline Vivid Hot Lacquer in Unreal, Neutrogena Moisture Smooth Color Stick in Berry Brown

Along with neutral/nude eye looks, neutral lippies have been my go to the last couple of months. Nude lippies used to scare me. There's been a lot of trial and error but this mix of lippies I feel comfortable in wearing. Also I can put them on and forget about them. They were nice throughout the day and I don't feel the need to check on them or reapply.

Lip Combo - MAC Viva Glam Taraji P. Henson II & Buxom Lipgloss in Sarina

When I saw the MAC Viva Glam Taraji II lippies I was like of meh about them. I'm funny when it comes to bronze and metallic shades on my lips. One of my friends has both the lipstick and lipglass and they are her go to. I randomly saw it and searched for and could not find it anywhere. So I instantly have FOMO (fear of missing out). So I keep searching about found the lipstick on Belk's website. I could find the gloss anywhere. When I got my hands on it I wore the lipstick alone and it was fine. I looked through my stash and decide to pair it with Buxom's Sarina and was like yeeessssss! This lip combo has been a quick go to. It's bronzey chocolatey goodness! The lipstick is described as a deep coppery brown with gold pearl shade. Sarina is described as a chocolate sparkle.

MAC Viva Glam Sia

I usually have a red lippie that I'll have in rotation for a while. MAC Viva Glam Sia is matte and is described as a bright yellow red. I picked mine up from Ulta.

Cover FX Perfect Setting Powder in Deep

I picked this up at Ulta during their 21 Days of Beauty. It has been the powder that I have constantly been reaching for and I like it so much that I am going to pick up the pressed version for travel. It sets whatever foundation I use nicely and my skin just looks good. It also helps keep my oil at bay during the day. Hey that rhymes lol! It's good powder. Check it out if you're looking for a new one.

Mini Happy Planner

I have talked about planner stuff much but I'm still a full blown planner addict LOL! I decided to the give the mini happy planner a go this year. I originally got it for budgeting and money matters. Then I decided to use it as my on the go planner and I love it. It's just enough for me to note what I need to and keep it moving. I also pick a deluxe cover for it and love it as well. I'm debating on using a mini as my main personal planner for 2019. I got another classic happy planner and I still love it. I'm doing more spreads in it that I did last year. But it may be "too much" for me. I using a big happy planner for work and I really like since I have a ton of stuff to note and keep track of. I created an Instagram just for planner stuff. Follow me if it moves ya! Also Me & My Big Ideas just released their 2018-2019 18 month planners. Check them out if you're looking for a new planner!

A couple of products I didn't like are the Silk Elements Luxury Moisturizing Leave-In Hair Creme and the Serious Skincare PLUSH 80K Brush. The hair creme I picked up form Sally Beauty when I was in desperate need of something to moisturize my hair. This creme has honey, shea and silk. Awesome ingredients right? It seems amaze and looks nice and rich. It did absolutely nothing for my hair. It seemed like it dried my hair out even more. I was so disappointed. The face brush from Serious Skincare came with a Today's Special of a trio of their glycolic cleaners. I've see nthe brush before and didn't have an interest to try it. I've tried a couple of times and I'm not a fan. Its battery operated, the brush is small and I'm used to the timing aspect of my Clarisonic. I also like the brush head of my Clarisonic. I may play around with it again. We'll see.

Let's see what's what for March!

2017 Top 5 + Top 3 Brands

When this post came to mind I said ok No waffling or trying something new. I'm sticking to top 10 items and top 3 brands! But then I said ok what's the top 10? I did like a lot of stuff in 2017 but I didn't want to list something for the sake of having 10 items. Then I said ok could I narrow down to 5 items since that's what I did all year. So I really put my thinking cap on and thought I about the 5 items that I felt that I reached for most during the year or something I really had to "force" myself to put away. So here goes nothing!

NYX Lip Liners

NYX lip liner in Espresso was the only lip liner I used fo a long time. Then I jumped on the Colour Pop bandwagon and I did venture out and explored other lip colors. Then I fell out of love with Colour Pop and went back to NYX and I'm staying with NYX. They are easy to sharpen and hold up nicely. NYX has a TON of lip liner colors. I tried several in the Suede Matte line. Club Hopper (deep purple mauve) is probably my number favorite and I wear it with reds, purples, pink and some nudes. I found Downtown Beauty (true brown), a lighter brown lip liner that works better with the nude shades I like to wear. Espresso (deep warm brown) will always will be in my stash. It's the best brown lip liner. And you can't beat the price of NYX lip liners and they are available at a lot of retailers.

IT Cosmetics Vitality Cheek Flush Powder Blush Stain

I mentioned these blushes in my June 2017 Top 5 post. There are only 4 shades in this blush line and it's the perfect mix of shades for any occasion/look. As I've gone through my stash purging items, these blushes I do not touch. They are staying in my collection. The pigmentation and staying power of these blushes are fantastic.

Juicy Couture Viva La Juicy Sucre Eau de Parfum 

I mentioned this fragrance in my February 2017 Top 5 post. This fragrance has stayed on my dresser and I have used on and off all year. I have a sample I got from Sephora just to keep in my makeup bag in my purse. If I had to pick one favorite of the year, this would be it. It a fragrance that's easy to wear and it's not overpowering. It's a fun and flirty scent that can be worn year round. If I ever did a purge of my frgrance stash, this one would be a keeper.

Urban Decay All Nighter Spray

This only got mentioned once in 2017 in a post and it was an empties post. I kept meaning to mention it in a favorites but just forgot. This was the makeup spray I used last year and it was GOOD! De-Slick used to my go to. I got a duo of All Nighter from Ulta (this is the old packaging) when I had a coupon. Every time I used it I was surprised how it set my makeup once I was done applying everything and how my makeup held up through out the day. Once I use up the bottle I have I'm tempted to try the Mattifying Setting Spray from Cover FX since a friend of mine raved about it. But we shall see about that.

Tarte Tartlette Palette

I didn't think I would have a palette favorite for 2017. I can't remember when I picked this up last year but it has stayed within easy reach. I've used it on it's own and paired it with other palettes. I think this is a great all matte palette. I also love the packaging. It's easy to travel with and store. Which has become a big factor in purging eyeshadow palettes from my stash.

Now for the brands!

NYX

This year was the year that NYX make a reappearance of sorts my makeup purchases and routine this year. I purchased palettes, blushes and various lippies. Early on in my makeup days, NYX was brand I checked out a lot and fell off from them. They have a nice variety of products at a decent price point. Their lip liners will STAY in my stash.

Tarte

This brand gets a lot of flack and I get it. I've been disappointed with them in their lack of color range in foundations, concealers and powders. They've added stuff here and there but for now they are still one of my favorite brands. Their Shape Tape concealer is still my holy grail concealer. A lot of their eyeshadow palettes are ones I constantly reach for be it daily makeup looks or travel.

Serious Skincare

This should not be a surprise since a bunch of their items are holy grail in my skincare routine. If you paid attention to my empties and top 5 posts then you saw a lot from Serious Skincare. It's a good no frills band and you can catch awesome deals. My hands down favorite item is the A Force serum.

And there you have it! Tried to keep this short and sweet since it is February and a little late to be talking about 2017 favorites lol!

Let's see what 2018 brings.