February 2019 Out of My Face

Happy March!

I swear February flew in and flew right back out!

Here's what I used up in February.

• Vaseline Intensive Care Cocoa Radiant Body Gel Oil
• Creme of Nature Argan Oil Style & Shine Foaming Mousse
• Dove Advanced Care Invisible Deodarant
• Proclaim Shea Butter
• Elemis Pro-Collagen Cleansing Balm
• Elemis Pro-Collagen Super Serum Elixir
• Catherine Jinn Pro Bio-Placenta Essence
• Juicy Couture Viva La Juicy Viva la Body Cream
• philosophy The Present
• Serious Skincare Glycolic Gommage
• tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes
• Urban Decay 24/7 Eyeliner in Demolition
• Maybelline Total Temptation Brown Definer in Deep
• Revlon Kiss Exfoliating Balm in Sugar Mint
• The Body Show Tea Tree Squeaky Clean Scrub

Not too bad. I didn't think I used this much stuff up. Woohoo!

Let's see how much beauty trash I'll have at the end of March.

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!

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/August 2018 Out of My Face

Hey hey hey. Hi hi hiiiiiiii!

I know things have been lackluster around here with just empties and favorites *shrugs*.  It may change then it may not. I'm still struggling with my beauty self. Yes I'm still buying and trying stuff but I'm also trying to identify go to products and such. And I'm also trying to scale back and get rid of stuff/use what I have. So basically I'm still all over the place lol!

Here is what I've used up for July and August!

• Drunk Elephant Beste Jelly Cleanser
• Serious Skincare Glycolic Extreme Facial Peel 
• Serious Skincare Reverse Sereum
• Serious Skincare  Serious C3 Plasma C Serum
• Serious Skincare Ultra-Mare Serum
• Lancome Advanced Genifique
• Clark's Botanicals Intense Radiance Mask
• Pantene Gold Series Intense Hydrating Oil
• Cosrx Good Morning Cleanser
• Suave Coconut Oil Infusion Damage Repair Shampoo
• Vaseline Intensive Care Cocoa Radiant Lotion
• belif the true cream aqua bomb .33 fl oz
• Drunk Elephant T.L.C. Frambos Glycolic Night Serum 
• Derma E Rejuvenating Sage & Lavender Face Oil
• Ole Henriksen Find Your Balance Oil Control Cleanser
• Bliss Naked Body Butter
• Urban Decay All Nighter Spray .50 fl oz
• Korres Vanilla Cherry Body Butter 1.69 fl oz

I think the only newbie to the list is the Bliss Naked Body Butter. I picked it up from Ulta. It was decent. I don't need any more body moisturizers right now. Even if I did I wouldn't rush out to repurchase it. It pained me to use up the Drunk Elephant Beste Jelly Cleaner. I had it in the old packaging but it so good! I don't need any more facial cleansers right now but I am definitely repurchasing during the November Sephora sale!

Not a lot used up this round but it'll do! Next up will be my August favorites! Someone please tell me where did summer go!?!?!?

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!

January/February 2018 Out of My Face

Hey. Hey there. How ya doing?

Here is my first set of empties for 2018. Not too bad huh for two months!

• Bath & Body Works  Exfoliating Hand Soap in Toasted Vanilla Chai 
• Serious Skincare Pure Marine Infusion Serum
• Serious Skincare Reverse Lift Firming Facial Serum with Argifirm
• Lancome Bienfait Pure Focus Matifying Moisturizing Lotion 
• Korres Ginger Lime Body Butter 1.69oz
• Vaseline Deep Moisture Vitamin E  Petroleum Jelly Cream 4.5oz
• Clark's Botanicals Deep Moisture Mask
• Wen Replenishing Treatment Mist in Tea Tree
• Andrew Lessman Friendly Flora
• Nene's Secret Gorgeous Gro
• Beauty Secrets Acetone Nail Polish Remover 16oz 
• Serious Skincare C Power Beauty Treatment 1oz
• Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid
• philosophy Whipped Body Cream in Falling in Love 16oz
• Serious Skincare Creamerum Body
• NYX Micro Brow Pencil in Chocolate
• Votary Super Seed Cleansing Oil
• Ashea Shea Butter Pomade
• One n' Only Argan Oil Treatment 

I think I've mentioned most of the items listed before. A newbie to the list is the Votary Super Seed Cleansing Oil. This is a pricey cleansing oil. A friend passed it on to me to try which was really nice because again this joker is pricey! It's around $60 or maybe even a little more. I found it on Anthropologie's website but it's no longer available. It did not feel like your typical cleansing oil. It's was a lot thicker and harder to rinse off. For the most part it did remove my makeup. I liked using it more so mixing with an exfoliating powder I have and using it on bare skin. You can use it like a regular cleanser. It was nice to try but I don't plan on purchasing a bottle.

There are a couple of other items that I could talk about but you will see them in my next favorites post. So I'll gush about them there.

See you in the next post!

October/November/December 2017 Out of My Face

Let's talk about my last set of empties for 2017! There is a lot here! *pats self on the back* LOL!!!

• Mario Badescu Cucumber Cleansing Lotion
• Bath and Body Works Ulta Shea Body Cream in Amber Blush
• philosophy Amazing Grace Whipped Body Cream 16oz
• philosophy Shampoo, Shower Gel & Bubble Bath in Candy Cane
• philosophy Falling in Love Spray Fragrance .5 fl oz 
• philosophy Lemon Custard Glazed Body Souffle 16oz
• NYX Micro Brow Pencil in Chocolate
• Estee Lauder Matter Perfecting Primer .5 fl oz
• Serious Skincare Creamerum Evolve Cream/Serum Beauty Treatment
• Serious Skincare A Force XR (2)
• Serious Skincare Reverse Lift Serum
• Serious Skincare A Wash
• Serious Skincare Mega Force
• Serious Skincare Glycolic Cleanser
• Serious Skincare A Night Cream
• Wen Fall Ginger Pumpkin Cleansing Conditioner 16oz
• Wen Tea Tree Cleansing Conditioner 32oz
• Wen Fig Replenishing Treatment Mist
• Andrew Lessman  Healthy Hair, Skin & Nails 360 count
• Andrew Lessman Cranberry Benefits 60 count
• Covergirl Queen All Day Flawless Foundation in Mocha Q835
• iS Clinical Copper Firming Mist
• Serious Skincare Pure-Pep 30% Peptide Concentrate
• Skinfix Ultra Rich Hand Cream
• KeraCare Hydrating Detangling Shampoo 
• KeraCare Humecto Creme Conditioner
• Kate Somerville ExfoliKate
• One 'n Only Argan Oil Hydrating Mask
• One 'n Only Argan Oil Treatment
• Bare Minerals Mineralixirs Facial Cleansing Oil
• COSRX AHA/BHA Clarifying Treatment Toner

The iS Clinical Copper Firming Mist is a new product to me.This was given to me by a friend to try. At first I didn't think it was doing anything. The more I used it, the more I enjoyed. Not sure if it helped with firming but it did help control the oil on my face and foundation application. I mainly used it in the morning after toner. It's funny I thought that the spray was clogged because nothing was coming out. Then I was like uhhh hello you finished it LOL!!! I haven't decided yet if I will purchase a bottle.

Two other newbies to the list but not to me are the KeraCare Hydrating Detangling Shampoo and Humecto Creme Conditioner. This shampoo and conditioner I used years ago. I loved them and then got side tracked by other products. The woes of a product junkie. I decided to use them again when my hairdresser told me of a sale that JcPenney was having and I fell in love with these two products all over again. I haven't repurchased them yet but I will. I can tell a difference in my hair since I ran out. These two products helped keep my hair soft, hydrated and manageable.

The Bare Minerals Mineralixirs Facial Cleansing Oil is another new product to the list. It's a typical cleansing oil and I did like it. A friend gave this to me. I'm not sure if they still make it. It got all my makeup off and it rinsed well. Some cleansing oils I feel like you have to rinse FOREVER to get off. I didn't have to do that with this one.

And lastly let's talk about the COSRX AHA/BHA Clarifying Treatment Toner. When I first started using this I wasn't wowed by it and didn't think much of it. This is another product I grew to enjoy the more  I used. I was going to mention it in a top 5 post but kept forgetting. Here's the product description:

"COSRX AHA/BHA Clarifying Treatment Toner is an exfoliating fluid that effectively eliminates flakes and dull skin cells while preventing blackheads and whiteheads from forming. Infused with natural acne-fighting acids, AHA/BHA Clarifying Treatment Toner controls excess oil and sebum while nourishing and hydrating depleted skin with essential vitamins.

It does just that! This is an excellent toner and I feel it was a game changer for my oily acne prone skin. I also love how it makes my skin feel soft and supple too. Even though I have oily skin, it can become dehydrated so the right products are key for my skin. It's available at Ulta but you can find it cheaper on Amazon. I have some other toners to get through but I am definitely going to repurchase this toner.

And DONE!

I will definitely continuing doing these posts in 2018. I would like do them monthly but I don't really use that much up in a month. So we shall see how often these get posted.

November 2017 Top 5

Now matter what you celebrate, I hope everyone enjoyed their holiday!

Let's get straight to it!

Persona Identity Palette

I follow the brand on Instagram and I kept eyeing this palette. The brand became available at Ulta and I jumped on getting it. This palette is so good! It's a complete palette. I don't have to reach for anything else to complete a look. The shadows a very pigmented, smooth, easy to blend and hello it has a dark brown shadow that is SO GOOD!. I also love the size It's not hard to store and it would be great for travel. If you looking for a new palette to try or you're looking for a good everyday palette that'll take your from day to night, definitely check this one out.

Bobbi Brown Crushed Lip Color in Blackberry

The Crushed Lip Colors are new to Bobbi Brown's line. A friend sent me 3 shades (Cranberry, Ruby and Blackberry). The one that I wore a lot in November was Blackberry. It is described as a deep chocolate berry. These kinds of shades are my happy place. The Crushed Lip Colors are a cross between a lip balm and a lip color. They feel really nice on the lips and don't dry out my lips. I like that I could throw it out and not have to fuss with it throughout the day.

Serious Skincare Serious-C3 Plasma™  Line

Serious Skincare revamped the Vitamin C line. I think it was last year or earlier this year and I was like why? To me the line was fine as is. I wasn't in a rush to try any of the revamped products. Then I ended up ordering their November Today's Special (Serious Skincare Year's Best Beauty Bag) that had the Vitamin C cleanser and the Serious Skincare Serious-C3 Plasma™ Trio Double Up set that had the serum, eye cream and SPF. The new products with the plasma technology are awesome! Everything absorbs into the skin so much better and I feel like I'm getting better results. The vitamin C SPF is my new favorite! When I tried the original one, I feel  it didn't completely absorb into my skin  and made me greasy. I do not have that problem with the Vitamin C SPF with the plasma technology. Now I'm curious as what the benefits of plasma are in skin care. During the presentations on HSN they said that plasma is the new "thing" in skincare.

COSRX  Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser

I had been eyeing the cleanser for a while and a friend of mine was nice enough to send it to me. This is a really nice and gentle face wash. She warned me about the smell. The instant I used it I LOVED the smell. It has tea tree in it and she's not a fan of the smell of tea tree. We already know that I am. I've used this at morning and at night. I prefer using it in the morning. It's not drying and leave your skin feeling nice and supple. It's available Ulta but you can find it cheaper on Amazon.

Vaseline Cocoa Butter Body Butter

This is another product I saw first on Instagram. I've tried the body lotion in the past and more recently and I was never really wowed by it. I saw this in Walgreens while I was waiting on prescription and said why not since I cannot say no to body butters. This a good body butter! It's nice and creamy. It absorbs into the skin nicely and leave a nice glow on the skin. I use it from my chest down to my toes and I love it! I've also been loving it on my hands. This is a definite repurchase for me.

And there you have it.

Short and sweet. Now on to December!

October 2017 Top 5

Oh boy this is hella late. But I still wanted to talk about my favorites from October. So let just get to it!

OPI This Color's Making Waves

I was looking for a dark green color and grabbed this. However this is not a dark green. It is described as a shimmery, lagoon blue on OPI's website. This color really grew on me and I wore it multiple times during the month. I think it's the perfect year round nail polish. It's not too bright or too dark. I also layered it over top of a black nail polish and it was really pretty. I'll try to get a post up of it on my nails.

The Body Shop Tea Tree Squeaky Clean Scrub

A friend passed this on to me. Years ago I used to use the Tea Tree skin care line at The Body Shop and I did like it. The Tea Tree Squeaky Clean Scrub was new to me and I LOVE IT! When I first used it, I used it after washing my face in the evening. I wasn't sure if it was a scrub that would also cleanse the skin but it is since it does foam but it does not dry out my skin. After that I have been using it in the morning. It is very refreshing and my face feels smooth and soft after using it. It is not an abrasive scrub. And of course I love the scent. If you have oilier skin and are prone to breakouts then check this scrub out! I definitely will repurchase this when I run out. I may travel with it for my next work trip.

Serious Skincare A Primer

This primer came in a set of Vitamin A products I purchased a while ago. I tried it when I first got it but wasn't wowed by it. I said let me try it again to see if I like or not. This time around I do like it. From HSN's website this primer is described as a "oil-free primer glides over the skin to temporarily fill in lines, wrinkles and pores. Its helps your skin feel and look polished and luminous." It does just that. Out of the tube it has pearl like finish which worried me at first. I said ok instant oil slick! This was not the case. It does give the skin the nice healthy looking glow. My foundation goes on nicely and holds up during the day.

Serious Skincare Creamerum Body Treatment

This is another Serious Skincare item I got in a set of items a while ago. I was curious to try it since I enjoy the serum and eye cream. From HSN's website:

"Pamper the exposed skin of your body with this sumptuous beauty treatment. It combines the ingredients of a serum with the luxurious hydration of a cream to help improve the suppleness and softness of your skin."

This is not your typical body lotion. As the name states, it is a treatment. It glides and absorbs into the skin nicely. It is not greasy and has a light scent but you can still put on a perfume or fragrance and it will not interfere with the scent. I use this from the chest down and I really enjoy it. I said I may grab another tube when it's on sale or I have a coupon. This is another product that would be great for travel.

Buxom Full-On Lip Polish in Sarina

I took this lip polish with me on my last work trip to Florida. When I travel on a plane, I always use a Buxom lippie on my lips for a hint of color and to hydrate and protect my lips. I wore this lip polish a lot while I was in Florida and I've continued using it since I've been back too. It is describes as a chocolate sparkle. The Buxom line of glosses are hands down my favorite lip glosses. They have been for years. I'm getting the urge to do another clear of my makeup stash. I could potentially get rid of all the lip glosses I have except the one I have from Buxom and be content. We shall see if that happens.

There you have it short and sweet! I'm not going to even say what post will be next lol. So I'll see you in the next post!

Top 5 - Travel Edition (Denver)

Happy Monday all and Happy Labor Day to all my US folks! I so do not want to go back to work tomorrow. Dah well. Let's talk about Denver and some favorites shall we?

I wasn't expecting much going to Denver. Usually when we travel for work we peg some restaurants to go to and maybe some sites to see if we have the time. But nothing really came to mind since I've never associated Denver as a "food city" and there wasn't anything I really wanted to see. Well let me tell you Denver has some good food! Even the food at the hotel I was staying at was really good. Downtown Denver was pretty nice with a lot of shops, restaurants, and people playing music. The view of the mountains was pretty as well. I will say being at a higher altitude did a number on me while I was there. I was like oh I'll be ok. Yea not so much. I didn't sleep well, I had very bad headaches and I felt like I couldn't get hydrated. So if you ever travel to Denver take the necessary precautions and drink LOTS of water.

As always I try not to take a lot of beauty stuff but then I'm gone a week. So it is what it is once I pack it all up. Here are the five items that stuck out the most.

NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Let's Go Crazy

First of all I love the name of this lippie. Shout out to Prince. Let's Go Crazy is definitely in my top 5 of Prince songs. I think I got this as a point perk from Sephora. It is described as a vivid pink. NARS lip pencils are very nice. They are not drying on the lips and wear nicely. Since it's NARS they are on the pricey side. I would love more colors but the price gives my pause. These lip pencils are $27?!?!!! So whenever I can grab a deluxe sample size with points I jump on it if I like the color.

philosophy Microdelivery Wash

This stays in my travel bag and I use it as am morning face wash. This is a long time favorite and I have been debating if I want it back in my routine on a regular basis. I don't know if it was because of the drier air in Denver or just the stress from traveling or the meeting but my face was like YES the week I used this. It really helped smooth out my skin and in turn my serums and moisturizers absorbed into my skin nicely. My foundation application was also very nice. Getting that layer of dead skin off your face is major key to any skincare routine. If you're looking for a face scrub that is not abrasive then this is the one you want to try. You can catch some nice deals on the various sizes so keep your eye out at various retailers.

Butter London + Pantone Color Of The Year Nail Lacquers 

I go these polishes some time ago from Ulta and hadn't used them. I don't see them on Ulta's site anymore so I guess they've sold out. But looks like they are still available on Buttler London't website and on sale. When I got them I was kinda annoyed by the fact that these are the normal full size Butter London polishes and I paid the normal full sized price. I was going to return them but that's a hassle in itself. So I kept them. I picked up Greenery (vibrant, yellow green crème), Caramel Cafè (warm caramel brown), Rich Gold (warm golden shimmering beige). All three are very nice. My favorite of the three is Rich Gold. I think I may have found my holy grail gold nail polish. It's not super bright which I like and it very flattering on. I'll get a post on these up in September. There's also a palette in this collection that I've had my eye on. Let's see if it ends up in my hands.

NYX Perfect Filter Shadow Palette in Golden Hour

I went back and forth, round and round and everything in between on what doggone palette I was going to take with me. It was very annoying! I really need to decide on set eyeshadows, blush and lippies that I will take with me when I travel. We'll see if that actually happens. I don't know how I decided on the NYX Golden Hour Palette but I was happy with my choice. I also took the 4 matte NYX eyeshadow (mention in my June 2017 Top 5 post). They are good companion shadows for this palette. I mentioned this palette back in my February 2017 Shop My Stash post. I thought I had mentioned this as favorite. Guess not. If you're look for an inexpensive warm neutral palette check this one out. The shadow quality is very nice and I enjoy the mix of shades in this palette. Also you can catch NYX on sale at various stores, so you can get this for less than the list price of $19.99. I picked up another Perfect Filter Shadow Palette that's a perfect Fall palette. So stay tuned for that.

Mario Badescu Cucumber Cleansing Lotion

When I used up my favorite Neutrogena toner this was next on my list to use. I got this in a giveaway with a bunch of other Mario Badescu items. I had never tried anything from the brand. When I was packing up my skincare items a thought came to me. Maybe it isn't a good idea to take a new skincare item. What if I have a reaction???! I was like well whatever, we'll go with it. I did not have any issues and really like this cleansing lotion. It smells really nice and feels refreshing on the skin. Here are the claims from Ulta's website:

"Refresh and re-balance combination, oily skin. Natural astringent and skin-softening properties found in cucumber extract help minimize T-zone shine while nourishing skin with essential vitamins, minerals, and amino acids. Oily skin gets the cooling, clarifying cleanse it needs to look healthy and revitalized."

I can say a big YEP to this. Would I repurchase this again? Most definitely. I have quite a few toners on hand now (don't know how that happened *shifty eyes* lol!!!) so I don't really need to repurchase the Cucumber Cleansing Lotion right now. But when it's time I will get another bottle.

And here's the view that I had from my room.

My next work trip will take my to Florida at the end of October. So we will see what that brings.

Next up my top 5 for August. Slowly getting back on track here. Slllowwwllyyyy!

July 2017 Top 5

Hey there! Been a while huh? Work, life and current events as of late have had me in a funk and this just wasn't something important to do. But I had a sudden burst of let's do some blogging and here we are. July went by super fast and  August is just about over. 2017 has really flown by. Anywho here's my Top 5 for July. Going to try and keep this simple since it's beyond late. Let's see how it goes!

Top 5

Urban Decay Naked Heat Palette

This palette came out of no where but when it made the rounds on social media, everyone was talking about it. When I first saw it I said hmmm a warm palette ok. I picked up mine from Ulta. Once I got in my hands and started playing around with it, I could not put it down. I was tempted to take it with me on my work trip but didn't. This is another warm palette but I feel like Urban Decay put their own spin on it like they usually do. The quality of the shadows is fantastic. I did see some posts on the NYX  Professional Makeup Warm Neutrals Ultimate Shadow Palette that's a dupe. So that may be an option for you it you don't want to spend the money on the Naked Heat palette. But if you're an Urban Decay fan or feel like splurging on a palette then definitely check this one out. I think this is their best Naked palette yet.

Urban Decay Naked Heat Lipsticks

I also picked up the lipsticks (Heat, Fuel and Scorched) that are part of the Naked Heat collection. I wasn't expecting to like them and I was just going to outright return them when I got my order. But surprisingly enough I reached for these a lot during the month. Even though these are metallic, you don't feel the glitter on your lips and they wear nicely through out the day. My favorite of the three is Heat. It is described as a burnt red with gold pearl. I have really been enjoying Urban Decay lipsticks this year.

Covergirl Total Tease Mascara

Not like I needed another mascara but I saw this in a YouTube video and decided to give it a go. I picked this up form Ulta. This is a really nice mascara and the applicator is interesting. I get volume, length and curl from this mascara. You can really shape and define your lashes with this one.

Bare Minerals Statement Matte Liquid Lipcolor in Shameless

I ordered this from Ulta with some other items and I forgot about it! I usually have stuff sent to work and I usually hang on the box and packing slip just to make sure that I want to keep what I ordered. Somehow I missed this and it was still sitting in the box! I was looking in the box for the packing slip to see if it had another item on it that I wanted to return. When I saw it listed I said I ordered this? Dug around in the box and sure enough it was in the box and still in its packaging. Smh! Ok now about the lippie. I think I saw Lustrelux wear this on Snapchat and I said HELLO! Shameless is a neon hot pink shade. I wore it several times this month and it's a fantastic liquid lipstick. The formula is not drying and the wear time on it is really good. I've looked at the other colors and I may pick up another one or two.

Serious Skincare Mega Force Liquid Exfoliant

I've been using this in my pm skin care routine for a while now and I do like it. But I wasn't always consistent with it. I was almost done with the bottle I had on hand, so I just let's go ahead and use this morning and night to get it used it. This has been a GAME CHANGER for my skin! I remember during one of the presentations on HSN were they said if you're skincare has plateaued or your skin in a rut then incorporate this product. My skin was doing pretty good with the products I had been using but this has made it even better. It has helped with my texture issues and evened out my skin tone. It has helped keep my skin clear and smooth. I can't stop touching my face but I know I should lol!

Boos!

L'Oreal Lash Paradise Mascara

I picked this mascara up along the the Covegirl one from Ulta. It's just ok for my lashes. It's supposed to provide length, volume and more black pigment. It was nice and black but other than that I wasn't wowed by it. It's supposedly a dupe for Too Faced's Better Than Sex mascara which I don't like either. So that should have been an indication not to pick this one up. If you're a fan of Too Faced's mascara then check it out.

Clinique Charcoal MakeUp Melter Cleansing Oil-Balm

I think I got this as a 100 point perk from Sephora. Since I had good success with Clinique's balm I wanted to try some others. This removed my face makeup fine BUT this irritated my eyes something terrible! How are you going to be a makeup remover and irritate the eye area? Plus to me it didn't rinse as clean as the Clinique one. So this one is a no go for me. I think overall charcoal skincare items don't work well for me. I think this is the fourth one I've tried and didn't like it.

And there you have it. Next up is some favorites from my previous work trip!

Stay tuned!

June/July 2017 Out of My Face

Here is what I used up in June! and July!

• Wen Cleansing Conditioner in Tea Tree 32oz
• Wen Cleansing Conditioner in Fig 32oz
• Wen Treatment Oil in Tea Tree Eucalyptus
• Wen Treatment Oil in Summer Tropical Paradise
• Wen Re-Moist Hydrating Hair Mask in Fig
• Serious Skincare C Clean Vitamin C Ester Facial Cleanser 16oz
• Serious Skincare Vitamin Ester Pads 60 count
• Serious Skincare A Force XR Retinol Serum
• Serious Skincare Glycolic Gommage 
• Serious Skincare Dermal Crepe Resist
• Serious Skincare Ultra Mare Pure Marine Infusion Concentrate Serum
• Serious Skincare 4 Million IU A Cream  XR SPF 30
• Serious Skincare Mega Force Liquid Exfoliannt
• Serious Skincare Pure Pep Fading Fluid
• Serious Skincare Reverse Lift Reverse Serum
• Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm
• philosophy Summer Grace Whipped Body Creme 8oz
• philosophy Falling in Love Summer Whipped Body Cream 8oz
• Andrew Lessman Friendly Flora 90 count
• Shiseido Facial Cotton 40 count
• Covergirl Queen All Day Flawless Foundation in Mocha Q835
• One 'n Only Argan Oil Hydrating Mask
• Nene's Secret Best Beauty Butter
• Degree Motion Sense Dry Spray in Daisy Fresh
• Neutrogena Clear Pore Oil-Eliminating Astringent
• One 'n Only Argan Oil Treatment
• Earth Therapeutics Hand Remedy
• Bath & Body Works Mint to Be Hand Cream

I'm on a roll using stuff up! Woohoo!

The only newcomers to the list are Degree spray deodorant and the two hand creams. I haven't used a spray deodorant in years. It was just ok. I don't plan on rushing out to buy it. I really enjoyed the Mint to Be hand cream! It only comes in a 1oz size, so I did use it up quickly. But with sales and coupons at Bath & Body Works. I may stock up on it since I am a hand cream snob. It has a nice refreshing scent and my hands felt really nice. I did not like the Hand Remedy. It was a random buy from Ulta when I was looking for a hand cream. It didn't do anything and it's very thin/light. It wasn't moisturizing and I don't think it made my hands look any better.

Let's see if I can keep this momentum going!

June 2017 Top 5

Better late that never I guess. Here's my top 5 for June!

IT Cosmetics Vitality Cheek Flush Powder Blush Stain

I've mentioned these blushes before in Magical in Mauve and Matte Sweet Apple. I keep saying that I was going to get the other two shades Radiant in Rose and Pretty in Peony during an Ulta sale but I always forgot. I finally remembered to get these when I made a couple of exchanges at Ulta. First I got Radiant in Rose then Pretty in Peony. Now that I have all 4 I have been using the constantly. They are fantastic blushes. They are pigmented but not scary pigmented where you have to be careful in applying them. Also these last all day on my cheeks. These shades go with just about any makeup look. I've enjoyed these so much, it has made me go through my blushes and clear a lot out my stash. If you're look for some good blushes to use and you do want or need a lot of crazy color then check these out. If your cheeks "eat" blush and your blush doesn't last all day then check these out! I cannot say enough good things about these blushes.

Wen Summer Tropical Paradise

I haven't talked about Wen in a while because I've been trying other products. But when I saw the new summer seasonal I caved lol. I picked up the Summer Cleanse & Treat 3-Piece Kit w/ Loofah that was a One Time Only and it smells so good! It smells almost as good as Summer Mango Coconut. I've enjoyed all three pieces in the set. My hair has felt awesome and smelled really good! If they come out with a fragrance in this next summer, I just might get it. *shifty eyes*

NYX Nude Matte Eyeshadows

I have four of these eyeshadows in Blame it on Midnight, Betrayal, Underneath It All and Dance The Tides. They are all brown shades. They stay in the makeup I use for my daily makeup items. I have used them on their own or with palettes that needed a little extra help. These shadows are smooth, pigmented and super easy to blend. I'm tempted to pick up some of the other deeper shades. If you're looking for some nice matte eyeshadows then check these ones out.

NYX Lip Pencils

Annnnd more NYX! I mentioned in my last post that I'm done with Colour Pop lip liners and back to NYX! I have really been enjoying their Suede Lip Pencils and I have my ultimate favorite Espresso back in rotation. They are traditional pencils that are easy to use. I don't have problems over lining my lips, the color range is awesome and you can beat their prices in comparison to high end lip liners.

Serious Skincare A Cream SPF 30

I wasn't going to mention this at first. Only because the tube I have is jacked up lol. But that goes to show that I am using the product. I lucked on a better that a BOGO deal when I ordered from HSN and got two more tubes. I'm going to say that I think I have found my holy grail SPF moisturizer! I have already mentioned how I love their regular A Cream. I think I got my first A Cream SPF 30 in a kit. I have been using this nonstop. It goes on nicely and doesn't make my skin greasy like other SPFs I have tried. Also it doesn't interfere with my makeup or leave a white cast on my skin. So score!

BONUS: Cetaphil Makeup Remover Wipes

I was going to mention this as a surprise product but it is an actual favorite for June. I randomly ordered these from Ulta. Poking around on their website is just as bad as wandering around the store. I tried their Cleansing Wipes and they were just ok. These I really really like. They are a nice size, they are nicely moisturized and they feel good on the skin. My skin feels super soft after using these to remove my makeup. They are kind of pricey at Ulta. So I'll be waiting to see if they go on sale or price compare at other retailers.

A couple items I did not like in June were the Sheseido Facial Cottons and the Oleavine ThreaTree Therapeutic Scrub.

Shiseido Facial Cotton

I've always been curious about the Sheseido Facial Cottons. Tons of people have said that they are great and better than the ones you can get at the drugstore. I noticed that Sephora has a 40 count for $5. I said why not and added to them my order. Ummm I don't get the hype. They are soft but they may be too soft. I used them with my Neutrogena toner or liquid exfoliant. Every time I used them, bits of cotton were left on my face. I've never had this problem with the cotton rounds I get from CVS, Ulta or Walgreens. So to me they are not worth it. I rarely write reviews on websites but I did on Sephora for these.

Oleavine ThreaTree Therapeutic Scrub

I've been on the hunt for a new body scrub. I wanted something good for body breakouts. Tea tree oil popped in my head so I took to Amazon and came across this scrub. I ordered 2 when they had a promo going on. It's a very fine scrub which I kinda liked at first but then it was too fine that it didn't really "scrub" much. I'm a weirdo and love the scent of Tea Tree. This however also has mint in it and the mint scent turned me off. I said I was going to see if there was a Tea Tree only version but I haven't looked. I may check with some other brands. I gave the other tube I had to a friend for her or her husband to try.

If something is off or doesn't make sense then my bad. I've been trying to get this done but life keeps happening and then I have another work trip this week. Plus I've been feeling kinda of blah towards blogging lately. But I wanted to get this up before I left. And there you have it!

TTFN - ta ta for now!

May 2017 Top 5

Here's my top 5 for May!

philosophy Honey & Cream

I saw sneak peeks of this new philosophy scent on social media. I was curious but then forgot about it. It was included in the philosophy joyful bath & body 4 piece mega collection that was a Today's Special Value in April. They did a similar set like them last year with MEGA 64oz shower gel. Now I said that I would not get a set that had this much shower gel! Never say never right? HA! The value was ridiculous and it came with two super sized Glazed Body Souffles. You know these are my favorite body moisturizers. So I caved and did auto delivery. The Hone & Cream scent has "honey notes and light, fluffy cream". It just smells good. It's kind of calming as well. I'm sure at some point it'l be available at retail and you can give it a whiff.

philosophy Lemon Custard

I also ordered the philosophy super-size body souffle & body spritz set in Lemon Custard when I ordered Honey & Cream. I have raved about the shower gel last year. I had the Glazed Body Souffle in another set but I ended up returning it. So I jumped on this. The Lemon Custard scent has "lemon zest with a silky, smooth custard finish". This definitely a pick me up scent. The custard component mixes well with the Lemon. I reached for this on morning when I need that extra something to get me going.

Serious Skincare Continuously Clear Medicated Moisture Replenishing Cream

I ordered the Serious Skincare Over 40 Breakout Control Kit from HSN. I have been wanting to try the Continuously Clear line for a while. So I said why not with this set and grab some Vitamin C products as well. I've enjoyed the three Continuously Clear items but the stand out was the cream! This line has two moisturizer, this one and the gel. When I originally looked at this line I leaned more so towards the gel since I'm oily but I'm learning that oily skin still needs to be moisturized properly. When they explained the cream, they said they created for mature skin that needs moisture and the gel was more so for younger skin (teens and young adults) that don't need as much moisture. I thought that was a cool idea. Still I thought that the cream would be "too much" for my skin. Not the case at all and the cream is fantastic! I wasn't heavy on my skin and it didn't make me greasy. I was impressed by the ingredient deck which includes Retinyl Palmitate, Glycolic Acid and Hyaluronic Acid. I would definitely repurchase this on its own. I still my try the gel at some point to use as a daytime moisturizer.

Butter London Nail Polishes (Brown Sugar, Wallis, All Hail the Queen)

I mentioned in my May Shop My Stash post that I was having some chipping issues with the Butter London polishes I took to San Francisco. I believe the culprit was the base coat I was using. These three polishes I wore a lot through the month and I've continued using them into June. Brown Sugar got the most use. It's a opaque, copper shimmer with gold glitter. IWhen I first put it on, I wasn't too sure about it. Then I ended up really liking it and I received compliments on it. This may be my go to nail polish for the summer. Wallis is a unique shade that's a golden olive green shimmer. I used All Hail the Queen (holographic beige shimmering) in a recent nail post.

Juvia's Place Blush Palette Vol 2

When I saw on Instagram that Juvia's Place was coming out with blushes, I was super excited! I scooped this when they have a free shipping promo. By the time I ordered Vol 1 was sold out but I was able to order it via Hautelook. So it'll be in rotation soon. In these palette there are 4 matte blushes and two shimmer blushes. I have not worn the shimmer blushes on their own. I mix them with the matte blushes using them more so like a highlighter. The matte blushes are smooth and you can build the color on your cheeks. This is hands down my favorite blush palette that I've tried!

And let's throw in a couple of quick bonuses shall we? These are products that caught me by surprise.

Cafe Bustello Espresso Style K Cups

I stumbled upon this coffee on sale at CVS. One of my YouTube faves Jennifer Wan, has mentioned it in her vlogs, so I said why not. I was kind of leery since it said Espresso Style. But I was tickled that it says stands up to sugar and cream on the packaging. So I gave it a go and I really really like it! I do add sugar and cream to my coffee. Sometimes I can be heavy handed with the cream and my coffee can be too sweet. This does stand up to cream and sugar. It has a very nice flavor that's not too strong even thought it's an Espresso Style coffee. It gives me that jolt I need first thing in the morning. I need to try is as an iced coffee! *note to self*

Brows

Brows are something in my routine that at first I didn't really do.. Then I started doing them but I was never really "obsessed" with them like some tend to be. That's kinda changed over the last couple of months. Everyone raves about Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz. I've looked at it here and there but never have been moved to purchase it. Well that changed during Ulta's 21 Days of Beauty and Brow Wiz was on sale for $10 I think. I ended up getting two shades (Chocolate and Ebony) from Ulta's website. Both shades work for me but I like Ebony a little more. I have enjoyed using Brow Wiz and you can get a nice natural looking brow with it. Then I started thinking about the NYX Micro Brow Pencil that's a dupe. I tried it when it first came out but then I couldn't pick the right shade and I hadn't used a brow pencil that fine in a long time. So I gave it another try and I picked up the shade Chocolate. It is too light to use through my full brow. Then I remember people mentioned using a lighter shade in the front part of their brow because it looks more natural. I gave that a go and color me surprised, I liked the way it turned out. I used the NYX pencil through the first 1/4 of my brown and I used Iman's brow pencil through the rest of my brow. So yay brows!

There you have it. Let's see what June brings!

April/May 2017 Out of My Face

Here's what I used up April and May!

• Serious Skincare Pure Pep Fading Fluid (2)
• H.K. Girl Fast Drying & Super Shiny Clear Top Coat
• Nene's Secret Gorgeous Grow
• Josie Maran Argan Balm
• Korres Body Butter in Mulberry Vanilla
• Majestic Oil Hydrating Shampoo
• Majestic Oil Hydrating Conditioner
• Skinfix Hand Repair Cream (2)
• philosophy Pure Grace Perfumed Olive Oil Body Scrub
• One 'n Only Argan Oil
• Purity Made Simple Mask
• Serious Skincare A Force XR Serum 2oz
• philosophy Shampoo, Shower Gel & Bubble Bath in The Gingerbread Man 32oz
• philosophy Glazed Body Souffle in Fresh Cream
• One 'n Only Argan Spray
• Neutrogena Clear Pore Oil-Eliminating Astringent
• Urban Decay All Nighter Makeup Setting Spray
• Chi Silk Infusion
• Neutrogena Makeup Remover Cleansing Towelettes
• philosophy The Present
• Vitafusion Women's  Adult Gummies
• philosophy Whipped Body Creme in Pure Grace
• Wen Replenishing Treatment Mist in Winter Vanilla Mint

I know hair oils are all the rage but I'm kinda old school when it come to moisturizing my scalp. A blogger I follow did a Dry Flaky Scalp Solutions: Hair Grease post and I picked up a couple of her recommendations. I picked up Nene's Gorgeous Grow and Profectiv Mega Growth Growth Revitalizer Hair & Scalp Moisturizer. Of the two, Nene's Go Go Gorgeous was the stand out product. I've already ordered two more jars. My scalp can get very dry and itchy. This helps soothe my scalp, there's no buildup and it doesn't weigh my hair down. 

I picked the Majestic Oil Hydrating Shampoo and Conditioner after trying the hair oil. I got the smaller sizes to try. I got 3 washes out of the shampoos and 4 uses of of the conditioner. I really enjoyed these two products. The shampoo got my hair clean and I was still able to finger comb my hair. The conditioner was really nice. It made my hair soft and moisturized. I was tempted to run out and get the full sized bottles but I don't need them right now. I have other items to use. Even though I enjoyed these two products, I'm not sure I will repurchase them any time soon. Trying to use what I have and I may go back to using Wen.

See you again for some more empties!

April 2017 Top 5

Thought I would never get around to this. Better late than never I guess. Going to try and keep this short and sweet.

Let's go!

Urban Skin Rx Even Tone Cleansing Bar

My friend uses and has raved about Urban Skin Rx. She said it has done wonders for her skin. I instantly followed them on Instagram but hadn't gotten around to ordering anything. Then the brand appears on Evine and I ordered the Urban Skin Rx 3-Piece Skin Brightening Anti-Aging Set and the Urban Skin Rx HydraFirm Serum. I've enjoyed using all the items but the Even Tone Cleansing Bar in the Anti-Aging Set was the stand out product. It comes with sponge. You wet the sponge, swirl it around in the product and use the sponge to apply the cleanser to your face. My clean felt nice once I rinsed it off and it didn't dry out my skin. The more I used it, I noticed that my skin was clearer and brighter. I even used my Clarisonic in place of the sponge and it worked just fine. The only "downside" is that it is a two part system with the sponge and the cleansing bar. I would definitely repurchase the Even Tone Cleansing Bar on its own.

Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm

When I used the Urban Skin Rx Even Tone Cleansing Bar in the evening, I used this balm to remove my makeup first. Typically I'm not a fan of cleansing balms and oils. They're messy and the don't rinse "clean". I do go in with a cleanser afterwards but after using a cleansing balm or oil, I always feel some type of film on my face. I did not experience this with this cleansing balm. To me it wasn't as messy to apply. It rinses really nicely. I don't feel a film on my face and gets all my makeup off. This is another product I would definitely repurchase. I picked this up from Ulta.

Morphe 35R Palette Ready, Set, Gold!

I told you all in my April Shop My Stash post that this was going to a favorite for April LOL! I don't know if this was limited edition but I don't see it available on Morphe's website. Here's the post initially announcing the palette. I don't really keep up with Morphe. However a friend of mine mentioned a YouTube video that used that palette. See I set myself up for failure by watching this video. I saw it and said SOLD! This is a nice mix of everyday colors. Gold scares me sometimes because some gold can too bright and they look crazy on my eyes. This palette has very nice wearable gold tones. Also the brown shadows in the palette! *swoons* Most folks say they judge a palette but the black shadow in the palette. I judge a palette based on the brown in a palette. The browns in this palette are flipping fantastic! You have warm,cool,dark, mid-tone and then some. I was seriously considering taking this with me to San Francisco but I typically don't travel with big palettes. I thoroughly enjoyed using this palette in April.

L'Oreal Nudes - Infallible Pro Matte Gloss in Statement Nude & Infallible Paints in Nude Star

I picked these up after seeing crystalis007 mention them on her Instagram. I'm typically not a nude lippie girl but I was reaching for this two a lot in April. They feel nice on the lips and they were nicely throughout the day for nude shades. for nude shades. Typically nudes shades are gone from my lips in no time. These did come with me to San Francisco and they are still in my daily makeup bag. If you're looking for a new nude lippie to try then check these out.

IT Cosmetics Brushes

I picked up the Love Beauty Fully Flawless Blush Brush #227 and the Airbrush Smoothing Foundation Brush #102 when they were on sale at Ulta. The blush brush is just your typical angled blush brush. It applies blush nicely to the cheeks. The foundation is so nice! I love the size. It's not too big and it's not too small. It's a good size for blending foundation all over your face.  Both brushes are super soft and clean up nicely.

And done! Let's see what's next. Some more favorites perhaps? Stay tuned!

March 2017 Top 5

 Here's my top 5 for March!

Page Eleven Planner

I've been in a planning rut. I haven't been using my personal Happy Planner like I should. Which annoys me to no end because that's money being wasted. I saw The Posh Blog's review on the Page Eleven 2017 Daily Planner. This planner spoke to me. I like the week on one page layout. I played around with a traveler's notebook insert with a similar layout. I also liked how the next page with your top 3 items for the week, meal planning and grocery list. There's also budget and gratitude sections for each month. There is also a quote at the beginning of each month which I love. I'm a big quote person. I also like the portable size. This is the planner that I've been using for the last couple of months. It just enough and I don't feel overwhelmed but it. I definitely will continue using it for 2017. I've inquired about a planner for 2018 and they are working on it now. Woohoo!

Cargo You Had Me at Hello Palette

I randomly came across this palette and it instantly caught my eye. I picked it up from Ulta. I got a lot of use of it in March. I've never tried Cargo eyeshadows before and they are really nice. The are smooth, pigmented and easy to the blend. The matte shades are not chalky. The palette is organized in duos which is kinda neat. I really enjoyed the six shades on the right side of the palette. If you're looking for a new palette for the spring and summer then check this one out.

Exfoliating Cleansers

For about two weeks or so I used an exfoliating cleanser as part of my morning skincare routine. I forgot just how much I like using an exfoliating cleanser in the morning. They make your skin nice and smooth and foundation applies so much better. The two I reached for are past favorites. I used The Microdelivery Exfoliating Facial Wash by philosophy and the Bioré Pore Unclogging Scrub. The scrub is actually my brother's lol! He has it in the shower and I was hey why not HA! I have some other cleansers I'm working through and I'm still trying to pair down my products. The skincare addict life is real lol! But I will keep in mind to add an exfoliating cleanser back into my morning skincare routine.

Urban Decay Lippies

A friend of mine sent my a bunch of Urban Decay lippies. She sent me some lipsticks (After Dark, Gash, Nighthawk and Pandemonium) and one of their new liquid lipsticks (Rock Steady). Then I ordered three Revolution High-Color glosses (Gash, Shadowheart and Afterdark) from their website that are on sale. I really enjoyed using the lippies in March. They are GOOD! The lipsticks are smooth and didn't' dry out my lippies. I heard some not so good reviews on their liquid lipsticks. I have the shade. I actually like it. This shade went on evenly and the formula is not drying like some liquud lipsticks, I want to look into the other shades. The glosses are awesome! I only had one (Bittersweet) that I remember liking when I used it. But of course I haven't used it in a while They are not sticky, they are very pigmented for a lip gloss and they were nicely throughout the day. I also rediscovered Gash which is probably my favorite red. I highly recommend checking out some lippies from Urban Decay.

Bare Minerals Flawless Finish Brush

This is another past favorite. This brush applies face powder nicely and it super duper soft! This one is a definite keeper in my brush stash.

Short and sweet for March. Let's see what April brings!