Monthly Must-Haves: March

Did you hear? It snowed today here in Michigan, breaking a record from 1880 with a total of 94.8" of snow this winter. Lovely, right? Yesterday, it was almost 70 degrees in the morning, and today I was pulling out my boots again! When will it ever end?? Just when I was getting exciting about pulling out my favorite springtime beauty products, I'm right back to slathering on facial cream and using hand lotion like it's nobody's business. The forecast for the rest of the week looks less bleak than today, so I'll stay optimistic that I'll be wearing my favorite spring Chloé fragrance soon.

This winter, I tried lots of new products and found some new favorites that will become part of my permanent arsenal. I figured I'd share my most-used products from March. Here's to hoping that April's favorites are more suitable for sunshiny days!

Clarisonic Mia 2: There is absolutely zero exaggeration in me saying that the Clarisonic is a lifesaver. We all hear bloggers and gurus wax poetic about how great a Clarisonic is for your skin, but until you've tried it for yourself, you won't be prepared for how beautiful it makes your skin look and feel. I'll do a separate post on my new love for my Clarisonic, but know that I've been using it every single day!
Urban Decay Revolution Lipstick in Bang: This creamy orangey-red lipstick was my go-to when my face was feeling a little blah. It really brightened up my complexion, wore for a long time, and felt very comfortable on the lips. I like the Revolution formula, and added a few more shades to my collection this month.
Oribe Crème for Style: I kind of have a love/hate relationship with Oribe products. Last year when I was using them, I felt like my hair got really greasy really quickly. It might be because of the fact that my hair is lighter now (meaning a little more texture), but I've been using this cream every day before blowdrying. It keeps my hair nice and sleek, and smells amazing.
Sephora Collection Classic Brow Filler Brush #100 and Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow Pomade in Ebony: It's been an ongoing struggle trying to find the perfect product to fill my brows in with. They look dark in person, but in pictures, you can barely see them (even though I keep them thick). This waxy cream makes my brows look sculpted and deep. Beware, though: a tiny bit goes a loooong way.
essie Nail Color in Forever Yummy: I've been looking for a classic lipstick red polish for some time, but am never satisfied. This is it.
Josie Maran Argan Oil: My skin is super oily, so the idea of putting even more oil on top of it is terrifying. Like I said, it has been a treacherous winter here in Michigan, and my skin was thirsty. I would dab a few drops of this on dry spots and watch them disappear. I am probably alone in this, but I do wish this oil was scented; I feel like a nice, light fragrance would make it feel more luxurious.
Prada Candy L'Eau: I wore the parfum version of this fragrance last winter, and oddly enough, it would make my chest break out every time I would put it on. This version is still sultry but a little lighter, and had no adverse effects on my skin. Did you see that there is now a Floral version of this scent? I might be in fragrance trouble…
Rimmel London Scandaleyes Retro Glam Mascara: I'm not really sure what the point of the hourglass wand is, but the formula is a beautiful inky black that allows me to wear multiple coats without looking clumpy or flakey. A new favorite formula, for sure.

What were some of your beauty necessities last month? Are there any products you're really hoping to try out this spring? Did it snow by you this week? Leave comments, and I'll talk to you all soon! Xx

This Week's Beauty Purchases!

It's been quite a productive week in beauty buys for me. I haven't had a chance to try everything out yet, but I figured I'd introduce all of the products and we can go into them a little further later on. Let's get started!

NARS Bronzing Powder in Laguna: After a less-than-stellar experience with Too Faced Peach Leopard Bronzer, I thought I'd try this cult classic. I detest super-shimmery bronzers, but the shimmer in this bronzer is almost undetectable; it just imparts a radiant glow. The shade "Laguna" is good for my pale winter skin. Maybe I'll try "Casino" in the summer time.

Maybelline Volum' Express the Colossal Cat Eyes Mascara: Is it just me, or are long product names super annoying? Regardless, I have mixed feelings about this mascara. The curved brush doesn't really do much for me as far as volume, but it helps with curl. I think layering this with another mascara (probably my favorite L'Oréal Voluminous Carbon Black) would look nice. My only issue is that Maybelline mascaras are a real pain to take off.

Essie Nail Polish in Bahama Mama: If you're trying to get in on autumn's oxblood trend but don't want to take the full dive, this is a great way to start. I thought this color would just be a deep fuchsia, but the deep burgundy/maroon color is much more than that. Pretty and rich, perfect for fall and winter. 

Mary Kay NouriShine Plus Lip Gloss in Café Au Lait: I got this lip gloss for free with a top I purchased from Lulu's. Honestly, I thought the gloss I received was a sample size, so I reordered it thinking the retail size would be bigger. I was a little disappointed to find out the petite container is what you get. This gloss is nice and moisturizing, and the color is a great neutral for every day. Would I pay $14 for it again? Probably not. 

Oribe Maximista Thickening Spray: I am so excited for this product, and I haven't even tried it yet. I absolutely loooved Oribe Dry Texturing Spray. Maximista is a "thermal-protective body-builder," and I think using it in conjunction with Oribe Crème for Style will give fantastic results. Did I mention how amazing Oribe products smell? Mmm!

Real Techniques Powder Brush: This is my first Real Techniques brush, and I think it's great. Right now I use an Ecotools Bamboo Bronzer Brush to apply bronzer, and I think it's a little too heavy-handed. For a lighter bronzer application, especially on my pale autumn/winter skin, I think this fluffy brush will do the trick. I had a coupon at Ulta (yay!) and was able to get this brush for around $7 USD. Quite a deal for such a fabulous brush. Now I really want to try the Expert Face Brush. It's supposed to be great for foundation.

YSL Rouge Volupté Lipstick in #001 Nude Beige: This lipstick is creamy. Too creamy? It's too early to pass judgement. The color is a beautiful pinkish-nude, and the packaging is luxe, to say the least. It's a great match for my NARS Fantasia Lipliner Pencil.

Phew! That was a lot. I'm very excited to get better acquainted will all of these products, and I'll definitely keep you posted on what I'm crazy about and what is underwhelming. Have you tried any of these products? Let me know in the comments. Until next time! Xx

Maybelline Baby Lips

I am such a sucker for advertising and packaging, it's sick really. I see something in a magazine and I think, "Wow! I need that," even when I don't need it at all. I kept hearing about Maybelline Baby Lips balm and reading about it in magazines, so of course my natural instinct is that I need it, I must have it, I can't live without it. This is one of those times where I was pleasantly surprised.

I have tried every lip balm under the sun, and usually they work just fine, but this winter, my lips have been chapped and flaky and allover gross. I've been using some Nivea balm that really just doesn't thrill me. My lipstick has been looking ridiculous because my lips were in such poor condition. I picked up Maybelline Baby Lips at Target for less than three dollars, and instantly my lips felt better. It claims to take four weeks for full lip recovery, but I can feel a difference in only one night. If you're like me and suffer horrible dry lips, I fully recommend this balm.

Oh, and Happy New Year everyone! I hope you all had a fabulous evening last night, and I hope you all have an even better 2012 filled with love, happiness, and health. Lots of fun stuff coming up in the New Year, I'm very excited about it all! Have a great day. Xx

TIGI Cosmetics, Part 3 - Lip Color

On to the third installation of swatching all of the TIGI Cosmetics I can get my hands on. Today, I present lip colors. First, let's take a looksie at some Decadent Lipsticks! These lipsticks are described as having a "long lasting formula" with "no shine." TIGI also recommends using this color as a "lip stain, blusher, or even eyeshadow base" which kind of skeeves me out. I don't think I'd ever use a lipstick as an eyeshadow base. These lipsticks are super creamy and pigmented, and don't seem to rub off. Bliss, Faith, and Finesse are all amazing. Beauty is the strangest shade; it reminds me of a sheer version of Chanel's Paradoxal nail polish, if that makes sense. The only issue with the lipsticks, and one that might bother you if you're sensitive to this sort of thing, is the smell. They have a very strong lipsticky/waxy smell that you'd probably relate to kids' play makeup. The top photo is kind of horrible, as it doesn't show the iridescent shimmer in some of the shades. Click here to see an alternate photo which showcases this a bit more.

Top photo, from left to right: Decadent Lipstick in Gossip, Splendor, Bliss, Fierce, Honesty, Peace, and Happiness. Bottom photo, from left to right: Beauty, Faith, Loyalty, Power, Passion, Finesse, and Luxury.

Below, Lip Cremes, which contain antioxidants and emollients to keep lips moisturized. These come with a felt tip, twist-up applicator. These lip colors are very creamy, and most shades have some type of shimmer, with the exception of Miami and Manhattan. The formula is sticky and thick, but it doesn't feel uncomfortable. I think these are very pretty.

From left to right: Lip Creme in Maui, Monaco, Malibu, Madrid, Miami, and Manhattan.

And last but not least, Luxe Lipgloss. These glosses are super shiny and moisturizing. The glosses either have a peppermint or vanilla (smells more like chocolate, though) fragrance. Dumb Blonde is a clear gloss, and Superficial and Diamonds & Pearls both apply clear with gold and silver glitter, respectively. Goddess is the only shade that contains no frost or shimmer.

From left to right: Luxe Lipgloss in Superstar, Superficial, Your Highness, Goddess, Foxy, Dumb Blonde, and Diamonds & Pearls.

All of the TIGI lip products are impressive. They pack a lot of color and shine, and they all stay on well. As I said before, the only problem is the smell of the lipsticks, but if that is something you can ignore, go for it! If you've previously tried any of these products, leave comments below and let me know what you think! Phew, I just realized this was a wordy post. 

Oh, and happy Monday everyone! I hope this week goes by fast so we can get to all of the Thanksgiving festivities, hehe! Remember to vote in my poll below, please and thank you! Look for more posts this week on my latest beauty purchases, including foundations, lipstick and more. Talk to you soon! Xx

Vampy lipglosses

I went to Sephora yesterday looking at different lipsticks, and I decided to pick this gloss up by NARS.  The gloss is called Bougainville, and the Sephora website describes it as "pomegranate".  I think this (and another similar gloss that had a bit of shimmer in it) is part of NARS' holiday collection.  It's a dark berry color that's dramatic without being overpowering, and there is no shimmer in it at all.  I really like NARS lipglosses, they feel great on and the colors are all so pretty.  I also think this gloss would look great with a deep lipstick underneath if you're looking for something more powerful.

Yesterday, my best friend Tori and I exchanged Christmas gifts (a little late, I know).  She got me this fabulous gloss by Kat Von D.  I really love Kat Von D's line of cosmetics; everything is super-pigmented and lasts forever.  This particular gloss is Hellbent, and to me, it's a perfect blood red.  It's one of the Painted Love glosses, meaning that it's more opaque and pigmented than her other glosses.  I love to wear a red lip, and usually I wear MAC lipstick in Brave Red with Lancome Juicy Tubes in Berry Bold over it.  This is a nice one-step product that gives a high-impact red lip.  My only problem with this particular product is the smell, which is kind of weird and fruity.  Not too strong to deter me, though!

I really love to do a dark, dramatic lip, especially in the winter.  I know the general rule is to wear neutral eye makeup if you're going to wear a dramatic lip, but I still wear tons of liner and mascara.  Below are some pictures of me wearing each color.  Pardon the messy application, haha.  Try one (or both) out, I think you'll enjoy them!

NARS Lipgloss in Bougainville

Kat Von D Painted Love Lipgloss in Hellbent

Summer makeup

I went to Nordstrom today to pick up some makeup I had pre-ordered, and they had some kind of special promotion and were doing makeup on customers. I picked up a couple of things from MAC's To The Beach Collection, Splashing lipglass and Marine Life highlight powder. I really love summer makeup, I love being tan, I love gold and pink and warmth and all of that fun stuff. I haven't been wearing too exciting of makeup colors lately, but I think I'll start doing fun looks again like I used to. I found this little survey on another beauty blog, and I thought it would be interesting to fill out!

Last mascara you bought: L'oreal Voluminous Carbon Black...the only one that goes on dark and thick enough

Last lipstick you wore: Kat Von D Painted Love lipstick in Stiletto (an orange red)

Last look you wore you LOVED!: Thick black winged eyeliner with a neutral eyeshadow, and MAC lipstick in Girl About Town (a bright fuchsia)...it looked kind of 80's but really cool

Last eyeshadow you fell in love with: MAC eyeshadow in Banshee

Last blush you wore: I never wear only one blush at a time; today I had on MAC cream blush in Posey, topped off with powder blush in Dollymix and Springsheen (both MAC)

Last time you washed your brushes: Maybe a month or two ago, I need to wash them again ASAP

Last nail polish you removed: Essie in Marshmallow, right now I have OPI Monsooner or Later on