Favorites: October

I can't believe October is over already! I hope everyone had a great October and will have a safe but fun Halloween! Now onto the favorites.

1-Nuxe Reve de Miel Lip Moisturizer Stick: This has been my purse lip balm for the past few weeks. While it's not as moisturizing as the potted version, it does the job. I do enjoy the citrus-y scent and am really glad it doesn't have that overpowering fake honey smell a lot of honey products have.
2-Nuxe Reve de Miel Honey Lip Balm : I love using this stuff at night before bed. When I wake up, my lips are soft and smooth. The texture of this is great, it's not super glossy so I don't have to worry about it sliding all over my lips and onto my pillow cases. This smells the same as the stick version.
3-The Body Shop Honeymania Lip Butter: Another honey product that doesn't smell sickly sweet. Instead it has a floral scent that I love. I alternate this with the Nuxe balm at night and sometimes use this in the morning as a base for my lips.
4-NYX Butter Gloss in Creme Brulee: I just posted a review on this so I won't go too much into it, with the exception of me stating that I LOVE this gloss. I carry with me everywhere and know I will repurchase once I'm done with this.
5-First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream: I bought this after seeing my friend's Instagram. She stated that her face felt "as smooth as a baby's bottom," so I knew that I needed to try this. The area under my nose has been peeling like crazy with the transitioning weather so I knew I needed to remedy this. So far, the dryness has been minimized and my face does feel very smooth. I will be purchasing the tub version once I get my VIB Friends and Family code!
6-Perricone MD No Foundation Foundation: I absolutely am in love with this. I remember reading a magazine years ago that Nicole Sherzinger used this on her days off and I always wanted to try it because I think she's gorgeous. I finally bit the bullet and purchased it in the middle of October and have been using it ever since. I believe it does come in a lighter shade but since the coverage is sheer it can fit a range of complexions. If you want a review on this let me know!
7- PS3 Lego Marvel Super Heroes: The game I have been playing non-stop. I usually try to Platinum on each of my Lego games so I can spend hours and hours just playing. Plus, I'm a Marvel fan so seeing it in Lego form is pretty exciting.

Hope you enjoyed my favorites! Happy Halloween!

Review: NYX Butter Gloss

I should have stated this as a product rave because I am totally digging these NYX Butter Glosses! I purchased six out of the 12 shades and really love each one. Plus, who can not love the name Butter Gloss? With scrumptious names like Apple Strudel, Peaches and Cream and Eclair, it's very hard to resist these budget friendly glosses. So of course I end up with six instead of just one or two. 

The texture of these are smooth and buttery and only have a bit of tack to help with the lasting power. When I have these glosses on, my lips feel moisturized. Once the gloss fades or is wiped off, my lips feel soft and smooth. No peeling lips here! As for the pigmentation, I love these. Some of the glosses, like Creme Brulee and Maple Blondie, are more sheer while the darker shades like Peach Cobbler are bold and opaque. The sheer glosses mute my pigmented lips just enough and are great for everyday. Sometimes I'll even use these to layer over my lipstick for a milky pout. If you want a more pigmentation, choose one of the darker shades. These do have a sweet scent which dissipates after the gloss has been applied. I don't find it offensive or overly sweet but those who are sensitive may find it bothersome.

(From L to R:) Eclair, Creme Brulee, Maple Blondie, Apple Strudel, Peaches and Cream, Peach Cobbler

Pros:

-Buttery gloss like the name implies

-Variety of shades

-Affordable

-Cute Packaging

-Moisturizes and softens lips

Cons:

-Some may not like the scent

-Some may not like the sheerness of certain colors

-NYX can be hard to find locally in some areas

Repurchase? YES!

Personal: Birthday Snapshots

This year has certainly flown by. I can't believe I'm 28. That's two years before 30! I'll admit, 28 sounds strange to me but I'm pretty excited to see what the year brings for me.

I hope you enjoy the little snapshots I took during my birthday week! My birth date itself was lovely. It was quiet but filled with love and great laughs. Thank you to everyone who wished me a happy birthday and thank you to those who were able to keep me company on my birthday as well.

I went darker with my hair. Majority of the people like me with darker hair, I may make it a brown instead of leaning towards the black like it is now

Celebratory Birthday Waffle! It's nothing fancy, but this diner near our place makes such awesome breakfast!

My free Starbucks birthday drink. It's an iced Salted Caramel Mocha. I went Venti cause...it was free and it was my birfday!

The Mister took me to my favorite cupcake place in Red Bank. Since it's really just the two of us, getting a giant cake would be silly. I settled for the Lemon Raspberry Surprise (pictured) and Carrot Toffee Crunch. Both were amazing!!

Going out to meet our friends for dinner at Red Bank! I should have taken another shot of my outfit, I really liked it! Pants: H&M, Shirt: F21 (similar), Jacket: ASOS, Boots:Steve Madden Brewzzer  

My dinner, pieces of filet with sauteed spinach and mushrooms. I could eat this every night. So good!

My friend ordered the banana flambe for dessert, but it was huge, so we all split it. Here is his final plate. I had to take a picture of the masterpiece!

Now onto my birthday haul. I'll admit, I think I may have gone a bit over, but like many of you know, I'm extremely picky about things like bags and high investment pieces so this took a lot of contemplating before I bit the bullet and purchased the items. I'll be on a bit of a shopping ban in the next few months.

My girlfriend and I went to the Jersey Shore outlets on Columbus Day and scored a bunch of goodies. Kate Spade was having huge 50 percent off sale off entire store, so I definitely took advantage! After much deliberation, I decided on the Alessa satchel and the Graham ID/card holder. There is also a Michale Kors outlet but I was disappointed in their bag selection. Instead to took my time browsing their accessory section. I desperately needed a new wallet and fell in love with this sleek and simple carry all. I love that it doesn't have the obnoxious MK brand all over it. Afterward, we went to Fossil and they were having a massive sale and that's when I scored my Marc Jacobs watch. I was going to get a rose gold Michael Kors watch, but immediately changed my mind after seeing this beauty.

Birthday gift from my Mommy. This is the Selma satchel I have been eyeing. I know this will be a timeless piece and that I will probably use this bag to death. The Saffiano leather makes it very durable but luxe at the same time.

My beautiful friend, LC sent me this lovely package with a beautiful card. Btw, today is her birthday! Head over to her blog and say hi!

I'm a HUGE Attack on Titan (Shingeki no Kyojin) fan. My friend Bruce gifted me this key chain of the blades used by the soldiers. They're actually pretty sharp!

These were also gifts from my friends. A Scouting Legion patch from AoT, this insanely cute Ghibli shirt, a delicious cinnamon scone candle from Yankee Candle and MAC gift card. The PoP Art My Little Pony (Fluttershy) was from the Mister.

Thanks for reading and Happy Monday!

Review: NARS Dragon Girl Velvet Matte Lip Pencil

As you already know I'm a huge fan of NARS. I adore the sheer glow foundation, along with some of their best-selling blushes. So it's really not a surprise I purchased one of their velvet matte lip pencils. I'll admit I was a bit reluctant to buy this lip pencil for a few reasons. The first reason, I have a few red lipsticks and I rarely wear them. A part of me felt it would sit and collect dust along with the rest of the red lipsticks I own. The second reason? I'm not a huge fan of matte finishes. In previous experiences when experimenting with a matte lipstick, my lips have reacted negatively. These two main reasons caused a bit of hesitancy, but after reading several blog reviews and looking through picture swatches, I made my way to Sephora to collect this little gem. Another reason why I wanted this lip pencil? The name. I don't know why, but I love the name. Maybe because it sounds exotic, or maybe I'm just strange. Who knows?

 NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil, Dragon Girl is described as a "siren red." I have to agree. It's a very bold, blue-based red not for the faint of heart. When I wore this lipstick out to dinner the other night with the Mister, I had about three girls come up to me and ask me what I was wearing. If you're shy and don't like the spotlight on you, avoid this lip pencil. Since it is a blue-based red, it will make teeth look whiter. As for who can wear this? I feel this red is pretty neutral and can suit several types of skin tones. From the pictures I've seen, this lip pencil can pull a bit pink, leaning more towards fuchsia color but on me, it stays pretty true to the siren red color. As always, try it on at your department store makeup counter or at Sephora before buying it. 

As for price, it's a little more expensive at $25 USD, but I'd rather pay a little more money to know my lips won't dry out or peel terribly. I know there are some who will balk at the price especially since you need to sharpen the pencil as time progresses. If this isn't wallet-friendly for you, try some drugstore lip pencils instead. I know Revlon has recently launched their matte lip balm stains.

The staying power of this lipstick is decent, it's not advertised as a stain, but since it is such a bold color, it will stain lips. The night I went out, I had dinner and still did not need to touch up. Of course, if you decide to eat something greasy or buttery, the color will be removed when you wipe your lips. I did not notice any feathering the few times I have worn this. Another plus to this lippie is the lack of scent. Great for those with sensitive noses!

I definitely enjoy the NARS Matte Velvet Lip Pencils and I can see myself purchasing another if I find another color I like (which is a high probability). Dragon Girl is a great introduction to their matte lip pencil line and I hope the others are just as impressive.

Pros:

-Pigmented
-Long lasting
-Easy application
-No scent
-Great names
-Ligh weight feel

Cons:

-Expensive
-Has to be sharpened

Would I Repurchase? Yes!

Favorites: Foundations

With so many foundations on the market these days it can be quite confusing deciding which one(s) are the best for you. Instead of standing in the makeup aisle or department store looking dazed and confused, decide at home what you want first. Do you want full coverage? Light to medium coverage? Do you want liquid, cream or powder? Once you've figured that out, search online and read some reviews from popular sites like Makeup Alley or from blogs. Chances are that there will be dozens of reviews. Or if you haven't a clue at all what you need, places like Sephora now have a foundation matching system to help clients find the right match and finish.

For me, when I select a foundation, there is a certain criteria that needs to be met. I generally gravitate toward liquid formulas and like semi-matte finishes. For coverage I prefer light to medium coverage, I don't like looking too perfect or made up if that makes sense. Anyway, after going through a phase of just purchasing foundations just to try, I realized it was a waste of money and space. I had bottles and jars of unused foundations just collecting dust in my drawer. So now if there is a foundation that does pique my interest, I will research it first and then decide whether or not it's right for me. I do admit, it is easier for me to determine this with higher end foundations since you are able to test them in store and to ask for a sample to take home with you. 

My skin does change with the seasons. During the summer, I tend to get oily, combination skin that needs to be blotted throughout the day. In the cooler months from late fall through the winter, my skin gets very dry. Because of this, I have to buy foundations for different seasons. It's a little tedious but it needs to be done. The only thing that does not change with my skin is the coverage it needs. Sometimes I do have an occasional breakout here or there, but that's what concealer is for. So after much testing and trying, here are my current favorite foundations, from both the winter and summer.

From Left to Right:

1-L'Oreal Magic Nude Liquid Powder in 320(Natural Beige)-This is a foundation that will fair well with oilier skins since it does transform from liquid to a soft powder on the skin. I think I will be only using this in the warmer months because I have a feeling this will accentuate dry patches. I do like that is a bit on the sheerer side so even if I am a little lighter or darker than the color, I can still use it.

2-NARS Sheer Glow in Ceylan-I love this foundation. I actually can't wait to start using it again once my tan fades a bit. Currently I am probably closer to the Punjab/Stromboli shade so putting this on my face would mean disastrous results. It's a medium coverage foundation that has the ability to become heavy coverage if you layer. It evens out my face to the point where I don't use concealer.

3- Make Up For Ever HD Liquid foundation in 120/123-This was probably my first high-end foundation, well besides my MAC Studio Fix Fluid. I remember cringing slightly at the price tag but after using it, I don't regret the purchase at all. It's a medium coverage foundation that evens skin and provides a smooth, "high definition" finish. Regardless of how I apply this, it always looks smooth on my face. A definite favorite. I alternate between this and the NARS for special events or for days where I want to look extra polished.

4-Urband Decay Naked Skin Weightless Ultra Definition Liquid Makeup in 4.0-Another summer favorite. It's super light weight and very sheer in coverage. When I was trying to find a shade, I found that I could fit a range of colors but settled on 4.0 after reading many bloggers who had a NC 25-30 chose this shade. This is not an ideal foundation for those who have a lot of hyperpigmentation or acne scars. I actually find this and the L'Oreal Magic Nude foundation a bit similar in terms of texture and coverage. I'm not too sure how this will fare in the winter, but we will see.

Here are the foundations swatched: (From L to R) L'Oreal, NARS, MUFE, Urban Decay

So remember when choosing a foundation, be selective. Like with everything else, don't settle for something that is OK, get a foundation that satisfies all your needs and wants. It will save you a lot of money and aggravation. Hope you enjoy this post! Talk to you all soon!