March Favorites

Hello everyone!

I am beginning to come out of hibernation now that it really is starting to feel like spring. I mean, this winter has been brutal to everyone here in the States! Snow, more snow, air that hurts my face. It was a vicious cycle of wash, rinse and repeat (see what I did there, hurrhurr). Anyway, now that the Uggs and majority of bulky sweaters have been put away, I feel like dolling myself up again. I can't be too mad though, March has been very quiet and peaceful, I was able to spend a beautiful March day with my mother for her birthday (sometimes you just can't express the appreciation you have for the people in your life, no matter how much you try). Now I look forward to April showers (yes really, anything but more snow and crazy wind), longer days, and of course lemming more beauty products! Now that I've blah, blah'ed for a bit, let's move on to the favorites.

1) Stella McCartney's Stella- This has hands down been my favorite perfume for the past, I would say, six months. With notes of rose, peony, and amber, I can't help but feel pretty when I wear this. It also lasts for a while, compared to some of my other perfumes, so it's a nice plus especially for the price. I love this so much that I keep the rollerball version in my purse.

2) NARS Narsissist Palette- I tried so so hard to not want this palette. I read the reviews on this and they were pretty mixed so it kept me away for a bit. Then I saw HeyClaire's Get Ready With Me video using the palette and yeah, my restraint went downhill. I went to Lord & Taylor to swatch the colors and was pretty much sold. It is very expensive, if you are content with the Naked palettes, the Lorac Pro, or the Too Faced Chocolate bar palette you can definitely skip this. I would say to only get this is if you like five or more shades because it will justify the price.

3) Maybelline The Rocket Mascara in Waterproof- I did some shopping in my makeup stash and found this little guy. I had forgotten all about this mascara and when I retried it, I fell back in love. It definitely gives volume and length and above all else, it holds my curl. I've even worn this at the gym and it didn't sweat or smear off. The highest of fives all around.

4) The Body Shop Shea Body Butter- All the Body Shop body butters are amazing but I've been using this one up. The smell is fantastic but not overpowering and it makes my legs feel super soft and smooth. I would repurchase this particular scent, but I have six other tubs to go through. 

5) Revlon Parfumerie China Flower- Another item that I tried hard to resist. I finally purchased this in combination with Pink Pineapple (I haven't tried this one yet) in a set. It smells SOOOO good. I have to admit, I have a bit of nostalgia when it comes to the smell because it definitely reminds me of my grandma. It applies beautifully and compliments plenty of skin tones.

Swatch of just how beautiful this is!

6) Tales of Symphonia Chronicles for PS3- Non-beauty related item, but I had to share for those who love Japanese RPG's. Originally released for the Ninentdo Gamecube (I know, talk about a blast from the past) and Wii,  this was remastered for the PS3. I LOVED Tales of Symphonia when I initially played it, so there was no hesitation to purchase the remastered edition. This version also includes Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World which is the sequel. I have to say, I'm not completely in love with the the sequel but the original story and game does have my heart.

Definitely check this out if you get a chance and of course once you beat the game, watch the anime!

Happy Monday and talk to you all soon!

Sephora Recommendations

I'm sure many of you beauty fans are aware of Sephora's current sale. If you are not, then you must be 1) not into beauty products at all or 2) have been living under a rock! Anyway, I took advantage of getting some new goodies to try so reviews will be coming shortly on those. I wanted to put this post up to give you some of my recommendations that will hopefully make it to your collection! There are about four to five days left depending on what member status you are, so hurry, hurry or else you'll have to probably wait until Sephora's Friends and Family sale in late fall. Just type of the promo code when checking out.

I tried to compile a bunch of different items to recommend or else the majority of the products would have been lip products (not a surprise there).

1) Shiseido IBUKI Skin Softening Concentrate- I wrote my thoughts about this product here. It's been so wonderful for my skin this harsh winter. I have already repurchased a second bottle.

2) Perricone MD No Foundation Foundation- My review here. A nice option for those who have pretty decent skin and want to give skin that natural glow. Another plus? The more you wear this, the better your skin looks!

3) Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder- Great multitasker of a powder. You can use it to highlight, set your makeup or even as eyeshadow. Ideal for that "glow from within" look.

4) BeautyBlender Sponge- This is magical for a flawless application of foundation. That's it. The end. 

5) BareMinerals Marvelous Moxie in Rebel- A lovely gloss with some tack but not to much to be annoying. Fills in lip lines and gives lips an overall fuller and plumper appearance.

6) Bite Agave Lip Mask- Great to wear overnight for super dry lips. I switch up between this and the Reve Miel lip balm.

7) NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Dragon Girl- Beautiful red that is easy to apply and flattering for many skin tones. Depending on your coloring, the red can lean more pink-red or true blue-red.

8) Benefit Gimme Brow- I own this in both colors and love them both. You can wear this alone or set your brows, the tiny micro-fibers in this gel create the illusion of tiny hairs and fuller brows.

9) Anastasia Brow Wiz- Wide range of color selections and so precise. You can fill in full brows or draw them on, the choice is yours. You can check my thoughts here.

10) Urban Decay Naked 3- I picked the Naked palette 3, but you can't go wrong with any palette of the Naked line. They are very versatile and high quality shadows that will last you quite a long time.

If you happen to purchase any of these during the sale, please comment down below and let me know your thoughts on the products!! Happy Sunday and in honor of the Game of Thrones premiere, "YOU KNOW NOTHING JON SNOWWWWWW!"

Review: Maybelline Color Sensational Color Elixir in Petal Push and Nude Illusion

I had originally purchased these Maybelline Color Elixirs first but fell in love with the L'Oreal Colour Riche Extraordinary lip glosses more (check my post here!). Now that being said, this isn't a bad product at all. It all depends on what you are looking for. Compared to the L'Oreal counterpart, these are sheerer. I prefer more opaque glosses that only take one to two coats as opposed to two or more. These Maybelline Color Elixirs took me two to three coats to get the opacity I like but then it felt slightly heavy because I had so many coats on. 

When it comes to the scent, it smells sweet, like a vanilla candy, but with a floral background. It's definitely not for those who prefer lighter scents. There is a slight tack to the product but nothing obnoxious. I didn't notice any peeling on my lips but this does go on much better if your lips are smooth as they tend to settle in lip lines. The packaging itself is, cute. It's not my favorite, but that's because I prefer sleeker, more sophisticated packing. This tends to lean more towards teen, young adult in my opinion.

The wand is excellent. It allows for precise application on all lip sizes. It also picks up enough product for one full application which is nice. Out of the two I picked up, I enjoy both colors. They are great for every day and for people of all ages (despite the packaging). 

All in all, I enjoy these glosses but they didn't make me jump out of my seat. Unless there is a color I really want or has excellent reviews, I don't think I will be repurchasing these.

Pros:

-Over 20 shades

-Felt hydrating
-Affordable and easily accessible

Cons:

-Not as opaque as in the packaging

-Scent for sensitive noses
-Packaging may not appeal to everyone

Repurchase? Highly unlikely

February Favorites!

Happy March! I'm counting down the days till spring because I'm sick of all this cold and snow! The picture above describes exactly how I feel about the winter this year. So spring, hurry up already! Anyway, onto the favorites. It's been a quiet month in terms of beauty products since I've been feeling that natural, but put together look. 

1-The Lorac Pro palette- I love this palette, it sneaks past the Naked palettes in terms of versatility because it includes all shades of neutrals like a purple, rust, and a slate. I always bring this with me when I travel as well since it's so slim and lightweight.

2-Benefit Gimme Brow in Medium/Deep- So, I tried the Anastasia Dipbrow pomade in three colors, chocolate, dark brown, and ebony and did not like any of them. They all seemed too warm for my hair coloring so I returned them all. Now I use this in conjunction with the Shu Uemura brow pencil in stone grey or the Anastasia Brow Wiz in Ebony. What I love the most is the small brush it comes with, it always makes for precise application and leaves no mess. My brows look natural but detailed at the same time. 

3-The Body Shop Wild Rose Hand Cream- I got this for free during The Body Shop's Christmas giveaway and love it. I'm a fan of rose scents so I love slathering this on. The cream itself is airy, lightweight, and absorbs very easily into the skin. I have the almond scented one by my bed to use on my hands and feet at night. 

4- Shu Uemura Hard Brow Pencil in Stone Grey- On days where I don't wear makeup, I usually use this on its own. When I use quick strokes of this on my brow, it creates a soft, full look. While this is pretty pricey for an eyebrow pencil, this thing will last for ages because a little goes a long way. I do not recommend this for anyone who has really, sparse brows. It won't draw on brows like the Brow Wiz. 

5- BareMinerals Marvelous Moxie lipgloss in Rebel- I love minty glosses so I knew right away I would enjoy these. I believe Rebel is the one of the few cream finishes in the line. There is a slight tack and a bit of a tingle, not crazy lip plumping burn your lips off tingly, but it does plump lips slightly and decreases the appearance of lip lines. 

6- NARS Pressed Light Reflecting Setting Powder- This is an awesome setting powder. When you first get it, you need to, in a sense, scratch the surface with a real haired brush and then the powder is magic. No cakiness at all and it makes my skin look flawless. If I really want to look super ethereal, I'll dust on some Houglass Ambient Lighting Powder on my high points and call it a day. 

Hope you enjoyed the post! Also hope you are staying warm in this very blustery weather!