June/July Favorites

I didn't miss June favorites on accident. I just didn't have enough products that I was using to justify a whole post about it. I generally like to have 5 or more products to talk about in a favorites, if I haven't used anything new or loved anything special, I won't do a favorites.

So...I've been trying some new things and loving some new things over the past 2 months and they definitely justify their own favorites post!

Also...AUGUST.

1. Real Techniques Expert Face Brush. I have a whole post about this magic little brush. I am so mad at myself for waiting this long to buy one, I will never be without one again.

2. NYX blushes. Particularly Dusty Rose and Pinched. Again, super irritated that WE CAN'T GET NYX where I live. This is a 2 hour trip or an online purchase only for me. But, these are amazing blushes. Super pigmented, cute packaging and great price. Love.

3. Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Honey. Long time favorite, definitely my favorite out of the whole collection but recently fell back in love with it on a business trip. One application in the morning lasted through an all day class, coffees, lunches and still looked and felt pretty nice. Just love this classic color.

4. Sally Hansen Quick Dry Anti Chip Top Coat. I also have a whole review of this, but suffice it to say that I will never buy Seche Vite again. This little red bottle seriously makes a manicure last at least 8 days on me. CHIP FREE. Amazing!

5. Essence Get Big! Lashes Mascara, waterproof and regular versions. These definitely have to dry out a bit before they get awesome, they are very wet mascaras. But after about a week or two, these get amazing. Super huge brushes, awesome buildable mascara and it doesn't clump or get flaky. For $3.99, a definite repurchase.

Best of 2012

Sorry for the lack of posts. Have been on vacation (still am) and spending time with family and away from technology which has been, lovely.

I thought I would do a little best of post to highlight some of my favorite finds from the past year. It being the first year of my blog and all ;)

1. Maybelline Color Tattoos. These have basically negated the need for me to ever purchase another paint pot. So great all around!

2. MAC Mineralized Skinfinish Natural. Not new this year but new to me. Have found super close dupes but nothing identical to this magic powder.

3. Seche Vite topcoat. Again, not new but I just discovered this stuff his year and can not live without it. Reduces drying time and leaves a salon like finish. Massively changed my manicure life.

4. Not Your Mother's hair care line. Probably the best drugstore hair products I have ever used. From shampoo and conditioner to styling products, super high quality at crazy affordable prices.

5. L'Oreal True Match foundations (Lumi and original). Hands down my favorite foundations of the year. Just amazing coverage, finish and a large range of shades. These have been my favorite discovery this year.

How about you? What were your favorite products from 2012? Happy New Year and thanks for reading my blog this year and joining me in this crazy little journey!

November Favorites

Can you believe it's December?!?! It's going to be spring again before we know it. Holy Moly this fall just flew by. It's that time again for my favorites from the previous month. Here's what I couldn't stop using for the month of November!

Clinique 7 Day Scrub Cream. I can't stop using this stuff. It's gentle but effective and leaves my face feeling super soft and glowing. LOVE love love this scrub!!

MAC Primped Out Essentials Perfectly Plush Brush Kit. I received this as a gift for my birthday and just adore it. The bag is pretty small and went into my makeup bag collection for travel, but the brushes are AMAZING. It's basically everything you need for an everyday makeup look. Foundation, powder/blush, eyeshadow, crease brush and the angled brush is what I use for powders on my eyebrows. Great little kit!

Urban Decay Naked Palette. I started using this again as fall rolled in and am pretty sure the love affair is going to last awhile. The colors are just SO perfect for this time of year and don't require much effort to get a great look. I've been using Sin and Buck together pretty consistently this last month and think with a black cat eye and red lips that would make a perfect festive makeup look!

Maybelline Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner. I've been on a gel eyeliner kick lately and this is the one I always grab. It just lasts all day and is so precise, but something about gel is a little bit softer than a liquid black eyeliner. I really like this formulation and think it's a great drugstore alternative!

Covergirl Fresh Concealer. This was my go-to under eye concealer before I found the Maybelline Dream Lumi. I recently ran out of Maybelline and had a backup of this so started using it again. I just really love the look this gives and I think it does a great job of brightening my under eye area. It's a little bit less creamy than the Maybelline so I don't need to set this with anything.

Clinique Cupid Blush. What a gorgeous little pop of color. I am really impressed with this blush and haven't used anything else since I got it. It's a pretty neutral rosy pink and it just perks my face right up. It's so pretty! It's also very pigmented, which hasn't always been my experience with Clinique Blushes, but Cupid is exceptional!

all photos courtesy of amazon.com

October Favorites

 

It's November, my birthday month!! My favorite holiday month (Thanksgiving). I love love love November. I can't believe how fast October flew by. But, it's here which means it's time for my October favorites!

L'Oreal True Match Lumi Foundation. I've done several reviews of this foundation and can't rave enough about it. It's seriously a game changer.

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Lip Stain in Precious. I have had Honey and Fuchsia for a while but just recently picked up Precious. I was a little hesitant because it looks very nude in the package. On my lips takes on a nude that's wearable and has just a touch of pink which makes it more flattering than a regular tan based nude, I think.

L'Oreal Colour Riche Nail Polish in Greyt Expectations. This color just keeps impressing me. I can wear it for over a week with minimal wear, the color goes with everything and it's so unique and pretty. I can't stop wearing it!

Juicy Couture Viva La Juicy perfume. An all time favorite and a bit of my signature scent. My husband usually buys me a bottle every Christmas but I've been out for a while. I recently spotted the large bottle at TJ Maxx for $30 and snatched it right up. This scent is so feminine and lingering but not too "girlie" or fruity or over the top. It's just a really lovely perfume and one that always gets noticed, in a good way.

Wet N Wild Comfort Zone Palette. I have definitely gotten my $5 worth out of this product. I've worn it a million different ways already and even used it for my Halloween Witchy Woman costume. So versatile and such high quality.

L'Oreal Voluminous Full Definition Mascara. My first L'Oreal mascara purchase was a few months ago after LashBlast frustrated me beyond repair. I bought the original Voluminous Carbon Black mascara and loved it. I liked it so much I felt a little more brave venturing into the L'Oreal mascara world. Full Definition looked right up my alley and I'm loving it. It lengthens, seperates, volumizes and defines my lashes like nothing I've tried before. It's an amazing mascara! It reminds me a lot of the original Lancome Hypnose mascara.

all images courtesy of amazon.com

That's it for my favorites this month. HAPPY NOVEMBER!!

September Favorites

With little man starting first grade and my schedule at work changing to accomodate afternoon pick-ups, it was a crazy month. I did have a few things I used a lot of this month as we fell back into the school routine.

Happy October!

1. NYM Beach Babe sea salt texturizing spray. I've already done a full review of it here. Suffice it to say, a month of early mornings and my general laziness about my hair resulted in a complete codependency and obsession with this spray. It spent half of the month in my purse, that's how much I love it.



photo courtesy of amazon.com



2. Bath and Body Works "Twilight Woods" body spray. I've kind of been on a "use what you have before you buy more" kick with regards to perfumes and such lately. This was one I used a ton last fall and started using again last months. To me, it's just such an autumny scent. Deep without being heavy and one of the more "grown up" scents at BBW.

photo courtesy of bathandbodyworks.com

3. Revlon ColorStay foundation. We fell in love hard and fast and I haven't been using much else since. I find that this just wears so amazingly on my skin and gives me the full coverage I love without being cakey. I apply it with a stippling brush because it dries super fast. AMAZING drugstore foundation.

photo courtesy of revlon.com

4. Revlon ColorStay Eyeliner in Blackberry. Such a pretty eyeliner. It's got the long wearing quality of the ColorStay line in a much more wearable and appropriate for fall burgundy/berry color. It can look slightly purpley depending on how you wear it, but it's DARK and a great alternative to black. I usually layer Lancome eyeshadow in Click (an all time favorite!) over it for a total blackened berry eyeliner look. Super pretty!



photo courtesy of revlon.com

5. NYM Way to Grow Shampoo and Conditioner. Again, I've done a full review of these here. If the amazing scent doesn't get you, the condition it leaves your hair in will. I don't think I've ever used something from a drugstore that leaves my hair feeling so happy and strong, without feeling weighed down. Definitely a holy grail set here.

photo courtesy of amazon.com

-Erika



August Favorites

Summer is officially over. Little man started first grade today and I'm wearing jeans so with that, here's my list of favorite items for the month of August!

1. Ion Smooth Solutions Keratin Shampoo and Conditioner. I got these with a BOGO coupon from Sally's and kind of fell in love. They are sulfate free, no sodium chloride and feel so nice in the hair. Usually sulfate free shampoos leave my hair a tangly mess, but not this one. The conditioner is a bit thinner than I'm used to but works really well!


photo courtesy of sallybeauty.com


2. Earthly Body Marrakesh X High Tide leave in conditioner. My girlfriend gets this for me at a real beauty supply store and I can't live without it. There are 3 different scents, I prefer the High Tide one. This spray contains hemp and argan oils and detangles, controls frizzies, seals in hair color, protects hair from the sun, prevents split ends, all the good happy things you want for your hair.


photo courtesy of amazon.com

 3. Revlon ColorStay Liquid Eye Pen in Blackened Brown. I was on a no eyeliner kick for most of the summer but started using this again lately and remembered why it's so awesome. It's just the easiest eyeliner ever and it stays PUT.



photo courtesy of revlon.com





4. MAC Paint Pot in Bare Study. I seriously think I abandoned all other paint pots when I fell for Maybelline Color Tattoo in Bad to the Bronze, but changed it up in August and started using Bare Study again. I still think that the Color Tattoo's are more bang for your buck, but I just love the color of Bare Study. It's a peachy champagne that is so pretty under lighter eyeshadow colors.

photo courtesy of amazon.com


5. Hair Stylers Mesh Chignon. I've been pretty obsessed with sockbuns this summer and especially in August. I've made my own at home and also use this one I got at Sally's. It is the perfect shape, weight and texture. It holds your hair in the bun without getting heavy and doesn't move. LOVE this thing!



photo courtesy of sallybeauty.com



July Favorites

Thought I'd do a little quick rundown of some of my favorite items that I used and loved for the month of July. There are some things that I use and might not always blog about, but they do deserve a lil shout out and some love.

1. MoroccanOil. I recently repurchased the giant bottle of MO and have been using it like crazy. Going from brunette back to blonde did a number on my hair, plus we are in the pool or on the boat a lot in the summer and it really does a doozy on my ends. I don't think I've blow dried my hair in several weeks but I use MO every single morning. It smells awesome and makes my hair happy.

photo courtesy of moroccanoil.com



2. Moist Hemp with Argan Oil lotion. See a theme here? I picked this up at Sally's and have been using it for my daily lotion in the mornings pretty much non-stop since then. It's super moisturizing but it's not thick or heavy. It smells pretty sweet out of the bottle but the scent fades to a nice girlie scent and the lotion is amazing. I will definitely be repurchasing this one.



 

photo courtesy of sallybeauty.com

 

3. ELF Super Glossy Lip Shine in "Wild". This one is just a must have color for summer for me. It is a super bright orangey coral with golden shimmer and just goes perfect with a summer tan and some mascara. It's one of those colors that just instantly makes your face brighter and happier. I really like these lip glosses, for only $1?! Yeah. All over it.

4. Rimmel  Scandaleyes Mascara with Lycra Flex. I am usually pretty loyal to Lancome Hypnose or CoverGirl Lashblast mascara's. The last tube of Lashblast that I purchased was dry almost immediately and it annoyed me into buying a different kind. I saw the brush on this mascara and was so interested I had to give it a shot. This brush is HUGE, and like, a REAL brush. It's not a plasticky brush like you get with Lashblast. It took some getting used to but once I found the technique to use it, I fell hard for this mascara. It does smudge a bit on my bottom lashes, so I only use it on top. You can do a few coats for a regular day to day look or swipe a couple extra coats and BOOM. Mega lashes. I will repurchase for special occasions and nights when you just need those extra flirty lashes.

5. REVLON Colorstay 16 Hour Eye Shadow Quad in "Decadent". WOWZA. I typically wear more neutral/natural colors (think Naked Palette) but I wanted something a little more romantic and found this a few weeks ago. It's amazing. I am pretty picky about eyeshadows and even more picky with drugstore eyeshadows. I thought I'd try this because it's under the Colorstay lable that I trust and it did not disappoint. I will be posting a full review of this soon.

photo courtesy of amazon.com

6. Orly Flash Glam FX "Be Brave" nail polish. This is the first bar glitter nail polish I've ever purchased and it is SO MUCH FUN. It does take a little practice to lay those bar glitters down even but it's so worth it. It's a bright holographic pink/purple/bluish glitter in a clear base so you can put it over literally any color and amp up your mani. I've tried it over magenta, robins egg blue, nude, pale pink and the possibilities are really endless with this fun product. It got love this month!

photo courtesy orlybeauty.com

7. China Glaze Strong Adhesion Base Coat. Addicted. I feel like this is the perfect base coat, it is long lasting and if I use this and top with SV, I can make a mani last over 5 days before it starts to chip. I usually get bored with my nails before that so I've used this at least twice a week all month.

photo courtesy chinaglaze.com

8. Revlon PhotoReady Bronzer in "Bronzed and Chic". I seriously use this every day. It is so fantastic and flattering. Instantly perks your skin up whether you are doing a full face of makeup or just a tinted moisturizer around the house. It's my holy grail of bronzers.

photo courtesy of revlon.com