February Favorites

Besides being the shortest month of the year, I gotta say my favorite part of February was turning 21! I can now legally drink in the USA. It also means I'm halfway done with my semester, which means I should probably find a summer job as soon as possible... before I scare myself, let's get on to more exciting favorites!

Giella Eye M Glam. Thanks to blogger Amelia Liana, I discovered this gorgeous highlighter that Kim K herself uses. It's a very fine bronze glitter that doesn't emphasize pores and makes you look so glowy and glam. Since it's a loose glitter, you can mix it with other liquid products if you wanna add a boost of shimmer.

Guerlain Meteorites Compact. I've never tried the famed Guerlain meteroites--something about the loose pearls floating around and lack of pigmentation didn't appeal to me. This on the other hand is worth picking up. It's a pressed powder that I use at the end of my makeup routine to set everything in place, while adding a completely sheer hint of color that also makes me glow. Not sure how it works but it does. It also smells amaaaazing.

Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow in 020. I guess powders hit it big in this favorites. I use this one after foundation and before blush/bronzer to make sure everything is evened out. Never cakey, not too matte, and that super luxurious compact make this a big winner in my book.

Clarins Hydra Quench Mask. This was actually a gift-with-purchase from Macy's, but it ends up being a great deal at half the size of the original! I use this every few nights when my skin feels dry and it basically just feels like a moisturizer with a little something extra.

Urban Decay Naked Concealer in Fair Neutral. I've tried a million concealers, and I'm usually just meh about them. This one's a game changer. I thought weightless meant light coverage, but the coverage is some of the best I've seen. I use it on dark circles AND blemishes, so you know it's great.

Books: The Unfortunate Importance of Beauty by Amanda Filipacchi, In the Blood by Lisa Unger, I Was Here by Gayle Forman

Music: Silver Springs by Fleetwood Mac, Bad Reputation by Joan Jett, Five Years Time by Noah and the Whale. Also anything by Regina Spektor because her voice is amazing.

What did you love in February? Comment below!

New Charlotte Tilbury Products

If I see the words "new" and "Charlotte Tilbury" in the same sentence, you can bet I'll be all over it. These have been collected over the past month and you can bet I'm loving them. I know she launched some matte lipsticks in the UK a few months ago and I keep waiting for them to come to us. I'm lucky these products even came since (spoiler alert) they perform extremely well. On to the in-depth review!

Lip Magic Lip Balm. My lips get dry in winter, but for some reason they've been especially gross lately. They say good things come in all shapes and sizes, so this little lip balm packs a mighty punch. It uses hyaluronic acid to give lips a plumper and refreshed feel, while also working below the surface to provide long-term healing benefits. 

Lip Renewing Honey Bee Scrub. Speaking of matte lipsticks, my biggest pet peeve is when they dry and show all your fine lines on your lips. Enter this baby. It's a gentle scrub that exfoliates and uses a whole buncha softening products. It works well with the lip balm or on it's own, and both can be used as lipstick primers. It doesn't need to be washed off, as it pretty much absorbs right into your lips. 

Beach Stick in Fomenter and Moon Beach. Think of these as the Clinique Chubby Stick for Face's sophisticated older sister. The cream blush blends like a dream and "contains creamy polymers that moisturize the skin and glowing pigments that blend easily into your skin surface, illuminating it with brilliant, color-saturated pigments to give you that irresistible summer glow". I have Moon Beach, which is a pale golden shade that works alone or as a highlighter and Formentera, which is a natural rosy shade. 

Moon Beach, Formentera

Let me know if you'd like to see any more Charlotte Tilbury products reviewed!

Some Single Shadows

I'm a palette fanatic for so many reasons (easy for travel, value, so many shades in one container) but sometimes single shadows can be great too. You often get more in that single shadow vs. if the shade were to be in a palette, and they can be used individually or on top of looks you create in palettes. It can be a pit pricy to continue to buy single shadows, so I've picked out some that aren't readily available in palettes and are worth buying on their own.

Nars Dual Intensity Shadows in Phoebe and Desdemona. Now some of these are actually available in a new limited edition palette, but I couldn't justify buying it as I already owned a few of the shades. These can be used wet or dry (hence the dual intensity name) and they are probably one of my favorite single shadow formulas out there. They're so pigmented and shimmery without fallout--trust me, they're worth the higher price tag.

Make Up Forever Aqua Cream in Warm Beige and Golden Copper. If you've ever used the Maybelline Color Tattoos, think of these like their more sophisticated older sister. They're way creamier and pigmented in my opinion, and once you put them on they don't crease. Best part is they also double as a base if you want to put a powder shadow on top.

Urban Decay Moondust Eyeshadow in Cosmo and Ether. Everyone knows that Urban Decay shadows rock--it's no wonder the Naked palettes are some of the best sellers out there. But these new releases are crazy crazy glittery, which is what intrigued me. There's a little bit of fallout, but not as much as you'd expect for the amount of shimmer power.

MAC Electric Cool Eyeshadow in Superwatt, Coil, and Love Power. Not quite a cream but obviously not a powder, these cool spongy eyeshadows are definitely not cakey. Pigmentation can be built up, but sometimes I like to use a light hand and add them as a last touch on a look. I personally like these better than the normal MAC eyeshadows.

L-R: Cassiopeia, Phoebe, Warm Beige, Copper

L-R: Love Power, Superwatt, Coil, Ether, Cosmo

This or That: Clinique vs. Bobbi Brown

Cheek products are one of my top three weaknesses. Both of these launches seemed super exciting, so naturally a couple shades of both of them made their way into my stash. They both have slightly different claims: the Bobbi Brown Brightening Brick Compact is designed to work as either an all-over setting powder or a blush to add subtle color. The Clinique Sculptionary Blush shades are designed to highlight, contour, or work together for a combined glow.

So which one do you need? I think it depends what you're going for--I tend to prefer translucent setting powders, which is why I picked up the two darker Bobbi Brown colors (Coral and Cranberry).  I would use these only as blushes--they start out sheerer, especially Coral, but can be built up. The lighter two pink shades that I don't have can work as blushes on fair skin tones or overall setting powders. They have more shimmer than the Clinique ones. I think for me, the Clinique ones (I have Defining Roses and Defining Nudes) are just a smidge better. I like to swirl all the colors together and the powder is so soft with a sheer shimmer. With both of them, the different variety of colors that works together allows you to create a custom glow every time. Overall, they're both great products and getting one color of each seems like the best idea to me!

L-R: Coral, Cranberry, Roses, Nudes

If you've tried either of these, let me know which one you prefer!

Shine Bright Like a Diamond

We all love adding a little bit of glow to accentuate cheekbones and underneath your eyes. You might not want to be as shiny as a diamond, because then you just look sweaty, so the key is to add subtle shimmer without looking like you stepped out of the gym. I probably own way too many highlighting products, but here are some of the ones I've found work amazingly.

1. MAC Prep and Prime Highlighter in Light Boost. This is supposedly the product Kim K swears by for her undereye glow. I wouldn't really use this as a concealer; rather, sweep it on the high points of the face where you want the light to reflect. I love the clickable pen formula, as it's great for travel and touch ups on the go.

2. YSL Touche Eclat Radiant Touch. I'm imagining this is a staple product in any makeup addict's kit. The cult favorite also delivers a highlighting formula in a clickable pen, although it's a bit sheerer and glowier than the MAC one. I really like to use this to brighten under my eyes and it works on top of concealer, as well as cheekbones.

3. The Body Shop Radiant Highlighter. For those who like to get more than one use out of their product, this one's for you. You can use it as a primer, mixed in with your foundation, or placed on top of a full-face to add extra shimmer. The pink tone works with all skin tones and has the added benefit of vitamin E to sooth skin.

4. Kevyn Aucoin Celestial Powder in Starlight. Although candlelight is also an amazing highlighter that everyone raves about, I actually prefer the newer starlight version. The peachier tones add a hint more of color and work well with bronzer/more natural blushes. Sometimes powder highlighters can accentuate pores and make you look greasy if you apply too much, but you'll have a hard time doing that with this finely-milled powder.

5. MAC Cream Color Base in Hush. Okay I lied--there's another multitasking product. This one has a firmer texture than the Body Shop one, despite it also being a cream base. It can also be used as an eyeshadow/under brow highlight, and the variety of colors is sure to please depending on your preference.

It's crazy but this is my 100th post on the blog! I'm incredibly pleased I started it, and love how much it has grown with all the positivity. Share a link to your blog below to pass on the community love!

February Beauty Wish List

It's my birthday Thursday, so it seems like a fitting time to make a wish list (although I'm pretty sure all of my gifts are already taken care of). There's also a ton of new beauty launches, but then again, when aren't there? These are a few things I've been eyeing recently, although by this time next week, I'm sure there will be a million more launches out to get excited for.

Charlotte Tilbury Beach Stick in Fromentera. Obviously a new Charlotte Tilbury product would make it into the bunch. I love the chubby stick cream formula of swipe-and-go, plus it's supposed to not sink into pores and be long lasting. If it's Charlotte approved, I'm all about it.

Burberry Eye Color in Rosewood. I prefer to buy palettes instead of single eyeshadows, but so many bloggers have been raving about this shade. It seems like a decent sized product for the (admittedly high) price, and it's a lovely satin taupe shade.

Clinique Sculptionary Cheek Contouring Palette in Defining Roses. Phewph the name is a mouthful! Each color can be used on it's own or they can be swirled together to add either definition or a subtle blush. Obviously the rose color is screaming my name.

Urban Decay Naked Concealer. This claims to be high-coverage yet seamless (a hefty claim). I'm usually impressed with Urban Decay products, so I have high hopes. It would be nice to find a "second skin" concealer for my dark circles.

Tata Harper Moisturizing Mask. Now this is a true wishlist item--the ridiculous price means I would never buy it unless it somehow goes on sale. I had a free sample packet, left it overnight on my skin, and was seriously impressed. It might be better than Glamgldw Thirsty Mud but not worth the extra moolah.

What's been on your wishlist lately? Do tell!

Contouring For Beginners

If there's one step I usually skip in my makeup routine, it's contouring. I don't know why--it only takes a few seconds and adds so much to your face. I already have quite defined cheekbones but contouring is great to add definition to your face. I love glittery bronzers, but when you look for a contouring product, you want a great, cooler-toned matte brown. Here are a few of the products I use when I actually do contour. Hopefully writing this post will inspire me and you to take an extra 30 seconds to add more definition to your face!

1. Becca Lowlight/Highlight Perfecting Palette. This is a great buy because you also get a decent sized highlighter with the contour cream. Cream can be easier to contour with because it blends like a dream. I personally like to use my fingers to blend this, then add the highlight to the high points of my face and voila!

2. Marc Jacobs Omega Bronze. If you want a product you can use as a bronzer and contour, I highly recommend this one. The shade isn't so cool that you can't apply it to your cheekbones, but it's also so matte that it works well to define. The product is basically the size of my face, so I wouldn't worry about running out of it any time soon.

3. Kevyn Aucoin Sculpting Powder. For those who are already pros at contouring, I'm sure you recognize this cult favorite. The shade and texture are designed specifically to mimic shadows on the low points of your face and it is very fine-milled. You won't look overly made up and although there is very little product for the higher price tag, trust me when I say just the tiniest amount goes a long way.

4. Clinique Chubby Stick Sculpting Contour. I mentioned this in my January Favorites--this is truly the lazy girl's contour tool because you just draw some on your face, rub it in, and you're ready to go. There's also a complimentary highlighting stick.

5. Soap and Glory Solar Powder Bronzer. The dual tones of this product means one side works for contouring and the other one for adding over-all warmth to your face. It's harder to find in the USA but just search Amazon or Ebay.

What products do you love for contouring? Let me know if you want to see a best highlighter post!

Looking for a good read? I highly recommend In Some Other World, Maybe by Shari Goldhagen. It could have easily been a throwaway multi-perspective novel, but each character and their interactions  are so poignant and relatable I couldn't stop reading.

January Favorites

We're already 1/12 of the way through 2015 (doesn't that sound so depressing?). Unfortunately, I got into an accident a few days ago and broke my nose. I'll be okay, but the saddest part is I won't be able to wear makeup for at least a week. I'm going to try my best to post again this week, but I wanted to make sure I got my monthly favorites out on time.

MAC Absolutely It Lip Pencil. The lip liner obsession has been all too real lately, and this is one of my favorites. It's a gorgeous dusty rose that looks great either alone or under another color, and it's non-drying.

Clinique Chubby Stick Sculpting Contour. I'm obsessed with the Clinique Chubby Sticks for lips and face, so I knew i would love this. It makes contouring so easy--you just rub it on and blend. The color is slightly warmer than I would like, but the ease of the product makes up for it.

Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze and Glow. Ever since I got this product in June, I've been obsessed. It's been a huge part of my rotation lately--the bronzer is great for contouring or adding subtle color, and the highlight is absolutely gorgeous with making cheeks glow.

Charlotte Tilbury Vampy Varnish Eyeshadow Palette. Surprise, surprise--another Charlotte Tilbury product. I love all the eyeshadow quads, and the burgundy tones of this one are so beautiful. It can be built up for a day or night look, and that top left shade is to die for.

La Roche Posay Rosaliac Serum. I've always struggled with redness, but this serum works wonders for toning it down. It's one of the first products where I've really noticed an improvement.

Chloe Eau de Parfum Spray. This might possibly be my new signature scent. I love the notes of rose and peony, and it has great staying power. If you're in search of a new scent, I highly recommend this one.

Books: Twisted Fate by Norah Olson, Before I Go by Colleen Oakley, Saving Grace by Jane Green, The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins

TV Shows: I'm currently watching Orphan Black... it's an awesome show about a bunch of clones who are connected. I also really recommend the mini series Black Mirror--it's a modern day Twilight Zone that focuses on the negative side effects of technology in the near future.

What did you love in January? Let me know!