April Favorites

Cue the obligatory "Where did the month go?". In less than a month, I will have graduated college and be on my way to the next chapter of my life! Lately, I've been wondering what that means about the future of my blog--I've been writing almost two years, and although I love it, lately I've been feeling uninspired. That might mean less posts, but I would hate to abandon this all of a sudden. Anyways, before I get too emotional, let's get on to what you're here for--the favorites!

Sephora Collection Dry Clean Instant Brush Spray. When I first saw this, I thought it had to be a gimmick. But after seeing a review on Beautezine, I was sold. I'm super lazy about cleaning my brushes, so this comes in handy. A quick spray (like a dry shampoo for brushes) does a quick little refresh to spot clean brushes, especially if you use the same brush for the same product every day. It extends the time between deep cleans, which I am all about. And it's pretty affordable too.

Estee Edit Pore Vanishing Stick. Earlier this month, Estee Lauder launched a new collection geared towards younger audiences. I was intrigued, but as I'm trying to cut back on buying new makeup, nothing really caught my eye. Until I tried a sample of this and had to get the full size. The concept seems kind of weird--a stick with a tinted core that you can apply before or after makeup to reduce the look of pores. But holy moly, does this stuff shrink my pores like nothing else. Of course, it's temporary, but as someone with drier skin who also suffers from enlarged pores, this makes them disappear under makeup.

L'Oreal Mythic Oil. This stuff smells seriously amazing. Like all the good things about a hair salon. It's a hair oil that I like to apply as the first step when my hair is wet, or on day-two hair when the frizzies are in full force. It's pretty weightless, so my hair doesn't look greasy, but is so so good at adding shine and reducing frizz (plus a whole bunch of other benefits).

Kylie Liquid Lip in Posie. I did a whole review on these a couple of weeks ago, so I won't get too into detail, but this has been my number one lip shade this month. It seriously lasts all day, isn't super drying, smells amazing, and this is a gorgeous rosy pink that makes my makeup look just a little more put-together.
Viseart Theory Palette in Minx. Again, this is another one that I recently reviewed, but just can't stop using. I like it so much that I ordered the last theory palette (Cashmere) that I didn't have. The six shades are so pigmented and stay all day--I keep getting compliments on my "golden eyes". If you don't own any Viseart palettes, or want a new warm-toned palette, add this to your collection.

Books: The Nest by Cynthia Sweeney, All Things Cease to Appear by Elizabeth Brundage, The First Time She Drowned by Kerry Kletter

Music: Head Over Heels by Tears For Fears and God Only Knows by The Beach Boys

I hardly ever post about fashion, but just wanted to give a quick shoutout to this Scala Hat, kindly sent from Lipton Publicity. It's slouchy and lightweight, so perfect for the spring transition we are currently having--it just snowed here two days ago! When will the warm temps be here to stay?

As always, I'd love to know what your April Favorites were! Share below and let me know what you couldn't get enough of.

Ofra x Manny MUA Liquid Lipsticks

You'd think I'd be sick of the liquid lipstick trend by now, but despite the fact that more and more brands keep bringing them out, I'm on board! Ofra is a lesser-known cosmetics brand that is now on the rise after a collaboration with Kathleen Lights and now one with Manny MUA. I've tried the formula and love it, so knew I would be a fan of these. I actually haven't watched many of Manny's videos, but again, bought into these purely due to social media hype. The lip sets sold out within a couple hours, but should be restocked semi-frequently. There are plenty of 30% off coupons floating around, which makes these reasonably affordable.

The formula of these lipsticks is amazing--it almost has a whipped texture, but it dries down totally matte. The moussey formula keeps it from feeling too drying, and as long as you don't eat or drink right after applying, it should last quite some time. Now on to the three colors! You can buy them individually or all three together (which I did). Aries is my least favorite of the bunch, just because I find these light pink nudes harder to wear. I can see it working on top of a darker lip liner, but on its own I almost look like I have concealer lips. Charmed is my favorite--a MLBB pinky nude for "those who enjoy a more subtle lippy". And I also adore Hypno--a darker vampy shade that leans more burgundy, but isn't so dark that you can't rock it during the day as well as night.

Aries, Charmed, Hypno

Overall, I'm very impressed with the Manny MUA collab and can see myself reaching for these all the time. Did you pick up any of the shades? Share below!

Two New Launches From Hourglass

I've been feeling in kind of a blogging rut lately--maybe because there haven't been many new makeup launches I'm excited about. But these two new products from Hourglass kind of came out of nowhere and pleasantly surprised me. When the Ambient Lighting Blushes launched, I think I got all of them, and I'm also a fan of the Ambient Lighting Powders. So when a new Ambient Lighting PRIMER got released, I was all over it. And a new contouring trio came out as well, so I figured why not. These both arrived just yesterday, so I haven't had a chance to wear them, but these are my love-at-first-swatch impressions.

Ambient Light Correcting Primer in Luminous Light. I'm all about glowy primers, especially ones that double as correctors. I like to use the Luminous Light powder all over my face to add an extra glow, so that shade called to me the most. It's a golden champagne shade that blends so easily into the skin. You can wear it alone, since it's subtle enough that you won't look like a disco ball, but I plan on using it under foundation. I can't speak to how it does underneath makeup, but I'm impressed so far with the swatch. There is a more pink shade, as well as a more natural radiance shade.

Luminous Light

Illume Sheer Color Trio. My first warning about this is that it's expensive--if you're looking for a more affordable cream contour/blush/highlight product, I also love the MUFE one. But these seem to be even creamier and blend out so naturally. Despite the name of "sheer color", these can be pretty pigmented, but are sheerer when applied. The contour is a perfect shade for me and the blush is a traditional just-flushed sort of color. The highlighter was a bit too subtle for my taste, although the whole point of this palette is natural color that you can apply with your fingers.

Illume Sheer Trio

I'm graduating a month from the day this post goes up, which is so insanely hard to believe. Along with graduation, I'll be leaving Vermont and heading to LA at the end of June/beginning of July. Before that, I am heading on a two week trip to Israel and Vienna, so blogging may be sporadic but there will be lots of stories and pictures to come!

Viseart Theory Palettes

Lots of people rave about the Viseart Palettes, but at $80 a pop, I could never bite the bullet. Enter the new Theory Palettes. At $45 for 6 pans, my mind views that as a lot more affordable (although since I bought two, I ended up spending around $80 anyways). I ordered these during the Sephora VIB Rouge Sale, so was able to get them for 15% off, which made them a little more justifiable.

I love the packaging on these. Despite being cardboard, they don't feel cheap at all and are sturdy enough for travel. They're so slim, but the pans are quite large. I wish it had a mirror, but that only really bothers me when I travel with these. Each palette is designed in a different color family--Minx is a warm-toned neutral palette, and Chroma is cooler, perfect for a smoky eye. Upon first swatch, I fell in love. Even the lighter shades swatch so evenly, and the pigmentation is something else. Each palette has three mattes and three shimmer shades. As someone who normally shys away from mattes, I can see myself using every one of these. It's hard to find a creamy matte (contradictory, I know), but these take the cake. 

Minx

Chroma

These cute little palettes live up to their illustrious Viseart reputation, and I can see why everyone goes for the splurge. Whether you like warm neutrals or cooler smokey colors, these palettes can suit anyone's need (there's a third one I didn't get with some more cool-toned neutrals). And the best part? The shadows are removable and magnetic if you want to create your own, larger palette! Have you tried anything from Viseart? Comment below!

Kylie Lip Kits

No, you're not experiencing deja vu from Monday's Post about the Kylie Lip Glosses--the lip kits are in a league of their own. I tried to get them a few weeks ago, to no avail, and was able to score Koko K and Posie K. Since I didn't want to wait for another restock, I ordered Kourt K from a third-party seller on Instagram for only a few dollars more, and they all arrived around the same time. Spoiler alert: they're pretty great.

Each lip kit is $29, which includes the liquid lipstick and lipliner. If you think about it, that price isn't horrible, since some liquid lipsticks are around $29 on their own. The lip liners are very creamy and do not budge--my only complaint is I wish they were self-sharpening, but they do sharpen easily in a regular sharpener. Now for the liquid lipsticks. These things seriously do not budge. Despite eating and drinking throughout the day, they were still clinging to my lips. They can feel a bit drying, so I make sure to exfoliate before and sometimes apply lip gloss when some cracks are showing. Posie K is a pinky rose shade that I thought would be a bit garish, but still seems neutral enough that I can wear it everyday. Koko K is the perfect light pink nude that's perfect for those who hate anything brown toned. And despite being the hardest to apply (it took a few layers and wore slightly unevenly), Kourt K is a vampy purple shade that I can pull off surprisingly well. But if you have a paler complexion, you may want to steer clear.

L-R: Posie K, Koko K, Kourt K

As of now, there's no word of another re-stock, but even if you just go for one shade, these are a must for any liquid lipstick lover. There is a dark brown shade, as well as two more bold red shades that I wasn't interested in, but my experience with these so far may change my mind. She also recently teased metallic liquid lipsticks, which I definitely want to try since I don't own anything like them. If you want to see some swatches of other shades, as well as how they wear real-time throughout the day, check out this lovely in-depth review video from Lily Pebbles. Have you tried any of the Kyle Lip Products? Comment below!

Kylie Lip Glosses

Despite claiming I don't keep up with the Kardashians, I admit I have a soft spot for any beauty product they create/endorse. They do look pretty damn good most of the time. Especially when that beauty product is the now infamous Kylie Lip Kits, which have literally broke the internet. I tried a couple of times to get my hands on the liquid lipsticks/liners, and finally got three (expect a review next week when they arrive). But I thought it had to be an April Fools Joke when Kylie was releasing glosses last Friday. I logged on social media at the perfect time to grab all three. The Kylie Lip Glosses are currently sold out, although she seems to restock a couple of times a month. At only $15, they're basically a steal compared to the lip kits, but shipping is steep at $8.95.

The design is basically the same as the lip  kits-- a slim tube with the black paint and Kylie's signature. These are a little bit thicker than the traditional "gloss" and actually quite pigmented, which surprised me. They can feel a bit heavy, so be careful, but they don't look overly tacky on the lips. Of course, they do only last a couple hours as most glosses do, but they also don't disappear right away. So Cute is a light pink that can wash me out if I wear it built up on its own, but looks great over a matte lipstick or liner. Like is my favorite of the bunch--a mauve nude that seems the most Kylie. And Literally is a "warm toned peachy nude".

Like, Literally, So Cute

Are these a must-have for every makeup lover? Not necessarily, but owning something that causes the internet to freak out every couple of weeks (you should see the comments she gets on her Instagram posts, which is how she keeps in contact with her audience). If you're a lip product junkie, or Kylie lover, it may be worth finding out when the next restock is and just happening to be online right around that time. 

MAC Future Forward Collection

A couple of years ago when I first began my makeup addiction, I was intrigued by all of the new MAC collections. They would sell out in a couple of minutes, or I would be the first one at the store, but lately they just haven't been doing it for me. Fortunately, now MAC anticipates its limited-edition audience and seems to have a larger stock. The Future Forward Collection was the first one in a while to have some pieces that caught my eye--they just came in earlier this week, so here are some first impressions.

Otherearthly Mineralize Skinfinish. Can we just take a second to appreciate how cute this is? I know when it was teased on social media a few months ago I knew I had to have it. Beyond the unique design, it features three shades (a bronze, a pink tone, and a pearl tone) that can either be swirled together or used individually.  Despite it being shimmery, when swirled together they all create a light pink flush that I've enjoyed using for a subtle blush. I make sure to use a light hand though, as I find that sometimes the more shimmery skinfinishes can emphasize pores.  

Ray Beam Blush and Cosmic Force Blush. MAC Mineralize Blushes are some of my favorite formulas, so although I didn't plan to purchase these, I figured why not. Cosmic Force is described as a "dirty nude" which has a hint of shimmer, and is a great dark rose shade. Ray Beam is a "soft pink" that's a little bit lighter and may not show up on darker skin tones, but gives such a soft glow that I love it.

Cosmic Force, Raybeam, Other Earthly

This collection has restored my faith in new MAC Collections, and I know I spotted a couple of exciting ones coming out for spring/summer. Did you pick up anything from this collection?

Face of the Day #6

Every couple of months or so, I like to do an updated "face of the day" post to let you know what I've been wearing regularly. Some of the products are everyday staples, but I like to change it up as much as possible. I've been going for really natural, simple makeup lately--here's what I wore on my face this past weekend.

Hylamide Blur Primer

Clarins Instant Light Perfector Base in Champagne

Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation in Sand

YSL Touche Eclat Perfector in Bisque

Hourglass Corrective Concealer in Natural

Maybelline Illuminating Eye Primer

MAC Ellie Goulding Halcyon Nights Palette

Ardency Inn Black Eyeliner

Barry M Liquid Eyeliner

Laura Mercier Baked Vanilla Highlighter

Lancome Cils Booster XL

L'Oreal Volume Million Mascara

Tarte Mascara

Marc Jacobs Glow Stick

Zoeva Rose Golden Blush Palette

Soap and Glory Glow All Out Cheek Stick

Charlotte Tilbury Microfinish Powder in 01

Laura Mercier Loose Setting Powder

What makeup have you been wearing lately? Share below!

March Favorites

How are we already a quarter through the year? In less than two months, I'll be graduating and then who knows what life has in store for me (a move to LA is most likely in the cards). March was a pretty weird month, so I haven't been using a ton of new products, but here's what I loved.

Charlotte Tilbury Magic Cream. This is one expensive item that I splurged on last year, and stopped using for a while. It's too expensive and good not to use, so it's been my go-to moisturizer every day the past few months. It's incredibly hydrating, makes my skin dewy, and provides a great base for makeup. There are also anti-aging properties and it's so light on the skin that if you have the money, it's worth the splurge.
Hourglass Corrective Concealer in Natural. I think this may have been in a previous favorites of mine, but it's such a good concealer that I've been using it again. The stick formula makes it easy to apply and it subtly brightens with a pretty full-coverage base. It hardly creases and comes in a decent variety of shades, which is always a plus.
Jordana Sweet Cream Matte Lipstick in Creme Brulee and Tiramisu. These are--dare I say it?--my favorite drugstore liquid lip. At less than five dollars each, and smelling like vanilla, these perform just as well as anything from Sephora. I got the two more natural shades, and they seriously last all day. They feel comfortable on the lips, although they can be a bit drying after a few hours, but adding another coat or a gloss takes care of that problem.
Make Up Forever Pro Sculpting Face Palette in Light. You're probably sick of the contouring trend by now (believe me, I am too), but this is a game changer. The contour shade is one of my favorites that I've ever used and it blends so well. The blush is a great natural shade, and the cream highlight gives a subtle glow. I don't use the matte highlight a lot, but the other three shades make it more than worth it.

Music: Dollhouse by Melanie Martinez and I recently re-listened to an All Time Low album... I forgot how much I used to love Dear Maria, Count Me In

Books: I read so many great books in March--check out this post for more in-depth reviews of the five I loved this month.

What did you love in March? Let me know!