November Favourites 2013

December already! The month of Christmas and I'm already too excited. You might have noticed that I skipped a favourites post for the month of October. To be honest, I only had two items that I would really consider to be "favourites" for the month, so I didn't think it would be worth it; but turns out that those two products ended up as favourites for this month too! No skincare or haircare this month, no new additions, or to early to tell, so just some nice makeup products. 

Stila One Step Correct

I did a review of this product and still love using it everyday, sometimes I don't even feel like putting on foundation (it's warming up, some days a bit too much) and use only this product. Does the slightest bit of evening out the skintone, but it makes my face all nice and smooth and keeps it matte, but not drying. In fact, keeps the level of moisture in my skin pretty prime.

theBalm Balm Shelter tinted moisturizer SPF18 in light/medium

I don't own a whole lot of tinted moisturizers, and to be honest, I have had this one for a while. This gives me probably the lightest coverage ever, and it might smell a tiny bit funny, but for some reason, I quite like this moisturizer. The SPF is pretty poor, but I do love the moisture this, uh, tinted moisturizer gives and doesn't separate like I've found of most other tinted moisturizers I've tried. 

Estee Lauder Double Wear Mineral Rich Loose Powder Makeup in Intensity 3.0

This. I love this. It doesn't look cakey at all when you apply it in a few layers to build up the coverage and is super matte. The lasting power is the best I've ever tried out of any powders, let alone loose powders before. It does fade a bit by the end of the day, but still, it holds up pretty damn well especially with all the sweating from the growing heat. 

Bourjois healthy balance unifying powder in Beige clair (53)

This is a product that was going to be in my favourites for October. Quite a higher coverage powder, I just love the finish that it gives. I don't know quite how to describe it, the finish is somehow very matte, but there's something special about it. It makes my face look impossibly smooth too.

Urban Decay Naked Basics Palette

I absolutely love this palette, I dedicated a post to it already. Just good for on the go, too. Can swipe a wash of any of these shades all over the eye (maybe not the darkest shade), and boom. You look a bit more awake already. And the shadows are so buttery and smooth and easy to blend. 

MAC RiRi Hearts MAC lipstick in Nude (Matte)

Never thought I would love a brown lipstick just so much, but this one is gorgeous. I guess you could probably describe it a bit more as raisin but it just helps me make just a bit more polished. I love the matte finish too, it doesn't feel drying and helps the colour last longer too. The cute packaging helps it be easier to find in my bag when I'm out too.

Hmm, looking over my favourites now, I didn't realise how neutral and light on the coverage I went. But I've quite been loving my makeup this month, so maybe simple is all we need sometimes. I mean, the awful heat too (we're not even in the hottest part of Summer yet, I am just a billion degrees to add), I'm feeling surprisingly confident and sassy with my minimal makeup. 

September Favourites

Already October, and not only does that mean Halloween is coming up but also exams. This month, I have not had all that much time to slap some on my face, so I've been more focused on evening out my skintone so that I could go out minus some colour. A smooth fresh face was what I was going for the majority of September, and these products have really helped me reach that goal.

I was hoping for that fresh and away, but very natural looking face, so there are two face bases this month and one matte bronzer that I used as a contour to add a bit of depth. And a newly discovered, natural looking mascara too. And what good face wouldn't be complete without some good skincare products, I have one cleanser and two, I guess you could call them, moisturizers this month to add to the mix.

MAC Studio Fix Fluid in NC30
I know that this really isn't a natural foundation, but it's a newbie to me this month and also a winner. I recently got rematched and it was decided that NC30 was the best match for me, I'm still a bit of an in-betweener, but I am quite tan on the rest of my body, so this one would help to match my paler face. Good lord, I love the effect of this baby on the skin. This is the fullest coverage foundation that I have, yet it doesn't look cakey. I will say, though, that you can tell you are wearing makeup when you use this, but if you blend with care and use sparingly, it's pretty versatile.

Maybelline Dream Pure BB Cream in Medium
After seeing the Westerner's take on BB creams, it seems that most are just glorified tinted moisturisers. But I saw this in Priceline and it was on sale, and it looked cute... And don't judge me, okay? When I first applied this, I was pretty let down. It was very much on the pinkier side, and didn't have much coverage at all. But here is where Maybelline steps up, and to my surprise, this acted like a real BB does, slowly adjusting to our skin and I think maybe improving it a bit? I did get the one for oily skin, it has a small percentage of salicylic acid in it, but I am quite impressed. The lasting power on this is even okay, it won't last all day if you push it, but maybe a uni day or so.

MAC Bronzing Powder in Matte Bronze
I featured this product in a previous post about breaking out old favoured products, and I am so glad I put this one back in rotation. I really do love this bronzer, so much. It's subtle, but not too subtle, it's matte and it really lasts - on your face and in the pan! There's not much more to say about it, but I think this is really an underrated product. Go get you some.

Maybelline  Full 'n Soft mascara
I think this may actually make it to a favourite mascara status. I've never been too chuffed about mascaras, simply because my lashes are quite straight and relatively short and sparse. But this one. Ooh. It's quite the goopy formula, but it is black and won't leave clumps. It gives a really natural look, yet somehow, the definition and curl is amazing, giving that "oh, my lashes are just naturally luscious" look. The only downside is that this does tend to smudge on me, but nowhere near as much as Revlon Grow Luscious or Benefit Bad Gal. I might pick up the waterproof net time and give it a go. 

Tony Moly Broccoli Sprout Cleansing Cream
I have been using this every single night since I got it. At the end of the day when I want to remove my makeup and cleanse my face, I just get a scoop of this and rub it all around my cheeks, eyes, lips. Rinse off with water and then follow up with a cleanser. It really helps to dissolve and break down any gunk that has collected on my face, whether or not I put it there myself, and I think that the creaminess has helped to moisturise my skin some and make it smoother. You definitely need a cleanser to follow this one up though, lest you want the oiliness to stay and clog your pores, but used correctly, a definite winner.

Indeed Laboratories Hydraluron
I was quite skeptical when I first started using this. You apply it after your cleanser and toner and before you moisturise and it is meant to help your skin retain the moisture better due to the hyaluronic acid content. I didn't think I even really needed this, but now my face cries out for it when I've left it too long to apply moisturizer after cleansing. It really helps especially around my mouth and chin area, and also my forehead which will  tend to need the most moisture, and I think it really does work if you give it a bit of time. 

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo
I was also skeptical of this baby. I've seen it on a number of blogs and heard it mentioned by a number of beauty gurus, but it seems like it has a lot to live up to. This is meant to be pretty much a skin saviour, in that it moisturises, reduced congestion and any other imperfections in your skin too. It's taken a while for me to realise, but I think that this product has actually been helping my skin quite a bit. I rarely get a spot anymore, and if I do, it's usually a blocked pore or hormonal acne. I will say, that the scent of this is quite soapy, maybe a tad over-powering, and it may sting a bit on your face, but if you can get past that it absorbs in nicely and makes your skin fresh.

And there we have my favourites for the month of September, the calm before the storm. Might as well get the skin prepared with a tried and true arsenal to look fresh and perky, even when not feeling it. Although, with Halloween being perfectly placed at the end of the month, a few ghastly undereye circles won't be minded.

August Favourites 2013: The Convenience Month

Good lord, this year is going by so quick, how the hell is it already September? But I'm sort of glad for it, I just want to be done with uni for the year and then settle slowly into Christmas celebrations already. This month really has not been all that kind, what with my studies finally coming in full swing, losing a job, having to baby sit a very needy cat (and he's still here) and dance exams. So maybe it's good, we're finally shooting off into the final third of the year. 

I didn't have a huge range of favourites this month, everything seems so busy. So most of the products were really for convenience, a helping to look polished really easily. I only included one skin care product this month, and I used it when I could, just for an extra helping for my skin so it doesn't get too out of whack.

Maybelline Fit Me Shine-Free Foundation Stick in Natural Beige (220)
I mentioned this product in a previous post, and I'm not too sure that this can be counted as a favourite. I more used this just for convenience, but considering I basically used it every single day since I purchased it, I thought I could put it into my favourites. It's very easy to apply, just strategically place a couple war stripes on your face and blend with your fingers. Kind of true of all Maybelline foundations I've tried though, it seems to just not quite blend and more sit on top of your skin. The lasting power isn't too great either, but it provides enough coverage and you can carry it with you for a touch up during the day.

Shiro Cosmetics Fatality Finishing Powder
I am quite impressed with this setting powder. It is so finely milled, has a very faint but pleasant scent to it, and really does it's job. It sets your face without making it too matte, but will keep the oilies at bay and just makes your skin feel nice. No bad words about this one, Shiro the Indie cosmetics company did a great job formulating this bad boy and at such a great price too.

Maybelline Color Tattoo by Eyestudio 24hr eyeshadow in Tough as Taupe (35)
This was the first color tattoo I ever got, and it was purchased by my lovely brother for my birthday. I never really wore it much though, as it looked a bit dull on my eyes by itself, and not generally the shade of eyeshadow base I would reach for. But I saw posts online saying that Tough as Taupe worked brilliantly for filling in your brows, and I figured, hey, that makes sense, it is matte and quite ashy... So  I tried it out and good god why did it take me so long. I've never had brows better or more polished. The only thing is, is that it is a tad bit too grey for my colouring and my hair colour too. To combat this, I just top off my brows with Anastasia Beverly Hills Coloured Brow Gel in Graphite and there we have it. Perfect, sculpted brows all day.

Private affair palette first four shades

Lorac Private Affair Palette, shades 1, 2, 3, 4

This is what has really been helping me look quite altogether. Just a quick brush of any one of the extremely buttery shades helps perk up my eyes and make me a tad bit prettier. I usually just go for the third shade in the palette, but any of the first four can work well on my skin tone. I didn't really reach for the last two darker colours, just because they're a bit more "nighttime" than my everyday look, but any combination of the shades in the palette work well together. My favourite being shade 3 all over the lid, shade four in the inner corner and a tad bit of shade 5 in the outer v.

Maybelline Illegal Length  mascara in Blackest Black

Well, isn't Maybelline getting a lot of love this month? I've always been a tad bit curious about this mascara ever since they released it, as I do love fiber mascaras, and so I finally picked it up when Priceline had 50% off all Maybelline products. And really, this is a pretty decent mascara. Separates and the fibers really help to lengthen. It gives a really cute dolly look. There is not a whole heap of volume though and I've noticed that it can wear off a bit during the day, but I can always touch up and there isn't any flaking or that much smudging. 

Mario Badescu Whitening Mask

I'm quite the fan of Mario Badescu products, I think their Acne Facial Cleanser is what really helped turn my skin around. This face mask is said to "brighten up uneven or dull skin" and I really do think it helps, I can see changes straight after using it. It is smooth and creamy, smells really, really nice (almost like grape) and drys on your face like a clay mask. Keep it on for ten minutes and wash it off with warm water, there you have brighter, more even skintone.

So that's it! That's all I have for this month. Really, a month of mostly drugstore and convenience products that have just really help me to pull it all together in a timely manner. 

July Favourites 2013

Ah, the height of winter, and yet, strangely, this month I have been reaching for items that are a bit more summery.It's a tad unusual for me to be consistently grabbing for the same products as I like to rotate my usage, but there have been a few items that have stood out to me and I can't seem to part from. It could be that watching all these beauty vloggers from the UK and America have got me revving up on some hot weather colours, but these are my favourites for the month.

Bourjois Flower Perfection foundation in light beige (53)
The moment I got this product,I have not stopped using it. Almost everyday I will reach for this lovely base, I love the texture, love the coverage and the finish. I thought I used to love very liquid-y type foundations, but they sometimes give too matte of a finish. This one comes out of the pump in a little dollop and I suppose you could call it relatively thick, but it just spreads so evenly on the face, lasts a whole working day and offers a neat satin finish. I like this foundation even more than the Healthy Mix.

BYS Blusher Trio in Endless Summer
Well, now, doesn't the name of this blush speak volumes. I'm not generally a fan of BYS, simply because in my atrocious high-schools make up stage, BYS was the way to go, but when I popped into Gloss Accessories one day to pick up some face wipes, the gorgeous colours just caught my eye. A deep pink colour, a shimmery blood orange shade and a raspberry shade, these blushes seem to work for Summer as the name implies. But I have been loving these on my face this Winter month as they look like naturally flushed skin, akin to that of being in snowy weather. I'm quite pleased with the longevity of this trio too, I may dip back into some BYS products and it won't break the bank either.

3 Concept Eyes Highlighter
I got this highlighter quite a while ago but never really thought I had the opportunity to use it much. On the website, it looks so glorious in photos, but you can tell that it's quite pigmented. But my face needed a little perk with a highlighter and this is the one I reached for. A light hand is not even really necessary, just tap off the excess before applying and the light pink with a blue sheen makes you look quite lit incandescently. Gorgeous highlighter, but it should be noted that this is more friendly to the night out.

Anastasia Beverly Hills Coloured Brow Gel in Granite
I have, how-you-say thin eyebrows but thick hairs? What I mean is, while my eyebrows are thick hairs, relatively full and also naturally black, they look quite light. As well as being a bit out of place, the front half tends to stick up while the tail seems to comb downwards. So with all the vocality about this brand in general, I though this would be a good way to both tame and tint my brows. And this is exactly that, perfect. The gel is not too dark and it really lasts all day without your eyebrows feeling crunchy, even better, it helps any brow powder I use last longer too. Definitely a staple; I don't know what I would do without this now.

Kiehls Midnight Recovery Oil
This has so much love from me. It is the first facial oil I've ever purchased (besides bio-oil) and I love this. It just makes my skin look better overall, scars are less obvious and breakout seemed to have subsided a bit. I've been using this every night since I got it, but I feel like I've been a bit more reliant on this product especially for the winter months. I've even been using this in the morning to add extra moisture and I don't know if I can live without this product anymore.

TIGI BedHead Stick Wax
Due to bleaching and dying my hair so much and relatively frequently, my hair breaks off quite a bit... Even at the top of my head, breaks off about a sad inch from the top resulting in hairs sticking up like crazy. So I've been reaching for this wonderful stick wax more and more to stick those pesky hairs down and even make the parting in my hair cleaner. This doesn't feel too heavy once you brush it through, it, of course, works really well and is easy to apply. The only thing is that it has a sort of strong herbally smell to it, so this might not be for everyone, but I can't notice the scent once applied.

Schwarzkopf Normal Balance Express Repair Leave In Conditioner
My hair saver. When I first got this product I wasn't a super big fan, but my hair was a bit dry and not wanting to weigh it down with another serum or leave in conditioner cream, I went for this spray and it was such a good choice. It leaves my hair soft and shiny, tames flyaways, and just improves the health of my hair overall. Love it, definitely recommend for those that want lightweight conditioning and shiny, healthy hair.

Left to right: Flower Perfection, Blusher Trio, Highlighter

Coloured Brow Gel

Most likely, the majority of these products will continue being favourites, I think I discovered a couple staples this month, perhaps even HG products. I really love to shop my own stash and good lord, it really paid off this month. Hopefully these products will stay in my good graces and maybe eventually make an empties post.