Although lately I've been a bit underwhelmed by MAC's usually extravagant limited edition collections I'm partially thankful - it has given me a bit more time to catch up on the products that the brand offers in their permanent line, and in addition to trying to build my MAC Eyeshadow palette, I've also taken time to dive a bit deeper into the lipstick offerings from the brand. I swatched out my MAC Lip Product Collection a bit over a year ago, so needless to say - it was ready for some updating!

Lipstick:


Amplified Finish =

Blankety - Ah, Blankety. If I had known how often I'd wear this, I would have purchased it forever ago. This is one of the most flattering nudes against my skin as it does have the pink tones to it but it is far from being too warm or too peach for my fair complexion. Because it has an Amplified finish, it is opaque and creamy and does not dry my lips in the least. This shade is definitely somewhere in my top 5 MAC Lipsticks - ever!

Cremesheen Finishes = 

Creme d' Nude (left) and Goddess of the Sea (right)

Creme d' Nude (left) and Goddess of the Sea (right)

Creme d' Nude - The internet beauty community is so torn on this shade - half fears it gives them the "zombie lips" while the other maintains this is a holy grail. Personally, I rather like it on my skin. I feel the translucence of it makes it a whole heck of a lot more wearable than shades such as Myth (which I still struggle to make work!).

Goddess of the Sea - Limited Edition. I bought this for the packaging, I'm going to be straightforward on that. However, I actually adore the shade and it is incredibly easy to work with.

Lustre Finishes = 

From left to right - Viva Glam Gaga, Viva Glam V and Patisserie 

From left to right - Viva Glam Gaga, Viva Glam V and Patisserie

Viva Glam Gaga - Limited Edition. I took the plunge and after a whole bunch of research, purchased this one eBay. I really was kicking myself for not getting this while in store, but I see the popularity in it. The Lustre formula makes it not too overbearing, but it still gives off great color.

Viva Glam V - This is the universally flattering lipstick. I've yet to see this look bad  on someone! If it don't know what else to wear, chances are that it's either this or Blankety.

Patisserie - I feel like this shade doesn't get talked about a whole lot, but it has become a staple in my collection. This is a darker take on nude pink without being too peach and almost has the slightest smidgen of brown in it. If you're looking for a good "office appropriate" shade, this is it.

Matte Finishes = 

From left to right, Dodgy Girl, Candy Yum Yum, Velvet Teddy and Kinda Sexy

From left to right, Dodgy Girl, Candy Yum Yum, Velvet Teddy and Kinda Sexy

Dodgy Girl - Limited Edition. There was no way I was going to allow myself to not get my hands on this one. It's a lovely lavender shade with enough pink in it to make it just a bit more wearable.

Candy Yum Yum - I Back2MAC'ed for this shade and in all honesty, I have a love hate relationship with it. The way it wears highlights any imperfections on my lips and they have to be in perfect shape to wear it. I should still try more to make it work though...

Velvet Teddy - I'm going to have to review this shade separately because it is just that incredible. This is literally the posterchild for why I like MAC's matte lipstick formula so much.

Kinda Sexy - Everyone says you need Kinda Sexy, but this one is literally so new that I haven't worn it yet (like earlier this week kind of new!). However, it swatches phenomenally - but also broke off in the tube when not in use. Hmm...

Retro Matte Finishes = 

From left to right; Ruby Woo, Punk Couture and Instigator.

From left to right; Ruby Woo, Punk Couture and Instigator.

Ruby Woo - The infamous Ruby Woo. I had to have it because it's a total icon, but Goodness Gracious! If you try to swipe this on your lips like a regular lipstick...your lips are going with it! I do love that it gives such a lovely, Pinup look to the lips and literally lasts forever, but be ready for it with some lip balm!

Punk Couture - Limited Edition. How can I not buy a lipstick called Punk Couture? While press releases noted that this and Instigator were Retro Mattes, they are nowhere near as dry as Ruby Woo.

Instigator - Limited Edition. This one lightens up a good bit on the lips, you think? It almost looks black in the tube. For a retro matte, this one was even creamier than Punk Couture.

Satin Finish = 

Viva Glam II

Viva Glam II 

Viva Glam II - This is one of my all time favorite nude shades...like up there with Blankety! Since this shade is a satin it feels nearly matte and is completely opaque. It has tones of nude and brown and mauve and I absolutely adore it!

Lipglasses = 

From left to right; Underage, Viva Glam I and Docile

From left to right; Underage, Viva Glam I and Docile

Underage - This is another shade I Back2MAC'ed for and I underestimated how pigmented it was! I was expecting this to be much sheerer than it is, but it makes a great layering shade.

Viva Glam I - Limited Edition, but still available on MAC's website. I think I can try to commit to Viva Glam I as my favorite MAC red, so I was so happy that this was released in a gloss as well. I'll wear this layered or without, it doesn't matter. I totally love this one.

Docile - Limited Edition, CCO find. I don't know how I managed to find this one at my local CCO but it just screams "me"! It is an incredibly wearable take on lavender when worn alone and really transforms depending on what you pair it with.

Kissable Lipcolour = 

Woo Me

Woo Me

Woo Me - Limited Edition, CCO find. When the Kissable Lipcolour range was released for the second time with the Shop MAC/Cook MAC/Whatever the heck that was MAC collection, I jumped at the shade Enchantee, and sadly overlooked this one. Carly from The Science of Chic was talking about this shade a while back and after seeing her wearing it, I had to have it. This is what bloggers do - we make each other buy things. I really like this kind of shade - as you can probably tell - it's kind of a neutral with depth.

Dazzleglass = 

Baby Sparks

Baby Sparks

Baby Sparks - Dazzleglasses are a pain to photograph! My camera couldn't really capture it, but Baby Sparks is a transparent warm, baby pink with purple and blue shimmers. For being a gloss with glitter in it, it is also surprisingly more comfortable to wear than I anticipated!

So apparently, this is going to have to be a yearly thing as I've added a whole lot to my collection since my first post!  What shades do you guys love from MAC? Let me know in the comments!

A Couple Days Late - June Favorites

I'm going to go ahead and get the apologies for the lateness of this post out of the way and offer my excuse. I've been working a couple consecutive overnight shifts this week and along with getting quite sick this week, and in all honesty...I don't really want to do anything but lie in bed and play Hay Day and scroll through Pinterest. I feel like complete and utter yuck.

To do the complete anti-beauty-blogger thing today, I feel like June took FOREVER to go by - it was really one of those just "meh" months where nothing all to awesome took place, life was pretty boring and it rained every single freaking afternoon - thank you, Florida.

I'm going to just jump into the beauty content for this post so I don't complain about anything else, because I'm literally just a wet blanket right now.

 Eyes -

- Maybelline The Colossal Volum' Express Mascara - This is arguably one of my favorite mascaras of all time. After I tried the Pumped Up take on this, I had to cleanse my mascara palate by going back to this one.

- Victoria's Secret Triple Drama Mascara - I'm really sad to see this go since all VS makeup is now discontinued. I made sure to pick this up because I knew I'd be so sad if I wasn't able to have a last hoorah for this one. The way the brush is twisted really actually gets every single lash and doesn't look clumpy.

- Rimmel Scandaleyes Shadow Paint in Pomegranate - This is one of the driest bases I've ever used, in the most positive manner possible. I wouldn't wear this on it's own because its not 100% easy to blend, but this makes a fantastic base - especially for something I'll mention in a moment.

- Jane Cream Eyeshadow in Copper Shine - This is along the same lines as the Rimmel Shadow Paint, but blends just a touch better. Another incredible base.

- Urban Decay Roach - If you have this, wear it over a red/burgundy base. Just do it. It's literally gorgeous!

Lips -

- Maybelline Color Whisper in Pop of Poppy - I've never been one for pink-ish reds, but this one has me converted. I love the color, the formula and in all honesty, the name.

- Maybelline Color Sensational Lipstick in Born With It - I've had this for so long and I feel like I've sorely under appreciated it. Literally, Born With It is the perfect pinky nude for my very fair skin tone.

- MAC Lipstick in Dodgy Girl - Part of this being a favorite is the fact that I was actually able to get my hands on it. This collection was so incredibly popular! I love this shade because it's a slightly more wearable take on lavender while still staying in one of my favorite color families.

- MAC Lipstick in Goddess of the Sea - I may or may not have pushed myself to buy from the Alluring Aquatics collection due to the packaging...but it turns out what I chose was actually pretty phenomenal! Goddess of the Sea has this muted quality to the color that makes it so gorgeous to wear!

- Victoria's Secret Lipgloss in Wet - Another item I knew I'd be heartbroken if it sold out before I could purchase one. Wet is a neutral rosy shade that looks great on literally anyone.

- MAC Dazzleglass in Baby Sparks - I don't understand how I keep finding permanent MAC items at my local CCO, but here's another one! I've only tried one other Dazzleglass (Boys Go Crazy, I believe) so I decided to test the waters on a more day to day wearable shade. Long story way short, I love it - and while it is definitely sticky, it is not nearly as sticky as I anticipated.

Cheeks - 

- MAC Extra Dimension Bronzer in Aphrodite's Shell - I now understand the hype around MAC's Extra Dimension Formula; it's literally just so soft and light, but won't blend away to nothing. This shade had the perfect amount of pink to it as well to make it look like a very believable shade against my skin. 

- NYC Cheek Glow in West Side Wine - I've seen it floating around the internet that this might be a dupe for NARS Douceur and while I personally don't think they are dupes, I find this color family very flattering on my skin...not to mention this has a great formula for $2.99!

Face - 

- Boots No. 7 Beautifully Matte - This isn't holy grail status, but it works the best that I've encountered thusfar. I have very oily skin, and it's even worse in the summertime; so I add this to my t-zone to try to keep oil at bay for a bit longer. However, DO NOT put this anywhere you have a drier patch of skin - such as blemishes that are healing and flaking, because this WILL accentuate any minute amount of dryness you may have on your skin.

- Rimmel Stay Matte Foundation - I was so conflicted about this foundation at first because I could not get a smooth application or keep it from settling in my pores but when I started applying this with the next product I am going to mention (ahem!), it literally turned around 180 degrees! I ADORE this foundation!

- Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge - Yes, it's dirty right now...don't judge me. Now, I don't have the Beauty Blender to compare this to because, in all honesty - I didn't want to shell out $20 for a sponge when there is something available on the market that I could get 3 and a half of for that price..but this thing really is a miracle for those with enlarged pores. This is my favorite foundation application method and my skin shows it!

That's it for this month! In terms of lips, you can see I've been all over the place but on the rest of my face its been more along the lines of perfecting the techniques I've already had. I've also begun setting aside lip products that I've been intending to wear at the beginning of the month so I don't feel overwhelmed when I'm digging through my drawers as I'm ready to run out the door!

Also, Happy 4th of July to my readers here in America! I (unfortunately) work the closing shift tonight instead of my normal early mornings, so part of the festivities are going to be postponed until tomorrow...it's normal to set off fireworks the entire week of Independence day out here in the country :), but otherwise I get to come home to home grilled burgers and my adorable dogs who we DEFINITELY dressed up for the holiday! If you're celebrating, have fun and be safe!

Next week, I have two HUGE posts coming for you - one Swatch-A-Palooza and a review of a very popular and very new eyeshadow palette..any guesses??!?

Have a great weekend, everyone!

MAC Limited Edition Kelly Osbourne Lipstick in Dodgy Girl and Lavender Lipstick Comparisons!

These are the times when being a morning person totally pays off. Since this lipstick sold out in all of 10 minutes online when it launched, I took advantage of the fact that my shift ended at the same time that the closest MAC store opened. And they had already sold a significant amount of the collection by the time I arrived - maybe 10:05! Crazy! But I'm so happy that I was able to get my hands on this!

The packaging is gorgeous, a grayed lavender with a subtle sheen to it and Kelly's signature - but hear me out...It feels a good bit more lightweight than your average MAC lipstick. I feel like I'm nit-picking (and I kind of am) but the plastic to it feels lighter and thinner to me. It also spins quicker when you turn the bottom, whereas my other MAC lipsticks have a bit of friction to them. In no way did this affect the quality of the lipstick itself, but remember - you're paying $1.50 more for the packaging in terms of these Limited Editions. 

Okay - now all the negative is out of the way!

Did I wear this before I swatched it for you guys? Absolutely. #sorrynotsorry

Can we tell that this is "a Kadie color"? Dodgy Girl has a matte finish and is described by MAC as simply a "light lavender" - it is a slightly darker take on lavender with a touch of pink that kind of brings it back down into the more wearable territory. While it does have a matte finish, it by no means has a powdery matte feeling. There still is a good amount of slip and nourishment to the lips but it still manages to look matte on the lips. The wear time for this one is actually pretty freaking wonderful. I test wore this one...then forgot that I was test wearing it and drank a few cups of tea, ate chicken nuggets and pretzels, etc, and the color was still surprisingly intact. It had not moved outside of the lip lines and it really hadn't faded all too much either. I will say, though, this shade will definitely stain. I never really removed it and let it wear off on it's own on the day I purchased it, and I woke up with a slightly purple-ish pink stain on my lips then next morning...which lasted until about halfway through my day. It's one of those lipsticks that you kind of have to commit to, because its not really going to come off completely for a while. 

This definitely is a color family that I'm drawn to, so I wanted to share the similar shades in my collection to show how they compare to this one, just in case!

1) MAC Fresh Amour Mattene  - This was limited edition and I have no ever loving clue what collection it was from. It is FAR lighter than Dodgy girl and has a very white-purple tone to it.

2) MAC Lavender Whip - Again, limited edition, but I didn't find these all too similar. Lavender Whip has a much stronger pink tone to it and because of the Cremesheen finish has almost a translucent quality.

3) MAC Dodgy Girl

4) MAC Up The Amp - This one is a whole lot pinker and a touch darker and also has a subtle sheen to it.

5) MAC Nocturnal Instincts Mattene - This was another limited edition - and not to mention one of my favorite MAC lipsticks in the history of forever - but it is completely different. It almost has a pinky-gray quality to it.

6) MAC Viva Glam Nicki 2 - If you mixed Dodgy Girl with a liberal amount of white pigment, you'd have Viva Glam Nicki 2.

7) NYX Power - Hey, not MAC! What can I say, MAC has mastered the whole purple lip thing! Power is actually nowhere close to Dodgy Girl, but I never realized how similar it was to my oh so adored Nocturnal Instincts. A bit pinker, but it really thrills me that it could almost be considered a dupe for a lipstick that I have been hoarding!

8) Lime Crime Airborne Unicorn - And now, for the moment you've all been waiting for - this is the closest thing I have to a dupe for Dodgy Girl. These two are a good deal more similar than I anticipated because they look quite different in the actual bullet, but beside the fact that Airborne Unicorn has a slight sheen to it and is a bit more blue toned and vibrant, the two are in fact quite similar. Do I need both? No, but yes. Don't judge me.

I was intending on hauling other items from this collection, but I decided to stay with the least dupable. If I run across them discounted at a CCO, I would probably consider the blush in Cheeky Bugger and a gloss named Bijou from Sharon's collection but I'm trying to keep my head about me with all of these MAC collections - which up until they announced the Moody Blooms collection for the summer, I was starting to feel like MAC was "back" with their super exciting limited edition collections. I won't be picking anything up from Moody Blooms to the extent of my knowledge - I was underwhelmed...and don't even get me started on all of these collaberations with designers where they significantly hike up the price and let the quality totally bottom out! UGH!

Now that I've completely gone off on a tangent, did anyone else pick up anything from Kelly or Sharon's collections? Let me know!

MAC Alluring Aquatics Extra Dimension Bronzer in Aphrodite's Shell

So...it was meant to be.

Last Friday - and I'm nearly certain - I was probably the first customer into my local MAC store. Literally. I left work at 10 and went straight there. Some may say obsession - I prefer the word "dedication".

And of course, the first words out of my mouth after an obligatory "Good Morning" (which 10am does not feel like morning to me anymore!), was "did you guys already sell out of Aphrodite's Shell" to which I was met with a "what the heck is that?".

HUGE rant alert here - In my years of retail, if something is being launched in your store...no matter how many different products there are...you know them. The names, information and all that hoohaw. I work backroom stock and merchandising - not even customer service - and if I don't know information about a launch in the company I work for? *shiver* It's been ingrained in my brain that something like that is a big deal. So I was a bit shocked that for the second time that month (the first time was with a permanent item - Patisserie) and with a completely separate group of people, I was met with blank stares and "wait, are you sure we sell that?".

"Are you sure we sell that?" Let that sink in for a moment. I'm just going to start with my phone pre-loaded to the product page on MAC's website for goodness sake! ¡'Ta Loca, "Are you sure we sell that?"!

*sigh*

Long story waaaaaay short - It obviously wasn't sold out and I was able to purchase it. And I feel quite strongly about it - like Gollum clutching it whispering "My Precious" kind of strongly...

As with about 90% of the rest of the collection, the compact is metallic and embossed with water droplets. It is literally gorgeous but please don't judge my fingerprints - because it is literally a fingerprint magnet. It is nearly the same size as an average Mineralize Skinfinish, but 1g less - which I'm assuming is due to the fact that this is only domed on one side rather than across the entire product.

The product itself is a work of art, really. The bottom half has a raised, textured wave in it, while the top half is imprinted with the MAC logo. This doesn't wear away very quickly either - I've been using the heck out of this and the only change I'm seeing is that the ridges in the waves are a bit less defined.

This is the first time I've tested the waters in the Extra Dimension formula from MAC. I now understand the hype. When you look at the powder itself, it really does look like it would be chunky and lacking of a smooth texture. Touch it. Apply it. This formula was one of those that I really did judge a book by it's cover and just assumed that it wouldn't be smooth. 

This stuff is like butter! MAC does call the Extra Dimension formula a "liquid powder" and I can kind of get that analogy because it is just so finely milled. It does have a sheen to it, so if you're not keen on glowy bronzers then this might agitate you. I have two categories of bronzers in my collection. The larger category - and the one that this one fits into - is that of bronzers that I use as a blush. I do appreciate the glow sometimes because since I have such oily skin and I do so much to mattify it, sometimes it is quite nice to put the glow back in where I want it to be. The other category of bronzers for me are those for contouring - which are usually completely are almost matte and tend to be cooler toned or taupe. This would not fall into that category - between the sheen to it and the general lightness and pinkness of it. MAC describes this shade as a "Golden Bronze with a touch of fine shimmer" which is pretty accurate - but I will say that this does have some pink to it that keep it from turning into an orange-y bronze. It is quite light and I would recommend this more for skintones on the lighter end of the spectrum. I was also quite impressed by the way this blended - it's literally kind of effortless and probably one of the easiest bronzers to blend that I've used in a while!

Am I done with Alluring Aquatics? My answer still stands; if it's still there - and by it I mean possibly the Extra Dimension Eyeshadow in Sea Worship (yes, I've refined my wishlist) - then, just repeat after me...if it's still there, it means it was "meant to be".

MAC Alluring Aquatics Cremesheen Lipstick in Goddess of the Sea

I'm going to be completely transparent here for a moment in saying that up until as recently as last summer I would totally stalk MAC's new collections as they released - but they'res been a disconnect recently where I'm really not too over the moon about them. The quality was definitely still there, but I feel like they weren't putting out those "wait in line for the mall to open in your sweatpants and glasses" collections like they used to. It gave me time to focus on what is permanently available by MAC and to especially built my palettes but I honestly missed the rush of the new collections.

I think Alluring Aquatics is bringing that excitement back - and I hope it's here to stay. I had to have this lipstick and it's the only thing I hauled from the collection thusfar - mostly because I knew it would sell out - but given my budget, everything else that I like is on a "if its still there when I can afford it, it was meant to be" basis. Other items that sparked my interest in the collection were Aphrodite's Shell, Sea Me Hear Me, Mystical and Sea Worship, but we'll see how many of those will be sold out by the time I'm able to get them.

Goddess of the Sea, however, was the one I knew I needed before it sold out!

The packaging for this collection is literally flawless. I very rarely care about limited edition packaging, but when I do, it has to be dramatic. This falls into that category. The color is beautiful - a metallic pale teal - but the real showstopper here are the "water droplets" when I saw my first review of these, I thought the blogger had sprayed them with water to give them this look. MAC gets serious credit for making these so pretty and unique! I wore this to work as soon as I purchased it yesterday and every single time I took it out to reapply, all of my colleagues wanted to look at it. I hate paying a higher price for limited edition packaging, but this was one of the few cases where I really didn't mind at all!

Goddess of the Sea is a Cremesheen finish and MAC describes the color as "dark vibrant violet".  We all know by now, I'm a sucker for a purple lipstick, so I don't 100% agree with the color description - I find it to be more of a muted violet with a touch of a plummy brown tone to it. Most similar in my collection might be Revlon Berry Haute, but it is definitely not a dupe. This color is unique enough to be purchased because of the shade and not only because of the stunning packaging...which, lets be real - I would have been tempted.

I feel like MAC's Cremesheen formula has improved in the last few years - if I were to compare the formula of this shade, Outrageously Fun and Lavender Whip (Baking Beauties version) to older Cremesheens in my collection like Creme Cup and Shy Girl, there definitely is a different feel. The newer Cremesheen shades that I have tend to have a more lip hugging feel to them than before where I felt that they just sat on top of the lips. I also don't feel like the formula dries out my lips as badly as before. I thought it maybe was a darker color difference in the formula, but Lavender Whip isn't really a dark shade. I used to avoid Cremesheens because of how the formula wore on me, but if they keep up with how they've been feeling lately, I may be adding some more to my collection. 

As far as wear time, this shade was pretty average for a Creme finish on my lips - three to four hours before the glossiness faded. However, this shade does stain a bit - in the best way possible. When applied to exfoliated and moisturized lips in the "apply, blot, reapply" manner, the stain will really last you a good amount of time. Due to the glossiness though, it could benefit from a lip liner or concealer barrier (especially if you intend on eating an apple on your lunch break!) to keep it from migrating outside of the lip lines. My only issue was needing to have my lips in better shape when wearing this shade. Simply because it is a deeper shade, I noticed that when it stained my lips when they were dehydrated and in need of balm, it stained in a bit of a patchy manner. Not a deal breaker, but it's the nature of the color family. Darker shades tend to show imperfections on the lips when they begin to stain.

Overall, thank goodness I was able to get my hands on this one! Between the packaging being so stunning and the color being more unique than I anticipated, I was already quite pleased - but when you enter the improvements in the Cremesheen formula, I'm a bit over the moon about it! 

I'll definitely update within the coming weeks if I'm able to haul anything else from the collection, because in all honesty...

MAC. IS. BACK.

February/March Favorites!

Since I was definitely out of sorts the whole month of February, not much liking of basically anything was happening during that time - plus, its a short month right? I decided to just combine the two and make a supermonth!

And apologies for not being able to think up a good name for said supermonth. Farch sounded...odd. Mebruary? Maybe?

These are the things I've been loving within the last two months!

(I'm from Florida...you'll have to deal with my citrus bowl in the background. I've been on a tangerine binge lately since I've been eating so healthy as of late. They're my go-to snack.)

In terms of eye products I've been rediscovering old flames and trying to create looks with them that I've yet to try, so I'm all over the place. As many of you know, I have quite oily lids, so primer on its own simply does not cut it for me - so a eyeshadow base is necessary for me. These are two somewhat new acquisitions; the MAC Prolongwear Paint Pot in Stormy Pink - which is a matte, pink-ish taupe that is the me-est me color that has ever existed, and the Maybelline LE Color Tattoo in Nude Compliment - which is again...a taupe, but the range really lacked that! I love this under Pewter from the Lorac Pro, MAC Satin Taupe, yadda yadda. I could go on for hours.

Although I've been trying to "shop my stash" this month to rediscover old flames, I was really enamored with new items, which make up three of the four in this group. I purchased MAC Viva Glam V in either late January or early February and it stayed in my purse for a majority of the time since. I get the hype on this one now. Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Primrose - I feel like I underappreciated this shade when I initially purchased it. I bought this a couple years ago when I was initially getting into MAC lipsticks, so I was used to the huge amount of color they impart and this kinda wasn't doing it for me. I was recently swatching all of of my Super Lustrous Lipsticks for an upcoming post (hint, hint!) and I really just fell head over heels for this one. Its about time. I feel like no one else was as in love with this shade as I am, but I just really adore the L'Oreal Colour Riche Extraordinaire in Purple Prelude. We all know how I feel about purple lippies and this is a great addition to my collection because it's purple without being purple, if that makes any sense. It just goes so well with my skin tone and is very comfortable to wear. I have two other shades from the line as well. Last, but very much not least is the Milani Lip Intense Liquid Color in Violet Addict. I held off on this for so long because I have so many colors in the bright violet family and I thought this would be too similar. After I watched EmilyNoel83's video  about this line, I was sold. It's a lot more pink than the packaging lets on, but not so pink that its a fuchsia shade. Not to mention, it was super comfortable to wear and doesn't feather.

I've been a fan of the understated cheek color within the last month as well. I really enjoy the texture of the Maybelline Face Studio Master Hi-Light Blush in Nude because it has such a fine glow to it. For a drugstore highlighter/blush, I expected this to be super chunky and awful but it is literally so great! I'm quite fair, so I wear this as a blush (while most find it too light) and just pack it on. I really wish Maybelline would extend their shade range for these! Something strange also happened earlier this year. I've owned bronzer's previous to this, but they've been a once in a while thing and I wasn't confident in them. Long story short, I was wearing Ruby Woo from MAC and I forgot to wear blush, so I tried this Victoria's Secret Baked Mineral Bronzing Powder in Glowing on just to put some life back into my face. It is the lightest shade in the range and has a moderate shimmer, but I wear this in place of a blush at least once a week and I adore it. Now, this next one is so old that it doesn't even have a label anymore. (props if you guessed it right though!) I've had a rekindling with the Rimmel Stay Matte Powder in Translucent and I'm revealing more and more pan each day. The last product in this group, Maybelline SuperStay 24HR Foundation in Classic Ivory is another rediscover. I adore the coverage of this one because it looks like skin and it covers my redness remarkably. However, the shade is ever so slightly a bit too dark for me. I can make it work, but it is definitely one of those that I have to apply in good lighting just to make sure. There is a shade coded as "light 20" whereas this is "light 30" but I'm not certain if it is lighter than this one or if it just has a pinker undertone than this one, which would defeat the purpose of neutralizing my skin a bit. I also don't know if this foundation is on it's way out because, to put it blatantly, the color selection of this one on the brand's website sucks!

There has been an effort made to do my nails so far this year, I swear. It seems useless at times, seeing as I have to open more cardboard boxes in a single day than some people do in an entire lifetime, cute manicures don't last too long for me. While I haven't been too on board with the textured nail trend, there are a couple that sneak in sometimes, and L'Oreal Too Dimensional? is one of them. The color is very unique, as it is a base of a nearly navy blue with silver shimmer and gold shimmer that peeks out every so often. It is very pretty. The next one is nearly impossible to capture true to color in photographs I was wearing Butter London Wallis not too long ago and tried to Instagram it to no avail. It's literally GORGEOUS.

As someone with oily skin, facial oils completely freak me out. I receive the Tarte Pure Maracuja Oil as a 100 point perk from Sephora and thought "what the heck, why not?". However, I tend to get patches of dry skin around the sides of my chin and occasionally right under my nose (I don't even know...) and this works as a great spot treatment for that. I don't use it everyday, but I don't have a need to either. I use it at night occasionally and by the morning the dry patches are gone and do not return for a good week or so or until I'm a little too harsh on my skin - which I've been known to do. The struggle of oily skin is real!

Thanks to this thing right here, I was able to go on an extra "Back2MAC" trip. I'd been wanting to depot my MAC blushes for some time now to save some space (minus my one and only special edition packaging one of course!) and I caved and got a Large Duo MAC Pro Palette. I don't understand the hype about the Z-Palettes now, because this was only $8. I now have this and two Single palettes, one for my MAC shadows and one for my Urban Decay shadows.

This is what it looks like open - I like the idea of the double sided for blushes because if I finagle it right, I may be able to fit 14 in here. And, although the MUA at MAC warned me about depotting blushes, I'm glad to report no issues! 

Usually during the early spring months, I find myself wearing Floral fragrances nearly exclusively. So far this spring has been different and I'm quite weirded out by it. The Jergen's BB Body Perfecting Skin Cream in Light wasn't something I initially was going to purchase because I have so many lotions already, but my mom has a light/medium skin tone and purchased this shade and found it did nothing for her skin. So she gave it to me and I fell in love with it! It's just a touch glowy and smells so nice and warm and sweet without being vanilla-y. This next fragrance is sadly discontinued, so I apologize, but I've worn it at least once a week for the past two months. Victoria's Secret Dream Angels Forever again, is a warmer fragrance and definitely nice for the winter months, but the thing about it is that it lasts FOREVER on my skin. I can spray this on at 5am and still smell it a bit over 12 hours later. That is some lasting power!

My goal for April, beauty wise, is to find some more products to rediscover - because it seems that I'm having luck with that so far! I'll have more for you guys in a few days!

January Favorites!

I'm going to knock on wood here and say that my computer, as of last night, is finally fixed! I had a broken hinge that was messing with the connections to the monitor, so I couldn't see anything. Long story very short, I brought it to a computer repair shop that had good reviews in my area and they quoted me at nearly $500 dollars for the repair, and then never called me to bring my computer back in once they found the part. What?!

My dad is an incredibly talented mechanic...but I didn't know he (nor did he) that he could be a computer tech in his spare time. I woke up one morning and the entire machine was completely disassembled on the breakfast bar! After he had a week or so to order a part, I saw him tinkering with it again and by the time I got home from work last night, I had a shiny, clean and FIXED computer charging on the table. My dad is a total ROCKSTAR! I have to be gentle with the hinge and the wireless antenna isn't what it once was (which is a quick fix with a USB) but other than that, it's literally as good as new! What I was being quoted at $500 at, my dad was able to fix in $7...with shipping! I can't even believe it.

In the meantime, I was also able to find the charging issue with my camera, and it looks like I'll only need a cable that I was able to find for $5 on average on Amazon. The first few days of February have been a blessing in terms of technology, so I hope that's a sign for the rest of the year!

Now, onto what you're probably here for to begin with, my January Favorites. Because I didn't post a favorites post for December due to the 2013 roundup, I do have a few items that have been getting a lot of love since then - and some new in's from Christmas and my Birthday. Yay!

Eyes:

I'm going to be straightforward - all of these are new in's. There were lots of new discoveries for me in terms of eye makeup this month.

- Urban Decay 24/7 Eyeliner in Stash: Around my birthday in December, I received an e-mail from Urban Decay with a coupon for a free full sized 24/7 Liner in the color of my choice with any full priced purchase as a birthday gift. I chose another set of deluxe sample sized liners which had the shade I wear almost all the time (Zero) and one I've wanted for a long while (Rockstar), so after searching for swatches, Stash really stuck out to me. Its the perfect olive toned gold shade and actually works very well on the waterline!

- Clinique All About Shadow eyeshadow in Black Honey: I actually found this shade at a CCO when I was mall hopping with one of my best friends after she got home from Africa. I saved $5 on a permanently available eyeshadow and its gorgeous to boot. Its a reddish brown that is incredibly wearable, and makes my blue eyes stand out!

- Stila Kitten: One of my best friends bought this for me for Christmas after he and I were swatching it in Ulta. Between the amazing color payoff and the versatility of it, I've been wearing this at least 2-3 times a week. Not to mention, its a good sized pan!

- Too Faced Chocolate Bar Palette: When Ulta released their Friends and Family coupon at the beginning of the month I went in without an itinerary...uh oh. I left with this and also got another $8 off thanks to my holiday shopping. I LOVE this palette. I definitely didn't need another neutral palette, but this one is a more colorful play on neutrals that makes it unique. And it smells like chocolate...c'mon.

- Urban Decay Naked 3: Yes, just like everyone else. This palette lives up to the hype, especially if you're looking for more office friendly neutral shades. 

- Revlon PhotoReady 3D Volume Mascara: Every year, my mom leaves a mascara in mine and my sister's stockings - its a bit of a tradition. I'd never tried this one before, but my sister LOVES it so I was excited. I like the volume this one gives without a touch of clumpiness. 

Lips - 

- Revlon Violet Frenzy: I don't know why I haven't worn this all too much until recently. It has the perfect texture for a dark, yet somewhat sheer lipstick as it adheres to the lips well and doesn't wear off quickly. And its purple...you know.

- MAC Blankety: I featured this in my 2013 favorites, but it bears mentioning again. This is a lovely nude that doesn't wash me out.

- MAC Viva Glam 1 Lipglass: I adored the lipstick for this and bought the lipglass on a whim. It wears a lot longer than I anticipated and still has that brick red hue that the lipstick does!

- L'Oreal Colour Riche Extraordinaire in Purple Prelude: The gloss/balm/liquid lipstick hybrids have been all the rage as of late, and I'm super fond of the formula. This shade is a winner as well - its the perfect mix of pink and lilac and I couldn't have made a better shade for myself. I love it!

- H2o Plus Aqualibrium Lip Mender: Another stocking stuffer this year and a total gamechanger! My lips have never felt so incredible until I started using this. I apply this every day on my commute to work and wipe off the excess right before I put on my lipstick (in the parking lot...don't judge me.) and my lips feel wonderful thanks to it! If you wear lipstick on a daily basis, especially mattes, or just have dry lips, you NEED this.

Face:

- Revlon Photoready Cream Blush in Charmed: Revlon's cheek products are on the more expensive side of the drugstore, so I haven't hauled any of the other blushes and highlighters that are new for 2014, but I had a coupon and really like this formula, so this one happened! I like that its a mid toned berry, as it makes it a day to day blush but perfect for winter!

- The Body Shop Honey Bronze Bronzing Powder in Light Matte: Its very strange for me, but I've been purchasing a lot of bronzers lately. 9/10 I wear them just as I would a blush as I prefer a cooler toned contour. This shade is very light for a bronzer, but the perfect shade just to give me a bit of sun. And, most importantly, not the tiniest bit orange!

- Darling Girl Ramblin' Rose Spectral Shift: This shade is a dusty bone shade that has a very pretty and unique rosy red shift. I have nothing like it in my collection and it makes an awesome blush!

Fragrance:

- Vera Wang Lovestruck: This was a Christmas gift from my parents, and I don't know what I like more - the fragrance itself or the bottle! I've been very into florals lately and that's exactly what this is (along with the other two that I'll talk about in a moment!). This is a blend of Guava, Tuberose and Musk and smells like a floral with a bite. There's a unique quality about it that I can't put my finger on but it makes it so special!

- Michael Kors Gold Rose Edition: Another Christmas gift from my parents - I made out like a bandit this year! Another floral, this one features Tuberose (are we sensing a pattern here?), Gardenia and Pink Pepper. This one will last forever on the skin as well! And the bottle matches my watch. You know, the little things in life that make you smile..

- Michael by Michael Kors Rollerball and Gloss: This fits into two categories, as I love the pinky nude gloss with this as well! This was a Christmas Gift from my sister and is MK's signature fragrance. The notes in this one are Freesia, a very not shocking Tuberose and Vetiver. It feels so glamorous to wear!

Tools:

- Michael Kors Makeup bag: I'm loving me some MK lately! This was a birthday gift to me from my sister and it's been in my handbag ever since! Its the perfect size to hold my essentials, but not so huge that it takes over my bag.

- Sonia Kashuk Domed Powder Brush: This brush and the one following were part of the Lavish Luxe Brush Set that was released around Christmastime. I'm glad I picked this set up as there wasn't a brush I didn't like but there were a couple that definitely stood out to me. This brush is big enough to set my whole face without taking forever, but still rounded enough at the top for a less precise application of bronzer or blush. 

- Sonia Kashuk Pointed Blending Brush: I have not had a brush blend like this one does. Every time I use it to blend out the crease shade of my eyeshadow I'm impressed once again!

Thankfully, now that I'm part of the tech world once again I can finally get some content up on a regular basis again! I have quite a few photos taken already for upcoming posts so stick with me later this week. Thanks for your patience during my computer-pocolypse, guys!