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!

My Picks for Fall - Blush!

I'm going to be honest here - I don't really own a whole lot of "fall appropriate" blushes. I tend to be a bit intimidated by some of them, as it's no secret that I'm quite fair skinned. My collection is growing, but I tend to be very picky when it comes to deeper toned blushes.

I don't have a lot to share with you for this category, but out of my collection, these are the ones that I'm drawn to for fall!

The top row, from left to right are - 

- Stila Convertible Color in Peony - This is a very neutral shade, but it does have a good touch of mauve in it as well - which makes it more than your average nude blush.

- NARS Sin - We already knew I was going to choose this, duh. I reviewed this here.

- Milani Fantastico Mauve - I really like this one because it has a touch of brown in, which saves it from pulling to red on my redness prone skin. Not to mention, its really pretty to look at in the pan.

And the bottom row, from left to right are - 

- Darling Girl Cosmetics DuoChrome Blush in Purple Haze - Look at that pigmentation! Holy crap! However, this can definitely be sheered out to a reddened purple tint. I've reviewed here.

- Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blush in Plum Wine - The beauty of this blush is it's sheerness. It has a translucent pinky berry shade that makes a wonderful fall cheek for fairer skin.

- NARS Seduction - I had to have this; I don't even care about how fair skinned I am. Its a perfect berry shade without being to red looking against my skin. I apply this with a duo fiber brush for a sheerer application. I've reviewed this here.

My goal for this fall is to build my blush collection for the "cooler months". It almost feels like a joke saying that, as it is literally in the high 80s-low 90s here today. C'Mon Florida...

Stay tuned - we've got a couple categories left!

Disappointing Products - Pt. 1

Despite all of the research I do on items before I make a purchase, I occasionally fall victim to the impulse buy. Sometimes this works out totally in my favor (MAC Pervette was a total impulse buy and just look what happened with that!), but on the other side of the spectrum I've been met with a couple just plain crappy products this way!

I'm breaking this up into a series, not as I am looking to buy super crummy products - but lets face it. It happens.

These five products range from being too mediocre for my liking to the thorn in my side and all that is bad in this world. (Okay, I'm a bit dramatic). Two lip products have met me with serious disappointment along with three eye products. Question is, why do I hoard them?

The first culprit is the Revlon ColorStay Ultimate Suede Lipstick in Silhouette, which I posted a review about here. I don't know if the shoddy formula plagues the whole line or just the lighter colors, but I hated this so much that I refused to buy another one. I remember when these launched and I was super duper excited to haul them; thank God I only bought one! I literally haven't worn this since I tested it. NOPE.

The next is the L'Oreal Colour Riche Lipcolor in Tickled Pink, which I was nearly certain that I had reviewed...guess not. I'm all about baby pink shades; when I started wearing lipstick that was the first shade that I tended to gravitate towards. Being the respectful beauty shopper that I am, I didn't open the tube to look at the bullet of the lipstick; in hindsight, I should have. This is frost city and so dated! I felt like I just walked out of the late 80's with a vengeance. In addition to the color so not being for me, it was quite drying and accentuated any imperfections my lips had when worn. Again, I only wore this once. 

Onto eyes, I got the Stila Prime Pot in Taffy as a Sephora 100 Point Perk, but I rather wish I had saved up my points for something else. I was thinking this would be on par with something like MAC Painterly, but absolutely not. Greasy and crease city! Not pleased, especially since I have oily lids.

The next one brings a tear to my eye. I LOVE Maybelline's Color Tattoos, but Painted Purple was a HUGE letdown. Look at it in the pot; so stunningly rich and purple with almost a duochrome effect to it. Try to apply it and you're in turn getting a sheer, streaky kinda purple mess. I even tried applying this in every single way I could think of, but to no avail. Lets just have a moment of silence for this one..

From the research I've done, I'm fairly certain that the L'Oreal HIP Studio Secrets Professional Crystal Shadow Duo in Romantic was not meant to be sheer, but oh my goodness. Yes, its soft, but basically too soft. It pills up when you try to use it and you literally can't reach any kind of opacity. At least I found this on clearance.

I'm sure there are some that I missed that I'll couple in with the next installment, but my meaning behind this series to to help save you guys some money! Given, some things I hate, you might love, but with these I really wish that someone had told me how crummy they were so I could have saved some money! 

Stay tuned for Pt. 2 in the future!

Review - Stila Convertible Color in Peony

Please note - I redeemed this product with my Sephora Beauty Insider Points, so this is a trial size. The product is available for purchase in the full size.

I literally cannot keep my Beauty Insider Points in my pocket; the most I've been able to save them is to about 250-300 because I'm a sucker for free stuff. On the plus side, it is a good way to try products that I would not have purchased without giving a trial run to begin with. I've found both great products (Gucci Guilty! LURVE) and not so great products (Apparently Urban Decay doesn't make that great of a face primer..) this way. My latest redemption was the Stila Convertible Color in Peony. 

There was one major thing that bothered me about the initial packaging (and I don't really know if this was on Stila's end or Sephora's) but there was no outer packaging or seal on these. For a cream product, that seemed strange to me. They were, however, concealed from customers in the cash wrap, and I knew these were a new item because they weren't available at my last Sephora trip (I'm in Sephora way too much); I checked mine for any sign of use before applying it (you can definitely tell with cream products!) and it looked flawless. Still, I found that strange.

Peony is a rosy nude shade, a bit lighter and warmer than other shades of the same family (Tarte Exposed, MAC The Perfect Cheek, Clinique Mocha Pink) which sets it apart from what I already had in my collection. It looks a touch cooler toned in the pan than it does in the swatch.

Peony is built up on the left and blended out on the right. The consistency to this is medium, neither too thick or thin, as well as the application. It is not a cream to powder product by any means, but it didn't leave a super dewy finish on my skin, which I liked as I already have oily skin. It blended well without dissapearing; I used the "3 dots and blend" technique to apply this with no problem whatsoever. It does provide a fairly natural flush. On the cheeks, it wore about 5 hours, which is average for me.

Stila Convertible Colors are marketed as "lip and cheek color" (note Lip is first in the description) but on Sephora and Ulta's websites they are organized with the "cheek" products. I usually cannot be bothered to apply anything that is not housed in a lipstick bullet (or something of the like) on my lips, because I feel strange applying it with my fingers and if I have to reapply it in public with a lip brush, its just one extra thing to carry with me. I did test this on my lips, however, and it gave me a decent amount of color without any drying (which surprised me) for about 2 hours; more than I expected. It didn't really have a discernible fragrance or taste.

Overall;

Pros:

- Natural flush

- Non dewy finish

- Easy application

- Consistency is neither too thick or thin

- No fragrance/taste

- Was not drying on the lips

Cons:

- Average to short wear time.

Peony has a great formula, especially if you suffer from oily skin as I do. I've found myself reaching for this a couple times last week to either pair with a super bold lip or to complete one of those "no makeup, makeup looks" because I couldn't be bothered to get dolled up (hey, it was a rough week!). If Stila expands their shade range, I may partake in a full size.

8.5/10

March Favorites!

I feel like this month just flew by! March was definitely a positive beauty month, so I was super excited to share some of the gems I stumbled across or re-discovered within the last month.

Face:

Milani  Even Touch Powder Foundation in Shell. I was searching high and low for a new setting powder recently, as I was basically just 100% fed up with ELF's translucent HD powder. This powder is a bit more opaque than what I was initially searching for, but since my skin has been in such rare form as of late, I can't say I really mind. It evens out my skin in conjunction with my foundation and doesn't leave my face cakey looking at all.

Cheeks:

- MAC Blush in Pink Tea (Satin) - I found this, as well as the next product, at a CCO earlier this week. One of the best CCO finds to date (and the luck didn't end there; I found Lightscapade earlier this week! I am the CCO queen this month!) I like this shade because it is just so wearable. Not too warm, but not too cool either and just makes my skin glow.

- MAC Blush in Full Of Joy (Frost) - If there was one product that I was kicking my own butt about missing out on, it was this one. When MAC launched Unconventional this last December I swooped it up, thinking that I no longer needed Full of Joy. Nope. Still needed it. Phenomenal pigmentation and wear + LAVENDER = A very, very happy me. I've already gotten so much use out of this.

- Clinique Soft Pressed Powder Blusher in Mocha Pink - I reviewed this earlier this week. I received this as part of a GWP, but it is sold separately in full size. Mocha Pink is a very flattering neutral toned blush that is almost impossible to overdo.

Eyes:

- Lorac Pro Palette - Reviewed here. I've bought into the hype of this product. It is really a flaless palette.

- Rimmel London ScandalEyes Waterproof Kohl Kajal in Taupe.  - I reviewed this product last week. I've never come across such a unique liner. It adds such subtle definition to my eyes, without making them appear smaller. I love it!

Lips:

- Maybelline ColorSensational Vivids Lipstick in Brazen Berry - This is one of those shades that leans a little bold, but still has good wearability. The review for this product is here. 

- Stila Lip Glaze in Lilac - I reviewed this last month. This shade is probably why I purchased the Flower Power trio to begin with.

Nails:

- L'Oreal Colour Riche Nail Lacquer in Safari Chic - L'Oreal has a phenomenal nail polish formula, and this shade was on my nails for a majority of March.

- Essie Maximilian Strasse Her - I knew I had to have this shade when Essie announced their spring collection. It is a stunning grayish mint and one of the more unique polishes in my collection.

Misc:

Dickinson's Original Witch Hazel Oil Controlling Towelettes - I received these about a week ago through Influenster, and I'm already getting a whole lot of use out of them. I have them stashed everywhere; my purse, my bathroom, my car. They're great!

Clinique Liquid Facial Soap (Mild) - I used to use this cleanser on the daily in high school, so I'm happy to have it back in my hands. It is great for days where I'm finding just a touch of dryness popping up on my skin, because it keeps the rest of the oil on my face at bay, without drying out the drier patches.

Victoria's Secret Heartbreaker - Bergamot. Everyone is doing Bergamot this season and I'm totally okay with it. This is a mix of Honeysuckle, Bergamot and Vetiver and it really does make me feel like a total heartbreaker when I wear it.

- Real Techniques Deluxe Crease Brush - I don't know if I've even thought to use this the crease, but it is the BOMB for applying less than pigmented shadows (or just pigmented shadows for intense color payoff) on the entire lid. I'm constantly having to spot clean this one.

- Bath and Body Works PocketBac Hand Sanitizers in Island Margarita and Aloha Orchid - If you could see my collection of these, you would be shocked. I'm a sucker for seasonal collections, and B&BW is definitely on top of those. I've been using Island Margarita (lime and nectarine) and Aloha Orchid (Papaya, guava, strawberries, orchid and musk). It may not feel like spring yet, but I sure smell like spring. 

I love those months where I can't wait to post my favorites; It keeps things interesting! What were you all loving this March?

Review - Stila Lip Glaze Trio in Flower Power

Ever since Ulta revamped their rewards system, I've been a happy girl. Especially since I only had to pay $3 for this set!

I had $9 off, and this was $12 for three lip glazes. Since I'd never tried them before (nor anything by Stila in general), I thought "why the heck not".

Flower Power consists of three Lip Glazes in on trend spring hues.

From left to right there are; Peach Blossom, Pink Orchid and Lilac.

Peach Blossom.

In the tube, Peach Blossom looks WAY out of my comfort zone (because its FRIGGIN ORANGE) but I was actually pleasantly surprised. It sheers out quite a bit and when it mixes the natural tones of my lips it reads more of a sheer peachy coral than anything. Out of the three, this had the most amount of shimmer; there are silver micro-glitters throughout. This one has a light fruity fragrance/flavor that was not too overbearing.

 Pink Orchid.

Out of the three, Pink Orchid had the most strength of pigment. Given its a formulated to be a sheerer than average gloss, I did get a good amount of softened fuchsia pink when wearing this one. This one has a little less shimmer than Peach Blossom, more of a pearl finish than a shimmery one. This one has a fruity/floral kind of fragrance/flavor (it actually reminded me a whole lot of Victoria's Secret Love Spell). 

Lilac

Lilac is the major reason that I bought this set. Its, well, Lilac, and thats 100% right up my alley. This is a sheerer and more wearable take on lilac with no discernible shimmer when worn. This one smelled a little grape-y to me (surprise right?) which kinda bummed me out. Overall, this shade is my favorite of the three (again, surprise right?)

I'm not, for the most part, much of a gloss person. I usually go for lipstick, as on average it wears longer and needs less touch up. If I'm out for shorter amounts of time or I'm just not feeling a lipstick, I'll occasionally opt for a gloss, and my stash is slowly growing.

While these aren't the stickiest glosses that I've come across, they are still on the stickier side of the spectrum. They don't have a whole lot of slip to them. However, what you are getting in stickiness is made up for in wear time. These gave me about three hours each, which is fairly long for glosses in terms of wear time for me.

The price (before my ridiculous discount) was what kinda made these for me. These are almost half of their original size (0.05 fl oz. versus 0.08 fl oz.), and the full sized ones retail for $22 each. That would roughly be $11 for one that is half size, and this retails for $12 for three half sized Lip Glazes, which is a pretty decent price.

Overall;

Pros:

 - Spring trend hues.

 - Decent wear time.

 - Three different finishes.

 - Fragrances were very minor.

Cons:

 - A bit sticky.

It boils down to the fact that these were a good product, and definitely a good deal, but I'm just not 100% blown away by them. Definitely not enough to buy these in a full size for $22, but if I find another set like this with colors that I like, I'll probably partake.

7/10.