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!

August Favorites!

Let's just heave a sigh that its now over. August wasn't too much of a vast improvement over July, between school and work and just all around feeling icky. Needless to say, I'm trying to approach September with a better and brighter attitude and renewed creativity. And a new camera battery. *Cue Hallelujah chorus*

But fall is approaching - and you can see it in the drugstore. I can't wait to break out my berry and vampy shades!

For how little I actually got excited about this month, I actually have a decent amount of favorites - and most of them are new ins! Retail therapy? Probably.

Can we count my desk as a whole as a favorite?? I've had it for about 2 months now but I love it! I needed a workstation - badly.

Eyes:

The two palettes are:

- Too Faced Pretty Rebel - I was actually pleasantly surprised with this one. I was able to get several cohesive looks out of this, which is the test of a great palette - I wasn't having to reach for a different browbone shade, etc. There really lacks a dud in this one, and some of the shades are really out of this world. I reviewed this one here.

- Bare Minerals The Power Neutrals - If its Bare Minerals and 100%, we all knew it was a must have for me. I like that this is a cooler toned neutral palette. Did I need it, since I already have the Urban Decay Naked 2 palette? Not really, but I can't get over how great of an eyeshadow formula Bare Minerals has on their hands. I reviewed this here.

The four singles and primer are:

- Darling Girl Brocade - This is a one and done shade. I applied it dry all over my lid and into the crease and then applied it with mixing medium to bring out the golden shift on the inner two thirds of the lid. I will likely be wearing this a lot this autumn, its incredible!

- Maybelline Pomegranate Punk - I've been feeling this kind of shade lately, reds and cranberries and burgundies. I used this as a base under LORAC Garnet from the LORAC Pro Palette and oh my everloving goodness was it lovely. I use at least one color tattoo as a base at least 6 out of the 7 days in a week. I love them!

- MAC Patina - I overlooked Patina for so long, thinking it wouldn't flatter me. I'm in love with it because its warm, but not so warm that I can't use it all the time. Very unique shade, and I now see why this is raved about so much in the blogging/youtube community.

- MAC Brun - I've been wanting this one for some time now. I needed a really dark crease/liner/whatever else shade for when Copperplate just wasn't enough (gasp! Don't freak out, Copperplate is still one of my all time faves!). It has great pigment and works with almost everything I put it with. I'm slowly building my MAC palette to a one and done palette - but since I moved my Urban Decay shadow's into their own palette, theres still a lot of room to fill up!

- Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy - This lives up to it's hype, I'll tell you that. I don't know if it is the thicker and stickier texture, but this stuff is like glue. I'm glad I finally tried this. I am in desperate need of doing a post about mixing mediums!

Lips:

From left to right - 

- MAC Pink Plaid - I've probably featured this before, but this has been the only lipstick I've really wore this month. Its a medium cool pink on my skin and looks polished without being overly bright - which I just wasn't feeling this month.

- Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment in Rose - My birthday is in December, so I just recently ran out of the clear version of this that I got from Sephora for my birthday. I really love the formula, so I've been using this one to moisturize my lips. Its kind of been a copout, since it does have the light tint in it, I've just been kind of choosing this in lieu of an actual lipcolor.

Cheeks:

Minus Illamasqua Katie (which shouldn't surprise anyone) this - Tarte Fantastic - is one of the only blushes that I've actually worn more than once this month. This was part of a holiday set, but Tarte does make very similar shades in the permanent range. I've been doing a "shop my stash" of sorts with my blushes, and wearing ones that needed a little love.

Face: 

I, for some reason have been hoarding foundations this month, and theres been a whole lot of testing going on. From left to right I have:

- Maybelline Superstay - I actually really like this so far. The formula is matte without being cakey or accentuating my pores. So far, so good.

- Wet 'N Wild Coverall - I can't believe how much I like this versus how cheap it was! $3.99! I'm okay with that! So I got the pressed powder that goes with it and I've been mostly using it as a setting powder, but it gives enough coverage for me to wear it alone with a primer if I'm, say, running to the grocery store or something of the sort. Love!

Brushes:

We all know I hoard brushes, so these are all new ins. From left to right these are;

- Ecotools Sheer Finish Kabuki Brush - My sister absorbed my other duo fiber brush, and I was in desperate need of a new one, so I picked this up. I'm normally not much of a Kabuki person, but I really like it. Its soft, easy to hold onto, and kind of makes me feel like I'm sitting at a vanity putting on makeup in a black and white movie. 

- Sonia Kashuk Synthetic Buffing Brush - I love my Real Techniques buffing brush, don't get me wrong, but this one is a little bit bigger and thus, faster. I use this on larger areas and my Real Techniques on smaller areas most of the time. 

- SOHO Contour Blush Brush - I got this at Walgreens on sale, and its not listed on the website, so I'm assuming its been discontinued. I really like angled brushes for applying lesser pigmented blushes, because I feel like the flat side of them picks up the product evenly rather than the regular dome of a blush brush. 

- Ecotools Deluxe Fan Brush - This is the believable highlighting brush,  my friends. If I try to highlight with my ELF fan brush using anything else but something like NARS Albatross, nothing is going to show up. This is dense enough to pick up some product, while still being thin enough to deposit product in the right areas. I've used it across the whole cheek with a very pigmented blush for something more understated as well, and it works great. All around great brush.

- Ecotools Angled Eyeliner Brush - This has a great amount of density to be used in the brows without being too thick. I personally like the Real Techniques Eyeliner Brush a lot, but for people who found that one too big, this may be the answer.

- Ecotools Concealer Brush - Its brush cleaning day today, don't judge me. I primarily use this for cream or pigment eyeshadows, as you can see by the war between Maybelline Waves of White and Fyrinnae Wizards' Wedding Cake on it. I love these kind of brushes for cream shadow purposes, especially in terms of bases, because of the larger size.

Hair:

I've become so lazy with my hair now that it is finally long enough to put into a tiny little bun. Its my curse. However, when I've actually been styling it, I've taken to the Got2B Ultra Glued Invisible Styling Gel. Seriously, where was this stuff during my younger punk days. It has the most strong hold I've ever come across and accentuates my layers in a really awesome, spiky manner. It also smells like lemongrass to me, which is a win in and of itself.

I've also heard everyone and their dog rave about Aussie 3 Minute Miracle - so I figured that since I have a little bit of volume to spare thanks to my shampoo and all around shorter hair, that it wouldn't weigh me down too much. It actually did nothing to weigh my hair down, but did everything to improve my hair. I used this a week ago and my hair still is in wonderful shape after several washes. I definitely get the hype!

Skincare:

I've been all about taking better care of my skin this month, and I've already seen a difference in it! These aren't my extensive day to day products of choice, but rather the ones that really stuck out to me and are new in my rotation. From left to right these are;

- Tarte Pure Maracuja Oil - I've been using this in two places; the furrow of my brows to stave of frown lines and on the sides of my chin where I have hormonal dry skin. In terms of frown lines, its definitely more of a precautionary measure, but for my dry skin it has definitely made a huge difference.

- Make Up For Ever Sens'Eyes Waterproof Sensitive Eye Cleanser - This has such a strange consistency but it doesn't irritate my eyes in the least and gets off every single bit of makeup (even my Maybelline Illegal lengths, which I accidentally bought in waterproof and is a pain in the tush to get off!)

- Mario Badescu Strawberry Face Scrub - I received this as a sample and I thought I was going to hate it at first. Basically, its strawberry seeds suspended in a creamy cleanser. Turns out I'm in love. It exfoliates my skin without being too abrasive and the cleanser itself just feels and smells wonderful.

- Olay Fresh Effects Va-Va-Vivid Powered Contour Cleansing Brush - I noted how much I love Olay Fresh Effects Shine Minimizing cleanser, and this brush came with a sample size of it! I really like that the brush does more to buff the cleanser into the skin rather than being a harsh exfoliator.

Nails:

From left to right:

- Essie Mochachino - I don't care how much of a fall color this is, its stunning. Its kind of a brownish taupe with shimmer and its literally at all time favorite status by now.

- Essie The Girls Are Out - This polish has a phenomenal formula. Its nearly opaque in one go and the shimmer is there, just kind of subtle. Very pretty.

- China Glaze Refresh Mint - This is on the bluer size of the mint spectrum, which sets it apart. Its on my toes as we speak.

Fragrance:

From left to right these are;

- Bath and Body Works Caribbean Escape - It wouldn't be a favorites post without a Pocketbac! This one has been on my desk all month, so its been getting a lot of use. This one is very fragrant! Funny fact, I have these stashed everywhere. One in my bag, one on my desk, one in my car and one on my nightstand. Germaphobe? Maybe.

- Victoria's Secret Bombshell Forever - This fragrance has a touch of boysenberry in it, which makes it really different! Its fun and fruity without being obviously fruity, if that makes any sense.

- Bath and Body Works Sexy Dahlia Rush - This has been a great transition into fall fragrance. I've definitely been enjoying it.

Phew! That was a lot! To be honest, I'm very excited about what this autumn will hold makeup wise. I've seen a lot of awesome collections popping up, so I can't wait!

Top 5 Picks for Summer - Blush

My favorite blushes are usually pale pastels that most people usually hold of on until springtime - For me, on the other hand, you'd have to pry MAC Full of Joy, Illamasqua Katie and Darling Girl Yes, Virginia out of my cold dead hands before I rotate them to the back of my stash when the seasons change.

For summer, however I try my hardest to loosen my grip and wear something a bit more bright and bold. C'mon, I'm so fair skinned that this is the only time of year where I can really pack up some punchy blush without looking like I'm going out on a tropical getaway. ( I mean I live in Florida, but once you live here for 15 plus years even 65 degrees feels cold to you!)

I scoured my stash of blushes and narrowed it down to 5 that my cheeks will be seeing a whole lot of this summer!

From left to right the top row is;

- Tarte Fantastic - This was part of last year's Fantastic Foursome Four Piece Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blush Enthusiast Set. It is a bright, candy pink with strong blue tones to it and I absolutely adore it against my skin. I'm also quite a fan of Tarte's Amazonian Clay blushes.

- ELF Studio Blush in Pink Passion - Probably the brightest blush in my collection, Pink Passion is a hot, candy pink with a matte finish and pigmentation out the wazoo. 

- NARS Orgasm - Yeah, yeah. Groundbreaking choice, huh? It's there for a reason; The big O is a perfect summer shade that will look good on anyone. The golden peachy pink warms up anyone!

- Tarte Magic - Also was in the same set as Fantastic, Magic a pretty true coral - I'm not 100% sure how this is as flattering as it is on my skin, but I'll totally run with it!

And across the bottom because I ran out of room is;

- Boots No.7 Natural Blush Cheek Colour in Coral Flush  - A gutsy pink coral with incredible strength of pigment. This was a forgotten favorite of mine.

As the weather gets warmer, my makeup gets brighter - And I am totally okay with that.

What blushes are you loving for summer? Let me know!

Stay tuned for my other picks for summer, coming soon!

Review - Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blush in Exposed

If you're an avid follower of beauty blogs in general, there are going to be those shades that you hear everyone musing about. This is one of them. After seeing Exposed on so many different blogs, I gave in and picked one up. And I'm totally okay with that.

Tarte calls Exposed a "nude" but its a little bit more than that. It is a nude with rosy pink tones to it and is very healthy looking on the skin. It is basically a matte, though some may argue that there is a very small amount of a sheen to it. 

I had one similar blush in my collection; MAC The Perfect Cheek from the Marilyn Monroe collection, which was limited edition.

Exposed is on the left and The Perfect Cheek is on the right. While I loved The Perfect Cheek, Exposed does have superior color payoff. It is also slightly pinker and a touch warmer. However, on the cheek they do achieve a very similar look, so Exposed could be a great buy if you're kicking yourself about missing out on The Perfect Cheek (I fought tooth and nail for that one too!)

I'm not a stranger to Tarte's blushes, as I've previously reviewed Natural Beauty, and the performance of this shade is on par with that one. While the wear time isn't exactly 12 hours as it claims (which is kind of a ridiculous claim to begin with) it is definitely longer wearing than other blushes in my stash. For such a natural shade as well, it had phenomenal color payoff, but it differs from shades like Natural Beauty in that it isn't quite as easy to overdo this shade. I can use a heavier hand and still look glowy and healthy rather than glamorous and that is what I like about this shade. 

I like Tarte quite a bit as a whole because I like knowing what I am putting on my skin. Also, they are cruelty free, which is always a step in the right direction. 

Overall;

Pros;

- Great color payoff.

- Natural finish/glow.

- Healthy ingredients for the skin.

- Longer than average wear time.

- Cruelty Free

Cons:

- Does not meet wear claim.

While I am taking a 0.5 of a point off for the fact that this does not hit it's 12-hour (ridiculous) wear claim, I'm still categorizing this as a recommended product. I love it, I use it a whole lot and it makes me want more from the range. I already have Exposed, Natural Beauty, Fantastic, Magic, Stellar and Angelic (the last four being smaller sizes that were included in the holiday Blush Enthusiasts set) and am strongly considering purchasing Blushing Bride.

9.5/10 Recommended. 

Review - Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blush in Natural Beauty

If anything is related to Snow White, even unofficially, I'm down. That was basically the story of this blush.

Natural Beauty has been touted by the beauty blogosphere as "The Snow White Blush", and with one look at it, you understand why.

Natural Beauty is swatched heavily on the left, and blended out on the right. Sephora describes this shade as a "muted strawberry red", which is pretty spot on. It is fairly neutral, not leaning too warm or too cool, so it would be acceptable for a wide range of skin tones. There is a bit of very fine microshimmer in the formula, but it does not translate as glittery or gritty, but rather as a very natural, believable sheen. It is one of the more pigmented blushes in my collection and it requires a lighter hand in application, especially if you have fairer skin as I do.

There was one blush in my collection that I felt was similar, though it lacks the neutral tones and is a bit cooler. 

On the left is Tarte Natural Beauty and on the right is Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blush in Plum Wine. While they are in a similar color family, Plum Wine is quite cooler and a bit more vampy.

The 12 hour wear claim is the place where this product falls short. Yes it is longwearing, but 12 hours is a bit of a stretch. I have combination/oily skin, so I can say with certainty that, despite my skin, this product wore longer than the average blush, but definitely not 12 hours (I'd put it at about 8 before major fading occurred).

Tarte excels in the fact that it a brand that is natural and cruelty free. While I do not have particularly sensitive skin, as I read through the ingredients (and what ingredients were excluded) I felt great about what I was putting on my skin. Tarte may be a company that many people with more sensitive skin may benefit from trying.

Overall - 

Pros:

 - Very pigmented

 - Provides a natural flush

 - Natural ingredients

 - Cruelty free

Cons:

 - Does not wear as long as claimed

I have several Tarte Blushes, and this one is among my favorites. Maybe it is the good performance, or maybe it channels my inner Disney Princess, but either way, I'm keeping this one in my collection.

8/10.