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!

May Favorites!

So May was most definitely the month of makeup for me. I don't know what it was - maybe (finally) having a predictable schedule coupled with discovering some pretty great items, but a lot of my favorites this month are things that are actually quite new to me. Though I will say, on the lipgloss front - I've rekindled some old flames. I've been a gloss and bronzer hoarder this month and the looks I've put together lately definitely show that!

Eyes - 

- Wet N Wild Color Icon Eyeshadow Single in Brule: Everyone talks about this, but I didn't think I needed a single matte, beige shadow since they'res almost always one included in most eyeshadow palettes. I was wrong. I needed this. You need this. Everyone needs this. I'll be doing a separate review for this because it literally warrants one.

- L'Oreal Voluminous Butterfly Mascara: I fell in LOVE with this recently. I've had it for a short time already, but I feel like it's one of those mascaras that work better after you have it open for a couple weeks. This makes my lashes look phenomenal - I really like the way it makes them look more wispy and separated. Literally, there are no clumps whatsoever.

- L'Oreal Voluminous Miss Manga Mascara: Did I buy this for the packaging? Absolutely. I am SO IN LOVE with the way this makes my lashes look - it gives me great volume without clumpiness and does not transfer whatsoever. 

- Urban Decay 24/7 Eyeliner in Demolition: I wasn't completely enamored with this when I got it as part of a set with Zero (surprise - I can't get away from that darn liner) and Rockstar (which I wanted for like ever!). It is a matte finish liner so it doesn't perform as well on the waterline as I needed, but this is great for smokey looks!

Lips...make a cup of tea - we're gonna be here a while...

- Revlon Lip Butter in Wild Watermelon: I'm not entirely sure how long I had this in my collection before I started really appreciating it, but I've really been reaching for this a whole lot this month and it's not a far stretch to say that this has become my "summer red". It's glossy and bright enough to be a more casual red for the daytime (I wore this was to a 9am doctor's appointment...it's fair game to say I'm a morning person now...) but has great pigmentation.

- Maybelline Color Elixirs in Luminous Lilac and Luxe in Lilac: I reviewed these earlier this week and if you can still get your hands on these, do it! I love the formula of the Color Elixir range and I just keep collecting them more and more.

- Maybelline Color Sensational High Shine Gloss in Mirrored Mauve: This is one of my favorite gloss textures in the drugstore (or in general, for that matter) but I'm finding that they're not sold everywhere they used to be. I'm really hoping that they're not getting phased out, but I may or may not have all but a few already. By the way, if I have any Florida readers (Woo!), I've seen these at Publix for as low as $6 and change.

- Maybelline Color Whisper in Lust for Blush: Last Maybelline today, I swear! I've recently rediscovered this one and I feel like I under appreciated the Color Whisper formula. I find it incredibly comfortable to wear and this shade works with nearly everything...not to mention I don't look totally crazy wearing this at 6am with little more than blush/bronzer and mascara.

- Milani Brilliant Shine Lipgloss in Bare Secret: Everyone was raving about this gloss formula and I'm happy to say, I've jumped on the bandwagon. They'res something about the texture that just really, really works. I also really appreciate this shade because it's a darker take on a nude gloss so it doesn't pull to warm on my skin.

- NYX Butter Glosses in Tiramisu and Eclair: I'm trying to lose weight and I swear, sometimes wearing one of these is close enough to eating something that would tank my diet. I don't know how they made them smell so good, but I am impressed! Scent aside, I really like this formula, and the fact that the lighter shades don't sink into lip lines. I may or may not be hoarding these as well...

Cheeks - 

- Maybelline Master Hi-Light Bronzer in Light Bronze: 9 times out of 10, I wear bronzer in lieu of blush rather than to actually make myself appear more tan. I just really like the look of it - its just something I'm into lately. That being said; I love this formula and texture and Maybelline needs more colors in the range.

- Wet N Wild Color Icon Blush in Pearlescent Pink: Again, everyone said I needed it and I didn't think I needed it. Update - I needed it. This has a lovely texture, is an easy color to wear and amazing color payoff.

- Physicians Formula Sexy Booster Sexy Glow Blush in Natural: I've been loving me some Physicians Formula as of late - I caught a BOGO at Target earlier this month and now all I want is for Physicians Formula to go on sale again. I love this blush - it's super pigmented but has a natural looking sheen and smells (yes, smells) amazing.

Skin - 

- La Mer The Oil Absorbing Lotion: It very much bears mention that this is a sample size that I received a voucher for in a magazine. If I become extremely famous or win 3 consecutive lotteries, I'd consider purchasing a full size of this, but $240 for a moisturizer that doesn't really mattify my skin that much is wayyyyy to steep. What I like about this is the way it feels on my skin - I can get the luxury to this, because my skin eats this stuff up. It feels incredible. It even smells expensive. Let's just say, I'm using this sparingly. 

- Kat Von D Lock It Tattoo Concealer: I've had a decent skin month, but when I did get happen to get spots, they were stark contrasts from the rest of my skin. This stuff covers anything. The cool thing about it though, is that it's so incredibly easy to blend and really doesn't cake up.

Nails - 

- Out The Door Fast Dry Top Coat: Team Out The Door for LIFE. I love this so much more than Seche Vite - the texture is so much thinner but still dries quickly and leaves a high gloss and I feel like my polish stays on for a bit longer which is nearly impossible for my nails. LOVE.

- CoverGirl Outlast Glosstini in Rogue Red: This is so worth the three coats to reach opacity. Trust me. I love the dimension to this - and the fact it's on clearance at CVS right now!

Brushes - 

- ELF Studio Flawless Concealer Brush: This guy is besties with my Kat Von D concealer. It's like I photoshopped my blemishes off of my face in real life...

- SOHO Pro Contour Blush Brush: This has been my bronzer brush of choice this month; I feel like it distributes the perfect amount of product without going overboard and blends in the process.

Fragrance - 

- Victoria's Secret Very Sexy Now 2014: If you ever want to know what a grown up, sexy, tropical fragrance smells like; it's this. This has Coconut, Quince and Gardenia and is literally unlike anything else I have in my collection.

May has been...Positive. For the most part. I'm definitely feeling my work schedule - I enjoy working early mornings and having the rest of the day to, as I put it, "be a person". I feel like the consistency has done me good; I feel happy and healthy. Other than that, not much else has changed this month. I guess no news is good news? Maybe!

What were you guys loving this month?

April Favorites!

They say "April showers bring May flowers", but I think Florida waited until the last few days of April to get the memo. We've had a pretty sunny springtime but this week has been so dreary! Thankfully, we aren't getting the brunt of the severe weather here in Central Florida like the Panhandle is getting, but its nonetheless been a pain dealing with the wet roads (and drivers ill-equipped to drive on wet roads -.-) and the general lack of sunshine.

For beauty products this month, I've been terribly repetitive. I find I lack creativity when I'm up at 5am to get ready for work, as I've primarily been working the early morning shift. Its something I'm kind of challenging myself to be better with. I'm definitely not going to get all glammed up at 5am to go to work and get covered in dust, cardboard dusties (the struggle! UGH!) and makeup whilst processing shipment and cleaning/reorganizing products, fixtures and testers - but it makes me happy to wear makeup. Plain and simple; and I have those items that are understated and dressed down enough to be effortless...I just tend to overlook them in my comatose early morning state.

I also got my hair cut again this month as it was SUPER long overdue, so I've been messing with that a lot this month - but I don't really have it all figured out yet if I'm going to be completely honest.

Something I've been wanting to include for a while has been general life and non-beauty favorites at the end of these posts, so bear with me for the next month or so as I figure out how I like to do that!

Before I ramble more, let's just delve in!

Eyes - 

- Wet N Wild Color Icon Trio in I'm Getting Sunburned!: I had such a hankering to dig this one out a couple weeks ago and I totally remember why I loved it so much. Whichever base you put with this combo really does change it drastically, but the major thing that I like about it is that I wouldn't think to put a pink in a trio with a gold and chocolate brown, but the outcome is actually super flattering.

- NARS Smudge-Proof Eyeshadow Base: This is my holy grail eye primer for my super oily skin. Nothing else out performs this!

- Anastasia Brow Wiz in Caramel: I now understand the hype! Since Maybelline reformulated my beloved Master Shape Brow Pencil (yeah, I'm never going to stop complaining about that...) I decided to try this one out despite not having much luck with super fine tipped pencils such as this. Not only does it deposit a good amount of color, it looks completely natural and has yet to have the tip break on me - which is my normal complaint about these types of pencils. The color, Caramel, is literally perfect for my auburn hair as well - not too ashy but not too warm either.

Cheeks - 

- NARS Blush in Orgasm: I've had this naughty named thing for quite some time and I go through long spurts of wearing this in the warmer months. It has the perfect amount of pink in it to make it incredibly flattering on my skin. Pair this with Albatross and you're rockin' and rollin'.

Lips - 

- Milani Lipstick in Pretty Natural: Do you understand the pain I went through to get this lipstick? After EmilyNoel83 mentioned this as one of her new favorite lipsticks I just had to track it down...and ended up buying the wrong shade not once, but twice! And thus, we welcome to the collection. Naturally Chic - which I can understand the confusion, and Teddy Bare - but really, how even??? At least I like them both. Pretty Natural is one of those rosy shades that literally flatters everyone. 

- Maybelline Color Sensational Lipstick in Nude Embrace: This is a limited edition shade from the Dare To Go Nude collection and is definitely a "me" color. A mauve toned nude shade??? *grabby hands*

- Maybelline Color Elixir in Luxe in Lilac: Another "me" color. Its a very, very purple toned pinky lilac shade and I find those to be very flattering on me. The Color Elixir formula is also very, very nice - I find it to be very plushy and nourishing and has a good wear time on me for being a gloss and relatively non-sticky. This shade is from the Limited Edition Bleached Neons collection.

- Revlon Super Lustrous Lipgloss in Super Natural: This goes with literally anything I could muster. I don't know why I haven't worn it more in the past!

Skincare -

- Clean & Clear Advantage Oil Absorbing Creme Cleanser: I kept Clean & Clear at an arm's length for quite some time because I always viewed it as "gimmicky skincare that preyed on teenage skin" but I'm really starting to see the error of my ways. As I've learned more and more about the actual science of skincare, ingredients, genetics and things of the like...Clean & Clear is looking better and better. I have very oily skin, so I decided to try this cleanser to see if it stood up to the Olay Shine, Shine Go Away, and lo and behold...I might like this better. I still love Olay's version, but I don't feel the tightness and the soapy squeaky feel with this one. This uses Rice Protein in lieu of Kaolin Clay, which I have no sensitivity to, but it provides a very, very gentle micro-exfoliation that makes the surface of my skin feel incredibly smooth without over exfoliating it. This also does not have Sodium Laurel Sulfate in it, which I feel is what was probably adding to the tight and squeaky feel in the Olay cleanser. New favorite? I'm eating my words.

Hair - 

- Tresemme 24 Hour Body Mousse with Collagen: We're getting there. I'm still getting used to the increased voluminous nature of my choppy layers - which look something like Einstein's 'do if, Heaven forbid, I go to bed with wet hair (hint, hint...) - but this Mousse is really unlike any I've used before. To put in layman's terms, there is zero crunch to this. If I use it to slick a pony back or to hold some baby hairs into a bun, it holds everything it is supposed to. If I comb this through wet hair and tousle a bit, this keeps frizz at bay. I don't know how it does it, or what this really is, but I like it.

Miscellaneous -  

- Turbie Twist: This was in my Easter basket this year (thanks Mom!) and it's fairly new but I HAD to include it. Remember that "hint, hint" about me going to bed with wet hair? Yeah. This guy cuts the drying time of my hair in half! Remember, I live in a SUPER humid climate, so although my hair is finely stranded, it still takes an eternity to completely dry on it's own. This is more effective than a towel - and not to mention a whole lot lighter. I also like that it keeps my bangs out of my face without me having to put my hair my normal "Cindy Lou-Who" bun on the top of my head to ensure that all pieces are locked and loaded. And, did I mention how soft this thing is? Like, baby kitten soft. LOVE.

- Victoria's Secret Supermodel Approved Miraculous Dry Body Oil: This is my first body oil and if I'm being completely honest, I only bought it for the fragrance to begin with. It smells like perfume and lemon cookies, in the best possible way and it is a fragrance most DIVINE. Turns out that I really, really like the formula of this. If my memory serves me correctly, this has Argan and Grapeseed Oils and it really nourishes my skin as a daily use moisturizer when I don't need something super repairing. It also dries super quick, but the fragrance still lingers for quite some time. If all dry oils are like this, I want to try more!

Non Beauty Favorites!

- I took Fallon, my 8 year old Black Lab to the vet again this month. Clean bill of health, some supplements for minor arthritis and shes about as spry as a chicken. No one believes me when I tell them shes 8!

- I'm down 10 lbs from the beginning of the month! The best part is, I have nearly no desire to eat things that aren't healthy, but I still don't feel like I'm depriving myself of treats. So excited for this!

- I've definitely been on a Les Miserables kick as of late - I've been watching the 2013 version of the movie all the time and I have a station of the music on my Pandora. Though I do think Marius from the 2012 Broadway version was kind of a weenie. I've started reading the book too, but it terrifies me a bit that it is over a thousand pages long. It takes up a good amount of room in my purse!

- Lean Cuisine Cranberry Chicken Salad Additions. OH MY GOODNESS. I never have less than 3 of these in my freezer at any given time. Just try it, you'll understand!

April has been good to me. Annnddd...since I have to be awake in 6 hours I'm just going to go ahead and wrap it up here for you all! I should have a super huge swatch post up tomorrow or Friday so keep an eye out!

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!

My Favorite Products of 2013!

So right before the New Year - as if there wasn't a singlemost worse time for it to happen - my computer broke. Like broke, broke; snapped hinge, exposed wires, won't turn on, no mishandling and definitely not old enough to be that kind of wear and tear. Long story short, right before the spring semester is set to begin and when I have SO much content to post here...I'm stuck with a very expensive paperweight that will definitely get a good bit more expensive if it doesn't want to stay a paperweight, if you know what I mean. I spent a majority of that night in hysterics and now I'm just equal parts sad and angry.

The good thing is, that my sister has been kind enough to share her computer with me so I can get work/blogging done until mine is able to be fixed (and please send me good thoughts and prayers that it actually can be fixed) so I'm not a total and complete loss...though I've never tried to upload blog content from my phone, doing homework from a smartphone is definitely a pain in the rear end.

Basically, this fiasco is definitely indicative of my 2013 as a whole. It can only get better, right?

Now that I've whined and whined about my life - onto what you are obviously here for; these are the products that were total game changers for me in 2013!

 Eyes -

I'm fairly certain that the LORAC Pro palette is on everyone's favorites list this year, but for good reason. This palette got a lot of love from me this year (as you can very well see - so messy!) because it is of wonderful quality and is incredibly versatile! I reviewed this here.

 - Maybelline Color Tattoo in Bad to the Bronze - I've used this to death since I picked it up earlier this year. I can wear it by itself or under literally anything and I'm almost all the way through it! I reviewed this here.

- Milani Shadow Eyez in Champagne Toast - I have rather oily eyelids, so using a shadow base along with a primer is usually standard for me. Milani's formula is bulletproof and this shade is perfect - a slightly rosy champagne. I've already purchased a backup... I have a review of this shade here.

- MAC Satin Taupe - There is a lot of hype around this shade, and for good reason. It has an excellent texture and pairs well with almost anything.

- MAC Copperplate - Most of you probably expected this, as it was probably one of my most used crease shades of 2013. MAC's Matte ^2 texture is incredible! I've reviewed this one here.

- MAC Phloof! - This shadow has been my favorite inner corner and highlighting lid shade of the year. It has so much more dimension than you would expect by just looking at it in the pan!

- MAC Shale - Shale is one of those multi-dimensional shades that, like Satin Taupe, pair well with almost everything. I've reviewed this one here.

- Urban Decay Laced - I was ecstatic when I found out this was going to be a permanent shade. Laced works well as a base, lid shade, whatever you need it to be. I love it. I reviewed this one here.

- Urban Decay Sin - I used this literally to death in my Naked Palette, so I definitely needed a new one. Sin is nearly part of my everyday makeup bag.

Brows:

- Revlon Brow Fantasy in Brunette - I'm not too keen on the pencil side of this; the texture is not up my alley. But since I've been using this brow gel my brows have thanked me. I'm too cheap to try Anastasia's brow gel just yet, and since this is the only tinted brow gel on the drugstore market, I'll have to make due with a pencil that I don't necessarily like. Oh well.

- Maybelline Master Shape Brow Pencil in Soft Brown - This is my holy grail brow product. I go through about three or four a year...'Nuff said. I've reviewed this here.

Lips:

- MAC Cremesheen Glass in Deelight - Are we going to just act surprised here? This is probably my most used lip product of all time. It simply goes with everything. I've reviewed this here.

- MAC Lavender Whip - I'm not going to lie; when the Baking Beauties collection was released, I basically stalked my local MAC Stores/Counters to make sure I got this. Great call, too. This shade is incredibly flattering on my very fair skin. I reviewed this here.

- MAC Diva - Diva has definitely been my go-to red lipcolor this year...and not to mention, my sister's as well. She liked this one so much that I had to refuse to let her steal mine anymore and forced her to buy her own! My review for this lipstick still stands as my most popular post on this blog. 

- MAC Viva Glam II - I've finally found the nude shades that flatter me, and this is one of them. The other day, I had an adorable older Brazilian woman in my store who had to know what lipstick I was wearing. Needless to say, I sent her to MAC to get this one. From what I could gather in my broken Portuguese, she thought it looked lovely on my "very white skin". That made me smile! I've reviewed this here.

- MAC Blankety - Again with the nude shades, huh? Its been a year for nude lips for me, apparently. This is also one of my favorites, thanks to the strong pink tones to this.

- L'Oreal Fairest Nude - I understand the hype now. This is on of my favorites and a great drugstore option! I've reviewed this here

- OCC NSFW - This is a newer addition to my collection, but OCC Lip Tars really do live up to what everyone says! I wore this on Halloween as part of my Ursula costume and it lasted all night!

Cheeks:  

- NARS Sin - I don' know why it took me so long to get this shade. Its just as pretty to wear as it is to look at! I've reviewed this here. 

- Illamasqua Katie - The fact that I haven't hit pan on this yet is probably a miracle. Whenever I don't know what to wear, this is it. It literally goes with everything.

- NARS Albatross - I get so many compliments on this shade when I wear it. Between the pigmentation and the longevity of it, this has to be one of my favorite illuminators. 

- MAC Full of Joy - I missed out on this in the spring of 2013, so I basically stalked my local CCO's until I found this one. It's a lavender blush...that's all that matters.

Face: 

- MAC Studio Fix Powder Foundation in NC15 - This may be cheating just a bit, but since I purchased this in November it has been a total game changer in my makeup routine. Its quick and has great coverage and layers very well. Given how often I use this, it will soon be a repurchase.

Skin:

- Boscia Pore Purifying Black Strips - These changed everything for me. No more Biore for me; these perform so much better that I use them only half as often!

Brushes: 

- Sonia Kashuk Blush Brush - The dome and density of this brush make it definitely my most used blush brush of this year. I purchased this as part of a set and it was definitely a very pleasant surprise!

- Real Techniques Buffing Brush - I alternate between this brush and the next one i plan to mention in my daily foundation routine. There has been no splaying or loss of density in this brush and it works just as great as the day I purchased it. The size is great to get to smaller parts of my face, as well, such as under the eyes and around my brows.

- Sonia Kashuk Buffing Brush  - This brush is part of my daily foundation routine as well. The size of it makes it quick and easy to work with and it is a very sturdy, dense brush.

- Sonia Kashuk Eyeshadow Brush - I mainly use this brush on the lid, but it works well to blend out cream shadows in a pinch as well. This was part of the same set as the first brush I mentioned.

Nails: 

- Essie Shine of the Times - What I thought was a plain gold topcoat is actually one of the  most unique shades n my collection. What you choose to pair this with really transforms it.

- Essie Mochacino - I wore this on my toes several times this year. I love the understated shimmer to the shade; it makes it very different from the rest of the neutral polishes in my collection.

- Essie In the Cab-ana - If I received copious amounts of compliments on my nail polish, I was probably wearing this shade. Blues are usually not my game, but I ADORE this shade.

- L'Oreal Tea and Crumpets - I definitely purchased this shade for the name, but it is probably on eof the easiest nude shades to apply that I've ever used. One coat is all you need and it applies evenly and opaque.

2013 - when it comes to makeup - was definitely a year for nude lips, neutral eyes and glowy cheeks for me. This year, I definitely find myself already looking forward to bold lips (a la Radiant Orchid, maybe) and dramatic winged liner. Whatever comes, I'm excited for the new collections I'm seeing all over the place and can't wait to start reviewing! 

November Favorites!

It's here - my all time favorite time of the year! Between Christmas and my birthday and all the festivities, I simply just LOVE December!

If I'm going to be 100% transparent, I will say that November was a pretty good month for me. I've made some decisions in my life that have made me much happier and I'm feeling much better. Coincidentially, I've been wearing more makeup because I've actually wanted to put effort into..well, anything, so I'm glad to be back.

As the year is starting to round up and the weather is getting a bit cooler and drier, this is what I've  been loving.

Tools - 

- Forever 21 "Rad" Makeup Bag: My sister bought this for me when I saw it because it perfectly goes with the name of this blog. Its so cute, easy to clean and a pretty good size. I hold all of my daily skincare items in this one.

- EcoTools Custom Coverage Buffing Brush: This is my FAVORITE brush for powder foundation as of late. It is literally bluntly flat across the top and is a somewhat small brush, but I like to use it to tap powder foundation onto my face to minimize pores and then swirl to buff out.

- ELF Blush Brush: I never really reached for this a whole lot until recently, but I really like the precision that the smaller taper of this brush provides.

Eyes - 

- MAC Haux: This is a shade that I simply just haven't used a whole lot since I bought it, but I did a lot of looks with the next shadow that I will mention all over the lid and this in the crease and it was perfectly polished.

- MAC Phloof!: I originally bought this because my MAC palette was severely lacking a highlight shade, but I've been more often than not wearing this all over the lid or in the inner third of the lid. Its super pigmented, especially for such a light shade and I love it.

- Urban Decay Naked and Buck: I've jumped on the bandwagon of using these two shades through my brows. I use Buck to shape and lengthen and Naked to kind of blend everything together and make it look more natural.

- LORAC 3D Liquid Lustre Set: I reviewed these the other day, but I've been all about some sparkle lately, and these were surprisingly easy to work with. 

- Maybelline Color Tattoo in Barely Branded - I put off buying this for so long because I had a limited edition shade from a couple seasons ago called Barely Beige that is very similar. I gave in and got this one with a CVS coupon because its a bit pinker than Barely Beige...though Maybelline needs to stop recycling these names! Woah!

- Maybelline Illegal Lengths Waterproof Mascara: I have a love hate relationship with this mascara to say the least. It is a pain in the butt to remove and I think I can attribute that to the fact that I accidentally bought the waterproof - but I will say, I love the brush.

Lips -

- Rimmel Stay Glossy 3D Lip Gloss in Popcorn For Two: MAC had a Cremesheen Glass in the holiday collection that was a nude with a green shift to it, but this one has a much more pronounced shift. Not to mention, the texture of this gloss is wonderful!

- Holiday Chapstick in Gingerbread: Its been a while since I've used Chapstick, and I have no idea why! This one tastes great and festive and makes my lips feel great.

- Walgreens EOS Dupe in Sugar Cookie: This balm has a yummy, strong, caramel-y taste and in all honesty, I like the texture of this better than the real EOS balms. It has much more slip to it.

 - MAC Blankety: This was supposed to be in my favorites for last month, but I misplaced it. I found it in the depths of my lip gloss drawer - what the heck? - but I've been wearing this shade over and over. Its a perfect My Lips But Better brownish nude for my skin and I love it.

 - NARS Train Bleu: I did it...I finally got it. Just look at it. I. Am. In. Love.

Face - 

- Victoria's Secret Baked Mineral Blush in Surrender: This was the first blush I ever wore on a regular basis, and it gives me unrealistically high expectations for mineral blushes. It is incredibly finely milled and silky and MAC Mineralized Blushes have nothing on this baby.

- MAC Studio Fix Powder Foundation in NC15: This has been a godsend this month. I've been wearing it alone with primer for a quick face, or with a light hand and a duo fiber brush as a setting powder (DON'T WHINE at me about using this as a setting powder, I know its not.)

Fragrance: 

- The Body Shop Honeymania Body Butter: I've been wanting this for some time, so I'm glad I finally picked it up. Needless to say, I've made a dent already.

- Victoria's Secret Angel Dream: I love this fragrance. Its got a tart-ness to it that I just love on my skin.

I'm really excited about this month, in all honesty. I'm ready for holiday makeup and candles and birthday festivities. I just LOVE DECEMBER!

October Favorites!

I don't know if it was Halloween, but I'm SO incredibly late with my favorites this month. I apologize - I guess the end of the month snuck up on me and when you couple that with not taking photos for this post until the first couple days of the month (not to mention working a 16 hour day yesterday..) it makes for me being tardy to the party. Sorry guys!

I decided to be Ursula the Sea Witch from The Little Mermaid this year for Halloween. The look was so much fun and I used so much makeup! I had so much fun with the look!

Partway because of the Halloween season I've been having a whole lot of fun with my makeup as of late - so, as you will see, I came across a lot of favorites this month!

Eyes:

I've been playing with different products this month, so most of these are actually fairly new!

- Darling Girl Eyeshadow in Bad Ash: Since it was October, I was playing with Halloween themed looks. I love this shade because its a "pumpkin" color while being fairly less orange. I reviewed this here.

- L'Oreal Infallible Eyeshadow in Amber Rush: This is a well loved shadow in the blogging community, but I've literally just picked it up. Its a rosier neutral and thus perfect for fall.

- ELF Makeup Lock and Seal: I am FLYING through this stuff. I've used this a whole lot this month with both pressed and loose products and it works like a dream. It definitely highly foils the product and extends the wear. Its bulletproof - so I obviously used it for my Halloween look.

- ELF The Evil Queen 2013 Set Eyeshadow Palette: I'm CRAZY about Snow White, so I had to have this just because it was Snow White themed. All 6 of these eyeshadows are soft, buttery and pigmented and I was very impressed!

- L'Oreal Voluminous Butterfly Mascara: I jumped on the bandwagon for this one - short story is: The wand rules.

- L'Oreal Voluminous Mascara: I wore this in a simple Instagram photo and was asked if I was wearing falsies. Enough said.

- Milani Shadow Eyez in Sand Dunes: I apologize, because this was limited edition, but I've been using the heck out of this. Its a darker champagne shade, but since it has microglitter in it, it makes for a nice twist.

Lips:

- MAC Up The Amp: Its a little brighter than what I've been drawn to, but it works with the warmer Florida weather we've been having. I've reviewed this here.

- MAC Diva: This is one of my favorite MAC lipsticks - and I love this time of year because I can wear it all the time. My favorite part - it stays on all day! I've reviewed this here. 

- Benefit UltraPlush Lipgloss in Sugarbomb: My sister isn't much of a gloss person, so when she got this for free, she passed it onto me. Its a mini size. This feels great on the lips and lasts a lot longer than the average gloss without being sticky!

Face -

- Revlon Colorstay for Combo to Oily Skin: I don't know if my skin is in better shape, or I've just tailored my application to the texture of this foundation, but it's been looking great on my skin lately!

Cheeks - 

- MAC Pink Cult: The gray tones in this make it stay super cool toned on my skin, so I keep reaching for it!

- Darling Girl Spectral Shift in Razzles: This really is a unique shade to wear on the cheeks, but the sheerness and the warmer shift really work with it. I wore this a whole bunch this month.

Nails -  

- Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure in Gold Roses: I've jumped on the Rose Gold nail trend and this shade is perfect. I LOVE this polish.

Fragrance - 

- Coach Poppy: My mom surprised me with this earlier this month. I. Am. In. LOVE. This is floral without being too floral and I just can't explain it. I can't stop wearing this.

Brushes - 

- Ecotools Sheer Finish Kabuki Brush - I've been using this for anything from setting powder, to light diffusing powder, to super pigmented blush. Its an all in one brush and I love it.

- Ecotools Blush Brush - I like the dome to the top of this brush. It places and blends perfectly!

I'm already super stoked for November - I'm trying not to skip Thanksgiving alltogether, but Christmastime is already tempting me! What were you guys loving this month?