The entirety of the time I've been writing this blog I've had the intention to include empties posts but never really actually compiled anything - I'd always forget to hold onto things. Needless to say, now I have a pretty little pink "empties box" and every time I fill it to the brim, you'll be seeing an empties post from me. Yay! Lets (dumpster) dive right in!

Makeup - 

- Seche Vite Quick Dry Top Coat: This is my second bottle of this...and the second bottle that got too goopy to use before I even finished 2/3 of it. I don't feel that I should have to buy the thinner to make this thing work for me - a product shouldn't need another product to make it work. I also didn't like that this isn't 3 Free so I will not be purchasing it again. I recently replaced it with Out The Door which is 3 Free, but I've yet to try it.

- L'Oreal Magic Smooth Mousse Foundation: I picked this up on clearance a long time ago and although I really did like it, its just too old and I need to toss it. Sadly, its been discontinued for a while.

- Urban Decay De-Slick Makeup Setting Spray: In all honesty, this didn't keep me any more matte than I started out as; but I really liked this for refining the texture of my makeup when I applied it too cakey. I have a mini of this that I'm working through that was a gift with purchase, but after I'm done with that one I probably won't repurchase. I'm quite interested in trying the Ben Nye Final Set instead.

- Flower Easy On The Eyes Longwear Eyeliner in Aubergine: I reviewed this just over a year ago (click here to read my thoughts) and it had a really nice formula, but to be honest...the packaging sucked. It was very flimsy. Fast forward a year and it is literally so dried out that it was abrasive to my hand to even swatch it. No thanks, I don't think I'll be getting another one of these.

- Maybelline Eye Studio Master Shape Brow Pencil in Soft Brown: This was my holy grail brow product. Emphasis on the was...Maybelline has broken my little heart and reformulated this. Now the reformulation isn't awful, but it's just not the same. Not to mention I have to sharpen it every single time I use it, which is really annoying. I'm almost through another one of these and I bought a backup on sale, but I have an uncertain future with this one. I've also just switched to the Anastasia Brow Wiz in Caramel, and I can definitely see the hype.

 Skincare -

 - Freeman Facial Brightening Rose Paper Mask: Can I just start off by saying that sheet masks are so weird looking. And huge! I doubt anyone has a face that big! I love the rose fragrance, but this was highly synthetic in my opinion. This was also a huge mess and left my face feeling too sticky. I wont be purchasing more of these.

- Freeman Acai Facial Purifying Clay Mask Travel Size: I actually really liked this one because it made my face look so clean and even without being irritating. However, my sister is highly allergic to Pomegranate which I'm fairly certain this has in it and I don't want to run the risk of her using this on accident or anything of the sort, so if I purchase this one, its going under lock and key.

- Montagne Jeunesse Green Tea Peel Off Masque: In all honesty, this one was quite forgettable. It did the job but wasn't life changing. 

- Freeman Cinnamon & Moroccan Lava Clay Mask Travel Size: I think this one is fairly new because there isn't a full size of it yet but I really hope they make one. I LOVE this. It doesn't irritate my skin and makes my pores look so clear. I'm really sad to see it go.

- Boscia Luminizing Black Mask: This is probably the deepest cleaning peel off mask I've ever used. I picked up this sample size in a kit on Black Friday and hoarded it as long as I could. $34 for a mask is painful, but maybe...

- The Body Shop Seaweed Ionic Clay Mask: This is definitely the heaviest duty of the clay masks, having both Kaolin and Bentonite Clay and while I really, really liked it, its a bit much to use as often as I use masks. I'd use this one every two weeks to a month depending on my skin, and thus it dried up before I could use it all...which actually makes me feel pretty decent about the fact that I'm putting something fairly natural on my face. The next time The Body Shop runs a great sale I might pick this up again.

- Neutrogena Oil Free Acne Wash Redness Soothing Cream Cleanser: I have a lot of redness in my skin both genetically and due to breakouts and while this wasn't a holy grail, it didn't make matters worse. I'd probably repurchase it.

- Garnier + Clean Blackhead Eliminating Scrub: I've actually already repurchased this twice if I'm not mistaken. I have oily skin and I feel like this does help keep oil a at bay for a bit and I really like the texture of it, as the charcoal granules are quite small.

- Clinique Liquid Facial Soap Mild: I've tried this so many times, but I'm just too cheap to purchase it on a regular basis. I really actually enjoy it - the fragrance is quite tolerable and faint and its not too watery of a texture. This was a sample size, but if the price was a bit lower, I'd use it more often.

- Olay Fresh Effects Shine, Shine Go Away: How many times have I purchased this? I've honestly lost count, but I really, really like it. It has kaolin in it which fares well with my skin and makes it a really great morning cleanser to give me a matte canvas to start with, without drying my skin out. Right now I'm trying a cleanser with rice protein in it as a mattifying agent, so I'll soon have a comparison between the two.

- Absolute Makeup Cleansing Wipes in Vitamin C Extract: I use these mostly for eye makeup and swatch removal. I firmly do not believe in spending a whole lot of money on makeup removing towelettes and my mom finds whole 5 or 6 packs of these for $5 or less. It beats spending $6 for one pack from Neutrogena.

- Mario Badescu Ceramide Herbal Eye Cream Sample: I'm quite torn on this. While it was definitely moisturizing for my eye area without making my lids more oily - and had an impressively short ingredients list to boot - it simply didn't keep. I use eye cream every night and it turned to a weird consistency before I used it all. Maybe it was the sample jar packaging? I'm working through an Ole Hendrickson eye gel right now, but I may consider this one in the future after a bit of research to see if this was an issue across the board.

- Garnier Moisture Rescue Refresh Gel Creme: This was my daily moisturizer for literally years as it efficiently hydrates my skin without making it more oily than it already is. I'm using a mattifying day creme from Boots Botanicals right now that's a completely different texture, but I would repurchase this one - I'm just not sure which I like better right now.

- Mario Badescu Oil Free Moisturizer SPF 30 Sample: I really liked this because it didn't make my skin more oily and had a decent SPF, but I had the same issue with this as I did with the other Mario Badescu sample as it didn't keep. Not only did it not keep, but it literally fused itself shut!

Body - 

- Bath and Body Works Eucalyptus Spearmint Body Wash: This was limited edition packaging, but is still available in the Aromatherapy line. I've been using this fragrance for years and I'm still not tired of it. I literally have almost every form; body mist, rollerball, lotion, bath soak, candle, scentportable, etc. I love, love, love it!

- St. Ives Oatmeal and Shea Butter Body Wash: Since I've been eating so much healthier and losing weight, I've found myself much more sensitive to smells than before and I have no idea why. Needless to say, I'm a pain in the butt when I have to buy things like shampoo and body wash because I have to smell everything and I'll probably hate a good half of it.This was one that I liked, but the formula was just so-so. It wasn't as nourishing as I anticipated.

- Caress Emerald Rush: I believe this is new for the spring. I'm definitely not a stranger to Caress' line, and I do prefer some of their other fragrances to this (my all time fave is Scarlet Blossom, which I can't find anywhere this time of year!) - I really like the White Tea note to this, as it reminds me of a discontinued fragrance that I loved from Victoria's Secret called White Tea and Sage - but I wasn't too keen on the Gardenia. It didn't smell like Gardenia to me, and pulled to waxy citrus-y scent that didn't impress me. I have Daily Silk in my shower right now, which if I'm thinking correctly, was the first one I used from the brand.  I'm fairly certain that these do have sulfates pretty close to the beginning of the ingredients list, but they don't dry out my skin. I honestly really like the range of fragrances in this line.

- Victoria's Secret Perfect Body Pink Sea Salt Body Polish: Before you listen to me swoon over this, keep in mind that it's discontinued. This was a mini size I got in a kit. This scrub has the most lovely texture, and has the exfoliating agents suspended in a body butter like base that turns into a milky consistency with water. I could use this every single day and not have my skin feel irritated or over exfoliated at all because of it. The full size is a good four or five times larger than this sample size and when it went on clearance, I didn't just buy one or two, but three of these!

- Aveda Personal Blends Bath Salts in #2 Key Element Water: I've been receiving a free Personal Blends item during my birthday month for the past few years from Aveda and I hope they didn't do away with the fragrance because this smells divine. Its a mix of Rose, Geranium and Eucalyptus and is unlike anything I've ever smelled before. I'm hoarding a small bit of body wash in this scent for a rainy day and I also have it in the lotion and the perfume spray. If Aveda ever does (or has) decide to get rid of this, I will RIOT! 

- The Body Shop Honeymania Bubble Bath Melt: Honeymania is one of my favorite fragrances from The Body Shop - right up there with Shea and my oh so beloved Almond. I actually really liked this product. In the bubble department, its not in Lush Bubble Bar territory but it still provided a good amount of bubbles. What really impressed me was how crazy fragrant this was. It engulfs the entire bathroom in the Honeymania fragrance and lingers on the skin afterward. I really liked this, but I went through it so fast that I'll probably wait for an offer to repurchase.

Haircare - 

- Pantene Pro-V Volume Triple Action Mousse for Fine Hair: I have fine hair, but I have a lot of it, so this provided enough hold without being too overly crunchy. I'm trying something new at the moment for the sake of trying something new, but I've repurchased this before a good two or three times.

- Tresemme Fresh Start Dry Shampoo: This is awful...literally awful. I purchased this because it was in a two pack so I could give one to my sister and we both threw them away before using even a fourth of them. This only absorbs oil for a very short amount of time and then you're left with greasy hair with a nearly gummy finish to it. Not okay. 

Miscellaneous - 

- Publix Brand Baby Shampoo: I wash my brushes with baby shampoo and I just buy the generic to save money. This time it was Publix - shout out to my fellow Floridians who shop at Publix!

- BioTrue Contact Solution: Remember when I had an allergic reaction from trying a new contact solution? After that nightmare I vowed to never use anything else but BioTrue. If you wear contacts, this will speak to you; BioTrue, to me feels like the solution that your contacts are originally in when you first open them. 

- Acuvue Oasys: If my memory serves me correctly, I've always been an Acuvue wearer and they get better with each new release. I could probably count on one hand the times since I've used Oasys lenses that I've felt the whole "wow, my eyes feel dry" sensation. I don't feel these when I'm wearing them - which is part them being really great and part the fact that I've been wearing contact lenses for nearly ten years now (Man, I'm getting old!) but it still impresses me since I have a slight astigmatism. 

- Yankee Candle Island Spa Tart: I have such a collection of tarts that I'm trying to burn though some of them before I allow myself any more - in my defense, I used to work for the brand! Island Spa is a great summer fragrance with mandarin orange and lemon verbena. Its citrus-y without being too sweet and I really like it. The soft teal color was a nice touch as well.

- Yankee Candle Black Coconut Tart: This one says that it is Coconut, Cedarwood and Island Blossoms, but I swear that there has to be a touch of Tonka Bean in it. I like that this isn't your average Coconut fragrance that smells like a mixed drink, it has a sophisticated air to it.

- Yankee Candle Turquoise Sky Tart: Oh, Turquoise Sky. I found myself really obsessed with this last spring and stocked up. I still have a couple left and I'm still not tired of it. It's a perfect fresh fragrance with notes of sea grass and musk. And I know I said that I'm trying not to buy more tarts, but I made the mistake of going on Yankee Candle's website to look up fragrance notes and I may or may not be feeling a mighty need for some (or all) of the new fragrances. Darn it...

If it could have taken me any longer to finish this post, I swear we'd be in some post apocalyptic world where my empties are the least of our concerns, but finally we've hit the end of my first empties post! Later this week I'll have my April Favorites posted, maybe actually before the first of the next month for once? 

We can only hope. Have a great day/night/what have you, everyone!

January Favorites!

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

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

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

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

Eyes:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Lips - 

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

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

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

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

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

Face:

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

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

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

Fragrance:

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

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

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

Tools:

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

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

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

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

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!

May Favorites!

I've been keeping a running tab all month of the things I've been loving, just to make sure that I didn't forget anything in the moment! This month has definitely been a transition for me; I started a new job late last month, so May was filled with a lot of learning and adjusting. Makeup wise, A lot of super colorful products crossed my desk - specifically eyeshadows - so its been a product-testing-pallooza here! While many of these products I've decided to feature this week are new gems, there are some old faves that I rediscovered as well. Take a look!

Eyes:

The two shades across the top are;

- Urban Decay Laced - A matte taupey-pinky-beigey shade that I've used with nearly every single look I've put together this month. Literally a fantastic eyeshadow. Reviewed here.

- Darling Girl Ladyhawke - Probably the prettiest duo-chrome shade I've ever tried. I just can't stop playing with it and it applies like a dream. Reviewed here.

 And the two pencils are; 

- Milani Naturally Chic Shadow Eyez 12 Hour Wear Eyeshadow in Almond Cream - Milani finally delved into mattes with their Limited Edition Shadow Eyez for this summer and I couldn't be happier. This makes a wonderful base for almost anything. Reviewed here.

- NARS Larger Than Life Long Wear Eyeliner in Barrow Street - So different than any liner that I've pretty much ever owned and has a flawless formula. Reviewed here.

Lips:

From left to right these are;

- L'Oreal Colour Riche Lipcolor in Fairest Nude - Probably the perfect My Lips But Better shade for me. Are you surprised? Because I am. Reviewed here. 

- L'Oreal Colour Riche LeGloss in Short Shorts - Wearable take on lavender lips and felt great to wear. Reviewed here. 

- Milani 3D Glitzy Glamour Gloss in Fashion Diva - Its violet with a ton of glitter. Need I say more?

- Victoria's Secret Beauty Rush Sunset Kiss Lipgloss in Coconut Escape - A bronze gloss that doesn't make me look odd and it smells like heaven.

- Milani Crystal Gloss in Summer Baby - Said to be a dupe for MAC Nymphette, this is the perfect golden pink for summer. Reviewed here.

- The Body Ship Lip Butter in Shea - I'm dangerously low on my other day to day lip balm (the Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment that we all got from Sephora for our birthdays. Great but super pricey!), so I decided to give this a try. So far I'm loving both the consistency and the fragrance!

Face:

Left to right, we have;

- Darling Girl Soft Focus Blush in Yes, Virginia! - Is anyone surprised? Not really. I am head over heels for this blush. Reviewed here. 

- MAC Blush in Pink Cult - My only CCO find this month (shocker - but probably because I was on a budget!) Its probably one of the most wearable pinks against my skin that I've run into. Sadly, it has been discontinued.

Nails:

On the left then to the right we have;

- China Glaze Awakening - I ran into this shade at Sally Beauty Supply and I couldn't pass it up. Its incredibly unique and I had nothing in my collection that was even close to it. Applies like a dream.

- Essie Turquoise and Caicos - I see why this shade has such a cult following. I had no problems with application and enjoyed the waves of compliments this shade brought me.

Fragrance;

I'm super excited about these two;

- Lucky Brand Lucky You EDT - You see that little pink bottle on the left? I had a very unsuccessful and emotional trip to Marshalls (I was trying to buy pants...enough said) and I spotted this out of the corner of my eye. Day = made. This was one of my two signature fragrances in high school (the other being Burberry Brit, which I'm still hoarding) and I couldn't pass it up, especially since both the EDT and Lotion were only $15 together! Lucky You is a mix of Water Hyacinth, Star Jasmine and Sandalwood and it still smells as great as the day little 14 year old me opened it as a gift from my parents on Christmas Morning. LOVE.

- Bath and Body Works Beautiful Day - I'm trying not to bust out into a U2 song here, and its taking a whole lot of restraint. I purchased the deluxe sample size when the brand was teasing this fragrance before it was released, but I didn't expect to fall in love - mostly because I'm not too fond of fragrances with apple notes against my skin. Turns out, I actually love this. Beautiful Day is a mix of sun kissed apple, wild daisies and white peach that just makes me happy when I smell it. 

- Bath and Body Works PocketBac in Sicilian Lemon - It counts as fragrance, right? I may or may not be sanitizing my hands too much so I have an excuse to smell this one. Its bright and lemony and citrusy without smelling like lemon pledge. Woo!

Hair and Body:

- OLD SCHOOL HERBAL ESSENCES! - I chose the Shine Collection which has chamomile, aloe vera and passion flower extracts. Due to the nostalgia of it, I literally had to partake when I saw these popping up on the shelves in Central Florida. Turns out, I loved it for a reason - My hair looks and feels great and smells wonderful. My mother has also followed suit and purchased some for herself. Love it!

- Caress Scarlet Blossom Body Wash - I saw this a couple months back, but decided to wait for a coupon. This stuff smells luxurious - Patchouli (love) and Red Lychee - and its going fast because I can't stop using it.

Tools:

Top to bottom are:

- Ulta Professional Synthetic Eyeshadow Brush - With all of the cream shadows I've been testing this month, this has been perfect. It applies a perfect base - which is how I usually use cream shadows and is big enough so I can place it all over the lid rather than in increments. I purchased this as part of a set - which is why the bristles are seafoam green, but it is available separately.

- ELF Small Stipple Brush - Definitely a new take on my concealer, which now is less prone to looking crepey and a bit more airbrushed.

- Clinique Foundation Brush - I used to hate this brush, but it now has a place in my stash. Its a bit bigger and much softer than most of my foundation brushes. I use this to stripe foundation across the areas I wish to apply and then stipple the foundation in with a separate brush. Who knew there would come a day where I'd not only use this brush on a regular basis, but feature it in a favorites post??

Phew! There was a lot to love this month! What have you guys been loving during the month of May? 

The Body Shop Earth Day Haul!

I only intended to buy one thing, so I could redeem my coupon for the Earth Day freebie they were running on Monday. One thing! Ha!

I left with a bit more than I intended, but coupled with two sales and my love for The Body Shop in general, I left with a bag full of goodies, for less than $30!

Starting on the left, I chose the Mini Coconut Body Scrub and the Mini Pink Grapefruit Body Scrub, which were 2 for $10 - psst! They're on sale for $3.60 on TBS' website right now! I have the correlating body butters in these fragrances (one day I'll give in and show you my collection of body butters from the brand in general! I'm obsessed!) and I seriously lack in body scrubs, so why the heck not? 

To the right is the free product that I received for the Earth Day promotion - The Earth Lovers Fig and Rosemary Shower Gel, which is usually $10 but on sale for $5 on the brand's website right now! I love the fragrance of this; kind of woodsy with a kick to it. I used it today and it was wonderful! By the way, there are no sulfates, colorings or parabens in this product and it is completely biodegradable! 

Next I chose two of the Colour Crush Eye Shadows - Coconuts About You, which is a deep, cool toned brown matte, and Fig Leaf, a sage green shimmer. I've heard people already raving about the Colour Crush Mattes, so I had to partake, and since they were BOGO1/2 I decided on a green as well. 

Last but not least, I picked up a single use of the Vitamin C Microdermabrasion scrub. I believe I've tried this before, but I'm ready to revisit it - and it was super cheap.

Anyone else visit The Body Shop to pick up their Earth Day freebie? What did you guys haul?

Keep tuned later this week I've you're a body butter fiend like I am. We're going to have a talk about those soon!

Review - The Body Shop Eye Color in Spearmint.

I purchased this product a while back on a separate sale that The Body Shop was running, but it is currently 25% off on the brand's website, and I presume in store as well!

Since I have so many neutrals in my makeup stash, I occasionally force myself to buy colors that are out of my comfort zone. Though I don't recall the details of the sale that prompted me to buy this shade, I do remember picking up another shade (which has since been discontinued) as well as a body butter (or three).  On an unrelated note; I can't get enough body butter in general. They are a total weakness for me!

Spearmint is a mint green with strong blue tones to it, almost leaning into an icy teal sort of territory. I didn't have anything in my collection like this, minus the matte mint shade from the LORAC Mint palette, which I find myself wearing with this shade quite a bit.

The texture to this shadow is different than most; it has a sponge-y yet solid texture that is incidentally, quite difficult to explain. My thought to the texture is that it probably feels this way due to the infusion of Namibian Marula Oil; from this, the shadow is meant to have moisturizing qualities without creasing, etc. 

This shade is one of those "swatches better than it applies" shades, but definitely not the worst I've come across. With a flat, synthetic brush, I was able to get almost true to pan intensity. The wear time was slightly below average for me, even wearing this over MAC Painterly as a base. I assume this is due to the Marula Oil and the fact that I have naturally oily lids. Thankfully, it didn't really crease, but rather just faded. It was still a bit of a bummer.

One thing that bears mentioning is The Body Shop's ethics; all of their products are cruelty free and use fair trade natural ingredients from all around the world. - Which surprises me, since the brand is owned by none other than L'Oreal.

Overall;

Pros: 

- Unique texture, good color payoff.

- Infused with natural moisturizing ingredients. 

- Cruelty free and fair trade.

Cons:

- Less than stellar wear time; faded somewhat quickly.

I firmly believe that this product would fare better on someone with less oily lids than mine, but the Marula Oil coupled with my skin time made for quick fading. If you have drier lids, give these a shot.

6/10

February Favorites!

I feel like February broke the rut of beauty indifference that I was in during January. And I'm totally okay with that.

Eyes;

The palettes are NARS And God Created Woman and bareMinerals Ready Eyeshadow 8.0 in The September Issue. Both have phenomenal pigmentation and gave my Naked Palettes a bit of a break. I've also been using the NYX Nude Matte Eyeshadow in Confession a whole lot.

Cheeks;

NARS Blush in Seduction. This one is intense, but I love it. When applied properly its really stunning.

Face;

I branched out and tried a new foundation this month, Neutrogena Shine Control Makeup. I was getting frustrated with Revlon Colorstay Whipped, so I wanted something with a completely different. This has a thin consistency and dries down pretty quickly, but is actually really buildable. This keeps my oily skin at bay a little bit longer than most other foundations that I've tried. Since my skin has been in rare form lately (2013 has been a bit on the stressful side thusfar) I decided to try the Physicians Formula Conceal Rx Physicians Strength Concealer in Soft Green. This concealer is SUPER pigmented, blends well and does wonders for covering my blemishes and red splotches on my cheeks.

Lips;

I went through a stage in December/January where I did not feel like wearing a bold lip in the least. That ship has far since sailed; I was really loving MAC Daddy's Little Girl and MAC Diva this month. I also stumbled across a Bath And Body Works Liplicious Lipgloss in Blood Orange; Its sheer but gives a bit of a pinkish-red hue to my lips with a bit of multi hued sparkle. I LOVE the flavor; probably why I purchased it..

Body;

I've been definitely breaking out of winter in terms fragrance this month. I've really been liking the PINK Spring Break by Victoria's Secret in Jasmine Lime (which is Jasmine and Lime...) and Bath and Body Works Daisy Dreamgirl (which has clementine, star daisies and sandalwood). I also picked up The Body Shop Hand Cream in Absinthe, and I'm already in love. Its not too thick and doesn't leave my hands too slick and feels cool when applied. 

Good month for beauty; things are looking up!