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!

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!

Top 10 Red Lipsticks for the Holidays!

Phew, it is CRAZY around here today! I feel like Christmas just snuck right up on me, but I wanted to jump in and share my 10 favorite red lipsticks for the holiday season!

From left to right, the top row is: 1) Wet N Wild Cherry Picking, 2) Revlon Cherry Blossom, 3) Revlon Cherries in the Snow, 4) Rimmel Kate Moss 107, 5) NARS Afghan Red and the bottom row is - 1) MAC Viva Glam 1, 2) MAC Diva, 3) Revlon Red Velvet, 4) NYX Snow White and 5) OCC NSFW.

There you have it, guys! I'm not sure which one I intend to wear tomorrow - or if I even plan on changing out of my pjs ad all - but I'm excited for a day off with my family. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays, everyone!

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!

September Favorites!

I've been so great and timely with my favorites posts for the last several months, so the fact that I'm a couple days late this month is pretty indicative of the month of September as a whole. I blinked somewhere around the 7th and it was already October. I'm honestly excited. I'm breaking out all the fall makeup and jewelry and candles - everything but clothes because its still in the high 80s/low 90s here, and probably will be until the end of this month. I'm ready for pumpkin scented everything and sweaters and dark lips. Emphasis on the sweaters - C'mon Florida! Lets try to have some cooler weather this year...

I've compiled some of the things I've been loving this month, and a majority of them are newfound favorites!

Eyes - 

Oy...

- Maybelline The Rocket Volum Mascara - I liked this a lot more than I anticipated, given the short bristled brush. It really does provide great volume.

- NYX Jumbo Eyeshadow Pencil in Milk - I don't know why I included this in eyes, because I HATE this as an eyeshadow base. It creases in record time on me, no matter how I use it. I should have included this in with cheek products, as I've been wearing this as a highlight on my cheekbones, blending it into my foundation. Yes, I'm that pale.

- NYX Smokey Palette - The whole palette itself isn't a complete hit for me, but I LOVE the right side of it. I wore the taupe as a crease/transition color and the blue as a lid color (as well as a little MAC Satin Taupe for a little help...) and it was probably one of my favorite looks this month. The white is incredibly pigmented as well. The left side is still workable, but it didn't blow me away.

- Darling Girl Nerpette - I'm really feeling colors like this lately, and DG has notoriously great shadows so it was a win in my book.

- Darling Girl Teenage Dream - I really liked this as a middle of the lid shade to bring some definition. I don't have anything quite like it either. Its not too pink, nor too lavender. Very unique.

- Wet N Wild Soldiers in Charms - This performs on par with Wet N Wild's permanent line, and its one of those "neutral but not neutral" trios. Love it.

- Rimmel Scandaleyes in Deep Blue - This is just dark enough to be an almost black shade. I wore it in the waterline with the look I did with the NYX Smokey palette and it was anything but tacky.

- Urban Decay Zodiac - I can't describe how pretty this is. And how happy I was about the fact that there was much less fallout with this than I was anticipating.

Lips -

- MAC Viva Glam Gaga - I actually, after doing a WHOLE lot of research and searching, bought this on Ebay this month. I'm glad I did, because I was kicking myself for not picking it up when it was readily available. 

- Maybelline Flash of Pink - Definitely the most wearable shade from the Maybelline Fall Fashion Week Collection, so I've definitely been getting a lot of wear out of it. I've reviewed this here.

- Maybelline Iced Chocolate - I'm really liking this gloss formula, can you tell? Its a really great nude on my skin.

- L'Oreal Laquerized - I'm blown away by how great this is. Bold color and a great formula. I've reviewed this here. 

- Coconut and Papaya Lip Balm by Pier 1 - I got a pack of four of these on clearance not too long ago. They're actually incredibly moisturizing!

Cheeks - 

- Clinique Mocha Pink - I've been really feeling neutral blushes lately, and this is the one I've been reaching for out of the bunch. Its a touch browner than MAC The Perfect Cheek and Tarte Exposed. I've reviewed this here.

- NYX Taupe Blush - Finally, right? I understand the hype now.

Face - 

- CoverGirl Outlast Stay Fabulous 3 in 1 Foundation - I actually really like this. It has a thin consistency but still has great coverage and applies really, really well. It doesn't cause my skin to get more oily than usual either, which is always the struggle.

Brushes - 

- Target Up and Up Eyeshadow Brush -  The crease brush by Target is actually incredible, so I decided to try this. Lo and behold, this one is great too. I'm totally okay with that.

- Ulta Crease Brush - I purchased this as part of a set in the springtime - thus the mint green brush - but this brush has the perfect density to blend out harsh lines or place bold crease colors.

- Real Techniques Base Shadow Brush - While I love this brush for eyeshadow, I've been loving it even more to buff in my concealer. Its like the brand's buffing brush for my undereyes!

Fragrance - 

- Victoria's Secret Enchanted Nights - This fragrance is going to be one of my favorites for fall. Its sultry and sexy and it makes me feel pretty - its a mix of coconut flower and sandalwood. You had me at the sandalwood.

- Victoria's Secret Bombshell Forever - I like that this fragrance is fruity without being too overly fruity. Its like a grown up fruity - this one is a mix of boysenberry, lavender flower and pampelwood.

Skin - 

- Freeman Facial Anti-Stress Mask Dead Sea Minerals - If it says anti stress on it, I'll buy it. I needed that this week. This made my skin look and feel clean and radiant - and its bright blue!

Better late than never, right? I've got an extra day this month. That's my excuse, and I'm sticking to it! Thanks for your patience, guys! Have a lovely October!

My Picks for Fall - Lipstick!

I debated as to when I would post this one; on one hand I wanted it to be the big hurrah of the series because lipstick is my favorite thing in the universe, but on the other hand I wanted to make sure that I got this posted in good time for the majority of fall - so this happened. I had to, I have no restraint.

And as a bonus, the weather is feeling kind of fall-y this week. I mean, its still awful hot, but the humidity isn't quite as crazy as it has been of late and we're not getting those afternoon Florida thunderstorms quite as much as we do in the depths of summer. Although, it may just be my wishful thinking.

I intentionally broke up this post into two categories because I hoard dark lipsticks and I have some phenomenal ones that have been discontinued or limited edition, so the first group are readily available and the second group are "honorable mentions" that you need if you find them discounted or in a blog sale or a CCO or something of the like.

Enough with my ramblings, here's some lipstick!

Okay, yeah. I'm obsessed.

The top row, from left to right is; 

- Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter in Berry Smoothie - This was my intro to "dark lips". Its a great way to deepen your natural lipcolor for fall, but without being dramatic.

- Clinique Almost Lipstick in Black Honey - As with the prior, it isn't a statement lip, but it darkens things up just a bit. I've reviewed this here.

- ELF Matte Lipstick in Tea Rose - I love mauves and this is a darker, cool mauve. If I'm wearing  lighter, paler mauves in the summer, then I'm moving onto something like this in the fall and winter.

- L'Oreal Colour Riche La Laque in Laquer-ized - I just reviewed this yesterday. Its bright, but the color saturation and cool tone to it is perfect on my skin for fall.

- Smash Cosmetics Lipstick in Pale Mauve - This is a touch more purple than ELF Tea Rose and that's right up my alley!

- Rimmel Moisture Renew Lipstick in Vintage Pink - I probably purchased this one for the name, but its a cooler toned berry shade that I really like against my skin.

- CoverGirl Lip Perfection Lipstick in Divine - This is a less purple and intense version of MAC Heroine. The way it interacts with the natural color of the lips is very nice.

- MAC Up The Amp - If you are new to purple toned lipsticks, but really like the look of them, try this. It wears very comfortably and is quite wearable. I've reviewed this here.

- NYX Round Lipstick in Lala - This shade is a quite dark take on mauve and it, in turn is a really unique shade.

And the bottom row, from left to right, is; 

- MAC Rebel - Does this surprise anyone? No? Duh.

- NARS Afghan Red - I really love this shade because its a red, but its not super intense and it makes it really easy to wear. I've reviewed this here.

- NYX Round Lipstick in Snow White - Another lipstick that I purchased for the name, but I LOVE that this shade is a cool toned red that somehow has a touch of brown to it, so it sets itself apart from the rest of my collection.

- MAC Diva - This is my favorite dark red, and I hesitated putting this in the Fall picks because I'll probably wear this a lot this winter, but whatever - you'll probably see it then too. I've reviewed this here.

- Rimmel Lasting Finish by Kate Moss Lipstick in 04 - This shade is holding me off until I can get my hands on NARS Train Bleu. Its a blackened purple with some brown in it and I love it so incredibly much.

And onto the honorable mentions..I had to...

From left to right these are;

- MAC Mattene in Nocturnal Instincts - I wore the heck out of this last winter, and spring, and...well you get the point. Its a mauve shade thats kind of a paler mauve, but has a touch of warmth to it that makes it more wearable and if they ever repromote it, I'll probably buy like three..

- Revlon Violet Frenzy - I'm not sure if this is discontinued completely, but it's no longer listed on the website. I'd sweep it up if I were you. Its a semi sheer take on a dark, purple toned berry and I love it.

- MAC Heroine - Again, is anyone surprised. This needs to be part of the permanent range. If you've been living under a rock, Heroine is a darkened matte violet shade. I've reviewed this here.

- MAC Strong Woman - Definitely an under-appreciated shade from the MAC camp. This is slightly redder than Heroine, and for that reason, a bit more wearable across the board.

- MAC Boyfriend Stealer - I'm glad I picked this shade up. This collection was a springtime-ish collection, so I'm glad to finally get to have it in my normal rotation. I've reviewed this here.

- Maybelline Midnight Plum - This is still available in most drugstores, if  yours hasn't already sold out. Go NOW! Its a super dark plummy purple and I can't wait to rock it.

Can we tell this is my favorite color family? Maybe. Stay tuned for the rest of this series, coming soon!

My Picks for Fall - Lipgloss!

I'm going to be real with you here - I live in Florida. It was about 90 degrees even today...and that's been the coolest its been thusfar this Fall. Fall and Winter are my favorite times of the year, but I feel cheated out of them.

However, as soon as September arrived I broke out the vampy lips, warm brown shadows and pretty much Pumpkin Spice, well, EVERYTHING. If the weather is nice and fall-y where you are, I ENVY you.

These are some of the glosses that I'm excited to rock this fall, regardless of the lack of cool weather!

I tried to break these up from lightest to darkest, for the most part!

Top Row, Left to Right - 

- MAC Deelight Cremesheen Glass - We all know I wear this all year round, everywhere and anywhere. Paired with a super sultry eye, it completes a great fall look. I had to include it, don't judge me...I have a problem. I've reviewed this here.

- Revlon Colorburst Lip Gloss in Sunbaked - I'm quite fair, so this is a darker nude on me than most. Its a good transition from my lighter nudes for summer to my deeper nudes for fall.

- Too Faced Glamour Gloss in Erotic - What a name, huh? This is actually a plumping gloss that I'm usually feeling more for Christmastime, but I find myself reaching for it quite a bit already.

- Buxom Big and Healthy Lip Polish in Dolly - Another plumping gloss. It has a really understated mauve tone that is really flattering on top of my natural lip color. I've reviewed this here.

- Rimmel Show Off Lip Lacquer in Galaxy - Can we just call these Apocalips here in the USA too? Soooo much cooler than "Show Off". Either way, this is a lighter mauve berry shade with incredible opacity and I'm just in love.

- Milani Crystal Gloss in Sheer Dark Honey - If I need to darken things up without a full on vampy lip, this is my jam. I love it. Very sophisticated, but still has a slight goth-y tone to it which I'm all about.

- Maybelline Color Sensational High Shine Lipgloss in Raspberry Reflections - I've had my gripes about the fragrance of these, but they really are great drugstore glosses as a whole...maybe why I keep buying them?? Raspberry Reflections is a "me" shade. Its not totally pink, but theres a good amount of purple to it. I've reviewed this here. Did I include this in my summer picks as well? Absolutely. Again, I have a problem.

Bottom Row, Left to right - 

- Clinique Full Potential Lips Plump and Shine in Voluptuous Violet - I received this in a kit a while back, which is why its double ended. Its a plummy shade without being too red.

- Hard Candy Lip Def in Midnight Strole - Yes, the spelling is driving me nuts as well. But we all saw this coming, right. Its purple. Perfect.

- Smash Cosmetics Lipgloss in Wine and Dine - These glosses are SUPER pigmented and I love the subtle shimmer this one has.

- Maybelline Color Sensational High Shine Gloss in Chocolate Lust - I'm REALLY feeling the brownish burgundies lately, so I had to have this one. It shines over a liner or lipstick.

- Victoria's Secret Sweet Pout Gloss in Love and Confection - Very similar to MAC Rebel in gloss form. Great pigmentation and cute packaging. Because that matters to me..

So if you thought that was excessive, wait until you see my lipstick post! Just like I did for the summer, I'm going to make this into a series - keep an eye out for my picks for Lipstick, Palettes, Single Eyeshadows, Blushes, Nails and Fragrances soon!

March Favorites!

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

Face:

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

Cheeks:

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

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

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

Eyes:

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

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

Lips:

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

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

Nails:

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

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

Misc:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Review - Rimmel London Scadaleyes Waterproof Kohl Kajal in Taupe

If its taupe, I need it. When I saw this shade debut, I was thrilled. I don't have a liner in my collection like it.

Do you know how many drugstores I went to before I found this? Ugh.

After a thorough testing, I've come to the conclusion that it isn't a holy grail, but it has its place in my collection.

The shade of this eyeliner is actually true to its name. Its not gray, and its not brown. Its actually taupe. If you were to use the Maybelline Color Tattoo in Tough As Taupe in a liner, this is what you would get. I ADORE the color of this liner. It is very flattering on my skin.

I very rarely wear liner on my upper lash line unless it is a liquid liner or a very sturdy gel, so I did not test this as such. I have big eyes, so I can pull off having any degree of liner on my waterline without making my eyes look too small.  On the waterline, this wasn't the 100% most pigmented shade in my collection, but it very much accentuated my lower lashline while depositing a smaller amount of color on the waterline itself. The outcome was actually beautiful. I had a slight brightness to my inner waterline, but I didn't have to go as far as lining under my lashline. It almost looked like it was in between each and every lash. It gave me a nice, subtle definition, while taking a step away from my usual bold black liner. The wear time in turn was actually pretty great. It didn't migrate, and it lasted all day.

Overall;

Pros:

- Unique finish on the waterline.

- Newer take on a neutral eye.

- Great wear time.

Cons:

- Not 100% pigmented on the waterline, but not in a dealbreaking manner.

I really like this product; I find myself reaching for it when I wan't a little less drama or a huge doe eyed effect. I already have this in Deep Blue, which is awaiting test, and every time I see someone swatch Light Blue I just really want to try it, even though it is WAY out of my comfort zone. 

8/10