February Beauty Favorites

Here we are again ladies (and gentlemen?)!  Monthly favorites.  While I experimented with a few new products this month and found some gems, I found quite a few misses too.  Thank goodness for a generous exchange policy at Ulta!  Aside from that, I'm still loving nearly every one of last month's favorites too.  

So without further ado, let's get at it.  

January Beauty Favorites

Yay!  Monthly favorites!  I continue to be amazed by the passage of time because I can't believe it's February already!  Also, my wedding is in 3 months.  WHAT.  Freaking out.  

Ok let's get at it:

Nails: The Winter Neutral

Ooooo yeah.  Check out those grays baby.  I love me a gray nail polish.  They always make my hands look slightly less ghostly pale and they go with everything.  In summer, my neutrals lean towards white or pink and in winter, I lean towards gray and taupes.  It just feels right.  Here's my favorite roundup.

October Beauty Favorites

Here we are again my friends! October beauty favorites!  I struggled to restrain myself with this post because I bought a few products right at the end of the month that I wanted to feature but it seemed disingenuous to call them favorites if I've only used them once or twice.  But they're SO great!  

Anywayz, on to this month's goods.  

Let's start with skin care shall we?  I've made a concerted effort to up my skincare routine this month, especially in light of the coming winter months.  My skin tends to get very dry in winter so I want to keep it in tip top shape.  

L'Oreal Revitalift Radiant Smoothing Cream Cleanser

I went in search of a nighttime cleanser at Ulta and I had a few drugstore options that interested me.  Ultimately, this cleanser beat out the others because the price was right (I'm nothing if not frugal).  Even after the first few uses, I was very pleased.  It's a somewhat thicker formula with a super creamy consistency.  It lathers well and it isn't drying.  I've found that it even helps to slightly resurface my skin and fight any scars and spots. 

Physician's Formula Intensive Wrinkle Corrector Eye Cream

As part of my skincare overhaul, I've even dedicated myself to use an eye cream on a nightly basis.  The reason I've mostly been so slow to adopt an eye cream is because it's rare to see benefits right away.  Instead, eye cream is more like an investment that pays off over time.  Admittedly, this eye cream is no different.  However, I find the formula smooth and soothing, it moisturizes well and doesn't leave me feeling greasy.  As far as eye creams go, I think this is a great introduction to my routine.   

Got2B Powderful Volumizing Styling Powder

I feel rather silly that I've haven't mentioned this in past favorites.  I've been using it quite regularly since early summer.  It's a feather-light powder that I sprinkle sparingly onto my roots on days that I've washed my hair.  It creates awesome volume and just a bit of grip to help styling.  And since you need so little, this bottle has lasted me months.   

Onto hands! 

Sally Hansen Cuticle Massage Cream

This stuff.  The smell.  Heavenly!  Along the same lines of my renewed skin care routine, I've also been focusing on taking good care of my hands and nails.  This cuticle cream is non-greasy and well-moisturizing and as I said, the smell is totally intoxicating.  

Nourish Organic Coconut and Argan Body Lotion

This little gem was in October's Ipsy bag and what a total delight.  This formula is so thick and creamy but absorbs into the skin within seconds.  And the smell is to.die.for.  I was beyond delighted to discover that the full size is available at Target for around $10.  I have no doubts that this will soon be a staple at my bedside table.  

Seche Vite Top Coat

This probably needs little explanation.  It's a cult favorite for a reason.  It's the BEST top coat I've ever used and I think I'm already on my 3rd or 4th bottle.  It creates a super shiny finish and makes my nails feel strong.  Holy Grail status.  

Now onto eyes!  

Maybelline One by One Volum' Express

Now, this mascara has not fully replaced my beloved L'Oreal Voluminous Million Lashes Excess but it may be a close second.  I find the formula decently volumizing and impressively lengthening.  The formula is buildable for an awesome dramatic look and there's no smudging all day.  

Essence Liquid Eyeliner

Now, I'll say upfront that this eyeliner isn't particularly long lasting and I didn't really expect it be when purchasing.  However, it has a great teeny tiny precision tip that I use in combination with black eyeshadow and an angled brush (see below).  Paired together, it gives me just the right winged tip.

Lorac Pro Palette

This palette is everything.  I've been wanting it for months but the price tag kept deterring me.  I finally discovered that I had about $36 in unused Ulta Rewards Bucks and I didn't think twice about buying this.  This a rare palette in which I would wear each and every shade.  The formula is so pigmented and practically buttery soft with no fallout.  A combination of these colors have been nearly the only thing on my eyes all month long (and I don't expect that to change in November either).  

As I said, I've cut back on a heavy liquid liner these days and have been opting more for just a little accent in the outer corner of my eye using an angled brush and some black eyeshadow.  I find it's so easy to work with and I can even do it when I'm half asleep.  

NYX Cream Blush in Red Cheeks 
Don't be alarmed by this blush's vibrancy!  It shears out so beautifully and creates a warm rosy glow that lasts all day.  I've been a NYX Cream Blush fan for months now but this shade is currently top of the list.  

TheBalm Mary Loumanizer
I'm no highlighter expert and I'd go as far as to say that this is my first proper highlighter but I'd like to think I know a good thing when I see one.  This highlighter is so lovely, subtle and shear.  I do a quick sweep across each cheekbone and it provides a beautiful glimmer that catches the light whenever I move.  TheBalm knows how to do highlighters right.    

Revlon Super Lustrous Lip Gloss in Natural 
Not too exciting, eh?  With all the excitement I've had with my Lorac Pro Palette, I've been keeping things on my lips somewhat neutral.  This shade is a pale pinkish nude that I swipe on throughout the day.  Admittedly, it's not a SUPER long lasting formula but reapplying a few times throughout the day is no skin off my nose.  

If you're interested in any of these monthly favorites, I've also made a Pinterest board for easy access!  You can follow it here: http://www.pinterest.com/AnniesCtyKtchn/monthly-favorites/

So what have been your favorites this month?

Attack of the Plums!

Plums!  Plums everywhere!  I'm ready to whole-heartedly embrace some plum colors for fall since I think they tend to flatter me best.  Corals and pinks are fun and all but fall and winter shades are really my jam.  Here are a few of my faves:

1.  Rimmel Show Off Lip Laquer in Galaxy
Have you heard of the phrase "your lips but better"?  It's that perfect shade of lip color that's just a smidge better than your own lips and looks perfect.  Well this isn't quite that.  It's certainly darker then my natural lips but it's still a perfect slliightly purple tone.  

2.  Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blush in Plum Wine
Despite the (in my opinion) somewhat silly name, the formula of these Dream Bouncy blushes is just great.  I'm a ride or die cream blush girl and this line has some gorgeous shades.  Plum Wine in particular is a wonderful rich plum that I love pairing with a simple cat eye and a light plum or natural lip.  

3.  Maybelline Great Lash in Vision in Violet  
Oooo what fun!  Colored mascara!  Now I'll admit, I'm not a huge fan of the formulation of Great Lash mascaras.  I think they don't provide much volume and can sometimes be wet.  However, when it comes to fun shades like this, I like to layer it on top of my usual mascara for an extra pop of color.  For around $5, it's an easy way to make an eye look a bit more fun. 

4.  Revlon Lip Butter in Sugar Plum
This shade reminds me a lot of the Rimmel Show Off shade but slightly less glossy.  It's certainly not matte and it has a lovely sheen.  Just like the Show Off, I reach for this a lot when I'm going for a mostly neutral look but I'm still looking for a slightly darker lip.  

5.  Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Smitten
While it may read a bit red in the picture, this is actually a super pretty plum-y fuchsia and it really packs a punch.  I've found the Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stains to have a very long lasting formula that can occasionally be drying.  Just be sure to moisturize well before applying and you'll be set.  

6.  Maybelline Baby Lips in Grape Vine
I LOVE this stuff.  I think I've gone through two tubes already and I'm on my way to a third.  Not only are these wonderfully moisturizing, they actually have decent pigmentation.  This provides a great wash of plum to the lips and it's my go-to product for weekends.  Crazy easy.  

7.  Milani Lipstick in Sangria
I feel like Milani lipstick is really an undiscovered gem for most people.  I can't really speak to the rest of the Milani line but I'm crazy about their lipsticks.  The pigmentation is wonderful, they're not drying, and they have decent long-lasting wear.  This shade may look a little intimidating in the tube but it's a very wearable deep plum and it's pretty much THE perfect shade for fall and winter.  

What are your favorite plums this season? 

Fall Fingers

I'm sure I'm not the only lady who paints her nails, like, 3-4 times a week.  Partly it's because no base coat in the world can prevent chipping for me (and I do NOT tolerate chipping) but it's also because I find the act of painting my nails really relaxing.  And duh, I like having different colors on my fingers.

And I'm not one to strictly use "summer colors" or "fall colors" or whatever.  Of course I really love a bright neon in July or a deep berry in October but there are also a lot of other options that still look great for the season.

If I was cray cray rich, I'd buy EVERY Essie, OPI, and China Glaze collection under the sun.  And then I'd swatch them for you all and talk about the latest and greatest of the season.  But let's be real, I'm a lady on a budget so I often look for great drugstore options and tend to splurge on top coats or base coats.  Also, if kept well, nail polish lasts foorreever.  So here are some newbies and classics I've been loving lately.

L'Oreal Color Riche Walk On The Beach
I think it's only natural to think of dark colors when it comes to fall but I think a great nude polish looks good any time of year.  I especially love this shade because it's got cool tones which, for me, really flatters my skin tone.

Revlon Colorstay Fall Mood
I love this super metallic copper shade!  I saw this last week at Ulta and immediately snatched it up.  It's unlike any other shade I own and would make a great holiday shade too.  And an extra bonus, the metallic effect makes lightly harder to spot chips.

Orly Terra Mauve
This color looks unassuming in the bottle but it's such a lovely muted berry pink shade.  It's one of those no-brainer polishes that I reach for when I don't quite know what I want to wear.

OPI Ski Teal You Drop
Ah, this one is a classic!  I've worn it for years.  It's such a wonderful deep rich teal and a fun alternative to a dark berry or red for the colder months.  I've even seen a great dupe for this by Revlon (the name escapes me) if you don't want to drop the $9 on OPI.  

L'Oreal Stroke of Midnight
This is one of my newer polishes and I've worn it half a dozen times already.  It's a beautiful marbleized slate grey with streaks of silver.  It has a slightly cool blue tone and it's great when you want a dark nail but you still want something with a little interest.

L'Oreal Breaking Curfew
Yikes, can you tell I have a thing for L'Oreal polish lately?  For the price, I think it's one of the best drugstore options.  This shade is my favorite when I want a super dark nail but not quite black.  I like to wear my nails long and sometimes, black on long nails can look a little.... witchy.  This is a very deep berry purple that makes an excellent replacement.  

Well now you know what my fall fingers will look like.  What are you loving this fall?

September Beauty Favorites

Monthly favorites time!  I wanted to get this posted last Monday but I had just moved apartments and I was too flat-out exhausted to even consider it.  I know you've been waiting with baited breath.  Anyway, let's get at it.  

L'Oreal Voluminous Million Lashes Excess
Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Brightener
NYX HD Photogenic Concealer in Glow 
L'Oreal True Match Powder in Deep Cool
Revlon PhotoReady Powder in Light/Medium

Yikes!  That's a mouthful.  I'm lumping all these together because they were just in last month's favorites and they're still going strong.  With the move and all, I really relied on some trusty standbys instead of buying new products that I'd just have to pack up.  However, I have tried one or two new mascaras that still didn't make the cut to a favorites list.  My Million Lashes Excess is a tough one to beat.   

Simple Foaming Cleanser

When it comes to skin, I feel like I'm pretty lucky.  While I certainly get the occasional breakout, I've never had to deal with any major skin issues.  It feels like I'm at an age where perhaps I should start investing a bit more with my skincare but perhaps I'll save that for next month because Simple is an affordable drugstore brand and I've been pleased with it so far.  Since this cleanser is gentle, I tend to use it in the morning for a quick wake-up and to catch any leftover makeup bits that didn't make it off the night before.  It NEVER stings my eyes and I've had zero irritation with it.  This one is a no brainer.  

The Five Product Face

If you follow my blog at all, it's no secret that I like makeup.  Like, a lot.  So even my everyday makeup routine involves about 20 products and I love every minute of it.  However, I can appreciate the benefit of a quick "face" when you're short on time or traveling light.  So I've narrowed down a routine to 5 products (quite a feat for me) for those days when you just ain't got the time (and just don't care) BUT you still want to look polished.  Extra bonus, they're all drugstore products that are super affordable.  

First up, my fave NYX HD Photogenic Concealer.  When I need to be out the door quick, there's just no way I'll fiddle with foundation.  This concealer is light and easily blendable.  Use it on your spots and under eye circles and your skin is done! 

Can you tell I love NYX?  Next is the NYX Cream Blush in Orange.  Now, I know this color is bright in the pan but trust me when I say it's super blendable and incredibly natural.  It's just the perfect kind of pigmentation to add a little kick but nothing crazy.  I dare say it's my favorite blush.

Ah, Maybelline Color Tattoo, how do I love thee, let me count the ways.  Bad To The Bronze is just the perfect everyday shade that's natural enough to require almost no effort but impactful enough to wear totally on it's own.  This stuff is holy grail makeup material to me.  Give it a swipe on your lids and little into your crease and that's all the eyeshadow you need. 

Maybelline The Falsies Mascara- You can really just chose your favorite mascara here and swap it in but the idea is, mascara is a must.  Along with lipstick, mascara is a real "bang for your buck" product.  It wakes up your eyes and adds a little drama.  I like The Falsies for a bit more of a natural look but with added length.   

Revlon Lip Butter in Tutti Frutti- Yep, it's pretty much orange lipstick.  But, like, a coral-y orange.  And the great thing about the Revlon Lip Butters is that they apply sorta shear at first and you can build the color to your preference.  This, paired with the blush, is so complimentary and bold.  

What do ya' think?  Some bold colors in there but I promise it's not TOO bold.  

So what's your Five Product Face? 

August Beauty Favorites

Beauty faves time!!!  This is one of my favorite beauty posts to write because I could just gab about beauty products for hours and hours and hours (and hours and hours).  Let's get at it! 

Psssst!  Dry Shampoo- Fear not, my love affair with Batiste Dry Shampoo hasn't ended.  I actually happened to have a bottle of Psssst waiting in my medicine cabinet so as soon as I ran out of Batiste (which lasted FOREVER btw), I gave this a go.  Now, this one isn't colored so there's a definite white cast on the hair but it brushes out so easily that it's no big deal.  I've also found that there seems to be less build-up in my hair after using it, even for a few days in a row, so I'm totes in love.  

                        

L'Oreal True Match Powder in Deep Cool-   Yes, this color is WAY too dark for me as a regular face powder but, on Maskcara's recommendation, this is a perfect contouring powder!  I used to try contouring awhile back and eventually stopped because I didn't really like the powder I had and I probably wasn't using the right brush.  I've switched things up a bit this time and I contour every day now!  It takes about 30 seconds and I think it makes a huge difference.   

Almay Color + Care Liquid Lip Balm- This particular shade is Cantaloupe Cream but really, I could recommend them all.  This is probably my very first Almay purchase because I generally just don't find most of what they offer very intriguing.  However, EssieButton mentioned these a few times in videos and posts and something caught my eye.  I love the simple packaging, the price (they're about $5.99), and the shear wash of color.  I've worn this on its own and over lipsticks pretty much every day for two weeks.   

Maybelline Color Sensational Vivids in Brazen Berry- Admittedly, this looks a little bold in the tube!  However, it's such a fun bright purple-ish pink and goes well with a surprising number of looks.  This has really been one of my go-to shades the last month when I want to punch things up a bit.  And the formula for the Maybelline Color Sensational collection is really great and not drying.  

L'Oreal Voluminous Million Lashes Excess- Well do I really need to say much more about this mascara?  It's still going strong as my top mascara and I luurrvveee it.  I'm sort of torn because I genuinely enjoy shopping for and trying new mascaras but I really don't see the point anymore after using this one.  There's gotta be a pretty strong case for a different mascara for me to try it at this point.  

Dove Invisible Solid Deodorant in Fresh- Seems sorta weird to call out a deodorant but I'm pretty pleased with this purchase.  I mostly just buy whatever the heck is on sale (which was the case with this too) so I guess I maaayyyy have just been using a lot of cheap deodorant before.  This stuff goes on smooth and smells soooooo good.  Not perfumey or flowery, just super clean and fresh.  

NYX HD Photogenic Concealer in Glow- Look familiar?  This is the same concealer from my June Favorites but it's a different shade.  I ran out of the original bottle so I went to buy another but they were out of Light.  I started looking around for a few other shades and realized that Light may have been to light for me all along.  Glow is a much better match for me and now I seriously love this stuff even more.  So affordable and effective.   

Revlon Photoready Powder in Light/Medium- I've had this powder for MONTHS and really started using it again out of necessity.  My Rimmel Stay Matte powder started to get slightly too light for me after some time in the sun so I gave this a shot again.  It's the perfect shade for me and it really does seem to blur the face a bit (in a good way) that just blends everything together.  The perfect finishing touch! 

Formula 10.0.6 So Totally Clean Deep Pore Cleanser and Pores Be Pure Mud Mask- Part of me feels like this line of products is maybe for tweens or something?  I don't know why I think that but it doesn't really matter because I love it anyway.  The Deep Pore Cleanser is an excellent spot treatment to stop blemishes on the horizon and the Mud Mask is awesome for clogged pores.  Not to mention, I always see this brand on sale at Ulta and I somehow bought these, plus two other products, on sale and with a coupon for under $8.  No clue how I did that.   

Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blush in Coffee Cake -  Minus the entirely ridiculous product name and packaging on this, it's a reealllly awesome cream blush.  I know the color doesn't look like much in the picture but it's just an awesome warm brownish-pink shade that goes with practically everything.  Now that I know the beauty and splendor of cream blushes, I'm never going back!

What are your favorites this month? 

Product Review- Revlon Lip Butter

To say I've become a bit obsessed with makeup lately is an understatement.  In the years I've been doing my makeup, I basically resigned myself to some concealer, mascara, eyeliner and lip gloss.  Anytime I attempted to execute eyeshadow or god-forbid a smoke-eye, it inevitably ended with my face  in the sink as I washed off the wreck on my face.  I've been through a lot guys.  Life's not easy.

But then I found Tiffany D: http://makeupbytiffanyd.blogspot.com/  She's got some amazing tutorial videos (and a makeup collection to die for) and she's basically livin' the dream because her blogging and YouTube tutorials have taken her to collaborations with beauty companies and even her own product line.  Uh yeah.

So aside from harboring some MAJOR jealousy, she's inspired me to branch out and *gasp* wear lipstick! I grew up thinking lipstick was sorta old lady-ish since my first memories of lipstick are of my grandma's collection of assorted mauves.

Enter Revlon Lip Butter.

Of course one of my favorite beauty products would have the word butter in it.  Butter is an appropriate descriptor because these babies don't dry out lips like many lipsticks and they go on easy.

I think what I like the most about these is that you can build up the color.  If I'm feeling meek, I can give it one swipe for a nice tint.  If I'm bold, maybe 2 swipes!  I know! 2 swipes!

I'll admit that the packaging can be a bit deceiving in terms of color representation but if you're in the right color family (like cool pinks or orange-y reds), you'll likely still be happy with the results.

And get this, I even found a red I'm willing to wear!  Normally I look HILARIOUS in red lipstick.  It's a real laugh riot.  But Red Velvet totally works for me since it's got blue undertones.  It took me 28 years to realize that I need to avoid orange tones at all costs.  Lives were lost.

Here's an idea of how they apply:

And this is only about 1/3 of the collection!  There's around 20 colors and I've spotted them at CVS, Walgreens, Target, and Walmart for around $7.50 or so.  

So yes.  Yes to them all.  I would like to buy them.  Can you imagine how sassy and feminine I'll be?  (not that much)