“On Holiday” from the ColourPop Bare Necessities Palette

The palette in general is pretty good but I like this shade in particular because they managed to get the undertone just right. It is the most perfect neutral transition shade for my skin tone and I bet it would even work as a contour for my face as well. I would love to see this shade released in a single but I doubt ColourPop would do that, heh.

ColourPop Mint To Be Palette

I like this palette for the tones, mainly. The quality on this is also pretty good in general but really, it is the uniqueness of the shades to my collection that makes me love it. It makes me want to explore colors like this that are lighter and brighter.

Sydney Grace Snow Queen Eyeshadow

I realized a while back that I didn’t have a good basic white eyeshadow in my collection. Originally I picked up one from Ulta’s Single Eyeshadow range but I wasn’t super happy with it. Recently I decided to place an order with Sydney Grace and picked this up hoping it would be better – and it certainly is. This is very pigmented and really shows up even on my pale skin tone. A white eyeshadow really helps lighter transition shades stand out and gives your looks more dimension overall.

Sydney Grace Sea Breeze Eyeshadow

This is another shade I picked up with my recent order. When I was deciding which colors I wanted to try, this is one that I was on the fence about. I wasn’t sure if I’d like this shade of green on me but after playing with it, I really like it. This is more yellow-toned than the shades in the ColourPop Mint To Be Palette and looks really cool paired with rose and plum shades.

Sydney Grace Green Mango Pressed Pigment from the Danny’s Dream Bundle

Can you tell I’ve been loving green eyeshadow lately? LOL. Anyway, this is a minty green with a light golden sheen and a shimmer finish. There isn’t any glitter in it (thank the makeup Gods), which is great because most of the time glitter falls out onto my cheeks, which I then have to clean up. This is similar to the shade Freshman in the ColourPop Mint To Be Palette but it is deeper, more opaque, more pigmented.

Sydney Grace Sweet Sop Pressed Pigment from the Danny’s Dream Bundle

This is a deeper blue-toned green with a strong yellow gold sheen. There is something about a blue toned green combined with a yellow gold shine that creates magic. Just looking at it seems to give me life. I like that this shade is both deeper in tone but still adds brightness to a look.

Makeup Geek Illuminaughty Foiled Eyeshadow

This is a pale olive green with a metallic finish. There are some small-medium sparkles mixed in but I have not had any glitter fallout on my face with this shade. It adheres well to the eyelid, even over other matte eyeshadows. I am working through swatching and playing with the Makeup Geek Eyeshadows and so far the foiled shadows really do pack high shine on the lids. Although this shade looks green, it comes off as very neutral on the eyes.

Nars Tinted Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base in Light

I was aware this existed but held off on buying it for quite a while. I had the original translucent one and was skeptical that the tinted one would work well on my lids. I have oily lids but at the same time they are textured and beginning to show signs of aging. Along with aging comes more eyelid discoloration and more visible veining than I had when I was younger. Tinted eye primers tend to exaggerate texture on me but I wanted to find one that would even out the skin tone. I am pleasantly surprised that this lasts just as long on me as the original (about 7-8 hours) and works almost as well as a concealer to even out my eyelids. For now this works as a solution for my issues with eyeshadow longevity and wanting a clean canvas to apply color to.

Fenty Beauty Full Frontal Volume, Lift & Curl Mascara

I got this as a free gift/sample along with a recent Sephora order. The wand is flat along two of the sides and wider along the other to sides. Surprisingly, it works quite well at reaching all my lashes without smudging much around my eyelid during application. I find this gives me more length than it does volume, which I prefer. It holds a curl well and does not flake on me throughout the day. At the end of the day, it is reasonably easy to remove too.

YSL Black Opium Eau De Parfum

My mom got this for me as a Christmas gift. This is another product I was aware of for a long time and never tried. I read reviews of it a long time ago and the way it was described made me think it would be too overpowering. I’m not sure why I thought that, because this is nothing like I was expecting. It’s a very soft, subdued scent. I get a fair amount of headaches and migraines and can be sensitive to scents on those days. This is soft enough that I could wear it during a headache. It isn’t a particularly long lasting scent which most would probably consider a drawback. For me, it is a positive thing because longer lasting scents can sometimes trigger a migraine.

Sigma E56 Lid Shader Brush

This is like a concealer brush but a little more narrow. It has longer hairs that are densely packed together. This gives the brush only a small amount of “give”, meaning it doesn’t bend or flop too easily when pressed against the skin. These qualities make it easy to apply color (particularly shimmery color) to the lid and helps it to transfer to the skin much more easily. This brush is like applying color to the lid with my finger but with much more precision.

Sigma E46 Inner Corner Shader Brush

This is similar to the brush above, but a smaller version of it. I like both of them equally but this one gives me even more precise control of where I place color.

Sigma E47 Crease Shader Brush

Over the years, I seem to be acquiring smaller and smaller fluffy crease brushes. The main ones you see from every brand that carries eyeshadow brushes are great for applying transition shades and maybe one crease shade. If you want any more more precision than that, the hunt for smaller brushes begins. I also have small eyes and smaller brushes just work better for me. This one is small but it’s also pinched so it has a wider side and a narrower side. It works great for adding depth to the outer corner of the eye or sweeping color along the lower lashline (without blowing the color out too far).

Morphe M160 Brush

This is a teeny tiny version of an angled brush. I use this to fill in gaps around the edges of my brows. It is a bit small to use for filling in my brows and takes longer to do so but it also works for that. The other good thing to use this for is applying dark eyeshadow as eyeliner. It is thin enough to get real close to the lashline.

Morphe M149 Brush

This is a mini dome brush with a decent amount of density. I use it for buffing out spot concealers and applying highlight shades to the inner corner and brow bone. It isn’t the softest thing in the world but I have yet to find a soft brush that is this shape and size.

Pixi Peel and Polish Resurfacing Concentrate

This is a facial exfoliator that uses both chemical and physical exfoliators to help clear away dead skin. To use it you are supposed to apply it to clean skin, leave it on for 2 minutes, massage into skin for 30 seconds if you would like a more intense exfoliation, and rinse off. Pixi suggests using it 2-3 times per week or as needed.

My usual exfoliator is The Body Shop Vitamin C Microdermabrasion which is a physical exfoliator. I’ve been thinking of incorporating a chemical exfoliator to reduce the amount of stress I’m putting on my skin with a physical exfoliator.

The first time I used this, I could feel a very mild tingling upon application. This only happened the first few times. Now I don’t really feel anything when I apply it. I think this is probably a very gentle chemical exfoliant. However, I still find it very effective at removing all those little bits of dead skin. I feel this is better at doing a more even job of removing dead skin than a physical exfoliator alone and it doesn’t leave my skin irritated or red.

Sonia Kashuk Essential Brushes Collection – Small Eyeshadow Brush, Large Eyeshadow Brush, Wide Eyeshadow Brush

I have only tried these three brushes from Sonia Kashuk’s Essential Brushes line so I don’t know how the others are. What I like about these are the shape, softness, density of the bristles, and the price. They are surprisingly nice quality for the price.

These are all basically the same type of brush. They are flat shaders that have some thickness to them so they can also be used to blend color in the crease. They are soft enough that my lids don’t feel irritated when blending and dense enough to apply color easily and quickly. Bonus points that the ends of the fibers are dark brown. I like to play with bright color sometimes and white bristles are very easily stained.

Tocca Gia Eau de Parfum

I got a mini size from Sephora a couple months ago. I think it might have been a point perk or a beauty offer. Either way, I really enjoy this.

This is described as a warm floral with notes of pink peppercorn, tangerine, turkish rose, amber, vanilla. To me, this smells well balanced – no particular note stands out. It is sweet without being cloying, bright without being sharp, clean, and feminine.

After reading through some reviews on this, some people mentioned they didn’t smell any rose in this. Now, I’m not sure how the smell of Turkish Rose differs from what I think of as a rose scent but I can say this does NOT remind me of a typical rose scent. It’s more of a generic floral scent where I can’t pinpoint exactly what type of flower I’m smelling. It’s the type of floral that I think most people would generally like or at least not find offensive.

Mac Lip Pencil in Dervish

Would you believe it if I told you this is the first time I’m trying Mac lip liners? LOL. Well, out of all the categories of makeup, lip products are one of the things I am least adventurous with. This is a color I can pair with pretty much any look or wear on “no makeup” makeup days. It’s very close to my natural lip color, maybe just a hint warmer-toned. It has the slightest satin sheen to it, so if I fill in my lips with this it doesn’t look dry or flat. I can either apply it before or after lipstick/lipgloss/lip balm. If I apply it after a lip balm, it takes a minute to warm up, but then the color transfers to my lips more easily. It’s not the fastest lip liner to work with but I really like the color of this particular shade.

Mac Shape + Shade Brow Tint in Taupe

This product has a liquid brow liner on one end and a powder for filling in brows on the other end. I only use the liquid side because the powder does not match the color of the liquid, which might be fine but I don’t particularly like the color of the powder for my complexion/hair. I think there are a few of these types of products on the market and the only other one I have tried is one from Burberry but I like this one better. The color of the liquid side is just perfect. I also like that the formula is sheer and applies fairly evenly. I can easily build it up to the intensity I want or blend it in with a brush if I’ve gone overboard. The way this works best for me is to draw on faux “hairs” in areas where my brows are extra sparse. I especially focus on the inner part of my brows and the top/bottom edges where there are larger gaps between my natural brow hairs.

Revlon Powder Blushes (new formula and packaging)

These have been around for years but recently I’ve noticed Revlon changing the packaging and releasing a few new shades at a time at different stores. I picked up three shades and I’m pleased to say I think they actually improved the formula. They are softer / less-firmly pressed into the pans so it’s easier to pick up a decent amount of color on a blush brush. They also seem to have a bit more pigmentation to them. They blend well too. My favorite of the three I picked up is the shade Rosy Rendezvous. It’s a cool-toned pinky mauve with a matte finish.

Elf Beautifully Precise Powder Brush – Love how large this is. Enough density but not too dense. Feels very soft and gentle on the skin. A good alternative to the big IT Brushes for Ulta Love Beauty Fully All Over Powder Brush.

Aveeno Ultra Calming Hydrating Gel Cleanser – A good alternative to the Fresh Soy Face Cleanser but way cheaper. Very gentle and not stripping but still effectively cleans the skin. I don’t use this to remove makeup so I can’t comment on how well it does that, but after using a Neutrogena makeup wipe to remove my makeup, this does a good job of getting my skin clean enough to go in with my skincare products.

John Masters Organics Lavender and Avocado Conditioner – Provides the type of detangling, smoothing, moisture, slip, etc. that you’d get with a traditional conditioner (for example, Pantene conditioner), but this is more natural. I really enjoy lavender and this has a very natural, nice lavender scent to it. I don’t get too much of the avocado in the scent with I’m glad about. My issue with this is that it is pricey. It’s something I want to keep on my radar if there is ever a good sale.

Ulta Brow Tint in Medium – I love this for making my brows look more “defined” in a hurry. It’s super quick to use. It adds some color and darkens them just enough to make them look more put together and holds them in place lightly without a crunchy feel.

Morphe M433 Brush – Amazing for applying crease shades. It blends better than any other brush I have. It is just slightly pinched at the ferrule but still somewhat fluffy. The bristle are a bit stiffer which helps to blend the color out well but it isn’t uncomfortable on the eyelids. This brush is very similar in shape to the Sigma E25 but this one has a little less give when bending the bristles, so I feel this one does a better job of moving color.

Morphe M507 or M506 – I have both of these brushes and honestly cant tell a difference between them. I use them to apply darker shades more precisely into the crease or softy onto the eyelid. I have very little lid space so a brush like this works well for me. I don’t have any other brushes that compare to these in my collection.

Covergirl Lash Exact Mascara – a lot like my old CG fave in the yellow packaging that is now discontinued. This one is difficult to find but is still available on Amazon. I wonder if they are phasing it out? This gives the lashes a more natural look with nice separation and a bit of lengthening.

It Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye Concealer – I just repurchased this and I swear it has more coverage than before. It’s also still emollient like before but somehow feels less “oily”.

Maybelline Matte About Town City Mini Palette – The selection of colors in this palette is really well balanced. It can be used by itself to create an all matte look without having to bring in other shades or palettes. The colors have enough pigment to add some depth to my eyes but at the same time they blend out super quick and easy.

Wet n Wild Mega Cushion Foundation – This is another product that is quick and easy and thats what I love most. I can achieve a full coverage base without having to spend a whole lot of time getting there. It can also do a lower coverage look if I want by simply using less product. It retains a nice skin-like finish even when I build up the coverage. The one downside to this product is that I need to touch it up more often because I get oily quicker when I wear it.

Tarte Tarteist Lash Paint Mascara – On days when I want my lashes to have more volume, I reach for this. It’s better to use when I’m wearing more dramatic eye looks because my lashes stand out against the eyeshadow a bit more. It also holds a curl really well. My lashes are very straight and a lot of mascaras will instantly undo the curl I get from my lash curler.

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Clarifying Oil-Free Cleansing Towelettes – I have to confess that sometimes I get lazy at night with my skincare routine. On those nights, this has been a saving grace. I’ll first use a Neutrogena Makeup Remover Wipe, and then I’ll go in with this to make sure my skin is actually clean. Then I’ll go to bed. I know that sounds bad, but on those nights when I’m super tired and can’t be bothered to go through my full skincare routine, this gets me by without the breakouts I would otherwise experience. I also like them if my skin is feeling dull and needs some exfoliation. The wipe has some texture to it but isn’t scratchy so it gently removes dead skin and leaves my face feeling smooth and looking glowy.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission when you make purchases through them.

There are only 6 products here for two months worth of favorites but they are of the “less quantity, more quality” variety. I have been reaching for most of these on a daily basis for the past month. The Elizabeth and James Nirvana fragrance duo was the only thing that was from February so you can see why I didn’t bother posting last month.

Biossance Squalane + Vitamin C Rose Oil – I was already familiar with this product thanks to my Glossybox subscription, and just about ready to place an order on the company’s website when I saw it pop up in the Just Arrived section of Sephora’s website. It was just as accessible to buy online before but I like Sephora’s shipping and I can get points for something I was going to buy anyway. I use two drops of this with one pump of MyChelle Ultra Hyaluronic Hydrating Serum in the morning daily. It leaves my skin feeling moisturized, supple, and ready for makeup without feeling heavy or greasy.

Physicians Formula Full Coverage Concealer – This wowed me the first time I used it and has continued to work well for me for several weeks. It is very high coverage yet it sits very nicely on the skin without looking heavy or emphasizing texture. Two negatives though – very small color range and the packaging pumps out too much product so I can see myself using this up pretty quickly.

Soap and Glory One Heck of a Blot Powder – I had my eye on this and the highlighter below for quite some time and finally saw a BOGO 50% off deal so I picked up both. It’s very mattifying and also very fine so it doesn’t look powdery on the skin. I would say it’s probably not the best option for dry skin though because it might look a little too matte.

Soap and Glory Glow All Out Highlighter – I enjoy this as an everyday subtle highlighter. It has sparkles as opposed to a smooth sheen but they are very small and disperse well over the skin so it’s not too much. It also has a slight rosy tint to it which barely shows up on my skin but it does add a little life to my complexion. This adheres better to my skin if I apply it on top of my foundation before I powder.

Lush Karma Kream – A while back I got a Lush gift box that had the Karma soap in it and I absolutely loved the scent. The soap wasn’t really all that special though and the scent didn’t linger so I recently decided to pick up the body lotion. I know Lush also caries a perfume in the same scent but it’s a fairly strong fragrance and I figured the cream would be a little softer. The cream is lightweight but still moisturizes well. The scent is supposed to be a mix of orange flower, patchouli, and pine. If I didn’t read that description, those would not be the notes I’d use to describe this. It’s a very unique, well-balanced scent and no particular note really stands out.

Elizabeth and James Nirvana White + Black (layered) – These two fragrances balance each other out so well. White is very feminine and clean and almost a bit sharp. Black is deep and sweet and warm. Love them on their own and layered.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission when you make purchases through them.

There are quite a few items in this round of favorites but usually there are at the beginning of the year. Holiday sales and shopping naturally lead to trying lots of new products.

Mac Pro Longwear Concealer in NW20 – I have been using this liquid concealer in place of foundation a lot this month. It offers more coverage than most foundations but still blends into the skin smoothly. I like that the color works so well for me and that I can use a matching cream concealer on top for added blemish coverage when necessary. That way I don’t have to worry about my foundation and concealer not matching. It dries somewhat quickly so I work in sections, patting it in with my fingers and then finishing the blending off with a brush.

Mac Studio Finish Concealer in NW20 – This is the cream concealer I’ve been using if I have something extra I need to cover. I like to use a more precise brush (like an eyeliner or lip brush) to apply this where I need it and then blend it out with a small fluffy brush (like a fluffy eyeshadow brush) to feather it out.

Covergirl Clean Matte BB Cream – On days when I want sheerer coverage I go for this BB Cream. It does a good job of evening the skintone and smoothing out the look of my pores. I blends out very easily and quickly with a brush.

Too Faced Sweethearts Perfect Flush Blush in Candy Glow – I have so many blushes but I always keep reaching for this one. The color works well for me. It’s a soft peachy pink with a little bit of fine shimmer so it doesn’t look too flat or dry on the skin. The pigmentation is also just right, not too much and not too little.

Revlon Ultra HD Gel Lip Color in 700 HD Sand – This color is a semi glossy pinkish nude that works well with pretty much any look, especially everyday neutral makeup. It’s a nice thin comfortable formula that doesn’t feel drying or sticky. The only downside is that it doesn’t last all day but that’s to be expected with a hydrating lip color formula. It applies as easily as a tinted lip balm so it’s not a problem to reapply throughout the day.

Burts Bees Lip Crayon in 405 Sedona Sands – This is another nude lip color I have been reaching for often but this has more of a matte finish. It lasts a bit longer than the Revlon one but is just as comfortable and easy to apply.

Bath and Body Works Relax Black Chamomile Candle – I purchased this online without having smelled it before but I am so glad I did. The scent isn’t sharp or too powerful. It is soft and a tinge smoky with hints of sweetness. It’s a good year-round type of scent.

Alterna Caviar Clinical Detoxifying Shampoo – I purchased this along with the Root Spray to see if I could reduce hair fallout and/or promote hair growth. I have been using them for about a month and a half I have yet to see reduced hair fallout or hair growth but the formula does something that gets my hair squeaky clean without over-drying it. My hair feels clean for longer, though I still shampoo daily or else my hair looks flat and lifeless. A couple weeks ago I tried to switch to a cheaper option but I found myself really missing how my hair felt and looked when using this. For now, I will keep using it.

Alterna Caviar Clinical Root Spray – This root spray is so incredibly light weight. I was afraid it would make my hair feel dirty or weigh it down, but it gives my hair a bit of volume at the root. Just as with the shampoo, I haven’t seen any change in hair fallout or growth. It works well as a styling product for my hair type which is kind of rare for me to find so I will keep using this as well.

Alterna CC Cream – I didn’t see a matching conditioner in the Caviar Clinical range so I just haven’t been using one. Instead, I use this when I get out of the shower as a leave in conditioner/detangler and it does a really good job. It is also very lightweight but super detangleing and a little bit goes a long way, so this will probably last most of the year for me. I don’t find I need a conditioner with this current haircare routine.

Sunday Riley Luna Sleeping Night Oil – I have changed my skincare routine up a lot this year and I would love to do a post dedicated to what I’m using but I feel like I still have a few products I need to test out for a bit longer first. I have been using this oil for about 2 months now. I love that it has retinol and that it is super moisturizing all by itself. I haven’t had any negative reactions like redness or flaking which you can sometimes get from retinoids. My skin feels so comfortable when I wake up in the morning, not greasy, perfectly moisturized. I kind of wish a variant of this product existed without the retinol so I could also use it during the day.

Pinrose Gilded Fox – The main notes of this fragrance are cocoa, rum and vetiver. The vetiver and rum are more noticeable when I first spray this on but cocoa is the most prominent and longest lasting note on me. It’s a soft, sweet, comforting fragrance.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission when you make purchases through them.

I wasn’t intending to have all drugstore products for this favorites but that’s just how it worked out. It helps that SOOO many new drugstore products came out at the beginning of this year. I have a few new products to talk about and a couple of oldies-but-goodies as well.

Covergirl Trunaked Roses and Nudes Palettes

The Covergirl Trunked Palettes are available in 3 options: Roses, Nudes, and Goldens. I prefer these two over the Goldens palette because I like these shades better on my skintone. They have a silkier texture and more pigmentation than other budget/drugstore palettes I have tried. Typically what I see in cheaper palettes are shadows that are stiff, dry, and have poor color payoff. Although I wouldn’t say these perform as well as higher-end shadows, they are a little more pleasant to work with than something like the Maybelline palettes and I appreciate the very reasonable price tag, which is around $12 each. The Nudes palette has a great selection of mattes and a few shimmery shades to add a pop. It’s pretty much all I would need for a balanced everyday neutral eye, so I wouldn’t have to bring in any other singles or another palette. The Roses palette doesn’t have as many mattes to work with but the mid-tone purple in the middle of the palette is enough and the rose gold shade next to it is gorgeous. This one is really flattering for cool-tone fair skin.

e.l.f. Small Tapered Brush

This is a brush I use everyday so I thought it deserved to be featured in one of my favorites posts. I’ve had a few e.l.f. brushes come unglued at the ferule but luckily it hasn’t happened with this one. I love the size and shape for applying setting powder because it’s small enough to use around the eyes and to avoid applying powder on my brows but it’s not so small that it takes forever to do the job. The bristles are made a fine synthetic material so it’s super soft on the skin and easy to clean.

Maybelline Master Fix Setting + Perfecting Loose Powder

I’ve recently been more into using loose powders because I’ve noticed they generally seem to blend more invisibly into the skin than pressed powders. This one has a very fine, almost slippery feel and it can tend to fly into the air if you jar it around too much but I love how it completely disappears into the skin. It does a great job of mattifying without making my skin look dry and dull.

NYX Angel Veil

This has been tucked away in my stash and lately I’ve been annoyed with my large pores and naturally shiny skin. I remembered how well this concealed both of those issues and how it actually made my foundation last longer so I brought it back out. It can leave a little bit of a white cast when used on it’s own but when using foundation over it, that goes away. I have a review and before and after photos, if you are interested.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission when you make purchases through them.

Last year I decided that I wanted to post favorites on a monthly basis. The point was to keep track of what I loved all year so that I could do a better job of summing up my yearly favorites. It was also supposed to act a motivator to continue trying new things so I don’t get stuck in a beauty rut. Well last year was kind of a disaster in my personal life (house issues…) so I got unbelievably sidetracked from my blog. Notice that I don’t have any 2015 favorites? I don’t want that to be the case next year so in an attempt to start fresh, here are my favorites for January.

Too Faced Love Flush Blush Wardrobe

I’m glad I went ahead and purchased this despite my aversion to limited edition items. In this case I will use every color in the palette so nothing will go to waste. None of the colors are too bright, too warm, or too cool. They all remain very close to neutral but each still has their own unique nuances. I love that they all have a nice texture, sit well on the skin, and last all day. The only thing I am miffed about is that it’s already out of stock so the only thing I can recommend is the full size, permanent versions of these blushes.

Tarte Tartelette in Bloom Palette

When this first started popping up around the internet, I was instantly intrigued at the shade selection. I know there are already so many neutral palettes on the market but I think what made this one stand out for me was the way the colors are arranged and the selection of shimmer shades included. The way the shades are chosen and arranged, it’s obvious that they were going for three main color groupings: cool neutral, warm neutral, rosy neutral. But the three groupings don’t stray too far into any extreme so I find all the colors very suitable for everyday. It’s a palette I can use all by itself on a daily basis but it still gives me some wiggle room as far as the looks I can put together so I don’t get bored. I think the quality of these eyeshadows are also slightly better than the ones in the original Tartelette palette. They are a little softer and easier to work with.

Kat Von D Shade and Light Eye Contour Palette

I was having a hard time choosing between this palette and the Tartlette in Bloom and since I couldn’t pick one or the other, I included both. This one doesn’t have any shimmers so if that’s something you like, you’ll have to bring in some other shades to work with along with this palette. The texture of these eyeshadows, though, oh my god. Out of everything in my collection the formula in this palette takes the cake. It also has a few unique colors I don’t have in my other neutral palettes which makes it a must-have for me.

it Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC+ Airbrush Perfecting Powder SPF50+

I have had this powder for a few months and at first I wasn’t so sure about it because I was always over applying it. It is extremely pigmented so if I’m using it as an all-over face powder, I usually like to apply a setting powder first and then apply this with a fluffy brush to keep the application light and even. The thing that keeps reaching for this all the time is that I can use it as a powder concealer. It is that extra helping hand that I need when trying to cover stubborn breakouts and dark circles that sometimes I just can’t cover all the way with concealer and corrector.

Benefit Majorette

I’m not usually someone who wears a lot of cream blushes so I didn’t get this right when it came out. After reading reviews that said it was like a cream-to-powder formula, I thought it would work well for me. This is something I like to use when I want a more natural, no-makeup kind of look. It feels lightweight, has no shimmer in it, and doesn’t leave a greasy or tacky feel on the skin. The color is bright but sheer and perfectly peach.

NYX Sculpt & Highlight Duo

This was a surprisingly nice product. I have used powder and cream contouring/highlighting and both have their pros and cons. Even though this is technically a cream product, it has a thinner consistency and does not leave any oily feel behind like you might get from a stick product. It blends into the skin in such a way that it resembles skin’s natural texture, which I love. NYX’s own Wonder Stick sometimes breaks me out but after wearing this for a few weeks, I’m happy to report it hasn’t broken me out.

it Brushes for Ulta Airbrush Blending Crease Brush #105

I have been eyeing this range of brushes ever since they came out quite a while ago. Every time I went into an Ulta store I’d walk by and admire them but didn’t pick any up until I got a 20% off coupon that could be used on prestige brands. There are so many blending brushes out there but my issue is that most of the natural bristle ones are scratchy on the eye area and it actually hurts to blend in the shadows as much as they need to be blended. And I haven’t found a synthetic one until now that actually works well. This one has the perfect shape, its soft, and it isn’t too floppy when you’re pressing against the bristles.

it Brushes for Ulta Airbrush Precision Smudger Brush #124

I also picked up this detail brush to use for my outer corner when I want to use very dark colors and place/blend very precisely. I didn’t have anything quite this shape so it fills a gap in my brush collection. It is just as soft as the other one and works very nicely, especially for black eyeshadow in the outer crease.

Michael Todd Pumpkin Mask

This has been a new love for me. It’s a fantastic chemical exfoliant and it has actually been quite effective without leaving my skin irritated. It smells like pumpkin puree and looks patchy when applying it but it is great at dissolving dead skin while also maintaining the moisture in my skin. For the first 30 minutes after removing it, my skin is a little pink but after that subsides my skin looks clean, glowy and more plump. I am still working on this sample size but I plan to purchase the full size when I use it up.

Billy Jealousy LiquidSand

I was looking for a cheaper alternative to The Body Shop Vitamin C Microdermabrasion ($23 for 2.5 fl oz) which has been a staple in my skincare routine for years. I got a deluxe sample of this a while back and decided to purchase the full size which was $24 for 8 fl oz, a far better deal. It is formulated with lactic acid and has slightly bigger exfoliant particles but they are still fairly densely packed into the product. I feel like I get just as good of a result from this so for now this is making itself comfortable in my skincare routine.

J.R. Watkins Pomegranate and Acai Hand Cream

A long time ago I reviewed this hand cream but in the lemon scent. This one has the same feel but has a fruity candy scent that reminds me of Starburst candy. It is very thick and extremely emollient which is exactly what I need if I am doing anything that involves lots of water (dishes, bathing the dogs, etc.). It is one of the few hand creams that takes that dry/tight feeling away if you’ve thoroughly trashed your hands so I always keep one around.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission when you make purchases through them.

For once, all my favorites are makeup items! I had a hard time narrowing these down, actually. I’ve enjoyed a ton of products over the summer but these are the most recent ones I’ve been using regularly.

I have been using The Balm Frat Boy Blush nonstop all summer. In the pan, it isn’t the most exciting-looking color but that is exactly why I love it so much. It looks so natural on my skin and puts the color back in my cheeks after applying foundation. It is a satin-matte medium peachy pink and it leans slightly warm but not too much so it pairs well with most looks. The color payoff is right in the middle – pigmented enough that you don’t have to apply tons of layers for it to show up but not over the top where it makes you look clownish. Just right.

Mac Mineralize Skinfinish in Redhead is from an older limited edition collection but I recently rediscovered it in my collection. I have found that this color is amazing when I feel like I have made my skin look too matte and flat. It gives the skin life when it’s looking dull and it isn’t your run-of-the-mill white or golden highlighter. It’s more of a warm pink color that reminds me of the way sunlight glows on the skin at sunset. I really hope Mac will release this again or make it part of their permanent collection.

I recently decided to purchase Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Diffused Light after swatching it in Sephora. I had heard many times that it could be used as a setting powder but I always resisted trying it. I have the Hourglass Ambient Light Palette and I have tried Dim Light as a setting powder and I did not like the way it looked so I figured the other powders wouldn’t work for me either. This one has an entirely different finish to it. It has shimmer in it but the particles are incredibly tiny and disappear into the skin. Soft, diffused light, like studio lighting or a cloudy day does not show the shimmer very much. Hard light, like direct sunlight or the light from a bare light bulb will catch on the shimmer and it will show a bit more. It takes down shine but it doesn’t completely mattify the skin and it has very lightweight feel. It’s been my go-to setting powder since I bought it.

Maybelline Dream Wonder Foundation (now discontinued) has been out for a little while but it’s new to me. I first bought the shade Porcelain Ivory which turned out to be a bit too light for me so I went back and got Classic Ivory which is two shades darker. It is a sheer fluid foundation, much like other serum-type foundations, and it applies easily and beautifully. It’s great for people that have issues with the texture of their skin (fine lines, large pores, sun damage) because it helps to smooth out the look of that texture more than a traditional liquid foundation. It didn’t cling to dry patches or settle into pores nearly as much as my regular foundations do and it blends in so quickly and easily. I can even just use my fingers and get a flawless application.

I finally caved and tried Anastasia Brow Wiz. For the longest time I used a regular pencil eyeliner but I was getting really tired of constantly sharpening it and not getting a precise enough application. I love that this twist up pencil is very skinny so I can fill in just the bare spots on my brows without overdoing it. Medium Brown turned out to be a great match for me. It’s a bit darker and more cool-toned than Taupe, which has a yellow undertone to it that just looks weird on me. The color works perfectly on the outer half of my brows but I feel like I have to apply it very lightly and blend very well toward the inner part of my brows. I wish they had a lighter color that was more ashy in color than Taupe. Nevertheless, I have been enjoying it and using everyday since I bought it.

Ugh, this month seemed to drag on. My fiance and I are in the midst of trying to get our garage fixed and getting ready to file taxes. I hate February… sorry but I do LOL. Because this month’s been busy, I haven’t spent as much time as I would have liked actually using my beauty products. I wanted to mention the few that have gotten some love, though.

1. Rituals Cosmetics Foaming Shower Gel Sensation in Yogi Flow – Thank goodness for Glossybox. It’s nice to have new things come to me instead of going out and looking for them. Don’t get me wrong, I love shopping but this month, I have been thankful for subscription boxes! The texture of this is unique for a shower gel but isn’t new in concept. It comes out like a gel and as you spread it over the skin, it foams up luxuriously – sound familiar? It works just like a shave gel. The scent is also very lovely and spa-like. So far this is the second item I’ve enjoyed from this brand. I can tell they put a lot of thought into their products, which I appreciate.

2. Lorac Pro Palette 2 – I have used this a handful of times but every time it has been a pleasure. The shades I’ve mostly gravitated toward are Rose, Mocha, and Cocoa. All of the eyeshadows are buttery smooth and highly pigmented. I’m not sure why I waited so long to buy this! I like that the colors aren’t really “neutrals” but they aren’t too loud either. I have a tendency to get in a rut and do the same kinds of looks all the time so having some colors that are (a little bit) outside of my comfort zone is great.

3. Nars Pro-Prime Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base – Last month I used up my Urban Decay Primer Potion and replaced it with Nars Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base. It has come to have a reputation for being one of the best eyeshadow primers out there. It’s only been a couple weeks, but so far, I’m impressed. The one major difference between this and UDPP is the way it sits on the skin and affects the way shadows sit on the skin. Sometimes my eyelids can look a bit crepey, especially with matte eyeshadows and I found that UDPP made it look even more pronounced. This one is way more flattering and doesn’t have that drying effect.

4. Josie Maran Argan Oil – I’m getting close to finally using up my tiny bottle of this oil. I’ve been using it all winter as an eye cream, alternative to moisturizer and sometimes over moisturizer – depending on how my skin is behaving. I decided this past month, to use this exclusively and stop using moisturizer, to see what would happen. After about 2 weeks my skin looked more radiant and healthy than I’ve ever seen it look with moisturizer. I didn’t see any more breakouts or clogged pores than is usual for me. It takes longer than moisturizer to completely soak in but the results are worth it.

So, that’s all I have for this month. I know it’s only 4 products but hopefully I’ll have a few more next month. What beauty products did you enjoy most in February?

I wanted to start keeping track of my favorite things each month because I usually have a hard time deciding what to include in my yearly favorites. By the time December rolls around I don’t even remember what I was using the first half of the year! Let’s take a look at a few of my top beauty product picks for January.

In December, I got Toni & Guy Leave In Conditioner in my Glossybox and it sat on my counter for a couple weeks. I was skeptical since many hair products, especially moisturizing ones, tend to weigh my hair down. Eventually I got around to trying it, only to discover it was actually very lightweight and fantastic for detangling. One interesting thing I found was that I could even skip conditioning in the shower and use this instead and I get similar results. I love this because rinsing out conditioner seems to take forever and it doesn’t always rinse out evenly.

Nuxe Masque Crème Fraiche was another unexpected gem. I have only tried one other hydrating mask: Sisley Black Rose Crème Mask. It was lovely but insanely expensive. I’ve used this several times now both as a mask and even as a moisturizer and I am addicted. It has a very authentic-smelling citrus blossom fragrance which I personally love. The consistency is even nicer than the Sisley one – it melts effortlessly over the skin and leaves absolutely no sticky residue behind. It soaks in gradually but completely leaving my skin feeling perfectly moisturized and relaxed.

I have been using Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Serum for a few months. It’s supposed to smooth fine lines and texture, fade the look of wrinkles and brighten skin tone. I’ve tried a couple of retinol products in the past but they always seemed to irritate my skin. This one has been really gentle, thankfully. Over time, I have realized that when I use it consistently twice a day I actually do notice a slight smoothing of my skin’s texture and the tone looks more even. It’s nothing dramatic but it’s enough to make a difference.

Mary-Lou Manizer has become iconic as one of the best highlighters out there. I checked it out online a few times but I noticed that it was definitely a gold-hued highlighter and I had never found a golden highlighter that worked for me. I knew that theBalm also had a pink-toned highlighter called Cindy-Lou Manizer which I was much more interested in. So, when the holiday 50% off sale came around, I jumped on the opportunity and bought both. I thought they’d be pretty similar except for the color but it turns out that Cindy-Lou Manizer is much less intense and more subtle. Both of them are wonderful but during the winter months I gravitate toward more intense highlighters so Mary-Lou Manizer has been getting lots of love lately.

My last great find has been Too Faced La Crème Lipstick in Spice Spice Baby. This natural brownish pink shade is semi-sheer and the formula is rich, moisturizing and comfortable to wear – all my favorite qualities in a lipstick.

The last time I did a yearly favorites was for 2012. I skipped 2013 because I felt my list would have been mostly a repeat of the previous year. This year I tried some new things and luckily found some new gems to add to my collection.

Brushes and Tools

This year, I tried Mac Brush Cleanser because I was frustrated with the cheaper alternatives not cleaning my brushes well enough. This stuff cleans really well and leaves the bristles just perfectly conditioned. I was using some other brush cleansers from e.l.f. and Sephora and they were super drying and left my brushes looking frayed.

Some of my most loved eye brushes include a Mac 217 for applying color to my lids, a Sigma Tapered Blending E35 Brush for blending in and above my crease, and a Mac 239 for slightly more precision blending. When applying foundation I use a Sigma Round Kabuki F82 for blending out my foundation and then a Japonesque Stippling Brush for using with setting spray to smooth out my foundation even more. I like the small size and soft bristles of the e.l.f. Small Tapered Brush for applying powders and highlighters. For blush, I use a Mac 168, and for contouring I use a Sigma Small Contour F05 brush.

I also started using Tweezerman tweezers this year because I had some no-name brand ones that didn’t really work well so I decided to fork out the money and get a good pair finally. Other great tools I use frequently include a Tweezerman cuticle pusher, a glass nail file, and a cuticle trimmer I got from Sally’s Beauty Supply.

Skincare

Trader Joe’s Spa Face Wash, The Body Shop Vitamin C Microdermabrasion, and Neutrogena Makeup Remover Cleansing Towelettes are some old favorites. I discovered Trader Joe’s Spa Facial Cleansing Pads this year because I had some really stubborn breakouts over the summer. The usual acne products with salicylic acid usually don’t clear acne up for me and they make my skin dry and flakey. This stuff cleared my face up and kept new breakouts from forming without irritating my skin.

I had been on the lookout for a new moisturizer for quite a while but nothing I bought for myself made me happy. I got this little sample of Vichy Aqualia Thermal Rich Cream one month from my Glossybox subscription and it was love at first application. Looking at the ingredients, I wasn’t expecting anything spectacular but when I put it on, my skin felt so comforted and quenched. The last 2 winters here in Oregon have been exceedingly dry and my skin has gotten so dehydrated. This stuff gets me through that most days. On some of the worst days I will also use Josie Maran Argan Oil on top of the moisturizer as well.

Face

(Side Note: Apparently I didn’t have enough coffee before I started taking photos this morning because I included one of the Fresh Sugar Lip Treatments with my face products Please kindly ignore that!)

One product category I have a tendency to try new things in is face stuff. I love trying to find the best face products. I think because I have combination skin, I am constantly having to switch products to see what works best at the moment. When putting this part of the list together, I had sooo many things I wanted to add but ultimately I chose the ones I think I got the most use out of.

Urban Decay Naked Skin Foundation and Ultra Definition Loose Finishing Powder work for me most of the year. They are pretty good at being forgiving as my combination skin changes through the seasons. The only time they don’t work for me is in the dead of winter when my skin gets super dry. Guerlain Meteorites Perles and my Hourglass Ambient Light Palette are some other favorites when I want something more illuminating.

For under eye concealer I haven’t found anything better than It Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye Concealer. It never looks cakey and doesn’t make the skin around my eyes look dry. The coverage isn’t super full in my opinion but for me it works well. For concealing and correcting other parts of my face and blemishes, I mostly use Graftobian Hi-Def Glamour Creme Neutral Palette #1 and the Corrector Palette.

Cheeks

I am a blush fiend. I have a bad habit of buying similar shades in different formulas because it’s a lot like face products – I’m always trying to find the next best thing. These are the ones I most often reach for and that work as everyday colors and go with lots of different looks. As you can see, I gravitate towards peachy corals and rosy pinks. My top picks include the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush Palette, Benefit Rockateur, and Butter London Honey Pie Cheeky Cream Blush.

Lips

When I first starting gathering my favorites, I completely left out lip products because I kind of have a love-hate relationship with them. For every 20 I try, I may only love 1. I guess I’m just really picky about the formula and color. After I started writing this post, though, it felt like it was missing something so I went ahead and decided to look through my lippie drawer and choose some things I tend to reach for. What I realized is that I have quite a few that I really enjoy:

• Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment (the clear one)
• Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment in Coral
• Maybelline Color Sensational High Shine Glosses in Captivating Coral, Gleaming Grenadine, and Raspberry Ablaze
• Maybelline Color Elixir in Blush Essence
• Urban Decay Lip Junkie in Naked
• Too Faced Glamour Gloss in Sex Pot
• Revlon Colorstay Lacquer Balm in Provocateur
• Revlon Lip Butter in Cherry Tart
• NYX Butter Lipstick in Fireball
• Benefit Lipstick in Jing-a-Ling
• Urban Decay Revolution Lipstick in Lovelight
• YSL Rouge Volupte Shine in #8

Out of all of these, YSL Rouge Volute Shine in #8 is by far the one I wear most often. It’s one of those my-lips-but-better shades that adds a little bit of shine and color and is nearly maintenance free as it fades gracefully though the day. It’s super comfortable to wear too.

Eyes

Everything on this list was a sure pick except the Lorac Pro Palette. I love this palette for sure, but I love so many palettes. This is the one that got the most mileage over the course of a year though so I felt it fit best. The most surprising thing was the NYX HD Eye Shadow Base. I never expected that it would work so well and be so cheap compared to other primers. Perhaps the most boring thing I included was the Covergirl LashBlast Length Mascara. I mention this one in almost every look I do but I haven’t found another one that is as reliable for me. There are some mascaras I’m okay with once I use up some of it and it dries out a little but this one works for me from the second I buy it to the second I throw it out. Lorac’s Front of the Line Pro Liquid Liner has also been very reliable – the applicator is so precise and the formula offers good color intensity.

Brows

These are also things I’ve mentioned before on this blog. Anastasia Brow Powder Duo in Taupe and Palladio Taupe Eyeliner are my go-to brow products mainly because the color matches me so well. Sometimes I’ll just use one or the other and sometimes I use them both together. I love the recent repackaging of the brow powder – so pretty.

So that’s all for my yearly favorites. One of my resolutions this year is to get out of my beauty rut and try more new products. I don’t want to get to the end of the year and realize that all my favorites are exactly the same! If you’ve got a yearly favorites, I’d love to see it. Sometimes, the best way to find new favorites is to get recommendations from others. Leave a comment with your list or a link below so I can check it out.

Neutrogena Pore Refining Toner

I realize that this product is marketed as a “pore refiner” but that is not what I use it for. I have gone through two bottles of this stuff and before I started using it my acne was kind of going supernova. I would get tons of breakouts in just one spot on my face and have clear skin everywhere else. Then I would have a week with perfectly clear skin and a couple weeks with breakouts. Once I started using this it seemed to bring everything back into balance and I had fewer breakouts and more predictable skin. It has salycilic acid and glycolic acid which are the two ingredients that are helping to keep my pores from getting clogged, thus preventing breakouts. I bought it for around $7 at Walmart. One bottle lasts me several months if I use the toner with cotton rounds and not cotton balls!

The Body Shop Vitamin C Microdermabrasion

I’ve used two tubes of this so far and I purchased several more during the holiday sale last month. It’s very versatile and can be used for a gentle quick exfoliation or a deep down scrub depending on how long you use it and how much pressure you use. This scrub and the toner above are the two products that have changed my skin over the last year. If I am religious about using these regularly, my acne is nearly gone. This is best used in the shower because the exfoliant particles are so fine, the easiest way to be sure you rinse them all off is to the let the water run over your face for a minute. Be careful not to get the exfoliant particles in your eyes! I did a full review of this product about a month ago. One tube retails for about $20 and can last for about three months when used a few times a week.

Revlon Colorstay Foundation

This foundation has been a long-time staple of many makeup artists and everyday people alike. Even though I have other favorite high-end foundations that are very comparable in quality, the price is really what determined it’s spot in my favorites. It’s a medium coverage foundation that lasts all day without getting oily and the formula is very forgiving if you are having a “bad skin day”. It comes in two formulations, one for oily skin and one for dry skin and it has a wide selection of colors. The one issue I have with it is that it does not have a pump dispenser which is why I nearly gave this spot to my MUFE HD Foundation. However, if you carefully pour a small amount on the back of your hand you can use this in a hygienic way. This retails for around $10 and is sold in a wide variety of drugstores.

Mac Studio Finish Concealer

I am so picky about concealers. I use some of them for dark circles, others for breakouts, and yet others for acne scarring. Narrowing this down has been difficult especially because the concealer that works the best on me, Paula Dorf Total Camouflage, is kind of hard to track down unless you purchase online and it doesn’t come in a very wide selection of colors. The best all-around concealer that can be used for many purposes is Mac’s Studio Finish Concealer. Where it lacks is that it can be a bit dry for using under the eyes which I can get around by using a good emolient eye cream underneath it. It is widely available, moderately priced at $18 for 7g, has a great range of colors and covers quite well.

Nars Orgasm / Laguna Duo

I only got this recently but I can tell that I will be using this until it’s empty. Laguna is the perfect color and consistency for warming up my complexion or contouring. It is that kind of product that you don’t see on the skin but somehow makes you look better. I’ve been using it on a daily basis especially now that it is wintertime and my skin is looking so pale and dull. I have to admit I like the bronzer better than the blush and I thought it would be the opposite. I think it’s because I have ADD when it comes to blush and I never stick to one. I have ALOT of favorite blushes. However this one has been consistently good every time I have used it. It works with many different looks, light coverage foundation, full coverage foundation, and it always looks good. Orgasm is a nice everyday color because it’s a nice medium pink. It’s not too warm or too peachy and it can easily be applied with a light hand. The shimmer in it is a little noticeable but it’s not frosty at all. I have large pores and I don’t have an issue with the texture of the blush. It lasts all day without fading. My compact is the larger one and I got it at Sephora for $41. Nars recently released a smaller one that costs $24.

Lorac Perfectly Lit Oil Free Luminizing Powder

This highlighter was for me last winter what Nars Laguna bronzer has been for me this winter. I was on the hunt for a highlighter that would banish the dull out of my skin. But I didn’t want frost, shimmer, or glitter. I wanted a dewy look, like my skin was well moisturized and lit-from-within. After swatching all kinds of products side by side, liquid, powder, cream, you name it, I came across this. I’d never heard of it before but the effect it gave was so natural I knew it was what I’d been looking for. It’s the least shimmery shimmer highlighter you can think of – if that makes sense. The shimmer particles are incredibly fine so you don’t see them individually. It also doesn’t create a metallic-looking highlight either. The effect is just dewy and it’s a powder which I prefer since it feels more comfortable on the skin. It comes in three shades. I have swatched the two lightest shades and neither of them were too gold, or too pink. They were just perfectly neutral beige highlights. I highly recommend this to everyone. At $32 the retail price is steep but I wasn’t successful at finding a comparable drugstore alternative.

Covergirl Lashblast Length Mascara

This mascara just happens to be my personal favorite and I know it might not suit all that many people out there. I have medium length sparse-ish lashes and small eyes which I tend to often smudge mascara all over. I also have a preference for very natural looking lashes. The super skinny brush and evenly spaced bristles on the brush separate my lashes, deposit just enough color, and don’t smudge all over my eyes. I like that it’s not volumizing because it still looks natural. It’s a my-lashes-but-better type of mascara. I use the non-waterproof one because I prefer it to be easy to remove. You can pick this one up for around $7 in most drugstores.

Palladio Eyeliner in Taupe

I like to use this pencil to fill in my brows. At only $2 it is cheap, works well, and the color matches my brows well. It would work for those with blonde hair, and light to medium brown hair. It’s a taupe that is not too grey or too orange so it blends in nicely with the color my brow hair. It glides on easily enough that it does not tug on my skin but it’s not so soft that it will smudge easily. I’m not sure how it performs as an actual eyeliner since I don’t use it for that purpose.

Maybelline Color Tattoo Eyeshadow in Bad to the Bronze

When these first came out I didn’t pay much attention to them because I’d never really been a cream eyeshadow type of girl. I thought they’d be difficult and messy to work with. But then I saw the reviews and knew I had to try it. This color is easy to apply and blend with your fingers for a super quick, defined eye. I could wear this by itself with no other makeup and it would look fine. It does have a shimmer but the texture is versatile. If you apply a thin layer the effect it gives is luminous. If you apply it more heavily, it will start to look more metallic. They retail for around $8 at drugstores, Ulta, Walmart, Target and similar stores.

Ardell 301 False Eyelashes

These are super easy to apply, comfortable to wear, and natural looking but they do add a little something “extra” to your look. They cost about $4 for one pair and can be worn a few times (or until they start to look bad).

Real Techniques Stippling Brush

This brush got lots of use this year and I rotated between it and my Sigmax brushes pretty evenly but if I were to recommend one or the other the Real Techniques brush would win because it is cheaper and it’s way easier to wash. One scrub with some shampoo in my hand and all the foundation and soap suds easily rinse away. The bristles are not so much dense as they are short and stiff (but not scratchy) which is different than most other sippling brushes. It will buff in your foundation just as good as the Sigmax brushes but it might take slightly longer (we’re talking like one minute longer, not such a big deal right?). I’ve seen these at Ulta for $10.

Mac 239 Eyeshadow Brush

I’ve used a lot of eyeshadow brushes and until I used the 239 I was convinced all shader brushes were pretty much the same. This brush is different because it’s more dense, slightly stiffer, and the bristles are perfectly cut and shaped. The size of the brush is a happy medium, not so big that it won’t work for those with small eyes and not so small that it takes forever to apply shadows all over the lid. It retains its shape well after being washed and does not shed. It’s a brush I can count on to always apply color the same way every time I use it. It can be used to pack color onto the lid, sweep shadow across your bottom lash line, apply highlight to your brow bone, and blend into the crease. It’s a good multi-use brush. At $25 it can be pricy however the quality is much better than the cheaper ones. If I add up how much I’ve spent on cheaper alternatives over the years, I bet I would have spent less if I just went out and got one of these. One caveat – if you need a large amount of brushes (budding makeup artist, beauty blogger, etc.), then having a bunch of these might not be cost effective unless you have the budget for them.