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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.