I have a lot of favorites this month! Some are beauty and some are lifestyle favorites. I have recently found some really great things, and wanted to make sure I included them, so this post will probably be longer than most. Let's get started.......
Tarte Lights Camera Lashes Mascara - I got a sample of this mascara in my Ipsy bag, I believe. I had heard good things about it in the past, but every high end mascara I have tried, I haven't been super impressed with. This one definitely impressed me! I have been applying 3 coats on my top lashes, and two on my bottom. It gives excellent volume and length without getting clumpy. After using my sample for a few days, I bought the full size. I think this is the only item that I have received in my Ipsy Bag that I went and purchased on my own. It retails for $20, which is a great price for such a good mascara!
Gerard Cosmetics Lipstick - Buttercup: I saw this lipstick featured on a youtube beauty favorites video, and loved the color, so I ended up purchasing it. It is a soft pink nude, with a very comfortable formula. This is my first beauty product from Gerard Cosmetics. It shipped quickly, and I am loving the color. It is a very versatile color that will work on so many different people, and great for so many different looks. If any of you are familiar with Jacklyn Hill, this is a color from her line.
Big Sexy Hair Root Pump Mousse - I have been using this product for awhile now. I apply it directly to my roots, rub it in, and blow dry. It gives good volume and texture. Plus, it doesn't itch my scalp or cause me to get greasy. I think this line has so many great hair products to choose from.
Mac Mineralized Skin Finish - Soft & Gentle: Most of us have heard of Mac's Soft & Gentle, because it is a cult favorite. This is my very first MSF. I wanted a powdered product that gives a luminous, highlighted finish. This highlighter isn't the strongest I have ever used, but it isn't the lightest either. It is somewhere in between. I just dust this on the high points of my face....nose, forehead, tops of cheek bones, and cupid's bow. It is nicely pigmented and a little goes a long way. I wear this highlight during the day, and don't find that it is too much for me. I really love this product and want to try more of the MSF's. Soft & Gentle retails for $32, and you get a good size, 0.35 ounces. This highlight will last forever!
Mac Mineralized Blush - Warm Soul: This is my first mineralized Mac blush, and it is Beautiful!! It is a warm peach with a luminous finish. It is nicely pigmented, and builds great without looking cakey, harsh, or glittery. I think this blush will go with pretty much any makeup look, and is universally flattering. It gives a youthful, fresh faced glow, and lasts well throughout the day on me. It retails for $27. It is worth the price for me, because it is unlike any other blush I own, looks beautiful, and will last me soooo long. I have to say this is my favorite blush that I have EVER owned!! If you are wanting to try a Mac product for the first time, I suggest picking this up. I can't imagine anyone being disappointed, unless you only wear matte finishes. My mom used this blush once, and later that day went to the Mac counter to purchase it. So, it even looks great on more mature skin.
Mac Strobe Cream - I love me a luminous finish foundation, and this moisturizer does just that! It is a moisturizer packed with vitamins and good ingredients for your skin. I apply mine under my makeup. It feels great on the skin, and gives a healthy youthful glow to the face. It can also be worn on it's own. If you use this, you really don't need a highlighting product. I have never used a product of it's kind before. I ordered mine from
maccosmetics.com. They have free shipping everyday, along with free returns. They have two sizes....the 1.0 oz. for $10, or the 1.7 0z for $30. I ordered the smaller size, because it is a much better deal. You could get almost twice as much for $3 cheaper, if you bought 3 smaller sizes, as opposed to the full size. When buying products, always check the quantity and price when they have different sizes. You may not always be getting the better deal on the larger size. Make sure you are getting your money's worth!
NYX Eye Shadow Base - This product was recommended by one of my youtube beauty girls. She said that she likes this one better than a Mac paint pot, so I thought I would give it a try. What I like about this product is that not only does it keep your shadow from creasing and makes it last longer, but it also conceals any veining or redness on your lids. I haven't used a Mac paint pot, but this product works great. I found this at my local target.
Forever Red Eau de Parfume - I found this perfume at Bath & Body works during their popular semi-annual sale. I rarely ever go into the store, and went for their big candle sale. I love this scent!! Their website describes it as their most luxurious fragrance with a blend of pomegranate and red osmanthus with a sexy surprise of vanilla rum. This is a muskier scent, but still with a sweetness that isn't overpowering. It does not smell florally though. I am not into sweet scents. I like more of a musk/cologne scent or a very light, clean scent. I wear this fragrance all the time, but it is more of an evening scent that would be great for a date night. It definitely has a sensuality about it. I bought the travel size just to see how much I would actually where it, but I know that I will be purchasing the full size. They also offer this scent in a shower gel, lotion, body soufflé, body cream and fragrance mist. The travel size retails for $10, but has been on sale for $6 lately.
Boxycharm Subscription - This is my newest and favorite beauty subscription box. I did an unboxing. If you would like to see my review of December's box,
Click Here!
Amazon Prime - I started Amazon Prime in December. You get a month free, so I had time to decide how I liked the service. I originally thought it meant you got 2 free day shipping for a year, but it is so much more than that! For $99 a year, you get prime movies, prime music, photo storage, a lending library for kindle, and free 2 day shipping on all amazon prime products. The only service I haven't used yet is the photo storage. For less than 10 dollars a month, you can't beat it, and I'm really enjoying it!
Pretty Little Killers by Daleen Berry and Geoffrey C. Fuller - I love going to my local library! I place my requests online, and once a week pick them up. I have been studying serial killers since I was in high school. I love anything that is true crime.....books, podcasts, 48 hours, and dateline. It's the psychology that really intrigues me. I had followed this story since it happened a few years ago in West Virginia. It is about 3 16 year old girls who are all best friends, and two murder the other. We all remember how nasty high school and junior high could be. But who ever thinks something like that could ever happen? It is a tragic story, but interesting at the same time. If nothing else, I think it reminds you not to make light of certain situations, and signs to look for.
Criminal Minds - This show has been on for 10 seasons now, and I have watched it since the very beginning. I was very sick for a very long time, and around Christmas I decided to start the show from the very beginning and watch it all the way through. Watching the episodes back to back, made me fall in love with it even more! It chronicles FBI Agents who are in the BAU (Behavioral Analysis Unit). Essentially, they are proffers who catch serial killers. Again, this show really goes into the psychology behind the behaviors. Such a great show!!
Netti Pot - I started using a netti pot many years ago, and just kind of got away from it. I started using it because I have horrible allergies. At the end of October, I got very sick. I was sick for 2 1/2 months, minus two weeks where I felt semi-human and thought I was getting better). I first was diagnosed with an upper respiratory infection. Did antibiotics for 10 days, and waited to feel better. Only got worse. Went back to the doctor, was diagnosed with sinusitis, got put on an extremely strong antibiotic, and almost a week of a very strong steroid. Still I was not better. So, I decided to start using my netti pot twice a day, along with essential oils and I got well again!! Using the pot is a very odd feeling to get used to put it helps so much! All you do is put a saline packet in the pot with warm water, and run the water into one nostril and out the other. It sounds kind of yuck, but it works!
Essential Oils - Until this month, I had never used essential oils in my life. I had heard of them, but really didn't know anything about them, and of course I was skeptical. I ordered a blended oil from Doterra called Breathe. Breathe is a blend of certified pure organic grade essential oils including laurel leaf, peppermint, eucalyptus, tea tree, ravensara, and lemon. It is a respiratory blend that opens airways, helps congestions, and alleviates bacteria and viruses. If you would have told me that my netti pot and essential oils would cure my illness, when two antibiotics and a steroid couldn't, I would have told you that you were CrAzY! But it is true. It worked, and I am amazed by that, because I had never been sick that long in my entire life!
Essential Oil Diffuser - If you are going to use essential oils, you need a diffuser. I found mine on amazon. It is an oil diffuser and humidifier. I keep mine on my night stand next to my bed. It has a wood grain look, and takes up only a small space. You can put it on a constant flow or have it come off and on on a delay. It also has settings for different colors, it can change from one color to the next or you can turn the color completely off. I use mine every single day, and love it. I also suffer from insomnia, so I use it all night long. No batteries are needed, just plug it in. If you would like to order this diffuser,
Click Here!
Michael Kors Jet Set Tote - My birthday was at the beginning of December, and my mom got me this bag as a gift. I really love it! It is a classic black and white tote design with silver hardware. It has one inside zipper pocket and two slide pockets. It is a large size and fits everything I need and more in it. It goes with most everything I wear, and just makes a classy accessory to any look. Of course this is a splurge, but if you are in the market for a designer bag, this one is definitely worth a look!
