May Favorites

Sorry this is going up so late.  I think my sister and her boyfriend and son are going to be moving in shortly so I've been a little preoccupied with that and work and trying to find a part time job...whew, I'm busy!!!

Anyway, On to the good stuff!!!

Skincare:

$65 Nordstrom.com

I recently ran out of my beloved MAC Lightful Foaming Face Wash and needed a replacement.  I decided to splurge and buy La Mer's Foaming Face Wash.  As with the MAC cleanser, a little goes a long way and it is perfectly suited for my Clarisonic Mia.  I love the scent of it which reminds me of luxurious perfumes and elegant older women.  My skin feels so smooth after using this - tight but not dry, just well balanced and smooth.

My favorite eye cream is still Clinique's All About Eyes Rich.  I can say that I have seen a decrease in dark circles under my eyes since I've been using this.  It sinks into your skin without feeling greasy and leaves a nice base for my under eye products.  I haven't seen any decrease in wrinkles but I haven't noticed any new ones for that matter either.  I use this morning and night immediately after washing my face.

$78 Nordstrom.com

The next product that I'm going to talk about is something new that I've been trying for about 3 weeks.  I've put a noticeable dent in it too.  It's the Osmotics Kinetin Cellular Renewal Serum.  My boyfriend got this as a freebee from work and I quickly snatched it up (he has a baby face, what does he want with anti aging serums anyway).  It is supposed to help repair the signs of sun damage and promote a brighter complexion.  Since using this, I have noticed a decrease in breakouts and have noticed that my acne scars are disappearing.  I use this morning and night after my Clinique eye cream. 

Face:

$35 Origins.com

The next item has been a staple in my makeup routine (or skincare routine...however you want to categorize it) and that would be Origins Vitazing.  I was never a believer in color adapting makeup because I simply could not understand how something that started out white could suit so many skin tones.  After hearing all the hype around this product I decided to go into an Origins store to check it out for myself.  Low and behold, the same product that was rubbed on to the back of my hand and changed to match my skintone did the exact same thing to the sales assistant who was significantly darker than I am.  I love that no matter how pale or tan I become, I can use this.  It also gives surprisingly good coverage for a tinted moisturizer.  I'll wear this with a little concealer and powder for an everyday makeup look or under my airbrush makeup for a little more coverage.  Either way, it's a new staple in my makeup collection.

The next product I was also pretty skeptical about when it first hit the shelves and that is the Garnier Skin Renew Anti-Dark Circle Roller.  This little baby packs all sorts of skin nourishing ingredients and a little pigment to really banish your dark circles.  The roller ball applicator is also soothing on tired eyes and instantly helps to perk them up.  It's lightweight enough that it won't look caky under your eyes and can be reapplied on top of finished makeup for a mid day pickup should you need it (not that I ever do).


Another favorite of mine is a repeat from a previous month.  MAC's Mineralize Skinfinsh in Shimpagne is a beautiful shimmery highlight color that gives dimension back to your face once all the foundation and powder have taken it all away.  Although I have oily skin, I don't feel as though I'm finished until this is applied to the tops of my cheek bones.  Some products emphasize pore size but I have not had a problem with Shimpagne doing that.  I do however try to keep it away from the area right around my nose where my pores are the largest.

$19.50 maccosmetics.com

Lately I've been opting for more neutral blushers like MAC's Pinch O Peach blush as opposed to more coral or pinker shades.  This seems to compliment any look without going over the top.  I also like that it's a more matte finish so I don't look like an oil slick by the end of the day.  I'm all about the glow but I like to add it in strategic places that do not include my entire cheek.

No surprise here...Holy Grail Bronzer has to be Benefit Hoola.  I might not even consider this a bronzer so much as a contour color.  It seems to mimic the color of natural shadows on my face which I prefer to warmer toned bronzers.  I also like that it doesn't have any shimmers to it whatsoever so that it can be used on my forehead as well as under my cheek bones.

The next item is something that I've been kicking myself for not purchasing when it initially came out last September and that is the MAC Magically Cool Liquid Powder in Truth and Light.  It's slightly shimmery but not enough that you look like a Cullen when you step out into the sunlight.  The cold feeling of it is refreshing when you want to touch up on a day like today (102° WHAT!!!).  Don't be fooled by the drugstore version of this either.  Revlon's Colorstay Aqua is almost $40/oz, Almay's Wake Up Makeup is $37/oz where as MAC's Magically Cool Liquid Powder is $35/oz.  Drugstore does not alway mean cheaper.  I use this over top of my face powder to refresh my skin.  Despite being 70% water and having a subtle shimmer to it, it does manage to mattify my skin when I'm looking a little oily.

$29.50 maccosmetics.com

Eyes:

As the weather has been getting warmer, I've opted to use a more bronzy pallet on my eyes.  The perfect base for that is none other than MAC's Paint Pot in Indian Wood.  I like the subtle glow it provides to any shadow applied on top of it.  Although I've found that this particular Paint Pot creases more than any others I own, I do find that using Urban Decay's Primer Potion underneath does help combat this a little.

$18 Sephora.com

Since my project 10 pan, I've decided that I am going to use shadows that I don't normally grab for and so I've let my MAC pallets and Naked Pallet have a little break.  I have fallen back in love with Stila eyeshadows - My favorites being Kitten, and Golightly.  These two shadows paired with a little Woodwinked and Indian Wood create the perfect glowy bronze eye.  I have also opted to use my NYX Jumbo Shadow Pencil in Milk in the inner corner of my eye (topped with Kitten) to open my eyes up and create a nice highlight.

Topping my bronzy eye look off is MAC's Smolder pencil and MUFE Smokey Lash Mascara.  In my last favorites I loved layering Fresh Supernova with my Covergirl Lash Blast mascara but I'd found that about halfway through the day, I'd had some mascara run off under my eyes.  Smokey Lash does not leave my lashes feeling as conditioned as Supernova but at least I know it's staying put.  It is also the blackest mascara I have ever used in my life and creates beautifully thick and long lashes in just two coats.

Lips:

Though I'm not a big believer in lip pencils I have opted to use MAC's Trimmed in Pink Lip pencil almost every day this month.  I like the bright pink color similar to Lustering lipstick.  I often pair this with a more nude color to tone it down so it's more wearable during the day.  My favorites are Hue by MAC or MAC's tinted lip conditioner + Lavender in Calm Mode.

Well that's about it for everything.  You won't be seeing many hauls coming up because I am poor and honestly, I've got enough for a while.  I think that'll give me time to do more reviews, face of the days, and maybe even a tutorial.  Let me know what you think of any of these products if you've tried them.

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