A little late but better than never.... monthly favorites for December! I decided that I would pick three items for each category since I could not pick just one ... this could change in later monthly favorites but for now I like this format. Jumping right in...
Face Products:
MAC Studio Fix Powder - This is my favorite powder, mostly because for the past almost year now I have not really been interested in wearing a cream or liquid foundation AND concealer AND powder AND primer... you get the point ... BUT I need the coverage since I have some discoloration and occasionally some blemishes. This gives me the coverage that I want and it is also lightweight. However you must use this sparingly since you can easily start to look cakey if you use too much.
NYX Concealer in a Jar - I love my MAC Pro Longwear concealer, but since it is so expensive I only like to use it on special occasions or when I really need the coverage, so for December I have just been using this NYX concealer which is very creamy and provides pretty good coverage for the discoloration I have around my nose and it even does a pretty good job for my under eye area.
Benefit the Porefessional - I have about 400 primer samples that I am trying to use up and this month I have found myself reaching for this one almost everyday, I really love how it erases my pores. I am seriously considering a full size once I get through some more of my samples.
Face Color Products:
Benefit's Georgia Boxed Powder - I am still not quite sure if this boxed powder was intended to be a blush or just a brightening/subtle highlighting powder. For me it is great for brightening my face, I don't like the dewy look but I do like a nice light glow and that is exactly what this powder gives me, I sweep it on my cheeks before my highlighter , in the middle of my forehead and down the bridge of my nose. Unfortunately it is no longer available, but every once in a while Benefit puts it back on their website, so Im hoping that happens soon since I am running out.
Too Faced Chocolate Soleil/ Candlelight duo - I got this duo in a holiday set 3-4 years ago and I have a love-hate relationship with it. Candlelight is GORGEOUS in the pan, it has a pretty gold sheen without being glittery, however I find that it leaves much to be desired when I actually put it on. Now I love the finish it gives, but what I see in the pan and what it actually looks like on are two different things. When it is actually on the shimmer disappears, it still highlights nicely though. I don't know I guess I am just picky. The bronzer is an awesome matte neutral brown, not orange at all on me, so it is perfect for contouring. Even better it actually smells like chocolate.
MAC Pro Longwear Blush in Blush All Day - Every year since I have been in college I have splurged for my birthday and gone to MAC on my actual birthday to have my makeup done, and of course that means that I buy a couple things, usually I just restock on my powder, concealer, and maybe a new lipstick.This last birthday however the MUA used this gorgeous blush on me, I love that it is a peachy color without being too summery and bright, it is really just the perfect everyday blush for me, and because it is just a staple everyday color it goes with just about any eye look I do. The formula is really nice also, I don't have the fading at the end of the day like with some other blushes I own.
Eyeshadows:
Urban Decay Naked 2 - Of course I own Naked and Naked 2 ... eventually I will get my hands on Naked 3, but so far my favorite of the two I own has always been Naked 2, I just find myself wearing taupes and grey-brown colors more often than I wear the more golden warm browns in Naked. I go through cycles of being obsessed and using this palette everyday and then not wanting to use it at all, but this past month I have been all about a smokey eye with this palette and the others listed.
Urban Decay Naked Basics - I held out on getting this palette for the longest time but since I got it over the summer I swear I have used it every single day, I love the light colors for my highlight and Crave is my favorite for days that I don't want eyeliner but want some definition near my lashes, it is such a staple and I will repurchase when I run out of most of the colors.
Urban Decay Vice 1 - Obviously I love me some Urban Decay palettes... again I have not purchased Vice 2, really I am not as excited about it since I have a lot of similar colors ( I am lusting over the shadow Prank) so I may or may not end up getting the second, but I love the one I do have. Chaos is the prettiest blue ever, and Black Market has been my go-to for my smokey eye this month.
Eye Products:
Urban Decay 24 hour Glide on Eyeliner in Midnight Cowboy - I purchased the 15th Anniversary Eyeliner set when it was out and this was one of the shades, Im not sure if you can still get this particular shade but I know they offer similar colors. I use this on my waterline to brighten and make my eyes appear wider. I really like this one because it has some shimmer to it which I think just enhances the brightening effect.
Benefit Their Real Mascara - I got this mini in my Sephora birthday set, and again I am late to jump on this bandwagon, but OMG I love this mascara, I used this sample completely and will be looking into getting a full size when I finish my other couple mascaras.
be a Bombshell liquid eyeliner in Onyx - I got this liner in one of my Ipsy bags and have been in love ever since, I used it dry this month. I love that it is a fatter maker style, it was perfect for a slight winged liner look in a nice rich black color that lasts all day.
Lip Products:
NYX Butter Gloss in Creme Brulee - I am not as obsessed with these glosses as some people are, for the simple fact that I am not really a big fan of lip gloss in general because I find that no matter what brand it just does not wear as long as lipsticks and it is always slightly sticky. This month however I have been using just a little gloss in the middle of my lips to make them appear fuller, and this one is great with nudes and lighter pinks. I really like the scent also.
Cailyn Tinted Lip Balm in Big Apple - Another Ipsy item, this product is amazing. When I read tinted lip balm, I expected a sheer glossy color, this is the complete opposite in the best way possible. I really like that the long handle is actually a lip brush which is 100% necessary when applying this product. On the lips it is a beautiful matte opaque true red color, not at all sheer or glossy. Which is fine by me since I am not real big on gloss anyways. I just love this product and if they were not so pricey I might buy a couple more, maybe they will have a good sale on them some day.
be a Bombshell Lip Crayon in Hot Damn - Another red lip product from an Ipsy bag... I rocked the red lips quite often in December. This one is another true red, it doesn't really lean blue or orange so it would be a good shade for just about any skin tone. This formula comes off similar to the Cailyn balm in that it is not very glossy and it is rather opaque however I wouldn't go so far as to call it a matte lipstick since it has a very pretty red shimmer to it. Not chunky glitter, which I am not a fan of in lip products but instead a fine shimmer which just adds a little dimension when on the lips.
Brushes:
ELF Studio Kabuki - This is the brush I use to apply my MAC powder foundation, it just applies very well. Not to mention these brushes are super soft since they are synthetic. I am a fan of quite a few ELF brushes, very nice quality for an even nicer price.
Sephora Blending Brush #10 - This is a brush from the set that I bought about a year or so ago, so it is no longer available but Im sure Sephora offers another that is similar. Good quality soft bristles and blends well. A blending brush is a must have for me and this is my favorite.
Coastal Scents Eyeshadow Brush BR-C-N02 - This came in an Ipsy bag for December I believe, and it has proved to be a very good brush, I am quite impressed with the quality. This is the first Coastal Scents single brush that I have owned (their sets are nice starters but are not the be all end all of brushes) and I must say it is one of the best fluffy eyeshadow brushes I have.
Nails:
OPI Crown Me Already! - Silver glitter in all shapes and sizes? Sign me up, I really need to add some polish thinner because it is getting a little thick, but this is super pretty on top of just about any color. Being December I wore this over a creme red polish(see below) and a green in attempts to be festive. I am usually not the biggest fan of OPI mostly because I like bright crazy colored polishes and OPI doesn't seem to have as many of those ( I am pretty much in love with everything China Glaze puts out) but I am really happy with this polish. I am even currently wearing about 5 coats on my toes so that it is just like a glitter-bomb on my feet (I am 21 but 5 at heart).
Formula X for Sephora Flashy - This is one of the shades from the Formula X Twenty Two set, it is a very pretty red. It is a creme polish but is on the sheer side since it took about three coats to get it completely opaque, at two coats I could still see my nail line just a smidge. So far the formula is nice, as far as wear I haven't seen much chipping, some normal wear on the tips of my nails but it nothing major in the 4 days that I usually wear a polish.
Milani Quick Dry Top Coat - I use to be all about the Seche Vite, until I realized I was going through a bottle every two months because it would get thick and you can only put so much thinner in that stuff. So while on the hunt for a decent alternative I came across this polish after reading about it on various blogs. It really is a quick dry top coat, my only complaint is with glitter polish I need more coats of this to get a smooth finish where as with my Seche Vite I only needed one good coat and I was set.
Batiste Dry Shampoo in Fruity & Cheeky Cherry - Since dying my hair red again, I have been back on the dry shampoo wagon in attempts to save my color as best I can, which means washing less frequently( which I have always done, and I will admit with the red I have really been pushing the limits some weeks). Batiste is my go to for dry shampoo, but I like to try all of their different scents, some I love others I hate, this scent is lovely. The formula is the same great formula, soaks up the oil and the white cast is easily fixed once you brush through your hair. I really wish that the Red tinted version was sold in the US, but I guess they just think the blonde and brunette versions are all we need here. :(
B&BW Body Spray in Velvet Sugar - I have used this body spray every single day since I got it, this is the perfect blend of sweet and floral. I like sweet scents but not ones that are overpowering, this is just right. Since this is a body spray and not a perfume the scent does stay strong all day but pretty close, I am quite impressed with the staying power. I have a full size for at home and a mini that I keep in my purse for on the go, I have used it to make my car smell good also.
Philosophy 3-in-1 in Have a Cherry Christmas - I cannot rave enough about the Philosophy 3-in-1 formula, they are gentle and moisturizing and the scents blow my mind. This scent is no different, I love that it is a real cherry scent not that fake cherry medicine scent that so many companies use. The fragrance doesn't stay on the skin long, (no soap scent lasts on my skin anyways) which I don't mind since I like to use perfume and body sprays that don't alway mix well with this cherry scent but it is quite nice when I shower. I wish I could use this on my hair but I need the Sulfate-Free stuff to prolong my color, so no opinions on it being used as a shampoo.
