October Favorites!

October 2013 Products of the Month:

Oh boy!  It's been a bit since I got around to doing a favorites post, and even longer since I did a video for one.  Sometimes I get so caught up in the individual daily reviews that I forget to add some other types of content to me blog here.  This is kind of like a review of course, but at least it's in a different format and is a bit more conversational.  Hope you enjoy! 

Lips:

Urban Decay Stardust Lipgloss- I think I picked this lip gloss up from Ulta.com one day.  One of those random things you just throw in your online cart to reach the free shipping qualifications, but it was one of the best random buys I've ever made.  It's got a minty taste and smell to it and the color is a cool and funky iridescent pink with hints of peach, gold, and even lavender shimmer.  It goes perfectly over bare lips for an interesting take on glossy lips.  It's available from Ulta.com and in Ulta stores, and it's currently on clearance from UrbanDecay.com. 

Sonia Kashuk Lip Crayon-  Red lips are all the rage this fall, and I've been trying a ton of different red lip products because I intend to film a video on the best red lip products.  We'll see if I get around to it, but in the meantime it did lead me to an amazing lip crayon by Sonia Kashuk.  It's the perfect deep red for my fair skintone, and it doesn't clash at all with my red hair.  I think it'd be a pretty universal shade for just about everyone.  I love that I can just draw it on and fill in my lips, so it doubles as a lipstick and liner in one product.  It's easy to tote in my purse or even my pocket, but I don't feel that I need a lot of touching up.  It stays really well, and the satin matte finish is really flattering.  It's not the uber dry looking matte of some lipsticks, but it doesn't look like freshly applied "moist" lipstick either. Sonia Kashuk products are available online at Target.com or in Target stores nationwide.

Face:

Tarte BB Treatment Primer- I got this in my QVC set last month and have been loving how it sits on my skin and preps it for the perfect foundation finish.  I don't get a lot of coverage with the BB treatment alone, and I'm pretty sure that's why they call it a primer rather than a BB cream.  They have their own separate BB cream product that has much more coverage to it.  This is truly more like a primer, only tinted, and combines the skincare benefits of a BB cream with it.  This is available QVC.com, Tartecosmetics.com, Ulta.com, and Sephora.com as well as in stores.  I recommend picking it up from QVC, as for only $1.68 more you get a buffing brush with it!


Tarte BB Concealer- Along the lines of the BB cream, Tarte has created a skin beneficial concealer as well.  I go more into depth on this in my review of the set as a whole, but it's a very similar product to the Maracuja Creaseless Concealer only in a compact form rather than a tube.  It definitely needs to be set, especially under the eyes, but I love how well it covers and how convenient the packaging is.  Something about compact/cream concealers that I just love.  I think I've used this product ever day since I got it (that I wear makeup of course! cuz honestly who really needs makeup being a housewife with no one to impress? can I get an amen?).  This was a life saver out in San Fransisco with the long flights and taking the red eye back.  Side note: remind me to never again fly home on the red eye when I have to check out of my hotel at noon.  Almost 10 hours of nothing to do and needing to store my luggage at the concierge desk is not very smart of me.  I can't find this product listed individually anywhere, but the QVC.com website lists it as being an exclusive to them until 11/30/13 in the Beauty Without Boundaries Set where I got it from.  I assume that after that time it will be available from the other outlets for Tarte products.

Tarte Dual Sided Concealer Brush-  This is one of the best concealer brushes I've ever used, and I wish that it was available for individual purchase!  I'd buy a ton of them!  (I'm a total brush whore...)  It's such a unique concept that it combines to different textures of hairs to give you a different finish depending on which side you use.  I love to apply it with the light colored side and then flip it and blend it in with the darker side.  I haven't tried it out with other concealers yet, but if I can get my hands on any more without having to buy the whole set over again (which is seriously tempting because the price is so amazing for how much you get) I'll be using them on clients and recommending them left and right.

Body/Hair:

Perlier Volcanic Spa Scrub-  You can read my individual review of this product here, but now that I've been using it for several weeks I have to say that my skin has never felt or looked better.  I have keratosis pilaris, which means that the hair follicles on my body produce too many skin cells and clog/block my hair from growing correctly.  This creates a lot of ingrown hairs and little bumps all over my body, but particularly on the backs of my arms and on my thighs.  Since I opt to wax my legs every few weeks instead of shaving daily, it's essential that I keep my body properly exfoliated so that I can keep the bumps at bay.  I really love how this scrub isn't oily, so I don't have to worry about slipping in the shower.  And the smell is nice and refreshing, not overly sweet or heavy.  Perlier products like this one are available on HSN.com.

Healthy Sexy Hair Soy Milk Shampoo-  You can read a review of the Healthy Sexy Hair soy line here.  Honestly, my hair has never felt softer or been more shiny since I started using this shampoo!  It has a great subtle smell and suds up nicely without stripping the moisture or the color from my hair.  It's been really nourishing on its own.  You can purchase from Sexyhair.com, Ulta.com and Ulta stores, even Target.

**Disclaimer: As with all my product reviews, I was not paid by the cosmetic company to provide feedback or review/promote their products. This article contains some affiliate links provided through Viglink.com. All the opinions expressed in this article are my own. These items were purchased with my own money. For more information on my policies, please view my Let's Chat page.

July Favorites

It's been forever since I've done a favorites post, March in fact!  I figured it was high time that I get into the routine of doing these every month, so here are my favorite hair and makeup products for the month of July.

L'Oreal Total Repair 5 Damage Erasing Balm :  This is the only product in this list that I haven't actually reviewed yet, but I'm getting ready to do one next month.  I'm almost completely done using this jar of conditioner, and I'm totally in love.  I think this treatment has pretty much replaced regular conditioner in my shower.  Already from experience, I learned that most traditional conditioners don't give me the kind of hydration and therapy that I need with my constant coloring.  I've been coloring my hair for half my life now, so there's nary a hair on my head that hasn't been almost processed to death.  I keep my hair healthy however by washing it only 2-3 times a week and using a treatment conditioner like this L'Oreal one instead of regular conditioners.  I think I've used just about every hair treatment mask out there at some point or another, and this one has impressed me the most.  And it's only $6.99!  I picked it up on a whim at Target one day, and I have barely used anything else since.  My hair is soft and bouncy, and the shine is great!  It's honestly the healthiest it's ever felt.

Revlon Colorstay Foundation:  {Read my review here}  Since I've got a bit of a tan this month from spending a lot of time outdoors (despite the ridiculous 90+ degree temps!), I've been using this foundation a lot.  I picked it up in a color I knew was a little too dark at the time, but now it's perfect.  But that's not the only reason I've been using it.  It really does last all day long, and it's proven to be pretty humidity resistant as well.  I just use a tissue to blot my face when I feel sweaty (I don't get oily much with my dry skin), and it doesn't rub off that way.  I do notice a bit of transfer on my cell phone screen, but I think that every brand of foundation does that to some extend.

Tarte Amazonian Clay Brow Mousse:  {Read my review here}  This has totally replaced my Elizabeth Arden brow powder that I've been using for the past six years.  Every once and a while I'll grab a pencil to fill in my brows, but pretty much this is my go-to product for getting perfect brows that last all day long.  I think my favorite part is that it comes with a dual ended brush to apply the product and brush out the brow hairs.  And this stuff is majorly pigmented.  Just a tiny bit will fill in the whole brow, and after an entire month of using it nearly every day I've made just the barest of dents in it.

NYX Lip Butter in Eclair:  {Read my review here}  I introduced my teenage nieces to this lip gloss, and they are all about now, too.  I recently stocked up again at Ulta when they had a sale (and broke my challenge, I know! Ugh!), and I added a few more colors to my collection. I need to just start buying them online instead of in the store, because the colors I want are always out of stock in my local store.  They seriously had 1-2 of only a few colors, and I had to be nice and let my niece get the only one in a color I've been wanting.  What a nice Auntie I am! ha ha!  Meringue is a pretty decent substitute for Eclair if you can't get your hands on it by the way.  Eclair still remains my favorite though, and I use it daily.  It is the perfect pale pink and positively LIVES in my purse. (Peter Piper picked a peck.... haha)  Moving on...

Be A Bombshell Blush:  {See my review on IPSY here}  If you've read my blog about Tarte's Amazonian Clay Blush {here}, you'll know how much I absolutely adore their product.  But I think I may have found a new brand of blush to obsess over for a while.  I got the Be A Bombshell blush in Sweet Cheeks, and I've used it almost every day.  I alternate it with my Frisky Tarte blush, and this color gives me a great flush without being too bright.  It's a subtle warm pink that goes great with my fair skintone, although it does look better on me now with a bit of a tan.  It's nice and pigmented and can be brushed on sheer with a brush like the Real Techniques Stippling Brush, or layered for more color with an angled blush brush.

Covergirl Flamed Out Mascara: I haven't published my review for this mascara yet, but I've definitely been recommending it via my Facebook and Instagram if you've been paying attention.  (If not, why not?  Check them out and follow me now to stay up to date with my top recommendations BEFORE they hit the blog!)  This has a unique hourglass shaped wand that deposits mascara perfectly, and the formula is rich and creamy without clumping. It delivers perfect volume and the perfect price point.  Every time this month I've done my makeup, this is the mascara that I've reached for, and it's not even waterproof!  It hasn't smudged or melted off, either.  Not sure if they make a waterproof version, but I'll definitely be hunting it down at the store before I head to Florida in a few weeks to double check.

What are your favorite products this month?  Share your thoughts with us on your favorite products or on these.  We'd love to hear them!