FAVORITES: August 2014
It's that time again... FAVORITES!....
I know that I'm going to be amongst all of the everyone else when I say I can't believe that we're already at the end of what most of us think of as being summer (ingrained in us since we were wee little school children, I think), but I really can't believe it's the end of summer! This summer has been so incredibly busy that it has absolutely flown by and a part of me is actually looking forward to the colder weather that inevitable gives everyone an excuse to spend evenings inside with a warm cup of tea and a Netflix binge watch. But I digress. This summer, for me, has been all about easy, on the go makeup looks and beauty options as well as about really trying to take my skin to the place I want it and I think that those things are reflected in my favorites this month.
BEAUTY FAVORITES
1. awesome Aqua Radiance CC Cream
I have never had even a little bit of luck with CC creams. In fact, I had pretty much written them off before I received this little beauty in my K-Style Memebox and decided to give a Korean CC cream a go. I am glad I did. Now, I don't really feel like this has coverage, per say, but somehow it feels like it just gives my skin a little something special. I've used this underneath a foundation, but didn't seem much difference, and then decided to try it on its own with only concealer and I feel like it gives me a really natural, luminous look without looking at all like I'm wearing makeup. I really, really love that. I can't even really explain what it does, but the finished product just looks like my skin but brighter, healthier and more perfected.
2. awesome Aqua Whip Hug Foam Cleanser
Another Memebox product, this has become my HG cleanser since I received it in my Cooling Care box earlier this month. I've actually become really picky about cleanser since using a few that have pretty much ravaged my skin or made me break out. This cleanser ticks all the boxes for me. It gives a rich, smooth later on the skin that feels absolutely incredible, it smells like oregano, and it rinses downright squeaky clean without feeling dry and tight like a lot of other cleaners. I sometimes feel like you have a choice when it comes to cleansers of either not feeling clean or feeling completely stripped, but this is neither of those things. I love it. I'm loving using it. I'm already planning on a repurchase from the Memeshop.
3. Secret Key Sweet Glam Tint Glow
Okay, maybe I focused on the packaging almost completely when I unboxed this from my K-Style Memebox, but... IT'S A DIOR DUPE AND I AM A PACKAGING WHORE, OKAY? Ahem. That said, I actually really love this stuff. I love the pretty orchid shade that I received and how it looks against my skin tone. I love how moisturizing and comfortable it feels on the lips. I love the colour pay off. I love love love it. Oh, and did I mention that I love the packaging? I am seriously considering ordered another one of these in a different shade. I really do like the formula as much as I like the packaging.
4. Urban Decay Perversion Mascara
This came in my Ipsy bag this month and I will admit that my hopes weren't high. I can't even remember where I first heard disappointed reviews of this mascara, but it definitely shaded my expectations of it. In truth, if I hadn't received a sample I probably would have never tried it. And that, my friends, would have been a damn shame because I really like it a lot. Obviously all of the things under the umbrella of UD Perversion are marketed as being the blackest black that was ever black, so I shouldn't be surprised... but holy hell is this mascara black. I mean, I use black mascara all the time and there are a lot of them that I love and I think are plenty black... but they don't get to this amazing inky black. Also, I do like the formula on this mascara. It's not blow your face off amazing length or volume, but it's solidly good... I think I might have to invest in the value pack at Sephora that comes with the Subversion primer. We'll see!
I got this at Winners for a pretty incredible $9.99. I know it only retailed for $20... but still. I feel like this palette for $10 is an absolutely amazing steal and I've been using it really consistently since I got it. Sometimes Winners has amazing finds if you show up on the right day and get lucky. This small palette contains 6 shadows (Sugar, Fawn, Barefoot, Buff, Mink, & Dolce), a Kitten all over shimmer, and the Convertible Color in Lily. I swear, in a pinch, this might become the palette that I throw in my bag when I need to downsize for short term travel. I feel like I could get a lot of looks from the eyeshadows, Kitten is a beautiful highlight, and the Lily Convertible Color really does look pretty on the cheeks - On the lips, it's a little too frosty for my liking, but on the cheeks it translates to a pretty, subtle glow. This is probably my best find in a while. Thank you, Winners!
6. Eva NYC Freshen Up Dry Shampoo
I reviewed this product at the very beginning of this month and I have to say that I'm definitely still loving it... and admittedly, every time I'm in Winners I check to see if they have another bottle because I don't necessarily want to have to order my repurchase online. Have I mentioned just how much I wish we had Ulta here? Anyway, this dry shampoo is really great. I actually like to spray it at my roots before bed and leave it on over night. I feel like this is probably the way that I should be applying all dry shampoos, because it ends up being easier to work with and gives a more natural type look in the morning. Seriously, though, I recommend trying out this dry shampoo. I really do.
NON-BEAUTY FAVORITES
1. Poo-Pourri
Not gonna lie... I wanted to buy this for a while. Also not gonna lie about the fact that I have yet to meet a man who sees the brilliance of this product. Basically you spray it on the water in your toilet bowl and it makes the room smell like clean instead of... bad smells. I underestimated how much it's weird to type about this when I chose it as a favorite. BUT WE SOLDIER ON. I picked this up at my favorite all natural, good for the environment kiosk here in Winnipeg called Generation Green, but it's also available online. One of the things that I love about this is that it's a natural blend of essential oils, so it's not bad for the environment to flush it. Also, the original scent is Bergamot, Lemongrass and Grapefruit, so it smells like fresh and clean all up in your bathroom. I really wish I'd had a bottle of this a year ago when I first started dating my boyfriend....
2. Soy Lattes
So... I'm a bit of a coffee junkie. Okay, not a bit of a coffee junkie. I'm a huge coffee junkie and have been for years. Lately, I've been trying to replace some of my daily coffees with healthier teas, but I still need my morning coffee to get me going (and to ward off the addiction headaches... I know.) Recently, I decided that I was going to give up milk, because I felt like it was giving me stomach issues as well as skin issues and I just wanted to see if leaving cow milk behind me would help that. It has been. But I had to replace my morning latte with a non-dairy option and I'm officially a changed woman. Now, I know that too much of any milk alternative can be bad for you as well... but I figure a soy latte a day isn't at all excessive. And it is delicious. So, so very delicious. So bring on all the soy lattes!
3. #HeyUSA
So. I love these women. I've loved Grace Helbig ever since the first time I watched her make Funfetti Brownies and I just keep on loving her. But Mamrie Hart? Oh lady, I love me some Mamrie. I know that I'm not alone in the world of Internets who love these two, so I know I'm not the only one who went on a tear watching all the Youtubes of these 2 traveling across the US this summer. And I know I'm not theonly one who can't wait to see whole episodes of it coming this October. Look for it to probably be an October favorite too. Just saying. Go watch. Laugh. Have yourself a drink. Whatevs. Also, if you like these two and their cohort Hannah Hart, go watch Camp Takota... because I've watched it 4 times this month. Because I love movies about sarcasm and romance and camp, mmk?
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