February Favorites

It's that time again! Monthly Faves! I filmed my February Favorites video yesterday, not realizing that my camera was out of focus the whole time! Ugh. Sooo, this blog is dedicated to all the stand-out products that I could not stop using for the month of February! And I am still using most, if not all, of my January Faves. You can watch that video here.

Mario Badescu Ceramide Herbal Eye Cream, $18 at Ulta

I had been on the hunt for a new eye cream for some time. I had heard so many wonderful things about this line, so I was dying to try one of the eye creams. I decided to go with this one because it helps reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles (never too early to start!) and leave a youthful glow around the eye area. It's super moisturizing but not greasy. It's practically non-fragrant, if anything it just smells clean. I love smelly goodness (you know what I mean) as much as the next gal, but I can be sensitive to strong smells, so when I'm going to bed at night I definitely prefer the clean scent over anything else. If you are on the market for a new eye cream or any skincare product for that matter, I highly recommend the Mario Badescu line!

Stila Eyeshadow in Kitten, $18 at Ulta

Kitten is Stila's award-winning eyeshadow, and now I know why! I've debated on this shadow for a long time. I originally thought the color was nothing special. I have so many nude/champagne colors, so how could this one be any different? Well, it is! The formula is so smooth and creamy. It literally feels like butter! This eyeshadow can also double as a brow bone or cheek bone highlight. If you have been on the fence about whether or not to get this eyeshadow, stop what you are doing and GO GET IT! One word of caution, one of the reasons this shadow is so amazing is that it is so finely milled. That means if you drop this shadow, even from a foot above ground, it will shatter everywhere! Just be extremely careful. This product is worth every penny! I can't say enough good things about it (obviously!). 

MAC Eyeshadow in Brown Script, $15 at MAC 

Brown Script is a stunningly unique, burnt brown with a hint of orange that will look great on all eye colors, but it will especially amazing on blue eyes. Although this is a matte shade, it is very creamy and blendable. This is a perfect transition color or you can you use it all over the lid and through the crease as I did in my GRWM here. Warm shadows are so flattering and this one in particular is so versatile. I have found myself reaching for it all month!

Elf Studio Blush in Mellow Mauve, $3 at ELF (I bought mine at Target for the same price)

This blush is a beautiful every day color. It has the perfect hint of pink (but not overpowering) to give the most natural flush. I've heard others complain that it doesn't last long on them. While it's not the most long-wearing, it does last through my work day, which is all I really want from a day-to-day product. And it's $3. You really can't beat that the price! I've used it my last couple videos, including my Valentine's tutorial here. 

NARS Bronzing Powder in Laguna, $38 at Sephora

I finally understand what all the hype is about. Although this bronzer swatches with tiny golden flecks, don't be scared! The slight shimmer (which cannot be detected on the face when applied with a large powder brush) gives more of a satin finish making it super easy to blend. It's versatile enough to give a sun-kissed effect or to sculpt your cheekbones and contours of your face. While the ELF version may be often referred to as a dupe for Laguna, there is definitely a difference in quality. If you have the extra cash, I'd recommend Laguna for sure!

Essence Match 2 Cover Cream Concealer, $3.49 at Ulta

This concealer was my savior this month when I had a rare hormonal breakout. The breakout came out of nowhere while I was out and about. I stopped by Ulta and snatched this baby up to hopefully mask the awful blemishes. Is this the best concealer I've ever used? No. But, it gets the job done and it's the perfect size to throw in your purse to reapply as needed. I also used the lighter shade to brighten up the undereye area if I started looking tired throughout the day. The only drawback is this is the only shade. If you're outside of the NC/NW 15-30ish range, you probably want to skip out on this product. 

NYX Butter Lipstick in Fun Size, $5.99 at Ulta 

I am a huge fan of NYX lippies, so of course my interest was peaked when they released their new Butter Lipsticks. My Ulta was very picked over, so this was the only shade that was super appealing to me. I love the formula; it's super moisturizing and gives a nice wash of color. I have really enjoyed pairing it with my next favorite... Can't wait to pick up more shades!

NYX Butter Gloss in Eclair, $4.99 at Ulta

If you have watched any of my previous videos, you know I am not the biggest lip gloss fan. I heard that the Butter Glosses were amazing, so I had to try one myself. I am officially obsessed! It smells so sweet and delicious, and it looks good on top of any nude or pink lipstick. The best part? It goes on sooo smoothly! It feels so comfortable on the lips, not sticky like some drugstore glosses. I've been pairing it often with MAC's Creme Cup. It's the perfect soft, nudey-pink. I can't wait to try other shades!

Anastasia of Beverly Hills Brow Wiz in Soft Brown, $21 at Sephora (also available at Ulta)

I have never been a huge believer in brow products. If you've seen any of my videos, you will know I used to use eyeshadows to fill in my brows. Occasionally, I would use the Rimmel London Professional Eyebrow Pencils in Hazel and Dark Brown. While those are fine, there is no comparison to Anastasia's Brow Wiz. This pencil is seriously life-changing! It's a double-ended product with a handy-dandy spoolie on one end. The pencil is so tiny that it effortlessly mocks the effect of tiny hairs. It's so easy to fill in any sparse areas for a natural brow or define the edges for a more dramatic look. I love this product and will definitely be trying some of her other brow products (I have my eye on the dipbrow). 

Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Nail Polish in In Prompt Blue, (price varies) at Target or any drugstore

I have been eyeing Essie's Butler Please for quite some time, but I just haven't been impressed with Essie's formula. What do you think? This color is a nearly exact dupe (from what I can tell in the bottle) and it is gorgeous! It goes on so smoothly and pigmented. I used two coats and a top coat. My only complaint? It is not long-wearing. At all. You can see that after 48 hours, there is already substantial chipping. Is Butler Please worth the $8.50? Let me know what you think? I still love the color!!

L'Oreal Volume Filler Thickening Shampoo & Conditioner, Volume Filler, & Boost It High Lift Creation Spray, (price varies) at Target (usually the cheaper option) or any drugstore

This line is made specifically for thin, fine hair (yes, please!) so obviously I wanted to try every product I could find. The shampoo & conditioner claim to give you the feeling of 2x more hair. Hate to burst your bubble, but not so much. It is somewhat volumizing, especially when you use the volume filler. The box comes with three volume filler tubes to use in combination with the conditioner once a week for three weeks. It says to mix the entire tube with conditioner, but I have found that it's too much for my hair length. I use half of the tube one day and the other half the next. The conditioner is super lightweight so as not to weigh down your hair, so you'll definitely need to deep condition once or twice a week to make sure to rehydrate your hair. 

The Boost It High Lift Creation Spray is supposed to give instant lift and fullness, while giving the backcombing (teasing) effect without actually having to backcomb. While it does give volume, I still find that I need to tease my crown area to achieve the lift I want. This is a great affordable option to my CHI Magnified Volume Finishing Spray that I featured in my January Favorites.

Overall, I'm really enjoying the line (at least these products), and the added volume I get, especially from the Boost It spray. 

What have you been loving this month?

xoxo.