March Favorites 2015

I seem to have a lot of nail related products as my favorite for last month. I think it's because I've found my perfect combo of base coat, top coat, and remover so it makes the process of doing my nails so much better. I've been pretty good about not purchasing too many makeup items which is why there's an absence of them for March. 

•  Soy Iced Latte Candle. I normally am not a fan of candles that smell like food, but I love a good coffee/espresso candle. It's just like being a coffee shop! Target has their own line of candles that aren't too pricey that I always purchase. They've been good about adding new scents to the collection, and this iced latte one is one of them. It's about the same size as the Bath and Body Works 3-wick candle for half the price. The only downside is that it only has 1 wick so it doesn't burn as evenly as I'd like. Other than that it's amazing. Definitely my favorite scent from that range. It comes in an even bigger size too! (Target doesn't list all these candles on their website, but they do have the Sugar Blossom one on there. I also highly recommend that one if you want something light and fresh. The full range is almost always fully stocked in stores).
• Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Top Coat. I originally bought this in conjunction with one of their miracle gel color line polishes. It worked decently but I wasn't a big fan of the huge packaging. I decided to try just the top coat along with my other polishes from O.P.I and Essie, and it's actually become my new favorite top coat. It's so easy to apply since the brush is on the wider side so usually one or two quick strokes is all you need. On top of that it lengthens the time of my manicures. There is some slight chipping since I'm always typing on a keyboard, but so little you can't tell unless you're examining your nails up close.

•  Essie Topless and Barefoot Nail Polish. I think because there has been more surgery days and it has forced me to be more neutral about my polish colors, I've actually come to enjoy them. I'm not one to wear the same color twice in a row, but I pretty much wore only this all of March. Along with the Sally Hansen top coat it has been my go-to manicure all last month.

•  Zoya 3-in-1 Polish Remover. I've been meaning to try this nail polish remover for a while now and finally picked it up from Ulta a few months ago. I always end up with half used polish removers, but this is the only one I've been reaching for lately. It does a great job of removing my polish, and its smell is not offensive. One of the main reasons why I like to use this is for its pump. I can't count how many times I've accidentally knocked over a polish remover bottle. The pump makes it easy to just take a cotton round and soak the remover onto the pad without having to pick up the entire bottle.
• L'oreal Elnett Satin Extra Strong Hold Hairspray. The only time I put products in my hair is when I'm using a hair serum. Other than that I prefer to keep my hair product-free. Lately though I've been straightening my hair due to its length and the little baby hairs that stick up around my face have been bugging me like no other! I bought the mini size of this a long time ago just to have on hand, but I've started to use this pretty regularly.. I basically spray some into my hand and use it to pat down any hairs that are sticking up.

•  Shashi Lilu Bracelet. This is another old favorite that has come into rotation again. It's a simple, delicate bead bracelet with colorful, miniature tassels adorned all around. It's easy to wear by itself, but also looks great stacked up with other bracelets and even watches. Unfortunately it looks like the clear beaded version of this bracelet is no longer available, but Shashi still makes this exact item just in different colors. (I'm actually wearing this in my most recent Instagram post even though it's a little hard to tell).

• Michael Kors Stacked Pyramid Pave Ring. Most of the jewelry that my boyfriend has gifted to me I've picked out myself. His taste in jewelry and my taste in jewelry is very different. We've been together long enough where if I like something I'll show him and he'll keep it in mind for a future gift-giving-occasion. You won't believe how surprised I was when he actually picked out this MK ring HIMSELF. He knows I do like the whole pyramid/studded design which is why he ended up getting me this. I love how it's a statement piece, but you can subdue it by taking out two of the pieces. You can also wear it with the band (with the logo on it) facing upright or upside down. He did good folks.

February Favorites 2015

I thought I would bring back these monthly favorite posts since I tend to shop too much and love trying new things. So why not share them on here? (Ironically I noticed the last time I did this was February as well...but two years ago, oops).

• Where'd You Go Bernadette by Maria Semple. I actually first noticed this book because of its cover. And this was before I even saw it in full color since it was one of the covers on my Kindle box when I first received it. My friend started reading it (and never finished) but she did rave about it so I decided to pick it up when I was feeling in the mood for a real, physical book. It was a pretty easy read for me so that was nice. Not too heavy but entertaining. Most of the book is written via correspondence between all the different characters. The narrator's mom (who is Bernadette) is hilarious. Definitely my favorite character throughout the novel.
• Symphonized Noise Isolating Headphones. Small, portable headphones that also isolate noise are a must for a public transportation commuter like me. I live pretty far from work so I have to get up extra early to arrive on time. Every morning I try to at least get some more sleep on my train ride, though it gets difficult when the moving train makes so much noise. I never cared about noise isolating headphones till I started commuting. Now I can't survive without them. I used to use these white Skull Candy ones that I was obsessed with, but after having to re-purchase them for a second time after they broke I decided to look into a different brand. I saw all the good reviews on Amazon and for the price I couldn't pass them up! They are made out of genuine wood and on top of looking pretty darn cool they work amazing. The only gripe I have with them is that they don't have volume control. This is a bummer since I try to keep my phone tucked away on the train (I've seen way too many people have their phones snatched). 
• Ariella Collection Crystal Ear Jackets. I have been looking for some ear jacket earrings ever since they started becoming popular. I know Bauble Bar usually has a good collection, but never got around to making an order since the ones I had my eye on were always sold out. I decided to browse through Nordstrom's earrings when I was making an online order and saw these. I had never heard of the brand before, but they appealed to me right away. I have pretty much been wearing them every single day since I've gotten them. I have never gotten more compliments on a pair of earrings until I got these (the fact that my hair is shorter probably helps too). They aren't too flashy that I can't wear them to work, but are noticeable enough that I've gotten comments on them from patients, coworkers, and other strangers alike.
• Laneige Multi-Cleanser. I originally was buying a cream from this brand for my mom at Target when they happened to be having a special where if you bought something from Laneige you got a free mini sample set. In it happened to be this cleanser. I'm pretty happy with my Cetaphil cleanser but decided to try this out one evening after I had finished taking most of my makeup off with a wipe. The description claims to "melt away sunscreen and makeup." Most cleansers that state this are usually too harsh and drying for my skin, but this one didn't give me any of those side effects. It almost gives your skin a squeaky-clean feeling without making it feel too stripped of essential oils. The cleanser does contain "exfoliating papaya" but I wouldn't recommend it if you're just interested in an exfoliater since the papaya dissolves pretty rapidly. I don't mind since I have a separate cleanser I use just for that and I don't want my main cleanser to have that property anyways. I now switch off between this and my Cetaphil cleanser.
• NatureBox Strawberry Greek Yogurt Pretzels. I've had a subscription to this company for a while since I love snacking. I try not to get them every month though since I'm the only one who's usually eating them and it takes me a while to get through them. I recently made a new order after not getting a shipment in a while and loved these pretzels. They are just the right amount of sweet and crunchy. I almost finished the whole bag in one day...(You can find promo codes online if you're interested in signing up for NatureBox. I also am able to send three invites to anyone interested in joining where you can get a free deluxe box [the size I get] for the first month).

February 2013 Favorites

I thought it would be a good idea to start doing these every month since I'm always buying new beauty products. I tried to be a bit better this month, but obviously that didn't happen (okay maybe two of these were from the end of January so that isn't as bad, right?).

 

I've decided to be better about wearing sunscreen if I'm going outside at all, especially now that it's getting warmer and sunnier. I asked for some recommendations and my friend tweeted me about the Ole Henriksen Protect The Truth SPF 50+ sunscreen. I've been using it pretty consistently and I love it, which is pretty rare for me to say about a sunscreen. It does have that "sunscreen-y" consistency but it actually smells quite nice; it has a light citrus-y smell that disappears after application. Overall definitely one of the better high-end products I've bought. 

I've been loving the Maybelline Instant Age Rewind concealer (even if it is a shade too light for me). I don't really have blemishes to cover up but I do tend to get dark circles. I've found that the past couple concealers that I've tried are just not moisturizing enough for me but this one is great. Plus the applicator gets just the right amount of product out.

 

I should have just stuck with the one concealer but so many people had been raving about the Revlon Photo Ready Concealer that I had to pick it up. I made the mistake of going too light with the first one so of course in the Revlon one I went a shade too dark. It's not horrible but I feel like this color would work better for covering up blemishes (which I don't really have -- the only pro about having drier skin). I don't know if I love it better than the Maybelline one to repurchase once I'm done though. It's definitely not as creamy so it takes a bit more work if you're trying to use this as just an undereye concealer.

And here comes the beginning of the lip products...So first off I tried to be good (again, fail) and stop my obsession, but this Rimmel Moisture Renew Lipstick in Vintage Pink is so different from any other color that I decided it was okay. I've only tried this line one other time (in an even darker color) and I do really like the formula of it. I find it very hydrating which is a must for my lips but this line has mainly lipstick colors that have shimmer in them, which just doesn't work for me.

 

I never thought much about Too Faced's lipsticks until I heard Jen from From Head to Toe raving about it recently in her favorites video. I'm always on the lookout for that magical, moisturizing lipstick that won't make my lips drier. So I picked up the Too Faced La Crème Lipstick in Spice Spice Baby (the same one Jen has), and I think for the price it's a great high-end lip product. The packaging, including the box, is gorgeous and the colors are so pigmented. This color is definitely a my-lips-but-better color, which I've heard their lipsticks are great for. I might go pick up another color if I end up wearing this often.  

 

I rarely find lipglosses that I love but this one is my favorite one out of my entire collection as of now. I tried a NYX lipgloss a couple months ago and remembered not liking it (and returned it). I decided to give it a second chance and picked up the NYX Lipgloss with Mega Shine in Beige. I know it's weird that it's called that when it's clearly pink, but it's that wonderfully nude/pink that I've been looking for. I love it on it's own or paired on top of a lipstick.

And just for a random little favorite of the month, it would be this new game/app that I've downloaded called Fun Run. It's available both on the iOS and Android, and it's ridiculously addicting. I was crazy for Mario Kart when I was a kid so this game is right up my alley.