April Favorites

April 30, 2016

I told you in my Lovin' Lately post earlier in the month that I was going to have a monstrosity of a post for my April Favorites, so here I am. April was a good month for me. Between my Kylie lip kits being delivered, my birthday, and the Sephora VIB Sale, I tried a lot of new things. And remarkably, I loved pretty much everything.

I've only got one skincare favorite, so let's start there. This month I was sent a lovely package full of goodies from Purlisse, and so far the standout has been the Pur~Delicate Gentle Soy Milk Cleanser*. This is a perfect cleanser for both the morning and evening for me. It doesn't foam up, so it doesn't strip the skin, and it's just a nice gentle daily cleanser. It'll also remove non-waterproof makeup which is a plus.

I wrote up a full review on the three shades of the Kylie Lip Kits I got late last month, and they really are worth the hype for me. Candy K is my favorite so far of the three I got, and it's just a lovely, incredibly long-lasting formula.

I've got two eye favorites, one I picked up with a birthday gift card and the other I got in the Sephora sale. I've been wanting a Burberry Wet & Dry Silk Shadow for the longest time, so once I had a Sephora giftcard in my pocket I took the plunge. I ended up getting the shade Rosewood, which is just a perfect rosy taupe shade that's good for everyday. The formula of this is UNREAL - it's probably the softest, creamiest (powder) eyeshadow I've ever tried. The other bit for the eyes I've been loving is the Milk Makeup Ubame Mascara in Inked. I wrote about my first impressions of Milk Makeup products here, and I think the mascara is so far the standout for me. It's got the perfect amount of drama for everyday without being too over-the-top, and the unique wand catches and coats every lash.

Speaking of Milk Makeup, I also want to mention their Matte Bronzer in Baked. This is what started my obsession with the brand - I've really been into bronzers lately, and this cream version is right up my alley. It's the perfect shade and blends unbelievably easily, leaving a lovely sunkissed glow to the skin.

My last two makeup products are all about the glow. I finally got my hands on the BECCA Backlight Priming Filter (with the same gift card I used on that Burberry eyeshadow), and I've been obsessed ever since. It adds such a beautiful glow to the skin, and I've been loving wearing it on its own, under base products, and mixed into my base products. It's really quite versatile. The last makeup bit was of course going to end up here - the Tom Ford Skin Illuminating Powder Duo in Moodlight is just stunning, isn't it? It looks even more stunning on the skin. I've been using both shades pretty much all over to pretty much look like a beacon of glowing skin. I'm in love. To apply this I've been loving the NARS Yachiyo Kabuki Brush, which I got for my birthday as well. It's the perfect shape and size for applying pretty much all cheek products - I've been using it for powder blushes, bronzers, and highlights.

My last favorite of the month is the Calvin Klein CK2 Fragrance. I talked about this in my Birthday Haul, but it's really such a perfect spring fragrance. It's not floral like all the other perfumes I own, but it still smells quite fresh and green - something about it reminds me of freshly cut grass. It settles down to a more masculine scent which I still really love - I've been trying to refrain from dousing myself in this 24/7.

What were your favorites this month?

Brows on Point with Billion Dollar Brows

April 28, 2016

It seems that more and more brands are catching on to the fact that micro pencils are some of the best tools for defining the brows. I've been loyal to them ever since I tried the Anastasia Brow Wiz, so when I got the chance to try the new Brows on Point Micro Pencil* from Billion Dollar Brows, I jumped at the chance to compare.

The Brows on Point Micro Pencil comes in four shades: Blonde, Light Brown, Taupe, and Raven. Although this seems like a small selection, the colors are quite versatile and I can imagine them suiting a wide range of people. I've tried all four colors on my own brows, and they are all pretty wearable. Blonde is the perfect light ashy brown - I'm not blonde, but this is perfect when I want a lighter/more natural brow. Light Brown is the only one I have some trouble with, as it's a bit warm for me. It will be perfect on those with red hair or warm-toned hair in general. Taupe is probably the perfect shade for me, as it's a true cool-toned brown. Raven is a deeper version of Taupe, perfect for those with the deepest hair colors.

The pencils are softer than the Brow Wiz, I find, though this makes it a lot easier to customize and control the color you get. It's why the four shades can fit so many hair colors - you can apply with light pressure to get a paler shade, or use more pressure to get more color payoff. I thought the Raven shade would look too dark and unnatural on me, but when a light hand, it still is a nice shade for me. I have a few spots in my brows that products usually don't like to stick to, but these pencils did with no problem - I think it comes down to the softer, less waxy texture. It flawlessly glides on so I find it super easy to apply, and even on rushed mornings I can still have nicely defined brows. I've found they last just as well as the other waterproof brow pencils I've tried - my brows look the same when I wash my makeup off at night as they did when I applied my makeup in the morning. I'm super excited to have found yet another dupe for the Brow Wiz, and I really think that the Billion Dollar Brows Taupe shade suits me better than my usual shade in the Brow Wiz!

Have you tried the new Brows on Point Micro Pencil? What's your preferred brow product - pencil, powder, or pomade?

*This post has been sponsored by BrandBacker, but all opinions are my own. See my disclaimer for more info.

The Face Oil Roundup

April 26, 2016

Over the past few months, I've really come to realize that face oils are kind of my jam. As someone prone to dryness and tightness of the skin, face oils just give instant relief and leave my skin looking radiant and feeling thoroughly nourished. Of course I've ended up with more than I'll probably ever need for just having one face, but they all serve a purpose and have a respected place in my collection.

THE OVERNIGHT WARRIOR | You had to know I'd start with a rave of the Sunday Riley Luna Sleeping Night Oil, right? I've gone on and on about how much I love this stuff. It's neither too thick nor too thin, so I can instantly feel it moisturizing my skin, but I can still top it off with a layer of their Tidal Cream without it feeling too heavy. When I use this at night I just wake up with more even-toned and less-red skin. I definitely can get away with wearing little to no base products when I've used this, so it's definitely worth the hype and price tag to me.

THE SKIN SOFTENER | A new addition to my collection that I've fallen for rapidly is the Marie D'Argan 100% Pure Argan Oil.* I dabbled with the famous Josie Maran option a couple years ago but didn't really understand the hype (maybe it's because I had the light version). But this one I can get behind. I've only been using it for a few days, but I can already tell it's going to be a staple. My skin instantly feels so soft after I apply this - softer than any other oil/skincare product I've tried. Again, this is a perfect consistency, not so light that it sinks in without nourishing, but not so heavy that I'm afraid I'm going to break out.

THE JUICY ONE | There has been a good amount of hype around Clarins's face oils, and the one I'm in love with is the Blue Orchid Face Treatment Oil.* It does have a strong scent (from the patchouli oil it contains), but it's definitely the most moisturizing of all the oils I own. It's the one I reached for the most during the winter when my skin was absolutely parched, and it always leaves my skin with the nicest dewy glow that's not greasy at all.

THE SOOTHING ONE | The gentlest oil I have in my collection is most definitely the Indie Lee Squalene Facial Oil. It's quite lightweight, so it's one I like to mix in with moisturizers or foundations to give them a little more oomph. It's also the one I always reach for after I've done a more rigorous exfoliating treatment. I just feel like it instantly gets to work in calming down the skin. This is one of my favorites to reach for in the summertime - its lightweight formula and its ability to soothe my irritated skin make it perfect.

THE EVERYDAY PICK | I pretty much reach for these all equally often, but the one I feel like I can use no matter how my skin is feeling is the Pixi Rose Oil Blend - it really does seem to be a "one size fits all" kind of product. It kind of does it all - it's quite soothing due to the rose oils, as well as super moisturizing. When I'm in doubt about what oil to use, I'll always grab this one without a second thought. My skin just drinks this stuff up, and I know I'll definitely be going through multiple bottles of this as long as it's part of the Pixi Skintreats line.

What are your favorite facial oils?

*Some products mentioned have been sent to me for consideration, but all opinions are my own. Please see my disclaimer for more information.