September Empties

True to my word in my August empties post, I'm back with September's empties! It makes me happy to get rid of my literal bag of garbage aka empties underneath my vanity more than 3 times a year. As you can see, I go through skincare items much more frequently than makeup items thanks to single use sheet masks. I haven't been sheet masking as often as I'd like...I need to get back into the habit! (...because I have an entire drawer stuffed with masks!)

Recent Repuchases

There's always an emphasis on the new new in the beauty community - I fall victim to it as well. I love new items, but I also like hearing about staples that are bought time and time again. Here are my recently repurchased products - still technically a "haul," but a haul of tried and true products.

November Sephora Play! Box

My November box got caught up in the whirlwind of moving and address forwarding. I got it about a week before I got my December box, so it was sort of like a double dose of new things! (Alongside some frustration, the post office had it for a week and didn't try to deliver it.) November's theme was "Best In Glow" - the products had a theme of illuminated skin and glossy lips for the start of winter. I actually got a couple of items I was excited about, and one I was THRILLED to get, so let's talk about them!

December 2015 Favorites

Now that the whirlwind holiday season is over - it's time to get back to business! Here are my favorites from the month of December.

1. Sixteen92 Detangling Hair Mist in Maple Pecan Shortbread - This is my second bottle of detangling spray from Sixteen92. I haven't finished the first, I just wanted a fall/winter scent. This spray is light, and is able to ease the job of combing out my very fine hair. I have to use more spray than I'd like to get the job done, but the product does not weigh my hair down. The scent isn't overly strong, and fades pretty quickly (especially as I blow dry my hair.) I really like this spray, and seeing as I already have two, I'll probably purchase more!
2. Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed in Moonstone - I have a ton of highlighters, I won't deny it. However, I've been reaching for this one most often. It's a mini size, which is perfect, as I have too many highlighters to begin with. Also, a little bit of this product goes a long way! It's very shimmery, but can be blended out easily. I also have Moonstone in the liquid formula (also in the smaller size!) and I feel it's a perfect highlight shade for my skin tone.
3. Burberry Light Glow Natural Blush in Cameo Blush No. 2 - I received this for Christmas, and have been using it almost daily since! In the pan, it seems like a bright almost baby pink, but sheered out on the skin it's a much more natural, flushed shade. It's buildable, but I haven't built it up to the pan shade yet, which is not exactly what I'm looking for. It applies and blends like a dream, and I love the heavy, luxe packaging. I don't really need more blush in my collection, but I have my eye on the Earthy shade in this collection next.
4. Stila eyeshadow in Kitten - I'm a big fan of champagne eyeshadow shades...almost as much as I love rose gold. Kitten is great built up on the lid for a shimmery pop, or for an all over wash of color. It also looks wonderful when foiled with a spritz of water and then applied to the lid. A little goes a long way, so if you have this in a palette, even better!
5. Laura Mercier Caviar Stick in Sugar Frost - This is my go to inner corner highlight shade. You can just swipe it on and go. Unfortunately, I have had some issues with this formula creasing when applied all over the lid, which is why my new default shadow sticks are the By Terry Ombre Blackstars. I'm intent on finishing this one though, since it's so perfect for the inner corner!

VIB Rouge 20% Off Sale Haul

So, as you can see, my Rouge sale haul was very conservative. I'm currently involved in like three gift exchanges, plus with Christmas around the corner, I really didn't want to pick up any ideal gifts that I may receive. I really wanted the Kat von D Mi Vida Loca palette, but it was sold out. I'm not pursuing it, since it clearly isn't meant to be. My coupon did not go to waste, however, as a friend was in from the UK and I let her use the coupon because really, what timing!

Of course, the two items I did pick up were things I cleary don't need. I have a ton of powders at the moment, but I always hear really great things about the Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder. I wanted to get the smaller size, but alas, the store I was at only had the large! (I didn't order online since I was leaving on a trip and didn't want an appealing Sephora box outside my door all week.) I'm really loving the powder so far. It's silky and a little goes a long way. It's also helping keep the shine at bay for longer! But some credit may need to go to my new primer, Givenchy Mister Mat. I've gotten so many new primers lately, but I'm really liking this! It glides on easily and foundation doesn't clump to it, unlike some other matte primers I've been using. I'm slowly testing it with all of my foundations, and so far, so good! (Really, as long as it works with YSL Teint Touche Eclat, I am happy.)

I'm really glad I didn't go overboard with the sale this time around. I honestly have SO MUCH STUFF that I don't need more. But I've been working these into my current lineup, and I am very very happy with my choices. What did you pick up at the sale - did you go all in, or keep it simple?

Laura Mercier Caviar Stick in Moonlight - Review

When this shade of Caviar Stick came out, it was love at first sight. I waited a while to pick it up though, and I got it during the spring Sephora sale!

Moonlight is listed as a "metallic champagne beige." Metallic is definitely the word to describe the formula, it is very shiny, very reflective. However, the champagne beige portion of the shade is an understatement - when swatched, there's something deeper to the shade that is really quite appealing. For the uninitiated, Caviar Sticks are a cream eyeshadow product in a twist up pencil like packaging. They can be applied straight from the tube onto the lid, and then blended out with your finger or a brush. When I used this, I applied from the tube to a primed eyelid (NARS Smudgeproof primer) and blended out with a finger. I find that applying cream shadow sticks over a base powder shadow hinders blending ability. The Moonlight Caviar Stick applied evenly and blended easily. When blended, the shade just became a little less metallic, but still very sparkly!

Unfortunately, I noticed creasing after about four hours of wear, even with a primer. This has been a common occurrence with my Caviar Sticks. To be honest, I wouldn't have even purchased this one had there been a similar shade available in the By Terry Ombre Blackstar formula but alas - there was not! This will probably be my last Caviar Stick. The shade is gorgeous, but for $28 I don't like that there is creasing over a primer that I know works for me. 

Pros:

• Very pigmented
• Blends easily
• Easy application
• Twist up product

Cons:

• Creased after about 4 hours with primer.

Laura Mercier Caviar Stick in Moonlight - $28.00 for 0.05 oz

Review - 3/5

January 2015 Favorites

We're a few days into February, so it's time to talk about my favorite products from last month! I'm including some old favorites, as well as some new products I received over the holidays that I fell in love with!

1. Guerlain Meteorites Pearls in 02 Clair - I got a "deluxe mini" of these from Sephora earlier in the year (it was one of each pearl. Thanks, Sephora...) and really liked them, so I added the full size to my Christmas wishlist - and Santa delivered! I love how luxe the packaging is, it looks so pretty sitting on my vanity. I use these as a finishing powder, and brush on lightly with a fan brush for a light glow. The powder also blurs any small imperfections that may not have been addressed by the thousand other products on my face! The price tag may be a little much, but I have used this daily since I got it, and haven't seen any signs of product usage.

2. Laura Mercier Caviar Stick in Sugar Frost - I'm on the fence about LM products after I read her rude remarks about Americans and makeup. (I could definitely rant, but now is not the time!) However, I have a couple of the Caviar Sticks and really like them, especially Sugar Frost. It's literally the easiest inner corner eye highlight I have ever used. Smudge it on and go! This blends out nicely, so you can either concentrate it for a more definied highlight, or sheer it out for a nice inner corner glow. 

3. Koko Lashes #103 - I received these as a gift for Christmas, and I LOVE them! They are reminiscent of my favorite Au Naturale lashes, but they apparently much cheaper. I did a full review of these lashes here, so I won't gush on about these for too long. They will apparently be sold at IMATS NY, so I am excited to get a few more pairs!

4. Lit Cosmetics glitter in Barbie Shops - I mentioned in another post that I'm on a total glitter kick lately. Barbie Shops is the perfect glitter to dab into the inner corner for a bit of extra sparkle, especially if where you are going isn't super glitter friendly. I also love to layer this on top of more neutral looks, as it adds a wonderful kick of shimmer to amp up a boring nude eye.

5. Bite Beauty High Pigment Lip Pencil in Rhubarb - I honestly don't know how I've gone so long without adding this to a favorites list. This was my first Bite product, and it is still my favorite. This is a great My Lips But Better shade for me, and the formula is to die for. I am to finish the mini size I have of this pencil this year, and I will definitely be repurchasing it in a full size. This would probably be on a desert island product list if I were to ever make such a thing.