February 2014 Favorites

The unbearable cold temperatures continued in February 2014 here in Michigan. I have been trying out some new products and also really loving some other products. his month because of the unbearably cold temperatures, my makeup looks have been pretty simple. The second I step outside, my eyes water uncontrollably and I feel my lips becoming more chapped by the second. My skin is painfully dry from having the heat on high, its overall in need for a simplified makeup look.

L'Occitane Ultra Rich Face Cream - This is a repeat favorite. I usually wear it every other day just because it is so extremely expensive without any "anti-aging" benefits. I will continue to use this, and I imagine that if my skin is so dehydrated again I would repurchase. I use just a small amount and so I still have a little over half the jar left. Once again I must say that this the most luxurious and truly hydrating moisturizer I have ever used.

Tarte Maracuja C-Brighter Eye Treatment - I picked up the full-size of this product this month. I am not one usually to jump to conclusions, but within days of starting to wear this I noticed a decrease in my my fine lines under my eyes. I am very impressed. I actually picked this up with the the Tarte bright eyed & beautified eye enhancing tool which is a tool that uses vibrations to better work the product into your skin, it is supposed to be similar to much more expensive products like the Opal. I am not sure if this is part of the remarkable turn around in my under eye fine lines but either way I will continue to enjoy the results. This eye cream is not too thick and has a nice smooth texture. I do not find it irritating my eyes, which are quite sensitive. 

Nivea Milk & Honey Lipbalm - This is another repeat favorite. It really helps to keep my lips nourished in this bitter cold. I do not find it sticky or thick and I love to apply it at night before going to bed. I tend to wear color products during the day, so I like to have this to restore my lip moisture while I sleep. I will be repurchasing this once I finish it up. 

Tarte Colored Clay SPF 15 Liquid Foundation in Fair - I recently picked up this new Tarte foundation, that is currently only available through QVC as part of a kit. I really enjoy the QVC Tarte kits because the value is usually pretty great. As of now, this foundation is not available to be purchased on its own. It is a liquid foundation in a jar packaging, which is not the most convenient and I have not taken it on the go a a result. But since I received this at the beginning of February, I have used it most days that I do my makeup at home. I find that is extremely lightweight feeling but provides very good coverage. I find that it looks very full-coverage. I am still trying to find the perfect primer to wear under it, as I do find with some primers it will sit in pores. I do think that the foundation looks better as the day goes on typically.

Wet N Wild Fergie Take on the Day Eyeshadow Primer and MAC Paint Pot in Painterly - Another repeat. This combo has been keeping my eyeshadow perfect through very long days. I do not find the same result using just one or the other. I find that the eyeshadows look just as vibrant 12+ hours after I put the makeup on and I find that this combo doesn't leave my eyelids feeling dry or irritated, which is always a positive. If I don't have time to put eyeshadow over, I will just wear this combo to create a nice blank canvas to my eyelids. 

Benefit Velvet Eyeshadow in Fawn Over Me - This is an older eyeshadow I have had for quite some time. I am really upset that this is no longer a part of the Benefit shadow lineup. I have had this eyeshadow since approximately 2009 when it came out and its one of those eyeshadows that I forget about and then pull back about and rediscover my complete love for it. The texture is soft but not crumbly and it wears really well.

Benefit Velvet Eyeshadow in I Cannes & I Will! and Wet N Wild Color Icon in Brulee - This has been my go to eyeshadow look. I love the look of a completely matte and nude beige lid with the plum with gold sparkle I Cannes & I Will! in the crease. In light of the Pantone color of the year Radiant Orchid I have found myself incorporating purple into my eye looks more and more, and this has been my favorite way of doing that. I do find that the gold glitter creates fallout on my cheeks, but the look that I achieve is worth a little cleanup.