the favorites | february + march 2015

What an interesting couple of months! There was so much snow and ice that I thought I'd somehow wound up in Arendelle, and now today is as sunny as Corona.

On to the good stuff!

makeup

These past two months haven't seen that much change in my makeup routine. Having a lot of snow days makes me less desirous of doing a lot of makeup, but game days require at least a little bit of concealer along my jaw, or people will figure out that I'm a spy during the Resistance! For a lighter base, I've been enjoying blending out concealer like the Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser Dark Circles—someone needs to talk with the branding team—with either fingers, my Real Techniques Expert face brush or the Beauty Blender I received in my February Birchbox. Oftentimes, I will also use the Make Up For Ever Full Cover concealer in conjunction with the Maybelline. Together, they work quite well.

For color, I have become quite interested in warmer pinks. As a neutral-cool–undertoned woman with a hefty dose of pink in her skin, I've always gone for brighter, lighter pinks with blue undertones, but I thought I'd branch out since spring is now upon us. To that end, I've broken out my NARS One Night Stand palette, which I purchased back in November 2013, for the shade Deep Throat. I used to own a single of this blush, but I've since cleared out my stash, so my palette form is all that remains. It's quite sheer, but that keeps me from applying too much at a time. I also very much appreciate that the shimmer that runs through the blush is so subtle. No glitter-bombs for me, thank you very much!

For lips, I've been enjoying my Mom's Christmas present to me: the NARS Audacious lipstick in Dominique. It's such a unique shade, a medium-toned lavender with almost gray undertones. Its formula is lovely—very pigmented and not too slippy whilst not being drying. And while packaging is not the be-all end-all of good lipstick, sleek magnetic packaging never hurts. I've particularly enjoyed wearing this with the shades Cream, Light Bronze (look at that pan!), Pewter, and Mauve from my beloved LORAC Pro palette. I try not to feature the same products in my favorites posts because these would quickly become repetitive, but this color combination suits my gray eyes and fair, neutral-cool coloring. As you can see from the state of my palette, the shades can kick up quite a bit of dust, but for a relatively comprehensive palette, I don't think you can go wrong with this little guy.

games

I haven't yet featured video games on my blog because I don't play them all that often, but I've recently rediscovered some old favorites and one new one. Let me know if you'd like a more in-depth review of these at some future point.

First, a night of Battlefront II reminded me that Knights of the Old Republic is available for Mac. Naturally, I immediately went to the App Store and purchased it. I'm currently stuck defending the Ebon Hawk because I don't have a mouse, but I still love it. I've loved this game for going on seven years, but I've never finished it. Here's to hoping that I'll break that streak!

Second, I finished Professor Layton and the Curious Village over the course of three days. As you can tell from the above, I don't typically finish video games, but I was utterly drawn in with all the puzzles of St. Mystere. Fortunately, I've just found that there are five more games in the series, so I'll be purchasing the next one probably relatively soon if my birthday doesn't come up before then.

I hope that you all have had a lovely winter and early spring! Please feel free to let me know what other sorts of comments you'd like to see here.

the favorites | january 2015

Seeing as we've just gotten into February, it only seems appropriate for me to inform you lovely folks about my favorites throughout the month of January.

I am still planning to make a massive 2014 favorites post, but it'll take a bit more time due to my own busyness. Hooray for getting back into a university schedule!

Anyway, on to the good stuff.

makeup

My poor beloved NARS eye primer is nearing its end, so I picked up the Wet n Wild Fergie Take on the Day primer to replace it. Oddly enough, since it's a bit tackier than my beloved NARS, it works better with my LORAC Pro palette. Also on the eyelid front, I received my order from Hello Waffle Cosmetics upon my return to school, which included Catticus Finch from the cult classic Catssic Literature collection. Catticus Finch is a light pink-toned lavender with subtle copper shimmer that translates to a soft, romantic lilac on the eye. I will continue playing around with this for lovely months to come!

January's rediscovery was the now-infamous MAC 217 brush. This brush isn't the softest tool in the shed, but it's one of the most versatile. I can use it for a sheer wash over the lid, for a softly defined crease, or for a top-notch blending job. I recommend that anyone with a love for eyeshadow at least try a brush with a similar shape to the 217.

Not too many of the bloggers I follow loved Maybelline's Lash Sensational mascara, but I was in the market for a new mascara in January and wanted to check it out anyway. So far, I'm very impressed. It's the perfect cross between the Rocket and the Falsies Black Drama: it's lengthening and volumizing, but it offers quite a bit of definition, too. I can get dramatic lashes in just a couple of coats—or three, if I'm really feeling it. Plus, the packaging is a definite upgrade for Maybelline. Obviously, sleek packaging isn't everything, but it never hurts.

Last fall, I resisted the hype surrounding Colour Pop because I was a bit wary of their sudden success and because part of me finds the name "Lippie Stix" a bit much. Anyway, for $5, I figured I couldn't go wrong, and I'm so glad that I decided to buy it. Lumière [not pictured] is just about the most spot-on "my lips but better" shade, and its matte finish isn't drying. You don't get a ton of product for $5—I'm about halfway through it after a month and a half—but it's a very flattering shade with a decent formula.

Finally, this past month marked my first foray into the world of tinted brow gels. I used to use a clear brow gel last year, but I just sort of stopped when I ran out of my second tube. After hearing rave review after rave review of the Benefit Gimme Brow, I decided to give it a whirl. The Light/Medium shade matches my ash-blond brows just about perfectly, and it doesn't make my brows feel stiff or crunchy. I will often wear this alone or with my Anastasia Brow Wiz if I want a really strong brow.

body

/r/Indiemakeupandmore has been in love with Haus of Gloi for as long as I can remember, and now I understand why. Their pumpkin butter in Madcap Garden [not pictured] is a godsend for my dry winter skin. It has such a rich, emollient formula, and the slightly sweet minty scent isn't too powerful. I'll definitely have to try some more scents. I also have a sample in the earthier Insalata Nocturna, which I very much like but tend to reserve for days when I'm wearing Jo Malone Lime Basil & Mandarin since the two scents complement each other.

fragrance

Speaking of things that smell nice, I purchased a travel spray of Stella by Stella McCartney [not pictured] and am already a third of the way through it. This is rose without any sort of powdery, saccharine, or patchouli-laden trappings. Whenever I smell it, I think, "This is what good perfume smells like." It doesn't last very long on me, unfortunately, but I love it all the same.

Have an excellent February!

What have your favorites been thus far this year?

the favorites | late autumn + early winter 2014

Hello, everyone!

It's been a while since I've updated. I've mostly gotten over my bronchitis now—thank God—and am home for Christmas. Finals are over and done with, so now it's time for fairy lights and chocolate. I hope that your holidays have been lovely; mine have been so far.

Who's ready for some autumn and winter favorites?

makeup

Like I mentioned in my autumn edit, I've rediscovered my first MAC purchase, the Satin lipstick in Rebel. It doesn't have the most lip-friendly formula, but the color is absolutely lovely, a pink-based plum. In order to save my lips from its drying effects, though, I've relied upon the Bite Beauty Line & Define lip primer. This prolongs the wear time of Rebel and other matte and satin lipsticks—although, curiously, not my NARS Velvet Matte lip pencil—by moisturizing and smoothing the surface of my lips. This option from Bite is pricey, but I recommend the brand heartily.

Thanks to my lovely exchange partner, I've been able to play around with Femme Fatale Cosmetics, an Australian indie company with breathtaking duochromes. My particular favorites thus far have been The Masquerade and Umberhowl. With a bit of primer and some Darling Girl Glitter Glue, the shadows pop and stick around all day.

skincare

I purchased the Boscia Tsubaki Beauty Oil just a little over a year ago, and it's still going strong. I use about four or five drops all over my face and neck at night. This oil blend moisturizes my face without making it overly greasy, and it hasn't caused me any clogged pores. It's a relatively pricey option, but it's a good one. I have read, though, that Camellia japonica seed oil, for which the Boscia blend is named, is available for roughly two-thirds of the price per ounce on Garden of Wisdom, a site that I have not tried myself but have heard of other skincare enthusiasts' enjoying.

fragrance

I am extremely picky when it comes to fragrance, but I love my exchange partner's pick from Firebird Apothecary. Pomegranate Basil is fresh but intoxicating. The pomegranate and currant offer a richness that the greenness of the basil complements brilliantly. If you like green, fruity scents that aren't too sweet, definitely check this one out.

nails

As I noted in my autumn edit, my two current favorite polishes represent opposite ends of the color spectrum: the first, Nails Inc. NailKale polish in Westbourne Park Road, is a pinky lavender-gray; the second, Clinique A Different Nail Enamel in Black Honey, is a deep burgundy red. Both polishes have very smooth formulas and reach opacity in two or three coats, respectively. In fact, these are the only two polishes I brought home for Christmas break.

tea

Finally, throughout my bout of bronchitis, I consumed a lot of tea. Upon my return home, I was practically guzzling mugs of Lipton Pure green tea with three spoonfuls each of lemon juice and honey. I like to call this "Ellen's Magical Elixir." The Lipton option is a decent bog-standard green tea, but you can use just about any tea you like for the elixir. I find that it helps soothe my throat, and I just love the feeling that I get while drinking tea.

What have your favorites been this season?

the exchange | /r/indiemakeupandmore autumn 2014

I am assuming that most if not all of you are familiar with reddit, that site of intrigue and lols. I have been a redditor for nearly two years and, thanks to the lovely users over at /r/Indiemakeupandmore, have discovered the world of indie cosmetics. /r/IMaM is a very friendly community of both makers and consumers. Shop owners, like Christine of Hello Waffle, interact with customers and share their own favorite products from other shops. Think of it as the social counterpart to Etsy.

This autumn, /r/IMaM held a global makeup exchange, and I signed right up! I've previously participated in an exchange on /r/MakeupAddicts and thoroughly enjoyed it. I was paired with a woman from Australia, and she sent me the loveliest assortment of things!

fragrance

As you can see, I received a sample and a full-sized fragrance, both of which smell divine. Haus of Gloi's Olde Cider Haus is autumnal to the nth degree—tart apples and magic. Firebird's Pomegranate Basil, however, is a lush, herbal fruity concoction with a touch of currant. As I typically use parfum or cologne, I enjoyed a different vehicle for the scent. Both oils melt right into the skin without the harshness of alcohol.

makeup

I have wanted to try Femme Fatale Cosmetics for months now. The Australian-based brand carries beautifully complex eyesahdows, and The Masquerade in particular caught my attention. My exchange partner also sent me eyeshadows in Moonstone, Wildvine, and Umberhowl, all of which are multidimensional duochromes except for gorgeously shimmery Umberhowl. Love. She also included a blush sample in Radar Love and eyeshadow samples in Heroic and Crystalline Scale.

candy

Candy is one of my favorite things to include in exchanges, so I was definitely excited to receive some. I haven't tried all the taffies, but I've liked the ones I've tried so far. The musk sticks to the far right are so bizarre! They taste like slightly fruity, perfumed marshmallow-taffy. Tim Tams are possibly my favorite sandwich biscuits. If you haven't tried them before and are a chocolate fan like myself, do yourself a favor and locate some Tim Tams.

bonus bunny

My lovely exchange partner also made me a bunny! It is one of the sweetest, most thoughtful gifts I've received. I know my partner put a lot of time and effort into the little guy, and I am so chuffed with it!

Thank you so much to my lovely exchange partner. Have you ever participated in a makeup exchange? What are your favorite online beauty communities?

the favorites | september 2014

Hello, beautiful people! Long time, no blog!

I'm a bit late this time for favorites, but I thought I'd kick off October with a collection of things that I've enjoyed using for the past month.

makeup

I made a rediscovery this month in the Naked Basics palette from Urban Decay. This is exactly what it sounds like, a perfectly neutral palette with five matte shades and one satin highlight. Walk of Shame and Naked2 are my personal favorites; I'd be perfectly happy if Urban Decay released a duo of just those shades.

Another rediscovery has been my Make Up For Ever Full Cover concealer in Pink Porcelain. I use it primarily as a spot concealer, and it works brilliantly for that. Plus, on days when I want the lightest base possible, it blends out beautifully.

I've played with brows more this month after a triumphant location of my Anastasia Brow Wiz in Taupe, which I thought I'd lost in May. I don't fill in my brows all that often as they're pretty full as is, but this helps me out when I do.

Finally, new in this month are the LORAC Pro palette and Darling Girl Glitter Glue. The former I got to treat myself after a particularly thorough destash when a 20% off code was available; the latter I got to help my indie shadows stay on my lids. Both have been quality investments so far: the LORAC shadows are richly pigmented and blend very nicely, and the Glitter Glue has actually convinced Mother of Dragons to stick around for longer than an hour. I'm very impressed with both of these items and expect to get plenty of use out of them.

fashion

I don't know the brand of my adorable bunny watch, but I wanted to share it anyway. My roommate got it for me over the summer as I love bunnies and am notorious for my tardiness. This little guy hops around on my wrist about every other day, and I love it!

tea

My lovely roommate introduced me to Zhena's Red Lavender tisane at the beginning of the month, and I am so grateful for that. As the name suggests, it's a blend of rooibos and lavender, which when combined provide a cup of relaxing antioxidants. It's lightly sweet on its own, but it also goes well with a tiny bit of raw sugar. I can't recommend this enough and will buy my own canister when I see it in stores.

What were your favorites during September?