February Favorites!

For some reason I feel like this month was just not very exciting in terms of beauty products for me. I've spent most of this month just kind of lounging around, so this month I have a few beauty favorites as well as a couple of random favorites!

Let's start with the beauty favorites.

Urban Decay Super-Saturated High Gloss Lip Color -- Punch Drunk. For most of January, I was trying to hunt down the perfect orange lip color. I didn't want it to be too neon or blue-toned, but I didn't want it to be too warm-toned either. I just wanted a very true, vivid orange. This lip pencil was the perfect color for me! I adore this lip pencil, and it's so hydrating and vibrant, while still have some good staying power. This month I've consistently been looking for excuses to wear this color, and orange lips is a huge trend for this spring!

Essie Nail Lacquer -- Bikini So Teeny. "Bikini So Teeny" came out with the Summer 2012 nail collection, and ever since I first saw it, I fell in love. It's a color that I always told myself I would buy, but never did, and after my first bad experience with Essie polishes (with a light green color that I can't remember the name of), I told myself I'd never buy Essie Polishes again. Of course, I did again, with "Butler Please," which I wasn't a fan of, and then again, with "Vested Interest," which I fell in love with. And yet again, I have found an Essie polish that I love! "Bikini So Teeny" is the perfect periwinkle color. It is a bit sheer, so be patient when applying it, but when it's on, it's absolutely gorgeous.

Physicians Formula Glow & Mood Boosting Powder -- Translucent. This product was a happy accident. I'm not exactly sure what I was thinking when I bought it, I guess I expecting a very, very pale blush, but it is actually a setting powder! It's got the slightest iridescence to it, which helps to blur any imperfections and add a glow to the high points of your face, without making you look oily. Plus it smells good! It works really well for me, especially in the areas where I tend to get dull and dry.

Aeropostale "Can U Not" Graphic Tee. If you follow me on Instagram, you'll probably be familiar with this shirt already. This graphic tee is from the Bethany Mota collection by Aeropostale. Like I said in my Teens For Jeans post, I worked for Aeropostale for two and a half years, and I think it's such a wonderful company! Plus, they have some great, affordable jeans that are almost always on sale. But this is a crop top graphic tee and on the front it says "Can U Not." Anyone who knows me in real life knows that these words come out of my mouth multiple times on a daily basis. My best friend and I were being mall rats, and when we saw this shirt, I knew I had to have it! Like all of Aero's graphic tees, it's super soft and goes from sizes XS to XXL.

Cartwheel by Target App. I feel like I spend a good portion of my life in places like Target. A few months ago, Target came out with a coupon app available in both the App Store and on Google Play, and of course, as soon as I heard about it, I had to download it. It was super helpful during Christmas time, and I feel like, over the past month, I've been obsessively using this app for everything. It's basically couponing made easy -- you just sign in via Facebook or email and select your coupons. Once you get to the register, just scan the app barcode! If you have a Facebook, you don't have to sign up or give them any information, which makes it even easier.

What were your favorites of February? What kind of posts would you like to see next? Leave me comments and suggestions down below!

- d.

First post and October Favorites!

Hello! Sooo, as many of you may already know, I've been really into the whole beauty industry for quite some time now, and since I was 16, I have been the go-to hair and makeup artist for many of my friends, and friends' friends. When I was 18, I started in beauty school, where I primarily learned hair styling. About 6 months later, I realized it wasn't what I wanted to do with my career, and I left beauty school (insert "beauty school dropout" lyrics here). However, that has not stopped me from being passionate about the beauty industry! That's why I have decided to start posting my favorite beauty, fashion, and lifestyle favorites from month to month, just like a lot of my favorite YouTube beauty gurus. 

Let's start with a rediscovered favorite. 

L'Oreal Carbon Black Lineur Intense. This is my all-time favorite liquid liner. While I typically tend to go for cream or gel liners, Lineur Intense is perfect for just about any eyeliner look. I forgot about this liner for a while, but when I recently saw it in Target, the fire was rekindled. The sponge tip allows it to apply with ease and precision, and is different than the typical felt tip or brush applicators sometimes seen with liquid liners. It is flexible like a brush, which allows for ease of application, but thin and precise like a felt tip, which allows you to build up your liner from super fine to thick and bold. And if you're looking for a black liner, let me tell you. This one is...well, carbon black. In terms of wear time, it lasts and lasts and lasts. I have oily lids, and once this stuff is dry, it won't budge until I'm ready to take it off. But when wet, it is easy to manipulate, and if you mess up, no worries! Just take a wet cotton bud and it cleans up easily.

Wet n Wild Mega Last Lip Color -- Sugar Plum Fairy. This is a truly versatile lipstick. Not only is it the most gorgeous berry color, perfect for the fall, but it can easily double as a cream cheek color! This lipstick has been my favorite cheek color for October. Crazy, you say? Try it yourself! It has a semi-matte finish, with a creamy consistency, so it will not dry out your skin or make it look oily. Just rub the color between your fingers and pat it on your cheeks. Use a buffing brush or sponge to blend it, if your fingers aren't doing the job. This stuff does have a tendency to stain, so it will last! 

Maybelline The Mega Plush Volum' Express Mascara. I've never been a fan of the flaky, clumpy lash look, and I'm not blessed with super long, healthy lashes. This mascara is great for me. It definitely adds volume and length, without making your lashes look clumpy, AND it stays soft while holding a curl! To me, it's almost a "no-mascara" mascara. It feels nice on the lashes and is buildable. It is a very wet mascara when you first apply it, so if that's not your thing, skip it. I hear this mascara is typically a hit or miss, but for me, it's a hit.

Soap & Glory Hand Food Hydrating Hand Cream. Some of you may already know, I am a colorguard coach. As a colorguard coach, I am very hard on my hands. And now, going into these cooler months, my hands will really begin to feel the wear and tear. However, this hand cream has been my savior! I've seen it talked about a million times and I am in love. It smells divine. The smell alone would make me want to use it. But not only does it smell good, it is so creamy and rich! And it isn't the kind of creamy and rich that lingers on your skin so you can't do anything with your hands. It soaks in quickly and leaves your skin feeling soft and smooth. I have the travel size that I keep in my bag. 

Essie Nail Lacquer -- Vested Interest. Anyone who has followed me for a long time will know I'm not a fan of Essie nail polishes. I am so picky about polishes. I like them to be thick, but not goopy. Essie has a tendency to be too thin to achieve the opacity I like without pushing into 3-4 coats. However, Vested Interest is a gorgeous, teal gray creme that is opaque in 2 coats. Honestly, I don't know why I love this polish so much. I tend to stay away from blue-ish polishes, but this one has been on my nails nonstop since I purchased it. It has great staying power. As I said before, I work with my hands a lot, and this polish typically stays on for 5 days before beginning to chip. Maybe my bad Essie luck has changed? 

Bath & Body Works 3-Wick Candle -- Leaves. This is an autumn staple for me. Leaves is such an amazing scent. I even have the Scentportable for my car, and get compliments every single time someone new sits in my passenger seat (despite how messy my car actually is)! It is described as a "rich blend of golden nectar, red apple, and spiced berries." In the last month, I have burned it practically every night, and when B&BW had their 2 for $22 candle sale, of course I had to buy another one, as well as their Cinnamon & Clove Buds candle. I love pairing this with my Candle-lite Essential Elements Vanilla & Sandalwood candle (that's a mouthful), which I found at Rite Aid. Absolutely amazing, and it's burning as I type.

Charming Charlie Right On Rhinestone Watch -- Gunmetal. There isn't much I can say about this watch. Just a standard boyfriend watch with rhinestones in a gorgeous gunmetal color! I've been wearing this pretty much every single day since purchasing it. The cool thing about it was that I received a sizing kit with my purchase (basically a blunt thumb tack with instructions), so it fits just right for me now!

- d.