Favorites | September 2013

Oh my gosh, it completely slipped my mind that September is over! I've been on a mini-vacay with the husband for this past week and haven't been on the computer 24/7. Speaking of ideal husband situations, he got me the new Vice 2 palette! I would do swatches but it hurts just looking at it. I told him that I would get a lot of usage out of it and "it would last for 10 decades", but I honestly just want to encase it in bulletproof glass and only purvey from the outside. 

September weather in the OC has been temperamental. My nose is beginning to flake from the drier weather, and with cooler temperatures comes the return of full fledged makeup. I'm talking medium to full coverage foundation, dolly cheeks, and long lashes since my hair is short (I recently gave myself an undercut, but that's another horror story) and my clothes are modest. Take a look at my favorites for the past month.

From left to right: Covergirl Outlast 3 in 1 foundation in 832 Nude Beige, Urban Decay Lip Primer, Rimmel Fix and Perfect Primer in 002, Rimmel Stay Matte powder in Sandstorm, Benefit Watt's Up sample, NARS Light Reflecting Loose Setting Powder, TheBalm's FratBoy blush, Benefit's Gimme Brow in Medium/Dark, NYX Cream shadow in Suede , NYX Butter Gloss in Creme Brulee, YSL's Rouge Volupte Nude Beige 001, L'oreal Voluminous Million Lashes mascara

Covergirl Outlast 3 in 1 foundation in 832 Nude Beige is like Revlon Colorstay's better looking sister. It's a very full coverage and long lasting foundation that will photoshop your face upon contact into flawlessness with no tell-tale caking. The only downside is the lack of strong yellow tones, and 832 is rather pale on me at the moment. The next yellow toned color is 842 Medium Beige, which is much too dark now that my tan is faded. I have to use a bronzer on the perimeter of my face, but this foundation is comparable to MAC's Studio Fix at a fraction of the price. 

Urban Decay Lip Primer is my new holy grail lip product. I have a review on the blog already, but it makes even the most dull and sheer lipsticks come to life and gain much opacity without drying out my lips. I put MAC's Sunny Seoul on top and it was much brighter and opaque than I was used to!

Rimmel Fix and Perfect Primer in 002 is a recent drugstore find that has encouraged me to use primer before foundation on a daily basis. For summer, a primer seems to suffocate my skin. In the wintertime however, this primer seems to provide a much smoother surface and blurs away any pores or expression lines on my face. The 002 shade is clear and doesn't feel particularly "silicone-y" and sets any base product I put on for the entire day. It isn't hydrating, but pairs well with any moisturizer underneath. I can also smear it onto my lids if I'm feeling too lazy for a separate eyeshadow primer. 

Rimmel Stay Matte powder in Sandstorm sets any makeup perfectly without imparting color and kept my T-zone mattified all day in the hot days of September. I dropped it the other day (mind you, I had been using for 6 months and hadn't even made a dent) and had to run out to the drugstore to pick up more. It's only 3 bucks and does an even better job than my MAC Studio Fix powder. Amazing drugstore product. 

Benefit Watt's Up sample is the perfect size for my everyday makeup bin, and its smaller bullet means I can glide it directly onto my cheekbones. It's absolutely beautiful and natural. 

NARS Light Reflecting Loose Setting Powder is a new item I received in a swap, and it's the best setting powder for undereye concealer (I've been experimenting with the Kardashian triangle of light) and gives my face a very healthy glow with no sheen or glimmer. It's really lovely for dry skinned gals who want a glow but still want their foundation to last. 

TheBalm's FratBoy blush has been my go-to blush for everyday looks. It has a tiny bit of sheen and gives my cheeks a healthy look, and I always get compliments from the husband when I wear it. Something about it is very understated and works with every type of makeup look, but it also stands out in its own way. The packaging is also adorable.

Benefit's Gimme Brow in Medium/Dark, in conjunction with my Anastasia Brow Wiz in ebony, has become my holy grail brow routine. My brows have never looked more defined yet natural and they last all day.  

NYX Cream shadow in Suede, another daily favorite, acts as a base and primer in one and is a lovely metallic sheen of gold that isn't overpowering or unnatural. I use it with a light wash of matte brown in the crease and outer V along with some black eyeliner and it completes an eye look. 

NYX Butter Gloss in Creme Brulee is a nude gloss that's very moisturizing and thick without being sticky. It's nude, but won't wash out your lips and layers well with any lip look. It acts as a moisturizing balm in my book when I can't find a true lip balm. 

YSL's Rouge Volupte Nude Beige 001 is the high end equivalent of MAC's Creme Cup and is much more moisturizing while maintaining a high level of opacity. I love it with a simple cat-eye. Often I will put on Creme Cup in the morning and touch up with YSL. 

L'oreal Voluminous Million Lashes mascara is the product of my drugstore mascara vice. I love the packaging, and I've been meaning to try out some volumizing mascaras for that thick, almost spidery lashes look for winter. It really does thicken up my sad lashes, but I can't say much for its lengthening abilities. I like layering it over Definicils or another tubing mascara. 

That's all for my September items, and I've been using most of them into October. I love a full face of makeup for colder months, and now it seems like every YT tutorial is for plum/burgundy/dark lips. As much as I love the trend, I'm more excited to try the other fall trends out there, like a light grey wash of color on the lids and matte skin with no blush. So tell me, are you one to go for makeup trends or do you think trends are best left for fashion? Let me know :)

Be