MONTHLY FAVORITES: June 2012

I'm actually doing my monthly favorites on time this month! Maybe a couple of days late, but still at the beginning of July! On that note...can you believe it's already July? We're more than halfway through this year. That's a scary thought.

Dr. Jart BB Cream and Lancome Teint Idole Ultra in 410 Bisque W

First up is my foundation combination for this month.  I've been hearing insane buzz about the Dr. Jart BB Cream for the last couple of months and got a little sample from Sephora at the beginning of the month.  And let me tell you, it's definitely living up to the hype.  I was pretty skeptical at first because a lot of the girls I've seen trying it are fairly pale with pink undertones while I'm closer to the medium side with yellow undertones.    But when I applied it alone, the shade blended into my skin tone and seemed to adjust to a shade that was almost perfect.  I thought to darken it up a bit and bring out some more yellow tones in my foundation I would mix in my regular foundation, which is the Lancome Teint Idole Ultra in 410 Bisque W.  This combination has been my every day foundation for this whole month and I cannot be happier.  I'll have a more in depth Beauty Rave post up about the Dr. Jart BB Cream soon!

Milani Baked Blush in Luminoso

Another item I've heard a lot of hype about recently is this Milani Baked Blush in Luminoso. You guys know that I love me some peach tones and this blush is one of the most beautiful blushes I've ever used.  I've always skimmed over the Milani section at the drug stores because I just always assume that it won't be good quality, but after hearing from a bunch of beauty gurus about this blush, I decided to give it a go. It is the perfect peachy coral shade and goes on with a really natural, glowy finish.  I was really pleasantly surprised by the pigmentation of this blush as well.  It really leaves your face looking fresh, which is a look that I love for the summertime. 

NARS Duo Eye Shadow in Alhambra

I've been trying to "shop my stash" recently to rediscover beauty products that may have been overlooked and this NARS eye shadow duo in Alhambra is one of the items that I've definitely fallen back into love with.  I really love a neutral eye and in the summer I love to wear gold on my lids with a brown in the crease.  This NARS duo has the best light, neutral shades for a quick, simple eye look.  It comes with a light, pinky, champagne shade and a light gold shade as well.  The gold has been my go-to all over the lid shade and I've been loving the champagne shade in my inner corner.  The quality of NARS eye shadows are absolutely amazing.  They're silky and crazy pigmented.  This duo is a really great staple for anyone who loves a neutral eye. 

NARS Lipstick in Barbarella

This lipstick is one of those products that I don't think I could ever live without.  I am so absolutely in love with this color and this formulation that I always find myself going back to it.  Barbarella is the perfect peach shade and the formulation is creamy and glossy.  If I'm having one of those days where I can't decide what lipstick to wear, this is usually the one I go for.  It just works with every eye look and never looks overpowering or too much.  It's just the perfect compliment to any look.  I've worn this at least once or twice a week this entire month, and I have a feeling that that's the way it's going to be for a really, really long time.

MAC Eye Shadow in Arena

This is one of my most recent MAC "purchases".  I got this eye shadow when I Back 2 MAC'd a bunch of my old eye shadow containers.  I swatched it in the store and was instantly like, "I need this."  It's a really great all over the lid shade for days where you want to have a little bit of sheen on your eyes but don't want there to be a whole lot of color.  It's kind of a peachy shade but looks really natural on the lids.  I was a little worried it would be too orange on my eyes, but when you blend it out, it just looks natural and like you just have a light shimmery wash on your lids.  I've really been loving wearing this on its own with no shadow in the crease and just some eyeliner.  

xx,

Jordana

BEAUTY RAVE: My MAC Eye Shadow Collection

Recently, I went on a huge de-potting spree on all of my MAC eye shadows.  I had way too many and could not justify lugging around all of those individual shadows, especially with my trip to Paris coming up soon.  I'm going to be studying there for about four months, so I feel like I will want to have all of my make up with me.  It seemed more convenient to put all of my shadows into palettes, so they would be much easier to travel with.  I thought this would also be the perfect time to do a MAC eye shadow collection since all of my eye shadows will be in one place, making them easier to photograph and swatch.

Top row: Blanc Type, Arena, All That Glitters, Honey Lust, Soba

Middle row: Woodwinked, Romp, Tempting, Mulch, Bronze

Bottom row: Twinks, Brown Down, Carbonized, Mystery, Carbon

Left to right: Blanc Type, Arena, All That Glitters, Honey Lust, Soba

Left to right: Woodwinked, Romp, Tempting, Mulch, Bronze

Left to right: Twinks, Brown Down, Carbonized, Mystery, Carbon

Top row: Patina, Sumptuous Olive

Middle row: Shimmermoss, Parfait Amour

Left to right: Patina, Sumptuous Olive, Shimmermoss, Parfait Amour

Obviously, I am a huge fan of neutral eye shadows.  I basically only use neutral shadows with any eye shadow look.  I usually leave the color for my cheeks or my lips.  I do occasionally like to do a bright liner on my lower lash line, but it's pretty rare.  The first palette is my most used palette.  The second palette definitely does not get as much love as the first one does.  However, I've found that now that I have my shadows organized in palette form, I tend to use my shadows more, especially shades I may have previously overlooked.

My favorite shadows from my collection are probably: Arena, Woodwinked, Tempting, Bronze, Brown Down, and Mystery.  I use Mystery every day for my eyebrows, so it's definitely my most used color.  For an every day look, I will only use Arena on my lids with some eye liner.  If I am going for a real eye shadow look, I typically go for Bronze or Brown Down in the crease with something like Arena or Woodwinked on the lid.  

xx,

Jordana 

RETAIL THERAPY: A Couple of MAC Goodies

Where I go to school, we don't have a MAC store or counter nearby.  This breaks my heart every day.  Thankfully, MAC has an online store that has become my only link to my longtime obsession.  I recently got an email that MAC was having a free two day shipping offer and I jumped at the opportunity to pick up a couple of things I've been lusting after for a while.  I received them yesterday and immediately took photos for a blog post while they were still fresh and clean in their packaging. 

MAC Paint Pot in 'Bare Study'

This Paint Pot in 'Bare Study' has been a favorite among beauty gurus for a while.  I've seen countless swatches online and make up looks using it and decided that it was something that I needed for my collection. I already love the MAC Paint Pots but I only have 'Soft Ochre', so I wanted one that I could use for more than just an eye shadow base.  What I've heard about this Paint Pot is that it's a really great product to just swipe on the eyes and go.  It's a beautiful, peachy, champagne shade that adds a really subtle sheen to the eye.  

MAC Lipstick in 'Kinda Sexy'

I'm typically very picky about lipsticks, especially neutral shades.  I have a really hard time finding a neutral, every day shade since most are too light, too nude, or to pink.  I have pretty pigmented lips so most nude shades look really weird on me.  I've found some good neutral lip shades like MAC 'Shy Girl' and NARS 'Barbarella', but I wanted something a little bit more dusty rather than peachy.  I recently saw some beauty gurus rave about 'Kinda Sexy' and after looking at some more swatches online, I decided to give it a try.  I purchased this thinking I'd most likely return it, since I'm so picky.  But as soon as I swiped it on my lips, I fell in love.  It's a matte lipstick, but surprisingly, it isn't drying.  It's a neutral, dusty rose shade that is basically a "my-lips-but-better" kind of shade.  It's a good change of pace from my usual peachy, coral lip.  I wore this in my most recent 'Outfit & Face of the Day' post.

xx,

Jordana

OUTFIT & FACE OF THE DAY: Black, White, and a Bit of Green

Dress: Motel

Cardigan: H&M

Tights: Rite Aid (I'm not kidding...)

Boots: Rose Bowl Flea Market

Necklace: Urban Outfitters

Bracelet: Handmade from a friend

Rings (Left to Right): Brandy Melville, Urban Outfitters, Forever 21

Nails: Essie 'Absolutely Shore' (Lacquer Lust post coming soon!)

FACE OF THE DAY:

Eyes: Urban Decay 'Sin', MAC 'Woodwinked', MAC 'Sumptuous Olive'

Liner: Revlon Colorstay Liquid Eye Pen in Blackest Black

Blush: Revlon Photoready Cream Blush in 'Coral Reef'

Bronzer: Tarte Mineral Bronzer in 'Park Ave Princess'

Lips: MAC 'Kinda Sexy'

Today I had a little bit of extra time to get ready so I decided to curl my hair and play around with my make up a little bit.  I added 'Sin' by Urban Decay as my base lid color and then added a layer of MAC 'Woodwinked' over it, since 'Sin' is a really pink-y shade and I wanted to add a bit of warmth to it. Then I wanted to get REALLY crazy and went with a bit of green on the lower lashline.  The only green shade I own is MAC 'Sumptuous Olive', but I think it was the perfect way to add a tiny bit of color without being too bright.  It was barely noticeable from far away, but I think the look brightened up my eyes a little bit.  It's kind of refreshing to change up your make up routine every once in a while, don't you think?

xx,

Jordana

MONTHLY FAVORITES: April 2012

April has been a pretty simple month in terms of beauty products.  Since it's warming up here in California, I haven't been going for very dramatic looks so everything is fairly neutral. But, April has been a really good month for finding products that I am in love with and are perfect for me.  I did not include things that would be my favorite for other months, such as my Lancome Teint Idole Ultra foundation, because it would seem silly to have that in every single Monthly Favorites post.  However, I will do a post on my "Holy Grail" Products that would belong in every Favorites post. 

YSL Parisienne Eau de Parfum Spray

This was featured in my 'Retail Therapy' post and has definitely been a favorite for me this month.  I've worn this basically every single day.  It's just a really great, every day scent that is not too overpowering.  Even my boyfriend likes this perfume, which is always a good thing. 

Redken All Soft Conditioner

As I've mentioned in my 'Hair Help' post, I have quite dry hair thanks to the bleaching I've tortured my hair with over the last year.  I've been looking for a good, every day conditioner I could use in my hair that wouldn't be too heavy for my hair.  I have been watching essiebutton's videos on youtube for quite some time now, and she has mentioned a few times that this line has saved her damaged hair.  I saw it at Target and decided to take the plunge and get it.  It's quite expensive for a 8.5 oz bottle, but it's totally worth it. I don't think I will buy another conditioner for a while because this is absolutely perfect for me.  It's lightweight, smells good, and makes my hair SO silky smooth and soft.  Softer than it's felt for a while.  I think I'll be purchasing this from an online dealer next time I buy it because I think I'll be able to find it at a cheaper price.

Tarina Tarantino Fleur de Lash Mascara in Black Opal

Tarina Tarantino Fleur de Lash Mascara in Black Opal

I recently received this as a 100 Point Perk from Sephora.  I'm a huge fan of mascaras and I love when Sephora has mascaras as samples, because it's an easy way for me to try out a high end mascara without dropping $20 every time.  My lashes are pretty average in length, but are really straight and droopy.  I've found a pretty good process to keep them curled throughout the day, so I've been looking for a pretty good volumizing mascara that isn't too clumpy.  This mascara is amazing for that.  It has a pretty large brush, but it is never gloopy with product, so it is never clumpy. The brush is similar to the Revlon Grow Luscious but the Revlon mascara gets way more product on it, which makes it a lot clumpier.  I may consider buying this product when the sample runs out, but I've noticed with a lot of mascara samples, the sample is a lot better than the actual product.  So, we'll see.

MAC 'Warm Soul' Mineralize Blush

MAC 'Warm Soul' Mineralize Blush

I purchased about a month and a half ago, and I've found that I've been reaching for it a lot.  I was at the MAC counter at Nordstrom and asked what their suggestion would be for a natural, every day blush.  The lady at the counter immediately suggested 'Warm Soul' and told me that it's their best selling blush and it's the perfect natural blush.  It's a gorgeous mid-tone dusty pink shade with some gold shimmer throughout.  It is perfect for every day because it's not an overpowering shade and the shimmer isn't too harsh.  I rarely like pink shades, and I find that since this is a dustier pink shade, it is a lot more natural looking and easier to wear.

Revlon Colorstay Liquid Eye Pen in Blackest Black

I wear liquid liner almost every single day.  I've also tried almost every single drug store liquid eye liner. One of my favorites was the L'Oreal Lineur Intense Carbon Black Liquid Eye Liner, but one day, while shopping, I noticed it had flaked off and faded.  I decided to give this one a try.  So far, it's been perfect.  Rather than being a thick layer of liquid liner, it's almost like a stain, so it doesn't flake or fade throughout the day.  I was afraid of it not being opaque enough, but it's actually quite opaque and buildable.  It's a felt tip, pen applicator, so it's a lot easier to work with than most other liquid liners on the market. 

Tarte Mineral Powder Bronzer in 'Park Ave Princess'

Tarte Mineral Powder Bronzer in 'Park Ave Princess'

Tarte Mineral Powder Bronzer in 'Park Ave Princess'

Let's get this out of the way first: I absolutely hate Tarte's packaging.  Most of their packaging looks juvenile and tacky.  They have some products with fairly simple packaging that is tolerable.  But most of it is gaudy and awful.  Example: this bronze, crocodile, fake leather mess shown above.  What's strange is that their products are quite natural and sulfate/paraben free, so you'd figure they'd go for a more pure, simple looking packaging.  Also, their products are quite good and I really enjoy them, but their packaging really keeps me from wanting to buy anything of theirs because it's a pretty embarrassing part of my collection. But, oh well. Anyway, I had a sample of this bronzer and I really fell in love with it.  It is quite shimmery, but doesn't look that shimmery on the face.  It's a great color for me because it's not too orange or too dark.   It looks really good with matte blushes, since it has a bit of shimmer on its own.  I've been using this a lot, especially when I want a more cheek-focused look. 

Urban Outfitters Nail Lacquer in 'Tanline'

I featured this in my most recent 'Lacquer Lust' post.  I bought this a few months ago, and I'm actually not quite sure if you can still get this.  I wasn't able to find it online, but it still may be available in stores.  I was pretty afraid of this color at first, but in the last month, I've become absolutely obsessed with this nail polish.  It's a fluorescent orange shade, so it's perfect for the upcoming months.  I actually think I'm going to paint my nails this shade next.  Which will be like the 5th time this month.

NARS Lipstick in 'Barbarella'

NARS Lipstick in 'Barbarella'

I purchased this lipstick about a year ago and I've sort of forgot about it until a couple months ago.  I really like to wear peachy, nude shades on my lips but I think it's hard to find a shade that isn't too light or too nude.  This is the perfect, sheer peach shade.  Though it is quite sheer with one coat, you can build it up really well to create a more opaque kind of color. It's almost like a "My Lips but Better" kind of shade.  It's a great shade for girls who are looking for a good, neutral lip color to wear that doesn't make them look dead or like they have concealer lips.  I also think that it could look really good on a range of skin tones, especially medium skin tones.  It's really creamy and moisturizing, as most NARS lipsticks are.  I don't hear much about this shade online or anywhere, so I think this is a hidden gem amongst the NARS collection. 

Sephora Prisma Chrome Eye Shadow in 'Moon Beam'

Sephora Prisma Chrome Eye Shadow in 'Moon Beam'

I recently featured this in my 'Face of the Day' post.  I've been reaching for this a lot since I purchased it earlier this month.  It's just the perfect, shimmery champagne shade.  It's not too light, which I find to be a problem with a lot of champagne eye shadows.  It's quite sheer in color, but is easily buildable.  I'm really glad I purchased this after swatching it for months and months.  I still have yet to try it wet, but will keep you guys updated if I decide to do so.

xx,

Jordana