March Favorites

Hey Lovelies!!!

It's that time again... Time for monthly favorites!!! It's crazy how fast this year is going by, isn't it?! 

♥ My first favorite would be my birthday which turned out to be a really nice day!!!

Skincare

♥ Olay Fresh Effects {Out of this Swirled} Pore Clean + Exfoliating Scrub White Grapefruit and White Tea- I've completely fallen in love with the Olay Fresh Effects skincare line. I also really love scrubs, whether it's body or face scrubs, because they make your skin feel so soft! And this one is no exception, plus it smells beautiful!! It's very fresh, as you would expect from the Fresh Effects line. It's not a really rough scrub, but just coarse enough to get a deeper cleanse in your skin.

♥ Olay Fresh Effects {Bright on Schedule} Eye Roller- Again from the Fresh Effects line, is this eye roller. I've been trying to get my hands on this for the longest time, and I finally found it a couple of weeks ago. And it has made such a big difference in the appearance of my under-eye circles. They're not as dark and don't look puffy. I would highly suggest this product to anyone!!!

♥ Lush Mask of Magnaminty- I'm in love with Lush's Fresh Face masks. The last time that I stopped by Lush to pick one up, they didn't have any, for some reason. But the lady at the store really helped me in choosing this mask. And I'm very happy with it!!! It's very minty and has a cooling, tingly feeling when you use it. I've need an improvement in my skin since starting to use this. Plus, since it's not one of the face masks, you don't need to refrigerate it and it lasts much longer.

Makeup

♥ Milani Brow Fix Brow Kit- Here's another product that I've been searching for absolute ages for! I finally found it and have used it ever since getting it. I'm extremely happy with the results and can see myself using this for a very long time. I just hope that it won't be as difficult to find when I need to get a new one because that would be even more frustrating.

♥ Covergirl Fresh Complexion Concealer- This concealer isn't the best concealer available to buy, but it is the only drugstore concealer that matched my skin tone perfectly. I have really light skin and most drugstore concealers are WAY too dark... No good! This one, however is perfect. So if you have really light skin like me, I would recommend trying this concealer in the lightest shade available.

♥ Covergirl + Olay Stick Concealer- I wanted to try out some new concealers and found these two concealers from Covergirl and have loved both of them. I've never tried a stick concealer before but heard great things about them. And it's all true because this concealer has really good coverage and blends really nicely. Plus it matches my skin tone pretty well, something that is usually really hard to find for my super light skin.

Nails

♥ Orly Bonder Rubberized Base Coat- I heard about this product from MissGlamorazzi and, since I've been looking for a new base coat, figured I'd give this one a try. It's a rubberized base coat so that really helps the nail polish stay much longer. And it does just that! I've noticed that my manicures last much longer now, so definitely try this out!!!

♥ Revlon Parfumerie in Powder Puff- I've noticed that I've had a different Revlon Parfumerie in every Monthly Favorites post. That just shows how much I truly love these nail polishes. And my mom got me this one for my birthday, along with two others, and this one is just beautiful. It's a pale pink with beautiful glitter and looks stunning. It isn't completely opaque so it either takes many coats or another color underneath. It smells like baby powder, which is kind of random but not a bad smell. This is just such a perfect color for me to wear. But it would definitely look much better if I was tan...

♥ Seche Vite Top Coat- If you've heard of this product, you won't even need to read this because you already know how amazing it is. It is THE BEST top coat I've ever used. It dries so quickly that I no longer have to sit and wait for ages for my nails to dry before I'm able to do anything. It makes me love painting my nails even more now!!

Hair

♥ TRESemme Platinum Strength Strengthening Heat Protect Spray- TRESemme heat protect sprays are my absolute favs but I've only used the regular one. I'm obsessed with the Platinum Strength line (it's what I use for shampoo and conditioner) so I just had to try this spray. I like it even more, mainly because of the scent. It's a little different but better. So I'm going to use this one over the other one from now on.

♥ Herbal Essences Naked Dry Shampoo- I'm not going to say much because I've already reviewed it here but all I need to say is that I love it and it gives my hair lots of volume... Something it lacks a lot of.

Fashion

♥ JacksGap Rickshaw Run T-Shirt- A while back I donated to the Teenage Cancer Trust Fundraiser that Jack and Finn were doing for the Rickshaw Run and as a reward I got this t-shirt. I've been wearing it a lot because 1) it looks really nice thanks to the talented Finn and his graphic design skills and 2) it's super comfy. I also got a little card and Maoam (Jack's fav candy) pictured below:

Entertainment

♥ The Hunger Games: Catching Fire DVD- I'm a huge fan of The Hunger Games and Catching Fire was my favorite book and favorite movie (so far) out of the whole series. So when I got this for my birthday, I was super excited!!! I've watched it a few times and can't get enough. Plus this will be perfect for our weekend movie nights.

Miscellaneous

♥ Canon PowerShot ELPH 130 IS- Obviously, I'm loving my new camera that I got for my birthday. Other than this picture, I took all of these pictures for the blog with my camera. They come out so nice and it's really easy to use. I'm super happy with the results.

♥ Xhiliration Jewelry Storage/Mirror/Charging Station- I found this on sale at Target for $10 and had to get it. It was like it was meant to be! It has my two favorite colors (pink and light blue/Tiffany blue) and I needed a place to store my jewelry and a mirror for my desk. It literally had everything I needed and matched my room perfectly. If I didn't buy it, I would be convinced that I was crazy... It was almost like it had my name written on it.

♥ My new phone background- I'm obsessed with my new background. It's perfect for spring, which is slowly making it's appearance in Massachusetts. I love pink and I love daisies so this background is totally "me". I just love turning on my phone and seeing this right away. I got it off of Tumblr (I freaking love Tumblr) thinking it was just a random picture but it ended up being the perfect size to be a phone wallpaper. YAY!!!

I hope you enjoyed my favorites from this month. And leave a comment below with some things you've been loving this month. I'd love to have a look!! And if you didn't notice, I didn't do a shoutout to anyone this month. I do however, want to give a shoutout to my new favorite website: Pinterest. I've just started on there so I'm still getting the hang of it. I'm going to be posting my account on my Contact page. So if you have a Pinterest too, leave it in the comments and go follow me (or do whatever you do on Pinterest), I'll follow back! Anyways, I'll see you on Sunday and as always, stay beautiful!!!

♥♥♥

Review- Target Beauty Box

Hey Lovelies!!!

I'm back with a review for this week. I feel like it's been ages since I've posted a review... And, as you can tell from the title, I'm going to be reviewing the Target Beauty Box, so there will be a few different items that I'll be talking about. Yay!! And for those of you outside of the U.S. or who don't know what the Target Beauty Box, it's basically a box that comes with a few products that are "trending" at the moment. And at the price of $5.00 to get 5 products, either travel/trial size or full size, plus discounts on future purchases, you cannot possibly pass it up! Unfortunately, you can't order it any more, but keep your eyes out here in case they make a new one because it's totally worth it!

Here's what's inside:

A list of all the products and a short description as well as a coupon for $3 off a $15 beauty purchase at Target (which I'll definitely taking advantage of)

Promotion card for 20% off at Target's partner stores: DermStore (skincare), blush (makeup), and HairEnvy (hair).

Herbal Essences Naked Dry Shampoo:

Regular Full-Size Retail Price- $4.99 (on sale for $4.74 right now!!!)

I've recently become a huge fan of dry shampoos so I was really excited to see this one in the Beauty Box, since I've never tried it before. And I'm very happy with the results! I've been using the Dove Dry Shampoo and I like both the Dove and Herbal Essences for different reasons. I think the Dove Dry Shampoo absorbs the oil in your hair, but doesn't give too much volume. The Herbal Essences Dry Shampoo smells amazing first of all. It gives a lot more volume to your hair and is also transparent, so it won't make your hair look white. It also has no parabens which is a major plus, in my opinion.

Jergens BB Body Cream Light:

Regular Full-Size Retail Price- $11.99

I'm going to be honest, I'm not the biggest fan of BB Creams, but I gave this a try anyways. I've never even seen or tried a BB Body Cream, so I was interested in what it would do. Unfortunately, I don't think it really does anything... I've used it in the morning every day for at least a week and haven't noticed any change in my skin. It is a nice lotion though; it is a really nice consistency and has a light, pleasant smell. 

TONI&GUY Sea Salt Texturising Spray:

Regular Full-Size Retail Price- $4.99 (2.5 oz), $14.99 (6.8 oz)

I am a huge fan of the look that Sea Salt Spray typically gives to your hair. It's just such a nice, relaxed look. Unfortunately, sea salt sprays don't really do anything for my hair :( My hair is really smooth and straight so it doesn't easily hold shape, whether it's waves or curls. But I was able to get enough of a result to form my opinion.  I had high hopes for this product and, unfortunately, I was disappointed. This sea salt spray made my look really greasy/oily throughout even though it was freshly cleaned. It didn't give my hair the beachy look that you would expect from a sea salt spray. Overall, I would choose my Not Your Mother's Sea Salt Spray over this one.

Covergirl Lipslicks Smoochies Sizzle Gloss in Blind Date:

Regular Full-Size Retail Price- $6.49

I really don't like this product just for the amount of glitter in it. I enjoy the smell and it's a very smooth lip gloss even though it has glitter in it (let's be honest, nobody like a sticky lip gloss). The color of this is also really pretty. So I'm really disappointed because of the glitter. Other than the glitter, I know, for sure, that I would really love this lip gloss.

L'Oreal Paris Voluminous Butterfly Mascara in Black:

Regular Full-Size Retail Price: $6.89

I'm still not completely certain how I feel about this mascara. I'm not a huge fan of the formulation because it tends to clump, A LOT. But other than that, I really love this brush. It gives my lashes the exact look that I want: thicker on the outside and thinner on the inside. I just really wish that the formulation was different because that would make it so much better. But for now, I'm going to stick with my The Falsies Big Eyes and Clump Crusher.

I hope you liked this review. Even though I didn't like all the products, I don't regret getting the Target Beauty Box. And seeing the real prices of all the products compared to the $5 I paid to get the box, is crazy. How could anyone pass it up?! And I was able to test out some products that I wouldn't have otherwise. So, now I know, whenever there is a Target Beauty Box available, I will definitely be purchasing it!!

Oh, and tomorrow is the last day of March (crazy, right?!), so you know what that means!!! Monthly Favorites post!!!! So keep an eye out for that!! Until then, stay beautiful!!!

♥♥♥

The Drugstore Diva Tag

Hey Lovelies!!!

I've been tagged to do another blog post!!! And let me tell you, I'm loving reading these tag posts as well as doing them!!! So I've been tagged by the lovely Lottie Mayy Loves (thanks a bunch love). Please do me a favor and go check out her blog, especially this tag's post!!! And right before I begin, this post was created by MJ in the Sky with Glitter, so go check out her blog and post as well!! On to the post...!

1. Favorite Drugstore Foundation?

Covergirl Outlast Stay Fabulous 3-in-1 Foundation in Ivory

2. Favorite Drugstore Concealer?

Maybelline Fit Me Concealer (amazing coverage but, unfortunately, even the lightest color is far too dark for my skin tone)

Covergirl Fresh Complexion Concealer in Classic Ivory (pretty good but almost too runny... it is, however, the only drugstore concealer that matches my skin tone)

3. Favorite Drugstore Powder?

Maybelline Dream Matte Powder in Cream/Light

4. Favorite Drugstore Bronzer?

NYC Smooth Skin Bronzer in Sunny

5. Favorite Drugstore Blush?

Milani Baked Blush in Luminoso

6. Favorite Drugstore Highligher?

Maybelline Dream Lumi Touch Highlighting Concealer

7. Favorite Drugstore Eyeshadow?

Powder: NYX Nude Matte Shadows

Cream: Maybelline Color Tattoos

8. Favorite Drugstore Eyeliner?

Pencil: Revlon Colorstay Eyeliner

Liquid: Maybelline Master Precise Felt-Tip Eyeliner in Black

Gel: Maybelline Gel Eyeliner in Eggplant

9. Favorite Drugstore Mascara?

Maybelline The Falsies Big Eyes Mascara in Blackest Black

Covergirl Clump Crusher in Very Black

10. Favorite Drugstore Lipstick?

Covergirl Jumbo Gloss Balm in Watermelon Twist (I don't really wear proper lipstick... I know, that's crazy! But I'm a full time student so I tend to go for something a little less intense and will last a while)

11. Favorite Drugstore Lipliner?

Again, I don't wear lipliner... Since I don't wear proper lipstick, there really isn't a need to wear lipliner.

12. Favorite Drugstore Lipgloss?

NYX Mega Shine Lipgloss in Beige

13. Favorite Drugstore Brow Product?

Milani Brow Kit in Medium

14. Favorite Drugstore Nail Polish?

essie Mint Candy Apple

essie Tour De Finance

(nail polish was a really tough one for me to choose because I LOVE nail polish... I chose my all time favorite and the color that I'm loving the most at the moment, but it changes regularly...)

This was a really quick, short post, but I think it's an amazing tag!! I didn't really go that much into detail on each product. I did that because I have a post that will do that scheduled for early April so keep an eye out for that!! Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this tag post. And of course, I'm going to tag a few people!!!

I"m tagging:

♥ Beauty Spiced Latte

♥ Makeup or Break-Up

♥ Zubie's Musings

♥ Beauty by Nicholle

♥ Anyone else who wants to do this tag!!!

Please, let me know if you like these tag posts! Would you like to see the tag posts as the weekly Sunday post, or would you rather see it as a mid-week post (on Wednesday maybe) and another post on Sunday? Please leave that in the comments! As always stay beautiful!!!

(P.S. my birthday is in just two days, March 18 **cough, cough** so I'm planning to do a Birthday Haul/What I Got for My Birthday post for next Sunday... let me know if you like that idea and would like to see that!)

♥♥♥

Beauty Scenario Tag

Hey Lovelies!!!

Today, I have a very exciting blog post that I was tagged to do by the lovely Beauty Spiced Latte to do the "Beauty Scenario Tag" which was created by Lily Pebbles. I've never done a tag post, but I really liked this one, so I figured it was a good one to start with! I hope you enjoy!

1. You have to get rid of all your foundation and you can only keep one high-end and one drugstore, which do you keep?

For my drugstore pick, I would choose Covergirl Outlast Stay Fabulous 3-in-1 Foundation, hands down. It has great coverage, great staying power, and looks really natural. For my high-end pick, unfortunately, I don't have a pick because my budget doesn't allow me to splurge on expensive makeup... :( #brokecollegestudentprobs But I just got a job at Aeropostale, so hopefully that will change soon!

2. You go for and interview and the lady interviewing you has lipstick on her teeth. Do you approach the subject or ignore it completely?

I would probably not say anything... I'm a really quiet and pretty shy person and would only ever tell my friends or family if they had lipstick on their teeth. Plus, I wouldn't want to jeopardize getting the job.

3. You're not feeling yourself and you need a pick-me-up. Which lipstick do you put on to make yourself feel beautiful?

I would choose a bright pink! I'm not a huge red lips fan on myself. I much prefer pinks. And the brighter, the better. Right now, I'm absolutely in love with Maybelline's Color Elixir in Fuschia Flourish. And just as the question says, just that lip product, can make me feel so much better.

4. You go back in time for a day to your teenage years, how would you do your hair and makeup differently?

Well, first off, I'd put a lot more effort and care into how I look. Starting out with actually doing something with my hair instead of just wearing it down and natural. For my makeup, I'd probably stick to mascara, maybe some tinted lip balm and blush. I used to wear eyeshadow, glitter eye liner, and shimmery/glittery lip gloss. It was actually horrendous and I would never want to go back to that. EVER.

5. You ask your hairdresser for a shoulder length Pixie Lott hair cut, but they hear wrong and give you a pixi cut. Do you a) Smile, say thank you, leave and call your mum hysterical b) Cry in the chair and things get awkward or c)Complain to the manager and demand a refund?

Definitely A. Like I said previously, I'm pretty quiet and shy and would never confront a person in a situation like that. And I would definitely call my mom hysterical. Plus I'm super particular about my hair and get really anxious when going to the hairdresser (I rarely cut my hair because of that).

6. Your friend surprises you with a 4-day city break and you have 1 hour to pack. Which "do it all" palette do you pack in your makeup bag?

To be honest, I wouldn't pack a palette. If I had only and hour to pack, I'd end up just dumping my everyday makeup products into a cosmetics bag and move onto clothes, shoes, accessories, and other things. I take packing really seriously so I don't forget anything, so I wouldn't get hung up on my makeup. (Sorry if I took this question way too seriously...)

7. Your house has been robbed, don't worry everyone is safe, but your beauty stash has been raided. What's the product you really hope is safe?

I would hope my concealer and mascara were safe. It sounds super random because they aren't all that special, but those are my absolute minimal makeup necessities. I could wear concealer and mascara to go out and restock my makeup without looking absolutely disgusting. But, if there's one product I couldn't live without it's my Sally Hanson Complete Salon Manicure Nail Polish in Gold Roses. It's not really a makeup product, but it's limited edition and one of my favorite nail polishes so I wouldn't be able to replace it.

8. Your friend borrows your makeup and returns it in awful condition. Do you a) Just pretend you haven't noticed b) Ask them to repurchase it or c) Secretly do the same to something of theirs?

I would definitely ask them to replace it. I'm quite OCD and so if my makeup was returned in bad condition, I would definitely have them replace it for me and I'd probably never let them borrow something of mine again. It sounds mean, but I'm just very particular about how my stuff is maintained. You'd understand if you saw how everything of mine is kept and maintained.

Okay, so that's all the questions. I really liked this tag. Sorry if it seemed a bit ramble-y at some points... I would love to see this tag really do well because it is really good. So, I'm going to tag:

♥ Beauty By Nicholle

♥ Makeup Or Break-Up

♥ Plastic Bows

♥ Lottie Mayy Loves

I hope you girls try out this tag and let me know if/when you do! Again, huge thanks to Beauty Spiced Latte for tagging me! I loved doing this tag. And if any of you haven't checked out her blog, please do! She's so lovely and deserves all your love on her blog!!!

Let me know if you liked this post and your answers. If you do this tag, please let me know so I can check it out! I'll see you next Sunday. And as usual, stay beautiful!!!

♥♥♥

Review- Maybelline Baby Skin

Hey Lovelies!!!

I'm back one this wonderful Sunday with another review. And this is something I've seen many reviews on but I felt that I needed to get my opinion out there too! After weeks of searching for this product at Target, CVS, Walgreens, and Rite Aid, I finally got my hands on the very last one at my local Target. I was so excited to finally try this out. Although I heard very mixed reviews about it, I figured I'd still give it a try.

I posted this lovely picture on my Instagram (@megsmaquillage) as soon as I arrived home with it!

First thing... packaging: I adore this packaging. Mainly because it consists only of my two favorite colors: pink and Tiffany-ish blue. It sticks to the traditional writing that Maybelline features on Baby Lips, Dream Fresh BB Cream, and Dream Bouncy Blush. This actual display in stores, however, isn't anything special.

Next thing... first impression: like most pore erasers or primers, it feels very silicone-y. However, I do feel that Baby Skin is slightly more oily/greasy than most other similar products. On top of that, I didn't feel as if it truly erased my pores... maybe made them appear slightly smaller, but definitely not erased. I was impressed with how nicely my makeup, especially my foundation, went on after applying this. It was so smooth and looked flawless and even. However, after applying my foundation and concealer, it was clear that my pores were still visible from up close. After applying all of my other makeup, I left for classes and lunch.

Here's a picture of what Baby Skin looks like straight out of the tube. Notice that it's clear, unlike some other pore erasers, like Porefessional, that are a nude-ish color.

It doesn't look like much, but this is what it looks like after being blended in. Sorry about the hand as an example, my skin isn't in it's prime at the moment. :(

First impression continued: After wearing Baby Skin under my makeup for about 5 hours, I came back to my room to examine how it appeared to look and wear. Unfortunately, there was no real significant difference between what my makeup looked like with and without Baby Skin underneath. And, because I have oily skin, I have to reapply a mattifying powder half-way through the day. On this particular day, my skin was looking extra oily, especially in the areas that I applied the pore eraser. And even though this isn't a primer, and isn't meant to allow my makeup to wear longer, it seems as if it makes it wear for a shorter amount of time.

Final impression: I'm still not quite sure how I feel about this, even after trying it out for a week straight. It makes my skin look more oily but, at the same time, makes my makeup go on and look flawless. In my opinion, I think that Baby Skin is not made for people with oily skin (but maybe dry skin, possibly...?). Although it is considered to be a pore eraser, I don't think it did that at all (maybe the slightest bit). Now, compared to Benefit's The Porefessional, the price is much better, but that isn't saying much.

Overall, I don't think that I'll be repurchasing this after I run out. I'll continue to use it until I can completely determine how I feel about it. I think that after I'm done with Baby Skin, I'll try out some other pore erasers (hopefully drugstore ones... I just can't spend all that money on one product until I get a proper job). If any of you have tried this, please let me know your opinion. Maybe it worked for some of you... I just don't know. I was expecting much better considering it was so difficult to get my hands on.

This is my first proper negative review... :( As much as I hate saying bad things about products or companies, I felt my readers should know my honest opinion, in case they were thinking of buying this. However, some reviews have said very positive things about this, so maybe it's just me and my annoying oily skin... Anyways, I hope you liked this post. And I'll be back again next Sunday for my weekly post. As always, stay beautiful!!!

♥♥♥

What's In My Bag??

Hey Lovelies!!!

So, I've experienced a "Blogger's Block" or creative block today... :( I've spent my entire 3 hour trip back to school trying to come up with some ideas and was at a complete loss. But I couldn't break my resolution for weekly blog posts, so I found something. It's pretty generic, but almost every blogger does this post at some point. And if you guys are like me, you love to get an up-close look in people's bags, rooms, etc. (not trying to sound creepy, I promise). So, here it is... Here's what I have in my bag all the time:

First off, here's my bag. It's a medium Longchamp Le Pliage bag in Black. It's such a functional bag and last forever! It was about $125 (give or take) and I've had it for about a year and a half. And it still looks brand new!! And I always end up going back to this bag eventually.

So here's an picture of everything that was in my bag laid out. It's missing a few items that change by the day. All the items in the picture above are always in my bag. I typically have whatever lip products I'm wearing that day, even though that changes regularly, and a mirror in my bag too. And typically, I'm carrying my iPhone in my hand.

♥ Wallet- This is a Vera Bradley Turn and Lock Wallet in Mocha Rouge. I got this for Christmas in 2012 and I've used this ever since. It has tons of space and compartments so I never run out space. And it's still in really good condition!

♥ Glasses case- I always carry my glasses case with my glasses and contact holder inside, just in case I have to take my contacts out for some reason. Although it's a rare occurrence, it happened once and I didn't have this with me and I really regretted not bringing it.

♥ Sunglasses- These are my absolute favorite pair of sunglasses and I have these with me at all times. They are from Target. I got them a year or so back so I have no way of figuring out which type they are. All I know is they are perfect. Out of the five pairs of sunglasses I have, I always end up wearing these.

♥ Snack- I like to have a small, but filling snack in my bag just in case I get hungry. These granola bites were featured in my January Favorites because they are so delicious. They are the Sea Salt Caramel and Almond Granola Bites from Target and I'm absolutely obsessed. And they're perfect for keeping in your bag!

♥ Mini cosmetics bag- This pink, glittery bag is from Victoria's Secret. I got it for Christmas with a gift card in it and I've found a way to reuse it:

I use it as an "emergency kit". That's probably not the most appropriate name for it, but I figured it worked. It's not a big case at all but it easily fits a hand sanitizer, chapstick, cuticle cream (a miracle especially in the cold weather because it's so moisturizing and smells really good!), band-aids, hair bands, and bobby pins. And if it doesn't help me, sometimes my friends need one of these things and I have it!

♥ Tide-To-Go- Another really good thing to have with you. I've gone through many of these between myself, my friends, and my family. You never know when you'll need it and it works so well to get out marks from your clothes if you can't wash it right away.

♥ House keys and store reward cards- Pretty self-explanatory... These stay in my purse all the time or else I would forget to bring them with me when I go back home from college.

♥ ID Keychain- I always have this with me because, on the lanyard, I have my room key and campus ID which I need to get into my building and also get food and do laundry. So it's practically my lifeline here on campus. And having the Vera Bradley ID case and lanyard keeps it all together and I never forget it.

♥ iPhone charger and earbuds- I typically have these in a tangled mess in my bag because, that way, I'll always know where they are. And it's unpredictable when you'll need to charge your phone throughout the day.

So that's all that I keep in my bag. It's a pretty good collection for the moment. But it changes sometimes, so I'm sure there will be another What's In My Bag later on down the road. If you want to, leave a comment below letting me know what you have in your bag! I'd love to know and see if we have anything the same! :) But that's all for today... I'll be back next week with another review (let's see if anyone can guess what it will be for ;)). Until then, stay beautiful!!

♥♥♥

January Favorites 2014

Hey Lovelies!!!

So along with my weekly posts every week for 2014, I'm also going to be doing monthly favorites. Now, I can't guarantee that each month will have new beauty products, but I'm also going to add fashion, food/drinks, entertainment, and anything else that I'm just absolutely loving for that month. I hope you all like this new type of blog post from me! And let me know what you're loving this month!! :)

Beauty

♥ Revlon Parfumerie Nail Polish- I don't have enough good things to say about these. I've done a full review for these, so go check that out! And as you can see, I've picked up another color in "Apricot Nectar"

♥ Maybelline Color Elixirs- LOVE THESE!! And again, I've done a full review for these, so check that out as well. All the colors were reviewed there.

♥ Maybelline Baby Lips Dr. Rescue- I've always been a fan of the Baby Lips and when I saw that they came out with a new collection, I had to try it out. I got "Too Cool", which is a clear lip balm and I really like it. They have menthol in them, so they aren't the best smelling lip balms, but they really work to heal and moisturize dry, chapped lips. And the menthol gives off a cooling sensation.

♥ Maybelline Gel Eyeliner- I love this eye liner. It comes with a brush which works really well for applying the eye liner precisely. I got it in the color "Eggplant" and it looks amazing, especially on brown eyes. It has really subtle finely-milled shimmer; it's not obvious but gives some nice definition. I would classify this more as a cream eye liner rather than gel, but everything else is perfect.

Fashion

♥ "California Stole My Heart" Sweatshirt- I bought this recently on sale at Forever 21 and I'm obsessed. It's a really pale pink color and quite thin for a sweatshirt, but I think it will be perfect for the spring and fall where it's a little too cool for no sweater. And it's super comfortable!!!

♥ French Maroon Pajama Shorts- I'm totally in love with these pajama shorts and they're super comfortable too. It's still freezing here in MA but I like to wear these when I'm having a lazy day around the dorm room. And they're white so they make my pale skin look (a little) tanner. And they were under $10 so f course I had to get them.

♥ Plaid Pajama Pants- These pajama pants are from Victoria's Secret and they actually came in a set with a (slightly cropped) pajama shirt. I got this as a gift from my cousin for Christmas and couldn't be happier. I love lounging around in pajama pants and these are so nice and fit perfectly. They are slightly more pricey but, I think, totally worth it as a gift.

♥ Long Key Necklace- I got this from Forever 21. It was on sale for $2.80 (no lie) so I couldn't pass it up. It's a long gold necklace with a decorative key. I don't have much gold jewelry, never mind long gold necklaces. I absolutely love keys (skeleton keys especially) so I was thrilled when I found this with such a low price tag! I'm definitely getting my money's worth as it goes with a lot of different outfits.

♥ New Glasses!!- I recently got these adorable Candie's glasses because I desparately needed my prescription changed (I'm practically blind). I tried on a lot of pairs and these were by far my favorite. They are black with a lot of gray in them so they aren't super dramatic. The suit my face really well and every time I wear them, I can't help but imagine I'm Zooey Deschanel (I absolutely adore her).

Entertainment

♥ New Girl- I LOVE THS SHOW!!! It's definitely my favorite at the moment. I watched it when it first came out and then randomly stopped (I don't know why). And right after Christmas, I watched every single episode. I finished right in time for the new season which I'm loving!

♥ Lorde "Pure Heroine"- I've recently got into more alternative music. I don't really know what prompted me to but I love it now! And I really love Lorde's album. My favorite songs are Royals (even though it's extremely overplayed on the radio), Team, White Teeth Teens, and Tennis Court. Definitely check it out! Such amazing talent for a 17 year-old.

♥ Bastille "Bad Blood"- Another alternative group that I love. And they don't overplay them (yet). I don't have too much to say about the album other than I love it. My favorite songs are Pompeii and Flaws.

♥ JacksGap "The Rickshaw Run"- My favorite YouTube channel, hands down. And their journey across India is documented in their 4-part series. It is absolutely stunning and intriguing and is almost like a reality show (but a good one). I watched religiously as soon as they came out and was genuinely sad when it came to an end. If you haven't already seen it, GO WATCH IT!!

Food/Drinks

♥ Panera Mac & Cheese- Need I say anything at all..?! If you've had it before, you know what I'm talking about. It's not that healthy at all but it's definitely a nice occasional "treat". And, to make it better, they sell it in Target now!

♥ Sea Salt Caramel & Almond Granola Bites- Oh my god! I'm in love with Salted Caramel anything. So mix it together with almonds, granola, and chocolate and it's irresistible.

♥ Starbucks Caramel Macchiato Carton- So good! It's not as good as getting it in an actual Starbucks but it's also way less expensive and tastes pretty good. I really like having this and adding some caramel sauce to it; it makes it taste a little closer to the real thing. I was actually really excited when I saw this in Target and just had to try it.

Other

♥ Olay Fresh Effects "Shine, Shine Go Away" and Brush- I had heard some good reviews on this product and when it was on sale at Target, I picked it up to see what I thought of it. I got the brush with a mini/travel sized "Shine, Shine Go Away" and really, really liked it, so I went out and bought the full size product. The brush is actually really good too (it's not a Clarisonic, but for the price, it works well). And there is a definite difference between just using my facial cleanser and using the cleanser with the brush. And my skin is a lot smoother and clearer because of it.

So that's it! I hope you all like this post. Please let me know if you do so I can do more like this in the future. I'd also like to give a quick little shout out to a fellow blogger/Instagrammer Nicholle. (Blog, Instagram: @beautybynicholle) So go follow her!!! And Nicholle, if you're reading this, let me know!!! :)

I'll be back again on Sunday with a regular, weekly post. And until then, stay beautiful!!

♥♥♥

My (Pathetically Small) Brush Collection

Hey Lovelies!!!

I've been wanting to do a blog post like this one for quite some time but felt slightly uneasy about it because of my lack of brushes. I still have very few brushes but they work for my everyday makeup look, which is basically all that I wear while in college. I have intentions to expand my brush collection, but since I'm in college, with no proper job and very little money to spend, it may not be for a while... :( I feel like sharing my collection with you, however, because I love most of the brushes I use and want to share my opinion to those of you who are looking for one.

And before I begin my post, I just wanted to point out that I'm in school until the beginning of May. I will continue to do at least a post a week. However, for those of you who follow me on Instagram or have found me there (@megsmaquillage), the posts on there will probably be much less since taking #ootd especially is very difficult in my dorm room. However, I'll try my best to get a few photos up every once in a while. And if I buy some stuff (which could be rare- #brokestudentprobs), I'll definitely be posting and Instahaul! But still, go follow me on Instagram!!!!

 

So, back to the brush collection. As you can see, it's very small; only eight brushes at the moment. But those eight brushes work really well for my on an everyday basis. I've changed my everyday makeup quite significantly since my previous post (http://megsmaquillage.blogspot.com/2013/09/makeup-collection-and-storage-dorm.html). And just from looking at the brushes, you can probably tell that I REALLY LOVE the Real Techniques brushes. In case you didn't know, Real Techniques brushes are made by Samantha Chapman is a makeup artist and has a YouTube channel with her sister (http://www.youtube.com/user/pixiwoo) and she makes these amazing synthetic makeup brushes and continues to release more and more brushes and tools and they're just flawless. Go check out the website if you haven't already (http://realtechniques.com/). And for those of you who are new to makeup, they even have video tutorials of how to use the brushes and also makeup looks!

My current makeup brush collection consists of eight brushes. I guess I'm proving that you don't need 100 different makeup brushes to wear makeup! :) I'll give the name of the brush and also what I use it for:

♥ Real Techniques Expert Face Brush- My most recent addition. I use it to apply liquid foundation. And it applies it FLAWLESSLY! It's super dense and SO soft! Highly recommend it to anyone that uses liquid foundation!

♥ Target brand Crease Brush- I actually use this brush for concealer (occasionally, I usually just use my ring finger). It's not the best brush, but it was pretty cheap and I thought I'd give it a try. I would actually recommend getting an elf brand brush over Target brand brushes, it will save you some money and they tend to be a little softer.

♥ Real Techniques Powder Brush- I use this brush for face powder (obviously). It's not nearly as dense as the Expert Face Brush but just as soft. It's really big and fluffy and really evenly applies powders. Again. I highly recommend!

♥ elf Professional Total Face Brush- I use this brush for bronzer (when I wear it). It's decent, especially for the price ($1). It applies a pretty good amount- not too much, not too little. I'm using this brush for the meantime until I get something a little better (Real Techniques Mulit-Task Brush from Travel Essentials kit maybe???). If you're on a budget like myself, this is a pretty good brush.

♥ Real Techniques Blush Brush- I use this for blush, like it says. I really like the shape of this brush. It's quite small but narrow. I do find that right after I was the brush, though, it doesn't really apply a lot of blush and takes a bit of building up to have the color show. Although that could just be the blush I use too. I would recommend this as well.

♥ Real Techniques Shading Brush- I use this brush for an eye shadow all over my lid. I love the shape of this brush, thick but flat, so you can really control the eye shadow placement. It's very soft and quite dense. It's not super flimsy so you have added control over the brush. I really recommend this brush!

♥ elf Professional Defining Eye Brush- I use this brush to apply dark brown eye shadow to my lower lash line. The shape of this brush is perfect- thin and angled. It's extremely cheap ($1) and totally worth it!! I would definitely recommend!

♥ Maybelline Cream Eyeliner Brush- I got this brush with my cream eyeliner and I really like it. It's thicker on one side and thinner on the other, so you can really customize how thick you want your eyeliner. A lot of companies make eyeliner brushes/tools but I like this enough that I'll just stick with this one! I recommend trying this brush along with the eyeliner it comes with!

And here's how I store it all:

The brush holder is an old, used Bath and Body Works candle that got GIYed by following the steps in MissGlamorazzi's video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jRPvlXJbzGI). It's the perfect size and looks so adorable! It's a great way to up-cycle old candles.

So, there you have it! If you haven't already tried the Real Techniques brushes, I really think you should. You can get them online, at Ulta, Walmart, online at Target, and maybe a few other places... And, just a disclaimer, these are completely my own views and opinions. This wasn't sponsored by Real Techniques or anything like that, I just really love their brushes as do many other people.

Anyways, it's almost the end of January already. I'm going to be posting my January Favorites on January 31 (next Friday) which will have beauty, fashion, food, entertainment, and other categories so stay tuned for that! I'm not sure if I'm going to post twice next week yet or if I'm just going to do January Favorites. Let me know what you think in the comments! As always, I'll see you very soon and stay beautiful!!!

♥♥♥

Review- Maybelline Color Elixirs

Hey Lovelies!!!

My WiFi has been down for the afternoon so I'm posting on my phone so the set up may be slightly different until I can get on my computer to fix it. I'm going to try my best until then!

So, recently, I've came across one of my new favorite lip products!!! The title of the post probably gave it away, but they are the new Color Elixirs from Maybelline. They are stunning and I think they have great formulation.

("Mandarin Rapture", "Fuschia Flourish", "Petal Plush", "Celestial Coral")

I'm going to start by reviewing the presentation and packaging. To start, they are small square tubes that appear to be lipstick.

It's not until you twist the top to realize they are actually a lip gloss. The actual applicator is really nicely shaped and angled so it's very easy to get an accurate application all over the lips.

In addition to individual presentation and packaging, there are many colors to choose from (I believe time around 20) with colors ranging from red, pink, nude, orange, and purples in light, bright, and dark shades.

The product itself is quite fragrant and pigmented. I think the smell is nice but if you're sensitive to strong smells, this might not be the best product for you... As soon as you apply the product, you can see color immediately. It feels thicker than a lot of other lip glosses but it's not sticky at all! These are also pretty moisturizing. The color only last for a couple hours but leave your lips feeling soft and hydrated - a major plus even if it means reapplying. These aren't meant to be a stain, so it's not expected that these will last all day long.

I have gotten 4 colors in the last 2-3 weeks (no judging!) and I like all of them!

(I posted the same picture without flash above but I really feel like this picture captured the true color of the tubes)

And here are the swatches ("Mandarin Rapture", "Fuschia Flourish", "Petal Plush", "Celestial Coral")

As I've said, I love these so much and I don't have much to complain about for them. It would be nice if the color lasted a little longer, but I'm very satisfied with how they are now. And I would recommend them to anyone! (That means you!! ;)) Out of the colors that I have, my favorite is hands down Fuschia Flourish, which was the very first one I got!! It's a very pretty hot pink that looks very flattering and can be worn casually or formally as well.

If you try this product, let me know what you think of it! Also, if you liked this review please let me know so I can make more like this!! Until next time!! And, as always, stay beautiful!!!

❤❤❤