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January 2018 Beauty Favorites

Hi, happy Superbowl Sunday! I’m not into football, but I will probably catch part of the game (halftime show), and my daughter wants to watch the kitten and puppy bowls!

I have decided to do something different with my favorites post this year. Instead of posting a weekly favorites of new products I love, I’m going to post monthly about the products I have been using most. I will still review new products, but this will let you know the products I have been loving daily!

In January, my faves are —

NIP + FAB Glycolic Gentle Pads ($14.95 USD) — These are are such a gentle exfoliator for my ! They keep my skin free from breakouts, love them!”

Bath and Body Works Marshmallow Pumpkin Latte Body Butter — This is something I got at the end of last year, during the big semi-annual sale. It’s no longer for sale on the site. I am loving the scent, it’s not too sweet and has a little musk to it. The formula is so hydrating that it perfect for the cold season!

Anastasia Beverly Hills Modern Renaissance Palette ($42 USD) — I purchased this at the end of December when it was on sale at Ulta. I love the formula and pigmentation of these shadows. Plus, the color range is amazing! You can see my full review here.

Maybelline New York Fit Me! Loose Finishing Powder ($7.99 USD) –This is a nice, light powder that doesn’t settle in my pores. I use it to set my makeup, even under my eyes. I think the quality of this is so nice and I have been using it daily.

Gigi Hadid East Coast Glam Fiber Mascara ($12.99 USD) — I have been loving using this. One side is black mascara and one is fibers. You use the mascara first, then fibers, then mascara again. There’s been a learning curve, but the fibers really make my lashes so long and thick!

DR. BRANDT SKINCARE pores no more® Luminizer Primer – ($38 USD) — I received this in my January BoxyCharm. I have just started using primer again, because my skin needs a bit of smoothing help! My pores are pretty large and this really helps blur them and gives me a little glow too.

What were your favorite products that you loved in January?

Maybelline Concealer Review — Instant Age Rewind and Fit Me!

Maybelline New York has expanded two of their most loved ranges of concealers! This month, the brand doubled the shade ranges for their Instant Age Rewind and Fit Me! concealers. The shade extensions will include lighter and darker shades, as well as more undertones for light/medium + medium skin tones. I received a few of these concealers for my honest review.

The products are available exclusively at Walmart and Target in stores and online now. Here are the new range of shades:

Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Concealer ($7.89 USD) This super-concentrated treatment concealer features a micro-corrector applicator to help instantly erase dark circles and fine lines. The full range of shades are (*indicates new shade): Ivory*, Fair, Light, Medium, Sand*, Golden*, Honey, Caramel*, Neutralizer, Tan*, Brightener and Hazelnut*.

Maybelline Fit Me! Concealer ($6.49 USD) — Skin looks perfected with this natural coverage concealer. This oil-free formula conceals redness, flaws, and blemishes. Matches all skin tones. Dermatologist tested. Ophthalmologist tested. Non-comedogenic. Fragrance-free. The full range of shades are (*indicates new shade): Ivory*, Light, Fair, Sand, Medium, Cafe, Honey*, Deep, Caramel*, Tan*, Hazelnut* and Cocoa*.

I received the following shades to review:

In the Instant Age Rewind I have been testing the shades Neutralizer, Fair and Light. Neutralizer is the one I have been using the most under my eyes. It takes away the dark circles, nicely!

The Fit Me! shades are Fair and Sand. Fair works very well for my skin tone now, but Sand will probably work well in the summer. Here are the swatches:

The swatches on the left are the Fit Me! in Fair and Sand and then the Instant Age Rewind in Neutralizer, Fair and Light. The Fit Me! is a drier texture, great for concealing redness and blemishes, plus I like it as an eye shadow base. It works well for a cut crease, too. The Instant Age Rewind has a slicker texture and works under eyes and I like it on my forehead before foundation.

I really like both of these and I think it’s great that there are now more shades for different skin tones! I will continue using these.

What concealers are you loving?

ColourPop I Think I Love You Palette Review

This photo cracks me up! The palette cover is so reflective that it shows my phone! This is the very shiny ColourPop I Think I Love You eye shadow palette ($16 USD). I received it in a big ColourPop Haul I did at the end of December. It’s actually my 18 year old daughter’s. She let me swatch and review it (I did pay for it)!

These are the shade names, and here are the colors:

Bitter Better: metallic soft gold
Bel Air: matte cool taupe
Fancy Face: metallic bright red copper
Girls Bite: metallic golden bronze
Howdy: metallic red bronze
Rowdy: matte warm ivory
My Treat: metallic champagne ivory
Level Up: metallic bright penny copper
Screw It: metallic soft rose gold
Let’s Do It: matte true black
Rule Breaker: metallic bright yellow gold
My Type: matte deep saddle brown

The colors all swatched really well and are gorgeous! My daughter wanted it for the metallic yellow gold color, but I lie the beautiful bronzes and lighter, shimmery colors. I wouldn’t have picked this myself, but I love it (and will be borrowing it). I can make gorgeous day and night looks with this!

Do you have any ColourPop palettes? Which ones are your favorites?

Project Pan 2018 Skincare — First Update

This is my first update on my 2018 Project Pan! I have so much skincare in my stash, that I decided to focus on it for the first quarter of the year.I figured if I set a goal, I can use up some of my skincare and make room for more! And, by making a point to use my skincare each day, my skin has been looking much better!

Here is the original products in my project pan:

These are my original 10 products. You read what they are in my beginning post here.

These are the products that I used up. You can see there is a new one, the Ofra Peptide Silk-C Serum. I included it once I finished the YourGoodSkin and the NeoCutis serums. But I used it up, too!

These are the current products that I’m trying to pan. The five products on the left are the ones I have been using since the beginning of January. I’ve made good progress on them. The spray is almost empty, and they others have much less product in them.

*I just realized that my Purity Made Simple face wash is missing from this photo. LOL! It’s in my shower. I am still working on it and hope to have it panned soon.

The four products on the right are new to the pan:

They are: Pur Blue Agave Mask, NeoCutis Micro Night Riche Rejuvenating Balm, Manuka Doctor Face Oil 24K Gold and Jane Iredale D2O Hyrdration Spray. I’d say everything is about half used up, but the spray has only been used a couple of times. I’ve included a mask that I loved when I got it last year, but I forgot about it. It’s really fun to use, it dries down blue on the face and peels off.

I was going to continue my pan until the end of March, but I think my products all may be used up by the end of February. I will do an update at that time and we will see! It does feel really good to get rid of some of my vast array of skincare!

I am already planning the next pan. I’m going to include at least one hair styling product and maybe a foundation and concealer. I really have not used any powder makeup so that it’s even close to be panned (I have so much), but who knows, maybe a finishing powder will be in the mix!

Are you doing any project pan’s this year? Leave a comment and let me know!

ColourPop Fem Rosa She Palette Review

I have recently purchased a bunch of Colourpop pressed eye shadow palettes. I was going to start reviewing them, but I remembered that I hadn’t reviewed my She palette yet! I purchased it a few months ago and have kept it in the box waiting for a review, LOL!

This is no longer available on Colourpop’s website, but there are many other gorgeous palettes available now.

The packaging of this is very pretty, I love the reddish color and the roses. Here are the shades from left to right, top to bottom row:

Ladylike — metallic soft ivory

Babe — satin light peachy pink

Dainty — metallic pinky taupe

Chick — metallic subtle gold

Mademoiselle — metallic rose gold

Gal — metallic red with copper duochrome

Empress — metallic mid-tone pink plum

Filly — metallic rusty orange

Dear — matte warm rose

Missy — matte deep burgundy

Damsel — matte smokey violet

Duchess — matte dusty coral

As my swatches show, these have really great pigment, especially the mattes. There are more metallics than mattes. I’m okay with that, but I really wish there was a light cream matte and maybe a medium neutral matte. But many gorgeous looks can be made with these. Plus, with Valentine’s Day coming soon, a romantic pink, red or purpley look will be perfect!

I really am enjoying this palette, and now that I have found it again, I intend on using it more.

Do you have the She palette? What do you think of it?

Bath and Body Works Semi-Annual Sale Haul

My daughter and I caught the tale end of the Bath and Body Works Semi Annual sale last week and I wanted to share the fun things and amazing deals I got! I even had a coupon for 20% off if you spend $25, so my haul ended up being only $20!

Here’s what I got:

Here are the products with the original and sale prices

Marshmallow Magic Body Cream — $13.50, sale $2.70 — Vanilla cream, crisp lavender & marshmallow musk

Mad About You Shower Gel — $12.50, sale $3.16 — A love-struck pairing of soft peonies & black currant kissed with creamy vanilla musk

Pearberry Shower Gel — $12.50, sale $3.16 — Inspired by the sweet air of a summer picnic, the perfect blend of wild pears & juicy berries

Champagne Apple & Honey Body Wash — $18.50, on sale for $3.70 — You’re the apple of my eye! Cheers to this oh-so-sweet blend of Pink Lady Apple, Sparkling Champagne & Jasmine Honey.

Cabana Breeze Shower Jelly — $16.50, on sale for $3.30 — Key notes: Juicy Starfruit, Banana Leaves, Poolside Orchid, Coconut Musk, Ocean Breeze

Crisp Morning Air PocketBac Hand Sanitizer — $1.75, on sale .35 — Crisp Fall Breeze, White Oak, Golden Amber Wood, Saffron, Soft Sandalwood

Vampire Blood Hand Cream — $4 each, on sale for .80 each — Wicked Plum

The products without links can be found on Amazon.

My total was $20.57! Crazy! It’s probably the best deal I’ve got from Bath and Body Works.

Leave a comment and let me know if you got anything from the sale! I know it’s over (at least until the summer), but I’d love to hear the deals everyone got!

Karity Travel Chamber + Single Shadows Review

I recently received a lovely box of Karity products for my honest review. You can see my review of Karity’s 15 Nudes & Rudes palette here.

Today, I want to share Karity’s cool Travel Chamber ($12 USD) that can hold up to 9 single eye shadows and 9 fun singles shadows.

Here’s the empty palette:

This is really easy to fill and it a very portable size, which is perfect for travelling. It’s heavy duty cardboard and closes magnetically. It has a nice little mirror, too.

Here are the shadows:

I received some very bright shades with a few neutrals. They are $4 each on Karity’s website. Here are the shadows inside the palette:

The shades from left to right, starting in the first row are:

One Night Stand (Satin) — Soft gold peach with pearl satin

Confidential (Frost) — Rich cocoa lustre

Unspoken (Velvet) — Dark brown velvet

Baby Habit (Metallic) Bright pink with icy shimmer frost

Bamba (Matte) — Bright mint green matte

Amoeba (Frost) — True blue with icy shimmer frost

Sanguine (Matte) Vivid bright yellow matte

Viper (Frost) — Vibrant golden green with yellow shimmer frost

Spring Break (Matte) — Vivid pinky orange matte

Swatches:

The colors swatch well and are highly pigmented. I especially love the first 4 shades because I will wear them a lot. The last 5 are unusual for me. I can see accenting my look with one. I like the blue in the middle, the teal next to it, and the coral on the end. I have played around with them and the blend really well and there’s not a lot of kick up in the pan, even though they are really velvety.

I can see myself switching out a few of these for some more neutrals, but the shades I was sent are so much fun to play with!

Karity shadows are very high quality for the price. I would definitely recommend picking up a few of the shadows to try or purchasing a palette.

Have you tried Karity? What do you think?

My Beauty Favorites — January 15-21 2018

It was so cold in Kansas City last week, one day it was -5! But it has warmed up and was in the 40’s today. It felt balmy!

This week I have been loving a French no-rinse cleanser and products to help my hair stay smooth in the cold winter air:

Collosol Eau de Lait ($18 USD) — A moisturizing milk/micellar water hybrid, this thorough but gentle cleanser can be applied with a cotton pad to remove makeup, moisturize and soothe stinging skin. No rinsing with water is required—a good thing since the limestone in tap water can be irritating to parched, wind-shipped skin. The universal formula is also suited to all skin types, from sensitive to dry to oily/acne-prone.

What I think: First, this is really fragrant. It’s floral like gardenias or jasmine, I can’t put my finger on the scent. It’s nice, though. It’s a milky liquid, and I apply with to a cotton pad. IT removes makeup very well and leaves my face so soft. You can also add it to bath water to soften skin. I haven’t tried it yet, but I might tomorrow after my workout.

A French skincare classic created in Paris in the 1950s, Collosol Eau de Lait can now be found in the U.S. at smallflower.com

John Frieda Hair Care Frizz Ease Collection

John Frieda Hair Care Frizz Ease Collection ($6.99 each) — Check out the new statement making look for John Frieda Hair Care’s classic Frizz Ease collection. The iconic purple that has accented the products for years will now be the primary focus, making this collection of frizz-fighters bolder and brighter than ever. My favorites from the collection are:

Secret Weapon Touch-Up Crème (3rd from left in photo) — This versatile smoothing cream, applied to dry strands, instantly transforms puffy, parched style. Creates a supple, shiny finish and silky touch. For use on flyaways, static frizz, and split ends. This is perfect for the cold weather, my hair gets flyaways and this smooths them right out.

Air Dry Waves Styling Foam (4th from left) — Get defined curls without the need for heated styling tools. Infused with moringa oil and a unique blend of polymers, this featherweight curly hair styler helps control frizz for perfectly smooth waves and curls. Non-sticky foam dries quickly, creating a flexible film that cleverly stretches as curl bundles expand while drying, keeping the curl intact. My hair dries wavy, so I love to use this to define my curls while my hair dries.

Extra Strength 6 Effects+ Serum (2nd from right) — Expertly formulated with a unique blend of silicones. Protect each dehydrated strand against the onset of frizz. Boosts shine. With silk proteins and algae extract, this frizzy hair serum smoothes for more manageable and lustrous results, and provides heat protection. I apply this to soaking wet hair everywhere but my roots. When my hair dries, its soft and smooth.

Learn more at www.johnfrieda.com and purchase at mass market retailers near you.

What products are you loving this week!

BoxyCharm Subscription Box Review – January 2018

I just received my BoxyCharm January 2018 box a couple of days ago, and I wanted to share it with you. This is one of my favorite subscription boxes ever!

Boxycharm is just $21 a month for 5-6 beauty items, most of them full-sized.

Here’s what I received from BoxyCharm:

IT Cosmetics Brow Power™ Universal Eyebrow Pencil – ($24 USD)
DR. BRANDT SKINCARE pores no more® Luminizer Primer – ($38 USD)
Crown Glam Metals Palette – ($29.99 USD)
PUR Bronze and Brighten Palette ($34 USD)
Grande Lips Hydrating Lip Plumper – ($27 USD)

As you can see, this box has amazing value. If I paid full price for everything, it would be $152.99. Crazy!

This primer is the product that I am most excited about trying. I haven’t used it on my face, but I swatched it on my hand and it blurs and gives a little glow. I’ve just started using primer again, so I am excited to give this a try!

I have tried Brow Power before. I love IT Cosmetics, but this is one product I don’t really use. I have black brows and fair skin. And my brows are still pretty thick, even as I get older. So, I usually tweeze and shape and sometimes use a clear gel. If I accentuate them with color, it looks way to dramatic on me. So, I will probably re-home this pencil.

Grande Lips plumpers are so nice, because they don’t tingle or irritate the lips. But this shade is waaaay too dark for me! I am going to give this away.

This is very pretty, shimmery and intensely pigmented! I plan to review this, because the colors are so pretty and I’m sure I’ll use this, but maybe as eye shadow…

So, I’m not swatching anything this month, and this is the main reason. The shade Punk in this compact is broken. I was wondering why there was dark dust all over my items in the box, and this is why. I am going to ask for a replacement, and we’ll see what they say!

These colors do look really pretty, though!

If I receive a replacement, I’ll review this palette, and I’ll review the Pur palette soon! This month, I’ll be keeping the primer, Pur palette and eyeshadows. I’ll probably find a new home for the lip plumper and maybe the Brow Power since I don’t really color my brows. But this month was a real winner for me! Gorgeous products and an amazing value!

Do you subscribe to Boxycharm? What did you get this month?

QVC’s TSV 1/13/18 — IT Cosmetics’ New Year, New Confidence in Your Skin! 5-Piece Collection

IT Cosmetics_ New Year, New Confidence in Your Skin! 5-Piece Collection

It’s time for IT Cosmetics’ New Year, New Confidence in Your Skin! 5-Piece Collection on QVC! This great deal is only good for one day, Saturday, January 13, 2018. You can purchase the collection here for $79.96. The value of this collection is $200!

This exclusive five-piece collection features two of the IT Girl skincare favorites, one complexion must-have paired perfectly with a brush, and one new game-changing skincare innovation that delivers life-changing results! While new Confidence in an Eye Cream instantly color corrects and brightens the look of your entire eye area, Confidence in a Cream deeply hydrates and improves the appearance of your skin. Also featured is Confidence in a Compact, IT’s first-ever solid serum foundation. Apply it effortlessly with the included Heavenly Skin Skin-Smoothing Complexion Brush for your most flawless, airbrushed application. Confidence in a Cleanser completes your collection and gently melts away dirt, oil and even long-wear eye makeup!

I love IT Cosmetics, it’s one of my favorite brands! I’ve tried a lot of their products, but mostly makeup. It’s fun to try their effective skincare, especially if you’re a bit older like myself!

I received a sample of the collection for my honest review. This is how it came packaged:

The products are packaged so well in the box. They are nestled in a protective plastic insert inside the box. So everything’s perfect once you receive it.

The products come in their own boxes, so if you want to give one or two of the products away, they are packaged and ready to go!

I have tried all of these products except for the eye cream before. The cleanser is a gentle way to remove all my makeup. I love how Confidence in a Cream is soothing as well as hydrating, perfect for sensitive skin! The eye cream is so moisturizing, it makes my tired eyes look plumper and brighter.

I love all IT brushes and this one is no exception. I think it works well for wet or dry foundation.

The only product that I don’t really care for is the Confidence in a Compact. I think it’s one of the only products that doesn’t work for me. The shade is too warm for my skin tone and it’s a bit heavy feeling for me. I know that lots of people love how it covers, though, so if you haven’t used it yet, it is the only cosmetics product in this set and might be fun to try.

I suggest picking this up as soon as possible to ensure that you get the shade you want in the foundation!

Are you trying this amazing collection? Have you tried IT Cosmetics before?