May Favorites

"Favorites" posts/videos discuss the products (and other misc things) you loved for that month. The products can either be purchased that month or (old) "rediscovered" items. Favorites are published at the end of the current month or at the beginning of the following month."


Joico K-Pak Liquid Reconstructor
I've used the Hydrator now for about six months and I've loved it. (I didn't care much for the Reconstructor because of the banana scent.) I really needed a detangler because I was tired of using a child one. This was the solution; it fixes damages, detangles, and protects all in one.

OPI Big Apple Red
The perfect OPI red I've been searching for. It's just a classic red - there is no orange, purple, or blue hues that you find in most red polishes.

OPI Skull & Glossbones
This and silver shatter where the only colors that really caught my attention with the Pirates of the Carribean collection. It's a nude soft gray, basically a good neutral shade for your collection. (Unfortunately, I did have to pick up the mini set just for this polish because it was always sold out.)

MAC Soft & Gentle Mineralized Skinfinish
I forgot which collection this was from, I finally arranged a swap for it on makeupalley.com and got my hands on it. It's the perfect color and mix of shimmer for a great highlight anywhere - brow bone, cheeks, body.

Revlon Photo Ready Concealer
This is one of those "she made me do it" products. (Kandee Johnson) - I was on the hunt for a good under-eye concealer. None of my MAC concealers were cutting it. I picked this up in the lightest shade (fair) and it matches perfectly - I'm not sure if I'm extremely pale or these just run darker. It's great for Under-eyes and red spots, splotches, and blemishes it isn't so great for.  This well on it's way to being my favorite drugstore product.

Sigma E40 Tapered Blending
I do have MAC 217, but I use it for crease application.  I desperately wanted the 224, but just couldn't justify $30 on a brush - this is supposedly a dupe (no clue how it compares) for 1/3 of the cost. I don't put any product on this brush, I just blend out what's already been applied - it does a great job.

Sonia Kashuk Eye Makeup Remover
Another supposedly dupe, for one of the Lancome removers. (again, I have no clue how it compares.) I was tired of rubbing my eyes raw with MAC Cleanse Off Oil (more just for the face than mascara) this was the highest rated drugstore remover. It was only $9 - it doesn't sting the eyes and it gets the job done more so than other drugstore removers and Cleanse Off Oil but it still takes 2-3 swipes to get everything off.


Tangle Teezer
I have no clue what has been going on with my hair recently but it's just been such a knotted mess. I have insanely thick hair so brushing while wet, yanking out tangles, etc. Never really mattered - I had hair to spare. (ha) I realize that's not healthy or good for my hair. While browsing Sally's, I discovered this - only $9, I figured it was a worth a shot. I came home and read reviews, they were all awesome. I'm not sure how it works exactly, a hollow brush with soft bristles but it manages to gently get all the tangles out, on both wet and dry hair.  It works pretty quick and it's painless. (With the exception of those huge knots.) But this is a must-have for people with thin, brittle hair and that are extremely tender-headed. - It also distributes conditioner evenly to your hair in the shower. I have noticed if I back comb my hair with this dry it gives great volume.  Basically, a 3-in-1 product.


Urban Decay Primer Potion in Eden
This is a base and primer in one - the color is a light nude. This product gives a blank canvas and is great for really making eyeshadows pop and will help out those who have bluish veiny eyelids.

Urban Decay Naked Palette
At last, I got one of these (only a year later.) A full review to come later on in June. I could never find these in store, I wasn't going to completely hunt for it or pay an inflated price. I was picking up shampoo and there it was - one Naked palette remaining... I considered it fate, caved in, and bought it. Let me just say I absolutely love it, so much I actually sold or swapped most of MAC eyeshadows.

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MAC Paint Pot Storage

Recycle & Organize!


After endless searching for the correct size drawer organizer to keep my MAC paint pots from rolling around; I realized it was in my pantry all along...



All you need is the tray/container from any cookies or crackers. Clean it out, and you have a new a drawer organizer!

MAC paint pots


The Oreo container is a few centimeters too big to fit the paint pots perfectly but the grips on the bottom of the container keep them in place more so than any other container I've tried. It can hold 18 Paint Pots. It's not the most sturdy, I'm going to double, maybe even triple this tray to make it more portable. But for now, no more paint pots rolling around in my drawer and you can easily see which color is which.

Don't limit yourself to paint pots, remember it can fit single circular eyeshadows and small face products as well.

Happy Organizing!

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Eyeshadow for Green Eyes

Shades of green or purple should be your go-to colors to make green eyes brighter.


Face:
Origins VitaZing Moisturizer
Revlon Photoready Concealer

Brows:
MAC Lingering Pencil
Maybelline Great Lash Clear Gel

Eyes:
Urban Decay Eden Primer
MAC Bisque, Creme de Violet, & Sketch Eyeshadows

Eyeliner:
MAC Technakohl in Graphblack (waterline & tightline)
L'Oreal Telesopic Carbon Black (above lashline)
Wet 'n' Wild Violet Pencil (bottom lashline)

Mascara:
Clinique High Definition

Highlight:
NYX Milk
Benefit High Beam
MAC Triple Fusion MSF

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April Favorites

"Favorites" posts/videos discuss the products (and other misc things) you loved for that month. The products can either be purchased that month or (old) "rediscovered" items. Favorites are published at the end of the current month or at the beginning of the following month."



China Glaze Sea Spray
A sky blue meets gray.  This color is perfect for those who have a hard time stepping away from neutrals but wants to join the bright color summer trend. (Baby steps!)

Clinique High Definition Mascara
This is one of my HG mascaras. I've purchased this at least 10 times now.  The applicator has a normal brush on one side but a comb on the other.  Distribution is great and it's nearly impossible to have a lot of clumps and spider lashes with the comb.

Essie Topless & Barefoot
This makes my favorites list yet again, it's the perfect nude for pale skin tones. 

LypSyl Lip Balm
Calling all Burt Bee's lovers! It's time to make a change.  Lypsyl is pure Swedish beeswax.  It gives the same Burt's Bees feel but it's less waxy and last longer.  It also has a tingly mint feeling after application.  Lypsyl is a mix between Burt's Bees & C.G. Bigelow with better-staying power and more hydration than both combined. The Lypsyl packaging is also unique it has a bee slider, rather than the usual twist up chapstick, which makes application much easier.

OPI Silver Shatter
If you loved (or even hated) Black Shatter, you need to try this out.  It's better formulated than Black Shatter (Mine made a gloppy after a few weeks of usage, nail thinner is a must anytime I want to wear it now.) The extreme shimmery silver is pretty over any color.

organix morrocan argan oil (penetrating oil
I raved about the conditioner last month, now I've been using the oil all month. It's a MUCH cheaper alternative to salon's morrocan & argan oil.  This one smells better, too!  I have noticed a lot more shine in my hair after using this whenever I'm out of the shower. I haven't noticed my hair being more moisturized; I admit, I mainly use it for the scent.

Physician's Formula Mineral Wear Talc-Free Correcting Primer (pink)
I really wanted the green primer to cover up the redness around my nose since it was sold out at multiple stores. I decided just to try out the pink one for evening skin tones. I can't imagine putting this all over my face for actual primer (the real use) it makes my face pretty shiny and bright.  (I don't wear powder or foundation.) I just put this around my nose (to cover redness) and under my eyes (to brighten.) It doesn't completely even out of the redness but it does help a lot. The packaging (twist up brush) isn't the most sanitary, a pump would've been a better option.


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Zoya Earth Day

A step towards natural polish.


I have to admit, when it comes to nail polish, all I ever purchase anymore is OPI. It's is mid-priced, high quality, and a never-ending supply of colors. When you find a good brand, it's hard to try out others because you may be let down.

I don't know all the chemicals that go into nail polish, and if I did, I'd probably start thinking twice about painting my nails again.

Zoya polishes are "long wearing, natural formula" polishes. The formula is Formaldehyde, Toluene, Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP) and Camphor Free. I had to look all of these up:

Formaldehyde - colorless gas, preservative
USE: embalmers treat corpses
Toluene - colorless flammable liquid obtained from petroleum or coal tar
USE: solvent for gums and lacquers and in high-octane fuels
Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP)- plasticizer
USE: adhesives & printing inks
Camphor - white or transparent solid with a strong, aromatic odor
USE: antiseptic, stimulant, and anti-inflammatory ingredient

For Earth Day, Zoya had a recycle promotion. You could get at least 6 polishes for "free" (as long as you paid the $4 processing & shipping fee.) and you send in your empty polishes (any brand but Zoya.)

Zoya polishes are $8 each; basically, with this promotion,  they were half off.  (When's a better time to try out a new brand?) My mom mentioned she wanted her own bottle of the Remove Plus Nail Polish Remover, (mentioned in a previous favorites post) which was another reason for placing my order.


I purchased 6 polishes, (but one was back ordered), Remove Plus Big Flipper, and the Mini Holiday Gift Set.  With every purchase, Zoya also includes "color plates" swatches of new or current collections, that allows you to "try on" the nail color.  (Which is a good idea, I added a few of these to my wishlist.)


(Excuse the sloppy swatches, I'm still waiting on good swatch wheels to get here from China.)  The six polishes I chose were: Raven (not pictured: back ordered, black), Edyta, Luna, Bebe, Blair, and Astra. Zoya has a few hundred shades to choose from, so it was pretty overwhelming especially being a newbie.  Out of these, Edyta is my favorite. It really reminds me of plastic metallic leather.  It depends on the light that hits it too, tt's forest green in one room then in another room it's black with loads of shimmer.

I purchased another Remove Plus Big Flipper for my mom. (Part of her mother's day present, shh.) This is definitely the best nail polish remover I've ever used.  The smell is nice.  The lock-click pump is fabulous.  (How many times have you spilled an entire bottle of nail polish remover?... that's definitely not possible with this bottle.) I almost purchased a refill (32oz) bottle, but I realized I still have 3/4ths of a full bottle; I've been using it for 2 months.

I also purchased the "Mini Holiday Gift Set" (a little odd seeing snowflake packaging this time of year!) I wanted to try out Zoya's base & top coat, the drying drops, and have a travel bottle of nail polish remover. The top and base coat haven't received such great reviews from others, but products work differently for everyone. - We shall see.

I'm pretty impressed with the quality and pigmentation of the polishes (especially since I only paid $4 a bottle.) "Long wearing".. not so much. I had tip fading the second day of wear.

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