Urban Decay Naked3 Palette - I feel like it's just not a January favorites post without a mention of the Naked3 palette. I have to admit I was put off by the pink tone of this at first, but omg, was I wrong. Like many people these days, I'm loving rose gold. The shades are gorgeous and sweetly feminine but not in your face pink. They blend beautifully and there's a great mix of shimmer and matte shades that create a great looking eye...the darker shades add great depth, and I'm loving the darkest shade Blackheart with its reddish shimmery flecks. I use this as an eyeliner when I go Naked3, which is pretty often. I wear it almost everyday, usually with a base of Maybelline Color Tattoo Metal Eyeshadow in Inked in Pink which complements it beautifully. I can't believe I almost passed it up!! There's a complicated, neurotic story that goes along with this. I decided to ask for one for Christmas when I changed my mind from no I don't need this to sure this would be fun to own. But as I kept seeing it, sure this would be fun to own became ugh why did ask for this for Christmas instead of buying it NOW. So, I broke my rule of not buying things for myself that are on my Christmas list. I was in Sephora about a week before Christmas (Naked3 display empty, obviously), and as I was browsing, a couple employees walked past me carrying a bin with a few of the coveted Naked3 palettes. I may have kinda, sorta eavesdropped on their conversation and they mentioned that they found a couple palettes in their stock room and *snicker snicker* "I bet these won't last long," Nope, not long at all. As I stalked them through the store approaching the UD display, I finally got the courage to admit that I had ever-so-innocently overheard their conversation and could I have a palette. Success!!! A Naked3 palette all to myself! But I was so embarrassed to tell my husband I bought it when I had asked for it for Christmas (and shouldn't have been shopping for myself), so I hid it in my closet to wait for Christmas to pass - torture, especially as reviews started to pop up. I may have looked at it once or twice when I was alone. Well, I actually received one from Christmas and then I had two. I debated...keep both, take one back...hmm. I finally decided to take it back. I didn't need two and someone out there was longing for their own Naked3 palette. So, back to Sephora it went. The chick in front of me in line was buying Naked2 because Naked3 was sold out, so I inserted myself in her conversation (Naked3 makes me nosy and bold) and mentioned that I was returning mine. You would think that I said I had a million dollars up for grabs. My favorite part was actually completing the return transaction. The employee was looking at me like I had 3 heads and simply asked "Why???" with complete and utter disbelief. A duplicate, a duplicate. Yes, I know how great it is because I already have one. Yes, this is a duplicate. No, I'm not missing out, I have one already...and so on and so forth. And you would've thought I gave the lucky chick in front of me her long lost puppy, she was so happy. So, I've got my own Naked3 and some fellow beauty
Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blushes (Mood Exposure and Radiant Magenta) - My first Hourglass product was the Ambient Lighting Powder in Dim Light. Let's be honest, it's pretty genius to create products based off of the most flattering types of light. Hook, line and sinker, I was sold. I had only shelled out the big bucks ($45 eeeep) for Dim Light but wanted the others (all of them). So, when I heard about the Ambient Lighting Blushes, I was very excited. I was able to order Mood Exposure and Radiant Magenta from Sephora when the offered them in a presale to VIBs. I've been really impressed with them so far. They are gorgeous to look at for one thing. The Ambient Lighting powders are marbled through the pigmented blush. I use the Real Techniques blush brush to apply and find that the brush picks up just the right amount of product. The blushes are super fine, blend well and give great color payoff, especially with the gorgeous accent of Ambient Lighting powder. My cheeks look happy! I'm waiting for the others to come back in stock as I saw a couple others I liked. I've heard that some of them look similar once applied, but I think the two I initially bought look different on my cheeks. Below are the swatches with my Dim Light powder.
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| Left to Right - Radiant Magenta, Mood Exposure and Dim Light |
Lush Dream Cream - In my Lush post, I mentioned the Dream Cream, so I'll be brief. It takes care of those pesky little red bumps and keeps my skin nice and smooth.
Lush Dorothy Bubble Bar - Also mentioned this gem in my Lush post, but it has definitely been a favorite. I used my last piece the other night, so this didn't make it into the pic. This bubble bar has an amazing scent, amazing bubble production, and amazing skin softeners. And it pays homage to my favorite movie, the Wizard of Oz, so it's a win-win all around!
Revlon Lip Butter (Sugar Frosting) - I fell into the drugstore trap of browsing the cosmetics aisle while waiting for a prescription to be filled. Everyone is raving about these lip butters, so I chose one in my standard light pink/nude color palette. I found this to be moisturizing and gave the right amount of shimmer and sheen and the tiniest hint of color. I keep this on my desk at work and pop it on when I have to go to a meeting or talk to someone. I look put together without looking overly made up. I've only had it a few weeks and am about halfway through the tube, so it is definitely getting a lot of use, and I don't mind using it so much because it's so affordable. This didn't make the picture either because I left it at work. Whoops.
Biore Deep Pore Charcoal Cleanser - Charcoal cleansers are showing up everywhere. I got a sample of the Boscia Detoxifying Black cleanser with my Clarisonic and found it to be nice. When I first applied it to my skin, it would heat up briefly and left my face feeling clean and smooth. I didn't like it enough to purchase it for $28. So, I saw the Biore Deep Pore Charcoal Cleanser in Target for a quarter of the price and decided to give it a try. It is a thicker consistency which I like and lathers nicely with the Clarisonic. Also, there are little, gritty bits...maybe charcoal that aren't abrasive but gives it some texture. I'm definitely impressed so far with how my skin feels and looks after using it. Pores appear smaller and blackheads are fewer and far between.
Beauty Protector Protect and Detangle - Ok, I saw this sample in my January Birchbox and was like really, a detangler. Am I 11? But after using it for a few weeks, I'm pretty impressed. It doesn't only detangle, it has heat protection which I love about it and feels pretty weightless. And it is actually a vegan product. I towel dry my hair and spritz a bit, then comb through and continue with styling - blow drying and flat ironing. It keeps my hair silky and smooth but seems to give it a bit of volume and body. So, it's not just a detangler and maybe at 29, this is the one I need!
Fresh Seaberry Moisturizing Face Oil - I'm so intrigued by face oils and after seeing the Fresh Beauty Insider 500 Point Perk at Sephora that had a small sample of this, I decided this was my opportunity to give it a try, especially since many face oils are on the pricier side. At night, I apply a few drops to my face after cleaning (I've been using the Fresh Soy Face cleanser sample that came it), and to my surprise, it absorbed quickly and left my face feeling soft, plump, and glowy. I've noticed a difference - an improvement - in the texture of my skin. I stupidly knocked the little bottle over in the sink and lost a bit of my sample before rescuing, but there's still quite a lot left for it being a tiny bottle. The regular size might not seem so pricey if it lasts as long as I think it will. I'm turning into a face oil believer!
Whew, so those are my January favorites. What have you been loving???
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