October Favorites

     Can you believe that October is already over? It's absolutely crazy that there are now only two months left in 2014! As sad as I am to see this beautiful fall month go, I am so incredibly excited for November! November is my birthday month (helloooooo, 21st birthday!!!) and Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. November is also the month that I start doing all of my holiday shopping, and who doesn't love that?!
     This month I've been rocking the same look almost every day that I wear makeup. I've been following the trend that many of us have been following, and that's the Kylie Jenner big lips, cat eyes, 90's look. I am completely head over heels in love with this look! It's so effortless and absolutely everyone can wear it. To perfect my own KJ inspired look, these are the products that I have been loving.

      At the beginning of the month I finally splurged on the Hourglass Ambient Lighting palette. I was a bit skeptical about spending almost $60 on a highlighting palette, but I am so glad that I did! These powders make you skin look absolutely flawless. I love using the 2nd lightest shade, as an under eye setting powder so give my under eyes a soft focus look. I like to use the middle shade as an actual highlighter on the high points of my face. This isn't your typical "in-your-face" highlighter, but it's perfect for every day. It gives the most beautiful glimmer of light to your cheek bones. I like to use the darkest shade to help kind of bronze up my fair skin.  I have very dry skin, so I am not one to shy away from glowing skin!

     For lips, I have been all about that Kylie Jenner nude lip! I can't do the normal nude lip, as it washes my olive skin out too much. I love this KIKO Precision Lip Liner in the shade 302 to line and fill my lips. It is an exact dupe for MAC's Whirl which Kylie uses. Best part? It's less than $5! Of course it's only readily available to those of us who live in Europe, but the rest of you can order it online. 

   When I placed my order for my Hourglasss palette, I also bought a number of other things, including a trio of mini Sugar Lip Treatments from Fresh. It came with a red, plum, and this translucent shade. I like to use this on top of my KIKO liner so my lips aren't quite as matte and so they stay hydrated during these colder months. 

     For eyes I've been focusing a lot on bold liner and lashes. I have never tried a gel liner and when I was growing the KIKO store, I decided to pick this one up. OMG is it AMAZING! I'm talking the blackest of the blacks, totally matte, and lasts for 14+ hours without budging. I have problems with the Kat Von D tattoo liner after about 5 hours with rubbing off. This one doesn't move at all. It's even hard to get off with my Clinique Take Off The Day makeup remover. It's so perfect in all aspects! It's also less than $5 as well. PERFECT! 

     In my September Ipsy bag I received the Urban Decay Perversion mascara. This stuff is amazing! It gives my lashes length and volume and makes them incredibly black. This is something that I will be picking up as soon as I run out. 

      

      One non-beauty favorite this month is kind of cheating, since it came out the last weekend of October, but I couldn't pass up talking about it. I'm sure you've all heard about Taylor Swift's new album 1989 by now. And for good reason! This is by far her best album to date and I already see her taking home tons of awards for it. It's so different than anything she's ever done before, and while it was a bold move, it was the best move she could have ever taken.  I was very timid to buy the album because I was concerned that it would be 13 tracks of Shake It Off, but I decided to try it anyway, and I am so happy that I did. Shake It Off is very different from the other tracks on the album. It is with all intents and purposes a pop album, but not an in your face dancey, Shake It Off filled album. My favorite tracks from the album are Style, Wildest Dreams, Clean, and Out Of The Woods. I won't go too in depth about each track since, let's face it, I'm lawful at explaining thing, but it is definitely worth your time! I have had this album on repeat since I bought it on Monday and I don't see myself taking it off anytime soon. 

     What were your most used products this month? Do you have any music recommendations for me? TV? Books? Anything? Let me know! I love hearing about new things! 

July Favorites

  July was an incredibly busy month for me, and because of that it was rather simple in the makeup department. My husband was visiting home in Louisiana the first part of the month, we traveled to South Carolina for a bit, and then the last couple of weeks was spent getting everything packed and ready to move back to the good ol' Italy. 
  I realize I'm a bit late on posting my July favorites, but hey, better late than never! The few times that I have worn makeup/done my hair this month, I was trying out a few new products, instead of sticking to my old favorites. Most of these have squeezed their way into that position though. :)

       For makeup, I've been repeatedly picking up the same few items all month. I am currently dying over the Lorac Pro 2 (no, seriously, I'm dead.)  It's so beautiful and the shades are all super smooth, pigmented, and buttery. I can't stop using it! As far as my face goes, I've been pretty basic. I slap on a BB cream of some sort, my Maybelline Fit Me concealer, the Balm Down Boy blush, and the Balm Mary Lou-Manizer highlighter. The blush is a pale, natural pink shade that gives the perfect everyday flush of color. The Mary Lou-Manizer highlighter is a must for that summer glow, err, sparkle. I'm one who likes to be highlighted, and this definitely does the trick. If your goal is to look like a Cullen, this is the product for you. All jokes aside, it's a beautiful product! For eyes, I've fallen head over heels for the Too Faced Better Than Sex mascara. It really gives you the most va-va-voom lashes ever! The bareMinerals Marvelous Moxie lipgloss in Hypnotic has been my go to. Can you possibly get better than a holographic lipgloss? Didn't think so.
    This month I got a major haircut, which has put my hair in the best condition ever. To keep up my super soft locks, I've been using the Healthy Sexy Hair Argan Oil every day. It leaves my hair soft and shiny, without leaving any greasiness behind. I've also jumped on the Macadamia hair mask bandwagon. It's safe to say I'm never going back. No hair mask has ever left my hair feeling so heavenly in my life. This is definitely a forever staple for me! I was also lucky enough to pick this one up at Marshall's for $9.99! Score!
   I hope you enjoyed my favorites! What products could you not get enough of? Let me know!

June Favorites

Well, apparently June decided to be the shortest month of them all and fly right by. Seriously, though. June has went by faster than any other month this year. I have no idea why, but it really did. With June already gone, that means 2013 is half way over. Can you believe that? It's just crazy! 

This month I didn't wear a ton of makeup. I've only put on a full face maybe a handful of times. The hotter it gets, the more that I lack motivation to do my makeup.

I can't believe I am saying this, but I've jumped on the bandwagon. I am obsessed with the Revlon Lip Butters. I know, I know. I've dogged them in the past, but I'm a new woman. My eyes have been opened. I was never a fan because they weren't pigmented enough for me. Well, when the PX had all Revlon products for 40% off, I decided to grab a couple in what seemed to be more intense, vibrant shades. I am glad that I did! I picked up the colors Candy Apple and Raspberry Pie. I absolutely love these two! 

Another lip product that I've been loving is the elf Conditioning Lip Balm with SPF 15. This lip balm is ridiculously hydrating and moisturizing. I like to lather my lips up with this about two times a day. The color and staying power is quite impressive!

For eyes, these three products that you see are pretty much the only ones that I have been using all month. I picked up the Cover Girl Lash Blast Fusion because my best friend swears by this. I was reluctant because I've never been a Cover Girl fan, but I'm hooked. I've been using this mascara more than my They're Real! I can't say that I like it more, as They''re Real! does a lot for me, but since it's so expensive, I'm trying to make it last as long as I can. Lash Blast definitely gets the job done. It's a favorite in my book!

I'm sure you've all seen my Pixi eyeliner in Oyster Glow in other recent posts, but I seriously cannot get enough of this! I use it as an inner eye brightener, brow bone highlight, nose and cupids bow highlight, and I even use it on my cheek bones! It is seriously the most gorgeous champagne color ever. It will be a really, really sad day when I run out of this. 

The last eye favorite for this month was my Tweezerman eyelash curler. The only other eye lash curler I have is my elf one, and it does the job just fine. But I do find that this one gets a bit closer to my lash line so I'm able to get a more dramatic curl. It's also rose gold. How can I not be obsessed with it?!

The three products you see above have pretty much been the only face products I've used all month. I've reached for my Revlon Colorstay a few times, but my Garnier BB Cream has definitely got the most use! I got this because my other Garnier BB Cream was about a year old and the formula was just obviously not as good as it used to be. I don't care what anyone says, the Garnier BB creams are the BEST! You can't change my mind. I do however lik this new formula better than the old. I bought this one specifically because Kasey did a review on it and it made her skin look amazing! I definitely recommed this BB cream to everyone! 

I have the worst undereye circles so when I saw this Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Dark Circle Eraser, I had to give it a go. I have had this for a few months now, but I just started using it a lot this month. While I think that there are probably better products out there, this one does the job well enough for me. 

I've been using my Rimmel Stay Matte powder like crazy! I'm not head over heels in love with this powder or anything, but I really just needed to start using it up. My holy grail Hello Flawless! is really expensive, so I really want to conserve that as much as possible. I picked up Stay Matte for less than $2 on clearance at the PX. I'd rather use this for everyday, and only use my Benefit HF for the more important ones.

I am kind of possessive over my hair. If you guys haven't seen, I kind of have a lions mane. I have super thick hair, but it can get coarse. To prevent that, I've been using the L'Oreal Triple Resist Ultimate Strength Solution. I've only been using it about twice a week over the past month, so I haven't noticed a huge difference. The only thing that I can say is that I find there to be less fallout when brushing my hair. I can't really say that this is a "favorite" moreso than a product that I've just been using regularly. ...Why did I even include this? Ugh. 

I hoped that you all enjoyed this month's favorites! Which products have you been using on the daily this month? 

May Favorites

Just like every other month that has come and gone, May flew by just the same. And just like all the others, this month I had many a favorite! I also acquired way more products than one could possibly neeed, but eh, yolo, right? Now, while I go bask in shame for my use of yolo, here's last month's favorites!

 Back to front, left to right: Benefit The Bronze of Champions kit, Coach Poppy Perfume Clinique Moisture Surge, KIKO Brow Gel, Buxom Big & Healthy Lipstick in Athens, e.l.f. Complete Coverage Concealer, e.l.f. Powder Brush, Real Techniqus Buffing, Contour, Crease, and All Over Shadow Brush.

If you read my blog at all, you know that I love the benefit kits. I'm sure I've talked about this one before, but I couldn't resist talking about it some more. I use the Hoola bronzer and the Whatt's Up highlight almost every day. These little kits pack in a lot of product, and I would definitely say that they are a much better value than the full size. If you don't know, Benefit is NOT stingy with the amount of product you recieve. In fact, I'm sure one could never possibly use up all of one of their boxed powders in an entire lifetime. That's why these "try it" kits are so amazing. For around $30, you get to try a lot and they will definitely last you a very long time. 

My e.l.f. concealer really isn't that big of a deal. It's a good concealer, especailly for $3, but of course there are better. I'm just trying to use all of this one up before I go to my higher end concealers. This one definitely get's the job done. If you're in need of a decent concealer on the cheap, this would probably be the one I would suggest most! The palette comes with four shades, so you can mix them together to get your perfect match. It's a pretty handy palette to have, I must say!

Last year for my high school graduation, my grandmother bought me this amazing perfume. It is probably one of the best gifts I have ever recieved. While you all know I love my Daisy, as far as scents go, this one is my favorite. Daisy is just my "favorite" because it's perfect for every day and I don't feel like I have to ration it out as much. This perfume is really good mix of sweet fruits and florals. I'm not even going to try to get any more in depth than that. It's really just the most amazing smelling thing ever.

My Moisture Surge is  new purchase, but it's not something that I'm exactly new to. I've been using this product off and on for probably the past three or four years. I've been having drier than normal skin lately, and my regular Neutragena moisturizer wasn't doing the trick. Moisture Surge is a pretty expensive product, I'm not going to lie. But like Benefit product, this one goes a long way! I'm talking a little dab on one finger will do more than enough for your entire face and neck. 

I have had this Buxom lipstick for well over a year and it has held its own as my number one favorite. It's the perfect coral color.  I actually have another in the color Milan that I love as well. It's more of a natural, my-lips-but-better. These lipsticks tingle on your lips, as they have a small amount of plumper in them. These lipsticks also last, and last, and last. I don't feel like these products are talked about enough, an they definitely should be! 

If you saw my last post about KIKO, you saw this product. It's nothing very special, but at the moment it's the only brow gel that I have. So that's that. 

And last but not least, we have my favorite brushes of the month, erm, ever! As you know, I, just like every other beauty obsessed blogger, am head over heels in love with my Real Techniques brushes. The application and coverage is always perfect and flawless. I use them every day and I don't foresee myself using any others until these fall to bits. 

My other favorite brush is the e.l.f. powder brush. I am sure that If I had the RT version, I would never use this one, but I can't complain. This brush is super soft and fluffy. It's perfect for applying powder to set your foundation. 

Well, that's all I have for you guys this month! What products were your favorites? Any thoughts on mine? 

P.S-I'm trying to work up the nerve to start doing outfit posts. I use to have a style blog, but those days are loooong gone. My style has drastically changed since then. Definitely in a good way! Just getting infront of the camera is not something that I enjoy doing. 

P.S.S- I am planning a giveaway soon! Well, as soon as I reach 100 followers on GCF. Spread the word, ladies, because what I have planned is pretty exciting! 

April Favorites And The Cutest Song Ever

This month has seriously flown by. It seems like every month has since we first found out we were moving to Italy back in December. It has just been nonstop going! I can't wait for May to be here. We are finally getting all of our furniture on Thursday, and in about two weeks my mom will be here with my puppy! You guys seriously can't imagine my excitement! 

This month I've also gotten a lot of really awesome beauty products! Probably more than one could possibly need, but eh, a girl needs her cosmetics!!!

This month my top favorites have been the Urban Decay Naked 2 palette, Benefit's The Bronze of
Champions kit, Cliniques Take The Day Off makeup remover, KIKO Milan False Lash Concentrate, Benefit's Coralista blush, Revlon ColorStay foundation, and Jergens Natural Glow daily moisturizer.



If you guys have never tried any of Benefit's kits, shame on you! Seriously. Benefit is a pretty pricey brand, and their kits make getting their products very affordable. If you're a makeup hoarder like I am, then these kits are perfect. You get just the right amount of product. I'd say they're all about half of the size of the actual product, and with Benefit, a little goes a very long way. So even though you're getting deluxe sample sizes of these products, you're definitelly getting enough to last you a very long time.

This baby is the Naked 2 palette from Urban Decay. If you haven't heard of this, where in the world have you been? I feel like I really can't say much about this, other than it's absolutely amazing. Just get one for yourself. 

Benefit's Coralista is my favorite blush. Ever. Hands down. I originally got this in one of the kits and I had to get the full size. I have used this almost every day for the past two or three months and I am nowhere near hitting pan.

I found this mascara primer at an Italian makeup store. I belive the name is KIKO. This stuff is just incredible. It makes my lashes about twice as long as they actually are. This is the best mascara primer I have ever used.

I am really loving Revlon lately. I was never a huge fan, but recently I'm just on a kick. This foundation has been my most used for the past month and I don't see myself getting tired of it any time soon.

Clinique has never been a brand that I've tried a lot of or been too interested in. This makeup remover though is something that I've been using for years. It removes waterproof eye makeup effortlessly.

Summer is right around the corner and I am trying so hard to get tan! I don't tan very well in the sun. I don't burn or anything, I just kind of stay the same. I've been using this for the past few weeks and I love it! It really does give you a nice, natural glow. I'd say it's gotten me about 1 1/2 shades darker and it's helped me build a nice base tan so I can tan in the sun. 

I am so madly in love with this song! If you don't know, Hunter Hayes is a Country singer from Louisiana. Just another reason that I love him. This song is so darn adorable, as is all of his songs. But this one is my favorite. Besides the one he wrote for Act of Valor. Since that song is about a military relationship, it just hits home. But anyways, listen to this song and love it as much as I do! PLEASE! And after you listen, go to iTunes and download his CD! It's just perfect and I swear you won't regret it!

Sorry about the length of this post. If you actually stuck around to read all of it, I appluad you! Have an awesome day, ladies!