{My Faves}: October 2013

October Favorites!

Well, apparently I'm just going to be consistently late posting favorites at the end of each month, so I will go ahead and apologize ONCE AGAIN!

MAKE-UP

MAC Lipstick in Rebel {MAC}

I know that is by no means a new product, but I only recently decided to pick it up.  I love the color.  Every time I wear it, several people ask me what kind it is.  The only downfall of the lipstick is that it bleeds a bit and it’s not overly long lasting.  It does stain the lips, so if it has worn off, you will still have some color, but I recommend using a lip liner to keep it in place. 

HAIR

Ion Repair Solutions Reconstructor Conditioner (red lettering on bottle) {Sally Beauty}

I LOVE this conditioner.  I started buying it in the deluxe sample packets for my monthly glaze that I add to my hair.  It is not a conditioner for daily use, but if you try to skip a few days between washing your hair, it is good to use it a few times a week.  It is similar to a mask – you wash your hair with shampoo, and then leave it in for 2-5 minutes after washing.  It adds a lot of shine and repairs split ends and the “dead” parts of my hair towards the ends.  The longer my hair gets, the sadder that part of my hair seems to look.  This conditioner brings me back to life every time I use it.  After purchasing the small packets for a while, I decided to purchase the larger size which has a pump.  It is a great price {around $8 at Sally Beauty} and is worth every penny.  It also smells nice, too.

COSMETICS

Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser {drugstores}

I switched to this product after I finished a bottle of my Aloette cream cleanser.  I got lazy and forgot to order another and was in need of a cleanser that same day.  I was also starting to get breakouts in the form of small groups of tiny bumps on my forehead and temple areas due to excessive sweating in this southern summer heat.  Although it is cooling down now, I’ve really seen a difference in my skin since switching to this and I actually repurchased a larger sized bottle this week.  It is for normal to oily skin and claims to not over dry and it really does a great job – I don’t feel dry/tight after washing my face. It also does a great job at removing excess makeup leftover from my cleansing wipes that I use prior to washing my face. 

Clinique Moisture Surge Moisturizer {Clinique, department stores}                        

I’ve had this product for quite a while and I only use it when I’m overly dry, which happens a lot during the winter months.  I have a super oily T-zone, but I also have a lot of dryness on my nose.  This moisturizer is perfect for spot treating dry areas.  I wouldn’t recommend it for anyone who is consistently oily, as it does add a lot of moisture.  

'Til next time, Pretties!

{First Impressions}: Collective Haul (Mostly Drugstore)

First Impressions: 

L'oreal Telescopic Black Carbon Mascara, Covergirl CGSmoothers BB Cream, Covergirl & Olay Simply Ageless Concealer, and Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Brightening Concealer, and Clinique Pore Minimizer

I went a little crazy at CVS last night and picked up a few items I've been considering for a while.  First of all this week, CVS has Covergirl for BOGO 50% off, and there is also a $5 cash back deal on L'oreal {I believe if you spend $15 or more}.

I'll start with my first impression of the L'oreal Telescopic Black Carbon Mascara - LOVE AT FIRST SWIPE! Well, maybe it was the third of fourth swipe, but still.  Let me tell you, this stuff packs some serious length and bulk.  I even felt I put too much on and had to tone it down with a q-tip!  I'll definitely be using this daily for a while and will follow up in a few weeks regarding how I feel about it long term.  You know as well as I do that the test comes with time when it comes to mascaras... some dry out way too soon!

Now on to the face products.  First of all, the Clinique Pore Minimizer is actually a product I've been hoarding for a few months.  I received it as a full size sample from the Clinique counter when I made a purchase.  I did try it that same day, and was unimpressed.  I'm not sure why, because I whipped it out a few weeks ago and it was like I waved a magic wand over my enlarged pores and they were smooth.  It is an odd consistency - like a wet powder, for lack of a better representation.  It goes on smoothly and literally fills in pores.  I've been really loving it and will repurchase when I run out {which seems to be forever, a little goes a long way}.

I don't really have an opinion of the Covergirl & Olay Simply Ageless Concealer yet... I did try it this morning and I did feel it assisted with camouflaging my under eye darkness, however, I will have to try it a few more times before I'm sold.  I've been using Laura Mercier's Secret Camouflage for, well, forever, and I have been happy with it, however there is no Laura Mercier in my town and I find it inconvenient to have to order online.  A few of my favorite beauty gurus on YouTube swear by this Covergirl/Olay collab, so the jury is still out!  It goes on smooth and is easy to blend - that's all I have right now.

On to the Covergirl CGSmoothers BB Cream... where do I begin?  I've been trying a lot of BB creams lately because as I've started to notice aging in my face {yes, my 29th birthday is less than a month away - insert tears. streaming. down. my. old. face.}, I feel that regular foundations tend to be more and more cakey with age. With that being said, I tried the L'oreal BB cream a few months ago and have used it daily for the last few weeks.  I do like it, but I feel I get super oily as the day goes by, hence my decision to try out a few different brands.  I tried the Covergirl BB cream this morning, and I'm not totally sold yet.  I don't dislike it, however, I wish it had a little more coverage.  Now, I will say "tinted moisturizer" is listed on the package, and that's almost exactly what it is - a tinted moisturizer.  I am giving it a chance today, but I also have a large blemish on my face, which I had difficulty covering.  If the Covergirl BB cream was a bit more build-able, I think I could say I'd be totally sold.

Lastly, the Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Brightening Concealer...I love this!  It does exactly as described.  It brightens and brings light to my face, especially around my eye.  It is easy to apply and blends well.  I have heard some other gurus suggest removing the sponge applicator to prevent wasting too much product, and I may do this in the future, however, I'm liking utilizing the handy little sponge in the application process.

Check out my photo below from this morning which includes all of the products listed above...how amazing is this mascara??

Have a great day, beauties!