How is it already half way through the year? There are so many more things that I wanted to accomplish by now and I feel like I’ve made zero progress on them. Here’s to hoping the second half of the year is much more productive. But not to dwell on that, so here are my favorites from what I’ve been using over this past month.
You may have read my post on finally acquiring the Zoeva Rose Gold Vol 2 brush sets recently. Well, there was a little overlap and I actually ended up with 2 of the #228 Luxe Crease brushes.
Having two of these babies is amazing. The bristles are so soft, and make blending an absolute breeze without irritating my sensitive eye area. I have applied eyeshadow directly with this brush before, but I much prefer to use it clean to blend my crease and base shadows together. The shape and length of the bristles are just perfect for reaching into the crease and have helped me not to overblend as much.
I’m pretty sure that I got this in one of the Sephora Favorites boxes a while ago, not sure which one, but I’ve recently rediscovered it within my stash and have really enjoyed using it. The Bite Beauty Cinnamon Plumping Lip Oil has been a great re-addition to my handbag. The scent smells like actual cinnamon, not the kind of artificial powder scent that comes from the diluted powder in the spice aisle, but the legit cinnamon sticks smell. It does have a slight tingle when you apply it, which does make your lips appear a bit fuller – though I use it mostly for the smell and the hydration and not the plumping ability. It being a lip oil, it’s pretty nice for dry or chapped lips and really helps lock in some moisture. I also really like how smooth the texture and consistency is.
While I love getting pedicures, I hardly ever pay to get an actual manicure somewhere. This is mostly because I am absolutely horrible about biting my nails or picking off the polish. So shelling out $20 for a pedicure every 3-4 months, I’m totally fine with. Spending that on something that will last me three days? Not so much. Point of the story is that I do my nails myself, but love the classic look of the french mani. It goes with everything. Which is why I love the Dior Instant French Manicure Pen. It’s the only one I’ve used that doesn’t gunk up, has a great white pigmentation, and is easy to apply. You basically just draw on the white tip, and it dries super fast. Seal with your favorite top coat. Done.
I literally did this swatch while taking photos. Note in the other swatch photo my nails are horrible looking – please excuse. It was a super stressful week and nail polish didn’t stand a chance no matter how amazing the formula or top coat was.
Sephora has a pretty great VIB Birthday perk this year where you get a set of mini NARS lipstick pencils during your birthday month. The Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Cruella is by far my favorite. It’s easy to apply, sets really nicely, wears off evenly, and is just such a gorgeous color. I only wish that it was a twist up instead of needing to sharpen it when it runs down. It’s my go to red right now, so I’ve been using it a lot.
Other unfeatured favorite would be my newest tattoo that has taken up my swatching area. I’ll have to figure out a bit better or a system for swatching colors now, but until then the next few ones will be pretty condensed. However, last but not least, I have finally delved into the blogger favorite that is the Maybelline Color Tattoo cream eyeshadows! The Chocolate Suede and Creamy Beige from the Leather range to be specific. They last forever! So far I definitely prefer to apply them with brushes by patting on the color onto my lids, but you can also apply with fingers pretty easily too. I just like a little more muted look, and these guys are crazy pigmented, so it’s easy to go a bit crazy. Right now I love using these as a base and working in some powder over the top to set them in. I haven’t even had to use an eye primer when I use these. Seriously, these are cheap and mildly life-changing. If you’re still holding out on giving them a try, you’re missing out.
You can find the Zoeva #228 Luxe Crease eyeshadow brush here or part of most eye sets here. You can find the Bite Beauty Cinnamon Plumping Lip Oil here. The Dior Instant French Tip Pencil here. The NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil here. The Maybelline Color Tattoo shadows here, here, and here. What have been your favorite products lately? Let me know in the comments below!
♡Em
