Smart is Always Beautiful

I'm not going to lie, I kind of hate September. Autumn is my favorite season. I got married on the first day of Autumn. In September, 12 years ago. I started dating my husband in September, 15 years ago. So there is a lot of good that has happened to me in September, but there's also a lot of bad that has also happened. For some reason, the bad has kind of always outweighed the good. Every time I hear about some bad thing that happened during the month of September I just shake my head and think about how crappy a month September is. On the flip side, I loved me some beauty products in September. I published August Favorites a little more than a week ago now and I have still been loving the crap out of them. I thought that September Favorites would be a great opportunity to mention some great products that I added to my routine in September (or late enough into August that I didn't feel right mentioning them yet).  I have had a couple skincare additions that I've really loved as well as several great makeup additions. Let's start with skincare!
I kind of revamped my skincare regimen this month and added the Supergoop City Sunscreen Serum to the lineup. I've been a stickler for sun protection for years and years but I was really drawn to the idea of applying it before my moisturizer. I really like the idea of applying it early on in my routine because, honestly, I tend to get more rushed towards the end of my routine and sometimes the step gets inadvertently skipped. Sunscreen typically gets a bad rap as a thick, goopy, greasy mess that smells and leaves a white cast. While this is true of a lot of SPF products, it doesn't have to be that way. As a lightweight, anti-aging serum this fragrance-free sunblock protects with SPF 30. This product is tinted, which was odd to me at first but leaves no coverage or cast to the skin. It is super light to the touch and goes on super smooth. It contains silica so it leaves your skin matte and feeling hydrated. If you are in a hurry you could get away with applying this and running out the door. It also contains ingredients that most serums contain like antioxidants E and B5 (to defend against free radical damage), Hydrovotin 24 (for long-term moisture), and Uniprotect PT-3 (to help lessen existing visible signs of skin aging). I usually find myself wearing at least one other product with SPF 30 or greater, but this step really allows me to feel at ease knowing that I have gotten this step in every single day. I also love that the other skin loving ingredients are there so I'm not missing that valuable serum step. The bottle is a little bulky but it comes with a pump (score!) and contains 2oz. of product, so it's worth the extra space it might occupy. I definitely have a backup of this, btw!
I am trying a new daytime moisturizer. I must admit that I grabbed the Soap and Glory For Daily Youth Moisture Lotion in part because of the packaging. The other part is that I love Soap and Glory and it boasted a peach scent. Soap and Glory has been a brand that I've loved for a long time. The quality is usually great and I adore that they are committed to offering inexpensive, quality products. This was one of the first brands outside of Dove that I found that doesn't break me out in a rash due to my super allergic-to-everything skin. This lotion has continued that streak. The peach scent, which is light and amazing, doesn't irritate my skin. It also has a lighter texture, which is great for warmer months, is still deeply moisturizing and smoothing. I have combination skin and this works really well on the entirety of my face. I have never found my skin dry in some areas but oily in others. This has been great for the summer months and going into Fall. This lotion comes in a simple squeezy tube. I love packaging like this that allows to you squeeze out every drop. The best part? The tube is only $15 and contains 1.69oz of product.
I'm pretty sure that the NYX Bright Idea Illuminating Stick in Pinkie Dust is supposed to be one of the illuminating sticks, but I have been wearing it on the apples of my cheeks lately for a little bit of color and I'm obsessed. I am over-all pretty impressed by the texture and ease of use of these sticks. This shade, in particular, is a light pink rose with gold glitter but doesn't apply frosty at all on me. You could apply it straight from the tube, I've been using my finger to dab it on for a really natural look. It goes on creamy, never patchy, then sets immediately and doesn't budge all day. This shade pairs with a variety of looks and just looks super natural without looking done up.
One of my great loves in life has always been cream shadows. They are super easy to apply and last all day. They are a dream-come-true for girls and boys on the go. Recently Ingrid Nilson mentioned in a favorites video that she had pulled out her pot of Maybelline Color Tattoo in Bad to the Bronze and I was reminded how much I loved it. I was ready to go pick up a new one, but I remembered how close it is to the Benefit Creaseless Cream Shadow in No Pressure that I currently own so I pulled it out and have been using it all month long. I love the formula of this cream shadow. It's really creamy and easy to apply. The shadow also sticks around all day long until you remove it. No Pressure is a bronze-shimmered, medium-dark brown with a hint of gray. It is a really easy to wear, everyday shade that looks great on its own or as a base for other shadows.
I got the Mally Mattewand Eye Brightener in Light from an Allure box and from the second I started using it I was really impressed. It's a really compact stick, about the size of an eyeliner, with a nude pencil on one side and a matte loose shadow on the other. The nude pencil is one of the automatic types. It's slim so I don't imagine that I'll miss the sharp edge. It goes on the water line smooth, but it's not overly creamy. Once it's on, it locks in place and doesn't slide everywhere. The shade instantly opens and brightens the eye. It also sticks around a good six to eight hours with minimal fading.  The other side is really cool. It screws off to reveal a pointed foam applicator fresh with the perfect amount of product. The product is actually in the cap and the applicator has a spring that extends to pick up the product when the cap is screwed back on. You don't have to tap the applicator off or worry about fallout. The shade of the shadow is between a cream and nude. You can apply right from the wand under the brow, on the inner corner, or all over the lid if you wanted. I usually use my finger to blend it out and the result is instant brightening, but undetectable. I love using this on its own when I'm not wearing any other eyeshadow or as the last step of my eyeshadow look before I run out the door.  It's also super easy to throw in your bag for touch-ups on a long day.
I'm usually someone with mascara who sticks with what they know works. It's so defeating trying a new mascara and seeing it smudged under your eye by mid-day. Recently, I have been having a good run of luck, though, so I decided to try out the Tarte Tarteist Lash Paint. My holy grail mascara is Tarte's Lights, Camera, Splashes. However, the non-waterproof formula, Lights, Camera, Lashes smudges like crazy on me. I was sure that the Tarteist was going to perform with similar results, but to my surprise, it's actually holding up! I've even worn it on my bottom lashes! The results are actually very similar to Lights, Camera, Splashes. My lashes look longer and full of volume. I actually prefer the plastic wand on the Tarteist also. The formula is thicker and slightly drier than I'm used to, but the wand comes out clean and I never have to wipe it off on a tissue. That's always been a pet-peeve with the Lights, Camera, Splashes. I am so torn right now which one I like better!
I really love the MAC Pro Longwear Lip Pencil formula. It is super rich in color, creamy, and easy to apply. I don't usually fill in my lips with lip liner. I know, I know. I know it's the first thing that they tell you to do to make your lipstick last longer, but I really hate how it changes the shade of my lipstick, so I sacrifice. My go-to lip liner approach is to line the lips with a darker lipliner, then blend inwards, then fill in with lip color. When I use a darker liner and lighter lipstick the result is a natural ombre effect. That also eliminates the dreaded line around the lips when the lipstick fades. While some lip pencils seem to take a little bit of work to blend, this pencil will easily blend if you purse your lips together. You can also easily use your finger or a lip brush blending towards the center. Lately, I have been getting a lot of use of specifically Morning Coffee, a rich dirty rose shade. This seems to pair well with many nude lipsticks and glosses. My favorite pairing lately has been the MAC Patentpolish Lip Pencil in My Flip Side. This chunky lip pencil is formulated to be a lip pencil/gloss hybrid. It is pretty sheer with comfortable, bold shine. This shade is light nude brown with no pinky undertone. The color picks up a lot of what is underneath - natural lip color and lip pencil alike. This combo is really pretty together and it's so neutral that it pairs with just about any makeup look. It's also super comfortable and wears for about four to six hours.

MAC Pro Longwear Lip Pencil in Morning Coffee (Top) MAC Patentpolish Lip Pencil in My Flip Side (Bottom)

I'm a lover of all things "nude," but as we work our way into Fall and Winter I am finding myself getting more and more into the darker berries and burgundy shades for lips. I picked up the Colour Pop Ultra Glossy Lip in Stain during a recent order and I am all kinds of obsessed. In the tube, it is super-intimidating. I'm not a red lip girl at all and this looks like it's brick red. Stain has been really easy to wear, though, because it is one of the sheer shades. It adds a really pretty burgundy shine to the lips without being too in your face. It doesn't have a long wear time though. That's probably why I have already started wearing off the lettering and design on the tube - I am constantly throwing it in my bag and pockets for touch-ups. The gloss is super comfortable. It feels moisturizing and isn't at all sticky. It also doesn't travel outside the lips or creep into any fine lines. I just ordered a bunch of the Colour Pop Ultra Glossy Lips and I'm really excited to try out more. I have a feeling you will continue to see my with more and more berries and burgundies as the year progresses.

Colour Pop Ultra Glossy Lip in Stain (Top) Mally Mattewand Eye Brightener in Light (Bottom two swatches)

I am traveling at the end of the month and I am already mentally packing. I bet you can already guess what I'm going to be tossing into my bags. There are news things that I'm already playing with and excited about so I'm excited to share that with you next month. What have you been loving lately? Tell me in the comments!

It's full-on Halloween in my house currently, but I brought out one of my favorite Christmas decorations to introduce all the Holiday kits that are coming out at Sephora! I did go to the Rouge Preview last week and picked up a couple things that I'm super excited about. I also held, swatched, and looked at many more collections and kits that are new for the holiday season this year. I wanted to share what I picked up and I'll also throw in a few of my other picks. So let's start with what I picked up.

What I Bought

I saw the picture of the Tarte Pretty Paintbox Collector's Makeup Case, $59 ($418.00 value), and instantly wanted to go to the preview event to see it in person. I had a feeling that I would be picking this up. I'm a sucker for Tarte's kits. They always tend to be quality and one of the best values if you love all their products. We swatched everything in the store and everything was pigmented and smooth. The amount of products that you get with this kit is pretty amazing:

• 24 x 0.031 oz/ 0.87 g Amazonian Clay Eyeshadows
• 0.10 oz/ 2.83 g Tartiest Lash Paint mascara in Black
• 0.158 oz/ 4.47 g Amazonian Clay Blush in Moment (coral)
• 0.158 oz/ 4.47 g Amazonian Clay Highlighter in Authentic (champagne)
• 2 x 0.158 oz/ 4.47 g Amazonian Clay Bronzer in Unique (shimmer), Provocative (matte contour)
• 0.10 oz/ 2.83 g Rainforest of the Sea So Fine Micro Liner in Black
• 0.01 oz/ 0.47 g Tarteist glossy lip paint in Ovbi

I'm totally in love with this set. Everything applies beautifully and wears well all day long. I love that this kit contains everything that you need for a full look and I love that it includes tried and true products, such as the Amazonian Clay Eyeshadows and Blushes, as well as new products. I've been loving the Tarteist Lash Paint and Glossy Lip Paints - both were new products this year. This kit would be great to pack for your holiday travels this year; just add your base products, a lash curler and eyeshadow primers and you are good to go.

I wasn't going to pick up the Buxom 6 Degrees Below Sexy Plumping 6 Pc Mini Full-On Lip Polish Collection - $32 ($60.00 value), but my friend swatched the shades and I fell in love. I adore the Full-On Lip Polishes. They plump but never feel painful. They basically just smooth out any lines in your lips. They have a minty scent and flavor and make your mouth feel really fresh once you've applied. The shades are all sheer and can be worn on their own or paired with a coordinating lip liner. The shades range from a glossy topper to a dark cherry red. The shades in this kit include: (0.07 oz each)

• Dominique (glittering ice)
• Amy (golden nude)
• Celeste (prismatic soft peach)
• Clair (starry plum haze)
• Starr (brandy cordial)
• Jasmine (black cherry)

I took the bow from the Buxom set and added it to my light-up tree. I think it was a great addition!

My Picks

I really wanted the Bobbi Brown Bobbi To Glow Shimmer Brick Palette - $69 ($122 value). It swatched beautifully and I have never owned a shimmer brick before. This is a really great way to jump in and try a pretty iconic line of products. This palette contains three shades, 0.34 oz each, in Gold, Wild Rose, and Bronze so it's a great variety. The gold would be beautiful as a highlight, the rose would be great as a blush or blush topper, and the bronze would be great around the face to warm it up. I didn't pick this up just because I knew that I really wouldn't use it but I highly suggest grabbing it if you know that you'll get use out of it.
I walked around the store with the First Aid Beauty FAB Beautique - $48 ($95 value) - in my basket, but ended up putting it back. The kit contains the 6 oz tub of Ultra Repair Cream Intense Hydration, a 0.5 oz bottle of Ultra Repair Hydrating Serum, a 2 oz tube of  Face Cleanser, 28 Facial Radiance Pads, and a 0.34 oz jar of Ultra Repair Intensive Lip Balm. This is a really great value if you already use these products and want to restock or if you want to try out the brand. If the kit had contained the Ultra Repair Hydra-Firm Sleeping Cream, as it's a current favorite and I'm thinking about needing a backup, I probably would have picked it up. I am interested in trying the serum, but I'm not currently in need of one. I probably won't use the cleanser either, and I feel like I'm constantly getting samples of it. I do love the Ultra Repair Lip Therapy in a tube, but I don't much like potted lip balms. Regardless of my reasons for not picking it up, this is a really great kit for a lot of people. If you are one of them - grab it while you can!
I really, really wanted the Bite Beauty The Perfect Bite Set - $25 ($59 value), unfortunately, my friend snatched up the last one. That's okay, she needed it more than I did, and I got the last Tarte Pretty Paintbox Collector's Makeup Case in the store. The set contains four mini (0.05 oz) Amuse Bouche Lipsticks in Fig, Pepper, Honeycomb, Nori in an adorable little tin that is perfect for travel. This set is an amazing value and a great way to try the new formula if you haven't. I actually own Honeycomb and have Fig and Pepper on the Luminous Cream formula. I still kind of want to order the kit though.
I spotted the Maison Margiela REPLICA Discovery Set For Her - $65 ($75.00 value) online and was immediately in love. My adoration for the REPLICA Beach Walk has continued well into Fall and I have considered trying out other REPLICA scents. This kit contains 3 x 0.34 oz Travel sprays in Beach Walk, Lazy Sunday Morning, Tea Escape. I love that these are travel sprays not roller balls. They allow me to liberally mist myself with the scent so that I and everyone around me can experience it to the fullest. I am unapposed to owning another travel-friendly version on Beach Walk and this is a great way to try out Lazy Sunday Morning, and Tea Escape. Grab it before it's gone.
Overall, I'm pretty excited by the Holiday 2016 collections. I think that brands have done a really great job this year. Is there anything that you are loving for Holiday 2016?