Smart is Always Beautiful

How cute is the Bite Beauty Amuse Bouche Lipstick in Mauvember (2016)? This is the limited edition shade that Bite Beauty collaborated with Movember to create and sale exclusively during the month of November to support men's health. Each tube costs $26 and it's the first time that it has been released in the US. All proceeds (about 50% of the purchase price) from selling this gorgeous mauve shade go to the Movember Organization, which uses contributions to fight issues like prostate cancer and testicular cancer. So not only is it adorable (how could you not adore the mustache imprinted in the tube?) and the shade is really pretty, but your money is going to a worthwhile place! Win - win - win! Now is the time to get this before it's gone!
I was so so excited when I saw that the Sephora Favorites Glow For It Kit - $30 - was back in stock. I had it in my cart in back in October when I first saw it, but then I sat on it too long and it sold out. They even removed it from the site. I'm guessing they brought it back for this sale. The kit contains a deluxe sample of Benefit Cosmetics Watt's Up! Cream-to-Powder Highlighter in Champagne (a favorite), a deluxe sample of the Cover FX Custom Infusion Drops in C+ Lemongrass - Radiance, a deluxe sample of Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Liquid in Moonstone (have it and love it), a full size (!) Lancôme Glow Subtil Silky Crème Highlighter in Glowing Lights 06, a deluxe sample of MILK MAKEUP Sunshine Oil, and a deluxe sample size of Hourglass Ambient® Strobe Lighting Powder in Incandescent Strobe Light. This kit probably keeps selling out because the full size of Lancôme Glow Subtil Silky Crème Highlighter is $30 all by itself, so basically the other five items are basically a bonus. I really wanted to either try or have and love everything in this kit. If you spot it in stock, grab it immediately.
I really love Sephora brushes, especially the Pro line, so I'm slowly trying to collect a full kit of them. This time I picked out the SEPHORA COLLECTION Pro Small Shadow Brush #15 - $18 and the SEPHORA COLLECTION Pro Smoky Liner #24 - $7. I use a small shadow brush pretty much every day, so having a second one will be great. The smoky liner brush I think will work in so many ways. I plan to use it as a pencil brush, on the bottom lash line, as well as it's intended liner function.
I picked up the SEPHORA COLLECTION Mara Hoffman for Sephora Collection: Kaleidescape Tinted Lip Balm - $11 - late this summer and I actually really liked it. It's a tinted balm that feels really nice and I love the color. It is a really flattering sheer rosy plum. I carried it all through Orlando on vacation last week and it feels really hydrating and lasts for hours. I decided to pick myself up a backup.

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?

I have tried foundation after foundation, trying to find something that would give me perfect doll-like skin. I thought that if I blanked out my face with a full-coverage base and then drew back on perfect features I would give myself the look that I wanted. It's kind of ironic that when I stopped wearing foundation altogether, that's when I finally found my ideal look. I spent a week completely bare faced and the biggest problem that I faced without any base products whatsoever was that I turned into a sweaty grease ball by mid-day. Seriously gross. I knew that I didn't want to give in and start using foundation again so I started reaching for just primers. Primers are amazing. They smooth out the skin, blur, color correct, minimize pores, hydrate, add radiance, even out skin tone, and a whole bunch of other amazing benefits. The Perfekt 10 Skin Perfection + SPF 30 (my shade is Radiant) is like an amazing primer on steroids. It boasts 10 benefits that make it a super-charged alternative to a BB cream, CC cream, and tinted moisturizer; firm, treat, cover, prime, protect, correct, smooth, hydrate, longevity, and it's vegan and cruelty-free. I apply a large pea-sized amount to the face by pressing it into the skin. It feels like a silicone based primer and smooths on very easy. It has slight tinting but the coverage is sheer. It looks like my skin with all of its markings and imperfections only with a more even skin tone. My skin looks like it has the most perfect even texture with this on. Never have I ever been so in love with looking at my skin and the Perfekt 10 is has been a huge reason why. This product is really amazing and for $48, it better be.
I really don't want to use a concealer, but sometimes you just have to. It is allergy season and the redness on and around my nose is out of control. I also might tap some concealer on my chin if it's a little red. A few months back I picked up Becca's Ultimate Coverage Concealing Crème in Tahini at Sephora. It was a product that I just happened upon and honestly hadn't heard much about. I was having a Becca fan-girl moment at the time and the shade was a pretty spot on match for my face. I really like the texture. It's emollient, but a little stiffer until you warm it up. It is extremely pigmented and a little goes a long way. It's also in a pot and I'm not really a fan of cream products in a pot but I love that I I lightly tap my pinky finger into the product and it blends into the skin really nicely. Since I'm not wearing any foundation, any concealer that I dab on has to look like my skin. With this, I can apply the smallest amount, so that doesn't get too thick, and it also covers even the darkest hyper-pigmentation. The only word of warning that I might issue with this product is that it does not like to blend in on skin that isn't properly moisturized. Regardless, I really love this concealer.
The Kat Von D Shade and Light Eye Palette is one of those palettes that I think everyone should own. Kat might have well written the book on eyeshadow quality. These are all pigmented, blendable, and smooth. This palette is all matte shades and was designed to shape and define the eye. The palette is split into coordinating quads; neutral, cool, and warm. Each quad has a shade as a base, highlight, transition, and a dark shade to darken the outer corner/work as a liner. It also came with a card that tells you how best to use the quads to define the shape of your specific eye. You can also use the palette to create a gorgeous smokey eye: I love the transition shade in the cool quad, Saleos, all over the lid and along the lower lash line with Lazarus, the base shade, diffused into the crease. The dark black shade, Shax, can be placed in the outer corner and I like the cream shade from the neutral quad, Lucius, under the brow and the inner corner to complete the smokey eye. My absolute favorite way to use the palette lately is to contour the eye with a transition, outer corner, and highlight shades in this palette. Then once everything is placed and blended out I'll take a shimmery shadow and pop it into the center of my lid. Which brings us to my next product.
I picked up the Josie Maran Coconut Watercolor Eye Shadows on the QVC's website. The shades that I have are Beach Sand and Rio de Rose Gold. They sold both shades together for only $8 more than one of these was being sold individually when they were new - $26 for the set. Like I said, I use the Kat Von D palette, or another matte shadow palette, to contour the eye. Then I shake these up and use the applicator to dot the pigment on the center of the lid. I blend this color out with my finger. They blend easy and dry very quickly. I suggest dotting and blending one at a time and working fast. They stay in place all day without creasing or smudging. The make up is half Argan-infused pigment half coconut water. They separate when they're not in use but when they are mixed together and applied, they create this gorgeous foiled shadow. You can get similar looks with a wet shimmery shadow, but these are great because you don't have to get your brushes wet and the Argan and Coconut oils hydrate the lids. I'm all over easier and less messy. This eyeshadow also feels really cooling and nice. The pigment looks smoother that dry shadows and I love products that look great and work to improve your skin. I can't get enough of these eyeshadows.
I am super obsessed with chubby lip pencils and luckily for me, they seem to be everywhere. I had to have the Clinique Chubby Stick the moment that I saw them. You would think by now that the obsession would fizzle out, but these days I am still very into it - in the form of the Bobbi Brown Art Sticks. What's unique about these lip pencils are that they are an actual sharpening, wooden pencil, not lipstick in plastic packaging. While twist up packaging is super convenient, the consistency of the product is very different from a traditional sharpening style pencil. These are slightly less creamy, but I'm taking it as a positive in this case. You can forget them in the hot car and they don't melt everywhere. Don't get me wrong, though, they definitely glide on and wear comfortably. They tend to wear better and last longer for me. Clinique's, Tarte's, and even Revlon's chubby lip pencils wear more like a balm to me than a traditional lipstick. These are very versatile. You can apply it on its own as a pigmented long-wearing lipstick. The shape allows for precision. They aren't really a matte finish. It has an ever-so-slight sheen. You can also wear it as a lipliner, top with lipstick, and/or gloss. They are super easy to throw in your bag and take everywhere. My favorite combination this month is one of these with the Buxom Full-On Lip Polish in Sugar that I mentioned in my July Favorites. The shades that I have are Brown Berry (pictured) and Rose Brown (not pictured because it lives in my bag lately) and I love them both. Brown Berry is a medium nude brown. Rose Brown is a brown berry, definitely on the mauve side. Both wear really well and they pair with a number of looks. The craziest part about these is that I've been using the crap out of them and I haven't had to sharpen them but once. They are going to last forever.
So first and foremost - I'm sorry. I've never used the phrase "on fleek" in my life. I don't know what came over me. Anyway, I've been really loving using the combination of Benefit Goof-Proof Brow Pencil and NYX Control Freak. It's been really simple and easy to apply and my brows are still natural and perfectly in place at the end of the day. They are pretty much the only part of my face that I don't want to check-in on throughout the day. I just know that they look good and will all day long. The Benefit Goof Proof pencil in No. 3 is a dead on match and I love that it includes a spoolie - Although let's be honest, it's a requirement for me. I use the spoolie to brush my brow hairs into place. The I use the longer, flat side of the tip to define the top and bottom shade of the brow. After that, I use the fatter side to fill in the middle of the brow. Then I brush through with the spoolie again to smooth out any harsh lines. It literally takes me 30 seconds to do both brows. Then I take the NYX Control Freak and brush through my brows and everything is locked in place. The Control Freak has a full-sized, almost jumbo, mascara wand. It's a little intimidating, but the spoolie comes out clear, without any excess product. It's really super simple to use - and it works great. There's no goopy-ness. There's no stickiness. It takes a couple minutes to dry, but when it does, it doesn't dry crunchy. It leaves the brows looking super natural. If you're looking for a good brow gel, I strongly suggest checking this out.
I am all over cool-girl multi-tasking products, and Bite Beauty hit the nail on the head with their Multi-Sticks. If you haven't heard, they released these cream sticks that work three ways: as a blush, as a cream eyeshadow, and as a matte lipstick. They apply like a cream but wear like a powder for a lightweight, long-wearing result - perfect for all three applications. I picked up two shades, Blondie and Cashew. I wanted a couple shades that would wear really well on the lips, cheeks and eyes; not just one or two of the applications. Blondie is a nice nude beige. It's a great lighter, more wearable nude on the lips and cheeks. On the eyes, it works as a nice nude eye or works great as a base for other shadows. Cashew is a pretty mauve pink - very pretty on the lips. Dab a light amount on the cheeks for an equally pretty look, and it's okay as an eyeshadow blended lightly all over the lid. It's not so pink that it looks like you have pink eye, but pink enough to give you a nice girly look.

I have read that a lot of people have had problems applying these as an eyeshadow, but I apply them over a primer, with a cream shadow brush and it goes on really well and lasts all day. I see minor creasing somewhere between six and eight hours, but it's easy to tap it back into place. I use my finger to dab the color onto my cheeks and blend out. They look really natural and blend easily. They actually set to a natural powder-like finish and it really lasts all day. The powder formula seems weird to apply to the lips but it actually applies and wears really well. The pigmentation is great and they glide on easy - no pulling on tugging. They feel really smooth and velvety and they leave a beautiful matte finish. They are long lasting without feeling tight or drying on the lips. However, they are less forgiving with cracked, peeling, chapped lips. This formula does accentuate any of that. It's really easy to throw on a gloss like Supergoop Shine On Lip Screen over it and problem solved! I really love this in all three applications. The packaging is the exact same as the Bite Butter Cream Lipstick, which I'm a fan. The packaging feels really solid and has a magnetic pull. I feel really safe throwing it in my bag for touch-ups on the go. Bite released 18 shades and they all look gorgeous. I would probably consider picking up a few more.
I found myself really really loving the Charlotte Tilbury Instant Beauty Palette The Dolce Vita Look in August. The eyeshadow trio is really really pretty and easy to use. It's shimmery but not in an overly glittery way. It just adds the nicest shine to the lids. It was designed to just accentuate the eye in a very flattering way. It really helps facilitate a really natural look. They are all excellent quality and pigmentation. This with my first foray into Charlotte Tilbury shadows and I'm really happy. I was initially disappointed that the Filmstar bronzer and highlighter included aren't the same shades as the duo, but as I have both I'm now glad that I don't have duplicate products. The formulas are the same and they are both gorgeous - just different shades. I started absolutely loving the blushes though as soon as I realized that Swish and Pop aren't just their names - they describe how they are supposed to be used. You are supposed to take Swish, the lighter more peachy-pink shade, start on the apple of your cheek and swish it back towards your temple. Then you take Pop and pop it on the apple of your cheek. It is a gorgeous combo and it helps blend everything together in a natural way. I am really glad that I picked this up.

I normally don't talk about nail polish but I fell in love with Essie In Stitches back in late July - early August. It was love at first sight. A gorgeous fall blush-berry shade that isn't really pink but not really plum either. It a gorgeous, feminine neutral shade that was perfect for kicking off the season. I have been rocking this polish on my toes since the beginning of August. It's still going strong. I also rarely paint my fingernails but I had this on for a good week in August. Love, love, love this color.
Breakfast and snacking have never tasted so good, seriously. I spotted the Nature Valley Soft-Baked Oatmeal Squares Banana Bread & Dark Chocolate at Target and I immediately bought three boxes. I love banana anything, but throw dark chocolate in with it and I'm in love. These are like a thicker oatmeal cookie with bananas and dark chocolate chips. They are so soft too. This is what I've been keeping in my purse as an emergency snack. One bar is enough to fill me up and not just tide me over for a half hour. One bar is 150 calories, 6 grams of fat, 23 grams of carbohydrates, and 10 grams of sugars. So a banana is probably better for you to grab and go, but it's way better than something from a vending machine. And, the carbs will help keep you moving throughout the day. If you see these in the store, give them a try. They are tasty enough to hunt them down.
My husband may not think so, but I have scaled back my purchases substantially this month. However, I do have a favorite purchase this month. It arrived the last day of the month, so it doesn't qualify as a favorite product that I used in August, but it was something that I just couldn't pass up and it is as beautiful as I imagined. The Bobbi Brown The Nude Library 25th Anniversary Palette was definitely a splurge. Earlier in July I had been debating picking up a nude Bobbi Brown eyeshadow palette and decided to pass. I've seen some of the limited edition palettes through the years and they've always spoken to me, but I've never made the leap. Now I'm glad that I didn't, because now I own all of them in one convenient place.
I have been extremely impressed with the quality of these shadows. All 40 shades have had excellent pigmentation and have been creamy and smooth. Even the sparkle shades that look like they are going to be a fallout nightmare have been easy to apply and to blend. I haven't had a problem with fallout at all. I cannot say that about a lot of palettes with a fraction of the shades that this one has. For a brand to get 40 shades right, that's pretty impressive. I have been using the crap out of this palette and I haven't had a bad experience yet. They are all nude shades but there's such a variety that I haven't gotten even close to being bored. I feel like there are hundreds of combinations of looks in this palette. Every look that I have put together has been gorgeous.
The packaging is amazing. It's super high quality and the whole thing is mirrored and shiny. I feel like I could drop it and not have the whole thing come apart on me - not that I want to test my theory. I love the look of the packing, but it does make me a little crazy trying to keep it from looking like a dirty, fingerprint-covered mess. I also like that you can use the center divider like a mirror, but also kind of wish it was easier to flip from side to side. The easiest way is to close it completely and reopen to the correct side. There is no clasp, but it feels like it has a magnetic pull to draw the book closes and keep it closed. I am extremely impressed with the palette and feel that it's worth every penny. I ordered mine from Nordstrom after their first restock. It's now available on the Sephora website, as well as Lord & Taylor.
Do you like the theme of this month's photos? I thought it was fitting as August was back to school month but also as because I feel like I spent the month learning a lot about myself, my skin, and my makeup techniques. I'm working on a lot of other posts - I promise. I will hopefully soon share what I loved in September also. As well as empties, holiday stuff and more!
What products have you been loving lately? Do share in the comments below!