It's the last week of September so that means it's time for - August Favorites. I don't really feel like I can keep apologizing or making excuses for my late monthly favorites. It is pretty much status quo anymore as I seem to be getting later and later every month. And, honestly who doesn't love monthly favorites, regardless of when they finally get published? So no apologies, no excuses, I'm going tell you what I have been up to lately. I feel like I say this about every month, but August was extremely busy. Not only that but the whole month was a very, very different beast for me. We have a friend who has come to live with us for a little while. While I have really enjoyed the having him here it has changed our home life a bit. It has actually been a really good change of pace, but also super surprising as I'm not usually someone who usually likes anyone else in my personal space. We spend a lot of time just talking and going to do stuff as a group, which is really nice. The other side of that coin is that I've been using the time I usually spend writing spending time with those around me. I also spent the beginning of August finishing off my summer class and then I had to spend 30 hours of in-class time getting my OSHA 30 card. I've had two human resources classes in September and I also need to start preparing for the contractor's board exam. I love expanding my knowledge-base but it has been a lot to take on lately. In the world of beauty, I made myself a goal to wear less makeup in August. No foundation, no contouring, less of everything else. I am extremely happy with the change. I can hardly believe that I used to take more than 30 minutes in the morning just to apply makeup. I have developed a healthy love for my skin and that has boosted my confidence sky high. August was a good month despite the changes. So what does a month of beauty favorites look like with less makeup? It might surprise you. Keep reading!
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 had thought that the palette would be a little larger. I was expecting a book about the size of the Smashbox Master Palettes. This is not quite that big - it's probably roughly 3/4 that size, but it contains ample product. The pans are big enough to easily get large brushes in. There are 8 palettes represented here - 40 eyeshadows total. There are no duplicates and a variety of finishes. Each shadow contains 0.8 grams of product. There are 19 matte shades, 11 shimmer wash shades, 8 metallic shades, and two sparkle eye shadows.
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!
