March Favorites!

This is a bit late but I'm really excited to shade my March favorites with you! I don't always do monthly favorites, mostly because I have a short makeup attention span and don't stick to specific products, but March was different!

1. I seriously cannot rave enough about the Shu Uemura Glow on Blush in M Pink 31. There's something so easy about wearing this blush - I barely have to blend it in, and it suits every type of makeup from smokey eye to natural face.

2. I've recently been loving an easy, run out the door, lip. Chanel's Rouge Coco Shine in Boy is the perfect shade to slap and go. It's pink, shiny and natural. The only slight negative to it is the smell - I don't really like the rosey scent of the Rouge Coco Shine. Nevertheless, this has been a March favorite - I might actually finish the tube at this rate!

3. After I stopped poking myself in the eye with the Clinique High Impact Extreme Volume mascara, I really started to like it. I don't know if it's just because I've started being clumsy in life generally (seriously, I've broken a blender, a candle and a bowl in the past few months) but when I first got this mascara, I kept poking the wand in my eye! And it freaking hurt! After I got used to it (the wand, not the poking), I started to realize how good this mascara is. It reminds me a lot of the Make Up For Ever Smokey Lash mascara which I love, but less clumpy. The formula isn't too liquid, and it really coats the lashes. Love!

4. While this month I've run so late for work I haven't had a chance to put on eyeshadow, the times that I've had a chance, I've really enjoyed the NARS Small Dome Brush 12. This brush is super soft and blends like a dream. For people who do not have a lot of lid space like me, it is perfect for plotting out my crease. Sometimes I find the MAC 217 is a bit too big for my lids and works better for blending out the edges of your eye makeup. I highly recommend the NARS Small Dome Brush for the gals out there like me that need something more precise than the 217 for the crease!

5. NARS Dolce Vita is just one of those perfect lipsticks. I've had this lipstick in my bag all month and have loved wearing it. I love how this lipstick feels polished, but not obvious. And how it's glossy but not shimmery. And I love that it doesn't dry out my lips. One of my best NARS purchases right there.

6. March has been the month of the Bourgeois Healthy Mix foundation as it is now empty! I've really liked wearing this foundation - while I do need a powder to make this last all day, it really an amazing lightweight foundation. I don't think I'll be repurchasing it right away (especially since it wears best on me in the winter months) but this is a winner in my books.

7. When I first got my MAC 129, I was a bit disappointed. The brush hairs felt rough, and it just didn't blend as well as I would have liked. After a few washes, the bristles have softened and I'm really enjoying it! I've been reaching for this all month over my Real Techniques brushes. Glad this wasn't a bust after all!

8. A new discovery this month has been the Hydraluron Moisture Booster. Because Caroline Hirons knows how to talk about skincare and I don't, go read her post about this product. I must say, I'm really really happy with it. Acne scarring on my cheek was gone in half the time it would usually take to fade. Good news for us Canadian girls, Shoppers Drug Mart now carries it!

Thanks for ready my March favorites! Have a great week!

July favorites!

My July favorites are all over the place. I've been loving being more minimalistic with my makeup, usually leaving the house for work with a light base, brows done, blush, mascara and a balm. What has happened to me? Well, in short, the heat. Minimum effort has been my motto, but I've embraced it!

I've been using my Nuxe 24H Moisturizing Body Lotion a lot on my legs. I love that it sinks in immediately and doesn't leave a greasy residue. I also love that it has an easy to use pump, and it smells amazing. The smell is quite strong though, so I'm not wearing this to work. But this is another Nuxe winner for me!

I've been using MAC's Cremeblend blush in Posey a lot this past month, simply because I find it lasts longer on my skin than powder products, and its peachyness warms up my complexion. It is incredibly easy to use (I use a stippling brush) and doesn't slip off like some of my MAC powder blushes.

Not too sure why but I've been really enjoying my face brushes! Those include the Quo Bronzing Powder Brush, the Real Techniques Powder brush, and the MAC 129 blush brush. They are all incredibly soft, easy to clean, and do not shed. Well, let's be fair, the 129 does shed a bit, but I can live with it since it applies blush beautifully!

I've also been using my Clarins Instant Light Brush-On Perfector pretty much every day this month. Because my dark circles aren't extremely pronounced, this has been great at illuminating my under eye area, especially when I'm only wearing mascara. I've also been using my Make Up For Ever Aqua Shadow in 4E as a quick base under a lighter eye shadow, and my Maybelline Eye-Studio Master Precise Pen Eyeliner for a quick cat eye flick. I'm especially impressed with the Maybelline Eyeliner Pen for its durability on the eye during hot and humid weather and how easy it is to use. I'm definitely not buying the MAC version again - I prefer the Maybelline version by far.

For a refresher and as a toner, I've been using the Caudalie Eau de Beauté pretty much every day. I don't want to give away too much because I will be posting a review on this shortly, but it has been very good to my skin!

And lastly, for lips, I've been using L'Oreal's Color Riche Balm in Pink Satin. While this isn't pigmented at all, it was quite moisturizing and gave a hint of shimmer on the lips, perfect for home/beach uses. Clinique's Almost Lipstick in Spicy Honey has been an often used quick option for when I'm stepping out the door and need a quick wash of color on my lips.

Ouuffff... that's a lot more favorites than I thought I had! What's been on heavy rotation for you this month?

MAC Haul and the Dangerous Brush Zone

I've hauled. And I've hauled a MAC brush. I feel like my MAC world has been blown wide open.

Vanity pictures galore!

I'm very happy with the MAC 129. So far so good - and only a tiny bit of shedding. I love that it has a very long handle - I feel like I have more control over the brush.

I also hauled MAC's Lightscapade and Harmony blush! Both are great although I expected Harmony to be a bit more neutral - it pulls orange a bit. I do like that it's matte though, as opposed to my NARS Laguna.

Quick swatches:

My new MAC brush has thrown me into a brush frenzy! I already have two Real Techniques brushes coming my way! I'm REALLY tempted to get the MAC 138. I've had such a crap day, I'm thisclose to pulling the trigger. But uuugh, so expensive. Oh and I want the 168 too! Damn this MAC frenzy is going to make me broke as a joke!

Hope you all had a great day!