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!

NARS Mayflower lipstick - Review & Swatches

Hi everyone!

I'm back and ready to blog! Has everyone had a good holiday? Mine was great. I ate loads of food, had really fun family time and got to see some friends who live out of town. Perfection. Plus, I got spoiled by my parents, siblings and boyfriend for Christmas. Couldn't have imagined a better Christmas. Better yet, I have a few days to relax before I go back to work.

What better way to ease back into blogging by talking about one of my most used lipsticks lately, NARS Mayflower!

I find this lipstick so easy to slap on with a neutral eye - it's what I've done for the past month before heading out the door!

I first heard of this shade over at Cute and Mundane where Dovey compared a few of her NARS lipstick faves. I knew it was grand time I give NARS a shot (I've only owned their Laguna bronzer!) and purchased Mayflower, a fresh pink with silver glitter. 

 I'm not sure how I feel about NARS packaging yet. No problems as of yet anyway!

Mayflower swatched on my lips. It's quite glossy!

And swatched on my arm for reference. My skin tone is usually around a NW15 in MAC.

I find NARS' Mayflower actually pull a bit coral on my skintone - I don't mind this, but it's something to keep in mind. The lipstick's silver glitter is also a bit gritty. For a $30 lipstick, this I do mind. It's not terribly irritating, but the lipstick definitely doesn't feel smooth on the lips. I find the grittiness can emphasize dry lips, although for me at the moment, pretty much any lipstick will do this.

I do like that this lipstick is moisturizing. My lips do not feel dry after wearing Mayflower, which given the formula, I expected it would. Also, I found it wore reasonably long - my lipstick was mostly on after 4 hours (which I think is good for a sheer/glossy lipstick).

Overall, I'm pretty happy with this lipstick. If gritty glitter bothers you in general, I suggest trying this lipstick on before purchasing. It doesn't bother me too much, but it definitely isn't pleasant. I love that the color is a no-brainer. I don't need to think two about putting it on - it goes with any makeup. Although at $30, I doubt I'll be repurchasing.

Thank you for reading! I'll be back soon with a few reviews and hopefully a best of the year post!