A Few of My Favorite Things -- Jan/Feb 2018

I haven't done a monthly favorites post in a good long while -- there are always so many new makeup products to talk about that sometimes it's easy to lose track of older products that can still seriously get the job done.

I really want to stop doing that -- I won't commit to doing monthly favorites, but I really want to try to mention the things that are really rocking my world whether they're new or not.

So here's what I've been loving in January/February:

Product Review -- MAC Eyeshadow X 15: Cool Neutral Palette

It's been quite some time since I did any real shopping at MAC.

There's really no reason for that -- I did get a little worn out by how frequently they seem to introduce limited edition collection over the past five years or so, but there are still a lot of great products in the permanent line that I enjoy so I have no real issues with the brand.

So recently, I was poking around their site and came across a product that I've actually been interested in for a while -- the MAC Eyeshadow X 15: Cool Neutral Palette.

Review (for Fair Skinned Folks!) -- MAC Studio Fix Fluid in NW10

I've always been a fan of MAC.

I don't buy many items from the brand these days, though -- mainly because I have all of the items that I really want from the permanent line and they just put out too many damn limited edition collections for me to keep up with (except for the occasional one I can't resist like Marilyn Monroe or Archie.)

But, as much as I like MAC, I've never been a big fan of their foundations.

It's not much a formula issue because they certainly have enough to choose from. As a super fair girl, I could never find a color match that worked with skin tone. I tried both NC15 and NW15, and depending on the foundation formula, they were either too dark or too orange.

I have plenty of other foundations that I like so I made my peace with the fact that I couldn't use MAC foundations.

Recent Favorites

It has ages since I last did a favorites post.

I get so caught up in reviewing new products that I sometimes forget that sharing what "older" products I'm loving can be just as helpful.

(I'm going to try not to go so long between favorites posts in the future -- and maybe mix in a few other non-review posts here and there to keep things interesting.)

But since it's been so long since my last Favorites, I'm going to share some things that I've been loving for the past few months or so.  To keep it simple and quick, I'll break them down by category so if you're not interested in a particular type of product, you can just skip over it.

Review -- M.A.C. Tropical Taboo Lip Products

In the past couple of months, I've bought quite a few lip products from M.A.C. limited edition collections.

They seem to be my weakness when it comes to these never-ending stream of limited edition products.

Unfortunately, with almost all of them, by the time I got the products, they were sold out online and I didn't want to do reviews on products that wouldn't be easy for folks to get their hands on.

With the most recent collection (I think it's the most recent anyway; there are so many that I may have missed one along the way), Tropical Taboo, though, the two products that I picked up are actually still available on the M.A.C. website , so I'm not too late with my review.

Review - M.A.C. Mineralize Skinfinish in Lightscapade

I am a sucker for a good highlighter.

I know that I say that about a lot of products -- as a total makeup junkie, I am a sucker for most actually -- but there are few things that I like better than a nice, pretty glow on my skin. 

I mean, it's not really there naturally so I need all the help I can get if I want to that glowing look. 

Enter highlighters.

I have an entire drawer full of them, but I've still been coveting M.A.C's Mineralize Skinfinish in Lightscapade since the last time it was available and it sold out before I could get my hands out it.

MAC Archie Girls Collection

When I was a kid, I was obsessed with Archie Comics.

Whenever I went grocery shopping with my mom and saw a new Archie Digest at the checkout counter, I would beg and beg and beg in the whiniest voice you've ever heard for my mom to let me get it.

She was a good sport; she probably let me have one every other time.

Even now, when I'm all grown up, I'll still indulge in an Archie Digest every now and then just to see what Archie, Betty, Veronica, and the gang are up to.

That's why I was so excited when I heard MAC was coming out with an Archie's Girls Collection.

This and That: BE Ready Foundation Update, MAC Archie Girls Collection & Drugstore Makeup

BE Ready Foundation

1) Since I'm finally feeling better, I didn't mind playing around with makeup yesterday so I decided to try out the tips that Leslie Blodgett from Bare Escentuals shared for the Ready Foundation in the videos I posted about the other day to see if I liked it any better.

It was only one time but yeah...I did like it better.

December Favorites

 I can't believe that it's time for my last monthly favorites post of 2012.

Where did this year go?!

But on to my favorite products for December...

MAC Fabulousness Holiday Eye Kit in 5 Warm Eyes

MAC Fabulosness Holiday Eye Kit in Warm Eyes

(Note - just a friendly reminder that there's plenty of time to enter my giveaway for the Balm Shady Lady Palette Vol. 2.  You can find all the info here. And a big thank you to everyone who's entered already!)

I'm a sucker for cute packaging.

It's sad but true.

So when I caught a glimpse of MAC's Fabulousness Holiday Eye Kits ($39.50), I knew that I was going to be the owner of one of those babies.

I mean the boxes alone are beyond adorable, but the compacts are just insanely cute. 

How could I resist?

MAC Glamour Daze Holiday Colour Collection

MAC Glamour Daze Holiday Colour Collection

 

 

(Note - just a friendly reminder that there's plenty of time to enter my giveaway for the Balm Shady Lady Palette Vol. 2.  You can find all the info here. And a big thank you to everyone who's entered already!)


I had no intention of buying anything from MAC's holiday collections.

I'll admit that I used to get all caught up in them, but then MAC started putting out more and more limited edition collections throughout the year and adding more products to the holiday line and I just got overwhelmed.

This year, though, I got suckered into buying a few items.

MAC Marilyn Monroe Collection

If you were unable to purchase anything from MAC's Marilyn Monroe Collection before it sold out and are feeling bummed about it, I think I can make you feel a little bit better.

You're really not missing out on much.

Now, don't get me wrong - I am thrilled with my purchases and there are a couple of products that I'm pretty much in love with.

But on the whole, there's really nothing particularly special about the colors or products in this collection.

In the end, it's really the packaging that makes this collection so special.

September Favorites

September Goodies

Another month gone...

I seriously can't figure out where this year has gone.

But I definitely enjoyed September - the weather finally cooled off a bit here on Long Island, so it actually felt like fall. 

I love fall.

I especially love fall makeup.

This and That: Giveaway, MAC Marilyn Monroe Collection and New Skincare

If you're in the market for a really nice neutral palette for the fall, there's still time to enter my LORAC Femme Fatale Palette - it ends tonight at midnight EST.  You can find all the details (and swatches) here.

Thanks to everyone who's already entered - I've loved reading all of your comments about your favorite fall makeup. You guys are awesome.

What I'm Wearing Today Vol. 2

I apologize for the lack of a formal post, but I'm a little under the weather today and have fallen behind on work so it's probably going to be a long night.

I also thought today would be a good day to share the makeup I'm wearing because I even thought I feel like crap, I actually look pretty good - and I used a new palette that I just got and am super excited about (review coming once I've tried all the colors).  I'm particularly loving my eyeshadow combo today, so without further ado, today's makeup:

MAC Stereo Rose MSF Giveaway Winner!

Thank you to everyone who entered the giveaway for the MAC Stereo Rose MSF . 

I am happy to announce that the winner is Liv!

If you didn't win or didn't get a chance to enter this giveaway, don't worry - I've already got the next one planned for later this month.  Here's a hint - it's for an item that I rave about on a regular basis (I think once I even said I would marry it...) and it may or may not be for the eyes (it is.). 

And a big thank you to everyone who reads the blog, leaves comments and sends emails.  I'd probably write about makeup even if no one was reading, but interacting with you guys makes this so much more fun. 

July Favorites

July goodies

Since tomorrow is August 1st (it really is terrifying how fast time starts to go as you get older...), it's time to share my July Favorites.

But I should preface this post by confessing that I've already written about every item on my list before - some of them pretty recently, actually.  I just don't have it in me to fake a favorites list of new items, though.  These were my honest to goodness favorites this month, so I'll share them but just keep the blabbering to a minmum.

Or try to anyway.

I do tend to ramble. 

Giveaway Time! MAC Stereo Rose Mineralize Skinfinish *CLOSED*

The illusive MAC MSF in Stereo Rose

The last time that MAC was getting ready to re-release their Mineralize Skinfinish in the cult favorite shade Stereo Rose (about a year and a half ago, I'd say), I told everyone I knew how badly I wanted it.

Seriously.

Everyone.

MAC Pink Lemonade Lipglass

MAC Lipglass in Pink Lemonade

The other day when I wrote about my purchases from MAC's Heavenly Creature collection, I forgot to mention that I'd also picked up a lip product from the permanent line.

MAC's Lipglass in Pink Lemonade.

I've been reading good things about this shade for years, and given my fondness for any and all coral or peach lip products, I don't know why I didn't get off my butt and buy it sooner.

MAC Heavenly Creature Lipsticks

MAC Heavenly Creature Lipsticks

I apologize for disappearing for a few days - between the holiday and a series of technical difficulties, I haven't got much done during the past week. Hopefully, I'm back on track starting today.

It's been a while since I've bought anything from a MAC limited edition collection.  They just put out so damn many that I kind of get overwhelmed whenever I hear one is coming out ... and I've tried to make a concerted effort in recent years to only buy items that are really unique or that really excite me.

Turns out that there haven't been that many products that fit either bill recently.

Well, until the Heavenly Creature collection.