NOVEMBER 2014 FAVORITES!

by - December 01, 2014


So... This has been a good month. Not gonna lie, it's kinda weird to say that when my feet are still frozen from being out in the -40º weather this morning, but here I am saying it. It's been a bit of a low key kind of a month, staying home and cooking cold weather comfort food and curling up on the couch to binge-watch TV shows. My little introverted heart loves this time of year for that very reason, nature gives you a built in excuse to hide in your house and not bother with real pants other than when it's time to go to work. It's also been a good month for beauty products, I found. It wasn't until I started compiling my list of favorite things this month that I realized what a good month it was.

So without further adieu, keep reading for my monthly favorites...

BEAUTY FAVORITES

Mandorla Corpo Body Lotion with Sweet  Almond Oil
If you read this blog with any sort of regularity, you know all too well my obsession with sweet almond oil. It started with L'Occitane and it just keeps rolling. I remember, also, being a little kid and having to take biodegradable soap to camp and every year my mom sent me with almond soap that smelled delicious. I think that scent memory might be part of why I love almond oil products so much. That said, I am obsessed with this lotion for its lotioniness as much as its scent. When applying this to my arms and legs after the shower, it takes a little bit of work to get it to soak in, but once it does it leaves a soft, almost powder-like finish on the skin. It just feels silky and smooth without any stickiness or greasiness left behind. And in the morning, my skin feels soft and silky and amazing. I found this, as well as a sweet almond body oil from Mandorla, at Winners. Both were priced under $6 and worth every penny and more. Everytime I've been back there since, I've been keeping my eye out for more bottles because I feel that this is one product that's going to need a back up.


Herbal Essences Moroccan My Shine Nourishing Shampoo & Conditioner
I actually had these in the closet for several weeks while I worked through some other shampoo and conditioners and I didn't harbor the highest of hopes for them. Herbal Essences can actually be pretty hit and miss for me with their shampoos and conditioners and I felt like this one might leave behind some residue, as I've found with the heavier moisturizing products from the line. Also, I've definitely found that some argan hair products can be really heavy with residue, so it was kind of a double whammy of assumptions based on previous experience. Um. I was wrong. So wrong. This rinses perfectly clean and leaves my hair light and silky. It also definitely gives my hair a lot of shine, which I can definitely say it had been missing. Also, the scent is completely on point for me. I'm actually on my second bottle of the conditioner and have no intention of straying from these in the near future.


Skin Food Black Sugar Mask Wash Off
I had been eyeing this product during my K-Beauty online shopping rabbit holes for a while, but I hadn't ever actually picked it up so I was completely stoked when it was including in my Skin Food Memebox and couldn't wait to try it. When I've heard as many good things about a product as I'd heard about this one, my expectations are always sky high and are, let's be real, often dashed upon using it. Not the case with this product. Basically, you just gently massage it into the skin and then leave it there for 10-15 minutes to let it do its work. And then you wash it off. And... (insert the ahhhhh sound of angels here...) Gorgeous. I mean, seriously. I struggle with my skin texture and this just made it feel so gorgeous every time I used it. Soft and smooth without any tightness or irritation. Just fresh, clean gorgeousness. If you haven't tried this, I highly recommend it. Also, it has a light lemony scent that is somewhat surprising but absolutely pleasant. This will be a repurchase for sure once I get through this tub.


CoverGirl Ready Set Gorgeous Fresh Complexion Oil Free Foundation
I've been meaning to review this all month, but even though I was literally using it every day I kept forgetting to photograph it. Silly wabbit. Anyway. Like I said, I've been using this almost every day all month and you can look for a full review later this week. When this was first released, I wasn't all that interested. It seemed like it was intended for teenage skin more than adult skin and I couldn't really believe that a foundation that costs around $7 could do what I would want it to do. And again, I was wrong. And I'm obsessed. I picked this up because I was suddenly seeing really positive reviews on it and I figured... What the hell, it's cheap and maybe it won't suck. And it doesn't suck. And I love it. And I literally have no desire to use any other foundation at the moment. Like I said, look for a GLOWING review later this week.

 
H&M Make Me Blush Palette
I reviewed this earlier this month and everything I said in that review continues to be true. I love this palette and I've been using it pretty obsessively this month. My favorite shade is the deeper mauve toned blush on the right of the palette, because I feel like it gives a really natural, beautiful flush to the cheeks and is pretty universally flattering no matter what else you're wearing. The pigmentation on these blushes is crazy, so you definitely need to use a light hand, but they're just insanely pretty. If you haven't picked this up yet and these kinds of shades are in your wheelhouse, I highly recommend.


Cargo Vintage Escapes Eyeshadow Palette
You might recall that I absolutely had to post about this after I found it for $9.99 at Winners earlier this month. And you might recall how excited I was about it and about the quality of the shadows. Now, I can tell you that they're just as good as I hoped they'd be. They're soft and blendable with beautiful pigmentation and pretty damn good staying power. For an every day look I've pretty consistently been using Harvest Moon all over the lid, Autumn as a transition shade, and a combination of Hot Cocoa and Chestnut to deepen up the outer corner and crease. I also did a really beautiful daytime smoky look using Hot Cocoa as a transition with frolic blended all over the lid and up into the crease and a pop of Withered Leaves on the center of the lid for a little bit of a pop. My absolute favorite thing about this palette is Hot Cocoa, which is a perfect transition shade for my skintone with most looks. Also, Harvest Moon makes a really beautiful browbone highlight. Overall, I'm just so impressed with this palette and I did a major Winners stalking to see if I could find more for gifts. Alas, no. But hopefully some of you who read the post managed to get your hands on one!


Nivea Lip Smoothie in Acai & Wild Apple
I've actually had this a while and when I bought it I had been hoping that it would have a little bit of pigment in it for a tint. I was disappointed when it really didn't. However, I love pretty much all of the Nivea lip balms at this time of year when my lips pretty consistently need to be hit with some serious moisture for fear of the dreaded winter chapping and flaking. This one has been tucked into the pocket of my jacket the past few weeks for red light applications and I'm loving it. It's comfortable, not too heavy, not too slick, and smells really yummy. Best of all, it really does hit my lips with the moisture that I need. I'd recommend these, particularly this one and the Pure & Natural Milk & Honey one, if you're in the market for a new, affordable every day lip balm. I stress the every day part because this is definitely a preventative lip balm rather than one to use when your lips are already a mess.

BITE Beauty High Pigment Lip Pencil in Sablé
This pencil was included in the Best Bite Remix holiday set that I raved about earlier this month and it has definitely become my stand out favorite of the set. A very wearable nude shade, this is perfect for every day but also for pairing with a really dramatic evening eye look. I personally have been wearing this a ton during the day and I feel like it gives a little subtle something special to my lips, finishing off a look without giving too much punch. It's really creamy and comfortable on the lips, which also makes it a huge winner in my books, and wears quite well throughout the day. I believe this shade is limited, so if you haven't gotten your hands on the Best Bite Remix yet and you can find it in your local Sephora (it's sold out on the website) I suggest you pick it up. Amazing.


NON-BEAUTY FAVORITES


PUKKA Relax Organic Chamomile, Fennel & Marshmallow Root Tea
I actually picked this up on clearance at Superstore for like $2. And then I fell in love and now, since Superstore isn't carrying it anymore, I'm going to have to order it online. I love tea with a kind of anise flavor to it, so any time I see fennel in a tea I'm pretty much solid. Weirdly enough, I don't actually like chamomile usually, but the balance of this tea feels just right. Especially as the weather gets colder, me and my boyfriend tend to brew tea most evenings and I love having a good selection of herbal teas that aren't going to keep us up at night, so I'm definitely going to be looking online to find more of this because I need it in my life. If you like fennel, you should definitely try this. 


The Walking Dead
So, I had seen the first two seasons of this back when it was originally airing, but as it goes with a lot of TV shows I couldn't keep up with the week to week airing schedule and then I just kind of forgot where I was and never bothered to catch up. But I remembered really liking it, so when my boyfriend suggested that we watch it from the beginning I was all for it. We literally watched the entire first 4 seasons on Netflix within a few weeks and, as of last night's mid-season finale we are completely caught up. And I love it. And I've cried more times that I am willing to admit during this show. And I want more right now. This is the problem with a massive binge watch of a currently airing show, isn't it? You get to the end and you just want more. Are we there yet?

So there you have it. Another month gone, another month of favorites. I'm really looking forward to December and all of the parties and time spent with family and the gift giving... and receiving. It's going to be a good month, I think. Knocking on all the wood. 


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