August Favorites 2012

I cannot believe, or rather I don't want to believe that August is already over. The end of August means only one thing to me, school is back and all my free time is now gone. This past week was my first week of classes and so far so good, my professors seem pretty nice and I'm not getting too much work.

Anyways, as for this August favorites, I was almost not going to even put up a favorites post this month because I haven't been wearing a lot of makeup lately and my favorites for this month were generally the same as last month. But, I took a look at my makeup collection anyways and there were a few notable products that I've been using so I decided what the heck, I'll do it.

So these are my favorite beauty products for August 2012 and as you can see there's only four and one of them is a repeat from last month. Because of summer classes and the heat I've been trying to go makeup free as much as I can because I have started to break out a little bit on my forehead and I'm pretty sure it's from sweat and constantly brushing my bangs out of my face. But there are a few products I have been loving this month that I noticed I didn't mention last month so here they are.

From left to right, top to bottom:

1. Lancome Teint Idole Ultra 24h ($44) - I recently purchased this foundation and I mentioned it in my Sephora haul but I have been totally loving it. Usually I use my Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer SPF 20 but for the days that I need more coverage and a longer lasting makeup look I'll immediately reach for this. I'll have a review up soon so I don't want to go into too much detail but it matches my skin tone perfectly, blends seamlessly and lasts all day. I think it might become my HG foundation.

2. Clé De Peau Beauté Concealer ($70) - This is a repeat from my July favorites but I wanted to mention it again because I absolutely love this concealer. I always struggle to find good concealers so I finally gave in and bought this absurdly expensive one. The price tag is outrageous but the product is so great that I think it's worth it. It completely conceals my dark circles and it doesn't cake up or dry out under my eyes, which is a huge problem for me with concealers. I'll still look for a cheaper alternative but for now this is my HG concealer.

3. Urban Decay Naked Palette ($50) - I don't think I even have to explain why this is on my August favorites. I'm pretty sure everyone reading this post either owns or has at least heard of this palette. It's my absolute favorite palette because I almost always wear neutral colored lids. I've been loving it a lot more lately because the color combinations are total no-brainers, so if I want to look a tad bit more glam for school but I'm low on time, this palette is what I immediately reach for.

4. Koji Dolly Wink Liquid Eyeliner ($20) - For a while I was wearing only pencil liner because I feel liquid liner is too harsh for the summer but now that it's been getting chillier here in the city I've started migrating back to liquid. This is a great liquid liner because not only is the packaging cute but the product is amazing as well. This liner is a drier formula so it won't bleed all over your lids when you're doing your makeup. Also, the applicator is a fine tip point made of stiff bristles so you can get a thin or thick line and it's easy to use.

Hopefully I have more favorites next month to share with you all but I hope you enjoyed this post. Let me know what your favorite products of the month are with a comment below, or link me to your August Favorites post!

TAG: Most Worn Summer Things

I can't believe summer is already coming to an end. I only went to the beach once so far and half my summer was spent taking summer classes. I'm starting my fall semester next Tuesday so I'm trying to enjoy whatever little bit of freedom I have left. So in order to cling on to the last few days of summer I decided to do this tag that I saw floating around YouTube: Most Worn Summer Things. If you're reading this tag, I tag you to do it as well if you'd like and be sure to leave a comment below if you do decide to do it!

Most Worn Summer Things Tag:
1) Most worn nail polish
2) Most worn scent
3) Most worn hair product
4) Most worn bag
5) Most worn shoes
6) Most worn accessory
7) Most worn clothing item
8) Most worn foundation
9) Most worn blush/bronzer
10) Most worn lip product
11) Most worn mascara
12) Most worn eyeshadow

1. Most Worn Nail Polish: Essie's Mint Candy Apple

I've always been a pink nail polish kind of girl, but when I got my hands on the famous Essie's Mint Candy Apple I just couldn't stop wearing it. It's a very pretty mint green and it's been extremely popular in the beauty and fashion blog world. It's definitely one of my favorite nail polish shades for the summer.

2. Most Worn Scent: Escada Taj Sunset

I'm not really into perfumes or scents, I can't be bothered to spend tons of money on something that I feel I don't need. My body wash and shampoo/conditioner tends to leave a light scent on me anyways since I shower in the morning so perfume to me is unnecessary. But if I did have to choose a scent to wear in the summer it would be this Escada Taj Sunset that I got as a thank-you gift from P&G. It smells like mangoes and the bottle even looks summery.

3. Most Worn Hair Product: Tresemme Heat Tamer Spray

I refuse to put a lot of products in my hair in the summer because it's so hot that having stiff or overly styled hair looks and feels gross. That's why the only product I've been reaching for is this Tresemme Heat Tamer spray. I use it before I blow dry my hair in the morning to protect my hair from damage and split ends. Other than that I either just tie my hair up in a pony-tail or leave it be.

4. Most Worn Bag: Longchamp Le Pliage in Bilberry

Since I've had summer classes for the past 5 weeks, most of my summer was spent carrying my Longchamp Le Plaige in the shade Bilberry. It's the perfect bag to hold everything I need for school and it works with every outfit. I've had this bag for years and it has never failed me.

5. Most Worn Shoes: Mossimo Supply Co. Poeske Flat Sandal in Black

I absolutely love these sandals. They're knockoffs of the Dolce Vita Archer sandals but they're only $14.99 and are way more comfortable. I wear these sandals so much I think I should've picked up a second pair because I swear I'm wearing them to death.

6. Most Worn Accessory: JewelMint Cinema Americano Bracelet

This gold chain bracelet is so simple yet elegant that I can wear it with any outfit for any occasion. It's probably my best JewelMint purchase so far.

7. Most Worn Clothing Item: A&F Denim Shorts

I practically live in denim shorts during the summer because they're comfortable and easy to wear with anything. I especially love getting my bottoms from A&F because they're the only brand that fits and flatters me.

8. Most Worn Foundation: Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer SPF 20 in Bisque

I know this isn't a foundation but I prefer wearing tinted moisturizers in the summer anyways. I don't like to have a lot of makeup on in this heat so tinted moisturizer is like a compromise between lightweight and slight coverage. I'm thinking about doing a review on this product soon so keep your eyes peeled!

9. Most Worn Blush/Bronzer: MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural in Give Me Sun!

I like to keep my looks minimal in the summer so instead of using powder and blush, I've been finishing off with this MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural instead. The shade was a tad bit too dark for me in the Fall and Winter, but it's perfect for my slightly darker summer skin tone. I have a review of this product here if you want to check it out.

10. Most Worn Lip Product: Maybelline Baby Lips in Pink Punch

I bring this with me wherever I go nowadays. It really hydrates your lips like a lip balm but it gives the tiniest hint of pink color and it smells amazing. I'm probably going to pick up some more in the other shades when I get the chance.

11. Most Worn Mascara: Eyeko Skinny Brush Mascara

Probably my favorite mascara in my makeup collection at the moment because it doesn't smudge and it gives incredibly long lashes. I've done a review on this product as well and you can check it out here.

12. Most Worn Eyeshadow: Urban Decay Naked Palette (Naked + Sidecar + Buck)

I haven't been wearing eyeshadow much lately but when I do, I always reach for my Urban Decay Naked palette. I like to wear a combination of Naked all over the lids, Buck in the crease and a light dusting of Sidecar on top.

These are my most worn summer things and I hope you enjoyed this post. Once again, I tag everyone who's reading this and is interested in doing this tag to do it. Remember, leave me a link to your post of this tag below so I can check it out!

Sephora Haul!

This past Monday I went to Sephora Soho with one of my girlfriends to get a free VIB makeover. The makeup artist did a great natural but pretty look on me and she helped me pick out some cosmetics as well. Here's what I got:

I know that summer is coming to an end and my skin is slowly fading back to its natural fairness, but I really needed a foundation for the nights that I go out and want some more coverage. I usually wear Laura Mercier's Tinted Moisturizer SPF 18 during the day but when I go out with my friends and my boyfriend at night sometimes I want to look a bit more polished. I also noticed my skin type changed drastically this summer, going from normal skin to combination/oily. The makeup artist recommended this Lancome Teint Idole Ultra 24H Foundation ($44) in the shade 310 Bisque (C).

The next thing I got was this Stila Perfecting Concealer ($23) in the shade D. I've noticed that my dark circles have been getting worse since I've started taking summer classes and they've also been getting very dry from allergies. I needed a moisturizing yet full coverage concealer that didn't look too cakey and it looked pretty good to me when she applied it to my face. I'm not sure if I'm going to keep this concealer because I'm afraid the shade might be too dark but I'll give it a try and see what happens.

The last thing I got was this Sephora Pro Flawless Airbrush #56 ($32). I've been looking for a good face brush that will give me an airbrush finish so I don't look too caked up but at the same time I still get decent coverage. The bristles are extremely soft and it's small enough to get into corners but big enough to cover a decent area of my face. I usually use Sigma brushes because they're much cheaper but I've noticed that their face brushes tend to irritate my sensitive skin since they shed and aren't as soft as I'd like.

I'm really excited to try out the foundation and the foundation brush but I'm pretty sketchy about the concealer. I'll let you all know how each of them goes with a review once I feel I've gotten enough experience with each!

NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream - Antwerp

I had this NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream ($6) in the shade Antwerp listed on my August Beauty Wish List and shortly after I wrote the post I decided to check Amazon and see if they had it. Sure enough, I found it and placed my order. The shipment arrived rather quickly in four business days and I was super excited to try it out.

This is my first ever NYX product so there was a lot of pressure on this lip cream to be a thumbs up, and it was. The product is like a mix between a lipstick and a lip gloss. It goes on like a creamy lip gloss at first but then dries matte to look and feel like a lipstick. I really like the texture and feel of it on my lips because it isn't sticky but the color stays for quite some time.

The product comes in a typical lip gloss tube and has a doe-foot applicator. I especially like doe-foot applicators for these kinds of products because I feel you get a good amount of product on the applicator and its easy to use and maneuver. The packaging feels pretty sturdy and looks very simple and classic.

The shade I got, Antwerp, swatches as a dark coral pink on the hand but when applied to the lips it dries to a lighter shade of coral. When you first apply it it looks very chalky and uneven but once it settles onto your lips it sort of becomes like a stain. I have noticed that if there is any sort of dry skin on your lips the product will cling to it and accentuate it so be careful!

(Top: NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream - Antwerp w/o flash; Bottom: Natural w/o flash)

Overall, I really like the product and if happen to stumble upon some more I may purchase a few, but NYX is very hard to come by in stores in NYC. The product is relatively inexpensive and comes in plain but decent packaging. The product itself is highly pigmented and lasts for a few hours on the lips, if you don't eat or drink. I still don't know exactly how to describe it because it's pretty unique but I'd have to say its a lipstick-lip gloss-lip stain hybrid all in one!

MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural (Give Me Sun!)

I can't tan, try as I might I stay pretty fair throughout the summer. I blame most of it on the fact that I live in NYC and a nice beach, that isn't littered with cigarette ash and broken glass, is a pretty far drive away. To make up for the lack of sunshine in my life I like to use a bronzer in my makeup routine every day in the summer.

I actually bought this MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural ($29) in the shade Give Me Sun! to use as a contour for my friend's wedding. Since the shade is a lot darker than my skin it worked great as a contour for the winter but with my slightly darker skin tone I was able to use it as an all over face bronzer throughout this whole summer.

It comes in the classic black MAC packaging with the clear top. You get a lot of product, 0.35 oz to be exact, so it can last you for quite a while.

I like to use my Sigma F30 Large Powder brush to lightly dust this all over my face during the summer, when it comes to my paler seasons I like to use the Sigma F05 Small Contour to contour my face. As for the product itself I feel it looks very natural on the skin, it blends extremely well and looks as if you're not wearing any powder, but the shade is sort of orange-y. I've noticed that in certain lights it makes my face look somewhat orange and it gives off a fake-tan glow. I want my bronzer to look natural in terms of color and finish.

The shade itself is a bit too dark for my skin tone, especially in the winter, but in the summer as long as I have a decent enough tan I can pull it off. I would probably repurchase a MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural but I don't think I'd repurchase this shade.

OOTN: Spot Dessert Bar

It's like crazy late to be putting up a post, or crazy early depending on how you look at it, but I really wanted to share this outfit with you all because I just think it's so darn pretty. I went out to St. Marks with one of my girlfriend's today and we went to Jum Mum and Spot Dessert Bar. Both had really good food, Jum Mum makes Asian tapas buns and Spot Dessert Bar makes Asian fusion desserts, they also happen to be sister stores so if you eat at one you get a discount at the other. I had a really great time today and this is one of my favorite outfits.

Outfit Deets:

Top - Forever 21

Shorts - Abercrombie & Fitch

Bracelet - Jewelmint

Shoes - Kate Spade

XOXO,

Elle

August Beauty Wish List!

August is here, and while that means Summer is coming to a close, it also means that Fall is right around the corner. Today also happens to be my Mom's birthday so, Happy Birthday Mommy!

Anyways, since it's the beginning of the month that means it's time for my monthly beauty wish list. I like to make monthly wish lists in order to keep in mind what I want to get in that month. This way I don't spend money on impulse buys for which I'm highly susceptible to.

August Wish List:

1. EOS Organic Lip Balm Sphere ($2.99+) - I know, I know. I'm really late to the game on this one. But honestly, I didn't want to spend money on a lip balm when I already had one. And while I still have one, I keep passing by these cute little egg shaped lip balms every time I go to the drugstore and I keep wanting to buy one! So I think I'm just going to give in and finally get one. I specifically want the Strawberry Sorbet one because it's pink and pink is my favorite color and I love strawberry.

2. NYX Cosmetics Soft Matte Lip Cream ($6.00) - I've been dying to try out these soft matte lip creams from NYX cosmetics. Sam from Beauty Crush wears them all the time in her videos and every color she wears looks absolutely gorgeous! They're supposed to be like lip gloss lip stick hybrids, going on like a lip gloss but setting to a matte lipstick like finish.

3. Tarte Amazonian 12-Hour Clay Blush ($25) - A lot of beauty gurus on YouTube rave about these blushes and I think it's about time I try one out. I don't own a lot of blushes so I'm really looking to expand my collection. I'm thinking about trying out the shade Exposed because Jen from From Head to Toe raves about it all the time and it's unlike any blush color I have.

4. The Body Shop Tea Tree Skin Clearing Toner ($11) - I've never gotten into using toners because a lot that I've tried have ended up just drying me out. However, my skin has been acting really strange and breaking out so I figured maybe adding a toner into the mix for balancing would help. I really want to try this tea tree toner because I've heard it isn't overly drying but it still keeps breakouts from occurring.

So this is what's on my beauty wish list for August. I'm hoping to purchase most if not all of these products by the end of the month so I can get a chance to write a review on each for all of you.

What are on all of your beauty wish lists for the month? And do you have any suggestions for products I should try out?