February 2014 Favorites

I know, I did it again but excuse me... I don't really have much of an excuse. Either way, February has been a whirlwind month for me. I moved to Massachusetts and settled into a (kind of) new job and started the beginning of my new life with my lady love. And ya know, so far so good.

I've found a holy grail product in the Clinique Redness Solutions Soothing Cleanser. I have a lot of redness in my skin on any average day (thanks, dad). Some of it can be due to sensitivity and irritation but mostly it's just the way it is. This cleanser just soothes the crap out of my face. It's made with "probiotic technology" which pretty much means it's doing something with yeast on your face. It sounds super weird but it works! It's a more active solution versus just using another cleanser that just won't irritate your already irritated skin. It's extremely gentle and it also takes off ever ounce of my makeup. I don't know how but it does. It's a miracle worker.

My hair has been so full of life and volume and it's because of this little dream team: Lush Big Shampoo and Veganese Conditioner. I've mentioned these two briefly in my what's in my shower post. That was right around when I first picked them up and since I've fallen desperately in love. My hair feels clean and soft without feeling stripped or weighed down. The shampoo is made with sea salt which de-greases and also adds mega volume. The conditioner is vegan so it's made without lanolin hence why it's so light. It's also made with lemon oil so it smells great and leaves hair super shiny.

I talked about my Chubby Stick love in my last favorites post and this month the only thing that's changed there is color I've been loving. The Clinique Chubby Stick Intense Moisturizing Lip Color Balm in Grandest Grape. It's a gorgeous deep berry-red that flirts with fuchsia without being too pink or purple.  The color is more opaque than the one I mentioned last month because this is the intense version but it's just as lovely and moisturizing.

Ah, yet another Clinique product has found its way into my makeup bag and I couldn't be more excited about this little darling. It's the Clinique Cheek Pop Blush in Peach Pop. First of all, how freaking cute is this packaging. It's so different for Clinique and so modern and girly and fun and springy and pretty. Okay, I promise I don't just love it for its looks, this blush is like no other. It's got this lovely creamy consistency but goes on like a powder. The pigmentation is wonderful and it blends like a dream. They've also made them a permanent part of their collection so I can go and scoop the rest of them up. And so can you!

I really hate including little sample sizes in my monthly favorites but Kristin gave me this tiny Lancôme Hypnôse Drama Mascara and it's been incredible. My lashes are longer and fuller and it holds a curl so well. I haven't noticed any flaking either. I'm desperate to get a full size of it. And I will. Soon. (Update! In the very long time between my starting of this post and today I have indeed procured a full size version of this little boo.)

I don't know about you but I've been desperate for spring and winter just won't quit. Well, I'm going to force it to be spring one way or another and the easiest way to get myself in a spring mood is with a switch of fragrance. Marc Jacobs Daisy Eau So Fresh is by far my favorite spring scent. It's quite floral, obviously, but also kind of fresh and a little bit fruity as well. It's amazing and it really blends with my skin chemistry well.

I know I've been kind of complaining about having weighed down hair and I know that a leave in conditioner isn't really the way to go with that but I think from switching over to a lighter conditioner my hair does have a tendency to get a bit more tangled. I like the Not Your Mother's Knotty to Nice Conditioning Detangler so much because it really isn't that heavy at all. In fact it pretty much just detangles and the leaves my hair feeling smooth as a baby's bottom. I just spray a little bit on the ends and my comb goes through like butter.

This month I've been crazy about the girl group Neon Jungle. There sound is so different that other girl groups out there and they're also so dang cute as well. I'm in love with their second single, Braveheart, and I can't wait for their first album to be released.

We've also been watching Nashville like crazy. Hulu Plus has all the episodes up and we're hooked. It's such a fun show. There's so much drama and the characters are all so wonderful and the music!!!! I can't wait to be caught up.

That's all for my February favorites. I'll be sure to start on my March ones ASAP so you don't have to wait until June for them.

Let me know what you've been loving.

Caitlin xx

December 2013 Favorites!

Holy cannoli it's really 2014 already! Hopefully it'll be a good year for all of us with exciting new adventures and good changes. It's already looking that way for me. Anyway, let's wrap up the past year with the few things I was loving in December.

As you can see it's a small bit of things because, to be honest, I just didn't really get into anything new over the past month. Most of my money went to buying presents and the like. I toyed with doing my overall 2013 favorites but since I'm just a baby blogger I don't think I'm ready for that just yet. So even though this is a small list, I really truly loved these products.

 

First up is the Urban Decay Naked3 Palette. I know this is going to be an obvious choice and it's been on every single favorites list but there's a good reason for it. First of all, the colors are gorgeous. The rosy tones are very flattering on everyone and really make eyes pop. Also the range of shades made this palette ideal for pretty much every event throughout my December. A bit of the lighter and matte shades were wonderful for work and even for attending church on Christmas, then throw in some of shimmery shades and darker tones and I had a wonderful look for New Year's Eve. I'm positive this palette is going to get it's fair share of use throughout 2014 as well.

I rediscovered this Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Full Coverage Foundation (whew, what a mouthful) this month because it happens to be the lightest shade foundation I own and my winter skin is in full effect. Other than the tone of this foundation, the coverage is incredible. My skin has been suffering due to weather and holiday stress and this has been a serious lifesaver. It's full coverage and seriously mattifying as well.

 

I am OBSESSED with this Bath & Body Works Snowday Candle. I've already burned through an entire three wick and am savoring my repurchase. It truly smells like winter in a candle in all the best ways. It's got a bit of pine and peppermint with a bit of creamy vanilla that is so enticing I could burn this right through to April.

You'll notice that this little guy isn't pictured above with the rest of them and that's because I loved him so much I've used him all up. This is the Lush Melting Snowman Bath Melt and unfortunately it's seasonal for Christmas and they've sold out. He seriously smells amazing – like cinnamon and clove. It's such a warm scent and not overpowering. It's soothing and perfect for a winter night. The melt itself is hydrating and leaves my skin feeling amazing. But seriously the scent nails it for me. All my clothes smell like him for a few days after using this lil buddy. I can't wait for him to come back next year.

I've also seriously been obsessed with Lea Michele's brand new single, Cannonball. If you weren't aware, Lea Michele is pretty much my favorite person on the planet. I've loved her since Spring Awakening and I, of course, adore Rachel Berry on Glee and her voice is out of this world. The single is so empowering and uplifting and makes my soul feel good. She's actually just made the video for it too and she looks gorgeous.

 

That's a wrap on my December 2013 favorites. I hope you've all had a wonderful holiday season and that 2014 is looking exciting and new for you. Thanks for reading!

Caitlin xx

November 2013 Favorites!

Can you believe it's December already!! This month has flown by and I guess I can't really complain because December means Christmas and shopping and food!!

Anyway, let's get into the products I've been in love with this past month of November.

First up is MAC Powder Blush in Desert Rose. Oh my god, this color is amazing. I was seriously in the market for a good matte natural flush shade and this one is so so perfect. It's so great for the these months and just brightens your cheeks like you've just come in from cold. The texture is also nice and soft and blends super well and the formula is, of course, gorgeously pigmented. I'm in love. I don't know if I'll ever use another blush again (I will, probably but shh).

I know I mentioned this in my Lush haul but I'm so obsessed I had to mention Ocean Salt again. Seriously, whenever my skin is feeling gross and dull I just use this in the shower instead of my regular cleanser and I feel like I come out glowing.

How much can I gush about MAC Paint Pot in Let's Skate without sounding like a nut? I'm a huge fan of all of the Paint Pots and I use them pretty much daily as an eye shadow base or sometimes just as an allover color on lazy days. Let's Skate is a pale pink with a little gold shimmer that is so so sparkly and festive. I've been using it under pretty much all of my eye looks lately just for a little more festive fun and sometimes on it's own because it's gorgeous. And the name is so freaking cute. When they first introduced Let's Skate it was part of the limited edition Glitter & Ice collection but I'm so glad they decided to keep it around permanently because it's incredible.

A couple weeks ago I picked up the Urban Decay Black Market Pencil set and I have to say it was one of the best purchases I've ever made. I've been a big fan of the 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencils for a while now and I figured a little set of six colors would be perfect. I was right! I don't really think I'll use another eyeliner because these are amazing. They're so soft and go on smoothly but they don't budge once they're on. After a super long day where the rest of my makeup is long gone my eyeliner is still perfect and on point. My favorite colors have been West (a dark brown pearl, that is exclusive to this set, unfortunately) and Desperation (a taupe-gray matte that you can pick up in full size too).

Okay, there's been a whole lot of buzz over the Revlon Colorburst Matte Balms and with good reason. They're a really unique formula and combine the trends of matte and chubby lip crayons. I also really love them because they're still a balm so they're decently moisturizing (with shea, mango and coconut butter) while still giving a matte finish which is pretty nifty. They're incredibly pigmented too. The only thing is that if your lips are already chapped and/or cracked the matte finish is really going to show it, so try to keep your lips in good shape or wear a lip balm underneath. I'm crazy in love with the color Standout but I have three others that have been getting a lot of wear. Still, Standout is my staple right now because it's a pretty neutral matte red which is kind of perfect for the season.

I would be lost without this product, if I'm being honest. Maybe it's the most boring in this post but it's kind of changed my life. Maybelline Baby Lips Dr Rescue in Too Cool has been my go to this past month because I've had unreasonably dry and cracked lips. This weather has been doing me no favors. But this medicated formula has been keeping my lips beautiful. I love that the eucalyptus soothes right on contact to give some immediate relief in dire situations. After a week of using this baby, my lips look so healthy.

Who doesn't love a sparkly nail polish for the holidays! Butter London West End Wonderland is the perfect gold glitter polish and I've been putting it over pretty much every color to sparkle things up. The glitter is pretty dense too which I love, but you can also apply it lightly for sparser glitter. I've been loving it especially over Butter London Bramble, a really gorgeous bright eggplant purple. Bramble is also really gorgeous on its own.

I cannot tell you how much I love this candle. The Bath and Body Works Vanilla Snowflake Candle is just, in a word, delicious. Obviously, it smells like vanilla but it also has hints of cool mint and creamy coconut that make it so refreshing and unique. I've already picked up another 3-Wick and, since they've expanded this line into hand soaps and other home fragrances, I might need to pick up more.

As for music, One Direction's third album Midnight Memories released this month and it's so good. The sound is a lot more mature and rock-inspired and it's just really really fun. My favorite songs include Happily, Little Black Dress, and Better than Words.

I have also been obsessed with Peppermint Mochas. Honestly, I've probably had one at least five times a week since the first of November when they finally brought them back out. I realize I've jumped the Christmas gun a little bit but I can't be bothered to resist it. They're so delicious and make me feel so cozy and warm on the inside, like I should be curled up by the tree and fireplace watching old Christmas movies and wrapping presents. I could go for one right now!

That's all for my November favorites! Tell me what you've been loving this month!

Caitlin xx

Sweater Weather Tag!

Ah, yes, welcome to Tuesday already. Kristin (alittlefille) tagged me in this one last week and what a cute name it is so let's get into it!

1. Favorite candle scent?

My all time favorite fall candle is Cider Lane. It smells pretty much exactly like caramel apples which I adore and always reminds me of fall. Burning it brings back all those memories of apple orchard field trips as a kid.

2. Coffee, tea, or hot chocolate?

It pains me to have to pick but, being a working girl, I've got to go with coffee. I love a good dark roast or the Salted Caramel Mochas at Starbucks. Peppermint Mochas are my all time favorite, but I feel like that might be jumping the gun a little bit with this very autumnal tag.

3. What's the best fall memory you have?

Picking an all time favorite memory is really hard to pin down, but I just always cherish all the memories of going to soccer games with my family – be it my own or my brother's or for the team my dad coached. It was always a big weekend event and I'll always look back on those times fondly no matter what.

4. Which makeup trend do you prefer: dark lips or winged eyeliner?

Dark lips! Super dark vampy lips or cranberry lips have been my favorite all season long. I think they're pretty easy to wear once you kind of take the plunge and have some confidence. Winged eyeliner is always a staple but I'm so into dark lipsticks right now.

5. Best fragrance for fall?

I don't know about best but I've been pretty much only wearing PINK Warm & Cozy. I mean, I guess it makes sense for fall because it really is a comforting scent. Sometimes I spice things up with a little bit of Taylor by Taylor Swift over it.

6. Favorite Thanksgiving food?

Chestnut stuffing! I mean, I will take any and all types of stuffing you'll give me, but my aunt makes the most delicious chestnut stuffing. It's full of cranberries and chestnuts and sausage; it's incredible. You can just have a little slice as a meal and be full for hours.

7. What is autumn weather like where you live?

I live right outside of New York City, so our autumn is pretty picturesque and what you might imagine autumn would be like. It's a bit warm in the beginning and then it'll transition to very very chilly days – like today. (I'm still cold and I've been home for hours.)

8. Most worn sweater?

Honestly, my most worn sweaters are the cardigans I picked up from Target earlier in the season. They're super versatile and I wear them at least three times a week because they're so great to layer for work. My favorite sweater is a super cute grey one I got from Old Navy last year – it has sheep on it.

9. Must-have nail polish this fall?

Navy. I'm all over navy for all season and even into winter I think it's going to be so great. My favorite is Butter London Royal Navy.

10. Football games or jumping in leaf piles?

I don't really know how these compare unless they mean a pickup football game in the yard with your brother and friends or something? Either way I'd definitely pick football. Playing football, going to football games, or watching them on TV; I'm a huge huge football fan.

11. Skinny jeans or leggings?

I can't believe it, but I'm going to pick leggings. I work my PINK leggings almost every day this week, today being the first day in a long while I broke out the skinnies. And I've actually put my leggings back on as soon as I got home. They're just so comfortable and easy and they go with most outfits.

12. Combat boots or Uggs?

Combat boots, only because I don't have Uggs right now. But I am looking into getting some soon, I think.

13. Is pumpkin spice worth the hype?

Pumpkin spice is delicious and anyone who tells you differently shouldn't be trusted.

14. Favorite fall TV show?

American Horror Story! Every season has been so good and creepy and so perfect for the season of Halloween but Coven has been so so incredible. It's the perfect mix of creepy and campy fun and it's about witches! There's a lot of moments that are definitely pushing boundaries but that just makes everything so much more interesting.

15. What song really gets you into the fall spirit?

Every year, as soon as September comes around, I have to breakout Death Cab for Cutie's Transatlanticism. I know that's a whole album but it screams autumn to me and every track is perfect. If I had to pick one song from it it'd be "We Looked Like Giants".

Thank you so much for reading and definitely do the tag if you want to! It was a fun one!

Caitlin x

October 2013 Favorites

 

How in the world is it November already? It feels like only last week we were ringing in a brand new 2013! But that's okay because it's time for Christmas music and decorations and... well, let's not get ahead of ourselves! 

October has been a rather busy month for me – mostly busy working to be honest with you. But I've had my fun and a lot of that fun did indeed involve spending a lot of money on things I maybe didn't need, but wow, I've fallen in love a few times.

My first favorite this month is Tarte's Lights, Camera, Flashes Statement Mascara. I'm a huge mascara junkie and sometimes my collection of 11 full size tubes gets a little overwhelming (yeah, I know I don't know who needs 11 mascaras either). I've had this one for awhile and for some reason decided to get it a try again and I've rediscovered my love for it ten times over. It makes my lashes full without being clumpy and they still feel soft, not crispy. The formulation holds the curl of my lashes all day and it's super black too which always adds a touch of glam. Seriously just a little concealer and this mascara and I feel put together.

I do have two lipstick favorites this month (surprise, surprise) and the first is Rimmel London Lasting Finish by Kate Lipstick in the shade 09. It's a beautiful pinky berry red that I am obsessed with for fall. The color payoff is stunning and the formula is shockingly hydrating. The wear doesn't last outrageously long as the name might suggest, but considering it's a drugstore lippy it doesn't really bother me to have to reapply it every few hours (actually, I kind of always feel a little bit fancy pulling out my lipstick and compact in public). 

My second favorite lipstick this month is Mac's lipstick in Just a Bite – a limited edition shade that was a part of their Indulge Fall 2013 collection. First off, I'm obsessed with the name and maybe that's half the reason I picked it up in the first place. It makes me think of sexy vampires or something, which is appropriate since the shade is a beautiful vampy brick red. I love that it's not too dark so it's work friendly (for me, at least) but it still makes me feel like I could sprout fangs or turn into a bat or something.

As I mentioned earlier, this month has been crazy for me, mostly work-wise. I'll have a late night and then have to be at work at the crack of dawn. Needless to say, my under-eye circles have been monstrous and Origins GinZing Refreshing Eye Cream has been a life saver. The formula really brightens up my eyes, reduces puffiness, and makes me feel awake even when I could probably sleep for another four hours.

Now that fall is definitely here, my skin has been feeling it. Luckily, Clinique was having a gift this month so I moseyed on over to the counter at Macy's (actually moseyed is definitely not the word to describe my experience at the counter but that's another story) and picked myself up a new foundation (also another story) and discovered the Moisture Surge Intense Skin Fortifying Hydrator. It's been so hydrating for my combination skin. The only thing is that it doesn't contain any SPF so I've been using it just at night before bed with a different moisturizer in the morning.

This next one started out as a bit of a joke. I was in the market for a small travel sized hand lotion to keep in my purse because autumn dries out my hands something fierce. I went into Pink and fell in love with the Warm & Cozy scent but of course they didn't have it in a travel size but I still wound up buying a few full size things anyway. One of them was the Pink Warm & Cozy Luminous Body Butter. First off, this scent is to die for and the whole range is really part of my October favorites because of course I now own everything in the line. The toasted vanilla and peony is light and absolutely makes me want to curl up with my blanket like the name implies. Now, the body butter itself is rich and creamy and melts right into my thirsty skin and it leaves a little bit of a shimmer as well which maybe isn't for everyone but it makes me feel like my skin is bright and healthy. And yes, I eventually did pick up my travel sized hand lotion.

Did you know that I love Taylor Swift? If you didn't I'm definitely curious to know how you stumbled here because she is one of my absolutely favorites and her scents are so spot on; I'm obsessed with all of them. Her latest scent, Taylor by Taylor Swift, released a few months back and I finally picked it up (well, my mom gifted it to me). Taylor is fresh and more mature than the Wonderstruck scents but still has lovely fruity and floral notes. It's delicious and it feels like it suits me.

Lastly, I've been burning the crap out of my Bath and Body Works Pumpkin Pecan Waffles candle. It smells deliciously like brown sugar and maple syrup with a hint of nuttiness and spice and it makes me so hungry. Now everyone knows that the Bath and Body Works candles are spot on but seriously, even when this isn't burning the scent lingers and sometimes I'm half expecting there to be fresh waffles cooking in the kitchen. The mason jar is also a nice touch and adds a little rusticity that's perfect for fall.

One last favorite, of mine that's not pictured at all is Taylor Swift's new song (I told you I'm in love, okay) "Sweeter than Fiction". It's so upbeat and I envision it playing over a montage of my life while I struggle to make it in the big bad city or something and it makes me feel like I can do anything! Check it out if you haven't yet.

I hope y'all have lovely Octobers and that November looks to be shaping up well. It finally is feeling like a good chilly autumn out there which I love because I have so many great cozy hats and scarves and other fun cold weather things to break out. Let me know what your favorite things have been this past month and what you're looking forward to in the rest of 2013!

Caitlin xx