Favorites, Makeup, Skincare

August 2014 Beauty Favorites

August 29, 2014

Eek! Can’t believe it’s that time of the month again! No, not that one, the other one – the time for favorites! *cue confetti shower*

Today marks my 32nd week of pregnancy (only 6-8 weeks to go!) and I seriously can’t wait, not just to meet my bub, but to get rid of all this nausea, backpain, dizzy spells and whatever else comes with pregnancy!

Anyway, this past month was honestly the most horrible month I’ve had (pregnancy-related, of course) so I stayed home 90% of the time this month, which could only mean one thing – I rarely get to wear makeup. Boohoo! Every time I go out I’ve only been wearing the exact same makeup items (too lazy to choose!) but it’s fun how I get to experiment with more skin care products.

So, here it goes…

(PS: Thank you & much love to Roanna (@paradeoflove, www.paradeoflove.com) for tagging me to do this!)

Makeup Favorites

Clinique Cheek Pop Blush in 01 Ginger Pop (US$23)

I’ve written an in-depth review of these blushes here, so I’m not going to go into much detail, but this shade has definitely been my favorite.

It’s the perfect, most natural-looking blush for light-medium skin. The Peach can be a bit too yellow/orange under certain lighting, and the Berry can be too pink, but this is the perfect middle-ground especially when applied light handedly.

Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum Gel Foundation in 53 Light Beige (US$10-14)

I’ve written an in-dept comparison review of Healthy Mix Serum Gel Foundation and original foundation here, so I’m not going to spoil much of it here, but I do want to spoil the fact that I love this one more! This has been the only foundation I’ve been wearing this month, along with my NARS tinted moisturizer when I wanted something much more moisturizing.

This foundation has a very pleasant scent, is very lightweight, and best of all – does not clog the pores. It also has a semi-matte finish so I sometimes wear this without setting powder on top.

Chanel Rogue Allure in 91 Seduisante (US$37)

My lips have been so chapped this month and I can rarely wear lipstick, but the formula of the Rogue Allure lipsticks are so buttery and moisturizing IMO. This has been my go-to lip color this month, and I love topping this off with the Maybelline Elixir in Blush Essence!

This is a medium-pink shade with a slightly glossy, pearlescent finish. I think the tone is neutral, so it would look flattering on all skin tones. This is probably my favorite MLBB (my lips but better) shade of all time, no kidding. Plus, I FREAKING LOVE THE PACKAGING!!! I love how you have to push the lipstick down and it pops out of the tube. So cute!

Yes it’s expensive but it has a perfect formula, finish, shade and packaging.

Maybelline ColorSensational The Elixir in 095 Blush Essence (US$4-7)

Since wearing lipstick can sometimes dry out my lips even more, some days I would just opt for a colored lipgloss, and this product has been my lifesaver. It’s not sticky or tacky, it stays on for a loooong time (for a colored lipgloss 4-5 hours is considered long!), and best of all can be worn on its own. Most lipglosses look weird when worn alone, either because of the color or because of its super-glossy finish. This gloss doesn’t have a crazy shiny, glossy finish so it looks very natural, which I love!

This shade is a cool-toned medium pink, and I love pairing this with the Chanel Seduisante when I want to darken up my lips a bit and add a bit of shine to it.

NARS Yachiyo Kabuki Brush (US$55)

I’ve had this brush for years, maybe around 4-5 years, and it has always been my favorite and go-to brush for blush, highlight and contour application. However, ever since my makeup collection grew, and I started experimenting with other brushes, this brush was somehow swept to the side and doesn’t get much love for me anymore. However, for the past 2-3 months this has solely been the only brush I use for blush, highlight and bronzer/contour (yes, all three!).

This is part of the NARS Kabuki brush range where all the brushes have a very traditional Japanese-esque design. I love how thin the handle is, it makes light-handed application of blushes so much easier. I also love the tapered end. I usually apply blush in a circular motion with this brush, and the tapered end ensures even application throughout the cheeks.

It’s also very durable! I don’t know how many times I’ve washed this brush since I’ve had it for such a long time, but the bristles just never fall out – it’s so amazing!