February Favorites

Hola, beauties!! Welcome back & if you're new here, welcome! I know February isn't quite over yet, but I have compiled a good amount of favorites for this month (many I was also using back in January) and wanted to share them with you guys! So, if you're interested in learning all about my February favorites, then just keep reading!

Beauty

• Carol's Daughter Marguerite's Magic (retail $12.99)

This is actually my only hair favorite for the month, but for good reason!! It really does hydrate my hair and leave it feeling moisturized! I use it for refreshing my twistouts when they are starting to look lackluster , and this cream does a pretty good job at doing so!

• L'Oreal Hydra Genius Daily Moisturizer (retail $13.99)

 I've actually been using this since January because I wanted to give this a fair chance,

and I have to say that I really do enjoy this moisturizer! Honestly, I really only bought it for the packaging lol. It's SOOOOOO pretty!! Plus, I believe that you get a good amount for the price you pay----many other drugstore moisturizers tend to be the same price or higher , but you get less product. This is actually marketed as a mattifying water gel, and I have to say that it actually does help mattify my skin!

• Sephora Collection Waterproof Eye Makeup Remover (retail $7.50-15.00)

Unlike the rest of the world, I'm not a huge Sephora shopper, mainly because the closest ones are about 40 minutes away, so I typically stick to Ulta. But on one of my random Sephora trips , I had picked up a gift set and this had come in it. I couldn't find my Wet n Wild eye makeup remover , so I cracked this one open and gave it a test run. OMG, was I impressed! It removed my eye makeup so effortlessly & did not irritate my eyes whatsoever!! All the shadows, liner , mascara and brows and wiped right off in about 1-2 fell swoops! It's seriously like magic in a bottle! I' honestly thinking of picking up the full size because it's that good!

• Hard Candy Sheer Envy Hydrating Primer Mist (retail $6.00)

I'm always on the hunt for a good primer, especially in the drugstore. I actually stumbled up in this last year, I believe (do not quote me on that) & became intrigued by it. A primer mist???? That HAS to be a total gimmick, right?? Well, this truly had made a great impression on me! It prepped my skin nicely for makeup application once it dried down. It left my face a little sticky, which I believe had helped my makeup not slide all over the place! And, of course, it helped hydrate my skin! I have been OD'ing on this this fall & winter since my skin does tend to get a bit drier this time of year---though winter has been pretty nonexistent in Ohio. My normal/dry girls would live for this year round, combination girls (like myself ) just gotta use it during the right times of the year, and oily girls---I would say stay away from this!!

• NYX First Base Primer Spray (retail $7.99)

I haven't had this one nearly as long as the Hard Candy one (picked this up around mid-December), but I love it just as much! My skin feels a lot smoother after I use this one & dries faster, as well!

Unlike the Hard Candy one, I believe I could use this one year round! It's hydrating without making me too dewy & once again, my makeup doesn't slide all over!

• Anastasia Beverly Hills Modern Renaissance Palette (retail $42.00)

I know, ya'll are probably so sick and tired of the hems and haws about this palette, but honestly it really is worth every single penny! It's one of the most versatile palettes I own! I can do everyday looks, smokey eyes, daytime, nighttime, natural or full out glam with this baby!! But I actually want to focus on two specific shades I'm obsessing over this month: Red Ochre--sienna with an ultra matte finish, and Realgar--brick with an ultra matte finish. Honestly no matter what eye look I do, I use at least one of those two shades (most times, I mix both). Realgar is an amazing blending shade or crease color to warm up the look, while Red Ochre is perfect for deepening the outer V or a sexy lid shade. I honestly would buy a backup of this palette just for those two shades!

• Covergirl Queen Collection Lasting Matte pressed powder (retail $8.00)

I've actually talked about this powder before on my blog, but I've falling back in love with it this month! It really does help to mattify and contorl my oils! Honestly , I don't get oily really until about 7 hours of wearing my makeup when I use this! I cannot say enough amazing things about it! 

*The shade I use in this powder currently is medium

• Covergirl Queen Collection Natural Hue Bronzer in "Ebony Bronze" (retail $7.00)

When I tell you the struggle was real trying to find this, I mean it was REAL. I've wanted to try this bronzer since 2013, I believe. But where I live, there was only one store at the time that sold the Queen collection of Covergirl & of course, they didn't carry the bronzers in store. So, I had moved on and found another bronzing/contour product that I love years later---shout out to Black Radiance!!---but this bronzer was still haunting me from time to time. So, one day, I was just wandering along the beauty aisle at Dollar General when I looked down & there it was!! Staring me down, faintly chanting "Buy me. Buy me." Of course, I bought it and have not put it down since!! It gives me a subtle but healthy sun kissed warmth that I just love! I also use it as an eyeshadow when I want a little dimension to my eyes for a no-makeup makeup look. Plus, I already bought a backup because I just cannot be without it!

• Elf Small Stipple brush (retail $3.00)

This brush has been my child this month!! I believe that I mentioned also in a previous post, but once again, for good reason!  I use this for mainly my cream products (blush, contour, highlighter) , as well as powder highlighter if I want a more diffused glow. It's super soft & is dirt cheap! You seriously cannot beat it!

• Colourpop Super Shock Cheek in "Quarters" (retail $8.00)

Speaking of cream products, I've been loving on this blush all month! It's the perfect peachy/orange/terracotta color that women of color & darker complexions would be over the moon for! I reach for it for just about any look, but especially when I have no clue what bush to wear with my eye look. I own so many & some can be a little bit loud on the cheek, but not this one! I've hit pan on it recently & will definitely be ordering another one asap!

• Elf Baked Highlighter in "Blush Gems" (retail $4.00)

Also speaking of highlighters, this one is definitely a surprising favorite . I heard so many people talk about these highlighters, specifically this one. So, my expectations were set pretty high when I picked this up. At first, though, I was NOT impressed! Compared to other highlighters I own, the pigmentation was a little lackluster. But once I kind of wore the top layer down, I fell in love! It's a neutral champagne bronze that gives off more of a "lit from within" opposed to "bam, in yo face!!" kind of glow. This, in my opinion could be used on an everyday basis.

• Elf Selfie Ready Foundation Blurring Brush (retail $6.00)

To me, this is like the younger sister to the Expert Face Brush from Real Techniques. I actually did a side by side comparison of the two brushes blending out my foundation & I honestly could not tell a difference! So, if you love the Expert Face Brush but want to save a little more coin, definitely pick this one up!!

• Real Techniques Setting Brush (retail $9.99)

Since I just touched on RT a little already, this is also been one of my favorite brushes from them! It is perfect for applying setting powder to set concealer, especially in the undereye area. I personally have to set mine , or I'm in for a world of creases! You can also use this for applying highlighter, as well! Generally, I only use powder highlighter with this brush---cream doesn't do as well with this brush---and if I want to have a more concentrated glow.

• Wet N Wild Photofocus Foundation in Mahogany (retail $4.99)

Y'all are probably tried of hearing about this too, but it really is worth the hype! It gives amazing coverage , but does not feel cakey or thick on my face! I also like that Wet n Wild is FINALLY venturing into the deeper shades (they could do a little better, but we're making progress. Baby steps.) I'm also glad that they're slowly bringing the darker shades in store because truthfully, I probably wouldn't have ordered it online .

• NYX Slim Lip Liner in Mahogany (retail $3.49)

This is basically the best lip liner ever in life! I seriously use it nonstop, but kept forgetting to mention it in a favorites. It's a gorgeous mauve/brown/plumrose color that ANY (I do mean ANY) skin tone can pull off. I mix it with other liners, lipsticks, liquid lipsticks, glosses...you name it! But, I mostly wear it alone because it's just that good! No lie, I bought like 4 when I went to Ulta since this is ALWAYS sold out!! Good thing, since the one I'm using one is getting shorter and shorter =(

• Wet n Wild Small Concealer Brush (retail $0.99)

My last , but certainly not least , beauty favorite! I actually picked this up forever ago & did not give it much thought. But, one day, I didn't feel like applying my eye primer with my finger, so I just grabbed this and squeezed out my primer and applied it to my lids. When I tell you this applied my primer so nicely....oh my goodness!! I'm kicking myself for not using this sooner! I also have incorporated this into other parts of my makeup routine, like carving out my brows with concealer, spot concealing & applying my inner tear duct color. Plus, it's 99 cents!!! You seriously cannot beat it!

Music
Straight Up & Down---Bruno Mars: Bruno is just THAT DUDE. Like, he's everything!! But this song I play over and over and over. I just love it!!
Chained to the Rhythm--Katy Perry: can we just say instant love??? Katy Perry is a hit or miss for me, but this was definitely a hit!
All For Your Love---The Good Girls: I honestly had never heard of them until I followed one of many 90s music accounts on Instagram. So, there was another song I listened to that I really enjoyed & stumbled upon YouTube and found this gem. Ya'll, I be jamming hardcore to this !


Well, we have finally made it to the end of this favorites post!! Hopefully you've found some good products within this list to try out for yourselves! Let me know some of your favorites or not so favorites from February! Thanks for reading, and like always, Stay Beautiful!