Happy Friday, dear readers, and happy last day of January! Does it feel like a year has gone by since the new year? I don't know about you, but this January has felt like the month that would never end. I don't recall experiencing this feeling in previous years, but it does feel the case this year! Rather than rambling on and on, only adding more length to this month, let's just jump in on today's blog post!
While I'm not on an official no-buy or low-buy this year, I decided that I wanted to appreciate the products I already had rather than jumping in on the next makeup release. The constant wave of release after release on top of all the cosmetic brands available has left me feeling overwhelmed in general, and the fear of missing out due to the sheer number of limited edition products has, quite frankly, ticked me off. I've mostly been able to ignore a large number of the releases and haven't gone into debt, but I feel as though I've spent more on makeup last year than I've spent in previous years. As much as a part of me wants to do the math to confirm, I REALLY don't want to see how much money I have spent on makeup last year. Instead, I decided this year to be selective in the items I do purchase and give items already in my collection some love.
This month, I have found myself really loving and grabbing for five items in particular, and I wanted to share them with you in today's post. Some items are relatively new releases while others are older, but because they were already part of my stash and not a new release or purchase, they all fit the guidelines I have set for this post. Let's get a closer look at each of the items I fell in love with this month!
Nobody would confuse this palette as being new or even gently used at this point, and that's a GOOD thing! I have used this palette a lot since I picked it up, although I have to admit the shades that have hit pan are largely due to my 6 year old digging in a little too roughly when I wasn't paying attention to him. He really enjoys swatching colours and I do let him play a little, but I forgot to remind him to use gentle pressure before getting into swatching. Oops!
Why I love it:
While they may not have the "oooooh" or "ahhhh" factor of shimmers or jewel-toned hues, I have great appreciation for neutral-toned matte shades. There was a time when the cosmetic industry tried to convince me that matte shades were REALLY hard to make well, but the influx of cosmetic brands over the past five years has made me think otherwise. I adore the creamy smoothness of these shades, and they both build up and blend out like a dream. The corner shades Fior Di Latte (light almond), Cantucci (light creamsicle brown) and Tartufo (cool medium brown) in particular are used all the time, sometimes with other shades in this palette and other times utilized with other palettes. The redder shades do get some love from me as well, although not quite to the extent as I do the more neutral options. I will confess that the full 9 colour story confuses me a little and I wouldn't wear some of these shades together, but overall, this palette is a staple in my collection especially when I want to mix and match with other palettes.
I've had this primer since late last spring, and I even reviewed it here. Sadly, after writing about it, it got placed in a drawer and forgotten about as other items have entered my stash. I decided on a whim early this month to pull it out, and I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this primer. I seriously never would have expected a primer of all things to make my list, but here we are.
Why I love it:
I found that this primer is really good at smoothing out the skin. Don't get me wrong, I've liked it before, but something about the dry weather has made me acutely aware of the nuances of how my makeup performs on my skin, and this primer really took my by surprise this month. Instead of rubbing into the skin, I would press this into my skin, and the final result was a smooth surface. I had noted before it dries to a slight tacky finish, and I came to really appreciate this fact this month. With drier months, I tend to not use setting powder often, and I feel the slight tackiness helped to keep my makeup in place. I've used a few different foundations throughout the month, and none had issues with patchiness with this primer. I wish I had given this primer more love before, but thankfully it can now get the extra attention it deserves.
I have reviewed a few different products from this affordable Australian brand here and here, but this is the first time this creme blush palette has made an appearance on my blog. I've never really been into using a lot of creme cosmetic items before, and I'm not really sure what possessed me to purchase this from the company. That being said, I have definitely been giving this blush some love! I personally prefer to apply with a beauty sponge to get a seamless blend.
Why I love it:
I've only had limited experience with creme blushes previously, and one of the factors that set these apart from the others is the amount of pigment. When I first used one of these blushes, I went in with a far too heavy hand as I wasn't expecting a lot of colour. BIG mistake, but I learned from that one quickly! I also love how easy it is to blend this out. As I already mentioned, I like to use my beauty sponges in particular rather than brushes, and the resulting finish is a gorgeous healthy wash of colour on the cheeks. Some days I stop there and go about my day and other times I follow up with a powder blush for even more dimension, but every time I use this cheek palette, I find myself catching a glimpse of my reflection in the mirror and thinking how much I love the glow on my cheeks. This is currently the only creme blush palette by the brand, although I'm hoping they add to the brand lineup with another colour option. I do love these colours, but I am itching for some richer shades for deeper skin tones as well.
When Melt Cosmetics announced their Amor Eterno collection last year, I was chomping at the bit to get my hands on a few things like so many others. In spite of not wearing eyeliner on the daily, I wanted to try this formula and knew this colour NEEDED to join my makeup collection. The emerald green is stunning!
Why I love it:
The colour. The formula. The stay power. Where should I start? I LOVE to wear green on my eyes, and I surprisingly did not have a green eyeliner in my stash. Emerald hues always take my breath away so this fell into my shopping cart quickly. I also really enjoy this gel formula and found this and the other gel liners in this collection apply easily with a fine brush and dries pretty quickly. The quick dry time is pretty darn important with my hooded eye shape, but even more important is the lasting power against my oily lids. I have had so many smear proof, life-resistant eyeliners not live up to the hype on me, and I was honestly expecting the same from this one. It actually stays put until I wash it off at the end of the day and still feels comfortable throughout the day. I'm really digging this formula! The only reason I chose this specific shade over the others for this month is the colour although the black has seen a far bit of attention at my house as well.
This Viseart eyeshadow palette is another oldie but goodie to join this month's favorites lineup. I've used the bottom white, golden, and rust shades a little, but this month I found myself particularly attracted to the pinker half of this palette. I'm not sure if it's because I've got Valentine's Day on the mind, but I could not seem to get enough of this palette!
Why I love it:
Viseart products are not cheap, but if you do find yourself splurging on this brand, you'll quickly see why they are so beloved by makeup artists! The colours are beautiful and ultra pigmented. I also love the way they blend together. Thankfully Viseart offers a few small palette options to make them a little more affordable, and I love that the pans in this one can pop out and fit into a magnetic palette. I do recommend taking some caution with this brand as once you start using it, it can kill your love for other brands. The formula is a little drier than the Nomad Cosmetics palette shown above, so if you prefer this type of formula, you might want to check these out!
While used products may not have the nice crispness as a brand-new item, there is something satisfying about seeing a product getting some love! I've definitely enjoyed these and look forward to seeing if I continue to keep grabbing for them!
I'm adding these products back to my makeup vanity tonight although some may end up pulled out and kept at my makeup station for continued use throughout the year (looking at you, Tuscany Palette!). I'm so guilty of using whatever is at my station, but I am trying hard to put things away and really think about what I want to wear and switching things up. This way I'm not using just the newest items to my collection.
What products have you been loving this month? Have you pulled out any older items and given them love lately? I'd love to hear from you!
Until next time, dear readers, have a wonderful day and enjoy your weekend!
XO!
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