This Week’s Lips #5

Hello everyone!

I hope you are enjoying this weekly series. It has been interesting for me to pay more attention to the frequency (or infrequency) in which I use some colors. I also was once again reminded that I absolutely do not need any more lip products. There are days when I’m totally overwhelmed by what I have and feel like I need to focus on using up some specific things… and other days I want to use a shade sparingly because I will miss it when it is gone. Does anyone else think like that??

 

Right: YSL Venetian Rose; Left: Hourglass Child

 

Monday – Bite Beauty BB for Lips in Tawny with MAC Dazzleglass in Moth to Flame – another repeat! See Week #1. I really love this combination. The BB is one of the things I will definitely miss when it is gone – it was discontinued a while ago and I found out way too late. I think there are probably some great color dupes out there, but not the formula. Bummer.

Tuesday – YSL Rouge Pur in Venetian Rose – this is a shade I’ve actually had for a while but have only worn once. I scored it for $5 at the L’Oréal company store several months ago. I love a good deal… I love a good deal on a luxury product. I felt like I couldn’t pull this off for some reason, but after giving it another chance I realized I loved the color! As an added bonus, the formula is dreamy – super hydrating and lasts for hours. The color is somewhat sheer, but buildable and really brightens up my face. I will be wearing this a lot more in the upcoming weeks!

 

YSL on top, Hourglass on the bottom. Left: outdoors in direct sunlight; Right: outdoors indirect sun

 

Wednesday – Hourglass Extreme Sheen High Shine Lip Gloss in Child – this has been a staple in my daily makeup bag for quite a while, but hasn’t gotten a lot of love lately. And yes, yet another pink-based nude in my collection. This is very pigmented neutral that is exceptionally glossy, without being shimmery. I feel like this is a nude that would look great on every skin tone.

Friday – MAC Cremesheen Glass in Enchanter – this beautiful brown-based red made another appearance!

Notice something missing? I was home sick (AGAIN) Thursday.. UGH!

What did you wear this week? Any longtime favorites or rediscoveries?

This Week’s Lips #4

Hello again!

Here we are in week 4 – and I’m still writing about my week in lipstick. This should not really surprise anyone who knows me. I just had a conversation in one of my friend group chats about my love for lipstick. It is possible that is just as deep as I get or I’m just really passionate about it. Then again, you are still here… reading my blog post about lipstick. So I think we understand each other.🙂

I decided to try and get some use out of a couple minis and samples to hopefully do some de-stashing in the next couple months.

Monday – Urban Decay Revolution Lipstick in Naked – for some reason I have never really worn this… and I’ve definitely been missing out. This is the old formula – I would be interested to compare with the new Vice formula to see if they wear similarly. The pigmentation is great – it doesn’t apply patchy or sheer out. This wears comfortably for 3-4 hours before it starts to settle in lip creases and needs reapplied.

Tuesday – Marc Jacobs Beauty Enamored Hi-Shine Gloss Lip Lacquer Lipgloss – I believe this is the shade Allow Me or Love Drunk – can’t tell because the sticker fell off. This is a sheer, mauvy-pink with a lot of shimmer. If you look at it in the tube, it looks like there are huge chunks of glitter which I assure you do not appear when applied. This sheer gloss provides a nice wash of color with a lot of shine and the minty scent provides a nice pick me up in the afternoon.

Wednesday – Bite Beauty Amuse Bouche in Thistle – can’t stop, won’t stop.

Thursday – Bite Beauty Amuse Bouche in Nori – clearly, I love Bite products. Nori is a very pigmented brown based red. If last week’s brown-red (MAC Enchanter) was for those afraid of reds, I would advise those folks to steer clear! I find these formulas to be hydrating and long-lasting. After a second coffee and lunch, I only needed a light touch up to make the color last the remainder of the work day. Even then, my lips still had a color stain when I went to remove my makeup at 10 pm.

Friday – MAC Matte Lipstick in Strip Me Down – this is the lone shade from the collaboration with Taraji P. Henson – this is described as a “deeptone beige,” but I feel it has much more depth than that. I feel like it sits on the line of coral/rust-toned on me. This definitely changed up a week of pink. I realize this is a matte formula, but I found it to be very drying. It wore several hours, but somewhat uncomfortably… A light layer of clear gloss really helped.

Monday-Friday top to bottom. Left: outdoors in direct sun; Right: outdoors indirect light.

 

Saturday – Tarteist Lip Paint in Rave – I took this out for a daytime spin this time. We decided to get out of the house on a rainy Saturday and go antiquing. So Rave seemed totally appropriate! If you follow me on Instagram (@lvp8779) you saw it in this photo with an amazing vintage Dior hat. You also might have witnessed some really odd vintage furs with faces.🙂

What did you wear this week? Are you getting excited about the release of holiday collections and limited edition shades?

This Week’s Lips #3

Cheeeers to the freakin weekend!

I don’t know about you all, but I’m seriously exhausted for it being a 4-day week. My work life was a bit crazy this week and on top of it, I’ve been battling some ongoing chronic health stuff. We’re on week 2 of fatigue, stomach pain and constant medication. It’s been just GREAT.

As a pick me up, I decided to revisit my favorite and absolute comfort lipstick, while revisiting a couple other familiar shades. So here we go:

Sunday and Monday – I continued to wear the shit out of Bite Thistle.

Tuesday – MAC Viva Glam V – this is probably my all-time favorite and most used lipstick. Featured a while back in my Top 5 Lip Products post, this has been a staple in my makeup bag for over a decade. This is a more brown-based pink neutral with a hint of shimmer. I’ve worn this with virtually every possible color combination and it looks great.

Wednesday – MAC Cremesheen Glass in Enchanter – this was part of the Faerie Whispers collection that launched right after Christmas 2015. I loved everything in this collection! This was the standout lip product for me – I actually bought a backup, but just realized that this is still available online! This is so different than any other gloss I own – it’s a brown-based red with a hint of shimmer. The gloss itself is very sheer but looks very dark in the tube – it’s a bit deceiving. If you want to try a red but are afraid to commit to a more pigmented shade, give this a chance!

Top to Bottom: Bite Thistle, MAC Viva Glam V, MAC Enchanter; Left: outdoors, indirect sun; Right: outdoors, direct sunlight

 

Thursday – Bite Beauty BB for Lips in Tawny with MAC Dazzleglass in Moth to Flame – the first repeat! See Week #1.

Friday – Benefit Ultraplush Lipgloss in Sugarbomb – the second repeat! See Week #1.

I hope you all are enjoying this weekly series. It is making me focus more on how often I actually wear some products… and perhaps serve as a reminder that I don’t need to buy anything else!

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

This Week’s Lips #2

Hello again!

I feel like I’ve been a blogging machine lately! I went from 2-3 posts a month to 3 posts in a week. Not sure what happened, but apparently I have a bit more to say these days!

So here is the second installment of my weekly review of the shades I wore over the last several days. The last post featured Monday-Friday – I really only used a lip balm over the weekend. I was home sick Monday and didn’t leave my couch much less put on lipstick… which is why we start with:

Tuesday – Perricone MD No Lipgloss Lipgloss – it says it is not a lipgloss, yet it is. So sneaky. It actually is a lightweight, hydrating, neutral pink gloss. The color does not fade or feather and it keeps my lips feeling great for hours.

Wednesday – NARS Lip Gloss in Orgasm – I just revisited this for the first time in months. The formula is a bit heavy, but it stays on for hours. It is a peachy, orangy pink with a lot of shimmer – it seems like a lot of shine at first but wears beautifully throughout the day.

Thursday – NARS Satin Lip Pencil in Rikugien and Manna Kadar Liplocked Priming Gloss Stain – these NARS pencils last forever… I have barely made a dent in this one and just sharpened it for the first time in the year that I’ve had it.. This is (yet another) light pink color – very much a my lips but better shade. This might be one of my favorite formulas out there – really smooth and stays on for 4-5 hours. I wanted to test out this Manna Kadar gloss sample so added a light coat on top. The colors match perfectly, but I wasn’t a huge fan of the formula – it is a bit dry. I will try it again as a base.

Friday Day – Tom Ford Lip Color in Nude Vanille – Tom Ford nailed nude lipstick shades. This is a very pigmented peachy-nude. A couple swipes provides full-coverage for 4-5 hours. This does tend to settle in lip lines, so it helps to freshen it up with a clear gloss or balm after morning coffee.🙂

Friday Night – Tarteist Lip Paint in Rave – this is hands down the boldest color I’ve ever worn! I wanted to give this a true test and wear out for some drinks with friends. I applied one coat, cleaned up the edges and then filled in a couple more spots. After two glasses of wine and lots of talking, Rave hardly faded and had zero feathering. There was one light spot from using a straw, but it overall didn’t budge in 4 hours – it was actually really hard to remove! The swatch is a bit deceiving – it looked very charcoal grey on my lips. But I have to say that I LOVE this color and formula.

Left- outdoor direct sunlight; right- outdoor indirect sunlight

 

Saturday – Bite Beauty Amuse Bouche in Thistle – Bite lists this as a “mauve infused taupe” but this leans a bit more taupe-grey on me. Much like the Tarte Rave, this is another shade that I wouldn’t typically wear but really, really like! In typical Amuse Bouche fashion, this is super hydrating and lasts for hours. The pigmentation is excellent and a little goes a long way!

Car selfie… Love this color! And why is my cheek so red??

 

What did you wear this week?

Use It: August 2016 Empties

Hello again!
August always seems like the longest month, but this one just flew! I survived my birthday month – I actually didn’t age this year… it was amazing. I don’t foresee aging any upcoming birthdays either.🙂

I had zero empties the first couple weeks of the month and just assumed I would be waiting until the end of September to write this post. But mid-month, I started finishing up a bunch of products and all of a sudden I had a massive pile… I don’t see this as a bad thing. I have a ton of products open, not open and backups of many. After tossing a few things and getting their replacements, I actually made a significant dent in one of my drawers. Little victories!

As usual, everything is broken down into one of the following categories: skincare, makeup, body, hair and lifestyle. Sample reviews are posted frequently to my Instagram (@lvp8779) as they are used.

SKINCARE

Boscia Konjac Cleansing Sponge – I bought this one in a pinch. It’s great, but I know there are so many cleansing sponges that do the same job for 1/4 of the price. Available at Sephora for $15.

MAKEUP

MAC Prep + Prime Highlighter in Radiant Rose – if you read my blog regularly, you know that I just love, love, love this. This is just a perfect pink highlighter that works so well under your eyes and just as well on cheeks or forehead. I will definitely repurchase! Available online or at MAC counters or freestanding stores for $27 for 0.12oz.

Stila Lip Glaze in Mango Berry – this was a beautiful, sheer coral shade. It wasn’t until half way through this when I remembered that I despise the applicator – it is so messy and you can never dispense enough so then you get too much and it gets all over the lid. Loved the color, but will not repurchase any of these again! Mango Berry is no longer available, but a similar shade called Tangerine is available at Sephora for $222 for 0.08oz.

W3ll People Expressionist Mascara – Birchbox just looooves this brand. The applicator is one of the best I’ve ever used – short and coated the whole lash. The formula, however is a bit of a miss. It coated the lashes, but it didn’t thicken or lengthen… it was a very natural look. I do tend to prefer a bit more drama in a mascara. Available on Birchbox.com for $22 at 0.23oz.

BODY

Kamill Aloe Hand and Nail Cream – this was a nice, lightweight lotion. It was good for spring and summer months, but just wasn’t hydrating enough for cold weather months. The aloe scent was a bit strong, but faded after a while. I would love to test out some of the other scents! Available at smallflower.com for $4.95 for 100ml.

Kiehl’s Superbly Efficient Antiperspirant and Deodorant Cream – yet another one… this is just the absolute best deodorant. It is unscented, dries quickly and lasts 24 hours – so great! I have gone through so many of these and am about to stock up on more. Available on kiehls.com for $19.50 for 2.5oz.

LUSH Rose Jam – this is my all-time favorite Lush product. Why isn’t this a lotion? Or a perfume? It is just SO GOOD. Not only does it smell amazing, it is hydrating as well as gentle on your skin. This is only available at certain times of the year. When you see it, grab it! Available at Lush for $9.95 for 3.3oz.

HAIR

Alterna Bamboo Style Cleanse Extend in Mango Coconut – this claims to be free of parabens, sulfates, phthalates and synthetic color.. ok so I want to know what chemical it smells like because this stinks. It might be a “natural” dry shampoo but it smells like mangoes and chemicals and I had to leave the room that I would spray it in. I originally got this in a Sephora dry shampoo kit but can no longer find it on the website… guess I wasn’t the only one who felt this way.

Davines LOVE Shampoo – I just love this shampoo. It’s deep cleansing, smoothing and smells amazing. It I actually needed to buy shampoo, this would be it. available at Birchbox.com for $25 for 5oz.

Kiehl’s Olive Fruit Oil Nourishing Shampoo – this is awful. I only used this a couple times because it left my hair feeling really heavy and oily. By the end of the day it would look horrible – super greasy and unwashed. I don’t know what hair this is meant for, but definitely not mine. Available at kiehls.com for $7 for 2.5oz.

Not Your Mother’s Knotty to Nice Conditioning Detangler – such a long name… This came in an Allure box a while ago – it was perfectly fine. I don’t frequently find much difference between detanglers – either they work or they don’t, right? I would repurchase I guess. Available at Ulta and Amazon for $6.99 for 6oz.

LIFESTYLE/OTHER

Julep Clean Slate Polish Remover Pads – I know I reviewed these at some point a long time ago. I feel like I really have to work to get the polish off with these pads. The liquid evaporates very quickly so you can only really use 1 per hand. Given the cost, I can’t see how people use these all the time. Available at Julep.com and now Ulta for $14 for 10.

Ruffian Nail Color in Rosary – this is a lovely warm, rose gold shade with a lot of shimmer. I did not like the applicator brush because it collected very little polish to apply… however, you really didn’t need much to fully cover the nail. I usually use 2 coats but 1 would be sufficient. I wouldn’t repurchase because I have a ton of nail polish and it is actually crazy expensive.. like more than twice as much as Chanel ($28 for 0.40z). I got this in a Birchbox, definitely wouldn’t shell out this much. Available on Birchbox.com for $24 for 0.17oz.

Total products used 2016 year to date:

Skincare: 10

Body: 16

Hair: 13

Makeup/face: 20

other: 4

Nails: 8

Samples: 27

Sheet masks: 9

Month total: $184.39

Year total: $1,026.11 WHOA!

What did you finish up this month? Any favorites? Non-favorites?

Have a great September!

July and August 2016 Favorites

Hello again!
I intentionally did not post a favorites for July because honestly, it would have been a repeat of the April-June post. I’ve been using the same things over and over just trying to get through the summer. Same cream blush. Same eye crayons. Same hair products. I’m so ready for summer to be over!

Everything changed with the arrival of my first Sephora Play! box and a haircut. Bear with me here. I had been using the Ouai Wave Spray from the box and really liked the effect. After a few uses, I decided to go for the long bob and cut off a few inches with lots of layers. The thinking was that I could then manage my waves a little better and could be a little bit cooler. This was the best decision! Not only was I a lot more comfortable, but the cut has been so easy to manage and actually really fun. The Wave Spray is a great refresher for day 2 (or 3 or 4) hair. After brushing dry, I get my hair a little bit damp and generously spray my hair and scrunch it back into shape. The result is great texture with out leaving my hair crunchy or heavy. Did I mention it smells ah-mazing?? I don’t typically get on the hyped product train, but I am definitely on board with this one.

The other go-to product the last couple months has been the Murad Oil-Control Mattifier SPF 15 PA++. A small amount goes a long way and applies so evenly and smooth under any foundation. It really helps keep oil at bay – even during the most humid day. My skin doesn’t look super matte, but it does look a lot less shiny.

There you have it – 2 months and that’s it. Fall really needs to hurry up!

What were some of your favorites this month?

This Week’s Lips #1

Hello again everyone!
I’m really trying to get back on the weekly post kick and find a quick and fun sort of favorites to share. I read a ton of other blogs and lately have found myself gravitating towards perfume reviews and weekly lipstick reviews. Wait, lipstick reviews… I can totally do that. It’s quick and fun – I change up my lipstick pretty much daily and can easily give a quick review!

Monday – L’Oréal Colour Riche Extraordinaire in Nude Ballet – a super-hydrating liquid lipstick formula. This is a perfect pink-nude shade that doesn’t wash me out.

Tuesday – Benefit Ultraplush Lipgloss in Sugarbomb – a very, very glossy pink-nude with a hint of shimmer. This shade is very close to my own lip color, so it’s nice for days I don’t want a ton of color but do want to feel a bit more hydrated.

Wednesday – Bite Beauty BB for Lips in Tawny with MAC Dazzleglass in Moth to Flame – my beloved Bite BB is getting dangerously low and it is no longer available. It’s a light-weight, hydrating coral balm that lasts for hours. To add a bit more depth, I top with a light coat of the Dazzleglass. It has a lovely effect.

Thursday – Guerlain Rouge G in Gina – I’ve dubbed this my “workday red” – but a little bit can go a long way! This is a sheer orange-red with a tiny bit of shimmer. It can also be layered for a much bolder color. I think this shade has been discontinued, so I tend to use sparingly!

Friday – Bite Beauty Amuse Bouche Lipstick in Pepper – this is such a super creamy and long-lasting formula.. I have a few of the Amuse Bouche lipsticks and love them all! This one is described as a “dusty rose” (which seems like a very 80’s description..) and like Sugarbomb is very much a my lips but better shade.

Left – outdoors in direct sunlight, right – outdoors indirect sunlight

 

So there you have it – what did you wear this week?

An Afternoon with Charlotte Tilbury

Sometimes I intentionally seek out brands, other times I stumble upon them purely by my own foolishness. This occasion is definitely the latter. As I packed up the last few items for a recent trip, I somehow forgot all of my makeup and brushes. I would have let it slide if it wasn’t for the fact I was traveling for work and honestly wouldn’t have felt comfortable going to a meeting with a bare face.

So I decided I would pick up at least a foundation, if not concealer at Nordstrom. Listen – before you roll your eyes and say “just go to CVS,” you clearly do not know what it is like trying to color match a shade light enough for my NW10-15 skin. I’m also not willing to screw around buying and returning 10 foundations that will probably not work. I wanted to find a reasonably priced product, in the correct shade, that I will continue to use.

A quick lap of the store landed me in the hands of a very nice gal named Page at Charlotte Tilbury… yes – a counter exists! I know the Brits know fair skin so I sat down and let Page go to work. She started by removing my existing makeup (minus my eyes) with the Multi-Miracle Glow Cleanser, Mask and Balm. She used water and cotton to remove – it came off so easily and left my skin soft and smooth. I loved the way my skin felt! After waiting a couple minutes, she prepped my skin with the famous CT Magic Cream. I see why this is a favorite – it smelled amazing and left feeling really hydrated without being greasy.

The next step was a layer of the Wonderglow Instant Soft-Focus Beauty Flash – a seemingly shimmery/pearlescent cream. It did leave my skin looking pretty radiant. My pores seemed less noticeable – like someone used a nice filter on it. We then tested out the fairest of the fair shades in the Light Wonder Youth-Boosting Perfect Skin Foundation coincidentally called Fair… perfect color match. It is a buildable, yet light-coverage foundation that lasted 8-10 hours in high humidity. It was easy to apply with fingers (and just as well WITH my brushes at home).

The next step was to disguise the dark circles.  I tried The Retroucher Conceal and Treat Stick (lightest shade) first and followed by the Mini Miracle Eye Wand. One side is an eye cream/primer and the other is a beautiful, pearl-pink highlighter. It actually reminds me quite a bit of my beloved MAC Highlighter in Radiant Rose with a bit more shimmer. Using the same under eye triangle technique, the light easily reflected up and minimized my stubborn dark circles. This combination lasted about 12 hours with very minimal creasing.

The next step was adding in a bit of color – Page broke out the much talked about Filmstar Bronze and Glow in Light to Medium and did some subtle contouring and highlight. Does this live up to the hype? Absolutely! This added some beautiful color to my skin and a little bit really carved out my cheekbones. I did not purchase this, but I probably will. It’s amazing.

We then added in a bit of color with the Beach Stick in Las Salinas – a really subtle coral that warmed up my skin. It is buildable and can be used on the cheeks, lips and eyes. We added in a pop of Las Salinas to my existing eye makeup and it just added a simple, but dramatic pop of color.

This is where I should have put a photo of the final look. I somehow forgot to do this… so here are a few swatches instead:

Top to bottom: Light Wonder, Mini-Miracle Eye Wand and Beach Stick

The goal was to find products that I could apply without brushes and provide coverage without being heavy. So I went with the most versatile products – the Light Wonder ($45 for 1.4oz), Mini-Miracle Eye Wand ($45 for 0.10oz) and Beach Stick ($45 for 0.23oz). And to be honest, I grabbed some lesser priced eye products at CVS – they were perfectly fine and will be featured in another blog post soon.🙂

 

Other things I wanted to try but resisted temptation… eyes, lips, look in a box.. All so dangerous!

Overall, I was fairly impressed with all of the products that we used. I’m definitely excited to try some of the other makeup and skincare products. However, I can’t say that anything I purchased stands out any more than products from say Laura Mercier or Bobbi Brown – they offer great, classic beauty products that perform consistently well. In the instance of me leaving my makeup behind, I found everything that I needed and it did exactly what I needed it to do… in that case, that’s a brand I will go back to.

Special thanks to Page and Nordstrom at Pentagon City for putting up with all of my questions and panic about leaving my products at home.. and to my friend Billie who left covered in 20 different Jo Malone scents – she was getting creative while I was testing out makeup.

Have you tried anything from the brand? What are your thoughts?

 

Current Quick Summer Makeup

Hello everyone!

I hope summer is being kind to you and you are staying cool! It’s been not only hot, but incredibly humid the last few weeks. I’ve basically abandoned my normal makeup routine to adapt to the weather – if you are looking for a nice, matte finish, forget it. It is just not going to happen. I’ve been using primarily cream blush and shadows and have abandoned my makeup brushes… setting powder? Why bother? If you read my recent favorites, you may have noticed there were a handful of stick and cream shadows that are in constant rotation – that has not changed… there is no point of using a powder shadow that will crease the second I step outside.

I thought this post would be perfect timing as I recently had to recreate my regular routine. As I landed in DC for a work trip, I realized in horror that I didn’t remember packing my makeup back – everything was still in my bathroom back home. Shit.

I documented a quick visit to the Charlotte Tilbury counter to find some foundation and concealer.. I  picked up the Light Wonder Youth-Boosting Perfect Skin Foundation in Fair, Mini Miracle Eye Wand and the Beach Stick in Las Salinas – all things that I could apply without brushes and provide coverage without being heavy. For the rest, I went over to CVS and picked up 2 shades of the Rimmel ScandalEyes Eye Shadow Sticks and the Maybelline Colossal mascara.

No kidding, this is a 5 minute face.

The foundation needs a quick shake and using my hands, I can easily apply the foundation all over – using a touch more on some red spots. It builds easily and still remains sheer. The second step was using the Illuminator under the eyes in a triangular shape to draw the eye down and away from the under eye area. This also helps to reflect the light up. For more on the how-to, check out my old post about the MAC Prep+Prime color correct line.

Step 3 was applying a sheer wash of the Beach Stick on the apples of my cheeks and blending out. This gave a sheer, sun kissed look without looking like a heavy blush. My go-to is the Becca Beach Tint Shimmer Soufflé in Watermelon/Moonstone and this provided a similar light color wash.

For the eyes, I used the eyeshadow stick in Black Betrayal (a shimmery brown/black) to line the top and bottom lid. I smudged out the top lid a bit to soften the line and blend it up the lid. Then I applied the second color in Bulletproof Beige on top and continued to blend it up towards the brow and also applied to the inner corner of the lower lid to soften the darker shade. You can also use this as a cheek, brow bone and cupid’s bow highlighter. These pencils are incredibly smooth. The final step was a few coats of the Colossal mascara.

If you have a few more seconds, you can add a quick swipe of something like Benefit’s Gimme Brow to give a more polished brow look.

Without a setting spray or powder, there is a bit of fading and shine after a few hours. But let’s be real..  in high heat and humidity, neither of these things will really make a significant difference. I carry blotting sheets with me all of the time in hopes of eliminating some shine throughout the day.

But there you go. Quick summer makeup that you can do in 5 minutes or less. What are some of your quick summer makeup staples right now?

Use It: July 2016 Empties

Hello again!

How on earth is it already August? What the heck… I swear I just got caught up on June.. I’ve been working on a few drafts, so will hopefully have those complete in the next few days. There has been a lot of travel and then I got sick… ugh. Excuses.

This month did not yield a ton of empties, so I will just list everything alphabetically rather than my usual categories. I contemplated just waiting until next month, but I really hate having all of these empty containers sitting around.

Aveeno Nourish + Dandruff Control – so this did nourish, but it did not control dandruff. I feel like it was actually worse after using this shampoo. It wasn’t deep cleansing or anything spectacular for that matter. Thumbs down. Available at Target for $6-$7 for 10.5oz.

Avene Hydrance Light Hydrating Cream – this was great for colder weather. But once the weather turned and the humidity went up, this left my face feeling really greasy. I did finish this up on my neck and décolletage and it was fine. I would consider repurchasing for the fall/winter months if I can find the version with SPF. Available at Birchbox for $32 for 1.35oz.

drybar Detox Dry Shampoo – this stuff stinks…. but it works so well! This mini version lasted almost 2 months – a little bit really went a long way. A couple sprays distributed enough dry shampoo to eliminate all of the oil from my hair and helped extend time between washing. I don’t think I could repurchase though because the smell bothers me that much – I might be one of the few people that actually dislikes all of the drybar products. Available at Sephora for $13 for 1.4oz.

e.l.f. Shine Eraser – yes… another. I think I am finally using my last pack. Again, they are fine and were being sold at closeout at Target for $0.85.

Essie Grow Stronger Base Coat – I have been using this for a while and haven’t noticed much change… I started using this when my hair and nails were all messed up after some surgery a couple years ago. I don’t know that I can say it did that much repair – I think it just needed time… not this base coat. On that note, this is a decent base coat. It is a bit tacky and helps the color really adhere to the nail. I have a couple other base coats so I probably won’t repurchase right now. Available at CVS and Target for about $8.

Julep Nail Color in Farrah – this is a really interesting cool toned, purple-grey shade. This is the Silk Finish formulas – in the bottle it looks super shimmery, but dries sort of matte. With a good top coat, it has a lot of depth and shimmer. I have no idea why anyone would want to wear this as a matte! This wore for 4-5 days. I would not repurchase only because I have a ton of nail polish. Available at julep.com for $14.

Kiehl’s Close Shavers Squadron Blue Eagle Shave Cream – this is the sensitive skin version, and yes it’s for men. My skin reacts so poorly to most shaving products, so I get really excited when I find something that doesn’t cause horrible razor burn. I’ve been using this for a while and just keep coming back. Dear Kiehl’s, don’t ever stop making this. I have backups of this. :)  Available at Kiehls.com for $16 for 5oz.

Kiehl’s Crème de Corps – I have to be honest… I don’t get the hype. It’s a perfectly fine lotion. I think there are a lot of other lotions out there at a lower price point. Kiehl’s makes a lot of really great products, but this is just ok. Much like the drybar products, I’m sure I’m in the minority on this. Available at Kiehls.com for $11 for 2.5oz.

One ‘n Only Brazilian Tech De-Frizz Wand – this is an absolute life saver in this humid weather. A couple quick swipes tames flyaways and keeps my curls from frizzing. I originally received this in an Allure box and I repurchased a couple at Sally Beauty – they are not currently on the website. I’m going to stalk these down in my local store and hoard them away! If you can find them, get them… buy one for me too. I think they ran around $6-$7.

Rusk Dry Finishing Spray – this was a nice, lightweight spray that helped bring my curls back on second day hair. After brushing out my hair, I would dampen it and then spray on a small amount and re-scrunch the curls. Full size is available at Birchbox for $18 for 8oz.

Total products used 2016 year to date:

Skincare: 9

Body: 13

Hair: 9

Makeup/face: 17

other: 4

Nails: 6

Samples: 24

Sheet masks: 9

Month total: $125.85

Year to date: $841.72

All samples and sheet masks have mini reviews on Instagram!

What all did you use up this past month? Any favorites?