I’m going to start with nails. I am seriously surprised by this one! I know that I mentioned them in another favorites…probably last month, but I have really been loving the new Wild Shine Polishes from Wet n Wild! I love the colors that I have, the formula is great and opaque in one to two coats – even the baby pink shade currently on my nails! – and it seems to be pretty durable. Best of all, they’re only 99¢!!! I did something that I rarely do with the shade Be More Pacific. I took it off when it chipped and immediately repainted it! It’s just a gorgeous ocean-y green kind of shade. I am just truly impressed with Wet n Wild’s new formula…and you can’t beat the price. J
Be More Pacific
One of my other top favorites this month is a lipstick. More specifically it is the ColourPop Lippie Stix in the shade Chi Chi! Absolutely love it! I actually tried a few of the ColourPop shadows shortly after they released last year, but it took me until this month to finally order some of the newer Lippie Stix and I am so glad that I did! Chi Chi is a straight up orange in a matte finish. It is shockingly comfortable and I find that just one pass creates a nicely pigmented, but not overly opaque looking lip color. Perfect for Chi Chi. Obviously it can be built up for a more opaque look, but I love the look of just a quick swipe. It’s definitely orange and not at all sheer, but it’s not too in-your-face. It also lasts an insanely long time! Even after eating, there is a nice even stain remaining. I absolutely love the ColourPop Lippie Stix (although the glossy finish was not the prettiest) and Chi Chi is so so perfect for Spring and Summer (plus all shades are vegan)!
I guess I will stick on the ColourPop train and express my love for the new Super Shock Cheek Blush! I have been grabbing for the shade “Between the Sheets” pretty much non-stop. It’s a beautiful neutral shade that I guess would be considered a cream formula. It’s such an unusual texture. If you’re familiar with the eye shadows, the blushes feel exactly the same. Basically they’re a really unusual dryish-gel-cream-bouncy kind of consistency. It lasts for ages on the skin, though it takes some practice to figure out the best application. It’s not that difficult, but it’s just not like any other consistency I’ve ever felt. So far, I find it easiest to dab a bit on with my fingers and then blend it out with a duo-fiber stippling brush (I prefer the Real Techniques). It is quite pigmented, blends nicely and looks quite natural on the skin. If you’re on the fence about trying one of the ColourPop Blushes, definitely give “Between the Sheets” a go…it’s only $8, which is totally reasonable for a fantastic cruelty-free (and Vegan!!!) blush! J
Finishing up the makeup, I actually have some eye shadow favorites this month! I pulled out the Urban Decay Naked Palette and realized that I really have never used it much. Not sure why or how I never realized it, but it literally looked (and still looks) untouched. This month however, I have used “Half Baked” and “Smog” a lot, often with a bit of “Woodstock” warming up the crease. Strangely, I love “Woodstock.” It’s a bright fuchsia that looks totally unwearable, but it’s so pretty just lightly used in the crease! I have the eyeliner version too and love it under the lashline blended into a black or brown liner. It’s a really surprising color that works beautifully! J Anyway, Urban Decay Eye Shadows have been my babies this month.
Also on the Urban Decay front, I am still in love with the Sheer Revolution Lipstick in “Liar.” I mentioned it last month, so I won’t repeat myself on that one. It’s just an amazing nude shade that is insanely comfortable as well. Love, love love!
Since we’re back to lips, I have a lip care favorite as well! It is Waxelene, which is seriously the best lip balm-like product I have ever used! The tiniest little dot will cover your lips and them some. It is simply beeswax and a few oils. It can be used pretty much anywhere you have dry skin, but I’ve only been using it on my lips. As soon as I rub it in, my lips feel soft, smooth, hydrated and repaired. It’s everything I could want in a lip care product and then some. The only thing I would change if the world were perfect, is to make it applicable without my finger. Not a fan of using my fingers to apply lip products, especially on the go, but I can totally live with it for the results! J Thank you so much Waxelene for saving my lips!
My first skin care favorite for the month is the Resist Daily Smoothing Treatment 5% AHA from Paula’s Choice. My skin has been chronically congested the last few years…and the microdermabrasion “treatments” the dermatologist insisted on did nothing but scar my face and make it chronically red. Salacylic Acid doesn’t seem to make much difference and may actually make my skin worse, so I finally decided to try AHA, or Glycolic Acid instead. It seems to be helping! Finally! I still have some congestion, but it actually seems to be getting a little better. That aside, I love the texture of this treatment. It spreads really nicely and is not at all sticky or tacky, nor does it make my skin feel greasy, dry or otherwise uncomfortable. Great stuff! If you’re looking for good skin care, definitely look at Paula’s Choice because I have not been disappointed by anything I can think of that I have tried.
Also for the skin, I really enjoy the Acure Brightening Facial Scrub. My skin actually looks clearer, brighter, and just all around better right after I use this. It is definitely on the gritty side, but it’s not overly harsh. It’s that nice balance of effective and gentle. It might not be great for sensitive skin, but it’s probably better than most scrubs. It smells good as well, though it looks a bit horrifying (it’s deep green). J Gotta love Acure’s products, and they all have the most amazing organic ingredients. Love!
Last, but certainly not least, I must mention the wondrous powders that are the Shea Terra Masks! There are two that I’ve been alternating between and they are both incredible! The ones I have been using are the Moroccan Lava Rose-Vedic Blemish Relief Face Masque and the Moroccan Lava & Camel’s Milk Nomadic Secret Face Masque. These are intense masks. They’re just powders that you mix with water before applying. They do leave my face a bit red and can kind of itch a bit before I wash them off, but they seriously seem to work miracles! I feel like the Blemish Relief really does help ward off the angry red bumps without drying out my skin, and the Camel’s Milk one seems to brighten (as it claims) and leaves my skin insanely soft. So wonderful! I am really into the Shea Terra skin care lately. Definitely check them out – and check their Twitter feed because they often have amazing discount codes.
So, an hour later, those are my March Favorites! J I feel like this month had a nice blend of skin care and makeup. I hope you’ve enjoyed the trip down memory lane with me…and thanks for sticking through to the end. J I am looking forward to warmer temperatures, sunnier days and the gorgeous flowers of Spring! It was a long, rough Winter and I am thankful that it’s finally over. J I hope to see you again soon. I’m hoping to do a few Spring-themed posts soon…before Spring ends. I hope you’ll come back for those (follow me on Blog Lovin’ if you’re not already), and thanks so much for checking out my March Favorites! See you soon!!! J