In December, I realized it’s been too long since I’ve reached for my Ardency Inn Modster Supercharged Eye Liner in “Black.” Oh how I love this pencil! I’ve mentioned it before, but I think I am coming to the conclusion that it is absolutely my favorite black pencil liner. It is soft and creamy so it glides on like a dream. It’s super pigmented and the deepest of blacks. And to top it all off, it stays put! It does transfer slightly from the top waterline to the bottom if you’re tightlining, but I usually don’t mind that. I’m not quite sure how it can be so soft, creamy and blendable while still not budging, but it really can do it all!
I’ve been testing out the Living Proof Perfect Hair Day Dry Shampoo since I received it in a recent BirchBox and it really is nearly perfect. The only faults I have are that the mini can doesn’t last very long (but what dry shampoo really does?) and it is pricey for something that you use up so quickly! That aside, it leaves the hair feeling clean and grease free with literally NO residue! It’s not sticky, powdery, crunchy, thick, or tacky. It’s almost like spraying air into your hair and watching the grease disappear. Truly amazing stuff! It also has a pleasant scent – I don’t absolutely love it, but nothing about it is objectionable. It’s just kind of a pro hair product kind of scent. If you’re hair is greasier than the bottom of a McDonald’s fryer, this probably isn’t powerful enough, but for a standard refresher on two or three day hair, Living Proof has nailed the Dry Shampoo!
I’m not sure I’ve mentioned these lipsticks before, but I am so impressed with the Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipsticks. They are quite possibly the most comfortable matte formula around with fantastic staying power. I’m not 100% in love with the shade range, but there are some good staples available. One of the two shades I have been wearing is “Glastonberry,” though I almost always blot it right away because it is a rather intense deep eggplant-y purple straight from the bullet. When blotted, it becomes more of a wearable cool-toned burgundy that’s really unusual without being unattractive. An even bigger favorite has been “Red Carpet Red” which is just as it sounds – the perfect bombshell red. It is absolutely the definition of Christmas red, thus why I’ve been wearing it so much. Back to the formula for a second – these lipsticks manage to have a matte formula that is creamy and comfortable without being even remotely drying. I can wear it all day without adding anything to my lips (more lipstick, balm, etc) and it is still comfortable…and the color is still there, though not necessarily as intense depending on what I’ve been eating. I can’t think of even a cream formula that wears that comfortably! Though they are not inexpensive, there really is nothing better than Charlotte Tilbury’s Matte Revolution Lipstick formula.
For blush, I’ve been grabbing for the NARS Blush in “Outlaw” almost exclusively. I don’t know what it is about fall and winter, but this seems to be my go-to blush. It is a great color – a bright berry mauve with a touch of shimmer. It gives the cheeks a nice natural looking flush and the NARS formula on this shade is great! It’s quite pigmented, which I tend to prefer, and it blends beautifully. It’s neutral while still adding a nice tint to the cheeks. NARS “Outlaw” always seems to be a must-have this time of year!
Josie Maran’s Argan Oil has been a great multi-purpose product this month. I’ve been using it in my morning skincare for a while now and continue to, but I recently started adding one drop to my foundation, usually with one drop of the Cover FX Custom Cover Drops to replace the coverage sheered out by the oil. The result is fantastic on my skin! My pores are always a nightmare made worse when I apply foundation and, though some foundations work better than others at minimizing my pores, I always am still rather conscious of my enormous pores. This month I determined that my skin basically looks kind of dehydrated after applying foundation and thus trying the oil trick came to mind. I simply mix one drop with the foundation (and the Custom Cover Drops if I choose) and apply as usual and my pores look so much better!!! I still get the coverage I’m after, but without the over-emphasized pores. I do get a bit shinier throughout the day than I would without the added oil, but it’s a small price to pay. I suppose that makes not only the Argan Oil a favorite, but the adding oil to foundation trick one as well! J
I suppose I will end with a hair tool. I think I briefly mentioned this in a prior favorites, but hadn’t used it long enough to be definitive about it. Now it’s official. I love the T3 Twirl Convertible Curling Iron! I have mainly used cheap curling wands from the drugstore and a rather disappointing one from Hot Tools. They all got the job done, but I wanted something that would really last so that the curls don’t drop out almost entirely if you brush your hair, or fade sadly after a night’s sleep. Well, the T3 is definitely the solution! Massively expensive, but I feel like it’s a good investment, especially if you frequently wear your hair with curls or waves. Though the curls will drop a bit when brushed and after sleeping on them, with the 1” Barrel I can literally still have actual curls 3-4 days later without any touching up required! Plus the actual curling process is so much easier and faster because the wand gets quite hot and seems more consistent than the cheaper varieties meaning I can use bigger sections of hair for shorter periods of time without sacrificing the intensity of the curls. I love that this version of the T3 allows you to change the barrels as well, though each barrel must be purchased separately. Though it has a hefty price tag, the T3 Twirl Convertible has made curling my hair much more of a joy and less of a hassle!
Here I was thinking I didn’t have much to discuss this month and I’m actually stopping without mentioning everything I had intended! This is lengthy enough and the remaining items I was thinking about have either been mentioned before or are simply random. Though if you’re looking for a fantastic twist on sugar cookies, check out these Chai Sugar Cookies because they are so, so, so delicious! I guess with this post, we have reached the end of another year. They fly so fast as you get older, don’t they? I hope you’ve enjoyed taking a peek at my final monthly favorite picks for 2015 and I hope you have had a fantastic year! May 2016 be even better!!! Best wishes to all and I hope to see you again throughout 2016!!!
Thanks so much for all of your support!
xoxo, Christine
