Happy New Year!

Happy New Year! I hope 2012 brings you and your family lots of happiness, love, prosperity, and laughter! Personally, I don't have any resolutions because they are so hard to keep, but I wish you lots of luck with yours!

Did you do anything fun for New Year's Eve? I went to a friends place for a intimate party with good friends. Here is the look I wore for the evening:

Almost finished look, i.e. no lipstick and hair undone

Face: 

• Stila One Step Primer
• MAC Face and Body Foundation
• MAC Pro Longwear Concealer under eyes
• MAC Studio Finish Concealer on red spots and blemishes
• MAC Cream Color Base in Bronze to contour
• Laura Mercier Second Skin Cheek Colour in Citrus Spark 
• Victoria's Secret All-over Shimmer Powder in Candygirl to highlight

Eyes:

• Nars Primer on lid
• Laura Mercier Foiled Eye Colour in V.I.P. Gold on lid
• Victoria's Secret Shimmer Shadow in Golddust on browbone
• MAC Fluidline in Blacktrack to line upper lash line
• MAC Powerpoint Eye Pencil in Engraved to liner outer half of lower lash line
• Victoria's Secret Triple Drama Mascara in Blackest Black on top and bottom lashes

The above photo is the finished look, with MAC Slimshine Lipstick in Most Wanted on my lips. I didn't do anything too fancy or complicated, just a bit of gold on the eyes and a peachy-maroon lip. 

How was your New Year's Eve? What are your resolutions for 2012?

May Favorites

I know, I know, we are 3 days in to June and I am just now posting my favorites for last month. Life has just been soooo crazy! I mean, can you believe we're almost half way through 2011? May brought out the warm weather (finally!!!) and I even celebrated my one-year wedding anniversary....gosh I can't believe I have been a Mrs. for a whole year!! Does that mean I have to stop calling myself a newlywed? 

So, even though May was a busy month for me, I still managed to fall back on these hard-working products:

1. MAC Prep + Prime Face Protect - Since the sun is now blaring here in Philadelphia, I had to increase my SPF factor. This multitasking primer plus sun protection is my go-to. Why do I love it so much? Find out in my review.

2. Lush Ayesha Fresh Face Mask - I am slightly addicted to Lush's Fresh Face Masks. I love the cooling feeling, I love that they are made of fresh ingredients, and I love how the ingredients actually work! I really like The Sacred Truth, but I like this one just as much. Both are meant for anti-aging purposes and Ayesha in particular leaves my skin soft, bright, and I feel like the effects do last for a few days. I will try and do a full review soon.

3. MAC Pro Longwear Concealer - Seriously this is the BEST concealer ever! I have tried so many and the only concealer strong enough to conceal my stress from last month was this baby. Check out my full review here.

4. Victoria's Secret Sexy Little Things Noir - This fragrance is just so me!! I used this one a lot during the past month and it has such a distinct fragrance that I can always detect the remnants on my clothing. The fragrance lingers all day and I feel comfortable wearing this for any occasion, or no occasion at all! I also do like the vintage sprayer, but I personally think it is a bit difficult to use and I prefer a more modern pump mechanism. Oh well, it still looks stylish on my dresser.

What were your favorites from May?

Victoria's Secret Pro Airbrush FX Face Primer Review

A few months ago I was shopping at Victoria's Secret and I was given this deluxe sample of Victoria's Secret Po Airbrush FX Face Primer Review SPF 20: 

This primer is silicon-based and has a combination creamy and gel-like consistency. It goes on smoothly without feeling thick or heavy. 

You may have noticed that I've been using this primer in several of my recent posts, as I was testing out how well this works. So what's my verdict? This is a pretty basic primer that makes foundation and face products last all day and the bonus is that is has SPF. This primer won't reduce the appearance of fine lines or make pores appear smaller. It won't help with oily skin and it doesn't give an airbrushed look. That being said, if you are in the market for a basic primer, this is a good contender, especially because it is really affordable at $14 for a full-size size bottle. 

Have you tried this primer? What about any of the other products from Victoria's Secret new Pro line?

March Favorites

During March I found myself reaching for a lot of oldies but goodies. Here are my faves from the past month:

1. MAC Pro Longwear Foundation

This foundation is my new favorite...I've actually been wearing it non-stop this whole winter! It lasts ALL day, is easy to blend, matches my skin tone perfectly, and has a natural finish that looks like skin. Read my full review here.

2. MAC Satin Taupe Eyeshadow

I have been using this shade a lot in my crease when running late and I just need to add a little oomph to my eye look. This shade is just so easy to use and blends well with any neutral base color.

3. MAC Tweet Me Eyeshadow

This shadow was released earlier this year as part of the Mega Metal Collection. This was the only shade I picked up, and I just had to have it because it is a gorgeous peachy gold.

Swatch of Tweet Me Shadow

 Here I used Tweet Me all over my lid, with Tete-A-Tint in my crease and Mystery 

in my outer V. I lined my eye with Bobbi Brown gel liner in Chocolate. Pretty, no?

4. Make Up For Ever (MUFE) Rouge Artist Intense Lipstick in Shade 29

This is my new go-to lip color. It's slightly darker than my natural lip color and flatters just about any type of makeup look. I also think would make a great bridal lip color for just about anyone! See swatches and check out my full MUFE haul here.

5. Victorias Secret Hand and Body Cream in Secret Embrace

I LOVE this fragrance and the formula of the cream. It is thick and moisturizing 

without being too heavy like a body butter. And the scent is soooooo heavenly! Unfortunately, this fragrance was limited edition and I nabbed a couple at the last semi-annual sale, but can't seem to find it anymore. =( Don't you just hate when that happens?

I can't believe how fast this year has gone by....where did the first 3 months go? I'm looking forward to spring weather and hopefully the sun starts shining a little stronger here in Philly. Are there any products you kept reaching for last month, or throughout the winter? Have you tried any of my March faves?

Finished!!

Why is it that products seem to run out at the same time? In a matter of 2 days, 3 of my daily use products finished:

1. Victoria's Secret Hand and Body Cream in Mango Temptation - I used VS lotions all the time and since I use them on my body, I already know they won't last forever. This one was a gift and I don't think I will repurchase this fragrance, as it was more fruity than I prefer, but I will definitely continue with my fave scents Love Spell and Amber Romance. 

2. Korres Ginger and Vitamins Foundation - Yes, I know, you are tired of hearing how much I love this. It just means time to do some Korres shopping!

3. Korres Mango Butter Lipstick in Natural Purple - This lipstick feels like a lip balm but actually provides a bit of color...sort of like a lip tint. It is the creamiest, most moisturizing lip product I have ever used! I actually used this more to moisturize my lips than to add color, the color was just a bonus. And it has SPF 10!! It's not the most long lasting product out there, but definitely the most moisturizing lipstick I have ever come across! I will definitely repurchase and perhaps try out some other shades. Oooh...and if you are interested, they usually have great sets of these lipsticks for the holidays! 

What products are you constantly repurchasing?