March Favorites

March goodies

I'm having a really difficult time believing that March is essentially over.

It feels like February just ended.  Now, I'm not really complaining - warmer weather should be coming, baseball season's starting, and it seems like some work-related things are picking up in the coming months - but it seriously freaks me out how quickly times passes as you get older.  Way, way too fast.

But at least there's still time for fun things like monthly favorite lists...

I feel like I tried quite a few new products this month, but it was mostly old goodies that I found myself reaching for over and over again this month.

Makeup Forever HD Foundation - I mentioned this one in a post about foundations for fair skin because Shade 110 is a great match for my pale skin.  However, there are so many other things to love about this foundation.  This month, my skin decided to freak out for some reason so I've been dealing with a few hard to ignore breakouts.  The tinted moisturizers and lighter foundations that I'd normally reach for as the weather gets warmer just don't have enough coverage to hide all the stuff I want to hide - so in comes MUFE HD Foundation to the rescue. I wouldn't necessarily call this a full coverage foundation, but it's very buildable and covers most discolorations. Paired with a fairly lightweight concealer, it covered my freaked out skin amazingly well this month.  Still, it feels nice and light on the skin and doesn't accentuate any of my dry patches.  This really is my favorite everyday foundation, and if I wasn't a makeup junkie, it'd probably be the only one I really need.

MUFE HD Foundation in Shade 110

Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser Treatment Concealer in Brightener - I have an entire post just on this concealer, so I won't go on too much about it. I found myself grabbing it instead of my Tarte concealer a lot this month when I just needed some quick makeup to make me look awake. If your dark circles aren't too bad, I think this concealer alone might be enough under your eyes. But on days when my circles are bluer than blue, I can layer it with my Tarte concealer for a totally flawless look under the eyes.  I don't think I'll ever be without this product in my makeup bag.

Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser Treatment Concealer - Brightener

Instant Age Rewind Concealer in Brightener swatch

Sigma P82 Precision Round Brush - While I'm a fan of most of Sigma's brushes, I'm particularly obsessed with their Sigmax line of synthetic brushes - every one that I've tried is just fabulous.  I got the P82 a couple of months ago, and saying it's changed my life may seem like something of an overstatement but I swear to God, this brush is magic.  I use it to blend concealer under my eyes and buff it in anywhere else on face - the result is a smooth, flawless application that traditional flat concealer brushes can't compete with.  I have a somewhat similar brush from Sephora, the Platinum Professional Airbrush Concealer 57, which I also like quite a bit, but I think the Sigma P82 tops it because it's denser and less floppy so it blends just a little bit better.  It's also only $14 while the Sephora brush is $24...

Sigma P82 Precision Round Brush

LORAC Baked Matte Satin Blush in Exposed - This is another product that I just raved about the other day, so again, I'll try to keep this short. Of all the blushes I've gotten so far this year - and believe me, it's an obscene amount - this is my absolute favorite.  The peachy pink glow that this gives the cheeks is second to none.  It is $24, but I think this is one of those times where the spendy price tag is worth it.

LORAC Baked Matte Satin Blush in Exposed

LORAC Exposed swatch

LORAC Starry-Eyed Baked Eye Shadow Trio in Star Style - I can't recall exactly when I got this shadow trio, but it's been sitting at the back of my drawer, neglected, for quite some time.  On a whim, I pulled it out again this month - and I've been loving it.  Like LORAC's Baked Matte Satin Blush, these baked shadows are wonderfully shimmery without having tons of obnoxious glitter.  They give such a pretty brightening effect to the eye, and these shades in particular - an ivory, pale coppery gold, and dark golden brown - work really well with my blue eyes.  And because they're all packaged in one convenient trio, I can grab it and get my eyes done super fast when I'm in rush - which I seemed to be in quite a few times this month...

LORAC Starry-Eyed Baked Shadow Trio in Star Style

LORAC Star Style swatches (l. to r.) - ivory, coppery gold, dark golden brown

Maybelline Baby Lips Lip Balm in Peach Kiss -Whether it's a clear lip balm, tinted balm, gloss or lipstick, I generally don't like to live the house without something on my lips. I always like my lips to feel moisturized, I like to have some kind of SPF on them, and even if I'm not wearing any makeup, I find that a little something glossy or colored on the lips gives me a much more polished look.  I love the Maybelline Baby Lips balms and have all of the tinted ones, but this month, I couldn't get enough of Peach Kiss.  It's a nude shade and doesn't add a ton of color to the lips, but it pretty much goes with any type of makeup look and looks really natural when I have no makeup on at all. It also smells and tastes great, so wearing it is kind of a treat.

Maybelline Baby Lips Balm in Peach Kiss

Maybelline Peach Kiss swatch

What were your March favorites?  Did you discover any new loves this month?  Rediscover an old favorite?