I've been a bad beauty blogger lately.
I keep skipping out on monthly favorites posts.
And as someone who loves to hear about other beauty junkies' favorites, I've really got no excuse.
Except that, for some reason, lately I find recapping my monthly favorites overwhelming.
Because each month there might be too many products or not enough and I wind up obsessing over it like a crazy person.
I thought that maybe instead of doing monthly favorites, I'd switch to a weekly favorites post to help narrow my focus a bit.
But it seems silly to make a big deal out of products that I'm liking in a given week since that's hardly a substantial time frame.
So I've decided that instead of a monthly or weekly favorites post, I'll do a bi-monthly favorites post -- meaning once every two weeks, I'll share my favorites.
You might think, isn't that just more work since you'll have to do two posts a month instead of one?
I don't see it that way, though. I think I'll have an easier time writing two posts with fewer products in each than one post with lots of products to discuss.
We'll see how it goes.
If I don't like it -- or you guys don't -- the monthly favorites posts can return.
In the past, I've also had kind of an issue with new products -- sometimes a product that I've recently purchased becomes an instant favorite. You know -- love at first use and all that. But I've always held back on including them in Favorites posts if I haven't already reviewed them.
That just seems stupid.
If I like it, I like it and I want to share it with you.
So now, I'll include products even if they haven't been reviewed -- I won't go too in depth on them, though. We'll save that for the actual reviews, which will hopefully come sooner rather than later. In the mean time, at least the products will be on your radar if you're interested.
With all that babbling out of the way, we can get on to some actual favorites (which are all relatively new products that I haven't reviewed yet).
bareMinerals Lash Domination Mascara
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| bareMinerals Lash Domination Mascara |
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| bareMinerals Lash Domination Mascara |
I never pay full price for high end mascaras -- it seems so silly when you can only use them for a handful of months -- but I am seriously considering purchasing a full size of this mascara, which retails for $18, when I finish my samples.
I love it that much.
Tarte Tight & Bright Eye Perfector
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| Tarte Tight & Bright |
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| Tarte Tight & Bright |
I'm always looking for ways to make my undereye concealer look a little better, which is essentially what this product promises to do. It's double ended, with a priming serum on one side and a brightener on the other. You start with the primer serum, apply your favorite concealer, and then top it off with the brightener.
A full review is pending, but I can tell you that my concealer has never looked as good as it does when used in conjunction with the Tight & Bright. This product, which retails for $34.50 plus s&h, has quickly become a must-have in my makeup bag.
Tarte Beyond BB Perfecting Liquid Foundation
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| Tarte Beyond BB Perfecting Liquid Foundation |
The coverage is good and the finish is absolutely lovely. Plus, it totally cooperates with my dry -- and super pale -- skin.
It's exclusive to QVC right now, and comes with a foundation brush for $39.50 plus s&h. The brush is really nice and soft, but I prefer applying the foundation with my fingers or a sponge. I'll definitely do a full review soon because it's a foundation that I haven't really seen or heard much about in the beauty blogger world.
And now a couple of non-beauty favorites --
Fooducate App
I'm always on a quest to eat better/lose weight/take better care of myself, but I am the world's pickiest eater -- think a fussy six year old and that's about how sophisticated my palate is -- so it's not always easy.
That's why the Fooducate app has come in so handy for me. It helps you make smarter food choices by suggesting healthier alternatives to your favorite foods. It's available for both Android and iPhones, and there are free and pay versions available. I recently upgraded to the paid Android version for $4.99 and I definitely think it's worth it.
Ripper Street
Sometimes I really have to wonder how I ever lived without Netflix Instant.
I've been binge-watching tons of TV shows lately and discovering some pretty fabulous stuff that I'd never really heard of.
My absolute favorite has been Ripper Street, a period series about Whitechapel in 1889, just six months after the last Jack the Ripper murder. It follows the story of several police officers who must try to solve other cases and keep the peace with the specter of the Ripper hanging over them.
Now, I've been into Jack the Ripper lore since I was a little kid (which probably gives you a pretty good indication of what a nutty little girl I was) so that instantly drew me but it's really the characters in this one that make it so good. The three male leads are all fabulously complicated, troubled men played by some pretty fantastic actors.
The show also deals with early attempts at using forensics to solve crimes, with dead bodies and organs sometimes making appearances, and there can be some pretty brutal violence depicted, so if you're squeamish about that kind of stuff, consider yourself warned.
I just finished up the 8 episodes of the first season, which are available on Netflix Instant, and can't wait for the second season, which I believe will air here in the States on BBC America in December.
Hopefully, wherever you are in the world, you can catch Ripper Street because it's really, really good.
What have some of your favorite things been lately?
I absolutely operate the same way when it comes to macaras - the smaple sizes last me half a year and then you should throw mascara away anyways. The brush on your Bareminerals one loos really interesting. I don´t think I´ve ever seen one like this.
ReplyDeleteIf I did favourite items, it would be pretty boring - I´m pretty much using the same things and have to remind myself constantly of other blushes and eyeshadow shades that I am neglecting.
The brush is pretty unique -- the bristles form a series of spirals, which seems to help you get at the root of the lashes and separate them to add length and volume. There is something of a learning curve with using it, though... I got mascara on my lid the first couple of times I used it.
DeleteI hear you about the same old favorites. But what are your usual go-to's? I'd love to know. :)