February is almost over with, and there a lot of things I’ve been loving this month. Some things are essentials I have always loved, while others are new discoveries that I quickly fell for. Closing the door on this chilly month, these are my February Favorites.
Favorite lip products
Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stains in Romantic and Smitten
This month, I was loving these Revlon lip stains. The consistency is is perfect– smoothing without being sticky, and a lot of long-lasting color pay-off. Romantic is a great red hue, perfect for a night out, and Smitten is a gorgeous fuschia shade, great for day or night.
EOS Sweet Mint moisturizing lip balm
While I love all of the EOS lip balms, Sweet Mint has been one of my favorites this month.
The flavor is not overwhelming, and leaves a cooling sensation on your lips, while providing the strong moisture necessary for brutal winter months. The mint also makes your breath smell even better.
Eye products
Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye pencil in Demolition
Demolition is the perfect brown shade, and it works well with most shadows, especially the Naked palettes. I’ve been fan of their liners for a while now, because they go on smooth, are long-lasting and easy to remove.
T
his palette is my favorite out of the three. U.D.’s Naked palettes are versatile and fun, an essential part of any woman’s makeup bag. When I bought the first palette, I sort of did not believe the sales associate when she said, “you’ll use it everyday.” But I really do use them everyday, and definitely got my money’s worth; I haven’t really bought any other shadows. Having tried all three, the third is definitely my favorite. I love the rose-gold hues– whether I’m going for a natural or smoky-eyed look. I got the palette for Christmas and have been using it everyday since then.
Covergirl Flamed Out Mascara in very black blaze
This mascara is great, especially for the price. I’ve tried more expensive mascaras, and always come back to CoverGirl. There’s something about their formulas– they don’t clump, and for the most part, do what their description says they will. Flamed Out is amazing– after curling your lashes, it adds just the right amount of length and volume that will last all day long.
Bold, full eyebrows are really in right now. I have those, but sometimes I like to accentuate them a bit further. The best product I found for that is Benefit’s Brow Zings. The kit comes with a tweezers, two brushes, wax and powder, and when you apply both, you can make your brows bolder, yet neater, for a natural look that stays in place. The kit is a little pricey, but it lasts a long time. The first time I bought it, I picked too light of a shade, but Ulta let me exchange it for the next shade. The darker one worked perfectly, for the perfect accompaniment to a neutral or smoky look.
Skin products
This concealer is the best I’ve ever found. It actually matches my skin tone without leaving arm marks, and thoroughly covers imperfections for a majority of the day. I usually use this with Bare Minerals powder foundation, for even, natural coverage. This concealer also works well with under eye circles when you don’t get enough sleep the night before.
Target Up&Up makeup remover wipes
Out of all the makeup remover wipes I have tried, Target’s Up&Up cleansing towelettes are my favorite. They gently, yet quickly remove all product from your face (even the strongest waterproof mascaras). I usually use them before cleansing my face, to ensure clean skin before bed. I know Target’s been getting a lot of flack lately in the media, but they do have a lot of good products.
I love… super soft hand lotion in Raspberry & Blackberry
This lotion is amazing! I recently discovered it on clearance at Walgreen’s. i love… is a European cosmetics brand, with lots of pleasantly scented products. This lotion smells like a sweet, berry smoothie, and has helped repair my chapped hands without leaving a residue. I use it daily at work after using hand sanitizer to prevent dryness and smooth out my cuticles.
Hair
Not Your Mother’s Clean Freak Dry Shampoo
This dry shampoo works really well on second or third day hair. It has a nice, sweet scent, and absorbs oil without leaving excess powder.
When you have really long hair, there’s not always time to wash, dry and style; this stuff works great to have you out the door in no time.
L’Oreal Elnett unscented hairspray
This has been my favorite hairspray for the past four years– and with good reason. I’d always heard it raved about, and wanted to see what all of the fuss was about. When I bought it originally, I realized why everyone raved about it. This hairspray has a great hold, without leaving hair sticky. It can easily be brushed out, but at the same time, keeps the look in place. I recently started using the unscented and it is even better, because it has a very subtle smell.
This stuff really is a miracle. I’m almost out of it, but a few months ago I purchased this from Target when I had a store savings coupon (it’s a little pricey at $18 a bottle). I was skeptical, but when I sprayed it on my just washed hair and dried it, I was happy with the results. This cream-spray detangles and smooths hair, leaving it soft and touchable without being weighed down.
Tresemme Naturals Nourishing Moisture Shampoo
This shampoo is amazing! I bought the extra large bottle on a whim from Ulta, and loved it. It has a nice, light scent, and the aloe vera and avocado oils leave hair soft without feeling weighed down. It has the perfect consistency, and does a great job of cleaning my room. The bottle was a great deal, and lasted a long time. I was most attracted to its lower sulfates feature, and it has really made a difference for my hair.
Organix Nourishing Coconut Conditioner
This condition is a tropical shower escape. After shampooing, I apply this to my hair and let it sit for five minutes to do its magic. I love the scent, and the egg white proteins strengthen your strands– which is great when you are growing out your hair. And the coconut oils are light and weightless, smoothing hair and protecting from breakage, without leaving hair flat (see a pattern here?)
Fashion trend
Polka dots are my favorite fashion trend right now! They are an easy way to add detail to any outfit. I just love this cute, fun pattern. I’ve always loved them, but I’ve really been stocking up on polka-dotted everything– cardigans, sweaters, dresses, even for your phone– the options are endless. Polka dots are timeless, and the classic look can be worn any season.
Tea
Zen Tea is my favorite tea this month. I’ve been feeling somewhat stressed lately, but this has helped a lot. Tazo’s Zen is “a harmonious blend of green tea with lemongrass & spearmint.”
I’ve tried other sleepy and calming teas, but this one is my favorite so far. The flavor is great, and it really lived up to its name. I really loved this blend, and would definitely recommend it to someone looking for a tasty, relaxing tea.
Television
After persuasion from my boyfriend, I really got into How I Met Your Mother this month. I’d watched it off and on in the past, but I finally sat down and started watching all of the episodes.
The cast meshes perfectly and has amazing chemistry, and it will be sad to see it end.
Movie
Damien and I like to have Netflix movie dates, and one evening a few weeks ago, we watched The Giant Mechanical Man. Starring mechanical man Chris Messina (The Mindy Project) and lost soul Jenna Fischer (The Office), this movie was amazing and relateable. For those of you who haven’t watched it, I won’t spoil the story, but it is a romantic film proving that love can help you figure out who you are when you feel lost in the world.
Music
Foster the People’s new single “Coming of Age” is very catchy, like most of their songs. But it shows the band going in a different direction, growing up and facing that “coming of age,” if you will. I love how I feel when I listen to their music, it makes me feel happy and excited, and this song follows suit. Their album Supermodel comes out March 18, and I will definitely be reviewing it.
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