March 2013 favorites
Well, April showers are here in full swing. It’s a dark, gloomy, rainy day that looks less like spring and more like, say, October. Despite to bad weather and poor lighting conditions, it’s past time to get my March Favorites up, so here they are. These are the products that particularly stood out to me during the month of March. But before we get into my favorites, I have a big favor to ask of you.
Paula’s Choice is the newest certified member of the Leaping Bunny program, and is holding a photo contest on facebook to help stand against animal testing and animal cruelty. Each week, one photo will win a $100 Paula’s Choice gift certificate. In the final week of the 4-week contest, a grand-prize winner will win a year’s supply of Paula’s Choice skin-care products of their choice. If you could do me a very big favor and follow this link to vote for my photo of my cat Bella, I’d really appreciate it.
Vote for Bella
There is only one vote per person, and it should only take a second for you to click on the link and vote. Thank you so much. 🙂 Okay, now onto my favorites.
Maybelline Dream Liquid Mousse Foundation
I haven’t used my Maybelline Dream Liquid Mousse Foundation in a while. First I was obsessed with the Revlon Whipped Creme foundation, then I’ve been testing a bunch of foundations and BB Creams. I recently picked Dream Liquid Mousse up out of my collection again, and was reminded of why I love it so much. The coverage is really great and it settles so well into my skin. It’s not too heavy, but it definitely perfects and covers much more than the foundations that I’ve been testing lately. Though probably not the best bet for oily skin, those with dry skin would really like the emollient formula that doesn’t dry out or accentuate pores, lines, or dry patches. My only problem with it is that this particular shade is a little dark for me right now after a long winter. That’s okay, though, I can still make it work.
Revlon Nearly Naked Pressed Powder
Revlon Nearly Naked Pressed Powder is a really great product. I recently reviewed both the Nearly Naked foundation and powder, but to reiterate what I said then, it is not chalky or even powdery. It has a smooth, creamy consistency (yes, the powder is creamy), with a silky-soft texture that blurs skin imperfections while still looking natural. This is definitely one of the best powders to come out of the drugstores in a very long time. I have both the Light and Fair shades. Fair helps to tone down a darker foundation that better suits my skin in a sunnier season and give me a better match.
NYC Smooth Skin Bronzing Face Powder in Sunny
What can I say about NYC Sunny that hasn’t already been said by a million other bloggers? It’s a cult favorite for a reason. If you have lighter skin, this is a great matte bronzer and contour shade. It’s light enough as to not overwhelm, while still providing sufficient color.
NYX Powder Blush in Mocha
I’ve also been loving my NYX Powder Blush in Mocha. Despite the misleading name, Mocha is a fresh, natural-looking pink. This matte shade is pretty popular because it is a universally flattering color to suit a variety of skin tones. NYX blushes are fantastic, very pigmented and long-lasting. Mocha is a gorgeous spring shade.
e.l.f. Single Eyeshadow in Raspberry Truffle
I’ve really been enjoying e.l.f. Single Eyeshadow in Raspberry Truffle. It took me a long time to jump on the Raspberry Truffle bandwagon. Though the e.l.f. Single Eyeshadows are hit and miss, Raspberry Truffle is a beautiful shade. The plummy-brown shadow applies effortlessly and blends smoothly. It is quite pigmented, and applies more brown and less purple than it looks in the pan. I’ve paired it with a variety of shadows, and have been very pleased with the results.
L’Oreal Color Caresse Shine Stain in Lilac Ever After
Back in February, I reviewed L’Oreal Color Caresse Shine Stain Lip Color in Everlasting Caramel. Though I loved the color and staying power of the product, I was less thrilled by the dry-down period which I found uncomfortable. I still stand by my review, but I have had better luck with Lilac Ever After. The dry-down is more comfortable, and all of the positive attributes that I enjoyed in Everlasting Caramel still hold with Lilac Ever After. The color is noticeable but natural, and very easy to wear. I keep picking it up as a “no brainer” lip color. Though I have to be careful during application- they aren’t kidding about the staining part- I feel that I can pretty much forget about it after that and just apply lip balm throughout the day for added moisture. After a few hours, the initial color fades into a perfect natural mauvey-pink stain. I love it.
Swatches
Here is a swatch of the color products I’ve mentioned in this post. From Left to Right, e.l.f. Raspberry Truffle, NYC Sunny, NYX Mocha, and L’Oreal Lilac Ever After. These are really heavy swatches of the blush and bronzer, but this way you can get a better idea of the color.
I hope that you enjoyed my March favorites. What are some of your favorite products of the past month? Let me know in the comments below. Thanks again if you choose to support me by voting in the photo contest. I really appreciate it. 🙂
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