Monday, September 2, 2013

August Favorites

All Products in This Post Purchased By Me

August Favorites

Fall is almost here, and for me that means changing from tinted moisturizer to foundation, lip balm to lipstick and bronzer to blush.  September is a month where we are in between seasons. It's still super hot outside, but later this month things will cool down. I spent much of August with minimal makeup, but continued to play with and test out the new fall lines that are already launching in stores. Like July, my focus was mostly on skin, an getting my base just right, for a minimal makeup look. 

To view a complete list of my favorite products from the month of August, don't forget to visit my Pinterest board at:

 As usual I tried a ton of new products last month.  My top 5 of the month included some new items to my collection, as well as a couple of old favorites. 

Here are my top 5 favorite beauty items from August: 

  • Too Faced Tinted Beauty Balm ($34) - I bought this BB Cream several months ago from beautylish.com, and loved it from the moment I tried it. Since I am always testing new products, I haven't finished the tube yet, but I am certainly getting close. I wore this skincare/makeup hybrid the most last month because it's just so easy!  It feels light on the skin, and stays put much longer than a regular tinted moisturizer. This product has a broad spectrum SPF 20 sunscreen, and is ideal for those who want to spend minimal time at the makeup table each morning. If your skin is a little bit on the drier side, you may want to layer it over a serum for added hydration.  The coverage isn't full, but it is buildable and a little goes a long way. I usually work it into my skin with clean fingers, then go back and apply a little bit more in areas where I need additional coverage. It leaves skin with a bit of a glow, which I find perfect for summer. My skin is pretty sensitive and this product does not irritate me at all. It is oil-free and a personal favorite among my BB Cream collection. The shade I wear is Vanilla Glow. 
  • Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Skin Conceal ($20) - I purchased these in a couple of shades directly from OCC's site because they do offer a makeup artist discount. However, Sephora.com now carries them as well. This concealer is not only cruelty-free, but it is also completely vegan, as is everything from this brand. The reason this one is a favorite of mine, is that I find it super versatile. I've used it for everything from priming the eyes, to creating my own tinted moisturizer (just mix a little with your regular moisturizer).  In addition to being a great product, the brand also offers an impressive shade range. The colors are broken up into yellow and red based skin tones, Y0 being the palest yellow based skin tone, and R5 being the darkest red based skin tone offered by the brand. This concealer is free of parabens, petroleum and fragrance, making it ideal for those with sensitivities. The pigment is quite concentrated, making it a great choice for covering blemishes, or anything else that needs maximum strength concealing. Most recently, I have been using this as a base for my eyeshadow. It helps cover up the veins in my eyelids, and when set with a powder shadow over top, my eyeshadow does not budge. As heavy duty as this baby is, it still feels super lightweight  on the skin.
  •  Christopher Drummond Beauty Veludo Velvet Foundation ($4.99-$65) - This product is an old favorite. I've been using Christopher Drummond Beauty products for a while now, and have purchased them from a variety of places. One of my favorites from the brand is the mineral foundation. If you have sensitive skin, this product is a must have. I used it a lot last month, because it is super quick and easy to use, leaving my skin even and smooth.  This product is completely sweat resistant, making it a great choice for hot summer months.  I wore this yesterday, and was outside in super hot weather all day. At the end of the day, when I looked in the mirror, my skin still looked even, and there was no sign of redness popping through. If you aren't a fan of mineral makeup generally, this is a good one to try. I use it with a Mineral Mate tray, and flat top buffing brush. Unlike so many mineral foundations on the market, this one is bismuth free, feels super light on the skin and is completely vegan. I currently have this in Ivory and Light, and go between the two shades, or mix as needed. A little goes a long way with this finely milled powder, so one container will last you a while. The brand also offers sample sizes on www.christopherdrummond.com . Don't forget to check out my guide to mineral makeup here:  


 


  •  Josie Maran Coconut Watercolor Cheek Gelee ($22) - I am so excited about this product! It just screams summer!  I first read about this in a magazine, then my friend Christine at Makeup Guinea Pig did a great review of it in July. So needless to say, my curiosity led me to purchase this. This gel blush is completely vegan and is a great choice for all skin types. What makes this cheek color different, is that it is so long lasting. I would almost consider it to be more of a cheek stain, than a gel blush. This can be applied with fingers or a brush, but I typically like to use a very small brush to stipple then blend along the cheekbones. It does contain argan oil, which makes it not only pretty to look at, but also beneficial for your skin. Sephora currently carries six different shades, so you are sure to find one that works for you. I purchased mine in Pink Escape, which provides the most natural flush on my skin tone. I love wearing this over my Too Faced BB Cream, for a natural fresh-faced look. 
  • Too Faced Pretty Rebel ($46) - To be honest, this was a total impulse buy.  I saw the reviews on this palette, and thought it looked beautiful, but if there is one thing I have too many of it's eyeshadow palettes. One day I was at my local Sephora and saw it on display. The rest is history. I just couldn't pass up the beautiful packaging, and bold colors staring back at me. This palette begged me to buy it! Truthfully, if you have a lot of eyeshadows, you probably have similar colors in your collection. However, Too Faced really hit it out of the park with the pigmentation and texture of these shadows. I am very particular about the type of eyeshadow I like. I prefer softer shadows that have a more buttery texture, and lots of pigment because they are easier to work with and more pigment means they will show up on more skin tones.  I am a big fan of Too Faced as a brand, but I have to say their last couple of eyeshadow palettes have really been stellar. This palette speaks to my inner rebel, with it's collection of matte, shimmer and metallic shades. The palette is nicely put together, and you can create everything from a neutral day look, to a rebellious wild-night-out kind of look.  The names of the colors are very fun, and the packaging is pretty, yet functional. I really like the way the shades are laid out, and I feel that this is a complete palette, meaning you can easily create a variety of looks without having to bring in outside shades. I particularly love Dainty as a blending color. It is absolutely pigmented enough to blend out even the darkest shade in this palette. You get a total of 10 brand new shades that you can mix and blend together to create your own unique colors. The palette also includes a nice wide mirror, and a card with look suggestions.  I will likely post a tutorial using this palette soon, as I've been wearing it a lot lately. 
I hope you enjoyed this look at my August favorites.  I've been testing a few more palettes, and other goodies from various brands, so I'm sure to have some more exciting things to share with you all soon. I am also due for a giveaway, so I will probably have one later this month. Make sure you are subscribed so you don't miss it!

Thank you for reading, and don't forget to share your August favorites in the comments below!


5 comments:

  1. I really want to try the OCC concealer but it isn't sold in stores at the sf sephora yet :(

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  2. I believe it's only available online right now. Hopefully if enough people request it, they will start carrying it in store so people can get the right color.

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  3. the same thing happened to me with the Pretty Rebel palette. i certainly don't need anymore palettes but those colors!! i'm glad i stopped trying to resist.

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  4. i went through the same thing with Pretty Rebel. i certainly don't need anymore palettes but those colors!! i'm glad i stopped trying to resist.

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  5. I'm so glad you like the Cheek Gelee too! I agree that it's more like a stain than a blush. Amazing stuff! And thanks for the link! :)
    I'm always tempted to order the OCC Skin Conceal, but I have so many concealers, I don't want to add to the mess! It sounds great though and I'm sure I'll crack soon! :)
    I was the same way with the Pretty Rebel Palette. Thought it was pretty, but I didn't need it. Then I swatched it and fell in love! I really love the texture of the shadows and the pigmentation is amazing. I'd love to see some tutorials using it! :)

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