October Favorites 2013

Hey everyone! I feel like I haven't done a "favorites" post in a while so an October one is definitely due. I'm personally excited to get on with November and then December, because it means Christmas is coming up!

Autumn Day candle by Bath & Body Works: This has got to be one of my favorites (if not most favorite) scents from Bath & Body Works. It's sweet and fresh and fills up the room instantly. It's also a universally enjoyed scent so it makes for a great gift!

Carmex lip balm: My lips have been crazy chapped lately because it's been reaaaaal cold here, so Carmex is a must for me. EOS has nothing on Carmex lol.

OPI "Bubble Bath": I recently got ahold of the Top Ten OPI minis set, and I'm going to dedicate a whole post to it as soon as my nail wheel gets in (why yes, I did order a nail wheel). My favorite so far is Bubble Bath. Even though it's pretty sheer, it's the perfect nude for my skin tone.

Maybelline Super Stay 10 Stain Gloss in "Ruby Indulgence": I made an entire post about this product so check it out HERE!

Smashbox "Vivid Violet": I've had this lipstick for quite a while now and every fall I like to bring it back to life for at least a couple days throughout the season. It's a daring color - pure purple - so it's not for every day, but it compliments my skin tone really nicely and finishes off an outfit quite well. You can see a swatch HERE.

Revlon "Lash Potion" mascara: Admittedly, this mascara is a pain to remove because it's super waterproof, but it does wonders for your lashes. It lengthens and adds volume without getting clumpy and gross. Definitely pick it up!

NARS "Sin" blush: I got this as a birthday gift back in February and have been wearing it a ton lately. It's SO pigmented that you only need a little to get a nice flush of color. It shows up less purple than how it appears in the pan - on my cheeks it becomes a deep pink shade. Very pretty.

Miley Cyrus' "Bangerz": So. I think Miley is really problematic (in terms of her persona/media influence), but this is a GREAT pop album. Some of my favorites are FU, 4x4, and #getitright. If you automatically rejected it but are generally a pop music fan, please give it a shot, you might be surprised!

Lorde's "Pure Heroine": Totally on the opposite side of the pop spectrum, Pure Heroine has also been a new favorite this month. At first I thought all the songs sounded the same but I came to really enjoy it. My favorites are Royals, Team, and White Teeth Teens.

Switched At Birth: If you're looking for a new TV show to start on Netflix, seriously consider Switched At Birth. I usually dismiss ABC Family shows since most of them are a bust (*cough* Secret Life *cough* Pretty Little Liars), but this one is fantastic. It's about two teens who were switched at birth and get reconnected. One of them is deaf, which adds a super interesting dimension to the show. I'm excited for the next season!

Now You See Me: Great movie. Great cast. Ending leaves a little to be desired but the storyline is so unique that I didn't mind.

What were your favorites this month?

Fall/Winter Bold Lip Picks

Hey everyone! I felt like showing you guys a few lipsticks that I would wear in the fall/winter months, so here they are. I have one plum-purple color and two red-based ones.

Here are the swatches. I'll go through the formulations and colors individually but this gives you a really good idea in terms of color comparison. 

So the first lipstick I have is this Smashbox Be Legendary Lipstick in the shade Vivid Violet. This one applies incredibly smoothly and can be built up for a really dramatic look. The only thing I'm not crazy about is that this formulation seriously clings to any dry skin you have on your lips (you can see a few spots in the photos above). BUT, if you use a scrub and a balm before application, it doesn't really matter.

I feel like these photos make it look a little more fuschia but I can assure you that it is a very deep plum color (as you can see if you look at the photo in the top left corner of the bullet). Lately, I've been wearing this to school dabbed on very lightly and then smoothed out with clear lip balm. The effect is really subtle and pretty.

Okay, so, now I have the Revlon Lip Butter in Red Velvet and, admittedly I wasn't too crazy about this color at first. If you can recall that far back, I even included it in my "products I regret buying" post. To be honest, I really didn't expect the color to be so dark (which doesn't translate well in the photo, but if you scroll up to the swatch, you'll understand). It's an almost-brown lip color and even though it's considered a "butter" this can be seriously built up. This is also the glossiest of my three picks. I think I'd save this color for more of a night out.

Last but not least, I have the infamous Russian Red by MAC. This is one of MAC's matte finishes which makes it very unique from the other two. The reason it's so used up is because my mom and I both use it (she more than I, lol!). I have to say that it applied really nicely and I would quickly like to mention that MAC lipsticks are not overrated in the slightest. They cling to the lips like it's meant to be. I suggest using a lip liner, applying with a thin brush, or lining the edges with concealer to give it that crisp finish. Also, it's a blue-based red meaning the undertones are not orangey or brownish, so it'll make your teeth look super white :)

Here's a (low quality) photo of myself wearing Russian Red last fall with some lip gloss overtop (can't remember which one!).