January 2015 Favorites

Hi guys!

Hope you're all doing well =) man am I on a roll with blogging or what? =D This is like the first time I'm ever on time for a favorites... I le proud XD I'm pretty excited about this month's products, so let's go =D

1. Albion Skin Conditioner

This is a brand new bottle, but I have several sample bottles/packets that I've been using since last November/December. Already talked about this in my last post, but long story short, most hydrating toner I've ever used! My skin feels soooo comfortable every single time after applying this. My skin just drinks it right up :D it smells medicinal, which might not be the most appealing to some, but I simply LOVE it.  Highly highly recommend if you can get your hands on this!


2. Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush Palette

From left to right: Mood Exposure, Incandescent Electra, Luminous Flush

When I first got this palette, I surprised myself by favoring Luminous Flush the most :P it's one of those shades that just look so right in the winter. I was obsessed with that color for like a month or something. Then when I went to Japan, I became obsessed with Mood Exposure XD Mood Exposure gives the most gorgeous I-just-got-in-from-the-cold kind of flush... so pretty. Whenever I wore this blush and check myself in the mirror, my face be like this → （　￣ー￣） *insert very self-satisfied smile*  and my mind went like this→ THAT, is the look （￣￢￣） *insert self dialogue*

 Currently still in the Mood Exposure phase XD  Hmmm Incandescent has received the least amount of love from me... I don't know... it's such a gorgeous color but I just don't like peachy shades on me that much T_T


Swatches

I actually may have mixed up the names/swatches of the blushes... cuz I saw on Sephora that Mood Exposure is the dark and plummy shade. So maybe the Ambient Lightning Blush Palette is just labeled weird. So it might have been top to bottom: Mood Exposure, Incandescent Electra, Luminous Flush




Luminous Flush (?)

Luminous Flush is a darker pink than I typically go for, but I found this winter I'm really liking the deeper pinks!! Goes really well with the cold weather =D oh the flushhhh  (err... that sounds like flushing the toilet)


Incandescent Electra


Mood Exposure (?)










Heavier swatches.




... It should be bottom to top: Luminous Flush, Incandescent Electra, Mood Exposure







Lol excessive swatches much? The sun light wasn't that great that day so I was taking multiple pics.


3. Maybelline Fashion Brow Duo

I'm in love with this brow duo! As you can see on the packaging, one end has a spongy applicator that dispenses powder, and the other end is your regular twist up pen. The powder is great when I'm in a hurry, or just to fill out the front part of the brows for a softer look. The formula for the pen is perfect in my books! So easy to use. The product goes on easier than the Za Ever Brows. So quick and so convenient. Really recommend you guys to check this out =D


4. Pupa Vamp! Wet & Dry Eye Shadow in Ombretto Cotto

I'm not recommending this particular eye shadow per se, any super sparkly eye shadow or pigment will do =P

I was obsessed with wearing sparkly gold eye shadow throughout the entire months of November and December =P  Basically for the entire two months until I bought my Lunasol and Jill Stuart Palettes LOL.


I actually really dislike the packaging of this eye shadow. Keep feeling like one day I'm just gonna drop and shatter the whole thing.




I'd just use my ring finger to dab a little bit of the eye shadow and smear it over my eyelid XD nothing too crazy, just a very thin layer so it's quite subtle. Actually there is nothing subtle about it, because when the light hits you'll be able to see the sparkles on my eyelids =P  what I meant was I don't apply so much that you can tell I'm wearing gold eye shadow, but just enough to see sparkles when I blink or when the light hits =P  I also like to apply a little on the center of my lower eyelid. Don't like to apply eye shadow to my inner corners these days because I feel that actually closes up my eyes for some reason...


5. THREE Blushes in #24 Into the Aether and #22 Sweet Thing

Left: #22 Sweet Thing
Right: #24 Into the Aether 


Those blushes are pretty sheer so it was very hard to swatch on the back of my hand. Finger swatches it is XD
Top: #24 Into the Aether 
Bottom: #22 Sweet Thing

Personally liking #24 a little more at the moment... still digging the deeper shades for the cold weather :P but both shades are so nice. I personally really like how sheer these blushes are because it's completely fool proof-- in the morning I can just buff it into my skin and not have to worry about if I use too much of a heavy hand XD




... I just noticed I've been really into pink, haven't I? Hahaha.


6. Jill Stuart Eye Shadow Palette in 08 Amalia Tutu

May I just say again.... the floral smell!!!! (♡_♡) *whiff whiff*


I feel like it was very hard to get true to color swatches... those are quite close to real life but the second shade is a bit pinker in person.


Gorgeous shades. The first shade looks like a matte eye shadow in the pan but it's actually more of a satin. The same goes to the fourth shade. The second and third shade as you can see, are satin with very fine glitters. They're nowhere as sparkly as the Pupa eye shadow I showed above.


My favorite favorite FAVORITE shade from this palette is the third shade though!!! It's sooo pretty. I feel like I haven't seen anything quite like it. I am rubbish at describing colors..... I just know I love this shade. Hahaha.


Not that big of a fan of the pink shade though... I do notice if I apply the pink shade all over my lids, then my eyes look swollen. So I usually just use it very lightly on the first half of my eyelids.










7. SK-II Cellumination Essence-In Foundation

See my review here. As I mentioned in my Best of 2014 post, I fell in love with this foundation because of my Dior sunscreen. This foundation wouldn't have made it to my favorites if it wasn't for my Dior sunscreen to be honest XD  I liked it a lot but never loved it. But with my Dior sunscreen, now I do love it :P


It's dried out, but that doesn't affect the product lol. My favorite way to apply this foundation now is just using my fingers. Great coverage, stays on well, wears gracefully throughout the day. I really really REALLY wanted to get another one when I was at duty-free.... Seriously, I was THIS close to getting it *insert imaginary thumb and finger*. But I didn't cuz I have sooo many foundations already =(( I figured I should at least use this up first then go from there. Aiiii. But anyway, reached for this A LOT when I'm not using my YSL TE... if I wasn't trying to use up my YSL TE, this would prob be the only foundation I'm reaching for at the moment XD 


8. Lunasol  Eye Shadow Palette in Biege Biege

I already talked about how much I like this palette in my last post. So please just feel free to check that one out for my thoughts on it. Just wanted to provide good swatches here for you :P


Made a dent in the brown shade because I've been using it to line my eyes.


Swatches. Doesn't it look like the most unremarkable shades? XD But they do layer so well with each other!




I LOVE THAT BROWN SHADE OH MY GAHHHH.


The highlight shade really is very sparkly... this last pic shows it better.


These days I've really been reaching for the Lunasol and Jill Stuart eye shadow palettes ^_^ Kind of exciting for me cuz it's been a while since I've been into eye shadows (or since I've been using eye shadows over my eyelids, period). I do like the Lunasol one more than Jill Stuart though, because the Jill Stuart shadows aren't as "adhering" I feel...

That's all I've got for January! Basically everything I got from Japan was a hit XD  So happy that I'm loving most of these products. A few years ago I was really into Japanese makeup, now I feel like I'm entering that phase again XD  Just wish these are more easily accessible =(

Next up I have some lip products I want to show you guys... as well as a New Year's beauty resolutions post... after that I think I will probably enter a blogging hiatus... been spending wayyy too much time blogging. LOL.

Hope you guys have a great start to February ^_^


<3 Frances