September Favourites

Hey Everyone, 

I hope you are all having a wonderful Tuesday. This morning I was still feeling the effects of what I thought might be the flu, but with the help of MaskerAide's Beauty Rest'Ore sheet mask and one of my favourite Bath and Body Works Candles (Pumpkin Caramel Latte), I am beginning to feel better. 

This week I am heading to Detroit for an Eric Church concert (bonus points for anyone who actually knows who Eric Church is) with my sister, where I am sure we will manage to fit in a little shopping. I have seen posts about, and pictures of, all of the new holiday beauty collections that are coming out, and I can't wait to swatch them all. 

Speaking of new makeup, I managed to shake off my 'August rut' and try a lot of new products during the month of September. Whether they were newly purchased, or just found sitting, untouched, in the back of my collection, I found a lot of new products I love, and wanted to share them with you. Here are my September favourites:

Urban Decay Naked Skin Foundation in '3.5' and '2.0':
I have always been someone who bounces around from foundation to foundation, looking for the perfect one. While I have found many I like (Annabelle BB Cream, Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer and Face Atelier Pro Ultra Foundation), none of them had all of the qualities I look for in a good foundation. That is until I found Urban Decay's Naked Skin Foundation. This full coverage foundation helps conceal my blemishes and scars, controls my oily skin, and evens out my skin tone, giving my face a mostly flawless appearance (I have received a lot of compliments on my skin tone since using this foundation...something that never happened before I started using it). LOVE! 

Urban Decay Good Karma Optical Blurring Brush:
This medium sized, synthetic brush is the perfect brush for blending foundation into the skin. Using small circular motions, the brush's dense head "flawlessly applies, buffs and blurs" your foundation, leaving no streak marks or lines of 'de-markation'.  While the Optical Blurring Brush is lauded as a foundation brush, I have also been using it to apply my bronzer and blush, and find that it works well with both liquid and powder products. Like all of Urban Decay's products, this brush is vegan and completely cruelty-free.

Physicians Formula Youth Boosting Concealer:
This two-in-one concealer has a liquid end for covering dark, under-eye circles and a creamy end for concealing blemishes and scars. While I prefer not to use the liquid end (it sits in the fine lines under my eyes), I have fallen head over heels in love with the creamy end. This concealer has great coverage, feels extremely moisturizing, and lasts nicely throughout the day. The Youth Boosting Concealer is much creamier than the other concealers I have tried ( including MAC's Studio Finish Concealer, Bobbi Brown's Creamy Concealer), and blends nicely into the skin, giving it a natural, flawless appearance.

NYC Matte Bronzer in 'Sunny':
After hearing so many great things about NYC's Matte Bronzer in 'Sunny', I just had to try it out for myself. At only $2.99 USD, this is my new 'miracle product'. This super soft bronzer blends beautifully into the skin, giving it a nice, natural bronzed appearance without even a hint of that 'fake baked orange glow'. I use this bronzer daily as both a contour powder (under my cheekbones, jawline, etc.), and as a way to add a little warmth to my face. If you have yet to try this amazing bronzer, be sure to pick one up on your next trip to the drugstore...trust me, you'll be happy you did!

MAC Powder Blush in 'Blush All Day':
This limited-edition MAC blush, released with the Office Hours collection, has quickly sky rocketed to become my all time favourite neutral blush. Blush All Day is a warm neutral pink with both brown and orange undertones, making it the perfect accompaniment for any fall makeup look. This creamy and extremely well pigmented blush looks nice on its own for a subtle hint of colour or layered under a darker, more berry blush such as Tarte's Flush. If your local MAC is still carrying the Office Hours collection, I would highly recommend you pick up 'Blush All Day' before it is too late. 

Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in 'Flush':
I bought this berry toned, purple-pink blush several months ago, but completely forgot about it until earlier this month when I searching for a new blush to use. Like all of Tarte's Amazonian Clay blushes, 'Flush' is well pigmented, very soft, easy to blend and lasts nicely throughout the day (although to be honest, I don't think it stands up to its 12 hour claim). 2This blush is extremely bright, and may scare those who are into a more neutral look, but with a light hand and the right brush (I like to use my MAC 168), it gives the skin a gorgeous, natural-looking 'Flush' (pun intended). 

NYX Mega Shine Lip Gloss in 'Natural':
Whether sporting a dark smoky grey eye, a bright, vibrant purple eye or a more neutral subdued brown eye, NYX's 'Natural' has been my gloss of choice. This opaque nude-pink gloss with brown undertones not only looks great on, its creamy, non-sticky formula leaves the lips feeling nice and moisturized. Personally, I think this gloss would look great on any skin tone and can see  myself using it in fall, winter, spring and summer. I will be heading to the US tomorrow, and can't wait to see what Mega Shine Lip Glosses NYX has to offer. 

L'Oreal Sublime Smoothing Care Precious Oils:
When it comes to hair oils, I am not too picky, as I have found that all of them (from Moroccan Oil to Rusk's Argan Oil) work nicely on my hair. L'Oreal's Nutri-Sleek Precious Oils is no exception. Not only does this oil leave my hair feeling silky smooth, it smells amazing, combats my unruly frizz and protects my hair from daily flat iron/curling iron use. Unlike Morrocan Oil which retails for $40+ for 100 ml, L'Oreal's Precious Oils can be found at your local drugstore and retails for $9.99 for 100ml. 

Sunny, Natural, Blush All Day, Flush

Have you tried any of the products listed above? Do you want to? What were your favourite products from the month of September. Be sure to let me know in the comment section below. 

xx

Alicia