November Favorites 2014 & Blogmas Minus One

Hello, readers! I have been away for a few weeks, but for good reason...my wedding was a little less than a week ago and we are still in crazy newlywed mode! Yesterday was the first day we REALLY returned to work (although I did go to a rehearsal the night after the wedding, so I didn't really take time off from work). So, I'll be doing a full series of posts on my wedding because we got married in an urban area for a really low cost. Considering the average wedding costs $25,000 (in the USA at the time of this post), we spent half as much money and had a GREAT time. Preview...my bridal bouquet was only $10. Here is a sneak preview and of course my first November favorite was...

My Wedding Gown: Zinnia Gown - BHLDN ($1800 retail, no longer available)

Our first dance!

Okay, so seriously: I am OBSESSED with Anthropologie. We all know that as this used to be an Anthropologie focused blog so OF COURSE, I would be a BHLDN bride. For those of you who don't know, BHLDN (pronounced "beholden") is Urban Outfitter's bridal brand which launched in 2011...otherwise known as Anthropologie Wedding Style. I was of course...obsessed with it when it launched. This dress is from the original collection that launched so it's not available anymore, but I was able to snag one on eBay of all places. It was in perfect condition and had only been worn for 2 hours. I am OBSESSED with this dress. It was so fun to wear and non-traditional as it had the fun pops of coral and smoke. The buttons in the back are pretty intense and it took 4 hands to button them, but I was in LOVE with this dress. It's not for a very shy bride, that's for sure. BHLDN still sells beautiful dresses, but I have not been as impressed with subsequent collections after the launch. It seems as though the whimsy has dissipated a bit from the line. However, it's still a really great place to shop for your wedding as most of the things are really lovely. But this dress though...

Josie Maran Coconut Watercolor Eyeshadow & Argan Illuminizer: (From the Winter Dreams Argan Color Collection Giftset $34, Exclusively at Sephora, Limited Edition)

Coconut Water Eyeshadow in Rio De Rose Gold, Argan Illuminzer

I honestly only got this set for the Coconut Water Eyeshadow in Rio de Rose Gold because it's so lovely. That product is GREAT. I have a review of my thoughts on the Josie Maran collection forthcoming which concentrates on this set, but the Illuminizer is to die for. For those of you who may be a little scared of glittery powders for your face, this illuminizer is the perfect little bit of glow. You can apply it with your fingers or a small stippling brush and it just gives you a little bit of subtle glow without looking glittery or too shimmery. It's just beautiful and I have been LOVING this.

Tarte Amazonian Clay Blushes ($10-$42, Sephora, Ulta, Tarte Website)

 

Let me make this perfectly clear: I have NEVER purchased a full-sized Tarte Amazonian Clay blush on its own. It's $26 and you freaking get ONE. HOWEVER, I'm totally obsessed with this. I have 8 limited edition colors (you can see 6 here, I have another really cool palette with two more in there) and I can let you know with full confidence, these blushes are worth the hype. They are the bomb.com: Super pigmented, go on smooth, and last FOREVER. When Sephora had its Black Friday $10 little Tarte Set which came with one of these little blushes (in "Magic"), I jumped on it. I thought for 2 seconds about giving it away as a gift, but decided to keep it. The palette on the left is the Pin Up Girl Palette which was exclusive to Sephora, but is sadly sold out forever I think. I was so happy to get my hands on one of these and I am very happy with 4 out of the 5 shades in here and it was a STEAL at $42 considering you get so much product in here. I'm not sure what's going on with that super light beige shade on the left there (Breathless), but it's useless for anything but layering since it doesn't show up on my complexion. I have unexpectedly been just ridiculously obsessed with that cool-toned pink color in the center there (Whimsy). I love the look of the flush of baby pink on my cheeks and I have been basically assaulting this pan with my brush. I'm afraid I will use this color up (not a bad thing). However, all the colors are lovely. This formula is amazing. I can't bring myself to buy a full-sized one yet, but if you can get them in a set, you'll find that Tarte will give you a great deal on a blush in a set as opposed to a single, stand-alone product. If you are a blush lover and you don't have a few of these in your collection, you need a few.

Stila Stay-All-Day Liquid Eyeliner: ($20 at Sephora, Ulta, Stila Website)

This is the bomb. I like to use liquid eyeliners and for a while, I had been a purest and didn't want to use anything but a bush applicator. But I got one of these in a Sephora Giftset and I figured I would try it. It was awesome. It applies like a dream, is super black and is pretty much waterproof. It's the eyeliner I have been reaching for the most and I grabbed a gift set with a full-sized black and mini green, blue and brown liners too at Nordstrom Rack this weekend (the husband and I were Black Friday binging). Not much to say except that these are a great product. 

Bite Lip Products: ($12-$28, Exclusively Sephora) 

My complimentary VIB Rouge Lipstick Mini, Palomino Mini, High Pigment Lip Pencil Mini in 

Maybe I'm the last one to discover how wonderful these lip products are, but I love this line of lipsticks and lip pencils, etc. I had to be given a lipstick (when I became VIB Rouge at Sephora) to try one of these. It. Is. Amazing. No lipstick out there is as creamy, as pigmented and feels as good on my lips than these products. Don't kiss your man (or lady) though...(s)he'll be wearing it too. I don't care though, this lipstick FEELS AWESOME on your face.

GLAMGLOW Supermud™ Clearing Treatment: ($69...omg, Sephora, GLAMGLOW Website) 

Yes, this is a $69 face mask. SIXTY-NINE DOLLARS. I kind of hate myself a little for even recommending it here on this blog but let's be real...whatever is in this is a freaking miracle worker. I got a sample of this from Sephora (as well as the Youthmud one which I was not impressed with) and I was HOOKED. I don't know if there's magic or voodoo or whatever in this, but it's pretty much worth the stupidly absurd price. It pretty much destroys blackheads and has a bizarre pore shrinking effect, which seems to last for a couple of days after using it. My blackheads pretty much wave a white flag after a few times using this. I can't get over the effectiveness of this. That being said...$69 daaaayyyuuummmm...I couldn't bring myself to pay the full price, even during the Sephora VIB sale. I ordered this directly from GLAMGLOW and I used a 30% off discount code (which is no longer valid)  so I only paid $48 dollars for it and I got some free samples (I say ONLY $48, but that's still insane).  The customer service experience with GLAMGLOW was also stellar. A great company. A great product. The price point is pretty crazy, but the product performs and so they pretty much have you by the lashes there. Plus, the packaging says, "Hello Sexy".

So those are all my November obsessions! Do you see any of your favorites here? Let me know! I also have decided to do Blogmas...which means I blog every day in December starting today! I missed yesterday, so I guess one of these days, I'll have to do two posts! *gasp* Are you excited?!

Product Review: Stila Eyes Are The Windows Palette (Spirit)

Confession Time: I love eyeshadow. Shocker. I know. I have a weakness when it comes to them because it's the only place on your face you can completely be a nut. Usually, we wear colors on our face that enhance a color that could actually happen: Your lips could be a pretty pink, when you are flushed, your cheeks will fill with color, you enhance the black in your eyelashes with mascara, and your natural brow color with brow gels and pencils and powders...

But could your eyelids be green? Maybe if you had some strange disorder, but most likely, no. You can be completely unrealistic when it comes to your eyelids and color and that's why it's fun. I happened upon the Stila Eyes Are The Windows Palettes in the store at Sephora and I just had to go and play with them. I fell in love and left the store.

This is my policy.

If I see something I like, I leave it there and wait to see if I want it the next day. Well, the next day...

Even though it was a ridiculous $49, I went back for the Spirit Palette. The colors were too pretty when I swatched them on my hand and Stila's best-selling shade Kitten was in there. I could not resist. These palettes were created as a celebration of Stila Cosmetics' 20th Anniversary which is super cool! The other palettes are Mind, Soul and Body. Spirit had the colors I was most attracted to. The packaging is beautiful. It's rose gold (so is the band on my engagement ring, so I am partial) and very shiny. It's not super heavy, but it's a lovely quality packaging and the palette opens and closes with a magnetic closure. When you open it...it's breathtaking. And it comes with a ginormous mirror. 

Here are the swatches on my arm...this is where it starts to get disappointing...

Brush Swatches, No Primer

Finger Swatches with Primer

As you can see, the pigmentation is not that great even though the darker colors are nicely pigmented. The colors are densely packed and a slightly powdery texture, not a buttery texture that you get with some other brands. When I had my brush in the palette, I had to really get in there and powder got all over the pan. However, even though the colors are pretty sheer, they are buildable and you can apply more product to get a more intense color. They blend very well and they are fun to play with, but you have to really get in there with your brush and grab product.

The Verdict? Is this worth $49? Not really? The packaging is gorgeous, but you will get your fingerprints all over it. If you're looking for a super high quality palette, both Urban Decay and Too Faced make beautiful shadow palettes. If you have $49 to spend and you want to try it, go ahead! It's a gorgeous palette and perhaps it would make a great first palette for a beginner, as it's impossible to be heavy-handed with the colors here.

I'll personally be keeping it, as I enjoy it, but it's not worth the $49 pricepoint in my opinion. But, there's no doubt that it's beautiful and I finally have a Kitten Shadow! Anyone else tried any of these new Stila palettes?