I can't believe I'm already doing favorites for April and that I graduate from college on Saturday. It is just unreal how time moves so quickly and yet, moves so slooooow. Okay, let's just jump into these favorites. Shall we? *holds out hand*
Beauty and Body Care
For the past month, or so, I've been victim of the lazy girl makeup removal mentality. You know when you're just exhausted and the last thing you want to do is go through your nightly ritual of makeup removal, exfoliation cleansing, toner and so on? Meet the Simple Cleansing Facial wipes. I've been a cleansing cloth user since high school and these might be my holy grail face clothes. They are super gentle, and still manage to take off all of my waterproof mascara!! Plus, they don't leave a residue at all on my skin. Paired with my moisturizer...Ooooof, perfect!
I love blush. Love it. I use it everyday without fail. I don't like to leave the house without it. This palette is the ELF blush and bronzer compact. It was $1. Expectations weren't all THAT high, but oh how wrong I was!! The color is super pigmented in both the blush and the bronzer. I like the bronzer a lot because it doesn't have sparkles in it. (Nothing is more awful than having your skin sparkle with bronzer especially if your skin isn't exactly perfect.) The blush, however, does have sparkle but it is fairly subtle. This color is almost an exact dupe of Mary Kay's "Shy Blush" which I have used for years but a fraction of the price. Plus, super big mirror, which, say it with me now, perfect for a handbag product!! Obviously I love this product.
I'm having a love affair with Lush. See? Just add this next product to the list; it is "Popcorn" Lip Scrub. According to the label, "A sweet and salty lip scrub that smells like popcorn. Scrumptious!!" I like using this when I'm getting ready before applying my lip product and before bed before adding my Nivea Lip Butter. It is an exfoliant for the lips. It doesn't necessarily taste like popcorn but it does taste sweet. You scrub it on and then, my favorite part, lick it off. I know sounds weird, but it is perfectly normal and awesome.
Bath and Body Works does it again. This True Blue Spa, heck the entire True Blue collection, does wonders. This is the newest member of the product line (came out early April): Raspberry Mojito Cream Gel with jojoba oil. You will smell like a delicious raspberry mojito (erm, without the alcohol)! I was a bit hesitant about the cream gel bit. It has the texture of a body wash (per water) but smooths into the skin like lotion. I've been applying it after I get out of the shower in the more to add a bit of moisture back into my skin. It isn't sticky, which I was worried about it being. And as you can see, I'm almost out. Shoot, guess I'll have to go shopping for more...
And I know this has nothing to do with Beauty or Body but, um this candle? Amazing. It smells like a Lemon Tart. I refuse to burn it because I love it so much. I occasionally get a whiff of it in my room. It is just the bees-knees of candles. I discuss it more here: I (heart) Spring.
Music Favorites
I have been a massive fan of George Watsky since I was a sophomore in college (2 years ago...) when he performed at the NACA conference. He did spoken word... My favorite: here.
So when I found out he was coming out with an album I was obviously STOKED. Cardboard Castles is a work of genius. It is humorous. It is sad. It is insightful. And all around awesome. Please go listen to it. Here are the videos of some of my favorites.
Book and Movies (and Drink) Favorites
I'm combining a couple categories here, peeps. I've been obsessed with Hubert's Lemonade both the Original and Raspberry lemonade. It is a perfect drink for spring and summer. Can't go wrong with some genuine lemonade, ay? Plus, how cute is this bottle!! ;)
Confess: I didn't read any new books this month. I know, I know. I've been lucky to read the books that I've been required to read for finishing up school and I'm pretty sure you don't want me to tell you my favorite book this month is my Technical and Grant Writing book. Not too exciting at all. I can only tell you that Harry Potter is my favorite book so many times, but um, that is my favorite this month. Technically, I did read the 7th book this month (for my thesis) so, it could fulfill both requirements. Yep. That's my book favorite this month.
Movies...oh sweet, sweet movies. I went to "42" in theaters this month. Very good. Highly recommend. It is the story of Jackie Robinson. I recently, like, hmm, Sunday, went to the chick-flick "The Big Wedding." I thought it handle the multiple story lines well. The content is very adult but damn, it was funny. Very real-life, if you ask me. It is about a family, and this family faces real "problems" in real ways. It is not a tricky plot, at all. But, hey, I liked it.
And my final favorite...COLLEGE GRADUATION! It is here. It is finally here. I never thought this day would come!
What are your favorites this month?? I'd love to hear!
WARNING: This post is quite lengthy but, it's a good one. I promise. The month of March is my favorite for several reasons: Spring has (officially) sprung, I turned 22 this month, my university had Spring Break, and my favorites are awesome! Without further ado...
Beauty and Body Care
For beauty products this month, you could say I branched out on a limb with the first one. I had never ordered/purchased a product from Lush Cosmetics and after using "Angels on Bare Skin" Facial Cleanser I wanted more and more and more....
For those who don't know, Lush Cosmetics are fresh, handmade cosmetics that use only natural ingredients. They are based out of Canada and, obviously, I don't live in Canada so I ordered from their website. Very quick and easy, might I add. I was on the hunt for a new facial cleanser that left my skin light and refreshed without being too harsh. I have fairly sensitive skin, so I always am a bit nervous about new products (tip: try a small amount on an inconspicuous bit of skin before trying all over your face) so I did my research and read lots of consumer reviews. And ended up with Lush! Wee!
I purchased Angels on Bare Skin from Lush because it was their best seller and was made for all skin types. It is very exfoliating which I find to be nice after my face as been put through the ringer I put it through everyday. Plus, it was cleansing and quite soothing. It makes my face feel like it has been blessed by Angels (ay, ay, see what I did there..? :O).
While Angels is my favorite cleanser, I needed something to take my makeup off before cleansing and I'm loving Maybelline's Clean Express Waterproof Eye Makeup Remover. It's not greasy at all, which as been a consist problem for me with makeup removers. It literally takes one swipe and my eye makeup is completely gone! I love it!! (PS I'm on my second bottle already.)
Speaking of eye makeup, I purchased a bit of a splurge birthday present for myself: Urban Decay Naked Palette. This palette is like the holy-grail for me. It has neutral matte colors for a simple everyday look as well as sparkly neutrals and colors to create the perfect smoky eye. I'm obsessed and have basically used it everyday since it arrived on my doorstep. (I purchased mine from Amazon, in case you were wondering).
Now, I've been a Moisturizing Chap stick girl for, like, ever so in the rare event that I find a lip balm or chap stick that I love more it is kind of a massive deal.
Dearest Nivea Lip Butters, you have found a home in my purse, makeup bag, backpack, beside stand (read: everywhere). I adore you to no end. You look so adorable in your little tin. You're not shiny, and yet add color and not only do you smell like absolute heaven but, you are moisturizingly thick, without caking. I love you.
Food and Drink Favorites
Food, everyone's favorite and between eating birthday cake and Easter candy, this section could turn into a bit of a circus act but these two products have stuck by me all month long and I adore them for it.
The Brookside Dark Chocolate Goji with Raspberry are indulgent and perfect. The dark chocolate is thick
but doesn't overpower the fruit pieces inside. To me, they seemed like Fruit Gushers without that awful sugar syrup oozing out of the middle.
Tazo Passion Tea has been a favorite of my for quite a while but this month I got the tea bags as a birthday gift with my lovely tea kettle. (Yes, I'm practically a 80 year old woman, between my tea kettle and knitting hobby, in a 22 year old's body. Do I care? Nope.) It is fruity and sort of, mm, tangy? Yeah, tangy. I've been making it hot with the tea bags but, also, I've been making it cool by taking two tea bags and hot water, placing it in the fridge for about 2-3 hours, and pouring it over ice. I'm obsessed.
Music Favorites
All you need to know for this section is this: JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE'S THE 20/20 EXPERIENCE. Please, listen to this. Buy it. Download it. Whatever. It has been playing non-stop on my iTunes since arriving on the scene. I regularly jam to "Let the Groove Get In," "Pusher Love Girl," and "Don't Hold the Wall."
This next girl group from the UK, I found because of Little Mix (please go get on the Google right now if you don't know these girls. I love them to know end.). They have this awesome 90's type, hip-hop vibe. And this song! Sometimes music, like books, find you, ya know?
M.O. - Ain't Got Time
Books and Movies Favorites
For the first time, I listened to an audio book from Audible.com. I listened to "BossyPants" by Tina Fey on my road trip. This book is hilarious, which was too be expected. But also enlightening. It was a lot about female empowerment, which apparently I've been obsessed with since I this month I also read Sheryl Sandberg's "Lean In." This read, readers, it is a-maz-ing. She talks about women in leadership roles, women in the work place and encourages women to "lean in" in all things. I highly recomme
nd this read to anyone!
Oh and Girls. Lena Duhman knows my life. It is Sex in the City but with "real" girls in their 20s, navigating life. Hmm, I wonder why I could relate?? :)
Thanks for reading, y'all. Anything you've been enjoying this month? Let me know in the comments!!
Yours xx
Disclaimer: Everything mentioned above was purchased with my own money and all opinions are mine. This is NOT a sponsored blog post. You're beautiful.
