My May Favorites!

Hey everyone! It is time to talk about my May favorites! I have a variety of items this month that I'd like to share with you guys.  Let's get started with my beauty faves!

First off I was really excited to try out the L'oreal Miss Manga mascara.  Everyone knows that I love my Maybelline Falsies, but my only problem with that one is that it is so thick and clumpy!! The Miss Manga mascara is AMAZING when it comes to clump control.  And the wand feels comfortable in my hand (it has a certain weight to it, it doesn't feel flimsy... hard to explain!).  And of course, the results are great and it thickens my lashes as well as lengthens.

Next is the INM Out the Door clear top coat.  Recently I had noticed that my well-loved Sally Hansen clear shine top coat was beginning to get all goopy and sticky, and to make it even worse, it was taking hours and hours for my nails to dry.  I wanted to try something completely different so I walked into my CVS looking for something new.  I had never heard anything about this brand or this product so I decided to pick it up (and as far as I remember it was a reasonable price).  Can I just say how much I LOVE this top coat!! Not only does it leave my mani super shiny, it dries so fast!! Usually, I apply a base coat and two coats of polish, so it takes a while to dry.  With the Out the Door top coat, my nails are dry within 20-30 minutes.  I know it's not like a 60 second kind of thing, but as far as fast-drying top coats go, I find that these usually dry without much shine.  Unlike those, this one stays shiny and protects my manicure for a good week :)

Last is the Rimmel Scandal Eyes Gel Liner.  I was looking for a good brown liner and stumbled across this one.  I usually gravitate towards the gel or cream liners that are in a little pot.  I just find that these are easier to apply and makes a better "cat-eye look." I love this product so much that I have found myself wearing it alone on my lids without any other eyeshadow! It's so easy to use (very forgiving) and it even comes with a little brush.  To be honest, I don't use the brush, I mainly reach for my Real Techniques angled eye liner brush.

Last on my favorites list is kind of random.  For my birthday back in February, my mother-in-law sent me a book called "Lady Catherine and the Real Downton Abbey."  It was written by Lady Fiona Carnarvon, who, along with her husband, the Earl of Carnarvon, own and operate Highclere Castle, the real location where Downton Abbey is filmed.  Basically, she tells the story of her predecessor, Lady Catherine and her husband, the then Lord Carnarvon.  I fell in love with the story and was happy to discover that she wrote another book called "Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey," the story that takes place a generation before Catherine and is about Almina, her husband's mother.  These books are SO interesting, especially if you're into history and maybe even a fan of Downton Abbey (which I definitely am!!!!). So check these out if you think you'll like them, because they're great! Lady Fiona Carnarvon also manages a blog, where she talks about her daily life at Highclere which is so interesting (ladycarnarvon.com). I'd love to visit one day :)

Let me know if you've tried any of these products! Thanks so much for reading this long and wordy post!!

Miriam

March Favorites

Hi beauty lovers! So here is my blog version of my March favorites! I've been using a lot of new products this past month, but a few definitely stick out in my mind. Let's start:

1. Dickinson's Pore Perfecting Toner: this is my first time using a toner, I used many types of astringents during my teen years and I hated them.  This past month I decided to step up my skincare routine and this was the first step.  Every night after showering, I apply the toner all over my face using a cotton round.  Now, if you saw my March Favorites video, you know that I said the smell is kind of strange! It smells like food or something and it kind of bothers me.  I usually just hold my breath while applying and it's fine! Maybe it doesn't bother everyone, so don't let it discourage you from trying it.

2. Boots No. 7 Cleansing Water: this goes along with my new beauty routine.  I have to admit that I used to just step into the shower with a full face of makeup and just remove it with my face wash.  Now that I have started first removing it with this product before washing my face, I feel like I get a MUCH better clean. Not to mention that I no longer get out of the shower with that annoying left over eyeliner and mascara underneath my eyes.  I like this product because it doesn't feel oily, it definitely feels more like water.

3. Maybelline Age Rewind Concealer: I LOVE this stuff.  It's kind of fun to use, not gonna lie.  It's great for covering up those dark circles underneath your eyes and it blends really well.  I guess there's a reason why everyone loves this thing.

4. Forever 21 scrunchie: I'm wearing it in my hair right now! I'm definitely loving scrunchies right now, especially to use at night.  It's so much softer than a regular hair tie and a lot more comfortable to sleep in.  I like to use this guy when my hair is oily at night and I just want to pick it up in a messy bun.  But I will definitely still wear it outside of my apartment too! It's just so cute.

5.  Ssips juice boxes: these little guys are so cute and so good! I saw them at my grocery store (it was like a pack of 10 for under $2) and thought they looked good.  I got the Cherry-Berry flavor but they had a few different ones.  The only downside is that they're kind of small, if that bothers you (I think they're made for kids......).

So there you have it! My favorites during the month of March! Let me know if you've tried any of these products, I'd love to hear what you think.  

Thanks for reading,

Miriam <3