Hello lovlies!

It's been quite sometime since I've shared with you what I've been wearing on my face. Pretty sure it was September, actually. And this week I've settled into quite the routine with my make-up, typically because I'm running about 15 minutes behind and I'm too lazy to do anything else. So here's a few tried & true products, and a couple new ones to the line up that have been helping me look less like a zombie than I feel.

If I've got a long day ahead (i.e. I'm not returning to my house for at least 12 hours, which has been most days this week) I'll start off priming with Hourglass's Mineral Veil Primer. I totally understand the hype surrounding this, it makes my skin feel like silk. Pretty much in love. After, I'll start off my base with Covergirl's Clean Whipped Creme Foundation in 305, which has been my go-to for a while now as it offers medium coverage and I can blend it out without a brush. As for concealer, I've been alternating between my Covergirl Fresheffects and Maybelline Dream Lumi, depending on how tired I look. Finishing up, I'll set my foundation with my tried & true Rimmel London Stay Matte powder. If I'm looking especially pale (which let's face it is most days), I'll dust a little bit of NYC's Sunny bronzer on. For blush, I've been going back and forth with a selection from Cargo and one from NYX. Both are very similar, dusty rose colors, but Cargo offers a bit more shimmer.

For eyes I've been sticking to basics. Starting off with Mac's Painterly Paint Pot as a base and topping off with Venus from the Urban Decay Naked Basics Palette as an all over lid color. To trick people into thinking I'm more awake, I've been lining my waterline with Rimmel London's Kohl Pencil in Nude, which I finally got my hands on after months of it being out of stock when I went to buy it. I've kept my basic liner simple using a black liquid liner offering from Rimmel as well. I may have found a new HG mascara in EM Cosmetic's Lash Gallery Clean Volume, which has been mentioned more and more lately. It gives just the right amount of volume, length and curl. So it's pretty much perfect, but I'm not kicking Falsies out of the top spot just yet.

Since going slightly more ginger, I broke down and brought a new brow duo from Anastasia (in Auburn) and have been using the red color to fill in and warm up my brows, and then setting with my usual Maybelline Great Lash in Clear.

I'm a lipstick junkie, so of course I haven't been able to stick to one combo. If I'm feeling particularly lazy, I'll layer Covergirl's Vivid Lipstick in Pink Pop over one of my EOS balms and call it good, though I do find that I need to touch up more throughout the day. My other option has been Rimmel's Kate Moss Matte line in shade 103, a "my lips but better" color that I'm sure I've mentioned before, and topping it off with Juice Beauty lipgloss in Pink. I'm not a lip gloss gal at all, but this stuff just smells too good to resist.

Now that I've rambled on about my make-up this weekend, I guess I'll wrap it up.
What have your go-to's been on busy weeks?

xx
Tessa

As you know from a post or so ago, I wasn't too psyched to get this in my last Birchbox. That being said, I've had a chance to use it and I've had my ideas changed. I was worried that it would dry my sensitive skin out like everything else does. It seriously does not matter if it's for sensitive skin or not, it always will dry my skin out. Anywho, I left this stuff on for roughly ten minutes and the number one thing I noticed was smaller pores. I am like a pore junky, anything to help minimize pores, I want it. So having this product actually make me notice a difference was huge.

Pros:
Obvi minimized pores!
Cons:
I still hated the smell, it really doesn't smell like green apples and that's a big disappointment.
It did dry my skin out a bit. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be though, so it was alright.

Verdict: I am actually undecided as to whether I will purchase the full size of this product. While I did love that it minimized my pores, I'm not sure it did enough in other areas to make me want it too badly.

Until next week!
xxTori

Hello lovelies! I definitely had this post ready to go this morning but I guess it never posted. So I know I'm a bit late on this, lo siento!

Anyway! I was so excited to get my first Birchbox on Monday so I thought I would share with you the goodies I got.


Tan Towel Classic Formula Self-Tan Towelettes (Full-size $24)
I'm a bit nervous to use this just because it says it's for fair to medium tones, so will it look fine or make me look like an oompa loompa? I'll try this out this weekend just so I don't look crazy for work if this turns out to be too dark. I've really been wanting to try something like this that washes off at the end of the day, similar to the This Works Perfect Legs Skin Miracle.

LAQA & Co Lil' Lip Duo (Full-size, $16 for 2)
Okay, so I really love the formula of this. It's a really buttery sort of lip balm. I also really like the fact that you can build up the color intensity with how much you apply. I will say that I don't like how it gets everywhere. Lipsticks and stains, for the most part, stay on your lips. I noticed that this had a tendency to smear all over if you're not careful with it. Like...seriously...just don't let anyone near your face, don't touch your face, it will be everywhere.

Coola SPF 45 Sport- Mango (Full-size $32)
I may have to spend $32 on sunscreen. This stuff is amazing. First off, it smells like mango and coconut. I just put this on my hands and neck when I go out (my moisturizer has SPF 30) and it leaves my skins so soft. It's really light and not greasy, which I know some sunscreens have a tendency to be. I wish they had a travel size bottle so I could just leave it in my bag (get on that Coola). It's paraben free, no nano particles, not tested on animals, hypoallergenic, and even gluten free. What even. They even have scents like citrus mimosa. So yep. Great. Spending $32 on sunscreen.

Juice Beauty Green Apple Peel Sensitive (Full-size $39)
I love the idea of a peel, I love clay masks and anything of the sort. I haven't used this quite yet just because it is supposed to sit on the skin for 10 or so minutes and just who has time for that? I just really haven't been home much so I'll give this a go this weekend as well. I will have to say that I'm a bit disappointed that it doesn't actually smell like green apples. It did a bit in the box but smelled not so lovely in the actual sample.

Serge Normant Meta Revive Dry Shampoo (Full-size $25) [not pictured]
I gave this sample to my mother because dry shampoo is a tad pointless for me right now with short hair. Lo siento, I have nothing to say about this because my mom took it and I can't find it.

Who knows, maybe some of these will make it to my September favorites, we shall see.
xx Tori