Winter Favorites 2017-2018

Hello friends!
About a week ago marked the beginning of the Spring season. To celebrate, I figured why not share what I was loving all through this past winter?

   First off, can I go on a little rant about how hard it must be for YouTubers to pick favorites for every month? I feel like it takes a few months to try enough new products and then to figure out which ones I actually like. It's a process, people. That's why I only go by season.

   So since basically all of my favorites are beauty-related this time around, I thought I'd once again break all of this down in categories. This time, only four categories--body, hair, skin, lips, and eyes. Sounds simple enough, right? Let's dive right in!
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Category 1: Body

   This category consists of two body sprays that I've been wearing interchangeably all winter. Because, well, I love them. The first is a lovely-packaged scent from Good Chemistry (Target). These Good Chemistry scents are all pH-balanced and contain essential oils to last all day long. I chose the sent Sugar Berry because it smells super sweet. Not to mention all of the products are vegan and cruelty-free. And affordable!

   The next body spray I've been wearing constantly is one that probably everyone has tried, or at least smelled, at some point in their lifetime. It's the Victoria's Secret Fragrance Mist in "Pure Seduction". I actually had to look up what scent this actually is because I had no idea how to describe it to you guys. So this apparently smells of plum and freesia (which I never actually knew) so it's classified as a fruity scent. It seriously just smells amazing, I'm telling you.

Category 2: Hair

   I only have one favorite for this category. A lot of you probably already saw on Snapchat, Instagram, or in person that my blonde ends were temporarily pink. I owe it all to the Kristen Ess Rose Gold Temporary Tint. Mine washed out in about two or three washes, which is what the bottle suggested. This product is exclusive to Target and is about $13. It's super affordable for a wearable pink color, one that you don't have to commit to. I love this because if you use dry shampoo to avoid washing your hair too much, the color will stay in until you truly want it gone. It's super trusty and I absolutely love it.

 I did read up on instructions before using it, so I'll try my best to describe how I applied this to my hair:

   So first I rinsed and shampooed my hair. After rinsing out the shampoo, I brush out my hair and towel dry it until it's just damp. The more water that's in your hair, the less color will hold. So if you want the vibrant pink, you need to ensure your hair is towel dried enough. I then wrapped a pink towel around me (which, this surprisingly does wash out of towels easily), then misted it onto my ends. It kind of spews everywhere, which is what a lot of people in YouTube videos and reviews had said. So after making a mess of this the first time I applied it, so now I resort to standing in the shower and doing this so it doesn't mist onto the floor or onto the bathroom counter. Standing in the shower to apply this allows it to be contained in one space, and makes it super easy to clean up. I still used my pink towel though, just to make keep my wet hair off of my skin (just a preference). Then I clipped my hair up and out of the way for a couple of minutes (2-3 minutes will do), then I rinsed, conditioned, and rinsed again to complete my wash.

   And this is what it looks like over my blonde! It's a super quick process and doesn't feel crispy or chalky. It almost even feels smoother than normal, to be honest. I highly recommend this product, that's for sure. It's just super fun, and honestly, it's a perfect touch of pastel for the spring.

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Category 3: Skin

   So I have two products that I've been adoring. When it comes to the colder months, skincare is a must. It's the time of the year to keep your moisturizers, serums, masks--you name it--super close. The first product I want to discuss is a repeat from my 2017 fall favorites. I present to you, for the second time...Mary Kay Night Cream! ​I raved about this stuff in the fall favorites post because it truly is magic. This is a product I've used basically all my life because it's something my mom has always used and trusted since I was younger. It's super gentle on skin and soothes/heals imperfections. Side note: It is more like an ointment than a cream. But that's beside the point.

   The second skincare product I've found a love for is the Mario Badescu Facial Spray. My boyfriend's sister got this for me for Christmas. I love misting this on my face after I wash and exfoliate because it's extremely soothing and settles very quickly. It also smells super fresh. I then tend to follow it up with my trusty e.l.f. daily hydration moisturizer. Adding this to my skincare routine allows me to layer up the hydration that I'm giving my skin.

   This product is also great before applying makeup. I like to mist this on my face before applying moisturizer and primer just to add that extra layer of hydration. It leaves my skin feeling happy, even after a long day of wearing makeup. I don't do this super often, but there's also the option of spraying it on after your makeup is set, for a fresh, dewy finish. The options are endless!

Category 4: Lips

   Winter is usually the time of year where I pull out the lippies. I think I have more lipsticks than anything else in my makeup collection, to be honest. In high school, I wore dark lipstick so much. Since graduating and working a lot, I've only worn dark lipstick to class (on occasion). But I've been reaching for a lot more subtle shades this winter. One is on the darker side, but is still super wearable. I wear all of these to school, work, dates, you name it. So the first lipstick that I'm putting on this list is my Burt's Bees Satin Lipstick in 501 Blush Basin. This lipstick is super moisturizing on the lips and is a subtle pink color. I love this, not only because the color brightens up my makeup a bit, but also because when it eventually fades, it doesn't look like a mess. If I wash out my lips with foundation and need something to make my lips, I don't know, "reappear", this is a quick fix. This color stays in my purse for daily wear.

   This next shade is also perfect for everyday wear. For a suble brown that isn't messy when it fades, I reach for my Estee Lauder Pure Color Envy lipstick in shade 160 "Discreet". Like the Burt's Bees lipstick, this feel super hydrating and is perfect for an extra touch of oomf in my makeup looks. My tube is probably very old, not quite sure. But I gotta do what I gotta do. Look, it's gross and unsanitary, I already know. But look how wearable it is:

    And finally, a matte lipstick that I absolutely love. I already loved Kat Von D's "Bow 'n Arrow" Everlasting Liquid Lipstick. But for the first time, I tried the ColourPop Ultra Matte Lip products. I purchased a pack of minis since I had never tried ColourPop before, and the pack I purchased was called Gone Wishing. Inside, it had five different shades. The shade that I've been using constantly is Take a Pixie. It's such a deep, warm brown color and I just think it's the most smooth-looking matte lippy I've used. I just love this color so much. And it stays on for so long.

Category 5: Eyes

   I have two eye products that I need to recognize. The first is something I've used, probably since the fall, but I never added it in my favorites for some reason. It's the NYX Epic Ink Liner. It's amazing and easy to use. Although it's a brush and not a felt-tip eyeliner pen, the bristles all come to a point, making it super precise when making cat eyes constantly, like myself. Only thing is, after having this for a few months, some bristles are finally getting a bit out of line (which you can kind of see in the lower image). Maybe it's time for a new pen! ​The liner stays in tact for so long and it beautifully opaque. It's just a staple now.

   Finally, the Tartelette Toasted palette by Tarte. It is everything and more. This was another gift that Tyler's sister got me for Christmas. Once again, Tarte comes at me with a palette that smells like candy and looks like absolute fire. I'll let the swatches do the rest of the talking...

Swatches (from left to right): S'more, Sunrise, Sunset, Crackle, Cashmere, Warmth, Flame, Cozy, Candle, Latte, Simmer, and Fireside.

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I feel like this post was kind of all over the place, but I hope you folks enjoyed this one! I'm going to go put some more pink into my hair now. 

Keep on grinning!

​Lydia