Monthly Beauty Favorites | April 2015


It's crazy to think how quickly the year is going by! Another month down means another month of beauty favorites. Between birthday gifts, hauls and travel, April was a month for trying out a lot of new products and finding a lot of new favorites. Here's what I've been loving the past month.

Boscia Black Charcoal Blotting Linens
I've used a lot of blotting sheets in my life but these are by far the best I've ever tried. I'll usually just pick up cheap, $1 packs from e.l.f. but I go through them like water. It takes 3 of those sheets just to blot my whole face. These blotting linens are not only thicker but are over twice the size of the e.l.f. sheets. They also contain 100 sheets rather than 50 in a pack and smell deliciously fruity. One sheet gets my face looking completely oil-free without disturbing any of my makeup. Plus, how cute is this packaging? These babies were a gift from my friend Emily and even though I never would have spent $10 on blotting sheets prior to trying these, I think they're totally worth it and will definitely be picking up another pack when these run out.

John Frieda Brilliant Brunette Luminous Colour Glaze
I've been very stressed lately about the copious amount of white hair I've been noticing on my 27 year old head. Every time I look in the mirror those pearly little hairs seem to be staring right back at me. Since my hair is almost black they stand out all the more and it's been driving me crazy. I know it's about time to start coloring my hair but since I was going on vacation and still needed to decide exactly how/when I was going to color it, I picked up the Brilliant Brunette Glaze to use in the mean time. This coconut-scented brown glaze adds a lovely hint of color and shine. You just apply it right after conditioning your hair and rinse. It doesn't give you the same grey coverage you get by coloring your hair but it's just a little something to take that stress down a notch.

If you saw my recent French pharmacy haul you already know about my love of this matte moisturizer. It gives you the perfect amount of moisture and leaves your skin looking smooth, soft, and prepped for makeup. 

Another recent French beauty love, this lip balm has an odd, thick texture but really sinks into the lips and leaves them smooth and moisturized for hours. I keep this baby on my desk and dab a bit on whenever my lips are feeling a bit parched. If you have really dry lips and Chapstick just isn't cutting it, this is a great product to try.

Vintage Illuminating Face Highlighter
Ever since I received this highlighting blush in my March Ipsy bag I've been a bit obsessed with it. It doesn't have a ton of pigmentation on its own but I love to layer it over my Stila Convertible Color in Peony for a bit more color. It adds a beautiful glow that really wakes up my complexion and lifts my cheekbones. I never thought I would love a highlighter this much since I'm usually a matte finish kind of girl but the feelings run deep.

Kiko Long Lasting Stick Eyeshadow in 05 & 06
I've had my eye on these lovelies for quite a while and though Kiko is primarily found throughout Europe, they've recently been opening quite a few stores across the US. After hearing tons of British beauty bloggers rave about the lasting power of these eye-shadows, I knew I needed to try them. So off I went to the new Kiko store in Queens and swatched a couple on my hands. Even with all the hype, I was still shocked by how strongly pigmented these were and how quickly they set. I tried rubbing and rubbing at them but the swatches remained smudge-free. The color 05 is a rosy brown that really makes my eyes pop and 06 is a bronzed brown shade that's right up my street. I basically wore these every day during my trip to Ohio and several days a week since I've been back. They're so easy to work with and they last on the lids all day long. The only thing I wasn't expecting was the shimmer that runs through them, but because of the almost metallic finish of the colors it doesn't really bother me. If you find yourself near a Kiko store I would highly recommend trying these out. You'll definitely be impressed.

Not Soap, Radio The Stuff That Cupid Dips His Arrows In Lotion
A few months ago I tested out the Not Soap, Radio Cupid Body Wash and fell in love with its intoxicating blackberry scent. The brand was kind enough to reach out to me on twitter and offer to send me the lotion to try out as well. I've been carrying this baby in my purse ever since and though I knew how much I would love the fresh, seductive scent I was a bit shocked by how incredibly soft it left my hands. Sometimes I'll put this on in the morning and feel my hands around mid-day and ask myself "why do they feel so soft?". I still don't know that I buy the whole "pheromone activation" claim but this lotion is fantastic and definitely one to pick up.


That's it for my April favorites! What have you all been loving lately? Any new products you've added to your routine? Let me know.


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