Beauty Favorites from May 2014

May 2014 Beauty Favorites

As I discover the world of green beauty, I am using up the products already in my stash. I’m trending green on new purchases but need to use up what’s already in my stash.Deodorant is the first product I went “green” with. I’ve tried many natural deodorants over the years. I was almost settled on Tom’s when I read a review about Zion Health Clay Dry Deodorant.There isn’t a natural deodorant will will keep your underarms bone dry but what’s most important to me is to smell fresh throughout the day. This product is reasonably priced, easy to roll on and isn’t wet so you don’t have to wait to get dressed. I’ve been using this same container of deodorant for about 6 months and I swear I still have 50% of the product left. I’m close to declaring this my Holy Grail deodorant.

I dusted off my The Balm’s Frat Boy Shadow/Blush to give it another go for summer. This is an easy blush to wear – it provides natural looking color and goes on easily. The packaging is lightweight which is good for traveling. I brought my Laura Mercier Cheek Contour Brush back into rotation recently and it’s been working great with the Frat Boy Blush. This brush is just the right size for my face and deposits just enough color right on my cheekbone. I think I’ll experiment using this brush for contoure our in June.

Speaking of brushes, I wanted to give a shout out for the Real Techniques Dual Fiber Face Brush. I’ve been using this brush to lightly apply powder to set my foundation. The bristles are super feathery so it doesn’t cake on the powder for more of a a natural finish. The Real Techniques brushes are fantastic for the money.

The one product I won’t leave home without is corrector. The Graftobian Corrector in Soft Orange is marketed as a Blue Neutralizer and it pretty much cancels out my under eye darkness. This product works so well, I can even get by without layering a concealer on top.

I had never heard of Malloy makeup until I saw Emily from The Beauty Broadcast rave about it in one of her favorites. The Malloy Volumizing Mascara beefs up my lashes in one coat with its fluffy brush. It’s a thick consistency and I don’t notice any smearing throughout the day.

So many You Tube makeup gurus are gushing about Makeup Geek Eye Shadows. They are only $5.99 each so I couldn’t resist picking up a few to try them for myself. These eye shadows are FANTASTIC for the money; creamy and very pigmented. I ordered 4 colors and keep them in a Mac quad palate. Purely Naked is matte with a slight sheen and is great all over the lid and into the crease for an easy one shadow look. Vanilla Bean has a slight sheen for a subtle brow or inner eye highlight. Crème Brûlée is a great matte crease color and an alternate to Mac’s Soft Brown. Cocoa Bear is a rich matte reddish brown that works great for eyeliner and the outer “V”.

I found out about Mac’s Lustre Lipstick in See Sheer from one of Essie Button’s Monthly Favorites videos. Orange is THE go-to shade for summer and it just so happens that I’ve been obsessed with this lipstick for months. I like lipsticks that aren’t in your face bright or dark and can be applied without looking in a mirror. This lipstick is has a soft orange hue, has a slightly shiny finish and is totally wearable for my corporate job.

I’ve been using argan oil for about 6 months now and it’s superb. I stumbled across the Josie Maran Argan Love Your Skin Cleanse and Nourish To Go set waiting in line at Sephora. The set includes a trial size of Josie Maran 100% Pure Argan Oil and Argan Cleansing Oil. This argan oil is silky on the face without feeling too greasy and the dropper makes it easy to control the amount of product dispensed. I’ve seen reviews that state that Josie Maran’s argan oil is more expensive than others but I love its consistency, it’s working well for me and the small size is perfect for traveling.