September 2013 Favourites

Hi!!

I know I am a little late on this post, but better late than never right? I am so excited to be writing about my monthly favourites for the month of September! Monthly favourite videos are some of the best videos to watch on Youtube, because bloggers always talk about the coolest products! I love making wishlists of all the new products people are raving about to remind myself to check them out in stores. 

September 2013 Favourites

I have found myself switching up the products in my makeup routine lately, so thought that I should talk about them. I have been using a mix of both drugstore and high-end products this month, so there should be something for everyone in this post! 

If you would like to know more about the products I have been loving for the month of September, then keep reading! 



1. BECCA Ever-Matte Poreless Priming Perfector ($44.00 CDN for 1.35 oz) 

BECCA Ever-Matte
Poreless Priming Perfector
$44 CDN for 40ml/1.35 oz

I received a sample of this primer by redeeming one of my 100 point perks at Sephora. I keep hearing about BECCA products and I had heard that this is a great primer for oily skin. Although I have normal to combination skin, I decided to try it out before work one day under my L'Oréal True Match Foundation and it kept my foundation on ALL day. At work, I usually get oily very quickly as I am constantly getting steam in my face (one of the many perks of being a barista), which makes my makeup separate and slide all over the place. When I looked in the mirror, my foundation was surprisingly still in tact and my face was significantly less oily. The primer itself has a silicone-like texture, but becomes very tacky when you are massaging it into your skin. I don't necessarily like that tacky, glue like texture, but I swear that that's the reason why it works! I definitely like this primer better than Benefit's Stay Flawless 15-hour gluestick Primer ($38 CDN for 0.54 oz) which I have used maybe twice since I bought it. It kind of pulls my skin and feels quite stiff and drying. I will of course use try to use it up before I buy the full size BECCA primer, but I would definitely recommend trying a sample of it if you can! 

You can find this at Sephora!

2. Marcelle BB Cream (Light to Medium) ($22.95 CDN for 1.5 oz/45 ml)

Marcelle BB Cream
$22.95 CDN for 1.5 oz

This item is a repurchase of mine. I went through a phase of LOVING this product, then stopped to try other products. However, I find myself reaching for it again as of late. It is very natural looking on the skin, which I like for days when I don't really feel like bothering with my makeup. I use about 2-3 pumps (It has a pump!) and just rub it into my skin with my hands. It has a very creamy, smooth finish and blends into the skin easily. Also, with most BB creams, the added skin care benefits are a bonus! This BB cream is marketed as an 8 in 1 multi-benefit cream that can be used alone or under foundation.The only downside to this product (and most BB creams with few shade ranges) is that this shade is still a little too dark for my skin tone (I wear an NC15 in most MAC foundations FYI). The scent of this product is also not the greatest, but again, I keep coming back to this product and repurchasing it. Of course, if you're willing to spend more money on a higher quality BB cream or tinted moisturizer, there are amazing ones out there. I just feel that for the price (although still a high price point for a drugstore product) this product is a great drugstore BB cream. 

This product can be purchased as most drugstores, (I get mine from Shopper's Drug Mart) or directly from Marcelle. 

If you are however looking for a more high-end product, Tarte's Amazonian Clay BB Tinted Moisturizer Broad Spectrum SPF 20 Sunscreen ($47.00 CDN for 1.7 oz/50 ml) is incredible! I absolutely love this product and wore it every day in Summer. It is great for hotter months as it has an SPF of 20, and it lightweight, oil free, paraben free, and very moisturizing. The shade range is also much broader (8 shades total) and I wore the 3rd lightest shade in the range (Light-Medium) for reference. 

3. L'Oréal True Match Super Blendable Makeup ($15 CDN for 30 ml) 

L'Oréal True Match Super Blendable Makeup
$15 CDN for 1.3 oz/30 ml, Drugstores 

This is an amazing drugstore foundation! It has a wide range of colours in both warm and cool tones, and contains an SPF of 17. It is a super-blendable, medium to high coverage, long-wearing foundation. I wear shade W2 (light ivory) in this foundation. The texture of this foundation is very creamy, and sets to a demi-matte finish (which is great, as it accomodates a wide variety of skin types) Although the bottle can get quite messy (it is a small glass bottle with no pump), I still love this foundation and would recommend it to anyone. I have actually been reaching for this foundation more so than my L'Oréal True Match Lumi Foundation (I wear shade N 1-2) this month which is crazy because I LOVE the Lumi foundation for a dewy, glowing finish, and use it pretty much daily. Either way, you can't go wrong with either of these foundations, as they are both excellent, long-wearing foundations that create flawless finishes! If you haven't tried them yet, I strongly encourage you to do so. They are both great everyday foundations and the drugstore price tag is a bonus. These foundations can be found in most drugstores for between $10-$20, so look out for sales! 

4. NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer (Chantilly) ($30 CDN for 0.22 oz/6ml)

NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer
$30 CDN for 6ml

I know what you're thinking...how could I possibly love any other concealer when I have MAC Pro Longwear Concealer (I wear shade NW15 for reference) in my life? Well don't worry, this delightful little guy has not replaced my beloved undereye concealer. The NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer is described as "a creamy concealer with hydrating, multi-action skin care benefits and light diffusing technology to create a softer, smoother complexion." It retails for $30 CDN and I purchased mine at Sephora. 

I actually purchased this product a while ago when it first came out because Wayne Goss raved about it in his video. How can you say no to that wink?! It's impossible! Anyways, I purchased it on a whim (which is probably why it isn't the greatest shade match for me) thinking that I could use it for highlighting. I purchased the lightest shade in the range (Chantilly - true ivory) which is a little too light for me but I make it work. The thing that I love about this concealer is the texture! I originally thought that because of it's thick and creamy texture, that it would crease under my eyes. However, this concealer magically blends into the skin effortlessly and doesn't crease! It comes in a standard NARS glass tube (similar to their lipgloss), and has a doe-foot applicator. I find myself reaching for it when days that I want a brighter look under my eyes, and sometimes even layer it over my Pro Longwear concealer. To blend it in, I use my beauty blender (which everyone needs in their life ASAP) and it creates the most flawless, highlighted look under the eyes. I also use it down the centre of my nose, and on my cupid's bow for a brighter look. 

5. MAC Eyeshadows in All That Glitters, Soft Brown & Swiss Chocolate Pro Pan Refills ($12 CDN for 1.5 grams) 

MAC Eyeshadows (L-R): All That Glitters, Soft Brown, Swiss Chocolate 
$12.00 CDN for 1.5 grams (PRO PAN), $18.00 CDN for 1.5 grams (SINGLE EYESHADOW)

I haven't been using my MAC shadows for some time now, because I was honestly too lazy to pull out my big palette when I had so many small eyeshadow compacts on hand (like my Urban Decay Naked Basics palette or NARS Bellissima eyeshadow duo). However, after seeing a simple eye look on Instagram using only All That Glitters and Soft Brown, I had to recreate the look ASAP. For an everyday, simple but glam neutral eye, I place 'All That Glitters' eyeshadow all over my lid, and buff 'Soft Brown' into my crease. I finish by adding some 'Swiss Chocolate' eyeshadow along the lower lashline. This look is so simple, but it honestly pulls a look together and I have been loving using this combo this month!

You can find all of these eyeshadows on the MAC website! 

6. Urban Decay Revolution Lipstick in Native ($26.00 CDN for 0.09oz)

Urban Decay Revolution Lipstick
$26 CDN for 0.09 oz

These new Urban Decay lipsticks are absolutely phenomenal! At first, I was quite skeptical to purchase them, because I feel that $26 for a lipstick is pretty steep for Urban Decay (MAC lipsticks are $18, and YSL lipsticks are $39 for reference). However, after purchasing one, I immediately noticed the awesome colour payoff and creamy buttery texture of this lipstick formula. If that wasn't good enough, the lasting power of this lipstick was insane. Because of its creamy texture, I assumed that this lipstick would compare to MAC's Cremesheen formula, which last for about 3-4 hours if that. However, I was pleasantly surprised when the colour was still evident 4-5 hours later. I also purchased the Urban Decay 24/7 Glide On Lip Pencil in Native ($23.00 CDN for 0.04 oz), and together this lip combo is amazing. It is so long wearing and moisturizing, and best of all, doesn't separate or slide off my lips. The lipliner itself glides on smoothly, but becomes sticky so that when I apply the lipstick, it stays put and doesn't budge. I definitely want to pick up more of these lipsticks in the future, because I have been wearing this colour tons this month! (which is crazy for a lipstick lover like myself) I strongly suggest checking out these lipsticks next time you're in Sephora if you haven't yet done so. 

7. Illamasqua Powder Blusher in Tremble ($34 CDN for 4.5 grams)

Illamasqua Powder Blusher in Tremble
$34.00 CDN for 4.5 grams 

Illamasqua's blush formula is by far the best blush I have ever used! The powder is incredibly finely milled, and it SO creamy and buttery to the touch. The pigmentation is beautiful, and it blends into the skin effortlessly! I purchased this blush a while ago from the Sephora in the Eaton Centre, which I believe is one of the only Sephora locations that carries Illamasqua products in my area. I have been using this blush for months and it still barely has a dent in the product. I have been using this blush like crazy for the past month, along with Benefit's Rockateur. This colour can be worn year-round as it is bright, but not overwhelming in any way. Although $34 is quite a bit to spend on a blush, it is totally worth the price in my opinion. I would love to pick up a few more colours in the range and would recommend you trying them if you haven't yet done so. 

This can be purchased from Illamasqua's website & Sephora

8. MARC JACOBS Highliner Gel Crayon in Blacquer ($30.00 CDN for 0.1 oz)

MARC JACOBS Highliner Gel Crayon
$30 CDN for 0.1 oz

This is another product that I redeemed 100 points for from Sephora. I remember testing out Marc Jacob's beauty line the day Sephora released it in stores, and I swatched the eyeliners on my hand. The next day, I still could not wash them off! The staying power was insane, and the liners themselves are so creamy and pigmented. The formula of the liner has a gel-like consistency, and the pencil glides on so smoothly. So when I saw that Sephora had a deluxe-sized sample of this, I had to pick it up. I have been using this eyeliner on my waterline, and it glides on super smoothly and lasts all day. The packaging of the product is also amazing. The eyeliner is encased in a plastic silver twist-up case that feels very luxurious. Because this product twists up, it requires no sharpening, and therefore doesn't scratch the waterline like some other eye pencils. I have been loving it this month, and fear the day that my sample runs out, because I don't really want to spend $30 on a black eyeliner. 

Marc Jacobs Beauty can be found at Sephora 

This concludes my monthly favourites for the month of September! If you would like to see swatches of any of these products, or any in-depth reviews, please let me know in the comments section! 

Thank you so much for reading!  

XO, 
Brittany