2014 favorites | skincare

2014 was the year where I discovered and frequently lurked /r/skincareaddiction thanks to James and learned so much about taking care of my skin. I'd recommend the subreddit to anyone, whether you're struggling with skin issues or not. The main things I changed in my skincare routine are using oils, switching over to an inexpensive moisturizer that does the same job as some of my favorite high-end ones, and most importantly using sunscreen. So, here are my favorite skincare products from this year!

haul | staples from sephora

Hi! I have a mini haul to share with you guys today~ I didn't mean for it to happen, but most of these items are repurchases/things I'll actually use more than a few times. I'm happy to say that I didn't buy everything at once, and I'm managing my beauty spending quite well!

soap & glory | hand food

This has been a long time favorite of mine. It's very moisturizing but not sticky or greasy, and sinks in pretty quickly. I don't have much to say about this other than it does what a good hand cream should do. The scent is very subtle, which I like a lot. I got the smaller size, which is perfect for my handbag.

elizabeth and james | nirvana white

I've been hearing lots of good things about this perfume, and when I tried it on in Sephora I knew I had to get it. It's described with notes of peony, muguet, and tender musk. Even my sister likes it a lot - she doesn't usually go for florals. It goes along wonderfully with my Fresh Sugar Lychee perfume, and it seems to make that last a little longer as well. I opted for the rollerball version because I don't typically wear perfume often enough to go for a bigger size.

korres | lip butter in mango

I had another one of Korres' lip butters in Jasmine. When I went to Canada last time, I slept at one of my friend's places (now boyfriend - wait, whaaat?) and forgot to pack it when I left. No big deal, I could just take it back when I go there in June. Wrong. So wrong. My life feels empty without this lip balm. It's the best I've tried so far, and my lips are very unhappy without it.

nars | sheer glow foundation in ceylan

I've been using the NARS Sheer Glow foundation for a while now, but I haven't found my shade up until recently. I started off with Santa Fe which was too pink, exchanged it with Fiji which was close but a tad too golden, and exchanged it yet again for Ceylan which is perfect! I did feel bad for exchanging so many times - but with their awesome exchange/return policy, I feel like Sephora really does care about its customers (I'm glaring at you, Forever 21).

What are some of your staple products?

Until next post,

Becky

some favorites + i'm back!

First off - so, so, so sorry about the unexpected, unannounced hiatus. I don't have an explanation - I just haven't really been feeling it lately. I've also been avoiding this blog and blog-related emails like the plague, so I apologize for that as well. Anyway, onto the post - I thought it might be appropriate to introduce some products I've been liking a lot during my time away from here n____n

fresh | sugar lychee rollerball

Finally, a perfume that I can say I truly love and look forward to putting on every day. There are some others that I like, but I can't say it's something I would want to use every day. It's a nice, light, and fresh scent - quite sweet, a little floral, a little spicy when the top notes start wearing off. I won't bother going on any further with describing the scent since I'm not the best at that - you'll just have to give it a spritz (or in this case, a roll) when you get the chance.

nars | radiant creamy concealer in honey

My favorite concealer by far. I'm skeptical of all concealers in general, but I remember Rikki mentioning it in one of her posts. It doesn't look cakey, powdery, or find its way into fine lines like most concealers I've tried. It's also really easy to work with and doesn't catch onto dry patches, which is a huge plus for me. Honey in particular is great for masking stubborn under eye circles.

skincraft organics | fresh cut deodorant

I hated using deodorant in the past because the store-bought ones always leave a waxy film that's difficult to get off in the shower. Yes, I'm aware I give off a terrible stench when I sweat (everyone does!). No, I'm not putting deodorant on. Since this little gem came into my life, I've been looking forward to putting deodorant on every day. Which sounds silly, because deodorant is one of the least glamorous things out there. I love that it's made from natural, organic ingredients that don't do harm to your body. It doesn't smell like jasmine and ylang ylang like the description says, but it's still a pleasant scent. You will still sweat - and that's a good thing, because that's what your body was made to do - but offending body odors will be kept at bay.

urban decay | grindhouse sharpener

At first glance, I totally wasn't going to shell out $10 for a freakin' pencil sharpener. I decided to give it a try anyway when I needed an extra bump for free shipping and couldn't find anything else with a small price range. It has a smaller sharpener for eyeliners, and a bigger one for shadow sticks. Blows. Me. Away. Never before have I sharpened a pencil with such ease, sharpness, and precision - ok I'll stop. Did I mention that it doesn't break the tip off either? But seriously, it's worth the hype and price.

korres | lip butter in jasmine

One of the best lip care products I've tried. I dislike that it comes in a pot that you have to dip your finger in, because it's more prone to getting little pieces of dust in the lip balm and that just drives me nuts. That, and it's not exactly sanitary to be dipping a (possibly) dirty finger into which is why I only use it when I can wash my hands (aka home). Other than that, it's a nice and basic little product that keeps my lips moisturized and happy! Also, this smells nothing like jasmine. It's still a nice scent, though.

Until next post (and I promise it won't be 2 months later),

Becky