Monthly Favorites: February 2016

Hi everyone!

I'm so excited to share my February favorites with y'all today! First favorites of the year! I know I skipped a few months because of work and other responsibilities I cannot get away from - sigh, adult life - but I'm back to talk about a bunch of awesome stuff with you so let's get to it!

TOOLS

Mushroom Brush: This little guy surprised me! First of all, it's super cute with short, densely-packed bristles and a very thick and chunky handle. I intially didn't like this brush because I felt it didn't apply my foundation properly and the handle was nakakangalay and a bit difficult for me to use. However, I gave it another shot by trying it with bb creams and using dabbing motions instead of swirling/buffing the brush, and I loved the result! This gives a smooth and well-blended look to my base and I enjoy using everyday, but I've yet to try it with thicker formulas.

Pink Flat Top Kabuki: I got this as part of a brush set purchased from @yourbeauty_fix and I love this! There are three more large brushes and five smaller brushes in the collection, but this is the best out of the bunch. What the mushroom brush can't do (I got mine from the same shop), this does beautifully. I find it works well with any foundation I have because of how dense and soft the bristles are. It has a shorter handle which makes it easier to store and take with me for travel.

Pink Blush Brush: This Real Techniques wannabe was one of my best beauty finds when I went to the 168 Mall in Divisoria last year. This is probably the best blush brush I've used because it just applies and blends my blush beautifully. I like to swipe some color from my temples all the way under my eyes, and I find the size and cut of bristles perfectly fit those areas my face. Plus they're so soft and fluffy and feel so good on my cheeks!

Watsons Eyebrow Razors: I've been grooming my eyebrows myself for the past few months because I'm both lazy and cheap, and these eyebrow razors have been a great help. I use them to trim above my eyebrows to keep everything nice and neat.

SKINCARE

Jersey Sun Shore Mongongo Lip Balm: I asked this lip balm from my sister because it smelled just divine! This comes in a Vanilla Coconut Cream scent - I love vanilla and coconut separately, but together they smell delicious! I use this to prep my lips for lipstick when getting ready in the daytime, and then as an overnight lip conditioner before going to bed. This hydrates my lips nicely and prevents them from flaking with regular use.

L'Occitane Lip Balm: Another awesome lip balm, but in a liquid and unscented version. This came in the in-flight business class grooming kits my dad give me whenever gets some. I find that this hydrates my lips even better, but it can feel a bit greasy when I apply too much so I use just a tiny bit in the morning and slather it on at night.

Josie Maran 100% Pure Argan Oil Light: Probably the best moisturizer I've ever tried. I saw this in my sister's medicine cabinet and asked for it when I saw it was hardly used, and I'm so glad she decided to hand it down to me. Sounds strange - oil for oily skin? What? But it really does work and it moisturizes my skin like no other. I made this part of my nighttime skincare routine since January and my skin has become softer and clearer because this has helped lighten a lot of my dark spots, and I even notice a very healthy glow when I wake up the next day. This is the only pricey product in this list of favorites, but I definitely think it's worth a repurchase.

Benzac AC Keratolytic Gel: I've tried a lot of acne medication after developing acne two years ago, and this has made the biggest change in my skin when it comes to spot treatment. First of all, it's not a miracle worker that makes zits disappear immediately, but it does work. Smaller pimples and bumps can fade overnight, while larger and more inflamed pimples can take a few days to dry, which is faster than when they're left alone. And I've got to say, my skin has been pretty clear the past few weeks thanks to my trusty Benzac AC and the rest of my skincare regimen.

FACE

Benefit Stay Flawless Primer: This little cutie mini size was part of one of the swaps I did with Maj of @makeupinmanila sometime last year, and while I don't like it for an overall face primer, I think it helps extend the life of foundations or bb creams on my nose, which is the oiliest part of my face, and I enjoy using it for that purpose. Still, I really should invest in a better mattifying primer.

Maybelline Super BB Cream in Natural: Speaking of bb creams, this one's really good! I find the shade in the right undertone yet a bit too light for me (there are only two in this line, and the other one's darker than I'd like), but I make it work by applying just enough product and setting my face with a tinted powder. The staying power and coverage is okay on my very oily skin, and in comparison to my favorite 4U2 dreamGirl Faith BB Cream, this feels silkier and blends better on my skin. Expect a review and comparison in the future!

Maybelline Fit Me Concealer in Sand Sable: I get the hype! This product is pretty popular in the beauty world and I can see why. This has a light and creamy consistency that blends easily and smoothly when applied to my undereyes and gives decent coverage to conceal my dark undereyes / proof that I don't get enough sleep at night. It creases minimally, if not at all when set properly, and stays put most of the day if I my eyes don't water too much.

EYES

Daiso Eyebrow Pencil in Dark Brown: I've talked about the really awesome Daiso eyebrow pencil several times in my blog already, but I wanted to mentioned this specific shade in the hot pink packaging because it's perfect for dark hair - not too warm but not too ashy. Plus, it seems to glide on smoother than its baby pink-packaged counterpart. If I decide not to pursue dyeing my hair lighter, I'll keep purchasing this fo-sho.

Maybelline Lash Sensational Waterproof Mascara: My most favorite mascara to date. I haven't tried that many, and most of my earlier mascara adventures are invalid because I really didn't do my lashes too well, but this is just so good! I'm a one-coater because any more than that, my lashes start to look spidery and clumpy, so building up volume isn't really something I do. BUT THIS! I get enough volume to make my lashes fuller in just one *generous* coat and my lashes stay curled all day. Loooooove it.

CHEEKS

Ever Bilena Advance Cheek Color in Fig: First of all, I love the packaging - I'm a sucker for tiny things. Second, I really like the color! This gives a *berry* flushed look to my cheeks that looks vibrant but still natural. I did have an issue with it blending / applying a bit patchy when I first got it, but after breaking through the top layer it got better.

Milani Baked Blush in Luminoso: Another cult beauty favorite that is now part of my personal favorites! Not much else can be said of the beauty that is Milani Luminoso. It's warm, it's glowy, it's peachy - it's just oh-so-pretty. I did own this a few years back when I preferred a matte flat finish on my face, and this was a little too shimmery for my liking so I passed it on. But now that I don't mind a bit of that healthy glow, this has become a staple in my makeup kit.

LIPS

Fashion21 Color Mood Lipstick in Mystical Mauve: A very inexpensive find that I got for even cheaper because it was on sale. This is one of my go-to lipsticks when I can't think of what to wear or pair with my outfit because it's such a natural and vibrant warm pinky mauve - it literally "gives me life" and that young, fresh appearance whenever I feel my face looks tired.

Ever Bilena Matte Lipstick in Toast of New York: This smells soooooo freaking good, like the vanilla coconut cream scent of Mongongo lip balm got even sweeter and more delicious. I would describe the shade as a warm orange-leaning brown which might scare some, but it's really such a flattering shade that'll fit into the currently popular 90s lip trend.

Maybelline Creamy Matte Lipstick in Touch of Spice: I've wanted this lipstick for so long and I finally picked it up during my holiday vacation. This is suuuuuuch a beautiful warm brown-red-mauve shade that I know will look great on any skintone. The formula on these Maybelline Creamy Mattes is amazing as well; they apply so smoothly, have great pigmentation, and give off a matte finish without drying out the lips - Maybelline's got hydrating lipsticks down to a science.

Maybelline Creamy Matte Lipstick in Nude Nuance: I saw this in Ulta and brought it home with me despite looking really *blah* in the packaging and in store light. I'm so glad I did because this is such a flattering rosy brown. It makes a great neutral lip color when I want something natural but with a pop. Does that make sense?

Sephora Cream Lip Stain: I've heard so many people talk about this shade (particularly @beautywithemilyfox and @allanaramaa) so I really, really, REALLY wanted to get it. I actually went to Sephora three times looking for this, and I was so happy/lucky that they restocked it in the middle of the holiday season! This is a medium dusty pink mauve that just looks so good and feels so comfortable when I wear it. If you're interested, Sephora is now in the Philippines and carries this shade, so go grab one now and thank me later. ;)

Lime Crime Velvetines in Shroom: This is actually "SG authentic" i.e. made in China, with ingredients and manufacturing processes not necessarily approved by the FDA. I know I'm gonna get flacked for saying this, but the shade is just soooooo lovely - it's the most flattering dusty warm nude I've ever swatched that I asked Arlan to get it for me knowing that it is what it is. I've been mostly wearing it for photos, with a makeshift lip primer to create a barrier between the product and my lips, and I haven't experienced any side effects. The Menow Kissproof Soft Lipsticks I just reviewed are also made in China and I haven't experienced any side effects with those either, so I'll keep using this Velvetine until I don't like it / find a dupe.

NYX Liquid Suede Cream Lipstick in Soft-Spoken: I picked this up the same day I got Nude Nuance, and I really wanna kick myself for not getting more! I've seen swatches of this being compared to Kat Von D's Lolita, though that came after I fell in love with this deep brown-pink-mauve (I suck at shade descriptions so bad, I'm sorry!) and the formula - it's like a more comfortable and pigmented version of the Soft Matte Lip Creams.

BH Cosmetics Liquid Lipstick in Clara: The crowd favorite! I've received so many compliments whenever I wear this deep rosy brown and I completely agree with how beautiful it is. This formula is what I would consider a "true liquid lipstick" - it has a thin, very fluid consistency that dries down to a long-wearing, kissproof formula. It does feel rather drying on the lips, so I would definitely recommend exfoliation and a lot of moisturizing.

Colourpop Ultra Matte Lip in Bumble: This is my other go-to lip color when I have no idea what to put on - a vibrant warm terracotta red that brings life to my face and also gets a bunch compliments. The formula is similar to that of BH Cosmetics so the same stuff applies - exfoliate and hydrate for prepped lips.

And that's it for my February favorites! I know - so many lipsticks for just two lips, but I'm a lipstick eater! What are your current favorites? Let me know down below! Thank you so much for spending time with me for this post. Until next time! Take care everyone!

♥♥♥

All opinions and photos on this blog are my own, and all products reviewed have been purchased with my own personal funds, unless stated otherwise.

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