IT Cosmetics Heavenly Luxe 7 Piece Brush Set with Stand ($60 + S&H)
This. THIS. Oh my goodness. I received this for Christmas from my brother and bless his soul if these aren't the softest makeup brushes I've ever come across. I want a pillow made out of whatever cruelty-free hairs that are on these brushes because I would probably have the best sleep I've ever had. Seriously. It's times like these I wish I could crawl through my computer screen to yours and (weakly, as it takes a lot of energy to travel through these things) show you these brushes so you could feel them. It's like a party every time I apply my makeup. And, in terms of price, these brushes are extremely economical. It comes out to less than $10 a brush, which is such a good deal, compared to Real Techniques (their Expert Face Brush is $9), EcoTools (their Bronzer Brush is $10), and Sigma (their E40 Blending Brush is up to $14 now). This is an amazing deal and I wish everyone and their cat could have this brush set. I do believe this is a complete set and I don't think there's a dud brush in here. Plus, it comes with a super-classy stand. How cool is that? My brother got this from QVC (because my mother is addicted to tv-shopping) but you also find it on IT Cosmetic's website (which is a "$254 value" going for only "$262"! Hahaha)
Benefit Fine One One ($30 for .28oz)
My mother bought me a shoebox full of makeup (literally, she bought a whole bunch of makeup and filled up a shoebox--do you know how hard that is?). She was watching tv shopping shows (as usual) and saw some good deals on kits, so she got me some goodies for Christmas to review on my blog. I'm so thankful to have people in my life who support me in whatever crazy, moneyless endeavor I decide to embark on, whether it be majoring in theatre (living in a cardboard box) or starting a beauty blog (living in an even smaller box). Anyway, one of the items in the magical shoebox o' fun was this cream blush. I've been getting into cream blush recently--my dry skin loves it, especially this one from NYX). This particular one has three rows: a light pink highlighting color, a brighter pink, and a coral. Then, with just a second of blending, you have a natural flush! This color works great for my ghostly-pale complexion and it's so easy just to swipe it on and go. I have to pull my skin a little taut when applying this, since I still have some baby fat, but I love this nonetheless. Plus, the packaging is oh-so cute (even if it does attract finger smudges like nobody's business). The only thing I dislike about it is the staying powder. Within a few hours, my easy and natural flush is gone, so I have to bring this to reapply. Still, I can't be too mad, since reapplying only take a second. Just make sure to wash your hands beforehand (pun intended, but germ-free hands is not a joke)!
Revlon Colorstay Smoky Shadow Stick in Torch ($9 for 1.9g)
I believe these have just been discontinued, judging by the fact that they were discounted during the CVS Winter Beauty Sale (the happiest and saddest time of the year). I use the light pink side more often than the brown side, even though the brown is the softer and more pigmented of the two. When I only have seconds to do my eyeshadow (which is the majority of the time, because getting out of bed in the winter is hard), I love these. I just do a wash of pink over my lid to brighten it up and I'm done. I really hope Revlon releases another cream shadow with their Spring collection or sometime in the future because the drugstore needs more cream shadow options. But only if they won't crease--I want crease-free shadows like these or nothing at all. I won't stand for it, Revlon (as if Revlon is reading this).
Josie Maran 100% Pure Argan Oil (Full-size: [1.7oz] $48)
(Sample-size [.5oz]: $14)
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This argan oil has been a life saver this month. Not only have I been using it on the ends of my hair, but also on my lips. Boston winters are cold and cruel, and I've been battling dry, chapped lips for about a week now. Argan oil is the only thing keeping them for breaking off my face and looking for a better home elsewhere (which is both gruesome and unfortunate). I've been rubbing a drop (that's all you need) on my lips, followed by a layer of Vaseline Lip Therapy once that sinks in. It's the only moisture barrier that will give my lips a chance standing up to the brutal wind in this city. Plus, it gives the ends of my hair some moisture so they don't look so dry. Winter sucks. I should move to California. If only I could afford the rent, or a car, or moving costs. There's also the whole "I go to school in Boston," thing. Oh well. For now, I'll use this. You can buy bottles of argan oil for way cheaper, but I've heard that if the price is too good to be true, it probably is. If there's a 1oz bottle of argan oil being sold for less than $15, it's probably been diluted or the beneficial properties aren't as strong. But that's just what I've heard. I'm interested in trying out other oils once I run out of this (which will take awhile, I imagine). I have to say, I haven't used a lot of products from my Ipsy bags last year, but this is one that I am glad to have gotten.
Benefit Fake Up Concealer (Full-size [3.5g]: $24)
(Sample-size [.5g]: $3.50)
I guess Benefit is the Kayo Dot of my Fave Five this month. I absolutely adore this concealer. It covers up, brightens, and hydrates my under-eye area. What more could you ask for? I've tried going back to my Physician's Formula Circle Rx but I just can't. This doesn't crease on me, it helps my under-eye area stay happy and moisturized in the cold, and it makes me look less dead in the morning. What more could you ask for? I'm almost out of my Birchbox sample from October, but that's okay, because I got a full-size in my Mom Box of Makeup!
Well, that's it for this month! What's on your Fave Five this month?
Disclaimer: My family is awesome and gets my awesome Christmas gifts. Everything else I paid for myself. College Beauty Buff does not accept monetary compensation for reviewing products because that's just not cool, yo.
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