May Kiss List — Products I Absolutely Love

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So back in May I bought a couple of products that I really needed/wanted and let me tell you, they’re pretty damn awesome. Like these products literally give me life. Okay, well they don’t exactly give me life, but I do get really excited when using them. So I decided to write a post about their awesomeness! Alas, my May Kiss List was born. Maybe you’ve read my January Kiss List and loved it so much that you’re excited to see what products I’ve listed this time. So without further ado, I give you the best of my May purchases.

1. Too Faced Melted Matte Lipstick in ‘Lady Balls’ — $21

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I love red lipsticks, and I had been using this fantastic red lip creme from Tarte for many months, but then I ran out and really needed a new red lipstick (that particular shade was limited edition). So I went looking around at Sephora for my new red lipstick and I swatched ‘Lady Balls’ and fell in love!

It’s literally a bright, cherry red color — perfect for getting dressed up or if you just want to make a bold statement (which I pretty much always want to do). This is from the Melted matte collection, which is great because matte is my favorite lip finish. I also love that it goes on soft and really smooth — no yucky, sticky feeling at all! I have worn this lip color for more than 12 hours and haven’t experienced fading, creasing, or dry lips (which can sometimes be an issue with a lot of matte lipsticks). The applicator tip gives me ample control when I’m trying to get every application perfect (or as close to perfect as I can get it!) Bottom line, I hope this lipstick never gets discontinued ever, because I have literally found my red lipstick match made in heaven!

2. ELF Face Primer — $3

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Cosmetics from ELF are one of my favorite finds because they’re great quality and super inexpensive — just ask the gel eyeliner from ELF that I use basically every day. Anyway, I picked this up at CVS Pharmacy one day because I really wanted to start using primer again. I’m actually really picky when it comes to making primer purchases because I have oily skin and wear medium coverage foundation, so I hate using primers that make my face and foundation noticeably oily. It was really cheap so I went for it and I was NOT disappointed.

When applying this primer, you get a sort of silky feel that gets worked into your skin really quickly. Two pumps is usually enough for my entire face and I don’t wait for this dry because I never feel like I need to. I have worn this under foundation for 13-14 hours at a time and I have rarely felt the need to blot or reapply my makeup. A definite favorite!

3. ELF Eyeshadow Primer — $1

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I love doing fun eyeshadow looks but sometimes my eyeshadow fades throughout the day. Despite this I’ve never felt the need to purchase eyeshadow primer, but since this was only $1 I decided to go for it. I love that the product is actually white because when I rub it on my eyelids it leaves a light, white base, so if I want to do an extremely bright and vivid look all the colors show up nicely. My eyelids don’t feel oily and I haven’t experienced any creasing so far. I definitely think that this eyeshadow primer is great if you’re looking for something extremely affordable or if you’re an eyeshadow beginner.

4. Urban Decay Perversion Mascara — $21

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OH. EM. GOD. Mascara is probably the makeup product I’d never leave home without, so I’m really picky about which ones I purchase. My eyelashes are naturally long and curled, so I hate mascaras that make them look clumpy and spidery. I do love getting a “fake eyelashes” look, but without too much drama. I started off by buying a sample sized mascara and I loved it so much that I bought the full-sized one.

Perversion from UD doesn’t clump my eyelashes together and it also doesn’t cause any flaking. Plus, removal is pretty easy — I just gently wipe it off with makeup remover wipes so that I can start again fresh the next day. I also really love the wand itself because I hate wands that are so small and sparse that you could literally count the number of bristles on the wand. This is definitely a fantastic mascara!

5. Sally Hansen Hard as Nails Hardener — $3.99

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It’s weird how I pay attention to my nails every single week, but I don’t actually pay attention to them. Basically, I’m a huge fan of nail art so I paint my nails all sorts of designs, but I don’t usually think twice about caring for them the way that I should. I use a base coat and that’s about as careful as I am. But I was at Rite-Aid one day and my eyes glanced over this nail hardener. It was only $3.99 so I decided to go for it. It promises to strengthen your nails and reduce chipping and breaking, which sounded like a great idea to me. In the past my nails have broken much more easily when they got really long, and so far I haven’t experienced any breaking or chipping since using this.

Be warned, however, this product does NOT promise to grow your nails faster, so don’t expect it to!

I would totally repurchase every single product on this list because, well, they’re great!

What are some of your favorite makeup products from May? 

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My Spring Break Beauty Wishlist

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I look forward to any type of week-long (or longer) break from school because it gives me a chance to think about myself, which can be pretty hard to do when you’re juggling classes, exams, work, internship hunting and the drawn out process of getting your shit together. So when I’m being understandably selfish, I like to think about beauty products I have and ones that have really been on my mind. My Spring Break has officially started, and since I’m not going anywhere special, I’ll definitely make use of this time to explore new products. I know you’re just dying to see what super cool beauty products I’m dying to purchase, so without further ado this is my Spring Break beauty wishlist:

Too Faced Peanut Butter and Jelly Eyeshadow Palette – $36 

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I think this palette is super cool! I love that the concept for this palette was inspired by something as simple as peanut butter and jelly. I love the bright purple jelly shade on the palette and even the warmer shade of purple. The browns for the peanut butter are super warm and remind me of an almost sun-kissed look. The great thing about this palette is that even if I don’t feel like strutting around campus with purple eyeshadow, I can always create a beachy glow using the browns. Seriously, I can actually feel the heat just staring at this palette! I think it’s pretty affordable at $36, especially considering it’s a limited edition palette.

Urban Decay Gwen Stefani Lipstick in ‘Firebird’ – $18

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I’ve always been in love with berry colored lipsticks. I think they go beautifully with my medium-tan skin, however it’s usually a hassle for me to find one that I’m head-over-heels for. Usually the ‘berry’ lip colors I get are either way too sheer to show up on my lips or they aren’t the shade I thought they’d be. After looking at endless swatches of this shade online, I finally decided that this will be my ultimate berry lip color. It’s creamy and rich and very affordable! I was actually considering taking a trip to Manhattan to the Bite Beauty Lab where you can get your own color consultation and have your very own unique shade of lipstick made right in front of you (whoa) but in my opinion, the lipstick is fairly expensive. At $45 for one lipstick, I definitely feel a little stingy about spending, so a cheaper alternative that can give me the look I want is the way I choose to go.

Coastal Scents Creative Me #1 Palette – $14.95 

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I love super bright, fun, colorful eyeshadow looks! I definitely want to start experimenting with my eyeshadow more by trying out funky, electrifying looks and I think this palette will be the best way for me to do this. It’s relatively cheap for a non-drugstore palette with this many shades, and the color combinations are definitely interesting. As the weather warms up, eyeshadow that reminds you of a tropical island will definitely be super cool!

Coastal Scents Classic Stippling Small – $4.95 

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I have pretty much always been in need of a stippling brush — I could just never ever find an appropriately priced one. Seriously, I have gone to numerous stores in search of an affordable stippling brush for when I apply my foundation, but could never find one so I’ve always had to settle for just the the flat brushes, which don’t get the job done as well. I prefer to stipple my foundation into my skin because I have a couple of scars from breakouts and the stippling motion almost ‘fills’ them in, in comparison to a rubbing or blending motion. But I think this will be the brush for me! I have never seen Coastal Scents being sold at any stores, so I suppose I’ll have to order it online. But if anyone knows of a place in New York (the city part, not the upstate part) where I could purchase Coastal Scents products, do let me know!

African Black Soap – $12.95 

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My family is Caribbean, so I’m already fully aware of the wonders of natural beauty products. We know of so many natural remedies and soaps and scrubs from Caribbean islands and African cultures, so this really isn’t the first time I’m hearing about African Black Soap. I actually am currently using an African Black Soap facial wash and mask from a brand called Shea Moisture. But what draws me to this specific product is the fact that it very clearly contains the ingredients in a more pure form. There are no added acids, fragrances, or anything like that, which could take away from effectiveness of the product. I am definitely very acne prone and would love to try a more natural product. This product is also from Coastal Scents.

What products are on your Spring beauty wishlist?