December Beauty Favorites 2013

Ola beauty lovers. I just can not believe it is the end of 2013 already. My has the time gone by quick. I remember just starting out this blog in May and thought we have plenty of time till the end of the year.
But that time has crept up on us fast. Today I am going to talk about my monthly favorites. Now a lot of you may ask "What about your yearly favorites?" since we are at the end of the year, and I plan on doing a yearly favorites next week some time, I just need a minute to get together my favorites of the year. So today will be my monthly favorites. I don't know about you all but I just love these types of posts or videos because they tell me what that person enjoys using daily to monthly. Let's just jump right in.

1. California Mango Nail Cuticle Oil
- Every winter my cuticles get to the point where I am afraid to leave my house looking like a crusty handed girl. No lie, so every time I give myself a manicure (every 3 days or so) I drench my nails and cuticles with this oil to ensure the moisture is put back into my nails and cuticles to prevent cracking, peeling, splits, breakage and all that jazz you ladies know about when it comes to natural nails. I have a refillable mango cuticle bottle to put in this little jar so this is my go to cuticle oil. Very affordable at Sally's. You can really use any cuticle oil you have at your finger tips, and if you don't want to go out and buy it, then just stick some olive oil in a little reusable cuticle bottle and use it that way. Very cheap and at your finger tips :) Love you girls!

2. Mango Vera Hand & Body Lotion: Professional size
- Again every winter my skin just gets so dry that I get dry rashes because my skin gets overly dry. So this huge bottle of body lotion has been my go to for months, but especially this month since this month is when it got really cold in Canada. This lotion smells like mango with a hint of Aloe Vera. Very affordable under $10 at Sally's and lasts a long time. I have had this bottle for about a year and use it every day. Doesn't leave your skin greasy and that is why I enjoy it so much!

3. L'Oreal Youth Code Eye cream
- Got this eye cream months back at Wal-Mart for under $10 and it has lasted me so long, I am trying to finish it, I enjoy it a lot as a drug store under eye cream. Doesn't leave your skin greasy, and works great when you apply it before your makeup/concealer. I have dry under eyes so this stuff helps out with moisturizing.

4. Lancome Multi Vital Face Cream (Deluxe Sample size)
- I have so many face creams to get through, and so far out of the ones I have tried, I really enjoy this Lancome one. The amount of moisture built into this cream is phenomenal. This has SPF 30 which is an added bonus, and when I apply it before my foundation, it applies smoothly and doesn't leave behind any greasiness. Love this cream this winter. I can imagine the regular tub is expensive so I will hold off buying it until I finish the rest of my creams. #Beautyloverproblems

5. Britney Spears Midnight Fantasy Perfume
- Been a fan of Britney Spears since I was 9. Don't judge lol anyways, loved her perfumes as well. Midnight Fantasy is a great perfume for those who do not like the strong scents out there. This perfume you can spray on a few times and the strength will not increase from when you apply only one spray. Very subtle and smells soft. This perfume has been my go to all month long, I have been enjoying it. You can get these perfumes at your drug store.

6. Maybelline Color Tattoo in "Bad to the Bronze"
- These are great alternatives to the MAC paint pots in you don't want to go spend a lot of money on the MAC paint pots. I have a few colors in my collection but this month I have been using the Bad to the Bronze shade. Love this color for all over the eye lid by it self with nothing else. Simple and classic especially for those days you are rushing out the door. These color tattoo's go for $7-$9 depending on where you get them. Love these baby's. Word on the street is that there are limited edition ones that are matte and are the same color as your skin tones but I haven't been able to find them. But nonetheless these are great.

7. Sigma Eyeshadow Base in "Persuade"
- Another lazy route I have been going is applying a shadow base and some liner with mascara and out the door I go. When I do that I have been going to my Sigma shadow base in Persuade. Love this pink flesh tone. It just makes your look so much more crisp and simple. Love it. I think these bases go for around $10 give or take a few bucks. The staying power of this base is long lasting and keeps the look fresh throughout the day. Love it. This is also another dupe for Macs Painterly paint pot.

8. Clinique Intense Chubby Stick Lip Balms
- Now these balms I have done a more detail review a few weeks ago. But I just love, love, love these sticks. They are so pigmented, moisturizing, and they don't chap my lips like matte lipsticks do in the dead cold of winter. Love these, I now have six shades, I got a few from Christmas :)

9. Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette
- For those days when I use shadows, my go to palette this month has been the Urban Decay Naked 3 palette. I received it in the mail at the end of November and I did not put it down once this month. I also did a more detailed review on this palette, so go check out my previous posts! Anyway, love this palette, love the rose gold theme, and I love how its a more subtle palette that I can work with for work on an everyday basis.

10. Clarisonic Mia
- I have had this baby for two months now and I have been using religiously since it arrived. Love this thing to exfoliate and polish my skin. The amount of dirt it removes that I didn't see it before is mouth dropping. I don't know what I would do without this baby now. It is expensive, but it is so worth it in the long run. I have the Clarisonic Diaries posts to tell you my journey with this baby but I must warn you, it is a love hate relationship. Go check out my posts and you will see why!
http://macgirl25.blogspot.ca/2013/12/clarisonic-diaries-dec-6th-2013.html
http://macgirl25.blogspot.ca/2013/11/the-clarisonic-diaries-nov-23-2013.html
http://macgirl25.blogspot.ca/search?q=clarisonic+diaries 

11. TRESemme Thermal Creations Heat Protection
- This is one of the most well known products over YouTube. This is my heat protect-ant I use every time I flatiron my hair. Love this stuff. Doesn't leave your hair greasy. Keeps your hair soft and silky and is VERY affordable, about $5. Love this stuff so much that I have a back up of it. Yup I am not ashamed.

12. Biosilk Silk Therapy Serum (Sample Size)
- Got this as a sample at the Toronto Hair Show and I have been using it since March and its been lasting me ages. Love it! It makes my hair feel so silky and soft after I blow dry it. It makes me want to caress my hair all day. I definitely notice a difference when I don't use it and that should tell you something! I am not sure what a regular size bottle would cost, but if you can get your hands on the sample size it should last you a while. Love it, been using it all month long.

Well ladies and gents, that is all of my favorites for this month. Hope you enjoyed, and I wish all of my fellow readers a Happy and Safe New Years! Don't forget, if you are drinking, DON'T DRIVE!

P.s. Don't  forget to check out my YouTube Channel: MacGril25Antonietta

Until next time beauty lovers <3
MacGirl25

Current Empties June 2013

This time of month is so cleansing lol and ladies what I mean by that is seeing the box filled with empty beauty products you have been working on to finish. YES it feels like I have accomplished something LOL. I bet you all feel the same way when you work hard to finish a product. So lets just jump in, I will be writing a small review of each product below so you can get an idea if the product is worth to try or not! Enjoy!

1. Delon+ Premium Cotton Rounds

 - I had these cotton rounds in my May empties and I will always have these in my empties because I go through these like water. They are the best cotton rounds to remove make up and they have Aloe Vera and Vitamin B5 in them to help with the hypoallergenic feature they have. I get these in bulk at Costco for about $15. The best thing ever for make up removal especially on the eyes.

2. St. Ives Restore 24hr Moisture Advanced Body Moisturizer
 - Love this moisturizer for the body. When you apply it you can feel how enriched it is with minerals and vitamins. It felt heavenly on the skin. Will definitely purchase this one again. The formula was not heavy, more on the light side and it did not leave a film on my skin at all. You can find this at any drug store/Wal-Mart around your area.

3.Peter Thomas Roth Mega Rich Body Wash
 - Loved this body wash. It has a sweet citrus scent and it was great for the morning showers when you need to wake up more. Loved the moisture it gave my skin, not drying at all. This product says it has Micro-beads rich with Vitamins A,C,E and pro vitamin B5. Love Love Loved it! I got this as a sample in a purchase I made last year so I think I will be on the hunt for this one in full size. Not to sure of the price since it was a sample but if I do find it I will definitely let you guys know.

4.Bath and Body Works Anti Bacterial Hand Lotion in Cucumber Melon
 - I enjoyed this hand lotion more at night. I have one in the same scent in purse, but I find I don't use lotions that are in my purse as often as I would use them if they were sitting by my night stand. It has a cucumber citrus scent to it, but its very light and not over powering which I enjoy more because sometimes when hand lotions are too over powering they make you feel like you just had the wind blown out of ya . I would be more interested in checking out Bath and Body Works other lotions as well. So I will get back to you on the other scents. So far Cucumber Melon is good. I would say its a very fresh spring/summer scent.

5. L'oreal Voluminous Waterproof Mascara in Black
 - I have to say I enjoyed this mascara more in the winter. Why you may ask is because I find this mascara has a tendency to flake on me in the warmer months and it drives me crazy. You know how annoying it is to check yourself out in the bathroom at work and you see these black fallout flacks under your eyes from the mascara?! Makes me look like I totally skipped out on the concealer which I DID NOT! I would say I wont be re purchasing this any time soon. Possibly in the winter but we will see.

6. Lancome Bi Facial Eye makeup remover
 - This is another travel size I had as a points gift at Shopper Drug Mart for those of you who live in Canada. Love this eye makeup remover. I had this in my last empties and I cant say enough great things about it. Gentle on the eyes, no stinging, and takes your make up off with one swipe. So easy to work with. The only down fall is a regular size bottle of this goes for around $30 and I just cant seem to spend that much on an eye makeup remover since I go through eye make up removers so quickly. But if you got the money and you can splurge then I say go for it and try it out, you wont be disappointed.

7. Burt's Bees Honey lip balm
 - I love this lip balm. It is all natural ingredients, and smells delicious. I love balms that come in a tube form because they are easy to carry with you and apply without having to get your fingers all messy and yucky.
I have one of these babies in every place I spend a lot of time at, my office desk, my car, my night table, my home office, and my purse in case I am no wear near any of the mentioned above locations LOL. Don't hate I am a girl who needs to keep her lips hydrated no matter what the season. It ain't pretty when your lips look like they were scraped against concrete if you know what I mean ladies.

8. Urban Decay Original Primer Potion
 - I definitely enjoyed this primer potion. I had the sample size with the original formula. The only thing I didn't like was the packaging of it. Came with a doe applicator and the bottle was a hard plastic you can not squeeze. I heard though that the new formula of the Urban Decay Primer potions come in a squeeze tube which is great! Looking forward to getting that one once I finish my smash box one.

9. Shwartzkopf Bonacure Hair Therapy: Repair Rescue Intense Leave in Treatment
 - I got this travel size as a sample at the Hair show a few months ago. Let me just say, AMAZING. This stuff saved, "rescued" my hair and its ends. It fights off split ends like you wont believe. It comes in a spray form so you spray it in your hair after you shower and towel dry your hair. Love the packaging so convenient. I am on the look out for this in full size so once I find it will let you know the price and if I can find a dupe for it, which so far I cant!

10. Dove Cool Moisture facial cleanser
  - This was my favorite facial cleanser EVER! Until sadly I found out that they discontinued the Dove Facial products. I was heart broken. I thought I may have a back up but I cant seem to find it so I will be on the hunt for another great facial cleanser. This cleanser was amazing, kept my skin moisturized without making it oily. Its breaking my heart to see this bottle finish. *tear*

11. Tresemme Dry Shampoo for oily/Straight to normal hair
  - This was the first time I ever tried a Dry Shampoo and it was meh. It's not bad, but its not spectacular either. I have ventured off to try another Dry Shampoo and will let you all know my thoughts once I form an opinion on the new one I purchased. If I needed a dry shampoo and this one was available to be and closest to me then I wouldn't mind using it, but its not my favorite.

12. Warren Tricomi pure strength smoothing lotion for your hair
  - Got this at Winners for $6 and it is suppose to smooth away flyways and strengthen your hair. But I normally use it just to smooth away the breakage I have at the top of my head. Not bad, but not spectacular either. I would use it again and will use it again since I have a back of it. :)

13. Lush Brazened Honey Fresh Face Mask
  - My first time trying the Lush fresh face masks and they are great! This one in particular is very hydrating which is exactly what I need in the Summer warm months. I spend lots of  time in the sun so my skin can be drying, De hydrated and this mask helps bring back the moisture. AMAZING. Definitely a repurchase.

14. Scented Candle in ocean scent

 - For only $1.25 at the dollar store love these candles. Can't go wrong with these and they last a long time. I had one of these in my last empties as well so will definitely repurchase once I go through some other candles I have.

Until next time Beauty Lovers

MacGirl25