Current Favorites!

It has been about a month since I last put my favorites up and I have been trying to stick to a schedule of dong one at least every four weeks.  Last December, I was all about red shades for lips and nails but then as soon as the holidays went by, I really stopped wearing red on a daily basis.  Right now I am more interested in skincare products and mixing more neutral shades into my makeup looks.  I am all about leaving winter behind as soon as possible and beginning to wear shades that scream "spring", I still haven't even really begun my spring beauty shopping yet but I have a huge list of products and shades that I want buy. 

My favorites right now include the Tarte Pure Maracuja Oil, which should be no surprise to anyone since I raved about the product in it's initial review and have been comparting every single skincare product that I have used ever since to it.  In fact, I had planned to do a Theme Week of skincare ingredients this month but I am having to push it to next month since I haven't been able to try all the products that I bought and still use the Maracuja Oil optimally.  It it pretty rare that I find a skincare item that has the power to change my whole regime...

My five favorites of right now!

Tarte Pure Maracuja Oil - "A 100 percent pure organic maracuja oil.  This undiluted organic and moisturizing maracuja oil quickly absorbs for firmer, brighter, smoother skin. Pure maracuja oil is rich in vitamin C, so skin appears instantly brighter and more radiant, as well as essential fatty acids (EFAs), a requirement for healthy skin cells that the body cannot produce on its own. EFA deficiency can result in the breakdown of essential skin cells which causes skin to appear dry and aged. By supplementing skin with pure maracuja oil, you are infusing life back into dull skin and replenishing EFAs to rapidly rebuild and repair. This potent antiaging elixir that has anti-inflammatory benefits promotes active skin recovery and delivers maximum hydration without any greasy or filmy feel."  I just can't rave about this face oil enough, it is very hydrating and is actually helping my skin to retain moisture in between uses.  My skin just looker brighter thanks to all the Vitamin C in the product and my face hasn't taken on the gray pallor that it often does in the dead of winter.  The only breakout that I had when I started using the oil has compltely gone away and no more have popped up since then.  This oil is the best product that I have used on my skin for the past few months.

Illamasqua Nail Varnish in DWS - "A vivacious nail varnish.  Leave your mark with bold, rich, vibrant colors that stand out. The formula is long-wearing and chip-resistant and contains individual finishes from matte to high-gloss. Apply two coats for high-intensity and use with Illamasqua Nail Base Coat and Illamasqua Nail Top Coat for the perfect finish. Make a statement and talk with your hands!"  DWS is a "cement gray cream" and is a neutral hue for me this time of the year.  this shade matches pretty much everything that I own and I get three to four days of wear from the shade with very minimal tip wear.  I have been turning to this shade at least once a week for the past month and I will continue to wear it for the rest of the winter and then into spring.

Viktor and Rolf Flowerbomb - "This floral explosion releases a profusion of flowers that has the power to make everything seem more positive. Magically evocative notes immediately awaken your deepest senses, giving you the impression of living life in your own secret garden, away from reality. Sambac jasmine, centifolia rose, cattleya orchid, and ballerina freesia bloom on a base of patchouli.  Notes: Sambac Jasmine, Centifolia Rose, Cattleya Orchid, Ballerina Freesia, Patchouli."  Flowerbomb is a spicy floral that works best in the cold weather and I have been using it all the time for the past month, I will need to put it away come spring and that actually depresses.  This is one of the few spicy scents that I can easily wear and I love how the rose and jasmine notes mix and produce one of the prettist floral fragrances that I have used. 

Matrix Miracle Treat 12 Lotion Spray - "Conditions like a lotion. Sprays like a mist. Sunflower Oil, rich in antioxidant, provides 12 instant benefits: Helps protect color-treated hair/Detangles/Helps seal the hair from damage/Helps prevent breakage/Maximizes natural body/Smoothes the cuticle/Deeply conditions/Helps strengthen hair/Delivers instant silkiness/Increases manageability/Tames frizz/Helps restore shine."  I have been using this leave-in treatment every other night and so far have avoided most of the winter hair pitfalls.  My static and flyways are reduced and my hair is much softer to the touch.  This product helps to smooth the cuticle and protect hair from both heat styling and the elements, while keeping color from fading.  This is a great leave-in for dry winter hair and my hair is in much better condition than before I started using it.

Illamasqua Powder Blusher in Katie - "A powder blusher.  Illuminate and enliven your complexion with the color and drama of Illamasqua Powder Blusher. Color intense and highly pigmented, it can be used to shade, brighten, enhance, and define the shape of your face. Be bold, be daring, and be the center of attention."  Katie is a "light milky pink" and I can only pull the color off when my skin is pale.  This shade gives me the perfect light pink flush and makes me looks as though I have just come in from the cold.  Pink blush shades are my favorite and this is the one that I have been using for the past month.

My favorites right now are all about keeping my skin and hair looking nice and healthy throughout the cold weather months.  Hydrating products for my face and hair are making me look good right now and therefore mean that I will look much better in the spring months.  Usually at the end of this month is when I start thinking about what I need to do my appearance to start getting ready for spring and this year I have been using some great products that will take me into the warm weather very easily!

photo courtesy of Sephora

Viktor and Rolf Flowerbomb

One of my newest perfume obsessions is one that has been on the market for several years now and has been a consistent best seller at Sephora, Flowerbomb by Viktor and Rolf.  I remember vaguely when this fragrance was first released, I tried it sometime in the warm weather and passed over it since I then decided it was too strong and spicy for that time of the year.  As it often happens, I wanted to go back and try it again when it is would be more appropriate but I ended up passing over it for all the new fragrances that had been released in the fall months.  I remembered that it was a spicy floral, not a top choice of mine so I often skipped over it for fragrances that were more on the pure floral side.

I ended up trying this fragrance out again last fall, a sample was included with an order that I made from Sephora.  I first tried it right after Labor Day and it was still too strong to wear at that point.  In October, I returned to the sample and used it every day for about a week.  Yet I was still undecided on my opinion of it.  Obviously, I loved it enough to keep wearing, if I would have hated it then it would have ended up in the trash can after three wearings (I always try to wear a fragrance three times before I decide if I will purchase a large bottle or not).  After using through the whole sample, I knew that I really liked it and wanted to get my hands on at least another sample or a small bottle of the fragrance.  Right around this time, Sephora offered a good sized bottle of this fragrance as their 100-point BI perk and I jumped at the chance to get more of this fragrance.  I have been using this small bottle for the past month and now I have collected my thoughts and made decisions on this fragrance.

Flowerbomb is the type of fragrance that it took me a longer amount of time than usual to fall in love with, but I fell harder for it than I have had for many fragrances on the market.  The spice notes in this fragrance set it apart from the rest of the florals on the market and make it much harder to wear, this fragrance is on the stronger side and works best at night or in a professional environment.  This is not a floral that I would wear with a sundress on a casual day.  This is fragrance that works best with stilettos...

The Sephora website carries all the sizes of this fragrance and many matching body products.  "This floral explosion releases a profusion of flowers that has the power to make everything seem more positive. Magically evocative notes immediately awaken your deepest senses, giving you the impression of living life in your own secret garden, away from reality. Sambac jasmine, centifolia rose, cattleya orchid, and ballerina freesia bloom on a base of patchouli."

The notes of this fragrance are: Sambac Jasmine, Centifolia Rose, Cattleya Orchid, Ballerina Freesia, Patchouli.

This fragrance starts out soft and floral, the first few sprays of it are very similar to many other floral fragrances and it made me wonder why this one was considered to be so unique.  After the initial drydown, the Jasmine, Rose, and Patchouli notes come out and settle on the skin.  The Rose fades out after several hours and the Jasmine and the Patchouli are left and these are the two notes that I can smell on my skin the rest of the day.  The fragrance becomes much spicier and more unique as the heart notes come out and it dries down. 

This fragrance is a combination of white and pink florals, the pink florals smell the best on my skin but the white florals makes the fragrance last for more than 12 hours on me.  This combination is the best of both floral worlds for me and I love how this fragrance was crafted and came together.  this fragrance will be one that I wear in my current profession and then later on when I graduate with my my masters degree.  I will need to buy a full bottle of this, however once I finish up my large sample of this, we will be heading into spring and I wouldn't be wearing this fragrance at that time of the year.  I am aiming to buy a new bottle of this next July or August and to have the room cleared off on my bureau to start wearing it at the end of September.  I may have found a new fragrance to introduce into my elite list of ten favorite fragrances!

photo courtesy of Sephora

Viktor & Rolf Flowerbomb La Vie En Rose

Viktor & Rolf's Flowerbomb fragrance is one that seems to be either loved or hated. It is burst of floral notes so it isn't hard to see which group I fall into. A new version of the scent has just been released which I am more excited about than the original, Flowerbomb La Vie En Rose. Yes, it has the magical rose note in it that doesn't follow me to not like it. Also, the bottle is bright pink, putting more points in its favor.

Sephora places this fragrance in the Floral category. The description of the fragrance from their website is as follows, "This limited-edition fragrance has the power to seduce with the same glamorous extravagence as the classic Flowerbomb Eau de Parfum. This sparkling and sophisticated rendition entices you to indulge in the power of a refreshingly crisp sensation. The scent opens with top notes of tangerine, bergamot, tea, and pink pepper. Lily of the Valley, freesia, and Centifolia Rose create the floral heart. A base of amber and patchouli provides a compelling anchor".

The notes of the fragrance are: Tangerine, Bergamot, Tea, Pink Pepper, Lily of the Valley, Freesia, Centifolia Rose, Amber, Patchouli.

In the comments section of the Sephora website, someone noted that this fragrance is lighter than the original Flowerbomb. The original is quite heavy and I would use it in colder temperatures as to not overwhelm those around me. I want to try this fragrance out for myself and determine what season it would be best in. With the Pink Pepper and Amber notes, it still might be too strong for warm weather. However, I am already beginning to decide what fragrances I need to buy for fall, so I can decide what shopping list to put this one on.

photo courtesy of Sephora