April Favorites + beautiful Chicago spring weather

My wonderful boyfriend got me an amazing new Nikon camera for my birthday this past Tuesday, which means that I'll be able to blog a whole lot more than before! Also, today was the last day of classes for the spring semester. PHEW! Although I'll still be pretty busy studying for finals next week.

I thought I'd take a break from studying and share my April favorites with all of my lovely followers. This is my first time doing a "favorites" post, and it is pretty exciting. I have a TON. Now on to the good stuff...



L-R top row: Neutrogena Healthy Skin Anti-Aging SPF15 Cream, Garnier Skin Renew SPF28 Daily Moisture Lotion, MUFE HD Foundation #120, Revlon Coral Reef Super Lustrous l/g, MAC Vegas Volt l/s, Wet N Wild 521A l/s, Wet N Wild 511B l/s)

(L-R bottom row: MAC Smolder eye kohl, MAC Soft N Gentle MSF, MAC Soft Brown e/s, MAC So Ceylon MSF)

(Not pictured: Victoria's Secret Perfect Lipstick in Scrumptious, Beyond the Zone Super Sexy Waves Spray, which I will do a review on very soon.)

Neutrogena Healthy Skin Anti-Aging SPF15 Cream:
This stuff TRULY works! I can't believe how much of a miracle this inexpensive ($11 at Ulta) drugstore moisturizer is. I heard so much about this on Makeupalley that I just had to pick it up. It contains retinol, and is proven to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. It also helps with acne and scarring. In addition, this product also contains some sunscreen. I noticed results after the first day of using it. I have pretty good skin, but I do break out here and there. I use Clearasil cleanser, which has really helped clear up my face and keep it that way. But the one thing Clearasil does not help with are those annoying tiny dry bumps on my forehead. This Neutrogena product cleared up those bumps after ONE USE! I couldn't even believe it. I've been using it consistently for about 1 and a 1/2 weeks now and it has already made a dramatic difference to my skin. It is noticeably smoother, and most of my blemishes and acne scarring have disappeared. My face looks brighter and healthier. Some Makeupalley members have noted that the retinol may irritate your skin at first. I had no irritation problems with this, but if it is irritating for you, use a small amount every other day. Most members who initially experienced irritation and break outs at first had no problems after using it for a few weeks.

Garnier Skin Renew SPF28 Daily Moisture Lotion:
I purchased this to replace my Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel. The Clinique moisturizer was becoming costly since I go through it so quickly. Additionally, I wanted to find a product with skincare benefits. The Garnier contains Vitamin C, Lycopene, and is packed with so many other beneficial ingredients. One look at the ingredients list and I was sold. It works well with my oily skin, and the SPF28 is great. It doesn't feel heavy on the skin and doesn't clog my pores. I was very worried that this would break me out since I've been using Clinique every day for the past three years, but it didn't! I've noticed my skin has gotten smoother since using this. It does have a fruity scent, but it is very light and actually quite pleasant.

MUFE HD Foundation #120:
Gives me wonderful coverage, but also feels light on the skin compared to other medium-full coverage foundations. I can't stand heavy foundations. This one is just perfect. I love that MUFE has a great range of yellow shades, which is usually my biggest selling point when it comes to foundation. It's the best foundation I've tried so far, and it blows my Revlon, MAC, NARS, and Giorgio Armani foundations out of the water.



(Left: MAC Smolder eye kohl, one line and smudged. It is much darker, stark black in real life.

(Top-Bottom: VS Scrumptious (pictured on right as well), WnW 511B, WnW 521A (there is a blue sheen IRL), MAC Vegas Volt, Revlon Coral Reef

Revlon Coral Reef Super Lustrous l/g:
Read my previous review on this lipgloss! :) It's a wonderfully pigmented, coral shade- perfect for summer, especially layered over MAC's Vegas Volt lipstick.

MAC Vegas Volt l/s:
This is my favorite bright lipstick for warm skin with yellow/olive undertones. It's a bright, creamy coral. I think it looks best when used with a lip brush. It's very summery and very retro and instantly perks up and brightens my face. The creamy, pigmented Amplified finish is to die for. In fact, I've read in an interview that this particular shade is used on a few of the ladies on Mad Men. You can brighten it up by layering, but you can also mix it with a lighter lipstick or concealer to get a nude coral/orange dreamsicle color.

Wet N Wild 521A and 511B l/s:
Honestly, the first time I saw these, I had to get "CHEAP, HOOKER, TACKY" out of my head, and instead, imagine how wonderful it would look with a clean, neutral face. But these are creamy, pigmented, and SO ridiculously cheap. I got mine half off for about 60 cents a piece! lol. I heard about these on Makeupalley (where else!) and was immediately intrigued. I've been really into fuschia lips, but I know I will get over it after spring and summer, so I wanted something cheap that would satisfy my craving for bright lips. 521A is a perfect dupe for MAC Show Orchid. It has a blue/violet undertone compared to 511B and also has a blue sheen, just like Show Orchid. 511B is slightly warmer and reminds me of MAC Petals & Peacocks from the LoL collection. It is creamy with no sheen or shimmer, and it is slightly lighter than 521A. These do have a slight smell, but definitely nowhere near as offensive as say, Rimmel. I would have never taken a look at these before, but I'm glad I did.

VS Perfect Lipstick in Scrumptious:
This is so creamy and beautiful. It's a peachy light coral that somewhat reminds me of MAC's Shy Girl. The finish is similar to that of a MAC lustre. My only gripe is that this does not last as long as I would like it to, but I guess that is with all semi-glossy formulas.

MAC Smolder eye kohl:
This is an excellent kohl for smudging on the lower and upper lashlines. It is the perfect complement to the smokey eye. I also use this with light neutral looks to give it a sexy twist. It doesn't last all day on the waterline, but it lasts longer than most kohl pencils, which are meant to smudge. If you don't smudge this out, it tends to travel to above the crease, which I find very strange. Smudging it also makes it last longer. This is slightly blue-black when smudged out and a carbon black when drawn on normally. Personally, I would only use this to smudge out. It looks absolutely amazing smudged along the lower lashline, and you only need a tiny bit to work with. I also love using this eye kohl to blend out and layer underneath a duochrome shadow like Club. It brings out the beautiful dimension and is also a great base. A true classic!



(L-R swatches: Soft N Gentle, So Ceylon, Soft Brown e/s)

MAC Soft N Gentle MSF:
My favorite MSF highlighter. Gives my skin a beautiful frosty sheen without going overboard or coming off as sparkly. I like this better than Perfect Topping (too subtle) and New Vegas (golden glitterbomb).

MAC Soft Brown e/s:
I've been using this every day since I purchased it, and I regret not getting it earlier! I love using in the crease with Blanc Type or Ricepaper on the lid. Sometimes I even darken that look with a bit of Cork or Embark on the outer v. It is light, soft and sophisticated, but it also gives my eyes definition compared to no shadow. It is also the best blender shade to use to make your crease color and highlight blend together seamlessly. I'm not a big fan of this shade on the lid though.

MAC So Ceylon MSF:
This MSF is definitely up there with my coveted Shooting Star. I'm really glad I was able to pick it up at my CCO. It really structures and warms up my face and cheekbones. A lot of people have mentioned that this is a rosy bronzer, which did not appeal to me and reminded me of Benefit Dallas. But in fact, I find that there is not a ton of rosyness that transfers onto my cheeks. It just gives me a bronze glow, but the rose tones do give it a slightly different look compared to my other bronzers. It's hard to explain, but overall, I was very impressed with this and it looks like a healthy bronze rather than a blush.



Just thought I'd post a pic of the view outside my window. The screen made the picture look a little funky. It was a beautiful day in Chicago today. Minus the ridiculous wind. But who knows? It will probably drop back down to 50 degrees from an 82 degree day like it usually does. lol. Chicago weather is so messed up!

Also, you know you're a terrible blogger when you find unposted pictures from Christmas time during the spring season! LOL.



Well, hope you all enjoyed this post! Let me know if you have any questions about any of the products listed. I'll try to be a better blogger now that I'll be on summer break. In my next post, I'll be reviewing my new obsession- Beyond The Zone's Super Sexy Wave Spray!