January (2015) Favorites

*DISCLAIMER: you better believe I didn't clean/wash any of the products in this post because 1) I'm not a professional and I don't need to and 2) ain't nobody got time for that.

Favorites posts and videos are my favorite. I love to see what products professionals and amateurs alike are loving on and using most frequently. I have personally purchased many products because of their hype on a favorites post/video. But let's be real, I suck at making my own favorites posts. I always plan on doing it, but then something comes up and then we're a week into the new month and it just becomes too late. NOT THIS MONTH THOUGH. This month I made sure to start working on my favorites before the month even ended (and I was still five days into the month). Because I rarely do favorites post, you guys are gonna get slammed with things I've been loving for the past couple months.

I have a lot of favorites this month, but let's start with the star...

Oh my goodness! Since receiving this palette two weeks ago, I have used it every day I have done my eye makeup. This palette is 100% worth all the hype surrounding its release as well as the headache of ordering it. It's full of colors I've been wanting for a long time but never got around to purchasing. To keep it short: I am in love.

Jaclyn Hill Favorites palette got me like...

Another favorite of mine for the last couple months has been my ABH contour kit. I picked this up at Ulta right before Thanksgiving and have been using it religiously since then. I love the definition these powders bring to my face! I alternate using Vanilla and Banana (sometimes both) to brighten my under eye area and absolutely love Fawn for my contour. I haven't touched another bronzer or highlighting powder since I purchased this.

Tickled Pink and Luminoso

I have been loving all over these two blushes this month. I have a tendency to be too heavy-handed with my blushes, but these two still manage to look so natural. Fun fact: that ELF studio blush is the first blush I ever purchased when I first started getting into makeup about a year ago. I definitely reach for these most often.

As some of you may know, I used the Real Techniques stippling brush exclusively for almost a year. Seriously, that brush was perfect for me because it gave such full, yet not cakey coverage. This year I branched out and purchased the Real Techniques expert face brush, and - dare I say it?! - I think I love it even more! This brush applies foundation in such a beautiful way and it does it sOoOo quickly. One thing I really love in particular is that I can still stipple my foundation on in the areas I want a bit more coverage. Because of its versatility, this is my preferred method to apply my foundation right now.

A hair product that I have really been loving this month is the NuMe white truffle leave-in conditioner. This product has drastically changed the texture of my hair in such a short amount of time that I'd say it was impossible if it wasn't happening to me. Seriously, one use, and your hair will feel smoother and softer. I cannot recommend this product enough. It also smells incredible.

*keep an eye out for my Hair Care Routine, part 2!

My favorite lipstick product for the month is the NYX matte lipstick in the color Whipped Caviar. This is the perfect everyday shade. It's a great mid-tone pink with a touch of brown. It's a super comfortable formula too. Whenever I can't decide on what lipstick to wear, I usually fall back on this one. It's safe, on the more natural side, and looks good with every type of look.

I've been recently getting into lip liners and my favorite has been the NYX pencil liner in Espresso. This is a great, chocolately brown color. I love the versatility of this liner! I can wear it under Whipped Caviar, under any brown lipsticks, under any red lipsticks. It's perfect for darkening the lip line for that ombre effect without going black. I love wearing it under my NYX matte lipstick in Alabama.

While I'm on my NYX kick, I might as well mention my two most-loved jumbo eye pencils for this month: Milk and Yogurt. If you haven't heard of Milk, you need to crawl out from under your rock. It is perfect for everything! I like to use it to brighten my eye shadows. And Yogurt is a wonderful, light pink, shimmery shade. I use it as a cream base for my inner corner highlight and top it with any shimmery shadow.

Have you used any of these products before?

What were your January favorites?

Hair Care Routine, part 1

To start off, I'd say I have average to nice hair. It's not very thick, nor very thin. It retains color well. It grows at a moderate pace. It doesn't have a coarse texture, nor a soft texture. As I said, average hair. I decided a long time ago that I was done being average, and it's time I applied that to my locks. I want hair so shiny and smooth that girls are asking me what products I use. I want to dazzle people with my mane. Join me on the journey to fabulous hair care. Along the way we'll discover things/products/methods that work amazingly, while discarding anything that is simply mediocre.

To start, here's a list of types of products I'm currently on the hunt for:

• Heat protectant spray
• Deep conditioner
• Texture spray
• Volumizing mousse 

If you have any suggestions for quality, affordable products for me to try, please share them in the comments below.

Now, I have also already found a few things that I'm really enjoying:

• Apple cider vinegar (ACV) rinse
• Not Your Mother's dry shampoo
• Garnier Fructis marvelous oil

ACV Rinse
I've blogged about this once before, and I will probably continue to spread the magic until the day I die. The ACV rinse is probably one of the best and cheapest products for your hair. It has completely changed my life, and the best part is that the results are instant! The recipe I use for this product is one tablespoon of ACV to one cup of water. It's very important that the ACV is diluted because otherwise it is very acidic and can ruin the pH balance of your scalp/hair.  I use it approximately twice a week. I found that if I use this rinse every time I wash my hair (three or four times a week), it dries my scalp out which causes it to produce even more oil. So what I normally do is treat my hair with it, go 48 hours, shower again without treating it, go 48 hours, and shower again with treating it. I wash and condition my hair like normal, and the last thing I do before getting out of the shower is rinse my hair with the ACV rinse. I completely douse my hair in it and massage it on my scalp, then rinse my hair clean under running water. ACV is great at conditioning, adding shine, and breaking up any product build up you may have. It leaves my hair smelling great and, because I washed out all the product build up, my hair is practically weightless.

Because I'm only using this for my hair, I purchase my ACV very cheaply. I purchase the biggest jug of store brand I can find, and it lasts me forever. ACV can also be used for many other beauty-related things, such as cleaning your brushes and as a toner for your face.

Not Your Mother's Dry Shampoo
I have an oily scalp -- there, I said it! My hair is terribly oily, but washing it every day is also terrible for it. What a dilemma! Luckily, dry shampoo is the perfect solution. It absorbs excess oil without me having to wash my hair. But dry shampoo is a tricky thing! There are so many on the market, and, to be honest, there are lots of duds out there. Mainly because there are lots of things that can be wrong with dry shampoo:

1. It can leave a white cast in your hair.
2. It can smell badly.
3. It can build up in your roots, leaving them unmanageable.

Unfortunately, the first dry shampoo I used did two of these things. While it removed excess oil, the white cast it gave my hair was unsightly and my roots... Don't even get me started on the mess they were! After reading a few reviews on Ulta's website, I decided to try this dry shampoo. It was rated decently, inexpensive, and it goes on sale often.This dry shampoo has everything I was looking for! It absorbs the oil and leaves my hair manageable. It also gives my hair a great deal of volume! Needless to say, I will be repurchasing.

Garnier Fructis Marvelous Oil
When I purchased this oil, I was on the hunt for something that would really soften my hair. Like I said, I don't have coarse hair, but I am an active hot tools abuser, which can leave my hair feeling very dry. I wanted an oil to add softness and shine. I was originally looking at the OGX oils, and, at $8 a pop, they are relatively expensive. But I knew my husband would be happier if I found something even cheaper. I stumbled across the GF marvelous oil. It smells really good and makes my hair very soft. Since I have an oily scalp, I apply this by tying my hair in a pony tail and lathering only the tail. Then I wrap it up in a big bun and let it sit for about 30 minutes, then I shampoo and condition like normal. I also try not to use this oil on the same day I'll be using the ACV rinse.

The plan is to purchase the types of products I still need, try them out, and find the best routine for my hair and I. I'll blog about it on the way! Make sure to leave your favorite products, tips, and tricks in the comments below.

What is your favorite heat protectant spray?