February 2017 Flashback

Hello there, friends! For the shortest month of the year, I feel like so much happened beauty and blogging wise in February. I tested and reviewed A TON of amazing new products, filmed the most popular series on my YouTube channel to date, AND I hit a thousand followers on Instagram (speaking of which, you still have until the end of the day today to enter my giveaway!). Even though I'm still in a bit of denial that two months of 2017 are already behind us, I'm totally pumped for what's yet to come. So before we say hello to March, let's take a look back at all the fun happenings over at Little Blushing Birdie from February!

February 2017 Favorites

*Affiliate links/PR samples used.

Guys, I'm so excited to share this month's favorites with you I'm practically dancing out of my chair. 2017 has been off to the most amazing start beauty-wise, and it's got me more pumped to blog than ever. It's not like my passion for playing with product has ever really wavered, it's just that lately I've come across things that I'm genuinely loving so much that I find myself looking forward to doing my nightly skincare or putting on my makeup each morning. And of course, being the true enabler that I am, I can't wait to tell you about it all so you can fall in love right along with me!

Subscription Showdown: February 2017

Hello friends! I hope you're having a wonderful weekend. It's been feeling particularly spring-like in these parts and I'm loving every single second of it. There's definitely a part of me that's a little perturbed by the fact that it was 70 degrees in Connecticut before the end of February, but as someone who hates cold weather I really can't complain. Anywho, back to the reason you're here! It's time yet again to unbox some beauty goodies and see which of my $10 monthly subscriptions brought their A-game.

For those of you that are new to these parts, I'm a huge fan of monthly subscription boxes and have tried quite a few different ones over the years (you can see which ones here). At the current moment the only two beauty subscriptions I'm receiving are Ipsy and Sephora Play, both of which are $10 a month and contain 5 deluxe sized beauty samples. While these two subs seem pretty identical on paper, they do each have their own unique flair. And that's why I created this series! Not only am I personally nosy and love seeing what other people are getting in their bags, but I also want to give you some perspective on the kinds of products you can expect to receive from each of these subs so you can figure out which one might be best for you!

Pur~lisse Skin Survival Kit Review

*Affiliate links/PR Samples used

As much as I love playing with makeup, I've always been a total nut for skincare. Having suffered from acne most of my life, it's always been my personal quest to find products that keep my skin looking clear and feeling soft. That being said, the process has never been easy. It can take weeks before you can tell whether or not a skincare product is helping or hurting your situation, and you can invest a lot of money in things that ultimately disappoint.

That being said, I really like to take my time with testing skincare. Makeup I can try a few times and have a pretty solid opinion on, but skincare I like to introduce slowly and test very thoroughly before I go and share my opinion with the world. I want to give you all the best recommendations possible, and with skincare that process just can't be rushed.

Speaking of which, I took home a boat load of skincare from Generation Beauty LA and its been taking me quite a long time to work through testing it all. I've been enjoying a lot of it, but this set in particular really blew me away. The Pur~lisse Skin Survival Kit has all the essentials you need for a daily skincare routine and has been nothing short of spectacular for my face!

Score This Deal: Becca Create Your Own Light Set

Friends, I've discovered another seriously amazing makeup steal that you might want to jump on ASAP! As with most of my beauty finds, this was another thing I totally stumbled across by happenstance (thank you Facebook advertising) and couldn't believe what was on the screen in front of me. The BECCA Cosmetics Create Your Own Light Set is a Beautylish exclusive retailing for $69 and (yes you're hearing me correctly) contains FOUR full-sized products and one travel-sized product. Say WHAT? If you've ever shopped for BECCA Products before, you'll know that the average retail price of most of their primers, blushes, and highlighters is more than $30. Needless to say, this set is a GREAT deal.

How to Curate Your Dream Eyeshadow Palette

If you're an average, non makeup-obsessed person, there are probably a lot of makeup junkie habits you could give the serious one-eyebrow-raise to. Are those ten nude lipsticks really all that different? Is it actually necessary to set your face with a different powder from your under eyes? And what the heck is with this contouring business? Trust, as much as I love the stuff, I will never tell you you need to own more than a single cosmetic bag's worth of makeup (or any makeup for that matter, you do you boo). But if there is one thing us makeup junkies have unlocked the secret to that I think the average person should totally get on the bandwagon with, it's building your own custom eyeshadow palette.

Am I getting the eyebrow now? Just hear me out. I know it may seem intimidating and potentially expensive, but I promise the investment is so totally worth it.

Sephora Favorites: Give Me Some Nude Lip Kit Review

If you guys saw my lip product declutter last week, you're probably well aware that I have a bit of a weak spot when it comes to all things lip related. With all of the variety in shades and textures and finishes, its easy to get carried away. Now, if you can live your life with a sole lipstick, more power to you. But I just can't help myself. I like to have options.

Which brings us to today's post. If you want to give me the judge-y one-eyebrow-raise for going out and buying MORE lip products, I understand. But when I saw this kit at Sephora I just knew I needed to swatch and review it for you guys. Crazy as it may be I will probably never tire of trying new lippies, nor will I ever stop being excited to clue you in to a great deal. And this one guys, is a pretty excellent deal. The Sephora Favorites Give Me Some Nude Lip Kit ($28) is the perfect way to sample some of the newest lip releases in flattering neutral shades AND with a retail value of $88, you're definitely getting some serious bang for your buck. Sounds too good to be true, am I right? But I promise, it's as true as true can be.

MODA Prismatic Face Perfecting Kit Review

*Affiliate links used

Considering today is Valentine's Day, I thought it might be fun to tell you a love story. Once upon a time I was scrolling through my Instagram feed, idly double tapping through the endless parade of pretty pictures when something stopped me in my tracks. Now, I have absolutely no idea how many makeup brushes I own (spoiler, its a lot), or that I've made googley-eyes at over the years, but these...these were different. These brushes were jewel-toned, ombred little pieces of art, and I knew right then and there that I needed to have them in my life. My heart was even happier to find out that they were part of Royal & Langnickel's MODA collection, a super affordable yet quality brush brand that's sold online or in Walmart stores. Not only was this wonderful news for my wallet, but I also knew that the brand would be part of Generation Beauty LA, and would possibly have them for sale. Much to my delight they had a very limited stock at their booth, and this beautifully little set flew home with me that weekend.

Of course, when it comes to love at first sight I've always been a bit of a skeptic. Attraction at first sight, sure. But love is one of those things you have to build over time as you get to know one another. And so there's always a little piece of me when going on a first date that fears I'm going to suffer the fate of getting super hyped over how cute someone is, only to be let down by how boring, arrogant, or generally jerky they turn out to be. No one likes being disappointed, be it be by a potential SO, or their makeup brushes, and I was feeling extra trepidatious as I pulled this set out of the packaging. Would all that hype be for nothing? Or would this be the start of a beautiful relationship?

Score This Deal: LORAC Lip & Cheek Set

Hey friends! I've got a serious savings alert coming your way. I stumbled upon this sweet little LORAC set while perusing the Ulta website, and wanted to clue you in to its existence. LORAC is one of those makeup brands that I don't think gets enough hype in the beauty-sphere. Known best for their amazing eyeshadow palettes (you can see my full review of the Pro 3 Palette here), I feel like the rest of their line has mostly slipped under the radar. I too am guilty of not taking the time to explore more from the brand, so when I had a few Ulta points to cash in on, I decided this set was a perfect investment! For only $30 you get a full sized blush, lipstick, and lipliner in coordinating shades. Purchased individually these same products would cost you $56, which is adds up to an almost 50% discount. I don't know about you, but that sounded pretty darn good to me!

Promise Organic Argan Body Collection

As an ingredient-conscious, green-leaning beauty blogger there's nothing that gets me more excited  than products packed full of natural goodness. Unfortunately, organic beauty can be as expensive as it is smart, and (much like a trip to Whole Foods) can put a serious dent in your bank account. Every time I consider spending $58 on a 1 oz jar of Tata Harper's Resurfacing Mask the cries of desperation from my wallet keep me from pulling the trigger. I know from experience that its a total quality product, but that kind of premium is just way out of the price range of so many people (myself included).

Fortunately, budget-friendly green beauty brands are starting to pop up in drugstores around the country, and I for one am totally stoked about it. One of my newest obsessions is Promise Organic. Sold exclusively at CVS with all products under the $15 mark, Promise Organic is making ingredient-conscious beauty easily accessible to everyone. Their products are packed full of naturally-sourced, powerhouse ingredients that would easily have you thinking they cost three times as much as they do. I honestly don't know how they've managed to stay under the radar for so long, because everything I've tried from the brand has seriously impressed me!

January 2017 Favorites

Hello lovelies! It may be hard to believe, but it's already time to wrap up the first month of 2017! As far as beauty goes this year has been off to quite a start. Between an onslaught of new drugstore makeup launches, all the swag I took home from Gen Beauty, and whatever holiday deals I managed to scoop up at the end of December, I've got an almost overwhelming amount of new stuff to review. That being said, my January favorites are comparatively pretty modest. TBH, I'm pretty picky about what I choose to include in my monthly favorites round-ups. I only like to mention products that I've been using and loving consistently so I can be confident in my recommendations, and sometimes that means it can be a few months between when something hits my hands, and when I make a final verdict. Still, I think I've got some pretty exciting finds to share! If you're curious to learn more about what they are, keep on reading.

New in: Hourglass GIRL Lip Stylo

Friends, it's time for a #realgirl moment. As many of you know, blogging is not my full time gig. Even though I would love to devote 8 hours of my day to all things beauty, I've got to be somewhat realistic about things like not defaulting on my mortgage. For now that means working full time and blogging in whatever other hours I can find. Most days I get up at 6 am, cram in an hour of blog work whilst chugging a cup of coffee, throw myself into the shower, and slap some makeup on before I hurriedly leave the house at 7:30. Sure I manage to make myself look presentable, but it's because I have an arsenal of products that I could probably apply with my eyes closed. On a weekday morning I am all about effortless, easy makeup. Which means that as much as I love a good matte liquid lip, ain't nobody got time for that.

At the same time, that doesn't mean I need to sacrifice luxury or feeling like a classy lady. At Generation Beauty LA I was able to take home a few shades of the latest lip launch from Hourglass, and I knew immediately we would be makeup besties. The Hourglass GIRL Lip Stylo is a hydrating, buildable lip color that reigns supreme in my no-fuss everyday makeup bag. With the perfect combination of sophistication and practicality, it's basically got #girlboss written all over it.

January 2017 Flashback

I swear, the older I get, the faster time passes. How is the first month of 2017 already behind us? I guess it's true that a lot has happened over the last 31 days, but it still baffles me that it's already February 1st. While I take a minute to wrap my brain around how all of this is possible, let me give you a quick look back at all of the happenings over here in Little Blushing Birdie world.