As we delve into December, it's that time once again to take a look back at November and see what I was obsessed with last month!
As any of my friends may tell you, I am a huge coffee drinker. I'm not a morning person, so if you see me before I get that coffee into my hand, steer clear. My favorite coffee is pumpkin flavored (mmmm). The second I see the sign outside my local Dunkin' Donuts for that delicious fall treat, I start to stock up! I love how much better coffee gets with that little bit of pumpkin flavor, that mix of nutmeg and cinnamon just goes straight to my heart and brings a smile to my face.
So my first favorite for November is pumpkin flavored coffee as it's the perfect coffee for November and Thanksgiving season, despite it being available the second the first leaf starts to turn brown. Thank goodness for the Dunkin' Donuts K-Cups because they make it extremely convenient to stock pile the coffee goodness! And this year brought new individual pumpkin flavored creamers from International Delight! Brilliant idea. I'm going to be so sad when these are no longer available and I run out.
If you follow me on Instagram, you may have seen me post a photo of my next favorite. I got the Wet n Wild eyeshadow palette in the collection called Comfort Zone a few weeks ago, and I can't believe that 1) this is drugstore eyeshadow and 2) was less than $5.
I happened to wander into Rite Aid one night while I was waiting for the pizzeria next-door to put together my order, and I noticed a Wet n Wild cream glitter eyeshadow palette near the holiday gift sets. I'm usually not crazy about glitter, but it was so pretty and was only $4.99, so I picked it up and kept browsing. I found myself in front of the regular Wet n Wild display, and noticed that everything was buy one get one 50% off, including the 8 eyeshadow palettes like the glitter one I had already decided on buying. Well that sealed the deal, since I'm an eyeshadow addict there was no way I was passing up that offer. I took a look at the other standard palettes and the Comfort Zone jumped out at me right away. I love that one side is beautiful nude shades, and the other side is a bit more adventurous but still very workable. The eyeshadow is incredibly creamy, doesn't have much fallout, and is wonderfully pigmented. If I didn't know better, I'd think it was a higher end eyeshadow palette. What a deal! Out of curiosity, I searched on Pinterest to see ideas on how to put together some looks from this set, and I was shocked with the HUGE following that this palette has, I had no idea! I'm so glad I bought this, I have gotten so many compliments each time I've created a look from this palette, and I highly recommend picking up this gem if Wet n Wild products are sold near you.
Along with the eyeshadow palette, my other favorite this November is my new eyeshadow brushes from ecotools. I had been using elf Studio brushes previously, and although they were perfectly adequate, I was looking for something a bit higher quality but still affordable. I was considering Real Techniques brand brushes since I have other face brushes that I love from them, but their single eyeshadow brushes just didn't seem like what I was looking for and I didn't want to spend the money on the complete eyeshadow brush set. On a whim, I decided to go with the ecotools brushes.
At Ulta they were having a buy one get one 50% off sale, plus I was able to use my $3.50 off $10 coupon, so I picked up the Full Eye Shadow brush, which is a single brush, and the Eye Enhancing Duo Set, which is two dual ended brushes. The Eye Enhancing Duo Set includes a small shade brush, an angled brush, a smudge brush, and a blending brush.
I absolutely love all five of these brushes. They are all I need to create a complete eyeshadow look (especially with the Comfort Zone palette), and they are really high quality. The Full Eye Shadow brush is the perfect size to pack on shadow across the lid, and it picks up plenty of product (one of the issues I had with the elf Studio brush). It's also very soft and feels very sturdy. The smaller version that comes on the dual ended brush is a great size to put pigment on the outer "v" of the lid and also into the crease. The blending brush is a nice size to smooth out the harsh edges and also blur out the crease a bit (however, I actually like the elf equivalent better for this). The smudge brush is also a good brush to bring the darker colors below the lower lashes to define the eyes, and it's a good size as sometimes I find smudge brushes too big to keep the shadow in control. The angled brush is really good for gel eyeliner. However, I wish it was a little bit firmer as the bristles tend to separate a little bit as your lining the base of the lashes and the line can get a bit sloppy, but it's way better than the brush that actually came with my eyeliner (which feels like sandpaper). I really love these brushes, they are worth their weight in gold.
And my lifesaving favorite for November (and for the rest of the winter) is the First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream.
This is a lotion that I have been using for several years to counteract the extreme dryness that comes with my acne medications. In the winter, as can be expected, the cold air makes my already dry skin even worse, getting to the point of flakiness (my biggest peeve!). Ultra Repair Cream is my HG lotion, healing even the driest of skin. I first bought this to help with painful dryness around my eyes, and this miracle cream healed the issue practically overnight. It's a rich, wonderfully hydrating formula, where it makes my skin feel so much better the second I put it on, and most importantly, doesn't irritate my skin. As the weather gets colder, and colder, and colder (ugh), this lotion is an essential part of my skincare routine every night. Also, a jar of this will last forever! I've been working on this 6oz jar for probably close to a year and a half and I still have at least a quarter of it left. Also, FAB has among the best customer service in the industry. Not only do they love their fans on social media, which I always appreciate, but if you have an issue and contact them they are prompt, considerate, helpful, and generous. I cannot say enough great things about First Aid Beauty, and I want to try their other products as well because I've heard glowing reviews about their entire product line.
So those are my obsessions from November, what were yours? Tell me in the comments below!
Here's wishing you and your family a peaceful and joyous December & holiday season!!
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