A Little Bit etc.: March 2014

3/31/14

A Bit Obsessed: March 2014 Beauty Favorites

Always my favorite posts to read on other blogs, monthly beauty favorites are equally as fun to talk about on my little space on the internet. This past month was a smorgasbord of skincare, hair and makeup products that rocked my beauty loving world. I'm sure you have seem me post about some of these already on my Instagram, but here is a more in depth look at my experience with March's beauty favorites:

1. Dolce & Gabbana Rosebud Blush - Darn camera and it's settings, it dulls this blush a bit, thus robbing you of experiencing the vibrant color explosion that is Rosebud blush. The phase "pop of color" should have been coined from this blush. A bright coral that even on my paler than pale skin looks beautiful and natural. I wore it all through the winter, so don't expect me to put it away now that the warmer weather is coming. Heck, I may just throw it in another future monthly faves just so you don't forget about it.

2. Sachajuan Hair Repair - I have been on a hair product roll recently. I am not that excited about hair products to be honest, so I rarely write about them. But when I find good ones, they are good. And then I feel I am cheating all of you by not sharing the news. So after this recent post, I have again found a hair product I love. I use this Sachajuan Hair Repair once a week on my ends, and while "like butta" is better used with skincare references, "like silk" seems more fitting to describe my hair after a go at this. Pantene commercial girls have nothing on me.

3. Murad Perfecting Night Cream (c/o) - Day by day, minute by minute, I am becoming a Murad fangirl (this spf cream has recently reached holy grail status for me). Each and every product I try keeps luring me in further and further, and this Perfecting Night Cream is no exception. Designed to help restore moisture and hydrate the skin, my oily skin (which needs moisture too don't forget) just eats this stuff up! A little goes a long way for me with this, but the next morning's glow is proof that it's just enough.

4. Fresh Seaberry Restorative Body Cream - Winter skin aka alligator skin (for me at least) is not pleasant, and though my face may be super oily, my body can be quite dry. Put a cape on this body cream, because it has been saving my skin. Intensely rich and hydrating with tons of omega 3, 6, 7 and 9, seaberry oil and vitamin E, it helps to nourish my skin immediately but still allows me to get dressed without the (often) required dry-down, 15 minute waiting period. Oh, and it smells divine.

5. By Terry Cover Expert - Hey flawless skin, how you doin? Only a smidge is needed, but this foundation is absolutely beautiful. A little more coverage then the Sheer Expert, this gives me a gorgeous naturally radiant (but not shiny) complexion. Spring is not ready for the amazing face I am going to serve it with this number. Get ready.

6. First Aid Beauty Skin Rescue Deep Cleanser (c/o) - Hey, First Aid Beauty - how do you manage to knock it out of the park with every product? First I began with loving this mask (and review on it here), then I nicknamed their Ultra Repair Cream a "wonder cream" because it is that good (review here), and now this Skin Rescue Deep Cleanser has knocked my socks off. Sometimes when treating my acne prone skin, I don't always want to use an acid based cleanser. And other gel cleansers just make my skin too dry, which is why I fell in love with this one from First Aid Beauty. No acids, not drying, and great at helping me keep my blemishes at bay. It's a triple threat.

7. Bobbi Brown Brightening Finishing Powder - In all honesty, this product was a total dud when I first bought it. Too shiny, hard to detect on the skin - all around fail. And then I began using the Murad Mattifying SPF cream which changed how all other products sat on my skin. So I gave this a go again, and voila! It was stunning. After I apply my foundation, I dust it along my cheeks and forehead and it helps to immediately illuminate and finish my makeup, giving the skin an airbrushed appearance. Already predicting a pan hitting moment in the future with this powder.

8. Mario Badescu Special Mask for Oily Skin (c/o) - When is a Mario Badescu product not making it into my monthly favorites. The whole brand has redefined the way I treat my acne prone skin, and this mask is now part of a long list of products (for more recommendations, read this post) that are great at helping me fight the war against pimples. Decongesting pores, cleaning out dirt and grime, controlling oil, this mask does it all.

9. Hourglass Opaque Rouge Liquid Lipstick in Raven - All hail Hourglass. If there is a knighting ceremony for a beauty brand, I would like to recommend Hourglass. Every darn product is just amazing. I talk about them way too much on this blog, but I can't help it. They never disappoint. I already have a natural shade in this lipstick formulation and swear by it, so why did it take me so long to buy another? WHO KNOWS?? But I have rectified that problem and bought Raven, the most stunning vibrant red-orange shade. No this color is not for the faint of heart so be prepared, but it's a knockout. *wolf whistle*

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3/30/14

Sunday Nailday: Chanel Graphite

Chanel Graphite

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3/28/14

New: Diptyque Skincare Review

I am a sucker for anything skincare related, and when I got wind that Diptyque was coming out with a skincare line, I knew I would need to give it a try. I have been using the line for a few weeks and I definitely have some thoughts. I read a lot of different reviews on the line before trying and to be honest, there was only one product that seemed to get high praise, the Infused Facial Water. The rest of the line was not given such stellar marks. But I was too curious not to try it, so I had to purchase it for myself.

1. Infused Facial Water - Yes, the reviews were correct. I love this product. Refreshing, soothing and a delight to use. Hydration station with this gem.

2. Radiance Boosting Powder - Anyone that follows my blog, knows I am a powder exfoliant fan (this one and this one being two of my faves), so I was very excited to give this a try. I definitely feel there are slightly better powder exfoliants out there, but what really rocked my world was the little exfoliating sphere that comes with it. That blew my mind. Once I have massaged the powder onto my wet face (with wet hands), I then use the sphere in circular motions around the face. It's a little harsh to be honest, but afterwards my skin was like a newborn baby. Sooooo smooth. I think for me using this 2-3 times a month for a serious deep exfoliation will be perfect.

3. Nourishing Cleansing Balm - I wanted to like this. I really, really did, but it fell slightly flat for me. And as someone who lives for cleansing oils and cleansing balms (this and this being two of my favorites), I was very saddened. It is quite thick and did a good job at removing my makeup, but it did not emulsify the way I am used to and became a little tough to wash off. On the plus side, my skin was incredibly smooth and soft after, so while I like balms and oils with a bit more slip, someone with dry skin may actually find this great for their skin.

4. Multi-use Exfoliating Clay - Winner, winner, chicken dinner. I loved this mask. It says it can be used as an exfoliator or mask, and I chose the latter. It is slightly grainy so I knew as I removed, it would help to slough off a lot of dead skin. Boy did it ever - wow! The mud is extremely thick, and only a thin layer is needed, but my skin looked cleaner, fresher and radiant after one use. This is slowly securing a spot on my repurchase list.

Now after all this is said and done, I have to tell you that while I had some highs and lows within the range, using the entire system at once left my skin softer and smoother than I have seen in a long time. Typically I would use the cleaning balm, multi-use exofoliating clay and infused facial water, or the cleansing balm, radiance boosting powder and infused facial water and either regimen never failed to leave me with amazing skin after. And for that, I am truly on the fence about repurchasing each item again. For now, I will use each product entirely and see how I feel when I finish them. Either I am left in tears on the floor, or distracted by something new. It's really a crap shoot at this point. Stay tuned.

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3/26/14

Bits and Pieces: Blush Tones

Though I typically favor dresses and skirts, one of my favorite outfits will always be a silk blouse, skinny jeans and a pointy toe pump. There is something that always makes me feel polished yet not fussy when wearing an outfit like this. I feel comfortable going to work (on casual fridays of course) and then going out for the evening without having to change. And if I wasn't such a klutz, I would have a wardrobe of nothing but blush tones and white. But no sooner did I get to brunch in this blouse, I had a spot on it. Figures. If it wasn't for those darn dry cleaning bills, I could probably have an entire new wardrobe.

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3/25/14

Morning Face Chronicles: Volume 10

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3/24/14

New: Dior Addict Fluid Sticks

Talk about impulse buy - these new Dior Addict Fluid Sticks were a last minute purchase when my husband and I stopped by Macy's this past weekend. Right now I believe they are exclusive to Dior.com and Macy's (in store, I did not see them online) if you want to give them a go. The fluid sticks are supposedly a hybrid between a gloss, lipstick and stain (in my opinion), and while I am typically not a fan of gloss (my hair always gets caught - ugh), these seemed to dry down nicely so I made an exception. Above are the two colors I purchased - "Open Me", a wearable orange/red, and "Rieuse", a slightly amped up natural pink.

I am normally drawn to more nude shades but to be honest, I didn't see many that I liked. The first thing I can tell you is that these are highly pigmented, since the stain they left on my hand after swatching lasted for quite some time. As you can see from the above swatch, the initial application is glossy but it dries down quickly to more of a lipstick finish which I prefer. The only odd thing I noticed with these fluid sticks is that the applicator doesn't apply the color evenly to my lips. I thought perhaps I needed to exfoliate, but even after I did, it still would not adhere to the inner part of my lip. After I pressed them together, and added a second coat, it finally covered my entire lips smoothly and evenly. Surely not a reason to pass them over, and it may just be my lips, but I felt I would mention it anyways. I am loving the feel upon first application and even after a few hours, as it leaves my lips quite soft without drying them out. It's too soon to tell if I will purchase any more colors, as I would like to test drive them for a few weeks.

Here is a look at my Instagram picture I took at the Dior counter with a few of the fluid sticks swatched (sadly I forgot to note all the names, so it's just a guessing game at this point - womp womp). There are quite a few more colors not shown, because my hand can only fit so many. Note to self, enlist the husband's hands for swatching purposes in the future. It's not often I jump on a new launch so quickly after it has hit the market, but sometimes I just can't resist.

Have you purchased any of these Dior Addict Fluid Sticks? If so, what are your initial thoughts?

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3/23/14

Sunday Nailday: Deborah Lippmann Build Me Up Buttercup

Deborah Lippmann Build Me Up Buttercup

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3/21/14

Cult Classic Products That Are Worth The Hype

Most beauty articles and blog posts I read are often about the newest beauty product or the next collection, overlooking the already popular cult classics from the brand. So I decided to do a post of my own featuring products in my stash that have achieved cult classic status and live up to the hype.

1. Bobbi Brown Gel Liner - I have the shade caviar ink, which is less dark than black with a touch of purple. It goes with everything basically. And while I was always a powder-with-an-angled-brush fan, this has 100% converted me. Truly smudge proof, easy to apply, and one pot may actually last me my entire lifetime.

2. Seche Vite Top Coat c/o - I go the salon weekly to get a manicure and well, their basic Essie top coat wasn't cutting it. So I decided to bring my own Seche Vite top coat to see if my manicure lasted longer, and voila! It did. Now I use nothing else.

3. By Terry Rose de Baume c/o - This is the 10th anniversary edition, which makes it even more fabulous and cult classic worthy. Use it on the lips, use it on your cuticles, heck I have even used it on my face with stubborn dry patches. It's a moisturizing cure all.

4. Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage c/o - I opened this for the first time and was sure I had the wrong shade. Just look at that white/yellow shade, next to a super orange-y peach - yowza! But I felt that a gazillion good reviews can't be wrong, so I gave it a shot. Welp, that's all she wrote folks. It is glorious. I mix the two colors together to get a perfect shade for under the eyes and while it feels quite thick, it does not cake up, dry out during the day or settle into fine lines. How have I lived this long without it??

5. Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish - I have spoken about this before on the blog, so many of you should know my feelings already. Cleanser from heaven. The rich texture feels great on my skin, and when used with the included muslin cloth, my skin is left feeling soft, exfoliated and radiant. Dull and lackluster skin need not apply.

6. REN Glycol Lactic Radiance Renewal Mask c/o - A mask of all masks. A glow of all glows. I use it once a week and I swear it is making me younger. Pores appear smaller (they can't actually shrink remember? They can just appear so), breakouts stay away and my skin tone looks more even immediately after each use. Get it and thank me later.

7. First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream c/o - I know this is a relatively new brand, but this product quickly shot to the top of many people's favorites list. I have oily skin and was hesitant it would be too rich - nope. Not at all. A little goes a long way for me, but nothing banishes dry skin and post acne flakiness like this cream. And there have been a few days recently when this winter weather left my face raw and red (Mother Nature, that b*tch), and this was the only product that could soothe it. Ahhhhhhhh.

8. NARS Laguna Bronzer - Yes I know it is housed in a duo in the above pic, but let's just focus on the bottom bronzy shade - otherwise known as Laguna. This is not only a cult classic, I feel this bronzer has become an institution. Laguna for life is many people's motto. And I can understand why - not too brown, not too orange, not too shimmery, not too matte. It's falls perfectly in the middle of everything. The Goldilocks of bronzers if you will.

9. MAC Lipstick in Lady Danger - Though many people may call on numerous other colors from MAC as a cult classic, I still feel this is one of those shades that is always recognized when worn. A matte texture, an opaque coverage, and a vibrant color pay off that will never have you go unnoticed. This color is the real deal - red orange at it's best. And I have seen almost every skin tone wear it and look good. Expect people still to be talking about this color 50 years from now.

What are some of your favorite cult classics that I didn't include? Or better yet, what cult classics do I need to try next?

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3/19/14

Bits and Pieces: The Ease Of A Sweater Dress

What I miss most about the warmer weather is the ease that comes with getting dressed. Throw on a cute dress, sandals, grab a clutch and you are out the door. Bonus if you throw on a bangle or cute cocktail ring. But winter requires so much more effort - and often so many more layers. I can't believe this is one of the first times I am wearing a sweater dress on the blog because I own a ton of them. Main reason - ease. I love fashion as much as the next gal but to be honest, if an outfit gets too fussy, or has too many pieces/parts/layers I just lose interest. I admire the girls from afar that layer like a champ, wear 13,000 pieces and manage to look chic. But as you already know, I am a bit more pared down. Frankly, I think it's so I can spend more time doing my makeup, but that's just a theory. I could be wrong. (I'm not)

Dress - Design History (on sale too!) | Belt - Gap | Boots - J.Crew (similar here) | Tights - Simply Vera

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3/17/14

A Wash Of Color

Confession, I love a good 90's eye look. Lid color, crease, liner, highlight - the whole sha-bang. But there are often many mornings when time does not permit me to be so daring, and my lid only gets one wash of color. Now I'm picky when it comes to that lone shade, because it has no wing man/shadow. It has to stand alone and speak for itself. Tough job. While perusing the shelves at Space NK recently, I stayed a bit too long at the Chantecaille display mesmerized by their shadows. So elegant, so refined, so grown up. I must have swatched a million and they were the perfect balance of rich pigmentation and subtlety - buttery smooth to the touch and easy to blend. I was hooked. They didn't have the 8 palette option in stock, so I had to settle for the 3. I was sad, but my wallet was happy. I chose 3 shades that I felt would be perfect for the "all over lid wash" look I am rocking recently.

The palest shade Ginger is almost nonexistent in my above swatch because it matches my skin perfectly. It evens out my lid color perfectly masking any veins and discolorations (ugh, eyelids are so ugly), and is the ultimate matte neutral shade. I will hit pan on this color, I can promise you that. The gray shade called Sel has just a hint of shimmer, but again done in such a refined way that I feel fancy just applying it. *puts pinky out when picking up brush* A few coats of mascara and my eyes have a beautifully delicate smoky look that is appropriate for the day. And finally this warm bronzey gold shade in Bois that will most certainly be on repeat this summer, wears perfectly with a peach blush (love this one) and a coral lip (this one and this one are must haves). That 8 palette option is coming home with me soon, so stay tuned for what other shades I acquire and push on you. Oooops, I mean blog about.

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3/16/14

Sunday Nailday: Dior Rouge 999

Dior Rouge 999

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3/14/14

Drugstore Diaries: Revlon Color Burst Lacquer Balms

The blogs are a-talkin' about these Revlon lip balms, and so far I have only been able to find the lacquer balms. I am holding out for the matte balms, and hopefully they wow me a bit more than the lacquer ones did. I purchased both a bold (called Vivacious Exuberante) and neutral (called Demure Reservee), figuring I would love the nude a tad more (because - well, we all know I live for a natural lip), but surprisingly it fell flat for me, while the brighter shade won me over. Below is a look at the swatches of each color.

They are super easy to apply and feel great on the lips, but the shimmer/glitter in the nude shade, Demure Reservee was too gritty for my lips and actually altered the color to have an odd blue/green tint. I know, it was weird for me too. Vivacious Exuberante (these names though?) was less glittery and had a much more buttery smooth finish on the lips, with pigmentation that lasted for a good 4-5 hours. I love the twist up option rather than having to use a sharpener, and if I can manage to track down the matte balms, I think I may have a stronger fondness for those. On a side note, I recently bought a Cover Girl Lip Perfection Jumbo Gloss Balm and was wowed by it - you can see the swatch and review here. Have you tried these lacquer balms? What are your thoughts and what shades did you love?

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3/12/14

What Should Be In My Closet

The polar vortex is finally beginning to subside and the only things I want to buy are prints, patterns and color. (ok some color, I can never stray too far from black and white) Here is a look at some of my favorite spring pieces I have found online. Click on each item for more information.

1. Charles Henry Ombre Pant

2. C&C California Chambray Dress

3. Vince Blair Striped Leather Sneakers

4. French Connection Paint Check Dress

5. Clare Vivier Clutch

6. Joa Striped Top

7. Alexander McQueen Bracelet

8. Topshop X-Ray Flower Skirt

9. Loeffler Randall Addie Wedge

Loving all these picks? Check out my newly updated Shop my favorites tab at the top of my blog for all of my new fashion and beauty picks.

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3/11/14

Social Media Sass

I know it feels like this blog has all the sass you can handle, but I am here to tell you there is more. More you ask? YES MORE. There are so many ways to follow me, you may just as well move in. But I live in a NYC apt with little to no space, so you would probably end up on the couch, womp womp. Hence I am making this post because there are more comfortable ways to follow me and still maintain your own space. How can you follow A Little Bit etc? Well so glad you asked. First there is Twitter (follow me @alittlebitetc), where I post beauty articles, food articles, funny articles, and sass up a storm.

Next there is Pinterest and I have to admit, I love to Pin. I have shopping boards, beauty boards, home decor boards, FOOD BOARDS (meals and desserts, I don't mess around), travel boards - the whole nine yards. If you love to pin, this is your jam. Find me on Pinterest here.

Everyone has Facebook so this one is easy for all. I ask a lot of questions on Facebook and often get great beauty discussions going, so it's fun to engage with fellow beauty lovers. I will also say that I strive hard to put content on each social media platform that is somewhat different than the others. So I may post a giveaway link or great article on Facebook that I don't post on Twitter and vice versa. It's worth following on more than one platform because it's likely that you will get every piece of beauty and fashion news imaginable. Prepare your brain (and wallet, whoops). Like me on Facebook here.

Bloglovin is a great tool to use to follow all your favorite blogs at one time and scroll through all their latest posts. I highly recommend it, and find it the best tool for reading everything in one single stream of information - blog reading efficiency at it's best! Follow me on bloglovin here.

Ah, Instagram. By far my favorite platform of them all. Such fun pictures, captions, communities - it's all great! I've got regular hashtags going on to group all my favorite photos together (food, makeup, skincare) and even have one going for people to show off their own morning makeup pics. And plus, I pretty much always use the Valencia filter and well, we all know that's the best filter. So follow just for that. Find me on Instagram @alittlebitetc.

There you have it folks! All my social channels in one handy little post. I'm so thoughtful.

3/10/14

New: Aerin Rose Balm Lipsticks

I can never resist a new lipstick launch. I don't always jump on new product bandwagons but lipsticks are quite a weakness for me, so when I see a particularly beautiful collection, I cave. Hence, my purchase of 5 of the new Aerin Rose Balm Lipsticks. I first saw them mentioned on Beauty Lookbook, one of my favorite beauty blogs, and she always has such wonderful taste so I logged onto to Neiman Marcus and placed my order immediately.

I picked up a smattering of colors, from bold to bright to natural because they all looked too good to pass up. Normally it's the packaging that lures me in with products, but to be honest, I was not in love with the gold case, as it looked a tad dated to me. I love the raised detailing on the cap, but other than that I was not wowed. But what was in the packaging more than made up for it. I had anticipated these lipsticks being more of a lip balm with tint, but surprisingly they are quite pigmented with significant staying power. A tad shiny but not as glossy and emollient as the Fresh lip sugars or even a Chanel Rouge Coco Shine. The feel is creamy and smooth on the lips, and the colors are so wearable. Obviously Pretty and Perfect Nude were in my basket first, followed by Coral Sand which seemed a necessity for summer. Wild Lilac was a gamble since it seemed so dark in the tube, but when seen on Beauty Lookbook's post, I thought this would be a gorgeous deep berry for me. The only shade that has brought me the most disappointment is Poppy. On me it wears brown and dull, but that is probably because I am fairer than Casper. I suspect that someone with a darker and warmer skin tone would wear this and look stunning. But nonetheless, I have been loving the whole collection. I am new to the entire Aerin brand and this was quite the introduction. I already have my eye on some more pieces from the line such as this bronzer and this lip and cheek color. And I always need more makeup - said every beauty blogger ever.

To check out the entire Aerin Rose Balm Collection, click here.

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3/9/14

Sunday Nailday: Butter London Wallis

Butter London Wallis

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3/7/14

Relax And Mask

There is nothing I enjoy more than a good magazine and a great face mask to help me wind down after a long day. Some people love a glass of wine, a good meal or even some exercise - I just want to pamper my skin and read beauty news. To each their own I suppose. But what I love even more than a regular mask, is a peel off mask - eek! So fun! And one that detoxifies and removes dirt and debris from my pores - double fun!! I am new to the First Aid Beauty brand (check out their whole range here), and was excited when they sent over some products for me to test drive. Naturally I can't resist anything that will help me keep my hormonal and acne prone skin clear, so I jumped on trying the Skin Rescue Purifying Mask first. Yes my pores were clean after, yes my skin was smoother and softer post masking, but the kicker for this was how easy it was to remove. No pulling or irritation when I went to take it off, and it's great at dealing with my stubborn t-zone shine. If it's already performing this well in the winter, I suspect it will become a summer staple. Boom! I'm a skincare psychic.

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3/5/14

Bits and Pieces: Checkered And Casual

Because I spend so much of my clothing budget on work-place friendly attire, I often forget about my off time/weekend wear. Pajama pants are not acceptable outside of my apartment door, no matter how tired I may be. So I have made an effort over the past few months to pick up pieces here and there that can be thrown together to make a fun casual outfit, but is still ridiculously comfortable. In other words, a fun sweater, distressed skinny jeans and the most comfortable boots imaginable. I repurpose this sweater and boots for work all the time, so in my mind I'm driving down the cost per wear which makes the budget-er/fiscally responsible me (she is in there surprisingly) very happy. And yes, these Rag & Bone Newbury boots are as comfortable as everyone says. I thought it was a myth but frankly they are so lightweight, it's like walking on air. A total splurge but worth every penny. Just call me the enabler. Sorry I'm not sorry.

Parka - Three Floor (similar here) | Sweater - Equipment (similar here in leopard and I love this one on sale!) | Jeans - Rag & Bone | Boots - Rag & Bone | Lipstick - Hourglass "Raven"

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