December Favourites

As promised in my November Favourites post, I’m going to try to keep this one a little shorter, though that shouldn’t be too hard, because my favourite products don’t usually change too much month to month.

1. Glitter polishes:

I’ve got a bunch, some new, some old, and I wore them almost all month. It might be because of Christmas, but no matter the reason, here are the glitter polishes I’ve been loving this past month:

1. a gold glitter polish by Fascino (which is a brand I’ve only ever seen at a mini kiosk in Richmond Centre mall) called only #65
2. Yara by Zoya, which is almost a military green, but with beautiful gold shimmer. Not sure it counts as a glitter polish, but it is really sparkly!
3. Silver by Billie Cosmetics, which is a cheap, low quality dollar store brand, but a great colour for layering.
4. a bronze glitter, also by Fascino, this one is #66
   
   
5. Star Light by L.A. Colors, a holographic glitter which I’m absolutely in love with, even though the quality isn’t great. It can make any manicure which is looking a little dull look completely fresh!
6. It’s Bouquet With Me by Sephora by OPI, which is a purple and holographic glitter polish, which could only be better if it had a slightly more opaque base colour
7. and a chunky black and silver glitter from Fascino (they were 3 for $10 when I bought them), #68

2. Bath and Body Works hand sanitizers:

From Left to right: Apple Wreath, Chocolate Chunk Cookie, Caribbean Escape, Blue Raspberry, Vanilla Sprinkle Cookie, Island Margarita, Angel Cookie, Winter Cranberry.

I meant not to repost things that I mentioned last month, but this is a little different. Free $5 coupons to Bath and Body Works were being given out a few weeks ago in front of La Senza at Richmond Centre mall, and coincidentally, sanitizers were on sale for 8 for $5! So, for only a penny, I walked away with a BUNCH of lovely smelling sanitizers.

3. Sephora shadow in Aspen Summit:

This little shadow came in the birthday gift from Sephora in 2010, but I didn’t really start using it until recently. It’s just a simple white shimmer powder, and  I’ve really been liking it lately as a highlight just under the arches of my eyebrows and at the inner corners of my eyes. It also looks really cool if you use it from the lash to crease, and then use Urban Decay 24/7 Liner in Deviant along the lash line.

4. Clinique Acne Solutions products (technically #4-6):

I have the Clinique Acne Solutions Clarifying Lotion, Clearing Concealer in Shade 01, and the Spot Treatment Gel. I absolutely love this line, all of the products work really well. The toner isn’t too drying, and also has a powder in it (that you have to make sure is mixed in before you use it), which is supposed to help absorb oil and decrease shininess.

The concealer is wonderful, because I always feel bad putting makeup on zits, since I know it will only make them worse. Instead, this product helps to cover up at the same time that its trying to get rid of acne. Best of both worlds!

The Spot Treatment gel is great for using at night, or on any little bumps which aren’t red and don’t need covering. I’m also pretty sure it is a little more affective than the concealer, since it’s only job is to fight zits, and doesn’t contain makeup.

The active ingredient in all three products is salicylic acid, which I find works a lot better on my skin than benzoyl peroxide. Both the spot treatment and the concealer are 1% salicylic acid, while the toner contains 1.5%. While these are pricier than Clean and Clear or Clearasil, I personally think its worth the extra money, as the Clinique tends to work a lot better for me.

7. Ole Henriksen Truth to Go Wipes

My final product for the month are these Ole Henriksen Truth to go Wipes. You might notice that my package is looking a little battered, but that is because these are about half gone, and I’ve also taken them with me on a few occasions where I was sleeping the night not at home. These are great, for travel or for home, because they are for all skin types, gentle, moisturizing (as it says on the package), and also remove makeup really easily. And as a bonus, they smell great! I love these for all those reasons, plus, I can be really lazy when it comes to washing my makeup off at night, so if, instead of going to the washroom, and using makeup remover,  face wash and water, I can just scrub my face with one of these cloths, then I am way more likely to do the job.

One downside is these are a little expensive for what they are. I’m not sure if I will repurchase them when I use up the rest of mine, because they cost (if I remember correctly) about $17 here in Canada, and you only get 30 wipes. One cheap, but not as awesome alternative are the Balea 3 in 1 cleansing cloths from Shoppers Drug Mart, which are about $10 and you get 60 wipes. They definitely get the job done when it comes to makeup removal, but they do lack the great scent and the anti-aging promise of the Ole Henriksen wipes.

So what were your favourite things last month? Let me know!