Weekend Bits & Bobs: Lippies, Masks and Cold Mountain

Happy New Year! I’m going to start a post on the blog titled “Weekend Bits & Bobs.” I snagged the phrase “bits and bobs” from the British. In a nutshell, it’s equivalent to the American phase “odds and ends.” 

For these types of posts I’ll feature a few items or maybe even something completely random, that I either used a lot over the weekend, stuck out to me, or made the weekend more pleasant, peaceful and relaxing.

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Honey and YSL Rouge Volupte Lipstick in #9 Pink Caress. Both of these shades are the typical everyday pink shades. They don’t lean too bright, too red, too pastel, or too brown. They are the type of pink shades that look flattering on almost everyone and are easy to wear whether you are wearing a full face of makeup or nothing at all. Both are very similar in terms of color. Honey is a bit more mauve than Caress Pink, which is a bit brighter. Both have great, smooth, pigmented formulas and noteworthy lasting power on the lips. I kept my makeup simple and understated this weekend and wore quite dark clothes, so I wanted shades that would perk up my face, and these fit the bill.

C.O. Bigelow My Favorite Lip Balm 8 Hour Overnight Recovery. I have a lot of lip balms and I’m on the hunt to find the best of the best. I’ve owned this one for a while now, but have never really gravitated towards it. I decided to give it a go this weekend and I’ve really been enjoying it. It’s quite thick, though not sticky. It contains 5% shea butter and has a pleasant, sweet fragrance that is not cloying. I do have to be careful not to get it outside of my lip line, or I fear it may cause some clogged pores, as it is quite emollient. When I wake up in the morning, it’s still there and my lips feel smooth and hydrated even after I eat breakfast, wash my face and brush my teeth in the morning. It’s a great lip treatment for those dry winter lips.

Illamasqua Monogamous. After the saturated green and red polishes I sported on my nails in December, I was in the mood for something simple, clean and understated. Monogamous thus landed itself on my nails. Monogamous is a nude shade, though it has strong pink undertones. I don’t have a polish like this in my collection. This is my first time trying an Illamasqua polish and I’ve got to say, I think I like it. It’s difficult to get a nice formula on a polish that is this beige. The formula on this polish is creamy, smooth, pigmented and easy to control. It actually dries to a semi-matte finish, but a topcoat makes this nice and glossy. Two coats made this polish perfectly opaque.

Clinique Turnaround 15 Minute Facial. First, let me get the disclaimer out of the way: Clinique discontinued this product but if you are lucky, you may still be able to find it online. Never underestimate the power of eBay! They replaced it with Turnaround Instant Facial. This came in the mail last Saturday and I ordered it because the concept really intrigued me.  It claims to give you the effects of microdermabrasion without the harsh effects. It contains salicylic acid and other non-physical exfoliants that are supposed to reveal smoother, brighter skin after leaving it on for 15 minutes, when using this mask once or twice a week. I’ve only used this mask once, but will be using it again tonight. To me, it’s the perfect Sunday mask. It has shimmer in it, so it even looks flattering on after it dries down to a matte finish. It’s not drying like most masks I use. I actually leave it on for 30+ minutes, because I like to live on the edge! When I rinse this off, my skin feels so smooth and soft. And in the morning, after the first time I used this, I noticed my skin just looked nicer, though I couldn’t quite pinpoint what the difference was. I’m looking forward to slathering this on again tonight and settling down with a book and a cup of tea while this works its magic on my face. A perfect Sunday night treat.

Cold Mountain by, Charles Frazier. I started reading this book in December and I’m almost finished. I’ve really been enjoying this book and I will do a proper review on it once I’ve finish reading it. I look forward to the weekends just so I can get cozy and settle in with this novel. It really is beautifully written. When the Clinique mask is on, this is the novel I’ll be diving into.

Those are my Weekend Bits & Bobs for this first week of January. My goal is to have post for this new series on the blog every Sunday, so keep your eyes peeled.

What were some standouts for you this weekend?

- Alana