| Loves | November 2021 Beauty Favorites 

Wow, I wasn't ready for the holidays but here we are! November has come and gone, faster than I ever could have expected. I have locked down some amazing skincare favorites that I will continue to repurchase again and again. These are some beauty products you may want to put on your holiday wishlist! The skincare products I have been loving will get your skin in perfect order for all the holiday celebrations and long afterward. I find myself in a state of bliss over my skin these days and it has to be thanks to these products. I hope your November was as great as mine and onward into a new month we go! 

1. Westman Atelier Eye Pods in Rendez Vous - This little eyeshadow trio has been my go-to for over a month now. This powder-cream hybrid formula feels so smooth and silky, it glides so easily across the eyes and blends so easily. I love these autumnal tones so much and they look so rich on the eyes. This formula is so effortless and I love using these regularly to create a polished eye look. I have been a long-time fan of this formula and these three new shades are such a beautiful addition to anyone's collection. You can read my full review here. 

2. Beautycounter Think Big All-In-One Mascara - What I've really been loving about this formula is its rich and dark pigment. I feel like this is on the deepest black mascaras I have tried. While I typically am not a fan of rubber brushes this one is actually quite nice. It has smaller little spikes that pick up every little lash. This is a fabulous everyday mascara that provides a decent amount of volume, a lot of separation, some curl, and a lot of definition. It's a good all-around mascara. Also, I love that this formula doesn't smudge but isn't a waterproof formula. I've been having such a huge issue with mascara smudging on me lately but this one stays strong! 

3. RÓEN Beauty Gold Lust Eye Shadow Palette - This cream eyeshadow palette has a beautiful selection of shades that have a buildable pigment. These effortless and ultra-creamy eyeshadows offer a luminous and slightly glossy look to the eyes. The shades are universally flattering and so easy to wear every day. It's an easy palette to just grab and create a polished look with minimal effort. I love using these shades together, alone, or even paired with other eyeshadow I own. While this formula isn't the most long-wearing, it provides a unique "lived-in" look when it has creased and faded, which looks so chic and effortless. You can check out the swatches for this palette in my review. 

4. Victoria Beckham Beauty Cheeky Posh Cream Blush Stick - My current weakness is cream blushes. I can't stop collecting them and I HAD to have all of these! Luckily, these cream blushes are as beautiful as they appear. They have a stunningly natural and dewy finish with a very buildable pigment that will allow every shade to suit multiple skin tones. I love the easy-to-use stick format and the portability of this formula. The water-resistant formula is long-wearing and is an added bonus to this beautiful formula. It's a luxurious product, inside and out. You can learn more about this formula in my review. 

5. Augustinus Bader The Serum - Listen, I didn't want to like this serum but now, I LOVE IT! After using this serum for two months, I can happily say, there's nothing quite like it. This serum plumps smooths, softens, and firms! It really firms the skin and boosts elasticity like no other serum I have tried! This is one of the very few serums that delivers visible results immediately and just continues to deliver more results over time. It gives my skin a very refined, flawless, and glass-skin finish that I have coveted for so long! I have already purchased myself a backup because I just can't be without this serum and I have already used quite a lot of my current tube. You can read all about this serum formula in my review, here. 

6. Augustinus Bader The Eye Cream - This eyes cream has been helping me banish my fine lines! The light serum-like texture feels refreshing and hydrating on the skin. It's a very nourishing eye cream but it never feels heavy or greasy on the eyes. It has noticeably diminished my lines, depuffed my under eyes, and even reduced darkness. This eye cream delivers noticeable results immediately and continues to deliver impressive results with each subsequent day! You need the tiniest bit for each eye and it is a potent formula. I can't recommend this formula enough! You can read all about this formula in my review.

7. Augustinus Bader The Face Oil - I've fallen back in love with this face oil these past few months because the changing hot and cold weather has made my skin feel extremely dry and dehydrated. Also, since I started using my radiofrequency device, post-treatment, I find my skin soaks up so much skincare. So, I like to follow up with my very best skincare products, which include this oil to lock it all in. My skin drinks this oil up and it leaves me with stunningly glowy glass-like skin. My skin always feels incredibly soft and hydrated when I use this oil. It really gives my skin a plump and healthy texture, smoothing away lines. You can read my full review of this formula here. 

8. Bliss Clear Genius Acne Spot Treatment - With the continuous celebration of holidays, birthdays, and get-togethers, all the indulging in sweets has taken a toll on my skin. I know I've had too much sugar when I start to break out. Well, this treatment has come in handy for the big volcanos that have erupted on my forehead. This is the most amazing spot treatment because after the first night after application, my breakouts were reduced by half! I have never come across a spot treatment that was so potent! It also doesn't dry out my already dry skin! I am so impressed and happy with how this formula handles breakouts. I really can't recommend this spot treatment enough!

9. Dyson AirWrap - When I purchased this full set, I didn't think I would ever use the round brush attachment because I am so uncoordinated and I had never properly blown my hair out. Seriously, I once had short hair that required styling but I couldn't figure out how to properly blow dry it. Well, one day, I decided I was going to try using the round brush again, and somehow, I figured it out! Maybe it's the fact that I don't have to coordinate a brush and a blow dryer at the same time but I was easily able to give myself a pretty decent blowout, quickly! I haven't worn my hair straight in a very long time but this device made it so easy to create a silky-smooth blowout! You could say I was blown away! With the colder weather, air drying my hair is not as fun. Plus, my hair just doesn't look good air-dried. Luckily, this routine is so fast and easy when using this device. I'm so excited to be getting even more use out of this device! 

10. Le Labo Matcha 26 - This fragrance doesn't really come off as matcha green tea to me at all but I don't mind because I still really like the scent. The strongest notes that come through are the vetiver and fig. It's a warm, woody, and cozy fragrance. Other notes in the fragrance are bitter orange, matcha tea, and cedar. While it doesn't celebrate the matcha note as much as I would like, the fragrance is so pleasant and comforting. It's a lovely fall fragrance that feels like the equivalent of a cozy knit sweater. It doesn't have any projection but every once in a while, I still get a whiff of the fragrance throughout the day. 

Shop my November Favorites: 

| Review | RÓEN Beauty Gold Lust Eye Shadow Palette

The reigning champ of the glossy eye goes to RÓEN Beauty for their unique eyeshadow formula and they just came out with a luscious golden colorway that will have you swooning! Trust me, I didn't think I needed a gold eyeshadow palette considering that I may have a million but when I saw the colors in this beautiful creamy texture, I knew it was going to be my new favorite palette. RÓEN Beauty really stepped up their game when they made this quad and I think you'll agree after you finish reading this review. 

The RÓEN Beauty Gold Lust Eye Shadow Palette retails for $46.00 USD and is available at RÓEN Beauty. These eyeshadows are housed in the iconic RÓEN Beauty small and sleek reflective compact. The compact is made of lightweight plastic but it still looks and feels luxurious. The compact has a magnetic closure and a mirror inside. I really like that this compact opens completely, it makes it easier to get the mirror really close for precision application. This palette also comes with a small velvety white pouch, which personally isn't my favorite color for a makeup pouch considering the fabric, alone, is a dirt and makeup magnet. The white color will certainly get dirty quickly. I don't care too much because I never use these little protective pouches but they are good for preventing scratches. 

SHADES 

This palette contains four beautiful golden tones with two different finishes. These golden shades are universally flattering and suit all skin tones. There are two versatile finishes in this palette, a pearl, and a fine glitter finish. 

Bon Bon - This shade is a warm golden champagne shade with a slight light pink and bronze undertone with a light gold pearl. 

Safari - This shade appears to be a deep champagne shade in the pan but on the skin, it's a warm medium bronze shade with a light gold pearl. 

Boujee - This shade is a rich warm amber shade with a strong warm bronze undertone with a very strong yellow gold pearl. 

Viola - This shade is a medium warm bronze with a lot of fine gold and bronze shimmer throughout. 

Swatches from left to right: Bon Bon, Safari, Boujee, Viola

Swatches from left to right: Bon Bon, Safari, Boujee, Viola

FORMULA 

This palette stands out from the others in the range because the texture and formula of all the shades are quite different from the other palettes. The pearl finish can be found in one shade of the Mood 4 Ever Eye Shadow Palette (full review here). Overall, the brand hasn't utilized this finish very much in their palettes until now. Also, the glitter shade in this palette is quite different in the formula from the previous palettes. 

These cream eyeshadows are very creamy and buildable. They all have a rich pigment and you only need a light layer for an impact. These eyeshadows are versatile and an effortless formula to work with. I find that these eyeshadow work best with fingers but you can also use a brush and achieve great results. I prefer to use a brush when I need precision, like applying the eyeshadows to the crease, lower lashline, and outer corner but when I apply the eyeshadows to the inner corner and lid, I use my fingers. 

These eyeshadows will last about 4 to 5 hours before creasing or fading but luckily, this is the kind of formula that looks good when it starts to crease. It gives the eyes a very "lived-in" effortless look. It looks very intentional when the eyeshadow starts to fade and crease. However, if this bothers you, this is probably not a formula for you. These are designed to be long-wearing but instead, give the eyes a unique wet look and texture. 

Pearl Finish 

The beautiful, soft, and luminous finish of these eyeshadows makes them much more versatile than the classic glossy glitter finish. These have a rich pigment with a soft luminous pearl that still offers a glow but they don't look nearly as glossy as the glitter formula. The finish is more of a soft luminosity. This finish allows you to get more definition and more complexity because of being ost sparkle, these eyeshadows have a denser pigment and overall color. I personally think they need to do more palettes with this finish because it's so silky and luxurious. It's a finish that will suit all ages because it is very forgiving. If you always felt like the RÓEN Beauty eyeshadows didn't give you enough pigment, this palette will change your mind! These eyeshadows have a beautifully smooth and creamy texture that is so easy to layer, blend, and apply. 

Glitter Finish 

The thing that makes this fine glitter shade so different from previous RÓEN Beauty palettes is the significantly drier texture! RÓEN Beauty is typically known for very glossy, wet-looking, balmy glitter textures but this new finish is very different. It has a drier almost powder-like cream texture. When you run your finger or brush over the eyeshadow, you get a very thin layer of product that feels almost like a creamy powder. The eyeshadow has a pigmented base color and is packed with very fine translucent glitter. The glitter is very sophisticated, refined, and offers a glistening twinkle to the eyes. While it has a drier finish, the cream formula allows the glitter to adhere to the skin. The glitter doesn't fall out during the application or throughout the day. 

THE LOOK 

For this look, I applied Bon Bon to the inner third of my eye with my finger and blended it upwards. Then, I applied Boujee to the crease of my eyes with a synthetic crease brush and blended it upwards. For the rest of the lid, I applied Safari to the lid with my finger and blended it upwards into the crease. Finally, I applied Viola to the very center of the lid for a pop of glitter. I also rimmed my eyes with a deep brown liner and applied Safari to the bottom lashline. 

FINAL THOUGHTS 

When I thought I had a favorite RÓEN Beauty eyeshadow palette, this one came in and swept me away! The formula is exceptional! I love the pearl finish of many of the shades because the pearl adds luminosity and texture but it doesn't distract from the rich pigment. The rich and buildable pigment allows you to add dimension and definition to the eyes. I love the easy-to-use formula that can be used with fingers or a brush. This is one of the most universally flattering formulas and color palettes the brand offers. If you love a glossy and luminous cream eyeshadow finish with that "lived-in" eyeshadow look, this palette is perfect for you. I highly recommend this beautiful palette and effortless formula for any makeup minimalist. 

Shop RÓEN Beauty: 

| Review | RÓEN Beauty Mood 4 Ever Eye Shadow Palette

Glitter, gloss, and sparkle... I can never get enough of these unique eyeshadows! With minimal makeup on the rise and trending in the beauty industry, this product fits into this trend perfectly. It is a palette made for finger painitng but this formula really isn't for everyone. I have reviews of the previous palettes here. If you're looking for something long wearing and that won't crease, this isn't the review for you but if you  love an easy and effortless glossy look, you may want to consider continuing to read this. 

The RÓEN Beauty Mood 4 Ever Eye Shadow Palette retails for $46.00 USD and is available at RÓEN Beauty. Housed in RÓEN's iconic compact, slim, and sleek reflective compact, this palette is lightweight and easy to travel with. The compact is magnetic, which adds to the luxury of the packaging. The compact is very reflective for being made of plastic and it is prone to fingerprints and scratches. The palette comes with a soft fuzzy white dust pouch, which I really don't use. It's always a nice touch but I feel like it would be easier to wipe and clean the compact than to have a white fabric cover on it. 

SHADES 

This palette was designed to contain all very wearable shades to flatter any skin tone. It is supposed to be the palette you reach for every day and one that goes with any outfit. It is designed to be the "little black dress" of eye makeup and I think they really succeeded! The shades in this palette are all incredibly versatile and wearable for any skin tone, makeup style, and built for any skill level to successfully apply it. The shades appear much pinker and rosier in person than in photos but when applied to the skin the shades are more neutral looking. The shades in this palette are: 

Crema (top left) - This shade is a very sheer and smooth warm champagne beige shade with very fine flecks of pink and copper pearl. This shade is not nearly as shimmery as the others and has more of a pearl.

Elated (top right) - This shade has a warm copper base bit really strong pink reflective shimmers throughout. 

Impressions (bottom left) - This shade is a cool champagne-taupe with blue and silver reflects throughout. This shade is very unique and works with many different looks. 

Toasty (bottom right) - This shade is a rich warm copper with strong pink reflects and some gold reflects throughout. This shade has the richest pigment and is the boldest color. 

Swatches from left to right: Crema, Elated, Impressions, Toasty

Swatches from left to right: Mood 4 Ever, 11:11

FORMULA 

Like I stated at the beginning of this review, this is a formula that isn't for everyone. This formula is between a balm and a gloss with pigment and shimmers suspended throughout the formula. When you run your fingers over the eyeshadows, the texture feels quite firm but the surface is still emollient. When you run your finger over the surface, you will pick up a thin layer of eyeshadow. 

The pigment is sheer but very buildable. You can actually get a lot of pigment out of these eyeshadows despite them being so emollient and glossy. The pigment builds but to be noticeable and distinct shades on the lid. I think that's what makes this formula so unique because these eyeshadows can work together to create a cohesive look and aren't just a glossy lid shade.  However, it also plays very well with other formulas. While these are very emollient, these eyeshadows don't migrate a whole lot, they tend to stay where you place them but they will crease. Yes, I know that does count as migrating but I meant migrating in the sense that you don't end up with shimmers under your eyes or up in your eyebrows. 

The formula has a very slight tackiness to it that allows the pigments to stay where they are placed. However, the shadows are still very smooth and creamy. You can easily swipe them on with your finger or a brush. I find that fingers tend to work best, especially if you are trying to build the color because it doesn't remove some of the eyeshadow already on the skin. 

The nice thing about this cream formula is that you can just fix the creased parts with your finger but they are really meant to create a very "lived-in" kind of eyeshadow look. These shadows layer quite well on top of one another or with powder eyeshadows. What I do notice is that by about 4 or 5 hours the base color in these eyeshadows will fade and you tend to be left with mostly the glitter. This occurs more often in shades with a lot of larger shimmer particles. The eyeshadows in this particular palette are not as glittery or contain slightly finer shimmers, which is not only easier tot work with but look better throughout the day. 

This formula is also touted as a "clean" formula, which means there are very minimal to no chemicals or "bad" ingredients. I find that this formula is very comfortable and non-irritating to my sensitive eyes, which is what I really appreciate about this clean formula.  

THE LOOK 

I must say, the camera doesn't do this palette justice. It looks just like a glossy sparkle on the lids but it doesn't pick up its subtle and nuanced reflects. This is definitely a palette that looks much better in person than it doesn't in pictures unless you have a super hi-definition camera. However, you can get an idea of how it looks on the eyes here. 

I created this look using Elated in the crease, Impressions on the middle to the outer corner of the lid, Crema on the inner corner, and for definition along the outer lashline, I applied Toasty. 

FINAL THOUGHTS 

This palette is by far, my favorite out of al the palettes in the current range. The shades are much more wearable and not nearly as glittery as some from the previous palettes. This makes the quad effortless, easy to wear, and easy to use. I feel like these shades really do represent my every day mood and I love it's versatility. I have found myself constantly reaching for it when I want a quick and easy look but I also love pairing it with other cream and powder eyeshadows. While not everyone is going to love this formula, I think it's excellent for what it is and it is also an incredibly unique formula. If you love a glossy eye look, you're going to love these eyeshadows! The beautiful glistening effect they offer and the easy to use formula makes it a real winner! I really do recommend these eyeshadow palettes and I believe they are worth the luxury price.