So I literally haven’t done a favourites post in years (aside from my yearly favourites), but I was in Saskatoon all week for work and needed something as my Friday post. I love watching favourites videos on YouTube, however, for me, I mostly just use all the same products every month.

With that being said, since my makeup collection is so vast now, many items that I may have once loved when I got them often get tossed to the back of the proverbial makeup drawer, forgotten about, while I try new things. This past month I found myself using a lot of items that I received or bought months ago (or even last year) and loving again, as well as new stuff that I can’t see myself living without (at least for the next month :p).

First up on the list are new skincare items. I received the First Aid Beauty Cheers to Fab Skin set to try out for review and I have to say, I’m in love. I’ve been a Clinique Three-Step System girl since I was 15, but this stuff is amazing. Prior to giving this a try, I had lots of breakouts on the lower portion of my face, and after a few days of using these products, they pretty much cleared up. The set included the FAB Face Cleanser (which I use with my Clarisonic Mia 2 at night and just itself in the morning), the FAB Facial Radiance Pads (ran out of these after two weeks, but they are amazing), the FAB Ultra Repair Cream, the FAB Ultra Repair Lip Therapy, and the FAB Eye Duty Triple Remedy. I am still using the cleanser, the eye cream and the moisturizer (as well as the balm) and really love what they are doing for my skin. I really want to buy the Facial Radiance Pads again, however C$38 for 60 pads (a month’s usage if you use a pad morning and night) is a little steep.

As for the rest of my body, I have been slathering on The Body Shop Wild Argan Oil Body Butter mostly every night before bed for super smooth skin when I wake up. This stuff is infused with Argan Oil, which is just what I need for the dry winter weather.

For makeup, I have a few items that I have been constantly reaching for. The first is the Lise Watier Feline Eyeliner HD in brown. I received this during the London Drugs fall beauty preview in Vancouver back in June and although I’ve always used black liquid liner, a little brown with the right shadow can really make your eyes pop. This is a lighter brown, but the thing about using this rather than black is that it really makes your lashes stand out and appear longer. I love using this liner with a brown or copper eye. I’ve also paired it with the shadows from the Feline palette and it just makes your whole eye look so beautiful and different. Subtle, but sexy.

Another new item I have been loving is Benefit’s Majorette Booster Blush. This little guy came out a couple months ago and it gives you the most perfect creamsicle cheeks. Not only does it smell great, but the texture is similar to Make Up For Ever’s HD Blushes, so a cream but not messy. Think second-skin formula. Plus, I find the colour so universal and flattering, I can’t think of a skin tone that it wouldn’t work for.

An oldie but a goodie, I have been reaching a lot for the Hourglass Ambient Lighting palette. I literally would call Sephora every day when this first came out last year waiting for them to get it in. I finally got my hands on it, used it for like a month and then it sat in my makeup drawer not getting the proper attention it needed. Well my friends, it’s back with a vengeance and I basically use this everyday to finish off my makeup. First I will lightly powder my face with Dim Light, then contour with Radiant Light, then highlight with Incandescent Light for airbrushed skin. I don’t know what it is about these powders but they really make your skin look amazing. This palette was limited edition when it was first released, but I know they brought it back for the holiday season, so check your Sephora stores, it’s worth the splurge.

The last makeup item is a tool. I’ve been a huge fan of the Beauty Blender for years now and have tried other sponges out there. To be honest, nothing has even come close to the texture and ease of the original. Then Jess bought me the Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge ($6, like a quarter of what the Beauty Blender costs) and hold your horses, I think I might like this one better. It works the same way – wet the sponge, squeeze out the excess water and dab the product into your skin. You have the pointed top that the Beauty Blender has, but you also have an angled flat edge that lets you really get the product into your skin. The best part is that I find it’s the same consistency as the Beauty Blender, which is the problem I have had with other sponges in the past. Nothing has even come close to the softness and bounce that the original had. Save your money and pick this guy up instead. My friend got this at Ulta but I believe that they also have a store online.

Finally, the last item on my list is Elizabeth and James Nirvana Black perfume. This guy is available exclusively at Sephora and although I didn’t see what the hype was when I first smelled it, when I received a sample of it at Sephora months back and actually sprayed it on my skin, I knew I had to have it. It’s so amazing I’ve even had two of my friends purchase it. Lord knows I don’t need any more perfumes, but this was the only item on my VIB list this year and has replaced Flowerbomb as my date night perfume (although I still have a special place in my heart for Flowerbomb as well). 

What items were your favourites for November?

Like what you read? Check out these related posts.

• Fashionably late! H&M finally comes to Winnipeg!
• #amazefesteurope – The Generator London hostel guide!
• #amazefesteurope – Paris, s’il vous plait!
• #amazefesteurope – Firenze fierce