dazzle 'n' sparkle

February was very Short and equally cold. It was also a busy and happening month in my family. We celebrated our son's birthday and had few parties to attend giving me perfect opportunity to glam up. Also, cold weather means taking extra pampering for skin too.

Few Beauty and Lifestyle favorites. I try to review these in short here as most of the products have either been reviewed before or scheduled to be reviewed.

Charlotte Tilbury magic cream
What can I say about this one, other than the fact that it is my holy grail product and an all time favorite. I apply it an hour before makeup and it just hydrates and plumps the skin, making it look healthy and well nourished. It has  Hyaluronic acid, Wild pansy extracts, Rosehip, camellia oils and antioxidant vitamin E. A wonderful gem.

CLINIQUE Airbrush Concealer in shade medium. This is a sheer-coverage, light concealer that has decent amount of peachy undertones. This color is more of a color correcting, brightening product and not so much of a concealer. I love the well rested look this gives, without sinking into the fine lines of the already dry under eyes. Like always, light layers and less product is the way to go. The brush applicator helps in smooth, precise application.

I somehow managed to get two deluxe size samples of this glorious LA MER The Treatment Lotion and it is fantastic. It is a very hydrating product, that has a unique gel lotion consistency. Very reminiscent of Korean skincare Essence and Lotions. It is light weight, yet provides amazing moisture for my dry skin. Not a huge fan of the scent though. It also comes with a luxury price tag. Sephora VIB sale, I will wait for you.

e.l.f. Pore Refining Brush & Mask Tool from the drugstore has been a life saver especially for those runny face masks. The silicone paddled brush helps in easy, non messy application while the stubby, stiff brush at the other end helps in loosening the dry mask and providing that mild scrubbing effect before washing the mask off. It is little difficult to apply mask around the nose with this brush though. A wonderful skincare tool, that I wish I had picked sooner.

HOURGLASS Vanish™ Flash Highlighting Stick was another deluxe sample I am glad I got my hands on. It is lovely and I just reviewed is here. This highlighter along with MAC Cream color base in Crushed Bougainvillea (Limited edition) has been a winner duo for last month. The color looks scary in pan but it gives the most beautiful, winter flush on the cheeks. I always tend to forget how amazing, MAC Cream color bases are. An oldie, but a goodie.  (the cream product is not ruined yet) Something similar can be easily found as this one was Limited Edition.

DIOR Rouge Dior Lipstick in 996 Eccentric is a creamy dirty brown purple color with satin finish. It is very light weight and comfortable on the lips. It has a scent, which is fine with me, though it is too perfume'y'. It is a good Fall-Winter color and works well for my pigmented lips.

This lipstick along with the cheek color combination above, ties the whole look together and I have been enjoying this look for my evening parties

My nails!! OMG! They just get horrible in winters. I have to deal with Super dry cuticles and painful hang nails. While I am very particular and diligent about my skincare rituals, same cannot be said about the nails. I have been enjoying using this Deborah Lippmann Ultra Nourishing cuticle cream. It is light weight, emollient and smells good. It is not at all thick and softens the cuticles beautifully.

Butter London Melt Away cuticle Eliminator (new package says exfoliator) is a good one in eliminating the dryness and softening the cuticles. The brush applicator is very user friendly and I made it a point to use it religiously every single day!

Slip Silk Pillow case

This is a really cool product. It is super soft, silky and reduces the frizz on my hair the next morning. I will do a mini review soon, because looks like this post is getting way too lengthy!!

Ren Cleansing balm

I have been deliberately trying to use products from my personal stash as well as try new products in my daily skincare routine. As a blogger, it is very easy to accumulate good number of products in short span of time. This Cleansing balm is mild, cleans the amount of makeup I slather and smells wonderful. I use it as my first cleanse (review)

Stella McCartney Stella Fragrance

I have a decent collection of perfumes and to avoid using the same fragrance over and over again, I keep one or two out on the vanity and enjoy using them. For February I went with Fragrance from Stella McCartney, an all time favorite and re-purchase.

Otherland is a brand of candle that probably has the best packaging in the world of candles. They come packed ready to gift! and they also include a matchbox. How cute is that! I had ordered one in Daybed during the holidays and it is a wonderful floral scent. They sent me another scent in Chandelier recently on Valentine's day and it is one of the most beautiful scents I have in my candle collection. Worth checking the brand if you love candles!

When two amazing brands L'Occitane (Skincare/Bath and Body) and Rifle Paper Co. (stationery giant) decide to collaborate, the outcome is going to be nothing less than phenomenal. L'Occitane products are not new to me. From their hand creams to bath and body products, everything is well loved. I knew I wanted to pick something from the collaboration solely for aesthetics and packaging. The tin sits on one of my shelves and what a visual treat it is!