This might be the most favorites that I have ever had. November was a great month for me and I rediscovered some old favorites, and added some new ones as well. I’m ready for everything December brings- White Elephant gift exchanges, Ugly Sweater parties, Christmas cookies, and hanging out with my family.  

Beauty

Stila Magnificent Metal Foil Finish Eyeshadow / These are the most glittery eye product that I know of.  I own Pixie Dust, Kitten,Vintage Black Gold, and Comex Copper.  Metallic Gilded Gold is on my wishlist. Every eye look is better with glitter imo lately.

 
MAC Yash / I have been getting a bunch of wear out of this lipstick. It is a darker nude that isn’t as warm as something like Whirl, but isn’t really cool- toned either. Right in the middle.

MAC Nutcracker Sweet Peach Face Compact / I thought that I had magically gotten my hands on the Sweet Copper face compact with Whisper of Gilt when I was buying this online.  At first I was annoyed that I had bought the wrong product, but when I swatched the Sweet Copper compact at a MAC counter, I realized that I had made the right decision. Whisper of Gilt is a coppery gold that is much darker than the Sweet Peach compact. It is brighter than Oh, Darling from MAC last year, and brighter than the Mally Beauty highlight.  This purchase was definitely a happy mistake.

Becca Opal / This powder highlight has been the inner corner highlight I reach for very often. It has a lovely velvety texture.

MAC Melon Pigment / I have been doing a lot of copper eyes when I am getting ready to go somewhere.  They look so nice with any lip color! MAC Melon is the perfect bright orange/ copper lid shimmer.

Loreal Miss Manga Rock mascara / My favorite mascara was discontinued, so I just wanted to give it a final shoutout before I try out new ones.

Aztec Secret Clay Mask / This mask never fails me and you can feel it working.  It does a great job at deep cleansing and pore tightening. I will probably have this until I’m 90 because it comes in a huge tub of powder that you mix up with apple cider vinegar.  I have been trying to use this about once per week to deeply cleanse my skin.

Nip + Fab Exfoliate Glycolic Fix Night Pads Extreme & Stridex  / These and the next product are my very favorite products of the whole year! I learned about AHA and BHA ingredients on Reddit, and I feel like this information is not widely known.  Using these acids loosened up the junk that kept my pores clogged, stretched out, congested, and zitty for so so long. Mixed with proper cleansing and hydrating, I credit my changed skin to these. I have also seen a major improvement in the texture of my face. Using highlighter is much more satisfying on smooth skin. I use the Nip + Fab at night, and the Stridex in the morning before moisturizer.

Technique: lipstick over liquid lipstick / Adding a lipstick over liquid lipstick decreases the cracking and dryness problem I get with some of my liquid lipsticks, but increases the staying power that you would otherwise have with just a normal lipstick.  This is a great combination if you want your lipstick to stay in place but also be comfortable for long wear occasions.

Philosophy Fresh Cream perfume / I have been using this scent for the past two winters. It is different from any other perfume or scent that I have. Imagine being in a warm frothy bath or the fuzziest blanket of your life. That is the feeling I get when I smell this.  For some weird reason I only like using this in the winter time.  If you are a vanilla fan, you need to try it. One spray, and it’s extremely undetectable, but with a few more you can build it up. It lingers all day on me and my clothes, and I like layering it with some of the more earthy perfumes I own to deepen it up.  Sephora describes the notes as “etherial cream, soft sweetness, hints of vanilla.”

Charlotte Tillbury Kim K W lipstick / I think this is my first UNFAVORITE ever.  This lipstick was all over YouTube as a favorite last month for a couple of beauty vloggers that I watch. I picked it up at Nordstrom and it was my first time trying anything from Charlotte Tillbury.  At $32 I had high hopes for an amazing formula and perfect nude lipstick.  Nope. This is streaky, sheer, not matte, and about as light as MAC Myth.  I returned it. Save your money and don’t fall for the hype like I did.

Fashion

Note: I don’t really have any photos of myself wearing my fashion items sadly! My apartment complex is a bit too awkwardly public / not a cute background for OOTD pics.. working on this!

Pull & Bear Camo Bomber Jacket / Guess who finally got on the bomber jacket trend bandwagon?  I held off for so long because I’m already wide enough without putting on a huge puffy cropped jacket.  I like the trend but have never found the perfect one.  I wanted one in camo print since it’s basically a neutral for me at this point, not too warm since I run hot, and non- puffy.  The men’s section of ASOS was where I found the perfect jacket.  This one is uncropped, wide enough for my wide shoulders, not flashy, and non- puffed yet rainproof.  I have been throwing this on with a t shirt, leggings, Adidas, and heading out.  

H&M Jacket / Another men’s section score. I was shopping during my lunch break and headed to H&M. I hadn’t been there in awhile and didn’t see anything particularly impressive in the women’s section, so I headed to their men’s clothing department. Along with being absolutely quiet and empty, they have a ton of cute stuff! Right now I am loving flowy, oversized sweatshirts and sweaters, and this is the perfect place to go.  I had been looking for a cozy warm waterproof jacket for awhile.  I had a Columbia one that is cute but doesn’t have a hood, and I have a raincoat that is just a shell for heavy duty rain. This jacket is a mix of a bomber jacket style bottom with warmth, a cute grey color, and a huge hood for keeping all my hair dry. I had a 40% off H&M coupon and have been wearing this to work nonstop. It feels like I’m wrapped up in a down comforter.  It’s not as long as a normal big coat, so it fits well on women too.

Red Plaid / With Christmas coming up, I find myself wanting to buy everything in red plaid. Even home decor!  

Meleponym Instagram / I like mentioning a social media person worth following, and it has to be this instagrammer this month. She has the most simple and cute outfit ideas that I like to get inspiration from.  She doesn’t speak English, but the outfits are so cute that they don’t even need captions.

Nose piercing / One day during my lunch break I decided to get my nose pierced for the third time. My nose closes up immediately whenever I take out the jewelry, so I had to get it done again. It’s been about two years since I had it in, and I have been loving it again! I had to get a stud put in during the healing process, but I’ll be switching to a ring next month.

My Kitsch Beanie / I found my holy grail beanie. Perfect slouch, fat yarn, huge pompom, stays on my big head, and comes in a few colors. It’s a little pricey at $25 but I think it is worth it. I’ve worn it to the grocery store with leggings, and out to a bar with my Blank NYC jacket. It is extremely versatile.

Sock boots / The Steve Madden Edit Booties are all over Instagram.  They are SO CUTE, but being me, I had to find a cheaper option. I’m 5’10” and have a super casual life where I don’t wear heels that often. Instead of spending $90, I grabbed this Amazon dupe for $25. However, just looking at the SM Nordstrom link makes my mouth water for the blue, RUST, blush, and grey velvet ones.  If I get any Nordstrom gift cards for Christmas they will go towards that.

Other

Moleskin Weekly Planner / After a long search, I picked my planner for 2017.  For 2016, I was using the STIL Classics planner– and it is the best one I have ever used. Unfortunately STIL decided to increase the price to $70 this year… Nope. I switched to a cheaper yet classic option this year. I plan on buying a paint pen to decorate the cover but I actually like the simplicity of the sleek black.  

Cycling at 24 Hour Fitness / I was watching a video by Claudia Sulewski where she started talking about SoulCycle. I found myself thinking about trying out BurnCycle or StarCycle because those are the centers near me. Then, I realized I don’t have to spend $300+ every month because my gym already has cycling classes. Getting to the 5:30 AM class is no easy task, but it is thee best way to start out my day!

Blueberry Cheesecake Scentsy / It was time for a refresh on some wax melts, so I stuck with my favorite scent- Blueberry Cheesecake.  I picked up the wax bar, car scent, and room spray.  This scent is pretty overpowering, but I call that bang for your buck.

Seeing Nick Offerman / I don’t get to see celebrities very often, but I got the chance to see Nick Offerman, aka Ron Swanson from Parks & Rec.  I watch this show or The Office every night before bed, and have read his books, so seeing him was pretty surreal!  He was promoting his book at the Powell’s bookstore by my apartment. I’m getting my dad a copy for Christmas since it is all about woodworking!

Starbucks Holiday cups / They did an amazing job this year with the holiday designs. Wondering what to get someone for Christmas? Solution: Starbucks holiday mug with a gift card, box of tea, coffee grounds, or keurig cups. Best gift ever!

Before the Flood Documentary / I was bored one night and decided to try watching something educational on Netflix instead of Say Yes to the Dress for once. This documentary by Leonardo DiCaprio was very eye- opening. I (of course) have heard of climate change, but didn’t really know much. It’s scary how much of an impact we have on the rest of the world.

Prep by Curtis Sittenfield / I read this book when I was about 13, and decided to give it another read. I remember it being pretty heavy for my age. When I picked it up again I didn’t remember much.  This is definitely a good book for adults and I couldn’t put it down this month.  There are some adult themes to this novel about a girl who goes off to prep school and goes through her four years there. Definitely pick it up if you like drama or Gossip Girl- esque stories and have ever felt like the “new kid” at school. I have never identified more with a main character. My brain works exactly like hers does and it almost was like the author understood me.

Harry Potter Phone Case / Why does no phone case company making new Iphone SE cases?  My phone is pretty new but all the brands like Sonix, Casemate, etc. are really just catering to the 6s & 7 crowd… I turned to Amazon for a simple, cheap case. I love anything Harry Potter themed.

Fresh Balsam Bath & Body Works Wallflower / I don’t have a real tree in my little apartment, but this B&BW Wallflower plug in makes the living room smell like I have a 6ft tall evergreen. It is refreshing and beautiful! This is an amazing winter scent.

Happy December!!

-Kim