February Beauty Favorites

The end of March caught up to me, and I'm just now sharing my beauty favorites for February. I'm in Texas, where winter is short and spring comes early, so February was about taking full advantage of my favorite winter makeup looks while I still had time. It was also about keeping my skin as hydrated as possible during those sporadic, but brutal, cold fronts. My favorite items this month included:

MAC Toledo Matte Lipstick in Sin
This February, I started writing as a Vanity Report contributor for LillianaVazquez.com, and my first post was a review on MAC's collection with Isabel and Ruben Toledo. The collection featured a range of lipsticks in shades from nude to the darkest shade, Sin. I love a dark lip and as soon as I got my hands on the deep maroon shade, I knew I had to wear it as often as I could while it was still cold and appropriate. This meant I was getting in some daytime wear, which is okay because I do love the drama. Still, I love pairing this with a soft, rose gold metallic eye, or even just a bronzer as an eyeshadow.

BlenderCleanser Solid
I typically clean my brushes and Beauty Blenders with gentle dish soap. Beauty is an expensive hobby, so I like saving where I can. Walking by the Beauty Blender Cleansers at Sephora, I rolled my eyes and thought it ridiculous to spend such an exorbitant amount on a brush cleanser when I could use a few drops of dish soap at home. But then Birchbox went and sent me a travel-sized BlenderCleanser Solid (with a full-sized Blender!) and shook up my whole world. It not only cut my cleaning time in half and left my brushes cleaner than dish soap alone, it actually restored my first Beauty Blender to its original state. I picked up another travel-sized Cleanser at Sephora with my rewards points, and as soon as I've gone through both, I will eat my words and buy a full-sized version at a mere $17.

Fresh Black Tea Firming Overnight Mask
This is a new one from Fresh, and Fresh never disappoints. This overnight mask is meant to be an anti-aging treatment, what with all those black tea antioxidants, visibly firming and tightening skin overnight. I used this mask a couple times this month, not necessarily because I'm aging - although I am - but because it actually functions really well as a concentrated moisturizer, perfect for those few overnight freezes we experienced in February. The mask is so rich and decadent, and by morning my skin is always baby soft, super supple and bouncy.

First Aid Beauty Face Cleanser 
With the harsh temperatures this month, this cleanser really saved my skin. It's very easy for cleansers to get into the abrasive or drying category, but this one is gentle and great at cleansing skin without stripping it of essential moisture that you really need, especially in the winter.

NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Cruella
Nothing adds glamour to a cold weather outfit or a gloomy day like a serious red lip, and this shade has a hint of brick red that makes it more mature than a cherry or a neon red. It's one of those reds that looks a little bit lived in and actually applies well without a liner, looking a more effortless and not too perfect. It has matte, dry finish that a lot of people aren't fond of, but is actually my favorite. So long as my lips are paper dry, I know my lip color is intact.

Tata Harper Moisturizing Mask
If you haven't been turned on to Tata Harper, you should definitely pick up few samples and consider making the investment. The company is headquartered in Vermont where they make anti-aging skincare without any synthetic chemicals. I picked up a sample of the Moisturizing Mask at a Neiman Marcus's Project Beauty event in February and it's unlike any other moisturizing mask or product I have used to-date. Most moisturizing masks are heavy and dense, but Tata Harper's is milky, light, applies like a velvety oil and makes your skin luminous. It works well as an overnight treatment or as a 10-15 minute mask and is packed with hyaluronic acid for deeper hydration and anti-aging goodness.

Beauty Packing Tips

I spend a lot of time on the road. Andres and I are 3 hours north and south of our respective families and we love to see them as often as we can. Every trip, Andres throws a couple shirts, a pair of shoes and some pajamas into his duffle. I carry at least three pairs of shoes - a heel option, a flat option and an in-between option - several outfits to choose from (because you just never know), and an entire arsenal of makeup and skincare selections. While the number of bags I usually bring is never below two (for a three-day trip, mind you), I like to think I’ve almost mastered packing my beauty essentials. While Andres probably disagrees, I have made vast improvements to my packing technique in the past couple years.

• Take advantage of samples. One of the few reasons I haven’t canceled my sample subscription boxes is because I know I’m going to be traveling and I know those samples will come in handy. And I’ve discovered a few products during those three-day trips. If you don’t subscribe to any sample boxes, just ask for samples next time you’re at Sephora or in a department store.
• Keep your must-haves ready to go. This has been the most helpful of my tricks. I keep a bag with sample or travel-sized skincare and haircare essentials ready to go for easy packing. Whether it’s to throw in my gym bag or for a weekend outing, it’s stocked with a day, night and sensitive-skin moisturizer, a facial cleanser, eye cream, tea tree oil (for any blemishes that may decide to spoil my weekend), eye makeup remover, a good serum, a face mask option, dry shampoo and shampoo/conditioner.
• Invest in a brush case or roll. There are many options to choose from for different sizes and amounts of tools. ELF Cosmetics sells a brush set that comes in a sturdy, zip-up brush case that’s been a favorite of mine. It’s the right size for your larger brushes without being bulky and keeps them all separate and clean. Or invest in a travel-sized brush set. You can find good options at various price points like this one ($56) and this one ($7) from Sephora, or this one from Sigma ($86).
• Bring your dupes, instead. When I’m not traveling for a wedding or special event, I prefer to carry dupes, especially when it’s somewhere I’m likely not returning. If anything is left behind, cracks or breaks, I’m not so heartbroken. Some of my favorite dupe or drug-store products to carry are Elf Cosmetics products, NYX products, the Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge in lieu of my Beauty Blender and any Real Techniques brush instead of my Sephora brushes.
• Use your fingers. Use your fingers to apply a cream blush instead of powder, metallic eyeshadow, highlight or foundation. It will reduce the number of brushes you have to bring along.
• Put spare contact lens cases to work. All those extra cases laying around are a beauty addict’s best friend. They’re perfect for 2-3 day business trips or weekend getaways, and fit creams, cleansers, primers and liquid foundation.
• Leave essentials behind. This is obviously not going to work on a business trip or anytime you’re staying in a hotel. I leave hair brushes, a toothbrush, a loofah, and some skincare items behind at my house or my in-laws. Even one fewer item to pack makes a difference.
• Charge your Clarisonic. Yes, you can probably go a couple days without using it, but I really start to miss mine after even a day off. I always charge mine before any trip.
• Limit yourself to one of each item. This one’s particularly difficult for me because I either end up doing someone’s makeup on trips, or I like to bring products along to share with friends, my sisters-in-law or my mom. When I can, I only bring one each of blush, bronzer, red lip, nude lip, etc. I also only bring one of my eyeshadow palettes.
• The Lorac Pro is a favorite because it’s so thin and lightweight.
• The Too Faced Everything Nice palette from their holiday collection is a great multi-purpose palette with eyeshadow, blush, highlight and bronzer.  
• The Lorac Pro To Go is another multi-purpose palette that’s really compact and has a neutral (but so rich) shadow selection, with blush and bronzer, too.