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.