October FAVES

I know, I know...it’s been a while since my last post but LIFE happened. What a “cliche” right?! It’s true...I quit my 9-to-5 and I’ve had gigs almost every week. I needed to rest and now I’m ready to get back in the groove of things!

Anyway, since all this craziness, I’ve purchased a few things that I’ve come to LOVE and wanted to share with you all my experiences with everything featured in this post. Are ya ready?!

Voluspa Candles

In the beginning of our marriage, my husband has come to find that my love of candles is real. The ambience it can create, the romantic mood lighting, the fragrances evoking memories you forgot you had...it’s amazing. Voluspa is one of my fave candle brands. A few reasons why: the cute and reusable packaging; the fragrance blends; its coconut, paraben & sulfate-free base; and the fact the products undergo sustainable manufacturing. I’m really loving their “Prosecco Rose” and “Makassar Ebony & Peach” fragrances. Both have lightly sweet scents.

Prices range from $10-$200 depending on style but I bought mine at the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale. Still, if you’re wanting to purchase one to experience the quality for yourself, you can buy these at www.voluspa.com or www.nordstrom.com ❤️ | All candles are made in the USA.

Elcie Cosmetics by Lilit Cardanian

Like every beauty junkie, I’m always in search of the next best thing. The beauty industry is constantly coming up with innovative items. Lilit Cardanian, a makeup guru I follow on Instagram, invented a specially shaped makeup sponge called “the Velvet Sponge” that reminds me a little of a gnome hat. Its ergonomic design makes it comfortable to fit in your hand when applying makeup. It’s latex-free and grows twice its size when wet (using this product wet/damp is best, in my opinion, for that airbrushed effect). The pointed tip reaches into the deeper areas of the face and lends a more precise application whereas the more bulbous end is meant for the larger areas of the face (or body). $18

Her “Hydra Enhancer” alkaline facial mist smells fresh and light (it’s infused with jasmine). It is meant to be used as a setting spray or a makeup refresher throughout the day. Its fragrance is a new fave along with my MAC’s Studio Fix+. 😊 The alkaline properties of this spray is supposed to help fight free radicals and is known to have anti-aging benefits. The mist comes beautifully packaged in a frosted, glass bottle | 3.38 fl. oz./100 ml | $35

The bronzer is a 3rd fave within the brand and I’ve been using it every day since I received it. There is 9.0 grams worth of product and comes in compact form. The packaging is a matte black finish compact that flips open easily so you don’t have to worry about snagging your nails. It doesn’t come with a sponge applicator but that’s okay with me since I like to apply with a fluffy brush. Colors come in 4 shades depending on skin tone (I bought tan, the 3rd color in the line). It’s talc-free and gives you a naturally-bronzed glow without the shimmer. | $30

Products listed above are all made made in the USA and can be purchased on www.elciecosmetics.com

Peony & Blush Suede by JO MALONE

I actually heard about the Peony & Blush Suede scent from several people and thought I’d check it out for myself. Visited my local Nordstrom & ended up purchasing a 3.4 fl. oz. bottle of their cologne. The fragrance is of a light floral and has notes of red apple, rose, jasmine, and gillyflower. If you find that you’re not keen on this fragrance, there are so many more scents to choose from as well as other personal care products and home fragrances. | $65 - $135 and made in England | www.jomalone.com OR www.nordstrom.com

Kopari Coconut Body Glow

This little gem came in a sample kit from Sephora (the sample I have is probably 1 oz). I actually bought this set from BEFORE (and specifically for) our family trip to Maui and I used it every time I wore my off-the-shoulder tops. I made sure I highlighted my decolletage area - especially my collarbones and shoulders. The reason why this is still a favorite of mine this Fall season is because I still occasionally wear my off-the-shoulder tops and this product is reminiscent of my time in Hawaii.

​While you can see through the packaging that it's a pretty gold shimmer, it is just THAT - shimmer (not that overly chunky glitter that you'd probably wear if you were thirteen years old). The smell is pleasant and lightly-scented of, well, coconut with a hint of gardenia and your skin soaks up the moisture as soon as you slather the oil on. Since the one I have is a sample bottle, you can get the regular size (3.4 fl. oz) at www.koparibeauty.com for $42. Kind of pricey, you say? Well, a little goes a long way and (I believe) you get your money's worth. An added bonus is that these products are vegan, phthalate-free, silicone-free, cruelty-free, & paraben-free. Once I run out of mine, I fully intend to purchase the full size. Coconuts are sourced from the Philippines (also my homeland).

USER TIP: Since this is an organic product, the formula will harden in cold temps. Be sure to warm this up by placing in warm water for a few minutes and test on a small area on your hand. Whatever you do, DO NOT MICROWAVE.

FENTY BEAUTY: Rihanna’s debut cosmetic line has gotten off to a great start. My first couple visits to Sephora to check out her new line was somewhat of a bummer - they ran out of my foundation shade and a few other products I wanted to try. Still I was able to get a sample (shade 320 because that's what I was matched at) of her Pro Filt'R foundation. I ended up shopping on the Fenty site and bought the two products above along with her universal gloss and foundation (more on these later).

The swatches on my hand (pictured above) feature two different products from her line...top swatch is of the Match Stix Shimmer Skinstick in Blonde ($25) and the bottom swatch is the Killawatt Freestyle Highlighter in Trophy Wife ($34).

The skin stick is a more subtle version on the freestyle highlighter and is a bit more blendable. While it looks like a cream, it actually applies as a cream-to-powder finish. I use it on the highest points of my face and blend with my finger so it's not so obvious. It's packaged in a nice, soft pink hexagon shaped tube. The tube is unique in that it's magnetic feature can be paired (or stuck) with a concealer or contour stick available in her line. Its size (7.10 g/0.25 oz) is easy to throw in your purse for the times you’d like a midday touch-up or a pop of shimmer for a night out on the town.

As for her freestyle highlighter...it’s a bit more pigmented and a little more “fun” for those not afraid of color. I love gold and I realized I used a lot of gold for my shoots this past month (thus the reason being that it made it to my list of faves). Colors need to pop a bit more for photos because the camera tends to tone it down a bit so pigments need to be stronger and this product was perfect. I didn't have to worry about layering colors and mediums to get that perfect, saturated color. | All items are cruelty-free and made in the USA. Products can be purchased at www.fentybeauty.com OR www.sephora.com

Gem goodness by Melanie Auld

One of my new fave jewelry brands! I accidentally stumbled upon this brand on one of those sponsored posts on Instagram (those posts really do work!) and checked out the site. If I had the moola, I'd buy every piece she had. Unique and dainty jewelry is my thing and this site had nothing but. I bought a few pieces of hers but these pictured here were my most worn for the past month. Unfortunately, the rings I have pictured are no longer on her site but I get so many compliments and they're great conversation starters. The earrings, however, are still available as of today (Oversized Studs in Moonstone surrounded by micro-pave CZ with 14k gold plating over brass) for $118.

I will say that my only issue with my last purchase was that I received a notification of my items being delivered but I didn't actually receive my order. I emailed their customer service and they responded rather quickly and were also very pleasant to work with. Turns out it was a USPS delivery issue and I ended up receiving my order shortly thereafter. With their awesome customer service and beautiful inventory, I have no doubt I will be back to their site to purchase more goodies in the future. Peruse this site and you won't be disappointed - www.melanieauld.com

Zodiac Collection by Anna Saccone

​Last but not least, my most worn jewelry pieces by far. A jewelry line presented by one of my fave YouTubers/Instagrammers, Anna Saccone-Joly, I was really excited when she announced her launch on her channel and social media handles. Not only is she a wonderful wife and doting mother to 3 beautiful children, she has impeccable taste.

She came up with this line a couple years ago to replicate the original necklace she received from her late father. In designing this line, it was near and dear to her heart. I often saw her wearing her necklace and wanted to own a piece as well. The necklaces came in 3 sizes - short, medium, and long. I ordered the rose gold Libra necklace in the shortest size. The pieces were gold plated over sterling silver and of really good quality. Not once has it tarnished. I loved it so much that I ended up buying the gold necklace a year later in the mid length as well as the gold charm bracelet with charms representing each member of my family. Anna is coming out with another line soon (due out Christmas 2017).

​To get updates, visit her Stilnest page and sign up for notifications regarding her upcoming line. I can't wait to see what she has in store for us!

​This is it folks and I plan to do monthly faves at the end of each month. I hope you all enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it and that you're able to find some faves from these brands as well.

~XOXO, Mari