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Temptalia's Favorites | July 2016

Anastasia Sweets Glow Kit
Anastasia Sweets Glow Kit

At some point, you may have noticed we added a Favorites section to the site (it’s in the navigation above), which I try to update monthly with my current favorites. The Favorites section also highlights my all-time favorites across various categories, which I also updated recently (removed some discontinued formulas, added some new, enduring favorites). These are products that I’ve recently tested and/or used more recently and really enjoyed (so they can be products from the past, too), maybe have worn a few times when I have a spare moment, or am otherwise enamored with.

I thought it might encourage me to update my favorites more timely if I also shared them on the main blog. Let me know if you liked seeing this! 🙂

Thoughts on some of my favorites…

  • Marc Jacobs Flesh & Fantasy Air Blush | I was incredibly impressed by the Air Blush as a formula, and this is definitely one of my favorite shades–long-time readers will probably recognize that I like rosy, plummy, and brownish blushes as go-tos.
  • Anastasia Sweets / Moonchild Glow Kits | While Moonchild may not have been A+ in quality, I really dug the colors and how it inspired creativity in finding combinations that worked in a more “everyday” sense.  It paired well with the Sweets palette, which had gorgeous shades (loved Taffy).
  • Tom Ford Velvet Orchid Lip Color | The color itself is the type I find myself wearing and reaching for, as it is rich enough to be noticeable but works with a variety of other looks, including bolder eyes, but I loved the more complex pearl to this one.
  • Too Faced Honey Bear La Creme | It’s like a darker, more fun version of my natural lip color with shimmer, and it’s a shade I leave in my photo room so I can wear it when I need something relatively universal for days with more blush swatches. (I often will wear the first lip color I want to photograph/swatch, but sometimes the grouping might be all reds or the like!)  I will eventually write an official review for this one…
  • Tarte Metallics Shadow | Why this is a limited edition formula is absolutely mind-boggling!  It’s richly pigmented, soft, smooth, blendable, and so easy to use.  The only downside is that the shades are more dupable, but the formula is incredible.  I really enjoyed applying these.

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36 Comments

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Vanessa Avatar

Yes, please keep doing monthly favorites on the blog!! I really trust your reviews the most and it’s awesome to see unbiased/not sponsored favorites 🙂

Katherine T. Avatar

I got 5 of those Tarte Metallic Shadows, and they are buttery smooth, pigmented, and gorgeous! So addictive. And surprisingly, I didn’t have any dupes except for maybe Shakedown. If Ulta has another sale or I earn enough rewards dollars, I will pick up a couple more. Please make them permanent! And as soon as Sephora has a sale, I’m pouncing on those new Buxom shadows.

Nancy T Avatar

I’m craving Sweets! And Moonchild, too! Or….its less $’s dupe, and some indies dupes of my favorite Moonchild shades. They just all look so yummy and summer fun!
Have been wanting TF Honey Bear for the longest time. At least ever since we started seeing it on you. Until I saw its dupes and realized I’m a creature of habit. I already own 2 of its dupes!

Ginny Avatar

I like this feature, Christine. Your reviews are always so impartial and technical, which is what makes them so consistent. But we don’t always get your *personal* personal opinion. So it’s nice, for instance, to see how something that scored a B managed to find a place in your heart, so to speak.

BonnieBBon Avatar

Honey Bear! I owe you big time for introducing me to this one! Lately every time I’d notice your lipstick right off the bat and immediately see what it was before even really checking out the rest of the look it would be Honey Bear. You might want to sit down, this is going to be shocking, it replaced Pink Chocolate as my always in my purse lipstick! I know. I thought nothing could tear Pink Chocolate and I apart but along came this beauty. Lol it’s just sooooo prettyyyyyyyy

BonnieBBon Avatar

SEE! Honey Bear distracted me again lol I really liked this, it’s fun to see what your favorites are outside of the reviews. I’m srsly loving that Nordstrom M.A.C. c’est chic palette. I’ve used it pretty much every day I’ve worn makeup since I got it which was no joke immediately after your review lol I’m so dependent on you. I had it in my cart ..hovering..just waiting for that review.. B+ a quick read and my credit card had skid marks I used it so fast lol

Betty Valls Avatar

Though I appreciate your creative eye looks lately I always notice how perfect both Marc Jacobs Flesh and Fantasy blush and Too Faced Honey Bear lipstick looks on you, I hope it works for me as well.

Sofia Avatar

I love that you are now doing favourites, you are by far the blogger i most trust when i intend to buy a product and look for a review! Thank you so much for all the effort and love you put in your blog! xoxo from a portuguese fan.

Sana Avatar

Do you know if the sweets and Moonchild kits have been discontinued?! I haven’t been able to find them at sephora online or in store, and some on the ABH site??

Sana Athar Avatar

They were here in the Canadian Sephoras but, I figured they sold out and they pulled the testers 🙁 . Thank you for your time and response, what you do for the beauty world is so helpful to all women and takes so much passion and dedication. Tonnes of respect to you!

We try to approve comments within 24 hours (and reply to them within 72 hours) but can sometimes get behind and appreciate your patience! 🙂 If you have general feedback, product review requests, off-topic questions, or need technical support, please contact us directly. Thank you for your patience!