NOVEMBER 2015 FAVORITES

Can we just take a minute to acknowledge how FAST this year has flown by?! I feel like I just did my October Favorites yesterday!

So you guys know I’ve been trying to keep up with doing a monthly favorites post for you, whether is just beauty items or a good mix of general favorites. Well this month I’ve decided to jump back to general favorites. I won’t ramble, I’ll just get started!!


DUNKIN’ DONUTS S’MORES HOT CHOCOLATE

 

 It’s no secret how much I love my coffee – it’s like starter fluid for mornings. But I’ve been trying to cut back on the coffee, since I’ve noticed that right around the middle of the afternoon when I’m on my 4th or 5th cup, I’ve been getting very jittery and (yuck) nauseous. Honestly I’m not sure what made me gravitate towards the S’Mores hot chocolate, but it is AMAZEBALLS! You can actually taste the flavors separately, like you’re biting into a s’more (s’mores? s’more? what’s the singular? I don’t know). It’s crazy good! I’ve probably gotten one a day for the entire past month!

COACH SIGNATURE STRIPE MULTIFUNCTION TOTE

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There’s actually a whole story to this – ever since I returned that Adrienne Vitadinni bag that mentioned in my October Favorites (read about it here) and returned it because it was just so uncomfortable, I’d been on the hunt for a big, multipurpose bag that I could carry both my essentials and my sons, but my laptop, notebook, etc. I found one for sale on a local Facebook tag sale page, but the seller wouldn’t budge on the price (a whopping $5 difference that her asking price!), so a friend of mine saw the post and offered me this bag, that she no longer needed. I offered to pay her AT LEAST what I was willing to pay the original poster, and she insisted that she wanted no money for the bag! So this was actually a gift from a very kind, generous friend, and I couldn’t thank her enough! It’s got all the pockets and storage I was looking for and it fits everything I need to carry and then some! So thank you again Ashley R.!

If you guys are looking to find designer pieces on a budget, check out an app called Poshmark, and eBay is also a great place to find great items at a huge discount!

NIVEA KISS OF CARE & COLOR in SHEER CRIMSON

 

 It’s starting to get much colder here in Connecticut now, and naturally with the cold, dry air come dry, chapped lips. This tinted lip balm is super moisturizing, and while the shade name indicates that it would be red, it’s actually that sheer wash of red that looks like natural, healthy, beautifully pigmented lips. The tint is wrapped around a moisturizing core, and while it doesn’t have the greatest lasting power, I find it to be super hydrating, so my lips stay nice and soft even after it’s worn away. I have these in Sheer Coral and Sheer Berry too, but I have like 4 of the Crimson shade in various places, like my vanity, truck, purse, and coat pocket! I’m never without one! Look for them in your local drugstore!

MORPHE M439 DELUXE BUFFER FOUNDATION BRUSH

 

 Since this brush came in the mail, I haven’t been able to use anything else! It applies foundation FLAWLESSLY!! Don’t get me wrong, I still love my trusty Real Techniques Expert Face Brush, and it makes for a fabulous alternative, but currently I’m obsessed with my M439. If you guys haven’t checked out Morphe Brushes, you need to – they’re affordable, amazing quality, and they have brushes for EVERYTHING you could think of – and I believe they’re coming out with a monthly subscription box, so if you’re interested, get over to morphebox.com and get your name on the email list!

MILANI AMORE MATTE LIP CREME *LIMITED EDITION* in BELOVED

 

 I won’t talk your ear off about this product – I’ve actually done a full review on these which you can read here. But I was playing around the other night trying to pull together my Thanksgiving look, and I swiped on this lip creme. Guys, if you were looking for a great ‘Kylie Jenner’ lippie that you don’t need to spend $40 on 5 different products to achieve, this is your baby! It’s the perfect slightly pinky, neutral brown shade, completely matte, hard to get off, and while I’m not a huge fan of the applicator (a flat doe foot style that is almost identical to the Urban Decay Naked Skin Concealer applicator) I love the product! You could probably wipe some off onto a palette or even the back of your hand and use a lip brush, or just use the applicator very carefully. I don’t believe they’re in stores anymore *sad face* but you can still grab them on milanicosmetics.com for about $9 – get ’em while they last!

FREEMAN CHARCOAL & BLACK SUGAR FACIAL POLISHING MASK

 

 If you have dry, flaky winter skin like me (yes, little ‘ol oily me!) and you find that your foundation just isn’t laying right, or you’re even experiencing a bought of acne breakouts, you want to run to your nearest ULTA and pick this up! The charcoal is great for drawing out impurities, and the black sugar sloughs away dead skin that your makeup clings to, and that also clogs your pores, contributing to breakouts. I like to smooth this on clean skin, leave it on for about 5 minutes, and then wash it off in the shower, since the black sugar is so grainy and get pretty messy! You’re left with super smooth, clean feeling skin that you just wanna touch all day -but don’t, cuz that’s bad for your face!

NYX DARK CIRCLE CONCEALER

 

 So my son is cutting his top molars – which mean little to no sleep for me – which means dark circles from hell….well this concealer covers them like nothing I’ve ever used before. It’s a pretty heavy concealer but it’s got a peachy tint to it to help color correct as it conceals, eliminating that extra step and additional product. Use it only where you see that darkness though, this is not a blemish concealer. And be sure to set it with a powder, or it will crease! I love this stuff! Find it at ULTA!

RIMMEL LASH ACCELERATOR MASCARA

 

 I feel like this is one of those products that I just don’t see get the credit it deserves. Does it actually make my lashes grow? I don’t know – I can’t commit to using one mascara for 6 weeks straight to see (though maybe I should-if you guys want me to do it and review it, leave me a comment!). But what I can tell you is that my lashes immediately look longer, they’re beautifully defined, and it stays put all day long without flaking or smudging. I especially like the wand design for the bottom lashes because it coats them without getting mascara everywhere. If you’re looking for something that will give you loads of volume, this isn’t for you – but if you want gorgeous, natural looking long lashes, this is a great mascara! And you can find it in almost every drugstore!


What have you guys been loving this month? Let me know in the comments below!

And don’t forget to go follow me on Twitter and Instagram @dlynnesposito and go like the Affordable Gorgeous page on Facebook!! I’ll be hosting a giveaway soon and you won’t want to miss out!

LOTS OF LOVE!

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OCTOBER FAVORITES 2015

HELLO HELLO!! It’s that time of the month again!

NO, NOT THAT TIME! 

It’s time for my October favorites! All thethings I’ve been LOVING this past month! This time I decided to include a little bit of everything – beauty, skin care, fashion, EVERYTHING. Last month I kept it strictly beauty related because I had just done a FALL favorites post, so this month I thought I would mix things up a bit – leave me a comment below and let me know which you like best, just beauty or a little bit of everything!

LET’S GET STARTED! 


FREEMAN FEELING BEAUTIFUL MASKS ($5)

 I have a few of these, but my faves lately have been the Charcoal and Black Sugar Polishing Mask and the Dead Sea Minerals Anti-Stress Mask. The polishing mask is a favorite for days when I’m feeling extra dry and flakey, or I’ve had heavy makeup on. Since it’s rather gritty, and over-exfoliating isn’t good for your skin, on ‘off days’ I like to use the Dead Sea Minerals Anti-Stress mask. It’s great for de-gunking your pores, and the smell is SOOO relaxing, and I won’t lie, I love the bright blue color. And scaring the crap out of my husband! HAHAHA!!

E.L.F. LIP EXFOLIATOR ($3)

 This has become a regular part of my night time skin care routine. My lips get SUPER dry and flakey in the fall and winter, so bad that regular lip balm is no match for them! So I use this at night and follow it up with some Vaseline, and I’ve noticed a huge difference in the condition of my lips. This too, is a pretty grainy product, but it’s basically made of Vitamin E, Shea Butter, Avocado, Grape and Jojoba Oils, and sugar, to slough away any trace of dry skin. And I believe this is one of the E.L.F. products offered at CVS nationwide (they don’t carry the ENTIRE line, just a selection of it), so it’s even easier to get your hands – or lips! – on them!!

GERARD COSMETICS COLOR YOUR SMILE LIGHTED LIP GLOSS IN ROSE HILL ($24)

 Now I’ll admit that this was quite the splurge for me – $24 for a lip gloss – crazy, right?! But if you consider how INSANELY pigmented this stuff is, and how wonderfully long lasting it is, I think it was worth the splurge. It’s the first baby created by YouTube beauty vlogger and professional makeup artist Jaclyn Hill, and it is, to quote her,”amaze-balls!”. It’s not too pink, and not too red, and I find MY favorite way of applying it is to just put a little in the center of my bottom lip and then blend it out, so it’s leaving more of a stain. Of course you can go balls-to-the-wall and go for a nice, thick layer of it and it’s BEAUTIFUL. But I like the pretty, natural, just bitten look I get from just a small amount. AND it’s got a built in light in the wand, and a mirror on the side, making application in low light or ANYWHERE really a BREEZE! ❤

NOT YOUR MOTHERS CLEAN FREAK DRY SHAMPOO ($7)

 I FREAKIN’ LOVE dry shampoo. I don’t know if it’s because it’s just too much hassle to wash my hair as often as I should (#SAHMprobs) or because they offer flexibility in styling by adding volume and texture to the hair, or because they’re so portable and convenient. But after trying pretty much every dry shampoo out there EXCEPT this one, I figured ‘why not?’. It was on sale, which is ALWAYS a win for me, and it claimed to leave no residue, and a light matte finish. Now because I’ve yet to find RED dry shampoo (they make blonde and brown, why the hell not red?!) to match my ruby red hair, I was anxious to find something that wouldn’t leave me with that white cast at the root, or looking pink. This stood up well. Me like-y.

MAYBELLINE VOLUM’ EXPRESS PUMPED UP COLOSSAL MASCARA ($5)

 This is sort of a rediscovered favorite for me. I picked this up awhile back because I’ve always been impressed with Maybelline mascaras, and I just love voluminous lashes and big, fat, bristle brushes. But my FAVORITE thing about this mascara is that it doesn’t flake or smudge during the day. The brush is a little tricky, as it’s tapered a LITTLE bit at the end, but still kinda tricky to maneuver into the inner corner and grab the little baby lashes, but it gives AMAZING volume and pretty great length too. I’m trying to use it up so I can buy a new one, but it’s DEFINITELY one that I plan to repurchase again and again.

REVLON COLORBURST LIP BUTTER in FIG JAM ($7)

 If you’re looking for a great fall color, this is it. It looks crazy brown in the bullet, but when you apply it to your lips it does something magical with your own natural lip color – I can’t explain it. It’s a lovely autumn shade that goes with any look, from a smokey eye to minimal makeup, and BONUS – it’s a total dupe for the Clinique Almost Lipstick in Black Honey ($17), and who doesn’t love a good dupe?!

ADRIENNE VITADINNI 17″ QUILTED NYLON EAST WEST LAPTOP TOTE ($90)

 I was in TJ Maxx the other day, and while I was walking around looking for my nephews birthday gift, took a stroll through the handbag department, as per usual. That’s where I spotted this. I needed a fall bag, and while yes, this is quite large for the everyday bag, I also tend to carry a sizable makeup bag, diapers, wipes, food, assorted toys, etc. So the multitude of storage, lots of pockets, all these things appealed to me. Now I managed to get this on sale for $40, which is why I’m including it in the post, but if you don’t have a TJ Maxx near you and you happen to love this bag as much as I do, the link is above. Let me be clear in saying that before any purchase over $20, I have a rule – I go home, sleep on it, and if I’m still lusting after it the next day, and can afford it, I’ll go get it. Well, they originally had one in an olive green, so the black one here was my second choice. BUT I think it was a good move. Black is classic, and I can use this forever. It would even be great to travel with as a carry on, as soon as we have the means of course!

BIGELOW PEPPERMINT TEA ($3)

 In the fall and winter, I love tea. At any given time I have 4-5 boxes of different teas in my kitchen. Ever since I had my gallbladder out in June of 2015, I’ve had some lingering stomach issues, mainly nausea and the inability to tolerate too much caffeine, dairy, fat, etc. So usually in the afternoon and right before bed, I make a big cup of peppermint tea with about a teaspoon or so of honey, and it helps to just relax my entire body, tummy included. And I’ve noticed that by scaling back on the coffee and having more tea, my skin is clearer and my teeth are whiter, and I’m able to unwind much easier at night. Plus it’s just so soothing and cozy.


What are some things YOU guys are loving for the month of October?! Leave me a comment and let me know!

And as always, go follow me on Twitter and Instagram @dlynnesposito to keep up with me!

LOTS of LOVE!!

XOXO – Donna