Monthly Favorites: December

We’re at the end of a decade! As we say goodbye to 2019 and hello to 2020, let’s take a look back out my favorite products for the month of December.

SMOKO BUTTA TOAST HAND WARMER

I got these last year at Christmas, and its seriously one of the most adorable items I have ever received. These fluffy little butter toasts keep my hands warm all through the winter and at my work where the AC is just too cold for my liking. It’s wireless and you can charge it via the USB cables that are included. They’re adorable, they’re fluffy and really comfortable. I don’t feel my typing or writing is impacted when I wear these hand-warmers. Plus I get tons of compliments on them. These are made by Smoko and are currently available on Amazon if you want to check them out.

SHANE DAWSON X JEFFREE STAR CONSPIRACY PALETTE

I was totally hooked Shane Dawson’s docu-series featuring Jeffree Star and the journey of creating his first makeup collection. It was so popular, it broke the internet on launch day. On episode 15 of the Geek & Glitter Podcast, I talked about my palette shopping experience and waiting in line for 2 hours for the Conspiracy palette. Was it worth it? YES! It was worth the long wait, it was worth the money, it was worth the hype. The formula of the eyeshadow is incredible, probably one of the best I have ever tried. The packaging is iconic and sturdy. While this palette has a variety of colors, I notice I tend to play around the top row since it’s a more neutral and “safe”. I already know that those shades will be the first to hit pan and I don’t know what to do once I run out of that first row. Regardless, it’s an amazing palette and I feel really lucky to have one in my collection. Currently, the Conspiracy palette (and most of the SDxJS collection) is out of stock, but there are a few items available on Beautylish. Couldn’t score one during the release? Jeffree Star and Shane Dawson have annoucned that this is not a limited collection so it will be restocked in 2020.

EM COSMETICS COLOR DROPS BLUSH SERUM

The aesthetics of Michelle Phan’s EM Cosmetics line is makeup goals! It’s minimalistic, sophisticated, and looks fantastic on any vanity. I feel like EM Cosmetics has continued to evolve and I’m loving everything they’re putting out right now. The Color Drop Serum Blush was exactly what I was looking for. I love a good powder blush but sometimes I feel like my skin looks too dry. The Blush serum gives my skin a more naturally blushed look and feels moisturizing. When I wear the serum blush, I skip highlighter because the formula gives my skin a little be of that glow. The shade I use is Rose Milk. They have 3 other shades - Pink Nector, Sunset Sky, and Soft Amethyst, which are all worth checking out.

URBAN DECAY ALL NIGHTER POLLUTION PROTECTION SETTING SPRAY

I have tried all different types of setting spray but I keep coming back to the Urban Decay one. It’s worked the best for my skin type. The Pollution Protection is the one I currently use and is infused with minerals that protect against environmental damage. The mist is fine, cooling and always feels so good on my skin, especially in the summer. I definitely notice a difference in how long my makeup lasts on the days I use the setting spray vs the days that I don’t.

THE DIVA CUP

That’s right, I’ve hopped on the menstrual cup bandwagon and there’s no turning back. When some of my friends first told me about the menstrual cup, I couldn’t get on-board. I guess the idea of having a silicon cup inside my body instead of a tampon really scared me. Finally, I decided to give the Diva Cup a try. I purchased Model 1, and after watching countless videos, blog posts, and reviews, I was finally ready to give it a go. It was actually a much easier process than I expected… I guess I psyched myself out more than anything. Now that I’ve been using the Diva Cup for a couple of months, I can’t believe I didn’t try it sooner. It’s way more comfortable than a tampon or pad, not to mention eco-friendly and cost effective.
If you’ve been thinking about switching to a menstrual cup and want to know more about my experience with the Diva Cup, comment below and I’ll do a more in-dept post on it.

TODOIST

I’m always on the lookout for an app that can help me stay organized, from shopping lists to tasks to whatever random things that pops in my head. I prefer to write things down in a notebook or notepad but sometimes that’s not always available. Todoist is an app that can do all of that, plus set reminders and can be synced across multiple devices. One of my favorite things about Todoist is that you can create multiple categories such as “work”, “home”, “dogs”, and et cetera to keep things organized. You can even color-code each category. You can add sub-tasks and set deadlines to keep you on track. I use the free version and might eventually switch to premium in 2020.

This wraps up my December favorites. What are some of your favorites from December? Was it a movie or tv show? Clothes, makeup, or something else? Comment below and share with me!