My Monthly Favorites | November 2020 Edition

November 2020 has come and gone and it’s time to share with you all of the things that I’ve been loving this month. Welcome to my monthly favorites – November 2020!

I will note, here, that this post is NOT sponsored and at this time, does not contain any affiliate links. All of these pieces were 100% selected by me and paid for with my own money. All opinions are my own and are always truthful and genuine regardless of sponsorship, referral links and/or affiliation. Further, I am not a medical professional and this post contains my own opinions only and should not be considered medical advice. Please always consult your doctor or dermatologist before beginning or modifying your skincare routine.

my beauty favorites

First up, I am excited to share my beauty favorites this month, including some fantastic faves that are part of my current skincare routine.

the ordinary “buffet” serum ($15)

A brand that I discovered in 2020 is The Ordinary. The Ordinary is a brand part of parent company, DECIEM, that prides itself on transparency and affordability for its customers. Two things I can stand behind, for sure. And better still, their products are really fantastic – – as great (and maybe better?) than other high-end skincare products on the market.

My very favorite product is their “Buffet” peptide serum meant to combat multiple signs of aging. Yes, pllleease!! I am on my second bottle of this serum and I have seen an incredible difference in the way my skins looks and feels. For reference, I have combination oily skin.

I would highly recommend visiting the Ordinary’s website to find out all about this product…and more. Their site includes a wealth of information including how their products can work better together or on the other hand, where they recommend not using certain products together. Of course, please be sure to consult with your doctor or physician when beginning or modifying your skincare routine.

paula’s choice bha liquid exfoliant ($30)

This next product is also one that is now a staple in my skincare routine. I am already on my second bottle and I am amazed at the results I’ve seen with this in just a few months. This product is a liquid exfoliant, aka toner, and is Paula’s Choice #1 product and a “cult” favorite for good reason – – its results are incredible.

Said to clear and minimize pores, smooth wrinkles and even out skin tone, I can attest to that it helps with all three. I have seen a dramatic difference in my smile (and frown) lines near my mouth and between my eyes and at first, I couldn’t quite believe it. It’s really that good. Again, I encourage you to consult your doctor or dermatologist before introducing any new products into your skincare routine, but I’d be adding this to my list to discuss if I were you.

colourpop stone cold fox palette ($34)

Quite easily the last thing I needed to purchase in November was a new eyeshadow palette. But when I saw that Colourpop had released a companion palette to its Bare Necessities palette, I knew I couldn’t resist. And of course, it then made it to my monthly favorites – November 2020!

ColourPop’s Bare Necessities is a beautiful, warm-toned palette filled with rich, buttery brown and rosy shades. And now, ColourPop’s Stone Cold Fox is its cool-toned “sister” palette with stunning taupe, slate and plum shades. If I was the type of person to have only a handful of eyeshadow palettes (totally not me, but just for fun) – – these two palettes could definitely be almost everything I’d ever need.

Natasha Denona i need a nude glow highlighter ($42)

I picked up this single Natasha Denona highlighter during the recent Sephora VIB sale because at $42, it’s typically not something I’d pay full price for. I have literally not been able to put it down since it arrived, hence becoming a monthly favorite in November. For starters, the packaging is stunning – – shiny, reflective rose gold. And then the highlight itself is just perfection.

When I first opened it, mind you, I had different thoughts. It looked like one of those really bad foil highlighters – – chalky and drying. But this is actually creamy and just melts into the skin. It is more of an intense highlighter so definitely not for the “fainted hearted” but if you like for your highlighter to show up to the party – – this is definitely for you.

too faced melted matte lip stain ($22)

I recently picked up the Too Faced Melted Matte ‘Christmas Snuggles’ gift set. While this set appears to unfortunately be currently sold out, the Too Faced Melted Matte lip stains are a staple in the Too Faced collection. While they are pricy – – $22 for a single lip stain – – they are one of my favorite lip stain formulas. They are beautiful and do. not. budge. EVER. I’ve been wearing this set a ton since I added it to my collection so easily part of my monthly favorites – November 2020 and I look forward to getting more wear out of the reds this coming holiday season.

DIsney CHristmas face masks ($12 for set of 2)

Despite where you may land on the face mask wearing spectrum, you gotta agree that these Disney face masks are simply adorable. ☺️ I love the cute gingerbread Mickey and Minnie and this just helps to sprinkle a bit of holiday cheer into the mask I have to wear on my face. You can a set of two masks, one with this design and a red plaid design for $12 at shopdisney.com.

muk luks jackie slippers ($17)

In November, I tried out a Wantable box for the first time! Wantable is very similar to StitchFix in that several clothing pieces and accessories are sent directly to you and you keep only what you love. The biggest difference is that Wantable sells individual “style edits” focused on a specific theme. I recently received their “Cozy Edit” and loved all of the pieces. I am also signed up to receive their upcoming “Home for the Holidays Edit” so stay tuned for a future unboxing or video review.

But my favorite piece from the Wantable Cozy edit were these ‘Jackie’ slipper boots from Muk Luks in Leopard. I literally haven’t taken them off my feet! And while I am a bit fan of the Wantable box, I was able to find these same slippers at Kohl’s – – and for only $17! If you love slippers at all, that will be money very well spent.

tumbler lid & straw ($9)

A very simple item added to my monthly favorites for November that brought me joy was this $9 tumbler lid and straw. I love my Aguamate stainless steel tumbler (which is unfortunately no longer available for purchase), but my poor sensitive teeth couldn’t handle the stainless steel straw. So this lid and straw set was the perfect solution.

the queen’s gambit from netflix

While I’m most certainly late to this party – – seeing as this Netflix limited series is on Netflix’s Top 10 list – – I still wanted to share how much I enjoyed the Queen’s Gambit. This series is about a young, orphaned girl turned chess prodigy with some very interesting twists and turns along the way. I loved rooting for this heroine and I also will be seeking out more with this female star, Anya Taylor-Joy. I will most likely be starting with the most recent adaptation of Emma, released earlier this year that Anya starred in as well.

dark waters movie

I am astounded to share that my husband and I actually found another movie that we both watched until the end without one of us falling asleep. What’s more it not only kept our interest but we then talked about for days afterward. I don’t want to share all that much about the plot of this movie. What I will say is it’s based on a true story of a corporate defense attorney who takes on a case from the unlikeliest of sources – – a farmer from West Virginia. And the case is one that this lawyer will make his life’s work. If you enjoyed movies like Erin Brokovich or A Civil Action, you will most certainly enjoy this one, too. Pop some popcorn and enjoy!

favorite_album_Voctave_Main-Street_Vol-2

voctave album: Main Street volume 2 from Apple Music

This month, thanks to one of my favorite vloggers Ashley from Ashley’s Lemonade Stand, I discovered Voctave! Voctave is an acapella group with tons of great content on Apple Music. They recently released a volume 2 of their Main Street album and I instantly fell in love. They are a super talented group and their Disney covers are superb – – and have really helped my ‘Disney blues’.