Since I'm not posting that often (for now), I thought I would try to incorporate an end of month post, where I recap bits and pieces that might otherwise not get mentioned (or not mentioned for awhile) - or hey, maybe just stuff I want to let you know about!!

Welcome to the January Recap - it's a long one :-P

***All items purchased by me or received as promo with purchase code. Links are non-affiliate. This is not a sponsored post.***

January Monthly - gummyvision.com - Armani Chinese New Year Highlighting Palette, Hourglass Ambient Strobe Lighting Powders (Iridescent, Euphoric, Brilliant)

1 & 2 - Armani Chinese New Year Highlighting Palette

I haven't been on Instagram much and haven't been reading many blog posts lately (my past due blog reading list is 100000000 miles long)...all that to say I feel I've missed a lot of the frenzy surrounding Spring collections and feel like I'm out of the loop with so much. Which is actually kind of a nice feeling for once ha ha! Most things I only know about from seeing them on the new arrivals section on Nordstrom - I saw this pop up and OMG I wanted it immediately. Loved the packaging and ACK, seriously I just wanted it. I'd say this is my one splurgy and totally unnecessary purchase this month, and by that I mean I can't justify it AT ALL.

The description said this was a beige champagne color, and I wasn't sure if this would be more of an actual highlighter or if might be able to use it as a glowy finishing powder?? If you enlarge the pic and zoom in on pic 2, you can see how much shimmer is in this. It just arrived today so I'm not sure what the final verdict will be, but I'm excited!!!

3 & 4 - Hourglass Ambient Strobe Lighting Powders in Iridescent, Euphoric and Brilliant

Because of my on-again-off-again-on-again relationship with Hourglass Ambient anything, you knew I was going to get at least one of these!! I really like the Incandescent color from the trio Hourglass Palette - if I apply too much it can look a touch frosty, but in general I love the finish (reminds me of a more intense Laura Mercier Baked Matte Radiance Baked Powder in Highlight 01). I was hoping these would be similar, and I was actually hoping they would be subtle enough that I might be able to use them as light finishing powders (Dim Light is a little dark on me so I was hoping Euporic or Iridescent would be lighter).

I tried Brilliant first, and I tried it as a finishing powder, applied lightly of course. Brilliant is in pic 4, so you can see all of the different color shimmers. And it is shimmery, with different sizes of shimmer particles, though the bigger ones are very dispersed so it's not a full-on disco ball effect. From a distance I REALLY liked what I saw...borderline love??? But that's where it stopped. Up close it made my foundation look like I had packed it on. So weird. I tried using the other 2 as finishing powders (again, very lightly applied), and same thing. Not to mention, Iridescent and Euphoric pick up my redness like nobody's business and I looked like I was smacked in the face with a bunch of tomatoes. Ok, maybe not actually that bad, but it wasn't good that's for sure!

Ok, so what about using these for the originally intended purpose as highlighters??? Nope. I didn't like them at all. They didn't blend into the skin well, and I'd venture to say they didn't blend in at all. They just kind of sat of top and I could see exactly where I had applied them. Unlike other highlighter loves where I can't tell where they begin and end, these had distinct areas. No bueno. The shimmer was pretty, but they definitely have more shimmer rather than glow/luminousity like the original Incandescent from the trio palette - given that, I'd assume the Incandescent Strobing is going to be just as shimmery vs what is in the palette (can anyone confirm or not????). And even used just as highlight, Euphoric and Iridescent still managed to pull out all my redness and the application area ended up being very warm in color.

Depends on what you are looking for, but overall I'd say there are much better highlighters out there.

January Monthly - gummyvision.com - Dior Spring 2016 Nail Lacquer in Bleuette, Dr. Jart+ Dermaclear Micro Water, CEB Goat Milk Solid Brush Shampoo, Redken Hot Sets 22

1 - Dior Spring 2016 Nail Lacquer in Bleuette

Another one I spied in Nordstrom New Arrivals that I immediately was drawn to. I love light blue shades of polish! Then I saw it on Appu's blog, HERE, and knew I needed it. It arrived today along with the Armani highlighter mentioned above, so I haven't worn it yet...but sooooon!!

2 - Dr. Jart+ Dermaclear Micro Water

Used the Sephora promo code 'KBEAUTY' to get this deluxe sample. I like it even more than the Koh Gen Do Cleansing Spa Water that I've been using for almost 4 years (FOUR YEARS!!!). I feel it removes things a little more thoroughly, a little more quickly and haven't felt at all dry. After I finish my bottle of KGD water I'm going to purchase the full size of this instead of repurchasing the KGD.

3 - CEB Goat Milk Solid Brush Shampoo

I found this on Amazon after deciding to try something other than the London Brush Company Goat Milk Shampoo. When I ordered from the LBC it took foooooorever and a day, and they only shipped it after it had been so long that I sent an email asking where it was or if I could get a tracking #. Tracking indicated they shipped it after so that's how I know. Seriously I think it took almost 3 weeks. Ridiculous. Anyway lol!

So I found this and finally tried it the other night. I wasn't - and am still not - too crazy about how it smells. Reminds me of cheap hotel soap??? BUT holy cow it makes my brushes soft!!! Almost turned my Tom Ford Foundation Brush into something different altogether...it's fluffy and I can get a little more buffing action vs. just spreading and blending foundation on my face. My Hakuhodo Powder Brush is almost too soft now - it's just a little more bendy now than I want so I'll probably use something else next time.

Despite the smell, I think I'll come to not notice it in time - hopefully anyway because I'm going to keep this one around. While I won't use it for all my brushes, for many of them it's been absolutely fantastic!!

4 - Redken Hot Sets 22

So this is a heat protectant hair spray - I didn't know such a thing existed until last week. When I got my hair cut my girl sprayed a little of this before using a wand and it really helped hold the shape. She said the highest is around 28, but that's only for the toughest of hard-to-curl-hair. She said she uses 11 - if she uses 22 she ends up with RINGLETS. If you have hard to curl hair like I do, you might give it a try. I bought it and used it once so far. I really like it - seems a little strange at first and is time consuming because I sprayed each section as I curled it. But it mostly held my curl for almost 3 day. OK, maybe 2 1/2 ha ha! Point being, it helps a ton! Don't spray too much though otherwise your hair will end up a little crunchy. This also brushes out nicely so if you do feel some crunch then just give your hair a gentle comb through.

Other stuff...

* Expect a massive blog sale soon. And by soon I mean hopefully by the end of February or early March - hey there's a lot of stuff to photo!! LOL! Though, enough of you guys have bought from me and know what kind of condition my stuff is in, so I might just list it and email the list to whoever wants first dibs and doesn't need pics. If you are interested, please leave a comment below, or send me a DM on Twitter (@McGummerson) or email gummy@gummyvision.com.

* Massive blog sale means only one thing...I purged, and I purged a LOT!!!! There will be a full collection post so you can see what I mean!! Hint: I 98% got rid of 1 full makeup category. GASP. Considering some of my posts within the last year or so, you could probably guess????!!!

* I tried several colors of the Armani Eye Tints. The blendability is amazing, the colors are beautiful, they wear like iron...but eeeeek they are way too shimmery for me.

* I'm much more into complexion type products now, so expect to see more skincare, foundation, powders and highlighters on the blog. I'm nearly done with the Tom Ford Traceless Perfecting Foundation, and I'm ready to try some new ones! On my list: the new Armani Glow foundation, Chanel Les Beiges foundation, the new Becca foundation and a couple from Chosungah.

* I love the Tom Ford Frantic Pink blush so much that I ordered Wicked. Lovely formula, just like Frantic Pink but I don't think the color is that unique. Plus it pulls too red on me.

* Tried the Bobbi Brown Extra Lip Tint - it's nice and really moisturizing, but nothing revolutionary as far as 'unique to you' color balms go. I do like the white packaging though.

* Tried the Amore Pacific Sun Protection Cushion - too silicone-y and it felt like it never absorbed.

* I am now fully and officially addicted to the green tea lattes, soy, extra hot (& no syrup please!!) at Starbucks. So much so, that I've been trying to recreate at home. I've tried it with almond and coconut milk because that's what I had on hand but meh it's not the same. I'll actually go out and buy vanilla soy milk tomorrow - because you know, I couldn't have just done that in the first place?!!! Ha ha!

* What kind of supplements and stuff do you all take?? I'm don't mean vitamins...for example Hubs and I just started taking Bee Pollen and I ordered some Apple Cider Vinegar. Also am trying the nutritional yeast. So, stuff like that - what do you all take and what benefits do you see from it? Trying to go a more natural route vs depending on regular vitamins.

What's going on with you??? How has your January been???