October Favorites

I can't believe it's already November! October went by far too quickly

My favorites list this month is fairly small. I've tried quite a few new things but only a handful have made it into my daily routine. 

1. Pure & Aqua Purequa moisture water cleansing sheets ($4.98 for 50 sheets): I'm usually not a big fan of makeup remover wipes but some days you either get lazy or just need a quick cleaning when you get home from work and it's too early to start your night routine. I picked up a pack of these sheets at Marukai and I really, really enjoy them. The sheets are fairly large and moist and feel gentle when removing makeup. Instead of feeling dry afterward my skin feels slightly moisturized due to the hyaluronic acid in the sheets. 

2. Korres bergamot pear hand cream ($14.50 for 2.54 oz): Thanks to the weather and all the fabric dyeing I've been doing my hands have been extremely dry. None of my standard hand creams have felt moisturizing enough. Korres' is great; it's thick and super moisturizing but sinks in fast and doesn't leave my hands feeling greasy (which is a hell no in my book). The scent is also light and fresh. I feel like this tube is going to last me months since a little goes a long way. 

3. Soap and Glory One Heck of a Blot powder ($16.00 for 0.31 oz): I'll admit that I only owned this powder for a few days in October but I already know that it's one of my new favorites. It goes on smooth and doesn't irritate any of my dry spots while, at the same time, helping out the oil slick that is my t-zone. I tend to use quite a bit of powder and unlike some that I've used in the past I don't look overly powdery with it. I still need to blot during lunchtime but that's a given. The price point of this powder is also stellar, especially when you use one of Ulta's ever present coupons on it 

4. Too Faced Hangover replenishing face primer ($32.00 for 1.35 oz): I used to think primers were kind of gimmicky but then again, maybe I just hadn't found the right one for me. I had a deluxe sample size of this primer and really enjoyed it; so much so that I'll be purchasing a full size during the Sephora sale. It played well with both my oily t-zone and dry cheeks. My foundation (ABH stick foundation) blended in beautifully and my dry spots stayed moisturized. It even seemed to help my t-zone from becoming too much like an oil slick. 

5. Urban Decay Vice lipstick in sheer Shame ($17.00 for 0.11 oz): After trying out Glossier's Generation G line I've kind of fallen in love with sheer lipsticks. The unfortunate thing is that the Glossier line seemed to dry out my lips something fierce after daily use. To replace my favorite shade, Jam, I turned to Urban Decay's sheer Shame. It's a gorgeous berry, not as deep as Jam, and slightly glossy. Shame is fairly moisturizing and has decent staying power for a sheer. It's a great everyday work appropriate lipstick. One swipe will give you a barely there flush and two or three will give you a deeper berry. 

September Favorites

I can't believe that tomorrow is the official start of October already. I guess the months really do go by quicker when you're older.

This month my favorites are pretty much all skincare related. The mash up of heat, cold, humidity and dryness we've been experiencing lately in Southern California has really done a number on my skin so my focus has been on combating everything the weather has thrown at it.

1. The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% serum ($5.90 for 30ml): First off, I'll admit that I haven't been using this long enough to see a drastic change in my skin but I have seen some good results in the few weeks that I've incorporated it into my routine. I have less redness and the closed comedones and pimples that do occasionally pop up are smaller and not as apparent. I really like what The Ordinary is doing: bare bones formulas at fantastic prices. The niacinamide serum I purchased is slightly viscous and dries fairly matte so don't expect a super hydrating serum. I also enjoy the minimalist packaging and the dropper gives out the perfect amount of product for my whole face. I plan on trying their retinol and vitamin c serums soon. 

2. Humphrey's lilac witch hazel skin softening toner (around $5.90 for 8oz): I was first attracted to this toner because of the label, it's gorgeous (thanks, aunt Jenny!). I recently ran out of my toner and when I saw the lilac version at Marshall's I snapped it up. The formula is great; it's alcohol free and has some great ingredients. Besides the witch hazel it also contains some of my favorite things: hyaluronic acid, all the teas and aloe. It's soothing but also takes off all the extra grime that my micellar water and foam cleanser leave behind. 

3. Etude House Sunprise Mild Airy Finish Sun Milk (about $11.50 for 1.85oz): I love Asian sunscreens. They're cosmetically elegant and wear great under makeup and they don't have that typical sunscreen smell to them. Out of the multitude that I've tried I think this Etude House one is my favorite so far. It's mattifying but doesn't dry out my skin like Biore's offerings do. It also sinks in quickly so I can be ready for makeup after only 10 minutes. The quicker my routine is in the AM, the better! This may be the first one since Shiseido's hada senka that I will actually repurchase. 

4. Anastasia Beverly Hills stick foundation ($25 for .32oz): I love the ease of use of stick foundations. A few swipes, blend and you're done. I've tried a few different offerings (Bobbi Brown, Hourglass and Revlon's though Revlon's is more for touch ups) and unfortunately they've been more geared towards normal to dry skin. They good great at first but after a few hours my oily skin shines through and it's not pretty. When ABH announced a stick foundation for us oily skinned guys and gals I knew that I had to try it, especially at that price point. So far it's been excellent. The formula is on the drier side so normal/dry skinned people will want to prep for that but the finish and wear time on me is fantastic. It's a natural matte finish and even though I still have to blot halfway through a work shift my skin looks natural and not like an oil slick. I can't attest to the full coverage claim but I really love how it looks applied with a Beauty Blender; I end up with a "my skin but better" look. 

August Favorites

 

August has come and gone so quickly. I really hate how the months seem to go by faster and faster. 

Today I'll be featuring my favorite products from August. Some I've had for awhile, some are brand new from this past month. They've all been products I've been reaching for almost daily. 

1. Rosette Ceramide Gel Cream (starting at $12 for 80g): This is an import from Japan and I love using it as a night moisturizer. My skin has been acting up thanks to the Southern Californian weather and this helps to keep my skin in check. You only need a pea sized amount to cover your face and in the morning my skin has calmed down and my dry patches have disappeared. The only downside to this product is the size. I have the feeling that it will go bad before I can use it all up. I had a friend pick this up for me in Japan but it is readily available via eBay. 

2. Glossier Generation G in Jam ($18 for .04 oz): Now, I don't normally like sheer anything on my lips. They tend to fade too quickly and leave a horrible ring on my lips. But I'm in love with Glossier's Generation G line. They're sheer matte colors that can be as sheer or bold as you want them to be. The staying power is great (for a sheer) and when they fade they fade evenly. I normally need a lip liner with darker colors but with these I just have to swipe and go. The shade Jam has been by go to almost everyday this month. It's a gorgeous deep berry shade that gives a little something extra to a minimal makeup routine. 
 
3. Glossier Boy Brow in black ($16 for 3.12g): I've tried more than a few brow products. I have some pencils and pomade stashed away but I'll admit that I'm lazy and prefer a simpler everyday routine. Boy Brow gives my brows the perfect amount of volume and color without looking over done. Compared to Benefit's Gimme Brow I much prefer the color and consistency of Boy Brow. It's hard to find the perfect cool black in brow products and this is it. Plus I feel that the pomade like consistency sticks better to my brows than Gimme Brow.
 
4. Urban Decay Perversion mascara ($10 for travel size, $20 for full size): Not that much of an innovation in mascara but I've been enjoying it. The formula is on the drier side which I enjoy and I've been loving the brush. It makes my lashes "pop" even more than they normally do.  

5. Formula X nail polish in State of the Art (from $10.50 to $12.50 for .4 oz): This is such a fun summer color (or year round if you're in San Diego). I also like the formula. It's on the thicker side which I prefer to thinner polishes. I work a lot with my hands so nail polish doesn't last long on my nails but this Formula X shade lasts a surprising amount of time when combined with my Seche Vite quick dry top coat.  

6. Makeup Forever artist shadow in Milk Tea ($21 for .07g): I will admit that I've never been an eyeshadow person. I don't think I've ever purchased a palette nor do I really do anything fancy with my eyeshadows. I love Milk Tea because it's the perfect wash of color on my lids. Swipe some on, put on some mascara and I'm good to go. The pan size is also huge which means I'll probably be in my 50s by the time I actually hit pan.