Beauty Products I'm Currently Loving
Updated: Aug 12, 2019
Some of my favourite blogposts to read and videos on Youtube to watch are monthly favourites or current obsessions. As I hadn't shared a dedicated favourites post since May 2017 I thought I would share one today. Wow I've missed out on a lot of favourites posts over the last two years. You might want to grab a cuppa and a little snack, and lets delve in....
Makeup Favourites
Pretty much the only foundation i have been reaching for recently has been the Hourglass Vanish Stick Foundation. It's gives such a beautiful natural finish to the skin and is perfect for those warm summer days when I just want a little coverage to balance out my complexion. My go-to concealer recently has been the Maybelline Fit Me! Concealer. It's just so lightweight and non-drying, given I wear an eye cream under neath. Over this last year I've found so many concealers I used to love now look dry and cakey under my eyes and make me look much older (enter crying emoji). So, the Maybe Fit Me concealer has been refreshing to use and it's super affordable! One of the newest products to join my makeup collection is the Fenty Beauty Pro Filt'r Instant Retouch Setting Powder in Banana Nothing comes close to my Huda Beauty Easy Bake Loose Powder but this is still pretty good. It's lightweight and if used lightly doesn't exacerbate any dryness. I do find like with most Banana/Yellow-toned powders that it can look a little dark on me, So i recently ordered the shade Butter to mix with it. I've been really enjoying a more subtle highlight this month and i rediscovered my love for the MAC Soft & Gentle Mineralize Skinfinish. I really like that the MAC highlights are buildable and their highlights are some of my favourite formulations. I just wish they were a Cruelty-Free brand. Anyway, in such an oversaturated market sometimes we forget the original OG's, and Soft & Gentle is an old school OG that just works and looks stunning on every skin tone.
I must be a new person because I have actually been playing around more with lip products! I have less Lip products than any other category in my beauty stash, this is because my sensitive lips don't seem to like 80% of lip products out there! I've really been into a wet glossy lip this summer and hands down the Lime Crime Wet Cherry Gloss is the best formulation I've ever tried! It makes my lips look so wet and juicy and its not one bit sticky! The shade 'Extra Poppin' is a clear gloss, which pairs well over any lipliner or lipstick. I'm now lusting after Naked Cherry, Bitter Cherry and Sweet Cherry next. A long-time favourite everyday lipgloss I've been reaching for is the Charlotte Tilbury Lip Lustre in Blondie which is the prettiest peachy-pink nude. It's pretty alone but my favourite way to wear it is over lipliner. Having been a fan of her lip lustre glosses for years, I am definitely pining after the Latex Love Glosses and Collagen Lip Baths.
Initially i purchased the Too Faced Rich & Dazzling High-Shine Sparkle Lip Glosses because of the pretty packaging, shameful i know but Too Faced get me every time! The shade Sunset Crush fast became a favourite. It's a pretty bubblegum pink with little flecks of pink and gold shimmer which shift in the light. I love that the glitter particles are so finely milled, they can't be felt on the lips. It just give the lips that extra pop. Lastly, I'm obsessed with the Kevyn Aucoin Molton Lip Colour in Dolly. The formulation is beautiful. I apply a light amount all over the lips and blend in using my finger so that it looks more like a natural lip stain. I then top it off with one of the lip glosses I mentioned. I love that I don't have to use a lip liner with this, it stays put without bleeding, and it stays on for hours! I have the shades Julia, Nicole & Tori or my list to try next. I must say I'm intrigued by their Glass Glow Lips too. Kevyn Aucoin is one of my favourite beauty brands that's definitely underrated, despite their consistently great-quality products. In fact, I will aim to do a 'Best of Kevyn Aucoin' blogppost where i share all the products you NEED to try!
Skincare Favourites
A product I really like to remove eye makeup is the Sarah Chapman Skinesis Lash Boosting Eye Cleanse. It's definitely a little 'extra' but seeing as it removes all my eye makeup and doesn't irritate them in the process, it's worth it. I can't say I've noticed it boost my lashes though. Unlike most micellar waters the Lash Boosting Cleanse helps to hydrate my under eyes. It's such a pleasure to refresh my extremely sensitive eyes after a long day, or in the morning after a poor nights sleep. I recently ran out of my beloved Indie Lee Brightening Cleanser which forced me to try out some other cleansers in my collection. Even though I'm sad i no longer have it, I know i still have a few cleansers to use up in my collection before repurchasing. I received a sample of the Heimish All Clean Green Foam from British KBeauty retailer Beauty & Seoul and fell in love. I've tried so many Korean Cleansers but either find them too drying or too fragranced. The Heimish cleanser doesn't leave my skin feeling stripped nor does it have a strong Tea Tree Scent (phew!). The Pixi Glow Mud Cleanser has been a repurchase now for a couple of years. It's super refreshing, really helps to purify and deep cleanse and it leaves my skin feeling super soft. I use it every morning and find the rest of my skincare applies beautifully after. I often find clay-based cleansers a little drying, so I only use them in the summer when my skins more oily. A good clay-based cleanser can really help reduce excess sebum production, prevent blackheads and clear up any congestion.
I introduced a couple of new skincare products into my routine this month. The Jane Scrivner Natural & Organic AHA/BHA Resurfacing Exfoliator* is a Natural Acid Toner packed full of Malic, Glycolic, Lactic, Salicylic and Citric acids that sloths away old skin and instantly gives my skin a glow. I love that i can feel a slight tingle but that it doesn't irritate my skin like some acids can. I've noticed it's really helped reduce the dry texture I had around my mouth and nose from having dermatitis, leaving me with a smooth, clear canvas. I cannot wait to see the long term-benefit results. I follow up with the Hydrating Hanskin Hyaluron Skin Essence which despite it being thicker in texture feels like a glass of water for the face. I simply add a few drops into my palms and gently press into my skin. Repeating/layering around two-four times, depending on how dehydrated my skin feels. It leaves my skin feeling nicely refreshed and plump.
I initially discovered the Jane Scrivner 'Comforting' Peace Body Bath Oil a few years back when Jane very kindly sent me a couple of her body oils to try. It was love at first try and the Peace Body Bath oil soon became a favourite. Finding a good body oil is hard; One because I hate anything that feels greasy and doesn't absorb into the skin, and two because I'm lazy and like an oil I can pour into a bath or apply quickly while in the shower. My favourite way to use the JS Peace Body Bath Oil is in the shower. I simply apply all over my body, let it absorb and then get dry and dressed. It's incredibly nourishing and has truly helped with the flakiness I had on my legs. The natural oil scent is refreshing, uplifting and 'comforting' as the name would suggest. I always repurchase through Love Lula, but this new beautiful bottle the beautiful Jane gifted me, which was perfect timing as I had literally just run out the beginning of the month.
In the morning after toner the Huxley Secret of Sahara Essence; Brightly Ever After has been my go-to. It's a milky prickly pear seed and niacinamide-based serum that helps to soothe and brighten the skin. It's also nicely hydrating and is a must have under makeup. A product i initially loved is the Grown Alchemist Age Repair Eye Cream. Sadly just like with most eye creams it gave me milia so i had to discontinue using it. However was nicely rich and smoothing, yet lightweight and soothing. My mom is now happily enjoying it. If you don't get milia like I do it really is a delightful little eye cream. It's packed full of Peptides, Vitamins, Centella and Aloe.
One of my favourite face creams is once again back in my life! The Jane Scrivner Over Oil Cream was initially discovered by myself back in Autumn of 2016. It was love at first touch. Oils are something Jane gets right over and over again. Finding the perfect moisturiser formulation for my reactive skin is indeed very tricky and many 'popular' moisturizers have not worked for my skin causing me to break out pretty badly. So when I find a face cream that works for me, I make sure to repurchase and let the whole world know. The Jane Scriver 'OO' Cream feels incredibly decadent, rich and nourishing but also lightweight and fresh. Its nourishing without suffocating my skin, It's definitely a skin breathing moisturiser. The golden peach-hue, which is pertains from the inclusion of cold-pressed rosehip makes this face cream beautifully unique. In the past I struggled to use up a large 100ml pot before it expired, so I'm super stoked she has smaller 50ml size pots. It's a lovely moisturiser on makeup free days, under makeup and at night. I hope to do an entire Jane Scrivner Brand Spotlight post soon.
The Dr Sam Bunting Flawless Nightly Serum is an anti-ageing cocktail serum of Granactive Retinoid, Bukuchoil, Niacinamide and Azelaic Acid. An active skin serum that helps to boost collagen production, speed up cell turn-over, reduce breakouts and purge pores whilst giving the skin a healthy light-attracting glow. Its been in my routine for almost 3 weeks now and I have built up to using it 5 nights out of 7 a week. So far, it's really helped with reducing active breakouts, eliminating dry skin texture and giving my skin a bright and beautiful glow. I cannot wait to see the results after a full skin cycle (30 days) and long-term use. The formula really is lovely, its lightweight, fast absorbing and non-irritating.
Testing out face oil's is one my favourite things to do as a blogger and skin care addict. The Lina Hanson Global Face Serum has been a love of mine for a few years now and though it's pricey, a bottle lasts me an entire year! It's refreshing, uplifting and relaxing and the texture is lightweight. Packed with Marula Oil which is rich in antioxidants, Camellia Seed Oil which is brightening, Pumpkin Seed Oil acts as a protectant and helps to improve the skin elasticity and Baobab which helps to rejuvenate and nourish this heavenly scented oil imparts a beautiful glow on the skin come morning. It's a beautiful anti-ageing face oil that works for all skin types. The MUN Skin Aknari Brightening Youth Serum is another antioxidant-rich face oil with Prickly Pear Seed Oil, Vitamin E, Argan Oil and Natural Rose that gives the skin a beautiful dewy glow. It has a natural herbal rose scent and is a little thicker in texture than the Lina Hanson oil. Both oils are beautiful over the Dr Sam's Night Serum and are equally lovely in the daytime too. The MV Organic Skincare Rose Plus Booster is a must have for sensitive reactive skin. It works nicely alone or mixed in with a moisturiser. It has a similar natural rose scent to the Aknari Serum, which I personally find relaxing and soothing. I love that it has a small yet potent ingredients list, containing a soothing balance of Camellia Oil, Rose Oil, Rosehip Oil, Geranium, Rosemary, Vitamin E (Tocopherol) and Jojoba Oil. Whenever my skin is a little irritated or sensitive this is the oil I always reach for.
There was quite a lot of favourites. I hope you enjoyed learning about the beauty products I'm currently loving. Do you see any of your favourites? Do let me know in the comments below...
Des Bisoux
Jamey xo