Monthly Favorites

Happy June! I can’t believe yet another month has flown by. Today I’m rounding up the things I tested in May.

Base Products

There were a few new base launches that I really loved this month. I’ve been a huge fan of the Natasha Denona Hy-Glam Concealer and she launched a new Hy-Glam Powder Foundation which has an incredible formula. The packaging is beautifully designed with a compartment for a puff. I wear her concealer in Shades N5 through N9 depending on how much brightening I want vs spot concealing. In her Hy-Glam Powder Foundation I can pull off a few of the shades, right now I like NP7 or Y5-7. It’s a really nice blurring powder that looks like skin but has really good coverage. Even though it’s a powder foundation I prefer to use this as a setting powder.

Fenty added new complexion products. I really like the Soft’Lit Luminous Foundation in Shade 260 (see it in action here). It has nice medium to full coverage and the Foundation Brush 145 is a must-have for smooth streak-free application (although you can use any brush or sponge). If you want something more like a skin tint the Eaze Drop Blurring Skin Tint is a really nice one especially for summer. It’s lighter weight but still has pretty good coverage. I wear Shade 9 or 10 in the Skin Tint.

Makeup By Mario launched a new SoftSculpt Bronzing Shaping Serum and it took me a few tries to figure out how best to use it. As a liquid bronzer on top of foundation I found it a little too sheer but it does give the skin a very natural looking sunkissed glow. I like mixing it in with foundation to add warmth or using it as a base to warm up/tan the skin – kind of like a self tanner drop for the face. It is on the emollient side so I don’t know how those with oily skin will like it (I think it will be too dewy). There’s a new Double-Ended brush launched for this product and it’s a nice one to work with the liquid.

For a more traditional bronzer to add warmth I think the the SoftSculpt Transforming Skin Enhancer is better and easier to use/blend.

I really like the look of the new Bronzing Serum, but I’m not sure I’m quite hooked. I love the packaging style. It has a pump to dispense product but if you twist off the lid there’s also a sponge tip applicator to use. It has a similar effect to the Drunk Elephant D-Bronzi Drops but the Makeup By Mario has a slightly thicker more emollient finish. I’ve added swatches to compare the undertone.

Bottom line, it’s not really a hit or miss for me. I’m still a bit undecided.

New SPF Formulas

I’ve put a few new sunscreens to the test. I really love the Origins Ginzing SPF 30 Daily Moisturizer Sunscreen for the texture and consistency. It’s white but does not leave a white cast and I love the moisturizing feel. It’s hydrating without being too thick or greasy feeling and it does not pill.

Peter Thomas Roth launched a tinted SPF called the Water Drench Hyaluronic Cloud Sheer Tint Moisturizer with SPF45. I really love this as a moisturizer with SPF. The tint is a beige but it’s really sheer so once blended it pretty much looks clear on my skin, but I like that they have a tinted option as so many white sunscreens end up having some kind of white cast even if they blend well. I like this under foundation. The coverage/pigment isn’t rich enough to wear as a tinted moisturizer.

Caudalie launched a sunscreen in the US called the Vinosun Protect Brightening Daily Mineral Sunscreen SPF50 and this is one of the first mineral sunscreens I truly love. It’s tinted but it’s pale so it does leave a very slight white cast. I love that it blends nicely without pilling on my skin and it has a semi-matte finish that adheres well to the skin.

Kosas DreamBeam is a formula I keep wanting to love and I keep trying. It has SPF 40 and the new color in Sunlit is a deeper tone than the original DreamBeam. Color-wise I think I would be somewhere in between the two shades, but even if they had more color options, I just don’t like the formula. It’s thick, doesn’t blend well and after putting it on, I really can’t wait to wash it all off. If you want a luminous glowy sunscreen the Supergoop! Glowscreen is a million times better.

Eye Makeup

I keep looking for a new eyeshadow palette to love these days but I keep going back to my staples like the Too Faced Born This Way, Patrick Ta Major Dimension, Natasha Denona everything. Something new that I did love were the new shades from Bobbi Brown. They added new shades of the Long-Wear Cream Shadows and I’ve been really loving Bronze for an iridescent bronze shade. Swatches below of the shades I love for summer. Bronze and Golden Light are new.

Coral Crush Lips + Cheeks

I love coral and peach tones and could not be more thrilled about all the colors that have come out this season! The Dior Poppy Coral tones are such great summer orange/corals. I shared a demo of the Rosy Glow Blush, Addict Lip Maximizer, Addict Lip Glow and Lip Glow Oil in action here and I’ll have swatches + review soon.

The Armani Luminous Silk Cheek Tints have been a hit with me. For peach tones they have two in 50.5 Rosy Peach and 31 Vivid Coral. I think they’re so pretty on the skin and easy to blend. Demo of Rosy Peach here.

NARS reformulated their blushes into a Talc-Free formula. I think Orgasm and Orgasm X have been such long-time cult classics, but I really love Orgasm Edge which is the same peachy undertone but without shimmer. You can see it in action here.

Coral Crush Nails

I love a good peachy coral bright polish for summer. OPI Infinite Shine in On a Mission is the perfect softer peach while Megawatt Hot is a brighter deeper coral. Both are opaque with a glossy finish.

Hermes does the best orange tones for summer. I have really loved Orange Poppy for a super bright electric orange red. They launched Orange Tonique earlier in the spring and it’s similar but pulls more orange.

For a more budget-friendly option I am obsessed with Olive and June, in particular the Quick Dry formulas in Cape and Picante.

Also wearing Cape below on the toes, outfit details here.

Lip Serum

I love Chanel skincare and lip care so I was really excited to try the new Hydra Beauty Micro Lip Serum. It’s packaged in a rubber squeeze tube similar to the L’Huile Camelia Nail Oil (love this). The Hydra Beauty Micro Lip Serum has tiny micro droplets just like the serums in the Hydra Beauty Line. I had high hopes unfortunately have to call this a miss. The formula is so thin it feels like water. It does absorb nicely for an ultra thin layer of moisture but for me it’s not enough to hydrate the lips and it feels like there is no added hydration after application.

Perfumes

I will have a perfume roundup soon, but there are three I really loved this month. I splurged on another Parfums de Marly in Valaya which is the perfect floral musk for hot summer months. I couldn’t stop thinking about it from the sampler set I bought and decided this was the one for me. I think this is my signature scent this year. Notes include: Bergamot, mandarin, white peach, orange flower, nymphea, vetiver, akigalawood, ambrofix musk.

Ouai St. Barts is one of the best tropical scents and I love it in the body wash and scrub. They launched a Hair and Body Mist which is a really nice lightweight fruity tropical kind of scent that isn’t too sweet or too strong.

Last but not least Chanel launched new body oils in a few of their Les Exclusifs perfume scents. These are quite the splurge priced higher than all of the other body oils in the Chanel lineup for $350 each. I shared a peek on stories and was overwhelmed by the response and questions! I had no idea so many of you were loyal fans of the Les Exclusifs line. I’ve owned and love Beige. I’ve always had my eye on Gardenia and 1957 but never splurged as my signature Chanel scents have been from the Les Eaux de Chanel lineup.

The Chanel beauty team generously gifted me the Les Exclusifs de Chanel Body Oil in Gardenia and it is heavenly. I layered it with the Beige perfume and the combination is the most luxurious combo I’ve ever tried. Scent lingers all day for me but it’s not as potent or as strong as the perfume.

I think if you have a special signature scent that you love from the Les Exclusifs line you will most likely find the body oil worth the splurge. Right now the oils is available in 1957, Beige, Gardenia and Coromandel.

That wraps up my May hits and misses! What did you love and try this past month?

Happy April! Rounding up my favorites from March. This year has been flying by! It’s finally started to warm up and we spent the weekend at the beach and boat with Ollie. We just celebrated 2 years with Ollie, he’s been such a joy for us. I can’t believe how fast time truly flies.

Makeup Favorites

For my base favorites I have been really loving the Supergoop! Protec(tint). It’s a lightweight sheer tint with SPF 50. I share a demo Get Ready With Me on Reels wearing 24N which is a good match right now, but I also have 26W which will probably be a better match for summer. It is sheer and natural looking. I like the coverage and finish. I am so happy to report it didn’t pill, clog pores or streak. The Sephora sale is coming up so if you’re looking for a good skin tint with SPF add this to your list!

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The best foundation brush I’ve been using is the Laura Mercier Real Flawless Foundation Brush. I’ve featured it a few times before but thought I’d give it another shout out since so many of you ask about it when you see it in tutorials. I’m not really sure why it’s not sold everywhere at all Laura Mercier counters but you can find it online at Laura Mercier, Revolve, Bluemercury to name a few.

The best concealer I’ve tried is still the Natasha Denona Hy-Glam Concealer. I am using N5 or N7 right now. It’s creamy, opaque but blendable, long lasting and doesn’t crease.

For a glowy base, I’ve been loving the Dior Forever Star Filter in Shade 3 as a primer underneath concealer or foundation but you can also mix it in with your base for a naturally glowy look. They add a really pretty radiance to the skin. I’ve also really loved the Forever Glow Maximizer in Rosy Glow although it’s very similar on my skin to the Charlotte Tilbury Pinkgasm, so if you already own that one you can probably skip the Dior.

Review + swatch comparisons IN THIS POST HERE.

Patrick Ta Beauty has been in heavy rotation and I really love his Double Take Blush in Not Too Much. I also rediscovered the Laura Mercier Blush in Ginger for a flattering neutral with a tiny bit of warmth.

For eyeshadows I’ve rediscovered the Too Faced Natural Nudes Born This Way & Sunset Stripped palettes. They are both neutral staples that I think everyone should own. They have a really good mix of mattes and shimmers with neutrals that are very easy to wear. Too Faced just launched Mini Born This Way Palettes in Warm Ember Nudes and Cold Smolder Nudes. I ordered them and will be reviewing soon but wanted to put them on your radar.

Below Natural Nudes

Below Sunset Stripped

The Merit Solo Shadow in Vachetta has been a favorite since I bought it. It’s my perfect contour/base shade for the eyes. Just a tiny bit darker than my skin tone for a really good neutral lid color. Left is Vachetta, right is Midcentury.

The Dior Addict Lip Maximizer in 056 Frosted Pink is still a favorite. It still appears to be exclusive to Dior.com – it’s the prettiest shimmery pink! Review + swatches here.

Tartelette Tubing Mascara XL has been a favorite this past month. I still really love the regular Tarte Tartelette Tubing Mascara and actually think the XL version performs pretty much the same, but I use both. It defines, holds the curl, doesn’t flake or smudge. It’s a solid win.

Guerlain Lip Oils are probably my favorite lip product of the month. I cannot pick a favorite as all the colors are really pretty. I have been reaching for the Honey Glow the most.

Charlotte Tilbury added new Pillow Talk Shades in a few formulas. I’ll be reviewing them soon but I am already in love with the Collagen Lip Bath in Pillow Talk Fair. It’s a really pretty and flattering lighter cool toned pink that isn’t too cool.

Skincare

Also wanted to share a few skincare favorites this month. I shared an updated roundup of formulas I’ve been using and love from Nordstrom here. It includes a little something in every category with everything linked here. A few things I wanted to highlight are below.

The Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cleanser is the best one for me right now. A little goes a long way and it cleans the skin well without stripping it.

The Eve Lom Muslin Cloths are also a must. I think any muslin cloth will work, but I always order the ones from Eve Lom. The gentle exfoliation helps keep the skin clear and it also works to remove every trace of cleanser (oil, balm or regular liquids) from the skin.

For moisturizers I’ve used up yet another jar of the Charlotte Tilbury Magic Cream and repurchased it again. I’ve also been loving the La Mer Moisturizing Soft Cream as another go-to daily moisturizer. It’s 100% worth the splurge and I recommend adding it to your list for the Sephora sale!

For lip balms I’ve been rotating between Summer Fridays and the Bobbi Brown Lip Serum. They just added tinted versions of the Bobbi Brown formula here which I am really excited to try. I have Lilac, Rose and Blossom in my cart right now.

That wraps up my favorites for March! What were your favorites?

I’m rounding up my September beauty favorites! Fall is officially here although I feel like we’re skipping this season and going straight into holiday with the beauty sets and holiday launches rolling in already. I’ll have some on new beauty launches soon but for now here is what I loved in September.

New Favorite Foundation Brush

My favorite discovery of the month is the Laura Mercier Real Foundation Brush ($46). For some reason this brush doesn’t seem to be available everywhere even though it was launched with their new Real Flawless Foundation (I wear the shade 3N1 Buff). This is hands down THE best foundation brush I’ve tried. It’s even better than the Hourglass Vanish Seamless Foundation Brush.

The Laura Mercier Real Foundation Brush has a very unique shape and the perfect density. The brush is angled and made in a tear drop shape so it glides along the angles of your face for flawless foundation application. The teardrop shape makes it easy to get product in the detail areas or corners perfectly – I wonder why nobody else has made a brush like this before.

Foundation application is smooth and streak free. I like the length of the brush bristles too – it’s not too short and not too long. You can find it at Laura Mercier or Macy’s (if you’ve spotted it at other places let me know!).

Budget Beauty Favorites

I have some budget beauty favorites this month! They’re not new (a few of them I’ve reviewed before) but I wanted to put them on your radar because they’re too good to miss out on.

The Elf Halo Glow Liquid Filter is one of the best glowy complexion enhancers I’ve tried. They recently added more shades so you might find a better match now. I wear Shade 3 or 4 so when they added 3.5 Medium Neutral Olive I ordered it to try thinking it would be a good in-between color. I still find Shade 4 best for me right now because 3.5 is very olive, but I don’t mind having another shade in the mix.

The glow isn’t too glowy. I can definitely wear it alone or mix it with a foundation all over the face. Right now the new shades appear to only be at Elf Cosmetics and Ulta Beauty. I suspect they’ll roll out the new shades to Target etc. soon.

Maybelline has quite a few products that have gone viral on TikTok and after falling in love with the Sky High Mascara and Lifter Gloss I’ve been trying more from the line.

Their Super Stay 24H Skin Tint Foundation 100% lives up to the hype for a long-wear fluid foundation. I haven’t explored much in budget/affordable foundations because most of them run too pink or peach in undertone. The good news is more brands are offering better shade options and ranges these days. I was happy to find a good match with Shade 310. Quick note though for those sensitive to alcohol in foundations, take note this one has it pretty high on the list. Luckily this did not irritate my skin.

Lasting power is really impressive, even in humid weather. I did not put it to the test for a full 24 hours, but it did last a solid 12 pretty well. It’s a fluid formula with medium coverage but you can layer it. Coverage is natural looking with a subtle glow and has enough pigment to cover the skin nicely.

I also really like the Super Stay Matte Hybrid Powder Foundation (in the same shade). It has pretty good coverage but I like to use it as a setting powder with a brush. Demo of the product in action HERE.

Lip Loves

Dior Addict Lip Maximizers are always in my bag. Shimmer Rose, Rosewood and Rose Nude are my most-worn colors with (Rose Nude gets the most compliments). Dior just launched 3 NEW SHADES for the holiday online and I posted a quick reel with them here. In case you missed it I’m sharing it here on the blog too. Nude Bloom is the prettiest peachy pink nude with a slight golden sheen, Pure Copper is a stunning sparkling copper (glittery and super sparkly but texture is smooth), Holo Silver is a sheer sparkling silver.

Swatch comparisons below:

Three other formulas I have been loving include:

YSL Rouge Volupte Shine in 162 Pulsing Rosehip (one of the best healthy flushed pinks I’ve tried) and 150 Nude Lingerie (warmer pink shimmer, almost looks peach next to 162, but I can assure you it’s pink).

Tarte added new shades of the Maracuja Juicy Lip Plump. I need to share an updated swatch post, but the newest shade Rosebud is SO pretty. It’s the best one they’ve made yet. Also available in some sets like this duo.

The Maybelline Lifter Gloss is a formula I feel like all of you already know about but I’ve rediscovered it and it made my favorites list this month. I picked up the jelly shades from the summer launch and love them. Peach Ring and Gummy Bear are so pretty. I also restocked a few I had used up – Reef is the perfect light neutral.

Bath & Body Care

Two body care items I’ve been loving are from Ouai and Herbivore Botanicals. We’ve been using the Ouai Fur Bebe Pet Shampoo on Ollie and he always smells so good after we wash him with this. I had hoped there was a human option in the same scent but there is not.

I’ve tried Melrose Place before (and loved it) but wanted to try something new so I ordered Dean Street. It’s a really nice fruity floral that isn’t too sweet. It has linden blossom and a little bit of amber to balance it out. Smells clean, fresh and I’ve loved it enough to buy a few refills.

Herbivore Botanicals sent over a few things to try for a project. I really love their Nova Serum and now am curious about the other serums they have in their lineup. The stand out to me is their Cloud Milk Coconut Firming Body Cream. I have been obsessed with their Coconut Bath Milk Soak for the longest time and was really excited for a body cream.

It’s a silky buttery smooth cream that feels lightweight like a cloud when you apply. It is lightly scented with coconut and vanilla but isn’t overpowering. For a quick reference, if you like the texture of Kopari creams but aren’t a fan of the strong scent or super thick texture, I think the Herbivore is a better option. It’s creamy and hydrating but fast absorbing, not sticky and isn’t overpowering in scent.

Fall Nail Polish

I’ve been in my neutral-nail polish era for so long I feel like it’s time for a change. I pulled out the Chanel Le Vernis in 165 Bois des Iles again (reviewed here with the fall collection) and have been really surprised by all the compliments and attention it’s getting!

Other Makeup Loves

For the cheeks (blush, bronzer, highlight) the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Edit Unlocked Palettes (reviewed here) have been in heavy rotation. I keep going back and forth between Jellyfish and Leopard as my favorite. Even with repeat shades or similarities I find myself reaching for these the most and think they’re very versatile. They’re now available at all retailers like Nordstrom, Sephora, Bluemercury and Ulta Beauty.

I’ve filmed looks with all three:

Jellyfish here
Leopard here
Snake here

I also have a few repeats that have made the favorites list again. I think the Givenchy Prisme Libre Loose Powder and Concealer are holy grail material. You can read the full review here, but nothing really compares to the airbrushed look or lasting power that Prisme Libre has.

The Gucci Illuminator is one of the prettiest liquid highlighters I’ve tried. I don’t know why it’s not raved about more! Review + swatches in this post here. (PS I’ll be posting my review + swatches of the new Gucci Concealer very soon.)

Perfume Favorite

Celine Parade has been in heavy rotation. It’s a beautiful citrus scent I think is super unique and different. You can read my review of all their perfumes in this post. I’ve tried the others over the past year and Parade still remains my favorite.

Hair Care

Last but not least, I wanted to give the ghd Platinum+ Hair Styler another mention. It’s my number one go-to hair styling took for sleek smooth hair or waves. As much as I love the Dyson Airwrap for easy waves, the curls just don’t last as long as with a hot tool. (I do use it regularly as a blow dryer though.) The ghd flat iron goes with me on every trip and it’s a life saver to style hair. I was thrilled to partner with them again to show a how-to demo of how to curl my hair with it. For me it’s particularly useful because I’m not the best at curling my hair with a curling iron – I almost always burn my fingers or forehead and a few times I’ve sizzled off hair because the irons were too hot.

 

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The ghd Platinum+ Styler stays at a constant 365 degree temperature. It has sensors inside to maintain that constant heat.

That wraps up September’s favorites! What did you love this past month?