July 2016 Favorites!

Happy summer - we're halfway through! I got a few new products this month, and a couple of them made this month's favorites. I'm really excited to share my choices with you!

The Face Shop Black Label Lipstick in Lady Wine (437) - Review

I was contacted by the lovely people over at q-depot with the opportunity to review one of the lipsticks from The Face Shop. I chose the shade Lady Wine to try and get out of my comfort zone a little. (I passed up corals and pinky nudes!) This is my first time trying a lipstick from a Korean brand, but I have used skincare products from The Face Shop in the past.

Lady Wine is a deepened berry red, with a warm undertone and hints of pink. There is a decent amount of silver shimmer, enough for a hint of pearly sheen but not enough for a metallic finish. The lipstick has a fruity scent which disappears quickly after applying. Application is smooth with no tugging or skipping. On the lips, the lipstick feels slightly gritty, most likely due to the shimmer. The formula is light with some slip, and it did not feel drying during wear. I had no issues with bleeding or feathering.

I experienced a lot of transfer during wear, especially while eating or drinking. Reapplying was easy enough, adding another layer of lipstick did not disturb the layer underneath. I did experience some fading on the inside of the lip, bad enough that it was noticeable and I needed to reapply. This shade did not leave a stain. Overall, this lipstick was easy to apply and wear, but isn't really good for situations where you need a lipstick to hold fast all day.

Pros:

• No bleeding or feathering
• Non drying
• Smooth application

Cons:

• Prone to transfer
• Slightly gritty feeling
• Fades on inner lip

The Face Shop Black Label Lipstick in Lady Wine (437)
Review - 3/5

This product was sent to me for free for review purposes. I was not paid for my review, and all thoughts are my own.

Recent Repurchases

I love hauls just as much as the next person - but I also love seeing what products are bought more than once! I also like talking about products I repurchase as well. I picked these up over the past month or so. I repurchase a lot more skincare than makeup due to the fact that I'll use the same skincare day in and day out, while I'll change up my makeup more often. But this time, there's some makeup in the mix!

July Sephora Play! Box

I'm starting to really look forward to this each month! July's theme is "effortless" - Sephora's choice of "warm weather essentials." This month had two separate boxes, one for dry/normal skin and one for oily/combination skin. I received the oily/combo skin box. The dry/normal box has a Benefit Hoola liquid, a regular First Aid Beauty cleanser, and the regular Smashbox Photo Finish primer. All of the other products are the same between the two boxes.

Etude House I Need You vs. 02 Therapy Air Tea Tree Sheet Masks

Etude House I Need You sheet masks were the very first Asian beauty item I ever tried. I ordered a set of three hyaluronic acid masks from RoseRoseShop, and the rest was history. I really liked the I Need You masks, they came in a ton of flavors, they worked well for me, and the fit was nice. But then they were discontinued. I was so upset, but at least Etude House was releasing a new line of masks, right? I ordered some of the new masks from Jolse (Tea Tree and Pomegranate, two of my top ones from the old line) and I happened to get a Tea Tree I Need You mask as a bonus gift. I decided to compare the old one to the new one to see if the new line measures up!

June 2016 Favorites!

Summer is now in full swing and I'm not enjoying it! This month's favorites are a lot of products that help me out during the warmer, more humid months. (At least this month I'm not super late!)

L'Oreal True Match Lumi Cushion - I'm actually on my second one of these! I really like the cushion formula, I find it to be a little different than the regular Lumi foundation. I apply this with my trusty beautyblender, I don't really like the puff that this comes with. This has light coverage that's good to cover minor imperfections, but it can be layered for more coverage. Paired with powder, this lasts through my commute and a day in the air conditioned office.

bumble and bumble Don't Blow It - This came in my June Play! box and I've really been enjoying it! I shower a lot due to working out once or twice a day (I get REALLY sweaty so hair must be rinsed at the very least!) and when I can't be bothered with my hair, I've been putting this in. My hair gets a little more volume and a tiny bit of texture, so it's great for on the go. I'm considering a full size, but I have a tiny bit left of my mini.

Givenchy Mister Mat primer - I've tried a lot of mattifying primers, and this is by far my favorite formula. It has that silicone-y feel to it, but it actually smooths onto the skin and doesn't ball up or create primed patches on the face, letting foundation stick to those parts more. I pair this with the Lumi cushion to get some decent wear out of the dewier formula. I do get a little shiny throughout the day when using this, but not shiny enough to have to blot.

Biore Aqua Rich Watery Essence sunscreen - No matter what else I try, I come back to this. It sinks in quickly, no white cast, and dries matte! I wear sunscreen year round under my makeup, but I definitely rely on this in the summer as I sometimes don't use any face makeup when I'm going to be outside, and this doubles as a bit of a mattifying primer. I have yet to get a burn on my face while wearing this, I can't recommend it enough!

eos hand lotion - I won't lie, this was a cheap item to try and make the free shipping threshold for an Ulta order. I needed a hand cream, I needed to make shipping, it was a match made in heaven! Even better, I'm really liking this! I wash my hands a lot at work, so I keep this in my bag to save my hands from becoming dry and cracked. The lotion is light and absorbs quickly, and doesn't leave behind a greasy feel. The scent is also super fresh, but fades quickly. I have a feeling I'll be picking up another one of these!

I hope your summer is going well - lots of fun and no sunburns! Remember to always wear sunscreen even if you're wearing makeup with SPF in it - chances are you're not using enough makeup for adequate coverage (you need 1/4 of a teaspoon.) Let me know what products you're loving so far this summer!