Just another person taking it one day at a time
Life has felt very uncertain, and we are all riding the waves in a little boat lost at sea. Even if we have created new routines and new normals for ourselves, feelings of worry have still managed to creep back inside our heads. But it’s important to hang on even with the fear of feeling lost, or feeling as if the boat is about to capsize. Let the waves take you in a direction and see where they lead.
For this week’s post, I thought I would do a good old fashioned beauty review! The review in question is the L’Oreal Colour Riche Shine Lipstick in Luminous Coral. I picked this up intending to add a sheer but bright colored lipstick to my mix of lip products. Let’s see if this lipstick made the cut.
First, the texture of this surprised me as it has a lip balmy like quality but with more pigment than some Fresh Sugar Lip Treatments. This can be quite pigmented depending on how many layers you apply. As the name would suggest, this lipstick really adds shines to your lips, the high-shine finish and the warm-toned coral shade makes me think of summer. This did leave a coral tint behind as it wore off. The wear time isn’t too long, around three to four hours at the most. But I don’t expect a shine lip product to have the same wear time as a matte product. This will wear off quickly if you have something to eat or drink. But it’s not a messy lip product so reapplication is easy. I’ve happily reapplied this throughout the day! In a way, this product does remind me of the Revlon Lip Butters from what feels like forever ago, so if you liked those you would really like this range from L’Oreal.
To me, this lipstick smells slightly of SweeTarts Candy. But it’s not too overpowering if a strongly scented lip product is not your thing. I also like the clear packaging that encases these lipsticks because you can easily spot the color you’re choosing. Also, the etched design and gold detailing on the packaging give off a fancier vibe from a more expensive brand.
All-in-all I would highly recommend the L’Oreal Colour Riche Shine Lipstick in Luminous Coral if you’re looking to try a lipstick-lip balm hybrid. Have you tried the L’Oreal Colour Riche Shine Lipsticks? Thanks for reading!
I recently used up some skincare products, so I went ahead and purchased some replacements. I don’t switch up products in my skincare routine very often. But every now and then, I’ll discover products that could be more beneficial to my skin. But know that I haven’t had the chance to thoroughly try all of these products and form a full opinion. These are my own initial thoughts and reasons for why I purchased them.
iS Clinical Super Serum Advance+: Since I used up my last vitamin C serum I justified purchasing a different formula. I’m pretty excited about this purchase after reading many, many reviews and information about this serum. A lot of thought went into this one due to its price. I will use this serum in the morning, and it has a high concentration of 15% concentration of L-ascorbic acid (vitamin C) which can help protect against sun damage. Other beneficial ingredients include hyaluronic acid, peptides, and antioxidants that protect against free radical, environmental, and UV damage.
EltaMD UV Clear Broad-Spectrum SPF 46 Facial Sunscreen: I’ve been using my everyday sunscreen for a while now and nearing the end of the bottle. I was in the market to purchase a zinc oxide sunscreen and heard about this one from EltaMD. This sunscreen has been highly regarded as a non-greasy sunscreen that is good for acne-prone skin as well as rosacea and hyperpigmentation. I have oily, acne-prone skin so I’m eager to try this one! I purchased the “clear” formula but EltaMD also has a tinted version if you are interested.
CeraVe Resurfacing Retinol Serum: Retinol is mainly used to treat dark spots, the look of fine lines, acne-marks, and increase collagen production . I’m jumping into the world of retinol, and what I like about this product is its low concentration of retinol for a beginner like me. Another bonus is this product costs less than many other retinol products on the market. I’ll use this product at night but I’ve patch-tested it a couple of times and my skin has felt very soft and smooth the next morning!
I’m excited to use these products and will report back on my full thoughts after giving them a fair try. Have you tried any of these products before? Thanks for reading!
I always feel a bit of excitement to switch it up and try a new product. But before I purchase something new, I do what I can to research the item’s specifics and read reviews. While the reviews for a product are good, and the products seem like something I would like, sometimes things just don’t work out! Of course, everyone is different, and what works for me might not work for you.
Marc Jacobs New Nudes Sheer Gel Lipstick in Anais: (these lipsticks are on sale on the Marc Jacobs Beauty website, follow the link) I was so excited to try this lipstick because I’ve heard good things. The formula is moisturizing and comfortable to wear. The color is richly pigmented and it has a shine finish. Also, it has a nice vanilla smell similar to MAC lipsticks. But this light nude-tan color is not at all flattering for my skin tone and makes me look undead. I could probably mix this with another lip color to make it work but I’d rather pass it along to someone else.
NARS Sun Wash Diffusing Bronzer in Laguna: I’m aware of the ever so popular original Laguna bronzer from NARS, so when they released their Sun Wash Diffusing Bronzer in the same popular shade a few years back, I thought I would give it a try. I love NARS as a brand and I’ve done a post on my favorite products by them, so I was confident this would be a win. Nope. I can’t get this product to apply well for the life of me. I’ve tried different styles of brushes of different fiber types and nothing seems to work. I’m not sure if the product is meant to be this sheer, but none of my face brushes can pick up any sort of pigment from this product – even if I attempt a heavy application. This bronzer is aesthetically pleasing but sadly, that is its only positive. I should probably declutter this as it has been sitting around in my makeup drawer for a while now…
Too Cool for School Egg Mousse Pack Facial Mask: In terms of skincare, face masks used to be something I would pick up more frequently when I was in the mood to try something new. This one has a whipped mousse consistency upon application that would change into a film after settling on the skin. This didn’t do anything bad to my skin, but I don’t think the temporary effect of softening my skin is worth the price tag. I think its main selling point is that it is a fun and unique product to use. But at this point in my life, I would rather invest in a product that brings long term benefits to my skin.
Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask in Berry: This lip mask is quite hyped up in the beauty community and it’s a super thick consistency. I applied this at night before bed and would wake up with my lips feeling moisturized. It also has exfoliating qualities that keep your lips smooth. I actually like this product in terms of how well works, especially during the dry winter months. But I can’t get past the smell of this, the potent fake berry scent doesn’t fade away much after application. Even with a small amount of product applied, the smell was still too potent for my liking. Laneige has since come out with different scents of this product available in the US since I purchased this. However, I don’t think I’ll be trying their other scents anytime soon because I’m using other things at the moment.
I’m happy that I gave these products a chance to at least learn what I dislike going forward! Let me know if you disagree with any of these, or if you agree with me. What products do you recommend I avoid at all costs? 😀
Long time no post! I just wanted to take a little break to regroup as well as accomplish a goal of mine. On another note, I have a small victory which is using up stuff! While it’s a small thing, I do enjoy using up the things I’ve purchased as I don’t like to waste products.
FACE
Bioderma Hydrabio H2O Micellar Water: I believe I got this mini-sized sample from a Beautylish order but I used only this product for makeup removal. I thought it did a pretty good job, I shouldn’t have been surprised, but as a first step cleanser, I generally feel that micellar water does not do as good a job as a balm or an oil. I would have to go over heavier eye makeup a second time with this to make sure it was fully removed. I did like this though and it worked well. But I prefer using cleansing balms like the Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm.
CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion: I’m not really sure how many bottles of this I’ve gone through but I can assure you this one will not be the last. I use this morning and evening despite its label of being a “PM” lotion. I’ll just use a separate SPF in the daytime. I have oily skin with acne on occasion and I love this moisturizer because it sinks in quickly, doesn’t feel heavy on the skin, and it doesn’t break me out.
Mad Hippie Vitamin C Serum: I used this vitamin C serum every morning. When I pair it with an SPF, both products are working together to help protect my skin against sun damage. Vitamin C also helps lighten hyperpigmentation created as a result of sun damage. This particular serum from Mad Hippie also has hyaluronic acid which helps retain moisture to your skin. Two bottles of this later, I have overall noticed my complexion seems brighter and more radiant. While I’ve enjoyed using it up twice, I think I’m ready to try something else. That’s not to say I wouldn’t use this again though, I haven’t tried other vitamin C serums on a long-term basis and I would like to see what else is out there. If you’re new to vitamin C I would highly recommend trying this one out.
BODY
CeraVe Moisturizing Cream: This was a no-frills, simple body cream that has a very thick consistency and a “no smell” smell. It’s a great choice if you have sensitive skin or eczema. I had a small patch of eczema on my body and my dermatologist recommended this as a part of my treatment. It’s nothing fancy, but it’s very hydrating as it has similar hydrating ingredients found in the facial moisturizing lotion. I have repurchased an economy-sized version of this, which I’m currently using! 😀
Korres Mango Dual Hyaluronic Multi-Action Body Souffle: Now onto something fancier than CeraVe. This body lotion from Korres was a real treat to use. It had a fruity mango smell that lasted long after use plus a unique whipped consistency that you don’t normally have in lotion products. Like the CeraVe body lotion, this also has hyaluronic acid to keep your skin moisturized. While I enjoyed using it I would definitely consider it a treat product and will be sticking with CeraVe!
Native Deodorant in Jasmine & Cedar: I typically use the Soapwalla Original Deodorant Creme, but I ran out and wanted to try something new. Native caught my interest after hearing good things as well as it’s accessibility to be purchased in stores. This particular scent is a Target exclusive. By comparison, I’ve always ordered the Soapwalla deodorant from their online website. I did find this deodorant to work just as well as Soapwalla’s initially, but as the day went on, I found it to become less effective during the six mark. However, being in a convenient stick form, application is much quicker and less messy compared to Soapwalla’s. I would buy this deodorant from Native again and possibly try another scent. As for now, I’m back to the tried and true Soapwalla deodorant.
Kiehl’s Lip Balm #1: I have wanted to try a lip balm from Kiehl’s because I’ve heard good things, so I picked out this little sample as part of an online order and it had great moisturizng ingredients like squalane, aloe vera, and vitamin E to protect and hydrate the lips. I’m currently using other lip balms that I like just as much but would definitely consider purchasing a full size version of this in the future.
Those were just a few skincare products that I’ve recently used up! What products have you emptied recently? I have made some new skincare purchases that I will share in another post 🙂 hope you are all doing well!
As we are fully in the summer season, I’ve favored certain products that will hold up during days of sweltering heat.
Although I use SPF all year round, I thought I would reiterate the importance of wearing your SPF! I’m particular with sunscreens, and I don’t one’s that have a shiny finish, my personal favorite is the Supergoop! PLAY Everyday Sunscreen SPF 50. I like this because it sinks in quickly, doesn’t feel greasy, it doesn’t break me out, and it sits well under makeup. Also, there is no strong sunscreen smell with this product.
I use the Urban Decay De-Slick Oil Control Makeup Setting Spray throughout the year, too. However, this product really gets its use during those summer days. As the name would suggest, it sets your makeup and keeps your complexion less oily compared to going without. I swap out my setting powder for this product as powder leaves my skin looking and feeling a little cakier than I would like in the boiling hot heat.
Speaking of makeup, I love using cream products in the summertime. The Tower 28 Beauty BeachPlease Luminous Tinted Balm in Magic Hour is a wonderful new launch as it doubles as a face and lip product. A little of this goes a very long way and it blends very naturally into the skin. Plus the consistency of this product is not sticky at all which is a win in a hot and humid climate.
As I said, I love using cream products this time of year. For quick application with a highly pigmented eyeshadow, I like the Kiko Long Lasting Stick Eyeshadow in 06 Golden Brown. These Kiko eyeshadow sticks are fuss-free and affordable while remaining a high-quality product. I like this product so much that I consider it to be one of my favorite single eyeshadows, you can read more about that here. Pair this with an eyeshadow primer like the Nars Pro-Prime Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base and you’ll be golden.
All bad jokes aside, I thought I would recommend a fragrance that I’ve been liking this summer. I picked out a little sample-sized Maison Margiela REPLICA Beach Walk Eau de toilette which smells very, very nice. The notes that are most distinct to me are bergamot, citrus lemon, coconut, floral, and musk notes. It encapsulates a perfect summer day on the beach. I’m not headed to any beaches this summer I’ve enjoyed replicating that familiar memory with scent.
I hope you’ve enjoyed reading my product recommendations for the summer season. What do products do you use during the summertime?
If I were to answer the question, “what is my favorite brand for makeup?” I could come up with many different answers. However, I see certain brands continuously pop-up within my own makeup stash. I’m sure that you do too. A brand that follows this trend within my own makeup is NARS. I enjoy a lot of products from NARS and would definitely consider some of them “go-tos” of mine.
FACE
NARS Powder Blushes: NARS is very famous for its powder blush, particularly for the shade Orgasm. The hype around their blushes is for a good reason. They’re insanely pigmented (especially Amour) with a long-wear time. Another powder blush called Luster was actually one of my first purchases from the brand. And while I’ve used blush from other brands, NARS is always one that I go back to and there’s always a blush or three that I would like to try someday. Particularly Gina, Madly, or Liberté.
NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer (not pictured) and NARS Soft Matte Complete Concealer (not pictured): NARS also make great face products their Radiant Creamy Concealer and Soft Matte Complete Concealer are worth trying. Having used both, I prefer the Radiant Creamy concealer to the Soft Matte because the Radiant concealer works well underneath the eyes and on any blemishes. Whereas the Matte concealer is better for concealing blemishes but it doesn’t look as good underneath the eyes in my opinion. They’re both full coverage concealers with the Matte concealer being slightly higher but you can’t go wrong with either! I’m planning on repurchasing the Radiant Creamy Concealer once I’ve used up my current concealer.
EYES
NARS Pro-Prime Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base (featured photo): This is a clear eyeshadow primer that keeps my eyeshadows looking good for 8 hours and decent around 10+ hours! I’ve tried other eyeshadow primers and nothing comes close to performing as well as this one. I have very oily eyelids so there’s no going around wearing an eyeshadow primer if I choose to wear eyeshadow that day. And I’ve tried using concealer as an eyeshadow primer – it just doesn’t work for me. This is a staple product for me, NARS has since come out with tinted versions of their eyeshadow primer but I’ve always stuck to their original!
NARS Duo Eyeshadow: I think eyeshadows from NARS are underrated. This duo in Silk Road is one of my favorite eyeshadows to use in general. You can create an easy eye look using only this. Sometimes with eyeshadow duos, it can be hard to create a look with the duo on its own or one eyeshadow may be of lesser quality than the other. That is not the case for the Silk Road duo and I’m always coming back to it. I also like their Kalahari duo, which are bronze/purple pearl shades.
NARS Kohliner: I have the shade Altiplano, this is a golden-brown that compliments a variety of looks. It comes in sleek, retractable packaging so no sharpening is required. It draws a thin line, which is great for precise and detailed looks.
LIPS
NARS Satin Lip Pencil: These are easy to apply lip crayons that have the rich pigmentation of a lipstick. I have the shade Isola Bella which is a peach color, one of my favorite shades of lip color to wear 😀 This is a satin formula so it has a hint of shine not like the intensity of a gloss. It stays put and doesn’t slide around on the lips. I would like to try other shades or one of their matte pencils.
Those are all my favorite products from NARS! NARS is a brand for its high-quality makeup. It’s definitely worth checking out these products or other makeup from NARS. Have you tried any of the products featured in this post? What products from NARS would you recommend that I try?
Now that we are in the warmer summer months, I generally get more excited about using bronzers. I thought I would share the bronzers that I already own and that I enjoy using to give a nice, summertime glow.
bareMinerals Endless Summer Bronzer in Warmth: This bronzer gives warmth to the skin and blends easily for a natural look. This bronzer has a matte finish, and it has self-tanning properties, which I believe, according to bareMinerals, is referred to as, “Gradual Glow Complex” which tan your skin even when you are not wearing makeup. This bronzer has quickly become a favorite of mine.
Elizabeth Arden FourEver Bronze Bronzing Powder in Deep 02: This is a handy little bronzer to have as it contains two different bronzing shades, a coral-pink blush, and a champagne highlighter. I personally like to swirl all of the colors together to make a bronze with a pink tint to it. The pink shade definitely stands out and doesn’t get lost in the bronze shades, and the highlight shade is effective enough to give this bronzer subtle glow.
Too Faced Chocolate Soleil Bronzer: This is probably my most used bronzer out of this bunch because it’s a classic! Unlike the others, this one has a sweet-smelling scent that it’s famous for. Like the bareMinerals, this bronzer also has a matte finish. And it’s not too warm toned where you couldn’t this to contour with it depending on your skin tone. Overall, it’s easy to use and long-wearing bronzer that you really can’t go wrong with.
Hourglass Ambient Lighting Bronzing in Luminous Bronze Light: Hourglass, in general, are known for their powder products so when I purchased this bronzer I had some high expectations. This bronzer did not disappoint! This particular shade is very warm and definitely makes it look as though you’ve been out in the sun! This is the most finely milled powder bronzer of the bunch and it is so without being “powdery” or kicking up powder while applying. The powder’s qualities also allow it to blend very seamlessly on the skin.
Bite Beauty Multistick in Anise: Okay, so this isn’t technically a bronzer but that doesn’t mean you can’t treat it as such. As the name would suggest it is a “multistick” that can be used on the skin, lips, and eyes. Personally, I love using this as a cream bronzer! It’s easy to swipe the product on your face and blend with your fingers. And a little of this goes a very long way. I like this for quick bronzer applications and I think I may prefer this to products that are marketed as cream bronzers.
Those are my bronzer picks for this summer to achieve a bronzed and glowing complexion. What are your favorite bronzers?
geneva ann 