Happy Mother’s day to all of you moms out there!
It was a splendid, sunny type of week. I have painted my nails multiple times (Spring puts me in a really good mood), tried more sunscreen products (you can see some on my Instagram feed), used loads of sea salt hair spray, and shopped for beauty products. Here’s the recap…
Empties. As I mentioned in my April favorites, this week I finished another bottle of YULI Cocoon Elixir. Still working like a charm and I even used it on my (almost embarrassed to say it, but) sun-burned, upper-chest area last week. If you are new to it, you can read my full review here. I also finished my Honeybee Gardens nail polish remover, which was okay, but I will not repurchase because I found a nail polish remover that I like better (more about it in a paragraph below).
Repurchased/New Purchases. This week I bought a new bottle of Rahua Voluminous Shampoo (still my favorite one) and I also got the Josh Rosebrook HairSpray Firm Hold, which was a first-time purchase. Someone actually let me try the Josh Rosebrook hair spray last week, and I loved it. It held up my beachy waves perfectly. Josh Rosebrook nailed it with his styling products. Not only do they work, but they smell divine. It takes some practice to learn how to get good results with them, especially if you’re switching from conventional hair styling products, but once you get the hang of it, you don’t look back (at least, that’s what happened to me).
Added to my wishlist. Talking about hair, I just added a new hair product to my wishlist. I was able to try a tiny sample of it thanks to BeauTeaBar and now I want a full-size. It’s the Reverie Cake Anti Aging Hair Growth Serum. It is a leave-in treatment that promotes hair restoration and growth, while soothing the scalp and smoothing the hair. My sample was tiny, so I cannot say that I saw an overnight transformation, but it did leave me wanting more. My hair has been a little different lately, more difficult to manage. I feel like my usual shampoo and go routine is not doing for it anymore. I think I might be going through some hormonal changes, (nope, not pregnant), but my hair has been more wavy, and I even spotted a few curls here and there. Pretty cool, but I have had to do more masks to keep it soft, and I have even used conditioner (Rahua Voluminous).
New from Kahina. Kahina Giving Beauty just launched a new body serum called Essaouira Body Serum*, named after a village located not far from Marrakech, Morocco. Katherine, Kahina’s founder, fell in love with the culturally rich history and the picturesque landscapes of this port city and was inspired to capture it in a fragrance. Although it has a bit of the sultriness that I loved in the other body serum and balm, called Fez, Essaouira is fresh and crispy, and has a floral hint to it. Not only does it smell beautiful, but the scent of it lasts for hours on my skin (I was wearing it today and could smell it for at least 4-5 hours). It is like a Summer version of Fez, so if you like Fez, you will definitely like Essaouira as well.
Hits & Misses. This week I tried a popular face sunscreen for the first time that I was quite disappointed with. It’s the DeVita Solar Protective Moisturizer SPF30. I read a few reviews before purchasing it and some of them were saying that the product had been reformulated and was not as good as before. Therefore, I am pretty sure that I got the new formula. It applies smoothly and feels light on the skin, but as I spread it leaves lots of flakes. Such a bummer, because it contains 19% of zinc (which is great for broad protection), and like I said, the texture is light and comfortable. But no, the flakes are just not a good look. Bring the old formula back DeVita!
Jane Iredale Jelly Jar Eyeliner*. In my last catch-up two weeks ago (which won’t happen again, pinky-promise), I showed you the Jane Iredale Spring collection, which I really like. The eyeshadows in the palette are of good quality and apply smoothly. The lip and cheek stain gives the cheeks a dewy, peachy look that I love. I do have an update about the Jelly Jar Gel Eyeliner in the color Espresso, which I was testing out this week. In my opinion it is not very pigmented and would not show up very well on medium to deep skin tones. If you have fair to light skin, and you like the look of subtle brown eyeliner, it may work for you. However, if you want a highly pigmented gel liner, the Espresso color will not do. I have not tried the black one yet, but once I do I will let you know how that works.
Nail Polish Haul (Part II). What’s up with me!?!, this week I bought MORE nail polish. I am very much a nude or red nail type of person, but I am loving the pastel trend: mint, light blue, lavender, pale peach, and so on. I could do a separate post to show you all of them together, and if you have not taken advantage of the Treat Collection deals yet, I do recommend checking them out here. I also picked up one by Kure Bazaar in Fuji, a pale, lilac color (and great, long-lasting formula), swatched in the photo above, and a gorgeous light peach color from Kester Black called Peach Melba, which is like Summer in a bottle (I will post a swatch on Insta). Kester Black makes amazing colors and is available at Seed To Serum.
Nail Polish Remover (Budget-friendly). Wow. The Mineral Fusion Nail Polish Remover is a very good nail polish remover for a very good price. I paid just about 7 dollars (US) for a 6oz. bottle (I bought it here), and it does an amazing job. It requires less rubbing than Priti and Honeybee Gardens lacquer removers, just to give you an idea. It contains only three ingredients, which I looked up and do not seem to be concerning (Methyl Acetate, Isopropyl Myristate, Fragrance). The fragrance is not overwhelming either. In my book, this is a winner and I will definitely repurchase it once I run out.
New from Acure. Acure Organics has launched a Foaming Shaving Gel*. It has a delicate cucumber scent, and it does not contain foaming gasses, but an air compression dispenser that creates a bubbly foam. I used it today for the first time and it did a great job preparing my legs for shaving. You can shop it here.
Prtty Peashun in Deep Dark. You guys know I love the Prtty Peashun Skin Tight Body Lotion and use it in place of body moisturizer whenever I show some skin. It gives the skin a beautiful, subtle sheen and it’s light enough to where I don’t feel greasy and uncomfortable like with most shimmery body oils. However, this week I was wearing white shorts and noticed some staining of the fabric. I though that I would share it with you in case you plan on using it on your wedding day, or with your favorite white top. I did not notice the same issue with the lighter shade, medium.
Lurk Giveaway Update. Congratulations to Laura, you will be receiving an email soon. Thank you everyone for entering!
Lisa Eldridge Face Paint Book. Lisa Eldridge, the talented makeup artist who teaches her awesome techniques on YouTube, has written a book. If you love makeup or know someone who would love to read the history of makeup, you can pre-order it here. I am beyond excited to read it; can’t believe I have to wait a few more months! but I am sure it is going to be worth the wait.
Tomorrow. New post + new giveaway. Say whaaat? Yep, I told you the blog was going to pick up some speed very soon :)
*PR Sample
