July Favorites 2015!

LUSH Celestial moisturizer (top left), Eskinol facial cleanser (right), Kiehl’s Midnight Concentrate facial oil (bottom) and eye concentrate (leftmost).

UD Naked 1 palette (top left), L’Oréal True Match Foundation in the shade W4 (top right), By Terry Ombré Black Star in the shade Misty Rock (bottom left), and NUXE Rêve de Miel lip balm (bottom right).

By Terry Ombré Black Star Cream Eyeshawdow in Misty Rock (top) and from the UD Naked 1 palette in the shade Toasted (bottom)

Hello world!

I’m starting a new series… monthly favorites!  I’m going to tell you all about the bits and bobs that I have regarding skincare, makeup, hair, etc.  Maybe even food? This post will be majority makeup and skincare, so let’s get crackin’!

Warning: I do invest quite a bit of money on skincare because I think it’s the most important step in my makeup routine.  Also, I have sensitive, oily, acne-prone skin (I battled cystic acne for a year, which was rough).  I will put prices of all products, so you guys can check them out.  I  also have to let my readers know that I do buy from companies that are not cruelty-free brands (please click here: http://www.mybeautybunny.com/brands-that-test-on-animals/).  However, on my will, I’m going to donate my body to science, (I will talk more about this in a future post and state my reasons).  I try to practice vegetarianism and buy from brands that have cruelty-free practices.

Skincare

Cleanser: for all my Filipina/Filipino bloggers out there… I love the Eskinol Deep Facial Cleanser in  the Calamansi formula (~$5 USD depending on where you go to purchase)!  For those who may not know what I’m talking about, this facial cleanser acts a lot like Bioderma in such a way that it removes makeup, but this facial cleanser also penetrates deep into the skin.  It helps lighten dark spots, fight acne, and removes dirt and makeup.  I usually use this in conjunction with a cotton pad in the morning for a quick and simple cleanse.  This product can be bought in local Asian supermarkets, but I would definitely try asking for a sample of this because it is an astringent and can be very harsh on the skin.  (https://www.eskinol.com.ph/index.php/eskinol/products)

Moisturizer: I’ve been a huge fan of LUSH Cosmetics for a few years now and I’m determined to try their whole skincare range (those that fit my skin’s needs, of course)!  About a month ago, I bought their Celestial Moisturizer ($25 USD) and it is the bombdotcom.  The weather in the Bay Area has been a little wonky and my skin is in dire need of moisture, so I bought this because the wonderful woman who helped me at LUSH (bless her beautiful heart) suggested it.  It’s made for those who have sensitive skin because it’s not made with any alcohols, but this moisturizer caters to all skin types *horray*!  It’s not a ridiculously priced moisturizer (you’re paying for good quality, vegan ingredients and they don’t test on animals), but I would definitely ask for a sample before purchasing.

Eyes: for a whole month straight, I’ve been using the Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery Eye Concentrate ($36 USD) because it helps replenish my sometimes dry/dehydrated eyes and helps with lightening my dark under eye circles.  I often have trouble sleeping, but this product has lavender essential oil which helps me calm down before going to bed.

Facial oil: I use the Kiehl’s Midnight Concentrate ($72 USD) as a facial oil because it’s really fffective and helps me sleep just like its counterpart, the eye concentrate.  If you do want a cruel-free, vegan option, I would highly recommend the LUSH Full of Grace moisturizer ($15 USD).  It acts just the same as the Kiehl’s facial oil, but a fraction of the cost and it’s vegan *wins*.  When I run out of my Kiehl’s facial oil, I will repurchase the LUSH moisturizer.

Makeup

Eyes: I am in love with the By Terry Ombré BlackStar Cream Eyeshadow in the shade Misty Rock ($43 USD).  It’s a beautiful purple-y pink, yet taupe-y eyeshadow that looks completely different on every skin tone and eye color.  I’m definitely repurchasing this item… 100%.  If someone doesn’t want to break the bank and already owns the Urban Decay Naked 1 palette, the shade Toasted is a very similar color.  I wear both shades interchangeably and love them both equally.

Base: I rediscovered my like/hate relationship with the L’Oréal True Match Foundation in the shade W4 ($7 USD).  The reason I say “like/hate relationship” is because it’s a great foundation, it stays put on my oily face, and it doesn’t break me out.  However, L’Oréal is definitely not a cruelty-free brand (do I sound like a broken record or whaaat!?).  L’Oréal, y u no cruelty-free!?

Lips: this is going to sound ridiculous, but the Nuxe Rêve de Miel lip balm ($20 USD) is somewhat amazing.  I know what some of you are thinking, “Why would someone buy a $20 lip balm!?”  In my defense, I wanted to try it at least once and Karima McKimmie from Shameless Fripperies kept mentioning it (she’s one of my favorite YouTubers/beauty bloggers ehhh-vuuur).  The Burt’s Bees chapstick virtually does the same job, so I would definitely recommend that option instead.

Well, that’s all of my July favorites!  Let me know if you gals and guys have any recommendations, tips, tricks, entry ideas, etc.!  I hope you all are having a wonderful week and I’ll speak to you all very soon! x

With lots of love,

Coohleen ❤