Though not officially summer yet, sure feels like it doesn't it? I've been playing with a few new makeup items (I actually haven't bought that much makeup lately). I'm already full fledged into my summer scents and this week I thought I would discuss Black Coconut by Ava Luxe. This was a random scent I came across while searching for a new coconut fragrance. I was looking for a deeper, boozy yet still natural smelling coconut scent. Black Coconut fits the bill. I love the deep rich scent yet it's not too sweet or gourmand. A rich and sweet dark coconut note that’s a bit creamy with a slight rum like overtone.
Fresh just released a few new limited edition lip balms. The Sugar Coconut Hydrating Lip Balm is a summer dream. It smells and tastes like natural creamy coconut, nothing sweet or artificial. I love how hydrating it is without being sticky. I've been slathering it on all day every day since Fresh was kind enough to send it to me. I'm always trying to find that Marc Jacobs Beauty item that I really like so I grabbed the new Enamored Hydrating Lip Gloss Stick in Mocha Choco-lata! described as pinky nude. This is a very glossy stick style lip gloss. It's sheer but with enough pigment, glossy and shiny. The color is a shimmering pink chocolate color. A sheer lip gloss in a stick with an irresistible, melt-on, cushiony texture that delivers conditioning color with a high-shine finish. The description of the texture is pretty spot on. I thought I had finally found that one item by Marc Jacobs I liked (so far I either can find a shade I like or a texture). I was wrong again. There's peppermint oil in these. I'm not a fan of mint in my lipsticks or balm anymore. I find it dries my lips out terribly. And that was the case here. Though the formula looks and feels cushy, glossy and moisturizing the longer I wore it the more dried out my lips got. Bummer.
I grabbed a few new eyeshadows as well this month. I've always wanted to explore RMK more and the Ingenious Powder Eyes N in EX-25 Soft Metallic Brown popped up on Selfridges so I snagged it. I love the cute little case. Sadly it sold out already as it was limited edition for summer. I'm sure it's still on Japanese custom buyer sites like Ichibankao. I love the shimmering neutral soft brown base. The powder is hydrating & not powdery. It did crease a little bit by the end of the day even with primer. To be fair it is 100 degrees and beyond humid here right now. The only thing I don't like about it is the multi colored micro glitter. It creates a little fall out of glitter, though not too bad for a glitter shade. I just don't like micro glitter at all anymore.
I finally scored the limited edition and discontinued SUQQU Designing Color Eyes Palette in 101 Sumizakurairo. I was too slow to grab this when it launched last spring and it sold out in a day easy. This is most definitely a more spring style quad with a shimmering cream, mint, pink and medium soft brown. The formula is amazing as I discussed HERE. I'm not really into the mint. It's gorgeous but I just am such a neutral girl and I've never been able to get mint to look good on me. I've been using the other three shades like crazy. I'm so glad I kept looking on eBay and finally found it for a decent price.
That dreamy green goo at the top is the new Boscia Cactus Water Moisturizer. I've really been liking this gel cream moisturizer as it's not too siliconey and it's got a fun gel texture that's pretty hydrating without being sticky. I only have two favorite gel creams, this just became my third. Queen of the Night cactus, resurrection plant (one of my favorite ingredients in African Botanics), turmeric, aloe and some of the usual hydrators make this an amazing gel cream for hydrating. I will buy a big one once my minis run out. You should try it too because it's pretty fabulous.
5YINA is a new to me brand this year. The Divine Bio-Adaptive Cleanser is a delicious creamy cleanser with actives like pearl powder, moringa, job's tears, chrysthanthemum and bai zhu. It also contains aloe, peony root, snow mushroom (love), a few other oils and rose clay. It's gentle and I quite like it so far. I also love the white glass pump bottle it comes in.
OSKIA is a long time favorite brand of mine. I've been using the Restoration Oil for the last few weeks and I'm in love with it's silky light texture. I used a mini of this once but never dived into a full size one. Thanks to OSKIA for sending me this one to play with for a longer time. It's got quite the unique blend of oils and it smells like rose, geranium, orange, lavender & chamomile.
Manyo Factory is a very clean K Beauty brand. Their Lactobacillus Bifida Mist helps restore the skins natural barrier. This mist is hydrating, choked full of fermented goodness as well as peptides. It's a very affordable brand with really great products. If you like K Beauty this is a brand to get into. This mist has great ingredients like: peony, bifida ferment, lactobacillus/pumpkin ferment, sodium hyaluronate, bacillus/soybean ferment, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Palmitoyl Dipeptide, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, shitake mushroom, coriolus versicolor mushroom, Copper Tripeptide-1, allantoin, black tea & panax ginseng. I would buy this again easy.
3RIFIC is a natural brand made in Japan that has won several Beauty Shortlist awards. Any brand who makes it on the nominee list or wins is always one I want to try. I actually don't like that many Japanese skincare brands as I find them normally too over fragranced. I love that 3RIFIC uses natural ingredients and keeps out the artificial fragrance. The Radiance Revitalizing Cream won the Beauty Shortlist Award in 2017 for best day moisturizer. This gel cream but not a gel cream moisturizer combines apple and argan stem cells with fermented soybeans and Japanese Haskap berries. More to come.
Top to Bottom-SUQQU, RMK,Marc Jacobs, 3RIFIC, Boscia, 5YINA:
