It's officially summer which makes me think of bronzed skin. I actually only own one bronzer as I so rarely use them anymore. I used to self tan and wear bronzer all the time but I've given up on it as I got older. It took too much extra time for me and I seemed to stop caring if I was tan like I used to. I also live in Texas now and get enough sun that I'm darker than when I lived in cooler mountain areas (and yes I wear sunscreen everyday). Of course I had to grab Drunk Elephant D-Bronzi just because it's Drunk Elephant. Add one little pump of this for a hint or bronze without being too fake or overdone. Honestly I treat this more like a cosmetic than skincare product as adding one pump isn't going to give me any real skincare benefits. If you maybe used quite a bit of this I could see getting benefits. There's a hint of shimmer which honestly is small when you're only using a little. More to come.
Fresh Creme Ancienne Infusion was kindly gifted by the brand. I've been quite the addict of the Creme Ancienne line in general. This really surprised me as it's quite good. A light yet very hydrating essence. This combines bamboo, lavender and rose water with hyaluronic acid, meadowfoam seed & seabuckthorn oil. This is more hydrating that the newer Black Tea Kombucha. I found it to be calming and hydrating as a nice extra layer without being heavy. It's easy to add in a routine for a pop of moisture.
I decided to add Drunk Elephant Protini back into my daily life as I missed it so when I stopped to test something else. This plumps and makes my skin so much more elastic. It gives your skin that happy healthy look and feel. Review HERE. I've actually been mixing it with Clarity RX Call Me In The Morning this week as a booster. I was so intrigued by this periwinkle blue cream. This lightweight moisturizer contains aloe, hops, rosemary and sage extracts, safflower, hazelnut, avocado & wheat germ oils, sodium hyaluronate, sodium PCA, vitamins A, E and C, ginseng and allantoin. It's a light cream that has a bit of a matte finish. It's not too heavy and works great so far for a summer day. It's more substantial than a gel cream but not like a full cream.
Summer also means summer scents and one of my favorites this week is Nomaterra Cape Cod which is a Wild Beach Rose. I love how this combines a natural rose with a sea scent. Top: bergamot, grapefruit, salt. Heart: ocean water, summer hydrangea, wild beach rose. Base: amber, chilling air, french lavender. I talked about it HERE. I don't know why I skipped the Tom Ford Ultra-Rich Lip Color in Revolve Around Me when it first launched. Maybe I thought it was too nude or pale. My mistake. Turns out it's the perfect creamy pink nude. It's also hydrating and so cushy on the lips. I apply mine from the bullet which is why it has that cut off look to it. I like to wear my lipsticks down to a flat shape.
YOU Skincare is a new brad discovery to me last year. The niche brand can do no wrong when it comes to skincare. The Tranquil Face Oil is a divine lightweight facial oil perfect for summer. This oil contains prickly pear, cucumber, sacha inchi, black cumin, chia, rosehip, acia grape and chamomile to name a few. It's really quite lightweight and lovely.
I came across Kristin Ess Sea Salt Air Dry Spray at Target and so far so good. I love the fine spray and continuous action of the pump. It's reasonably priced as well. I wear a sea salt or texture spray pretty much everyday so I've gotten to know what I like and don't like in one. I love that this one combines a traditional sea salt spray with a polymer like a non-salt spray. Those polymers are what help keep the hair from frizzing out and falling flat later in the day. This is non-crunchy at all and doesn't dry my hair out. It keeps enough hold to last yet it's not too sticky or heavy in that polymer department. It looks natural.
I haven't bought a La Prairie item in quite some time. Almost twenty years. I used their makeup what seems like ages ago but have strayed away for a while. I was completely drawn to their new Skin Caviar Essence in Foundation as I'm so into these newer generation cushion foundations right now. This was easily the most expensive foundation I ever purchased (sight unseen or tested). I love it (Thank God as it would have been a costly mistake). I love the lightweight coverage that melds color with skincare. It's looks like skin and you can actually get medium coverage out of it. It also tends to last quite well. I get a whole day out of it without feeling the need to touch up. I grabbed shade N30 or Satin Nude. It looks scary dark in the sample I got but it works well overall for my NC25-27 skin tone. I also tried NW30 Honey Beige which worked OK for me. It was the right depth but too gold and yellow. Satin Nude is very neutral and while it looks dark it seems to set light enough for me. More to come.
Top to Bottom-Clarity RX, Protini, D-Bronzi, Tom Ford, La Prarie:
