Another week of chaos for everyone and I find solace in continuing to write and create content. I ended up fracturing my toe this week so I spent some time at home trying to stay off of it. My husband and daughter have been in Florida helping Grandma recuperate from her hip replacement which happened to take place a week before chaos broke loose. I haven't had four days to myself in a very long time. It was actually really glorious even if my toe is killing me. Next week life goes back to somewhat normal and I will go back to work in the hospital. This week I have been spritzing myself with Tom Ford Oud Minerale. It's been mid-80s here and already humid with the air conditioner on full time so I'm in spring almost summer mood already. I love its spicy, woody sea scent. Key Notes are: Â Salty Seaweed, Pink Peppercorn, Oud Blend, Styrax, Ambergris Accord, Fir Balsam. Think sexy sea scent. Review HERE.
With the warming weather I have been reaching for the African Botanics Baobab Clay Oxygenating Cleanser which is great at detoxing and purifying my skin. I love it as a second cleanse at night to get rid of the grimey feeling from heat and humidity. This cleanser recently got a makeover. I had the original version but I'm so enamored with the new version. It's got a peachy pink hue and thick gel texture. This is really great at balancing the skin, unclogging the pores and eliminating impurities. It's not drying at all and just feels refreshing. This is great for urban areas or more combo/oily skin types. I've been reaching for Earthwise Beauty Passion Eye Serum a lot to hydrate my dry under eye area. It's essential oil free with my favorite green coffee, seabuckthorn, rosehip, brazil nut, tamanu and andiroba oils. It's lightweight, firming & nourishing.
I've been reaching for Then I Met You Living Cleansing Balm a lot lately. I've been really into its mango color and light citrus scent. I adore antioxidant rich seabuckthorn oil which is what gives this it's rich color. This balm has a nice medium weight texture and it emulsifies to rinse clean. Love it. Can't wait to grab the new gel cream that just launched. With the current weather I have been loving the soothing and nourishing Dr Sam's Flawless Moisturizer. A thicker gel cream moisturizer that's fragrance free this always soothes and is perfection in the spring to summer and fall to winter transition periods. It leaves your skin feeling absolutely amazing and so plump yet it's also so light. Review HERE. I'm sure you saw me rave online about the new Fresh Sugar Hydrating Lip Balm in Blood Orange. I adore blood oranges they're my favorite fruit. I have a tree in my backyard (with no fruit yet but one day hopefully). This is a glossy hydrating lip balm that smells and tastes like blood oranges. It's perfection.
I have absolutely been adoring the new TATCHA The Liquid Silk Canvas primer. The original cream was almost a bit too dewy for me so I was all about a version meant for humid climates (hello south Texas) or more combo to oily skin types. This is a thicker lotion textured primer with a hint of a citrus scent. It's dewy but also in a satin finish way. It's very grippy for makeup which is really nice. It blurs pores, grips makeup well for a longer lasting finish and doesn't dry me out like other primers. It also doesn't make me too glowy or dewy like other primers can by the end of the day. It keeps oil at bay and keeps my complexion looking fresh and hydrated all day long. Easily one of the best primers I've used in a long time. I would normally not jump onto the bandwagon of an exorbitantly expensive lipstick, however the new Hermes is so worth it. I grabbed the lightest nude pink in both formulas but I've been focusing on the Rouge Hermes Matte Lipstick in Beige Naturel this week. This is easily the best comfort matte I've used in a while. It's got a soft focus finish on the lips versus a rich pigment lipstick (at least this shade). It's comfortable and isn't drying at all. It has a matte look on the lips but it's comfortable and still kind of moves around a bit on the lips if you know what I mean. It's not set in stone after it sets like most mattes/comfort mattes. I'm so smitten it's crazy. It's refillable and I can't believe I'm telling you to get a $67 lipstick, but it's soooo good.
I saved this one for last as I've been getting a ton of questions on the new Biologique Recherche Serum de Teint. After much debate between shade 2 & 3 I ended up deciding on shade No 2. This is a tinted finishing serum with antioxidant and anti-pollution protection. It's absolutely not a necessary product but I love how brightening it's been on my skin. It looks thick when you pump it out but it blends into the skin really nicely and easily. It's very sheer coverage like tinted moisturizer at most. It just adds a hint of coverage. It really helps more to even the skin tone out a bit and brightens. Now if you combine it with a tinted sunscreen you may find both are enough together to let you skip foundation. Depends on how much coverage you like. I like light coverage so it works for me with just SPF especially on the weekends.
I also notice it helps keep skin more matte, not in a drying way. Just a comfortable oil control kind of feeling on the skin. Totally not drying by the end of the day. I think the summer once the humidity really peaks here I may love this even more. I've been testing it on half my face right now so see how the oil control feels side by side. I will make a final review in a month or so. This is pricey so do I think it's worth it? Depends on you and what you want out of your skincare products. It's really more of a skincare product than a color product. It's an extra step that you don't necessarily need but I've actually been quite enjoying it. I like it for the skin tone evening, brightening and oil control aspects. Plus I get bonus antioxidant/anti-pollution benefits. I'm not oily either so keep that in mind, it just helps my skin feels balanced and I think in the summer this will really shine as a star product for many especially if you live in an urban area.
Top to Bottom-Dr Sam's, TATCHA, African Botanics, HERMES, Biologique Recherche, Fresh, Then I Met You:
*TATCHA, African Botanics, Fresh, Then I Met You, Earthwise Beauty gifted but all thoughts are my own
