With Holiday collections exploding all over and new skincare launches I've gotten quite a bit of new stuff the last few weeks. I've also rediscovered some old favorites again. I've heard of Royal Fern for while. I've seen their brand around but just never purchased anything. I recently grabbed the Royal Fern Phytoactive Cleasing Balm and I'm so glad I finally did. The bouncy jelly cleanser smells light and fresh like cucumbers. It doesn't dry the skin and isn't a foaming style cleanser. This cleanser has green tea extract, cucumber, hyaluronic acid, vitamin C, jojoba oil and the Royal Fern Complex (found in all products)--fern extract, sea buckthorn oil, wild rose oil, African Voacanga tree seed oil & coconut oil. While this cleanser does contain oils it's not really a balm or oil balm cleanser. It's very much a jelly style. I love it in the morning or as a second cleanse. More to come.
Allies of Skin just released three new products. I've become quite addicted to their line in general it's quite good. The Fresh Slate Purifying Cleanser + Masque is a cleanser that you can leave on for two minutes to get a quick extra masking style treatment. I love multi-tasking products like this that make my life easier. This is a deep cleaning cleanser and mask using Manuka honey, colloidal silver, cacao, 1% BHA (salicylic acid) & clay. It smells like a honey cocoa dream, is easy to use and I'm quite smitten by it. More to come.
Kat Burki has been a brand obsession of mine over the last year or so. The scent of all of her products is just to die for. I know I call it a cucumber dream which is really the only way I can think of to describe it. It's heavenly. The PH+ Enzyme Essence is a newer product for Kat Burki. I've tried a few samples and am finally diving into my full size bottle. This essence as a thicker gel style texture. It's hydrating. This contains the usual Kat Burki KB5 complex, aloe orange hydrosol, witch hazel, botanical hyaluronic acid, cucumber hydrosol, pumpkin seed oil, vitamin E, wild cherry, papaya, turmeric, hydrangea and licorice extract. What's not to love? I'm completely smitten and think this will be a permanent staple in my skincare closet. More to come.
African Botanics has also been a recent product obsession of mine. Very luxe green beauty brand. Their products are well rounded and formulated. Their Resurrection Eye Cream was recently reformulated and I purchased the old version before I knew if was being redone. I saw it on sale and decided to try it. I really like this eye cream. It's thin enough to not feel heavy or greasy but it's super hydrating. Perfect for night and the cooler winter months. This contains African Resurrection Plant extract, Marula Oil, Peptides, Baobab, Kalahari Melon seed oils, Arnica, Green Rooibos Tea extract, Shea Butter and Carrot Seed oil and Green Coffee Oil. Sounds great right? I can't wait to get and test the new version out as well. More to come on this one.
I've recently rekindled my love of Charlotte Tilbury Light Wonder Foundation. I stopped using it as much because I was testing new things for a while. Every time go back to it I remember why it's so amazing. Lightweight, good enough coverage, looks like skin and slightly dewy but not greasy or too dewy. I wear shade no 6. Review HERE.
A few weeks ago a was going through my primer drawer and grabbed my Zelens Satin Primer. It was almost empty and I figured I would try to finish it up so I could clean out the drawer a little. This primer is lightly hydrating and does provide a satin like finish. Not matte, but slightly matte. Satin is the perfect way to describe it. It feels like skincare but does help control some oil without being too drying like matte primers. Perfect for Spring/Fall/Winter. I originally reviewed it HERE.
Top to Bottom--Kat Burki, Royal Fern, Allies of Skin, Zelens, African Botanics, Charlotte Tilbury:
I grabbed the Beautylish exclusive Charlotte Tilbury Instant Look in a Palette Smoky Eye Beauty. I love her Instant Look palettes as the powders are finely milled and buttery smooth. Better quality than her normal palettes. This one is fairly neutral which I love. Review HERE.
Dior just released a limited edition holiday highlighter. The Dior Diorskin Nude Air Luminizer Precious Rocks is just stunning. I love the original release with it's finely milled light as air powder. This Precious Rocks version is a bit more nude beige than the permanent shade 002. It got the same light as air powder texture. It feels a touch less frosty than the permanent ones as well. Though it contains hints of micro glitter they don't distract or overpower the luminous natural nude glow that this one gives. More to come.
I kept striking out with Pat McGrath Labs releases in the past. I was going to skip the new lipsticks then I tested them at the Sephora store on a whim. LuxeTrance Lipstick in Donatella was the really creamy cool nude beige that I loved. Described as a beige mauve which is pretty accurate. I love that she's finally improved her packaging to not look like a cheap lab sample. The bullet on this case is exquisite I didn't even want to ruin it by using it. This is so creamy, but not a hydrating lipstick in that sense, more of a satin finish almost comfort matte. It's kind of in between those two in texture. More to come.
Tom Ford just released this really pretty, very limited lipstick shade Orchid Soleil. It was only on Sephora and Tom Ford's site and it seems to be sold out on both. I'll start with the absolutely stunning packaging on this. Just amazing. This purple rose gold ribbed case with a matching shimmering mauve beige nude lipstick inside. I'm glad I grabbed it on the fly before it sold out. Keep an eye out for this one to see if it comes back into stock if you love Tom Ford. More to come.
Top to Bottom--Dior, Pat McGrath, Tom Ford:
