July/August 2017 Favorites

One of the things I missed with the timing of my Mac's demise was posting my July favorites. Grab yourself a snack or a drink because I'm going to make this a two-month post, and cover a lot of territory.

Let's start with makeup. I'd planned to review many of these items already, but that's not going to stop me from sharing them in September. Please note that anything with a hyperlink is a direct shopping link.

Primers:

I discovered my current HG priming routine over the past two months. It's rather complicated, but that's ok. Depending on the weather and my skin, I start with a color-correcting primer for my red areas. I'm actually out of my favorite (Make Up For Ever Step 1 Skin Equalizing Primer- Redness), and I won't repurchase until I finish up all of the green primers in my collection. I'm almost down to my last one. Next, I either go in with CoverFX Mattifying Primer if it's going to be a humid day or an illuminating primer (I've loved the CoverFX Illuminating Primer and Milani Prime Light Strobing Primer over the past two months). Next, for some pore filling, I reach for the  Milk Makeup Blur Stick. Next, onto my problem areas (11s and smile lines) I smooth the tiniest bit of L'Oreal Magic Perfecting Base. I finish by spraying the Too Faced Hangover Rx 3-in-1 Spray- which I'll be sharing the good news about with you soon. I also was boring in terms of an eye combination- MAC Painterly Paint Pot, set with Sephora Collection Beauty Amplifier Lid & Liner Primer.


Eyeshadow:

I think the number of palettes I've been through should be an indication that I wouldn't have many shadow favorites. That's true. I purchased the original LORAC Mega Pro palette when it went up on the brand's website. I'm in love. Same with the LORAC Mega Pro 2, which was my July obsession. Although a recent purchase, I keep reaching for lid shades from the MAC Power Hungry Palette.

In terms of items I've been loving that aren't available, it's the Tom Ford Unabashed Palette and Marc Jacobs The Lolita (which I got from the brand as part of a mystery bag). I've also been loving my MAC Double Custom Palette, which I pulled from my hundreds of shades. It lives in my drawer, whereas the Mega Pros live on my vanity. I've also pulled a mini Smashbox CoverShot Trio in Screenshot.


Eyeliner and Mascara:


I've been so basic the past two months. I've been keeping it basic, with the Wet 'n Wild Skinny Tip Eyeliner coming back into my rotation (review coming in September), while still loving Anastasia Beverly Hills Darkside Liner, and the Anastasia Beverly Hills Metallic Luster Liners. I told you I was boring! Again, another place where I've been pretty boring is mascara. I adore using my Urban Decay Subversion Primer, and have been loving a trio of mascaras: It Cosmetics Superhero Elastic Stretch Volumizing Mascara, Urban Decay Perversion Mascara, and L'Oreal Voluminous Lash Paradise Mascara.


Now, onto the face. Let's talk Concealers and Correctors:

As always, I'm in love with Tarte Shape Tape, but I've also been loving Cle de Peau The Concealer for face concealing when self-tanned. In terms of correctors, I've been trying a few but the only one I've really been loving is my staple Tarte Colored Clay CC Undereye Corrector.

Foundations and Powders:

I've been keeping it pretty simple these days. On the foundation front, I'm still loving Lancome Teint Idole, La Mer The Foundation (when not self-tanned), Givenchy Teint Couture Balm, and MAC Next to Nothing Face Colour on the weekend. When self-tanned, I also loved the CoverGirl Clean Matte BB Cream. I've also fallen for It Cosmetics CC Cream and bareMinerals Complexion Rescue Complexion Balm this summer.

Four powders have lived in my drawer for the past two months: MAC Studio Fix Powder Foundation, MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural, RCMA No Color Powder, and Too Faced Born This Way Ethereal Setting Powder.

Bronzer:

It must be summer if I'm obsessed with more bronzers than anything else! L'Oreal Glam Bronze is so good and so similar to one of my other favorites- Marc Jacobs Tan-Tastic. Algenist's Color Correcting Bronzer also found its way back into rotation, as well as Physician's Formula Butter Bronzer. My favorite new bronzer is Becca Sunlit Bronzer in Capri Coast.




Contour:

Two contour kits stole my heart these past two months. I've been loving the sadly-discontinued Fiona Stiles Sheer Contour Kit in Light/Medium and the Anastasia Beverly Hills Powder Contour Kit in Light/Medium.


Blush:

I wish I could admit to being more adventurous than I have been. I've been using my Tarte Amazonian Clay Blushes the most frequently.

My custom MAC blush quad and Natasha Denona Blush Duo #15 make occasional guest appearances.

In terms of single blushes, there have only been three in rotation. Too Faced Love Flush blushes in Justify My Love and Baby Love (something I adore from last 21 Days of Beauty) and Milani Baked Blush in Luminoso.


Highlighter:

I've also been pretty boring in terms of highlighter. Laura Geller French Vanilla lives in my drawer, along with Essence Be My Highlight these days. When I was self-tanned, I finally discovered the beauty of Becca Opal. I also loved Dose of Colors Highlighter in Milk 'n Honey.

Lipliner:

I kept it simple in terms of lipliner. The most frequently used was Bobbi Brown Lipliner in Beige, combined with Lancome Le Lipstique in Clair.

Lipstick:

I kept things so basic these last couple of months.  MAC Lipstick in Shy Girl (special packaging), Bobbi Brown Lip Color in Ultra Beige (from that Nordstrom set), Hourglass GIRL Stylo in Peacemaker (100pt perk size), Marc Jacobs Sheer Gel Lipstick in Have We Met? , and MAC Lipstick in Love at First Bite.


Liquid Lipstick:

I really only used two most of the summer- bareMinerals Statement Matte Lip Color in Juicy and bareMinerals GenNude Liquid Lipstick in Slay.


Lip Gloss:

I kept it simple here too! I blame this on hot days and playing with lots of different colors. MAC Vamplify Lipgloss in Spanking Haute, MAC Creamsheen Glass in ChaChaCha, Anastasia Beverly Hills Lipglosses in Amber, Caramel, and Saint Tropez.


PHEW!

Now, let's talk Skincare.

I've been loving this combo- Drunk Elephant C-Firma Day Serum, Avene Gentle Toning Lotion, Enlite When it Rains, It Pores Serum, Enlite Face Cardio (I'm so angry that CVS discontinued these), First Aid Beauty Coconut Smoothie Priming Moisturizer, The Ordinary Caffeine Eye Serum, Avene Mattifying Fluid.

You probably know I'm really into sheet masks. I've been loving two main active ingredients this summer- Tea Tree and my beloved Red Wine. Pictured are the TonyMoly I'm Real Tea Tree Mask , 7 Days Tea Tree Mask, and TonyMoly I'm Real Red Wine Pore Care Mask. All of these can either be found at the pharmacy, at TJMaxx, or in multi-packs from the brand around the $2-2.50 range each.

I raved about this earlier in the week, but I'm obsessed with Simple's new Water Boost Micellar Cleansing Water.

Other:

I know that it's not exactly fair to include an item I only purchased on the 26th, but I knew immediately that I knew this product. If you're in the market for an inexpensive Bluetooth speaker, I recommend the AmazonBasics Wireless Speaker ($29.99 for the black version I purchased). One of my huge complaints about my new laptop was the horrible audio. This has saved the day for me so nicely. It's not the world's best speaker, but it's an affordable speaker if you're looking to boost your laptop.

Non-makeup, but a total fun lifesaver: MyTagalongs Stargazer Charger & Cord Case ($18, Nordstrom). I've tucked my Michael Kors travel charger, two pairs of headphones (one for my work computer and one for my iPhone), and a couple of other daily necessities into here. I also bought the Headphones case ($10) once I realized how lovely these were.

What have you been loving the second half of summer?

Cle de Peau Nail Lacquers for Spring 2016

I'm going to be honest with you: Cle de Peau is a brand that I'm scared to start exploring.

Wait, what?

It has to do with price point. While I love my Chanel, Tom Ford, and even Louboutin, Cle de Peau at least seems so much more expensive. A $37-90 lipstick is one thing; a $70 concealer (a product type that I go through like water) seems like the most expensive thing out there.

But yet here we are. I'm dipping my toes into this mostly unexplored brand. (I bought a lip gloss trio a couple of Holiday seasons ago and loathed the plastic applicators but was charmed by the packaging.) For Spring 2016, Cle de Peau has released a quartet of limited edition nail lacquers: 04 Bright Red, 05 Hot Pink, 06 Deep Purple, and 07 Star Sparkle. At $25 each, dare I say it? They're quite reasonable and probably a bargain with price hikes by everyone else. Here's a list of companies whose nail polishes are more expensive that I can also buy at my local Nordstrom: Tom Ford, Chanel, Dior, YSL. For a company whose products are in the upper tier price-wise, this is shocking. But in a good way.

Let me rave for a moment about the formula. It's awesome. I started out with one, immediately doubled my order to qualify for a GWP at Saks, and bought the other 2 the following day after I did a quick mani. I know my nail formulas and this one rocks. It dries quickly and to a nice and hard surface, is self-leveling, and covers in 1-2 coats. Although these aren't the most original colors, the formula more than makes up for it. These also dry perfectly glossy without a top coat. Next, the brush. I find it extremely easy to work with- which in turn minimized cleanup.

Let's start with 04 Bright Red (by the way, the shade names appear nowhere on the box or bottle). This cheerful red required 2 coats for opacity. There are 2 plus topcoat in my mani here:

This is a fantastic summer red- and it's going right into my rotation. I really could've gotten away with one coat. It's that great.

Although I could pull so many reds, here's a few comparisons:

Yeah, it's dupeable but the formula made me fall in love instantly. Two coats makes it look like a gel!

I have only one negative about Bright Red. Like a lot of reds (but not like others in this formula), it's a bear to remove. I had it on my nails for less than 24 hours and it took hours of scrubbing to get 85% of it off of my hands. I wore a base coat, too. That's literally the only negative I can come up with on this color.

Next up, 05 Hot Pink. Why yes, it's the most pedestrian shade name never. But it's anything but ordinary on your nails.

I instinctively reached for this shade for a super quick mani before running to work on a recent weekend. By the end of the mani, I'd fallen in love with the amazingly low-key formula and quick dry time. This is the only shade that wasn't a possible one-coat wonder- there was still VNL after coat #1.

We all know I have a ton of pinks, but I grabbed a few comparisons just so you can get an idea for the color.

Again, very dupeable but the superior formula makes it a must-have.

Next up, what I thought to be the most unique shade- 06 Deep Purple. It's as the name sounds- a dark purple. However, there's a secret blue shimmer in it! Unfortunately it didn't translate to the nail.

Even crazier? It's a one-coater. I'm still shaking my head over the performance. The shade appears lighter here, but there's a more accurate photo coming:

I pulled a few purples- mainly with blue sparkling undertones- for comparison:

It's not necessarily 100% unique, but again- formula makes this worth picking up.

Let's move on to 07 Star Sparkle, the glitter topcoat of the group. Normally I'm leery of glitter polishes, but I love this one! Two coats almost covered my entire nail, which was shocking.

Even more shocking by this adult glitter polish was the removal. It just came off, even on my nail where I had multiple coats. Unreal. Cle de Peau even did glitter perfectly. My mind is blown.

I used my hand as a human swatch wheel. There are two coats of Star Sparkle on my index finger, and one coat over each of the three cremes in this photo:

Awesome, right? It's grown-up glitter, and I'm currently trying to figure out the best way to make it work in the office.

I teased you with the human swatch hand; here's my 2-coats-per-nail skittles mani of the entire collection, minus topcoat:

Bottom Line: This is an expertly-curated collection of three cremes and one glitter nail polish. Although these are classic shades, they've been executed so flawlessly that these are must-haves. I just hope that these sell well and Cle de Peau decides to release more. All four are listed as limited edition, so don't wait.