Here are some of the products I used in July.
BEAUTY
July in Massachusetts has been a real rollercoaster. You had your choice of "rainy and stormy" or "hot and unbearably humid." My skin waved the white flag by mid-month.
Summer can be tough on skin. With the addition of sunscreen, the regime, and multiple applications, my skin gets to the point of "Enough". With all the ingredients in sunscreen and the number of days wearing it and reapplying it, my skin issues start flaring up by midsummer. Breakouts, spots, and obvious pores; under-skin breakouts are the worst.
This month I introduced a few new products to the lineup.
SKIN
I like to experiment with skin care here and there. This month, I started using Oak Essentials' Moisture Rich Balm and Ritual Oil. I, first, tested out their Mini Routine in Vegas when I visited family in June. My skin just loved it. Normally, as soon as I land in Nevada, my face looks like it ages 10 years - immediately. These products kept my skin moisturized and plumped. For eyes, I stuck with my favorite MAC's Fast Response Eye Cream for day and Clinique All About Eyes. When I worked at Sephora, the top skin care question was: "What's the best eye cream?" The goal for under eyes is to keep them moisturized and not irritated. OTC products just can't de-age us 15 years. They can't. The best thing is to get a good cream that won't cause dryness or get into your eyes and irritate them. Basically, a benign, gentle cream.
For days when I need to purge, I love Caudalie Brightening Glycolic Peel Mask.
MAKEUP
When it came to makeup, I kept it super-simple, even skipping foundation. Most days I wore sunscreen and a bit of color. Sometimes just concealer and mascara. Perfect isn't usually my goal.
If I needed to put in some effort, I used my Westman Atelier Vital Skin Foundation in II or Ilia Beauty Super Serum Skin Tint in Paloma. I got Tower28 Sunny Days Tinted SPF in Mulholland but that's pretty sheer.
I have to wear bronzer and blush, even if I'm just wearing concealer. My neutral-gray tone gets zero sun, which leaves me with zero color in my face. I'm obsessed with Merit Bronze Balm stick. In colder months, I started with Clay and, for summer, Seine. The easiest, creamiest bronzer I've tried. I sometimes go back/forth with the Saie Sun Melt in Light Bronze but the Merit's bronzing stick seemed to work best for humid days. Plus, it's so easy. I can just blend with my fingers. I'd top it off with either Benefit Hoola or Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze & Glow.
For blush, my go-tos were Westman Atelier Baby Cheeks in Mimi and Merit Flush Balm in Fox or Beverly Hills. Baby Cheeks is the one cream blush that lasts all day, even when I have to go into the office. I have a tendency to not use Westman products regularly because of the cost but I'm starting to cut out products so that I can use their products more.
If it wasn't humid, I'd highlight with either Westman Atelier Lit Up Stick in Brûlée or Chanel Baume Essential in Transparent. But not all that often because it was that sticky all month.
Eyes, I kept it simple using eye pencils from Laura Mercier Caviar Sticks, Bobbi Brown Cream Shadow Sticks, and IT Cosmetics in Bare & Brave. I recently discovered Thrive Causmetics; their shadow sticks are beautiful. I don't care all that much about my lashes. I usually go between higher end and a drugstore brand mascaras.
Lips are my favorite product. I've gotten attached to lip oils from Dior, like Cherry and Mahogany, and INN Beauty Project in Candy Apple, as well as this beautiful baby pink balm from Summer Fridays.
FRAGRANCE
I don't know when it happened but last year I started buying fragrance on acid. Honestly, my excuse was always "Everything gives me a headache" but now I've put together my own stamp collection of fragrances. Last year, I fell for Aerin Beauty Hibiscus Palm - only the travel spray. Well, this year I graduated to the big bottle. It's a grown-up summer scent. More island than beach. Then, I switched between that and Bonpoint, Child Perfume, and Kaia.
NAILS
I only wear clear or pale shades on my nails. This month I wore either OPI Original Nail Envy or Essie Skinny Dip. I usually wear a color on my toes. This month, I found Morgan Taylor Wake Up This Way. It's such a pretty bright fuchsia.
Happy Summer!
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