the favorites | august 2014

It's time once again to talk about my favorite products from the past month!

makeup

I decided not to mention favorites from last month as you'd quickly tire of my waxing poetic for the NARS Pure Radiant tinted moisturizer. This month has been a month of rediscoveries and new discoveries: I bought the Bobbi Brown Corrector in Extra Light Bisque last fall, but I didn't get the hang of it until recently. I just dab a bit of this on the inner corners of my eyes—wherever I am bluest—and follow it up with my beloved NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer in Chantilly. 

As far as new products go, I made a bit of a haul a couple of weeks ago to pick up the Kat Von D Tattoo liner and the Hourglass Veil mineral primer. Both of these have turned out to be holy grail products for me: the liner is brilliant to use, and the primer suits my base of choice perfectly. Additionally, I won a giveaway on /r/MakeupAddicts and received a box of goodies, including this exclusive blush from Hello Waffle in But At Least I'll Look Pretty. Although I received it for free, I'd happily pay for this. I'm unfamiliar with loose blush formulas, but this one is soft and gorgeous: imagine MAC Syrup in blush form.

skincare

As summer is starting to wind down—at least in theory here in the South—I'm beginning to get back into my more moisturizing products. The CeraVe Hydrating cleanser has thoroughly impressed me so far with its creamy, non-foaming, and non-irritating formula. I've only had this for about the last couple of weeks, but I am chuffed so far.

tea

Ah, tea: the elixir of life! I drink tea regularly, but since I've moved back on campus, I've been guzzling the stuff. Barry's Tea Gold Blend is my favorite! I've been drinking it since I first picked it up in Dean & DeLuca three-and-a-half years ago. It brews beautifully with milk: it's robust but never bitter. It's becoming easier and easier to acquire, too, at least in the States, so snap some up the next time you see it.

What have your favorites been this month?

the skincare | clinique take the day off cleansing balm

Is there anything more satisfying than no-faff skincare that actually works?

When it comes to beauty, I think not.

Enter the Clinique Take the Day Off cleansing balm, a product that I found due to none other than the great Caroline Hirons herself. Mrs. H is an industry veteran: she knows her stuff, and she shares her no-nonsense approach to skincare at her treasure trove of a blog.

Pictured above is actually my second consecutive container of this balm. Using it looks like a pain at first glance, but it's really as simple as swiping the surface of the cleanser and treating yourself to a facial massage. I take the cleanser itself off with a hot washcloth, but I know some, like Tanya Burr, prefer to emulsify the balm into a milk before removing it.

Since using this to remove my makeup, I've found fewer lower-lashline smudges in the morning, and my skin seems to like this remarkably inoffensive cleanser. It's admittedly not too easy to pack, but I can see myself repurchasing this for years to come.

A true holy grail cleanser? Sounds good to me.