I haven’t done a favorites post since February so there’s a lot of good stuff on here since I’ve been trying out a lot of new stuff. Lots of awesome makeup this month! I also worked on improving my flatlays yesterday and I’m really happy with how they came out 🙂

SKINCARE

COSRX PHA Moisture Renewal Power Cream ($15)

My sister gave me this cream (thank you if you’re reading this haha) and I’ve found it’s such a great fit for my dry skin. PHA stands for polyhydroxy acids which is a great gentle exfoliant for dry and sensitive skin. I read about them HERE. The cream is pretty thick without feeling greasy. I would definitely recommend it as a night cream because it would be way too heavy for daytime wear. Bonus, it comes with a cute little spatula so you don’t get gross germs in your cream.

I still want to try COSRX’s Honey Ceramide Full Moisture Cream and their COSRX Balancium Comfort Ceramide Cream, but I would absolutely buy this cream again.

MAKEUP

Natasha Denona Eyeshadow ($25-$125)

I received a Natasha Denona eyeshadow single in my April allure beauty box in the color Aubade and I was wowed! The shade is from the Sunset palette and it’s a stunning warm gold. It is truly the ultimate goddess badass shade. I use my finger to apply it to the lids (best to apply glittery shades with your finger) and the color is so rich and blendable.

The color itself is so versatile because it can be warm with a nude lipstick (like the Lancome lipstick next on the list haha) or I’ve also found it can be worn for more dramatic looks worn with a brown lipstick (like coco de sueño from iluvsarahii x colourpop). The thing that blew my mind the most about this product is that it doesn’t crease! I can wear this shadow a whole day without a primer and it still looks flawless.

–Natasha Denona Full Sunset Palette ($125)

–Natasha Denona Sunset Mini Palette ($25)

*Unfortunately, the mini palette does not include the shade Aubade, but I will seriously consider buying one of her mini palettes in the future because of the high quality of her shadows.

Lancôme Color Design Lipstick in Natural Beauty ($25)

I’ve actually had this lipstick sitting in my collection for quite awhile, but I had never really played with until now. Big surprise that the shade natural beauty is a nude shade haha. This color is a nude shade with the slightest hint of pink. I’ve found the color pretty much goes with anything. Overall, I prefer liquid lipsticks, but this bullet lipstick is very long wearing and still remains moisturizing.

Ultra Matte Liquid Lip in Sueño de Coco by iluvsarahii X colourpop ($7)

When I originally bought this lipstick, I was overwhelmed by the deep brown of this shade. I thought it was cool, but I was like where the heck am I going to wear this edgy brown? I started playing with it more and I decided to apply the product to my lips using my finger and I was way more impressed by the outcome. I liked that by using my finger, I could get the shade of the lip without the dark dramatic look. Applied this way, I felt very comfortable wearing the shade out and about and enjoyed its long, durable wear. I’ve also never worn brown lipstick before so I’m really glad I bought it!

Through My Eyes Palette by iluvsarahii X colourpop ($23)

I bought this palette a couple months ago because I wanted to experiment more with color after falling in love with my Urban Decay Naked Cherry Palette (warm pink and magenta palette). This palette features shadows in pinks, purples, oranges, and greens. The shimmery shades are seriously phenomenal. My favorite shades are Mesmer-eyez (peach gold shimmer) and Flecks (purple shimmer). The mattes require a bit more work applying so I recommend using your finger or a dense stiff brush. I would also use a eyeshadow primer or concealer base because the shadows do crease through the day. For $23, I can’t say I have much to complain about.

HAIR

Briogeo Farewell Frizz Blow Dry Perfection Heat Protectant Crème ($24)

I got a small sephora sample of this hair care product at the beginning of the year and I was instantly obsessed. I use about a nickel sized amount throughout my mid-length damp hair before blow drying. A little bit of this product goes a really long way. This quality is major when you’re spending more money on a product. I think my 4 oz tube will last a really long time.

After blow drying, my hair feels so soft which is something I’ve never experienced post blow dry. This product includes a blend of rosehip oil, argan oil, and coconut oil. Bonus, the creme smells so fresh and clean. I’m not much of a hair product junkie like I am with skincare and makeup, but this was a great addition to my collection. I liked this product so much that I bought the Briogeo Superfoods Shampoo and Conditioner pack because I wanted to try more for the brand. More to come on that soon.

TV

Shrill (on Hulu)

This show is about a journalist played by Aidy Bryant who is constantly being body shamed and shut down by other people because of her quiet nature. I loved this show because it opened up discussions about things like body image, struggling to find your place in a career, and more. We expect women to be servants to the world around them and I like that the show talks about how women who do things for themselves and their careers are considered selfish by others. The show is delightfully refreshing and funny. Seriously a must watch.

Knock the House Down (Netflix)

This documentary about Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was so good. I don’t typically watch documentaries, but I decided to watch this one because AOC is so significant right now and I love seeing a young latina woman like me in my government. The thing I really liked about this doc was the other women who ran for congress that were just as passionate as AOC weren’t elected. The interesting thing about all these women is that they are not career politicians, they’re just people who want to make a difference in the government and country. The doc was fascinating and emotional. I have so much respect for all the women in the film.

The Terrifying Danger of Wearing Makeup in North Korea (Youtube)

In this video, Refinery29 discusses the influence of makeup and skincare in North and South Korea. As someone who loves Korean skincare, it was really interesting to learn that South Korea pays to source their products to other countries to have soft power influence. They also do this with K-pop. In North Korea, which is extremely oppressive, women are not permitted to wear makeup and they can only wear their hair in certain styles. One woman who smuggled makeup into the country was interviewed and she said when she got caught, her whole family was arrested and tortured.

This video really made me think about how lucky we are to live in places where we can express ourselves through beauty and fashion. Self expression is such a valuable privilege which we take for granted. I really like Refinery29’s series on how the beauty industry affects people across the globe. The videos they made on where hair extensions come from is also really interesting.