I don't really partake in monthly favourites here on BTB but I thought it apt and timely to do a huge roundup of my very favourite products that I've discovered, used and loved lately. I didn't really know what to call this post - a July/August/Summer/Mid Year favourites?? - so please regard this as some of the best of the best makeup, skincare and lifestyle faves that I have to share with you.
Makeup
Etude House Real Powder Cushion Foundation in Natural Beige £15 | I mentioned in my full review + try on that I liked this quite a bit but it's really grown on me since, to the point where it's now my top cushion for the hot weather we've been blessed with (see what other meltproof makeup I'm loving in this post).
Chanel Les Vernis £18 (here for the US) | Even though they're not necessarily the best formulas I've ever tried, I love Chanel nail polishes. The bottles are gorgeous, almost as gorgeous as the shades, and I can't keep my mitts of the nude-y pinks lately.
L'Oreal Nude BB Powder £7 (here for US) | This is another product that really feels high end. With uber fine particles, it smoothes over my skin, blurring fine lines and imperfections without feeling at all cakey, even if I go in a little heavy handed. Even though it doesn't sit on the skin and look powdery, I sometimes like to spray over a luminous facial spray, such as the one mentioned further down, for a glowy finish without the shine.
Givenchy Poudre Universelle £55 | I came across this stunner on a bit of a whim and am I glad I did as there's absolutely nothing about it criticise. A unique, subtle, pale pink powder, this provides lightness and brightness in the most sophisticated way, leaving my skin with a satin-matte finish. Rather than use it all over, I sweep over my cheekbones and down my nose for a subtle ethereal quality that's difficult to describe let alone photograph. A beautifying powder, it's qualities show far better IRL - full review here for you.
Stila Convertible Colour in Camellia £16 (here for the US) | One of the first, good cream blushes I ever tried, the Convertible Colours still remain a favourite and Camellia has now become one I reach for almost daily. A beautiful mix of warm apricot, nude and bronze tones (not dissimilar to MAC Gingerly), it's so flattering on warm/olive skin tones and is ideal for the 'draping' technique in which you apply blush almost as you would contour.
M&S Autograph Metallic Liquid Eye Gloss in Bronze £8.50 | Whilst it was hard to choose what eyeshadows made this post, I had to include this one as I've been wearing it so often and I think it's wildly underrated! A beautiful, slick formula that comes in just the one shade, Bronze is the most gorgeous, iridescent pinky, copperish, brown that would be flattering on the majority of skin tones.
Innisfree Face Designing Duo £12 (full review here) | I first mentioned this last year in this post, and I admit it got put to one side whilst I was distracted with trying new things (so many Spring & Summer collections to play with), but there are 'those' products that you always go back to and this is one for me. Both shades are subtle, creamy, seamlessly blendable, look completely divine in person, and are available in separate, larger pans - highlighter here, and the bronzing shades here.
Touch In Sol Light & Bright in License To Kill £8 (here for the US) | I think these twist up liquid highlighters are amazing, particularly this shade. A definite dupe for the new Becca Slimlight Highlighters, these give a shiny, not too bold finish, with the perfect amount of glisten. License To Kill is an ideal warm champagne shade with a teeny hint of rose, this has shot up to become one of my favourite highlighters, alongside the vastly underrated Elizabeth Arden Prismatic Highlighter I talk about and swatch in this post.
Essence Long Lasting Lipstick in 06 £2.30 (here for the US) | I came across this on a complete whim when running errands but it instantly made my New At The Drugstore Favourites, and it's so good that now it's wound up here. With absolutely no exaggeration, this feels like a high end lipstick, especially in it's formula. A traditional, creamy texture, it sits beautifully on the lips, lasts well and gives good colour payoff.
Gosh Giant Blush in 02 Shy £6.99 (here for the US) | This year has definitely been the year of the cream stick product - my collection of stick highlighters and blushes has grown at a somewhat alarming rate! Whilst the majority of my collection remains high end, this little number from Gosh is a superb drugstore find, with a creamy, pigmented but easily blended formula. Have a look at this recent post for my other current drugstore finds and faves.
Collection Brow & Define £4.19 | Another one from my new drugstore faves post, I think this idea is really innovative, although it reminds me somewhat of cheap makeup from my childhood?! With packaging like a liquid liner, the tube actually holds a brow powder, and the pointed applicator allows you to draw on a precise, sharp brow - although you could use this as a powder liner too.
Skincare
The Saem Luminous Real Radiance Mist £8 | I've really got into facial mists this year, obviously especially during these hot summer months, and I think this one is my favourite of them all. So refreshing, alcohol free, smells divine, gives a nice level of moisturisation without feeling oily, greasy or heavy and smells of peaches - read more in this haul.
It's Skin Prestige Eye Gold Patch £28 | I've finally found some eye masks that work! These hydrogel slivers feel so refreshing under the eye, especially if you pop the tub in the fridge beforehand, and I really love using them before an evening out or event to hydrate and plump up the undereye area. Head over to my full review for a before and after.
Grown Alchemist Watermelon & Vanilla Lipbalm £14 | With contents as good as the chic, minimalist packaging and a summery watermelon scent, this lip balm was bound to be a favourite. It really hydrates and moisturises my lips. Merely the tiniest amount is enough to provide a plump look - this tube is going to last forever! Check out my Grown Alchemist brand focus with ingredients for more info.
Neogen Wine Gauze Pads £20 | These exfoliating pads have a special place in my heart for the delicious Korean grape candy scent of my childhood, but regardless of reminiscent aromas, their function and efficacy warrant them a place in my Mid Year favourites. A specially created gauze pad holds a gentle concoction of acids and extracts to chemically exfoliant your skin without any irritation, leaving it feeling and looking smooth, soft and rejuvenated. I love this kind of exfoliator to combat acne - read more in my Korean Acne Tips post.
Blithe Citrus Honey Splash Mask $45 | How could I talk about skincare favourites without including this innovative Kbeauty facial treatment from Blithe? I was definitely skeptical before trying, but I can attest to it's promise of brighter, resurfaced skin in 15 (yes literally) seconds. Immediately after using the mask, my skin feels ridiculously smooth and soft, check out my full review here.
Cosrx AHA BHA Treatment Toner £22 | I'm almost out of my second bottle of this elixir and I grow to like it more and more with time. A two-fold enabler of healthy skin, it lowers the pH of your skin post-cleanse to keep that acid mantle intact, and aids the efficacy of actives I use after, meaning I get so much more out of my expensive (or otherwise) serums and treatments that are in someway affected by pH. If you're using a lactic acid or vitamin C serum for example, this really helps them perform better on hyperpigmentation, it's like my secret weapon against acne. Have a look at my Before & After's here.
Cosrx Galactomyces Essence £25 | Sticking with Cosrx, I had to talk about their Galactomyces Essence. If you've wanted to try the SKII Facial Treatment Essence, save your money and try this instead. With the very same fermented active ingredient, as well as niacinamide, sodium hyaluronate and panthenol, I achieve the same fortifying, hydrating and preventative anti aging results, but for a fraction of the cost.
Neulii Green Tea BHA Pore Tightening Serum £25 | In my experience, once pores are enlarged, I think they're really hard to remedy. Of all the clay masks, serums, exfoliators and salicylic treatments I've tried, I think this is the best one (let me know if you'd like a full review!). Wild mint extracts physically cool your skin's temperature, causing enlarged pores to contract, for an instant, albeit temporary effect, whilst natural BHA's and green tea purify skin and gently clear out pores for longer term results.
Freeset Donkey Milk Whitening Sheet Mask £15 | Who else is a sheet mask addict? Whilst I've got a handful of favourites within my 'Sheet Mask Library' (they're literally stored in a bookcase like the best type of skin benefitting books ever), I wanted to talk about these beauties today. A hybrid of traditional fabric and more advanced hydrogel, these masks hold onto the essence so well and distribute all of that goodness into your skin. Even after just the one session, I notice an intense hydrating effect as well as some subtle brightening.
O&M Know Knott £20 (full review here) | I'm going through a bit of a prolonged Hair Journey this year and as part of that I've really stripped back what I use on my hair. Although I've generally said goodbye to heat and styling products, I wanted to find a really good leave in conditioner/detangler and this one from aussie brand O&M is excellent. It's lightweight, detangles effectively and smells somewhere in between peaches and pear drops - I've been using mine after every single wash.
Lifestyle
Nunuco Day Planner £12 | This little planner is both adorable and functional in equal measure. With a whimsical rose design on the outside, the inside is set out to help run your daily tasks, including a 'Most Important Tasks Of The Day' section and water count. I really like the smaller-than-A5 size, good for carrying around with you but not too small, I only wish it was either hardback or had a sleeve to keep it crisp and clean.
Burberry Body Tender £61 (here for US) | I'm not usually one to like perfumes from 'mainstream' brands but fell in love with this last year and stocked up whilst I was in Gibraltar, and I'm no less enamoured with it over a year later. It's a really fresh scent, with a lot of rose in the middle, and warmer sandalwood and musk hints.
Persian Love Cake | This cake is so delish, I'm completely in love. I was playing around with the recipe a little and love the final result - it's beautifully scented with rose and cardamom and the topping has that sweet, floral note of honey - it's a perfect one for summer.
Shura | I don't think I've ever mentioned songs that I like here on BTB. There's been a lot of balmy night driving with the windows down this year which I absolutely love - it's such a time of peace and relaxation for me, and Shura's 2Shy and Touch, and Niel Binias' remix of Yuna - Lullabies have been the theme tune of those moments - they're pretty chilled out tunes with a little rhythm and really very easy to listen to and sing along.
Phew! I hope you enjoyed reading and let me know some of your favourites so far this year down in the comments.
P.S Have you seen What's In My Travel Makeup Bag?
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