I’m going to start with foundation. I’ve been testing out a new foundation a lot of the time, but I haven’t settled on it being a favorite yet. However, I also pulled out my original Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Full Coverage Foundation and fell back in love with it! It’s even better than I remembered it (see my initial review here). It just feels so nice on the skin while providing a good amount of coverage (I’d call it a medium coverage, but buildable). Somehow it still manages to look like skin, but better! It’s just beautiful and it isn’t making me oiler throughout the day as some foundations tend to do. I feel like my pores actually look a bit smaller too! (I’m not sure that was my original opinion, but now it seems to give a nice, almost airbrushed-like finish.) Absolutely back in love with the Tarte Amazonian Clay Foundation!
To help hide any red spots, I’ve been using IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Redness Color Correcting Cream. It really does disguise redness beautifully without that horrible green cast from a green concealer. At the moment I have a few pretty powerful red spots from prior acne, and this doesn’t cover them completely, but it definitely disguises them nicely and eliminates the red tone. It comes in a rather small pot, but the tiniest bit goes a long way, so I suspect it should last quite some time. It does accentuate pores, so if you need redness control over where you have larger pores, they’re likely to be more apparent. It’s a trade-off I suppose, but for my current redness, the Bye Bye Redness from IT Cosmetics is working brilliantly!
Another gem from IT Cosmetics is their Bye Bye Pores Loose Powder. This stuff is amazing for creating a flawless, airbrushed finish to your skin. My only problem with it is that it doesn’t keep me from shining throughout the day. Then again, nothing really seems to lately. It is definitely worth a look if you’re trying to create the smoothest skin possible and eliminate any texture issues. You definitely will say bye bye to your pores! I don’t find that it looks powdery or cakey either, plus it actually includes ingredients that are beneficial to the skin! Well done with the Bye Bye Pores Powder, IT Cosmetics!
When it comes to blush, I seem to reach for a different one each day. However, I noticed that I seemed to gravitate towards my two All-In-One Blushers from The Body Shop in May. I ordered “Guava” a while back, and I loved it so much that this month I decided to try out “Marshmallow.” They’re both wonderfully pigmented, they blend nicely and they wear well all day! There isn’t a Body Shop near me, so choosing from the crummy swatches online isn’t easy, but I’m happy with these two. “Guava” is a medium-deep bright pink, while “Marshmallow” is the perfect baby pink for that pinched cheek effect. Love, love, love the All-In-One Blushers from The Body Shop.
It wouldn’t be a favorites post without some lip products, although this month I seemed to be all over the place again. I think my most reached for lip product, aside from lip balm, was definitely the new Deconstructed Rose Lipstick in “Damask” from Bite Beauty. It’s a beautiful bright, but not overly bright or in-your-face rosy pink. I often blot it on a tissue for a more natural and less intense effect. The formula and the color are both gorgeous! It’s nice and creamy and so comfortable to wear, plus it lasts pretty well. The Deconstructed Rose Lipstick from Bite Beauty is just fantastic!
My other go-to lipstick in May was Lipstick Queen’s Endless Summer Lipstick. I have the shade “Stoked,” which is a nice popsicle-like wash of a muted pinky-red coral. It’s semi-sheer which I always like around this time of year. It’s lower maintenance and just looks more natural. The formula is fantastic as well! It’s very comfortable on the lips and wears well throughout the day. I definitely want to check out more from Lipstick Queen!
I’m going to include a nail polish favorite this month since I unexpectedly stopped my weekly polish picks. This month I actually wore Julie G’s Nail Polish in “Santorini” twice, which is unheard of for me! J It’s a beautiful periwinkle blue crème and the formula is absolutely divine! It’s the perfect consistency – not too thick, but not thin and streaky either. It’s almost opaque in one coat – you could probably get away with it if you’re better at painting nails than I am. This shade is part of the limited edition Cruisin’ collection for Summer, so run to your local Rite Aid and check it out! J
I have a new skincare favorite as well this month. It’s the straight Sea Buckthorn Seed Oil from Sibu Beauty. It smells a little funny, but it absorbs wonderfully and seems to keep my skin hydrated without making it greasy. I feel like it would be great on any skin type, but my skin is combination to oily – more oily lately. I use about 3-4 drops at bedtime as my moisturizer and my skin drinks it right in, making it smooth, supple and just happy. It’s worth the funky smell for the wonders that are Sea Buckthorn Seed Oil from Sibu Beauty.
I think that’s enough for my May favorites. I have a couple more that I could add, but this is already too long! If you’re curious about what they are, one would be the Hang Ten Natural Sport Sunscreen from my Ipsy bag (reviewed here). Another would be the LVX 3-in-1 Treatment for nails. Absolutely genius stuff! Of course the Pacifica Hawaiian Ruby Guava Perfume is divine as well (reviewed here). May was a good product month! I hope you found some real gems as well this past month. J Thanks as always for stopping by and I will see you with another favorites post next month!!!