Despite my love of beauty, I’ve fallen off the bandwagon of chatting through things that I do (and equally don’t) like. Generally these tend to be drawn out by weeks (and sometimes months) of testing, where I feel the need to unpack many, many thoughts. Instead, speedy mini reviews on a monthly basis seem like that sweet spot, to share what I’m loving in a digestible, bite-sized way. Also slightly old school… remember those regular beauty favourites videos, anyone?
Grown Alchemist Hydra-Restore Cream Cleanser
My go-to morning cleanser. I’m quite specific here, as I find a lot of cleansers which claim to be effective at removing makeup, generally can’t cut through my daily eyeliner and mascara combo. Or, they require the use of a muslin/face cloth which just feels like a bit of a faff to me. What’s good about it? It’s creamy, gentle, leaving my skin feeling clean, nourished and hydrated. There’s never any tightness to my skin after using, and perhaps this is just me, but my skin tends to feel nice and soft. I haven’t noticed a reduction in the size of pores (a problem area for me in particular is my nose), but I do find that this really helps to keep my skin clear and acne-free. I suspect this is down to the natural minerals and niacinamide. For me, it’s not robust enough to use in the evenings, where I will tend to favour a balm cleanser that is highly emollient as I find this is a more efficient way to remove makeup.
ILIA Colour Haze Multi-Use Pigment (also here)
I tend to go through phases with my cheek products. For months now I’d been exclusively using the Merit Beauty Flush Balm Cheek Color on my cheeks. This beautiful multi-use pigment from ILIA has toppled it’s spot as my holy grail. For one, the shade ‘Stutter’ is this beautiful, rich, burnt grungey orange. It seems to suit my complexion perfectly, especially at the moment that I’ve seen a bit of sun over the summer. The wear time is fantastic; while it softens over the course of the day, I’ll still have that subtle flush at day’s end which is easily touched up. It’s balmy without being tacky, and doesn’t have the tendency to shift around, setting shortly after application. It’s the multi-use aspect that has really got me in a chokehold. I especially love using it on the cheeks and lips for a cohesive beauty look. Haven’t tried it on the eyes yet, as I find that sort of colour can sometimes pull too orange on me. My only gripe is around the consistency, which is both a boon and pain point. It’s quite thick and gummy, which means it can be awkward to squeeze out just the right about of product. While I like the metal tip (nice and cooling), it’s not my favourite method of application, especially for on the lips as it doesn’t have a pointed edge. That said, I’m willing to forgive those aspects as the colour and formula have really blown me away.
Merit Beauty Shade Slick Lip Oil
Specifically in the colours ‘Cara Cara’, and ‘Taupe’. For me, such a comfortable lip treatment style product that feels nourishing and hydrating, while adding a decent dose of pigment. Application is smooth and not patchy, and I like that it’s a little on the thin side. This is one I reach for multiple times a day for top ups, and will often use in place of a lip balm if this is feeling more accessible to me in that moment. Truly brightens up my complexion, especially as I find my natural lip colour can pull a little dull at times. If you’re after something more substantial, or a product that might stain your lips, then this isn’t going to be for you. Overall a really easy one to apply, and has been a daily favourite since adding to my beauty collection late last year.
