Monthly Favorites: September 2015
Hi everyone!
The month of October is here, which means more rain, humidity, and colds. I actually have a cold right now, huhu. :< Moreover, the arrival of October also means I get to share my favorites for the past month! I chose not to include everything I love in this single post, mostly because I'm afraid I might repeat exactly the same products in next month's post. When something works, I stick to it; only lately have I been branching out and trying more things, so maybe you might see some of them in a future post. Also, this post might reach five pages long. So for now, here are my picks for the month of September:
SKINCARE
Short backstory: I developed acne last November, and it took about a year of trial and error looking for a cure. While I have found several products that have helped keep my zits at bay, I've since then taken more steps to improve my skincare regimen. (Would you guys like a more in-depth skincare post?)
One of the latest additions are the Bench Clearpore Charcoal Cleansing Strips. I discovered these while visiting my dad in Davao, and they've worked well in stripping my nose from nasty whiteheads and blackheads. From cleaning to healing, the Wellspring of Morocco 100% Argan Oil has been working wonders as my nighttime moisturizer, helping to heal my skin and restore it to its former self, more or less. I've noticed my dark spots have lightened a fair amount and it even cured skin irritation I got from trying out a new soap. For daytime, I've been loving the Sunplay Super Block SPF 130 PA+++, as this has been protecting my face and neck from the harmful UV rays, and its water-based formula wears well under makeup.
FACE
The Rimmel Stay Matte Primer made it to the list because it helps mattify my face for a smooth, even canvas for my foundation, extends makeup wear, and keeps oiliness at bay longer than any other primer I've tried. (FYI, I have oily acne-prone skin and I tend to sweat a lot. Eeew!) It reminds me of the Benefit Hello Flawless 16-Hour Primer, but cheaper and better at oil control.
To layer over that, my September staple has been a mixture of the Revlon Colorstay Whipped Foundation in Buff and the Maybelline Dream Satin Skin Foundation in B2. The Revlon has a thicker, fuller coverage in a shade a bit too light for my face, whereas the Maybelline has a less opaque, more luminous finish in a shade that's a tad deeper; this combination gives me medium coverage with a dewy finish and a better shade match to my actual skin color. Given my skin type, I never would have tried a dewy foundation, but I was gifted mine by @vivien.fayer during a makeup swap and it's changed my makeup game forever - just might try a lighter shade next time. We just did another swap recently, so I'll put that up on the blog next. :)
EYES
Sister to the I ♥ Makeup I Heart Chocolate Palette (review here), I was sure I'd love the Naked Chocolate Palette when I got it in the middle of September, and I sure do! Not only does this look and smell like a decadent bar of sweet milky goodness, but the shadows in here are freaking amazing. In comparison, the shades in this palette seem to follow a unified color scheme of warm to neutral shades with a mix of shimmer, satin, and matte finishes - and there isn't a single dud in here. This has been my go-to palette on days when I feltl like getting glammed up, and I plan to make a full review soon so watch out for that. :)
Now on days when I don't feel like putting in too much effort, i.e. weekday workdays, I do the next best thing - define my lashes. My first love is the L'oreal Voluminous Miss Manga Rock Waterproof Mascara, which I use when I want my lashes to stay on the entire day. A single coat gives me "almost but not quite falsies" lashes while keeping them curled and smudgeproof all day long. I don't go beyond that single coat as layering this particular formula can cause major clumping. One gripe, though: this is a pain to take off, so I need a separate oil-based makeup remover just for this.
Next is the Urban Decay Big Fatty Mascara. A friend of my dad's gave this to me, and I find that this "does the job": adds a bit of volume, gives some definition and washes off easily since it isn't waterproof, but I have some major beef with this since it TAKES OFF MY CURL. And I don't mean gradually towards the end of the day. A few coats of this and my lashes are as straight as a pole, which is exactly what Covergirl mascaras do for me (I actually think they're very comparable). Despite this, I've still been reaching for it everyday since it's a lot easier to take off, so it makes the list.
CHEEKS AND LIPS
Over the past month, I downsized my blush collection from about 30 to roughly 10 because I realized that (A) Every single lipstick shade didn't need a corresponding blush, and (B) I fell in love with the Ever Bilena Single Blush in Amethyst which I've been using non-stop for the entire month. This adds the perfect amount of warmth, color and glow to my cheeks that I save a lot of time since I can skip bronzing, contouring and highlighting.
And of course the lipsticks. If you know me personally or follow me on Instagram, then you probably have a good idea of how much of a hoarder I can be. I currently keep 6 lipsticks in my kit at all times, and these four topped my list. The Fashion 21 All-Day Matte Lipsticks in Burgundy and Bronze are some my best local beauty finds, as these two lovely shades last through most of the day even with eating, and don't overly dry my lips. Burgundy is a pretty soft red shade that just brightens my face without being too overpowering - reds can do that to me. On the other hand, Bronze is my favorite nude lipstick EVER. It took me two months to hunt this bad boy down in two different malls, and I finally got my hands on it when Arlan went to one of the malls after work and picked one up for me. Aren't supportive boyfriends just great? ♥
Last on the list are the Maybelline Colorshow Lipsticks in Plum Perfect and Nude Mocha. Although they're not as opaque as the Fashion 21 lipsticks, the formula and pigmentation is amazing, as they deliver buildable color and a hydrating, shiny finish. My most used is Nude Mocha, a rosy brown which reminds me of the 90s lip trend that's been popular recently. However, I reached for Plum Perfect, a pretty pink-leaning plum, when I want a deeper daytime shade. I was planning to buy this shade for myself, but luckily a friend from church gifted me with one. Here are swatches I took in the office. From left to right: Nude Mocha, Plum Perfect, Bronze, and Burgundy.
And that's it for my September 2015 favorites! Let me know in the comments if you've tried any of the products I shared, or if you'd like a more in-depth review on some of these, or if you have any recommendations you think I might like. Thanks for reading! Till my next post! :)
♥♥♥
Disclaimer: All opinions and photos on this blog are my own, and all products reviewed have been purchased with my own personal funds, unless stated otherwise.
