Beauty Favorites - May 2017

I have been using the Shiseido Ibuki Refining Moisturizer Enriched for years! Shiseido is a high end brand that is on the expensive side but it is amazing! I have gone through 5+ jars of this moisturizer and it will be my HOLY GRAIL moisturizer until my face tells me it's not working anymore. However, this monthly favorite(s) actually goes to the Shiseido Ibuki Protective Moisturizer and Shiseido Ibuki Softening Concentrate. I bought these two from Ulta earlier in the month and have been using them nonstop. Although I love the enriched moisturizer for both day and night, I decided to buy the Protective Moisturizer to add some SPF into my skincare routine. I am a very simple girl and I don't have an extensive skincare routine. Shiseido added SPF 18 into a moisturizer I already loved so it was obviously the best option for me. I had heard so many good things about softening concentrates which if you've never heard of, is basically a moisturizing toner. Like a serum or essence, its used prior to your moisturizer and it makes your skin softer as well as allow for following skincare products to be absorbed better. The packaging of the Ibuki line is luxurious in itself and feels like a treat every time you reach for it. I love the smell of these products, and so does my boyfriend. The protective moisturizer has a faint smell of sunscreen and the softening concentrate has a very light perfume-like fragrance.

My new favorite bronzer! The Essence Sun Club Matt Bronzer is only $4.99, yes that's under $5 for a high quality bronzer with way more product than your average high end bronzer (0.52 oz vs. 0.35 oz). I am light-medium skin tone and the 01 shade is the best "natural bronze" shade for me. I will say that if you are my skin tone, this will not be the best product for contouring. This product also smells amazing! It smells like a tropical vacation (coconut/sun tan lotion fragrance).

This is also a product I have used for years! I've tried to stray away from it once and my skin just wasn't the same. I went back to it and it's the best product that works well into my makeup removal and skincare routine. I particularly loved this product for the month of May because I attempted to use a moisturizer other than my trusty Shiseido, and my skin completely broke out! My whole forehead was bumpy and inflamed. I use the Checks and Balances cleanser with my Clarisonic Mia 2, which I love because it works into a foamy lather that gets all of the gunk out of my pores after wearing makeup all day. I normally use it if I'm cleaning makeup off of my face and in the shower, but with the new breakout, I used it religiously to ensure my face was constantly exfoliated. As a forewarning, the cleanser will give a "stripped" and "squeaky clean" feel to your skin. I want to use the term "stripped" cautiously because I don't want you to feel like it's intense but it's not a moisturizing or oily cleanser. I actually prefer it because I have combination/oily skin and this cleanser makes me feel clean and oil free. Because my skin feels super clean like a blank canvas, when I apply moisturizer right after cleansing my skin, my skin feels amazing and super soft. 

For the past few months, I've been back on a coffee shop grind. I started waking up and going with my boyfriend downtown (where he works). Great thing about downtown are all of the hipster coffee shops. Since I have to wake up early, I've been dabbling into quick fresh face makeup. I used to use this foundation in college and recently rediscovered it. The Covergirl Outlast Stay Fabulous 3-in-1 Foundation lasts all day (like its name suggests) and its a no fuss foundation. I don't need to add primer and I don't have to worry about it moving throughout the long day. For me, it's a medium coverage but buildable into full, with a semi-matte finish. I have oily skin as the day goes on, so I do set this foundation with powder. I think this foundation will be great for school or work days since its easy to apply in the morning and will last until the end of day. 

While not a new discovery for me this month, this product saved me for the month of May. With the crazy breakouts I was having all over my face from trying a new moisturizer, the Mario Badescu Drying Lotion is a life saver for those annoying infected white heads. I don't use it on under the skin zits or small pimples, however. For me, it only works on white heads that are infected and (warning!) have puss inside. I apply this at night on my trouble spots and in the morning, they're significantly smaller if not dried out to a "regular zit." Some stubborn ones will require two nights of treatment to get them fully dried out but it's a no brainer that the product works.

Honestly who doesn't love cute Asian accessories? The Asian market is the best place to find a cute version of something boring in your life, and it somehow makes life so much happier when you use it. Sure, you could use a regular a hairband when you wash your face or do your makeup, but why not have a hairband made from towel material with a cute design that makes you look like Hello Kitty?! I bought it quite a while ago, but it's one of my favorite beauty accessories ever! It was super cheap (only $2.50) from AliExpress and it's useful for my everyday life. I neglected it for a while, but while I was being consistent and diligent with my skincare this month, I picked it up again and fell in love with its cuteness. Another plus is that it's made of towel material which means when you wash your face or get out of the shower, it will absorb the water and create a barrier between your hair and face. It's no longer available on AliExpress but you can find it for ~$5 on Amazon here.




**All photos and opinions are my own. This post is not sponsored by any means, I simply love these products.**