I don't think I have ever published a Monthly Favourites post this late but I thought better late than never. I did not have time for a May Favourites post because I was knee deep in exams and also had other tight deadlines at work. So take this post, if you will, as a May and June Favourites. If you follow me on Instagram, you would have seen that I went to Nigeria (my home country) for about two weeks in June for some R& R and family time. I had the most incredible time and I am already planning my next trip back (in my head). Majority of the products I was loving in June were mainly products that came with me on my trip and stood the test of time in the tropical/warm weather. I already loved these products before I travelled but I love them even more now that they performed so well on my trip. Right let's dive in.....
Skincare
I always start with skincare because my quest for perfect
skin never really ends and I always rate skincare above makeup. I have been testing
products that provide my skin with much needed hydration while addressing my biggest bug bear- PIH (Post Inflammatory Hyper-pigmentation). Most skincare products in my stash (and even makeup) are targeted to ensure that this bug bear of mine is improved or at least not exacerbated. One of the products which I am still
enjoying but have not featured in this post (because it was featured in my April Favourites) is the Alpha Hydrox Enhanced Lotion (10% Glycolic Acid) which I still
love. I just did not want to sound too repetitive so I have not included it. It came with me to Nigeria and I just can't deal with not having it with me.
This is a super expensive serum but it works so well and I may have a little cry when it finishes (hopefully I can save enough to repurchase it). I am currently planning a dedicated post to the Verso Skincare products I have been trying which will be
up this week or next week.The Verso Dark Spot Fix Serum is designed to address any dark spot issues and
you can imagine my sweet delight when it arrived in the post. I use it mainly
on my dark spots on my cheeks as opposed to all over my face as that will mean wasting it. It
is a retinol based product which is 8 times more effective than the regular
mainstream retinol. The good thing is it does not irritate my skin although my skin is relatively used to retinol and AHAs but I find it really gentle. It has helped
the dark spots on my cheeks fade so evenly. While it is not the fastest results I have
seen, it has helped my skin gain such a youthful glow that I have not experienced
with any other products. I love it!!
Verso Day Cream* // Link //£85 (now £42.50 on Space NK Sales)
I just had to include this in my favourites because I have been using it together with the Verso Dark Spot Fix Serum. They work hand in hand but I am not saying you must have them together as they are very expensive. It is also another retinol based product which is deigned to give the skin a youthful glow. It goes on super smoothly and does not feel greasy at all which is perfect for my combination-oily skin. When I was in Nigeria, it gave my face the glow without the shine which was fantastic. When I wore my makeup over it, my skin just looked perfect and healthy. A more detailed review to come soon so do watch out for it but all I can say is it is amazing.
Verso Day Cream* // Link //£85 (now £42.50 on Space NK Sales)
I just had to include this in my favourites because I have been using it together with the Verso Dark Spot Fix Serum. They work hand in hand but I am not saying you must have them together as they are very expensive. It is also another retinol based product which is deigned to give the skin a youthful glow. It goes on super smoothly and does not feel greasy at all which is perfect for my combination-oily skin. When I was in Nigeria, it gave my face the glow without the shine which was fantastic. When I wore my makeup over it, my skin just looked perfect and healthy. A more detailed review to come soon so do watch out for it but all I can say is it is amazing.
I am sure this will not come as a surprise to anyone who reads my blog because
this has been the only sunscreen I have used for more than 3 years. I doubt if
this will change because I have fallen hard and deep in love with it and it has
never failed me. I use sunscreen everyday but now that it is summer (or the sun
is appearing a little bit more), I never ever skip it. I took it with me to
Nigeria and it worked amazingly well even on days when I did not wear makeup. I
love how easy it is to apply and there is no blue or white cast lingering on my skin after use. It also helps
control the shine on my combination oily skin (which goes crazy when the
weather gets warmer). I would highly recommend trying this sunscreen out and
there are different formulas for different skin tones as well. I have a full review here if you fancy reading more about it.
You all know I am a massive fan of all the FOREO devices I
have so I was more than delighted to receive the Luna Play to try out as well. First
off, I don’t think anyone can get over how cute it looks. It is the same size
as a cotton pad which is freaking amazing. The best part is that it still works
as well as the other FOREO Luna devices particularly the Luna Mini. I took this
with me to Nigeria to save space and I wanted to test it exclusively and it did
not let me down. I usually break out when I go away on holiday or move from one
temperature to another. However, it
did not happen on this trip and I am beginning to think the Luna Play was responsible for
preventing these annoying breakouts. It gave my skin a super cleanse which
surprised me as I could not believe a miniature device could work such a treat.
The only sad thing is you can’t recharge or replace the batteries but then it provides 100 uses which is
more than enough for you to decide if you want to invest in a FOREO Luna Device
or not (I bet you will). It retails for £29 and there is also the Luna Go
(which retails for £69) which is amazing as I have heard. This is actually my third Luna Play (I was sent two and I purchased one). I gave the two I had to my Mum and sister who adore
it. It's just great that's all!!
Makeup and Fragrance
Makeup is usually the area where I have the most favourites
because I am forever testing out what is new out there. I recently did a clear
out and I feel so much better for it but I will talk about that in another
post. I have so many posts to write and there just isn’t enough time to post
them. Maybe I will consider posting twice a day!! Who am I kidding? I am too
lazy for that. Right back to my faves…
The Wilko Cosmetics and Beauty Section is so underrated
and I don’t know why. I think it’s mainly due to the fact that there aren't many Wilko Stores nationwide compared to other similar stores. I am super lucky
that I have one close to my house and another super close to my office so I
just stroll in whenever I like. The Wilko Cosmetic range is
absolutely amazing with such an affordable price tag that I just can’t fathom
how they have managed to achieve this. I have been using the Essence I Love Stage Eyeshadow
Primer for over two year and it still remains one of my favourite eyeshadow primers. It is very similar to the Benefit Stay Don’t Stray Primer.
It has a beautiful tint that matches my skin tone so well and makes even the
dodgiest eyeshadows pop to my delight. It has a doe foot applicator which helps for easy application prevents creasing while increasing my eyeshadow wear
time. It is just everything and at £2.50, there’s no excuse not to purchase it. The other primer which is a new entrant to my stash is the
Wilko Silky Mattifying Primer which I have also fallen hard for and with good reason. I am
always all over anything mattifying especially now that the weather is warmer.
It is a silicone based primer but it has the least silicone-y feel ever!! You can
hardly tell and it gets rid of any shine on my face especially around my
T-zone. I took it with me to Nigeria to see how well it fared and it did an
incredible job. I know this because I also tried the Laura Mercier Foundation
Primer (which I love but it is not the best at controlling shine for very hot
weather) and my face was a hot slippery mess. I honestly recommend trying it out
if you have a Wilko near you or you can order online with links above.
This is a repurchase because my previous one had run out. It
comes in a clickable pen-like packaging which I love but then again, you get no
warning when it is about to run out. Although it is marketed as a highlighter,
it works as a corrector for me and it has a nice peachy orange shade which is
perfect for correcting any pigmentation on my skin. It’s the best orange
corrector I have tried because it does not look too orange on my skin and it
blends in really nicely regardless of the foundation I use. This was the only
product I purchased for myself in Duty Free and I do have to give myself a pat on the back for having such rare self-control. I always go wild in duty-free but not this time!!
Marc Jacobs Re(Marc)
able Foundation //Link //£37
I put up a teaser picture on Instagram about this foundation
and everyone loved it and were curious to know how we fared. I would be saving
my entire thoughts on it in a separate review. However, I could not resist
talking about it on here as it came with me to Nigeria. First off, the packaging
is divine and so classy and it was surprisingly travel friendly despite how bulky it may look. It comes in a glass bottle with a dropper-like applicator.
It provides the fullest coverage I have ever achieved and it is super long
lasting. I use the tiniest amount ever because it tends to look cakey if you
use too much. I am seriously obsessed with it and it stood the test of time and
sunny weather while I was in Nigeria. It provides a demi-matte finish but I
still use my beloved Wilko Primer (perfect primer for it) and finish off with a
setting powder. It’s pricey and has some few faults but the results far
outweigh any issues with it. I am clearly obsessed, can you tell?!
Makeup Geek
Eyeshadows //Link // from £4.95
I eventually had to fall for the Makeup Geek hype and believe me, it is
so worth it. I decided to make a nice little purchase as a treat to myself
during my exams and I have not looked back since. I got the first batch which
were colours I had on my wish list for ages. I tried them out, fell in love and
went back for more. Right now, I have 11 eyeshadows consisting of 6 Foiled eyeshadows and 5 regular eyeshadows. They are nicely pigmented with
an amazing lasting power. I always use a primer but I feel even without primer majority of them will work well. I
popped them in a MAC Eyehadow Palette because I was not feeling the Z-Palettes
I had come across. For me, these MAC Palette is the best way to store my MUGeyeshadows and
they look classier although you have to manipulate them ever so slightly to fit perfectly (add
some sticky magnet adhesives). However, it’s all worth it and this palette came
with me on holidays. I created a variety of looks with it on myself, my sister,
my mum and Aunt. I just can’t sing its praises enough and of course, they will
be a full review up soon.
Fake Bake Beauty One Touch Face Base* // Link // £20
Another makeup favourite which has been in my makeup bag for
more than a few months now is the Fake Bake Beauty One Touch Face Base Powder. First off, I really like the neutral undertones which is perfect for
balancing out my foundation if it gets too warm toned. I love the packaging and how
it instantly removes any shine for my face. I use it in the morning while I am
doing my makeup and also take with me in my makeup bag for touch ups. It is a
good match to my complexion and if you are wondering, my shade is Caramel. I suspect
it may be the darkest shade available which is a shame as it’s a really lovely
powder. I think it can also serve as a powder foundation but I use it mainly as
a setting/blotting powder.
Roger & Gallet Fragrant Wellbeing Water- Fleur D’Osmanthus* //Link // £24 (review)
I already spoke about this Fragrant Wellbeing Water yesterday so I will try not to be repetitive but I absolutely love it. It just captures an exotic Summer in a bottle and I love how long lasting it is. I usually expect any perfume that's not EDP to fade away quickly but that's not been the case with the Roger & Gallet Fragrant Waters. The ones I have tried have lasted a good while through the day and faded ever so slightly before the close of play which is fine. Fleur D'Osmanthus is a mixture of a floral and fruity scent and I think that's why I love it for summer. I have been wearing it almost every day and a little goes a long way.
Overall Thoughts
That's all for my June Favourites!! The month of June in itself was my favourite month because I went home to see my family, finished my exams and could take a little breather. I hope you enjoyed this post. I know it's super late to be asking this question - What was your absolute June Favourite Product?...xx
*PR Sample + Affiliate Links, read my full disclaimer here
I already spoke about this Fragrant Wellbeing Water yesterday so I will try not to be repetitive but I absolutely love it. It just captures an exotic Summer in a bottle and I love how long lasting it is. I usually expect any perfume that's not EDP to fade away quickly but that's not been the case with the Roger & Gallet Fragrant Waters. The ones I have tried have lasted a good while through the day and faded ever so slightly before the close of play which is fine. Fleur D'Osmanthus is a mixture of a floral and fruity scent and I think that's why I love it for summer. I have been wearing it almost every day and a little goes a long way.
Overall Thoughts
That's all for my June Favourites!! The month of June in itself was my favourite month because I went home to see my family, finished my exams and could take a little breather. I hope you enjoyed this post. I know it's super late to be asking this question - What was your absolute June Favourite Product?...xx
*PR Sample + Affiliate Links, read my full disclaimer here
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