March Favorites

March has already come and gone. I’m still in denial that time goes by so quickly. Below are my March favorites. I discovered all these products within the last month and have enjoyed them quite a bit. Anyone else discover a new love?

Kristin Ess air dry creme  ($10 for 5OZ)
I’ve used both Bumble and Bumble’s and L’Oreal’s air dry creams. The B&B was a “holy grail” for me but I switched to L’Oreal’s because money. I ran out at the beginning of the month and spotted the Kristin Ess while at Target. I’m in love and I swear it’s better than B&B’s. I have less frizz even when I’m lazy and go to bed with semi wet hair plus the scent is to die for.

Philosophy Purity Made Simple moisturizer ($25 for 4.7OZ)
Since I ran out of my Glossier priming moisturizer and didn’t want to repurchase ($22 for 1.7oz is pretty steep when you’re using it everyday) I started looking for an AM moisturizer that was both cost effective and suited my needs. The Purity moisturizer has a gel like texture and sinks in quickly. I do need 3 pumps to feel fully moisturized but I definitely do see a difference with my pores when I use it. Plus it contains meadowfoam and camellia oil which is great for us oily and acne prone gals! The only downside to this product is the pump. It takes a bit of effort to use but it also doesn’t stop me from using it.

Acure Organics blue tansy oil ($12.99 for 1OZ)
Now, I’ve been wanting to try Herbivore’s Lapis Oil for quite some time but $72 for 1.7OZ is pretty steep for almost anyone. I noticed that Acure Organics had a packaging refresh and while browsing Target saw that they did a blue tansy night oil. After some research I learned that it was a near identical dupe for Herbivore’s and only $12.99! Sold. Blue tansy is supposed to help reduce redness and supposedly contains anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties. I don’t know if those claims are true but I do know that the Acure oil has been helping my skin out a lot with my dry spots and leftover redness from my monthly pimples. The oil is on the drier side so it sinks in quickly. You’re supposed to warm a pump or two in your hands and apply after your moisturizer but I’ve found that I get the best results when applied before my moisturizer. I don’t have nearly as many dry spots right now and I wake up with my skin looking and plump.

Colourpop Brow Boss brow gel ($6 for .11OZ)
I’ve tried all sorts of brow gels: Glossier, ELF, Anastasia Beverly Hills, Nyx, Benefit and so on and so on. They’ve all been decent but the hold of them all have left something to be desired. My long brow hairs need a lot of help and so far I’ve really been loving Colourpop’s version! It goes on white but as you brush it in it turns transparent. Hold is great throughout a work day and it doesn’t leave my brows feeling or looking too stiff. Plus it’s only $6! I’m just hoping they come out with a colored version because then my hunt for the perfect brow gel will be complete

Pyulkang Yul mist toner ($12 for 100ML)
I’ve only had this for a small amount of time but I’ve been really enjoying it. I prefer mist toners because I’m lazy AF and the PY toner has a super fine mist that leaves my skin feeling hydrated. Can’t say it’s doing too much for my skin as of yet but it works great before and after moisturizer and also as a setting spray to make my face look less powdery after I finish my makeup.

My overnight kit

I spend a couple nights a week at my boyfriends. While I do keep some skincare there (cleansers and whatnot) I always pack my over night bag with essentials that I’m too lazy to decant.

I try to keep my skin routine fairly simple because the less time I spend in the bathroom the more time I can spend cuddling on the couch! My typical overnight routine takes less than 5 minutes and still keeps me moisturized and looking fairly decent in the morning. The Ouai finishing creme is really the only hair product I will always take with me because it leaves my hair looking like it’s doing what it’s doing on purpose and not because I slept on it weird.

Products:
Ouai finishing creme
Pyulkang Yul mist toner
Acure Organics blue tansy oil
Philosophy Purity Made Simple moisturizer
IT Cosmetics Confidence in a Cleanser

Besides the products above I also always carry bobby pins, Invisbobbles, a brush and a comb. Anyone else use an adorable overnight bag or have essentials they have to have with you?

Review: Marc Jacobs Shameless Youthful-Look foundation

Man, what a mouthful of a foundation name! I recently did a friend swap with Jules of The Brauhaus and she generously sent me the new newest Marc Jacobs foundation to try out since she didn’t like it. Apparently it’s pretty polarizing; people either love it or hate it. No between. I got shade Light Y210.

MJ claims that this foundation is an “innovative, medium, buildable foundation with 24 hour wear and first-to-market, flashback-free SPF 25 for a youthful look” The foundation claims to also be natural coverage.

I’ll preface my review by saying that I have combination skin (mostly oily but with some dry spots) and I do have fine lines. I also prefer a sheer finish. The shade I have is

First off I do think the packaging is cute. It’s egg shaped and the lid twists off and the squeeze applicator allows you to squeeze out as little or as much foundation as you’d like without any going to waste. I do find the foundation on the thicker side and it was hard to blend out but then again, I’m a heathen and tossed out all my blending sponges and just use my fingertips right now. The finish was mostly natural but that’s in comparison to Glossier’s skin tint which is as natural as you can get.

I wore it throughout a weekend work day (so for about 7 hours). I did it feel it on my face which I don’t really like in foundations. At about the 3 hour mark I could see it starting to settle into some of my pores around my nose and into the fine lines around my eyes. I didn’t have much oil break through by the 4th hour except on my t-zone (which really, nothing will survive that mess). Also by the 4th hour I noticed more settling into my pores and around my eyes and also some settling appearing between my brows. I also noticed some separation between the foundation and my powder which is no bueno.

By the end of my shift I really wasn’t feeling it. The settling and separation were both more pronounced. And I’m not talking up close in a mirror but from a distance which is horrifying. I would rather go sans foundation than wear this one again. At least then my pores would look at least normal and not like over-sized craters.

Overall, I would probably give this foundation a pass if you’re oily or have fine lines. I couldn’t imagine what it would look like after the touted 24 hour wear. If you have normal to dry skin I would try a sample first before purchasing.

New products, sorta new night routine

I ran out of a couple things at the same time the past week: Glossier’s priming moisturizer and Mario Badescu’s green tea & aloe mist. While I enjoyed both I didn’t love them so I used it as an excuse to try some new things. Well, I loved the priming Moisturizer but when you’re basically using it as part of your AM routine that little tube goes quick.

Newly added to my routine are Philosophy’s Purity Made Simple moisturizer and Pyulkang Yul’s mist toner.

The Philosophy moisturizer contains 2 of my favorite oils: meadowfoam and camellia. Meadowfoam is great for those who have acne or are on the oily side. The rest of the ingredients list is decent. So far I’m really enjoying the gel like texture (though I have to use 3 pumps to feel moisturized) and my skin and pores seem to love the stuff. The only downside so far has been the fact that the pump isn’t stellar.

Pyulkang Yul is a Korean brand that I’ve read rave reviews about. I picked up the 100ML of their toner mist to try it out. The ingredients list is straight forward and contains goodies like coptis japonica root extract and sodium hyaluronate (aka hyaluronic acid). It’s pretty basic but it gets the job done. All I look for in a mist is for it to be hydrating and make me feel slightly fancy.

The rest of last night’s routine included:
Heimish All Clean balm
Neogen Real Fresh Foam cleanser
Acure Organics blue tansy oil

Harumama Noodles & Buns

This place has been all over Instagram lately so I had to give it a shot. I mean ramen, cute as fuck buns and Little Italy should be a winning combo, right?

We recently stopped by this past Sunday for lunch. The wait was apparently long but seeing as we were a group of 2 we were seated right away at a corner table top. We decided pretty quickly on what to order but it was at least 10 minutes (longer, I think, but I’m a horrible judge of time) before a waitress stopped by to ask if we were ready. Thankfully the hostess left us with a bottle of cold water or we would have been a bit peeved by the wait.

We decided to try out the pig character steamed buns and the vegetable pan-fried noodles.

The food came out fairly quickly with the noodles coming first and the buns following shortly after. The pan-fried noodles included carrots, zucchini, broccoli and pickled cucumbers. They were good but not great. The noodles were either over cooked or the brand used wasn’t the best because they didn’t have a good bite to them. The veggies and pickled cucumbers were nice and fresh but I feel like the sauce needed either a bit more umami or acid; maybe both. I also couldn’t find any of the fried garlic that was mentioned in the menu description. For $13 I kind of expect more, especially noodle amount-wise but I may be spoiled by other ramen joints in town.

The pig buns were the best part. They were on the small side but the bun was light and fluffy and unlike normal steamed buns, there was almost more filling than bun in them. The pork and caramelized onion filling was delicious and not your typical bun filling. For $7.95 you’re basically paying for the novelty of the buns but at least they’re delicious to boot.

Overall it was a decent meal. If I end up back there I think I’ll stay away from the ramen completely and maybe try one of their small bites or the sushi. The prices are a bit on the higher side but it’s all in the buns. Go for the buns, not ramen. If you want decent ramen Rakiraki is only a couple blocks away.

Harumama
1901 Columbia St.
Hours: SUN-THU 11AM to 10PM, FRI-SAT 11AM to 10;30PM

When you love red lipstick and swear they’re all different

Red lipstick is my weakness. I see a new formula with a red and I have to try it.

I’ve actually managed to cull my collection (I used to have 20+…..dear god) and this post features my favorites. I’m pretty picky with formulas and if they don’t hold up to my wear test or food test they’re either given to someone else or returned. The only lipstick out of my favorites that gets a pass is the 3CE because it’s semi-sheer and a more muted rose red. Everything else is a sucker punch to the face red.

My current favorite formulas:
Armani Lip Magnet (shades 400 & 402)
YSL Tatouage Couture (shade 01)
NARS powermatte lip pigment (shade Starwoman)
3CE Mood Recipe (shade smoked rose)

February favorites

February seems to have come and gone so quickly but I seem to say that every month. I guess turning 30 really does make time go by quicker! Kidding…..sorta.

I’ve tried quite a few new products this past month and I haven’t to share some of my favorites. For the most part everything is budget-friendly which is great if you’re like me and see something new and shiny and just have to have it.

Of course, skincare is very YMMV and patch testing is always recommended (though I may or may not follow the YOLO train of thought with that). My skin is combination with an oil slick of a t-zone and dry patches. I do deal with closed comedones and some adult acne especially when it’s that time of the month. I also try to focus on my fine lines because my skin ain’t gettin’ any younger!

It’s been abnormally dry out so my face and hands have needed a lot of extra help. Thankfully I discovered Mario Badescu’s special hand cream and AHA & Ceramide Moisturizer. The hand cream starts off greasy but absorbs quickly and has been a godsend compared to the numerous other hand creams I own. The Moisturizer is what I use at night time and keeps me from waking up all dried up in the AM

Next up is ILNP’s nail polish in Mountain View. One of the longest lasting polishes I’ve ever use. I may be addicted even though I normally hate sparkles in my polishes. I’m hard on my hands and for a polish to last more than a week is unheard of. 

LA Girl’s shady slim eyebrow pencil is now my go to brow product. I was using ABH’s brow pomade but I’m a lazy fuck and I feel like it’s been too heavy lately. For around $5 the LA Girl is perfect for me. YSL’s Tatouage Couture is also amazing. It hasn’t knocked Armani’s lip magnet formula outta the top spot for me but it’s now my second favorite and I have high standards. 

HnP’s leave in hair placenta has been the biggest game changer for me. My hair is fine and very frizz prone. If a little bit of moisture hits it my once perfectly coiffed hair will turn into a poofy mess. The hair placenta helps a lot with that and my hair both looks and feels healthier. Paired with an air dry creme and Ouai’s finishing creme my hair has been the best it’s ever been with minimal effort. 

I’m always up for a new acid and REN’s Ready Steady Glow tonic has been working out pretty well. It’s an AHA and burns so good. 

And lastly, Neogen’s Real Fresh Foam in cranberry. It’s the first foam cleanser I’ve used that really foams up. I even feel like I can get away with just using that on most days. Plus it doesn’t dry out my skin which most foam cleansers do. 

Whew! All done for the month! I do have quite a few other products I’ve fallen in love with but I’ll be saving those for a hair product post. Anyone else find any new products they love in February?