I really apologize for the lateness of October's favorites. I have no idea where all the time has gone. (Me just lying in bed playing with my iPad and stuffing my face. Pregnancy is the only time I can eat without feeling guilty) So without further ado I will get into my months most reached for products!
Throughout the entire month of October, I have only used one primer. And that is the Benefit Porefessional. I like it because I know it works on my skin. I don't have to worry about whether or not it's going to break me out or whether it's going to make my foundation slide around my face in the Australian spring heat. I haven't put too much pressure on this little tube for reducing the appearance of my pores as my foundation usually does that trick. But it does amaze me with how well it separates my my skin from my make up. And hence reducing clogged pores, pimples, and the disappearing-make-up act after my foundation has been on my face for 5+ hours.
The Porefessional has a slight tint to it so it does even out the skin tone and reduces some redness around the nose and cheeks. It is by no means a tinted moisturizer even though it looks like one when first squeezed out of the tube.
The Porefessional swatch
I have used only 2 foundations throughout the month of October and that is the YSL Le Teint Touche Eclat and Covergirl's Outlast Stay Fabulous. The Covergirl foundation may just be my most favorite foundation of all time...at the moment. It offers amazing coverage but yet doesn't look cake and feels light and smooth on the skin. It is a matte finish and doesn't leave behind any dry patches and is super blendable. And for just $19.95 I'm so glad I found such a perfect foundation at such an affordable price.
The only other foundation that I have used is YSL's Le teint Touche Eclat. It is a super lightweight medium coverage foundation. It leaves a very dewy finish to the skin and smells divine as well. The packaging is so sleek and elegant. I do have to set it with setting powder so that the foundation stays in place in my oily t-zone as it is dewy and rich rather than mattifying like the cover girl foundation.
L - R: YSL, Covergirl
L - R: YSL, Covergirl swatched
I did an in-depth review of this blush here: Estee Lauder Illuminating Powder Gelee Blush - Tease when I first purchased it but I didn't use it much to be able to include it in my September Favourites. This month however, I've been found myself reaching for it more often than not. It gives the most subtle pink sheen to the cheeks. And it saves the extra step of applying a highlighter. It's very pigmented when swatched on the fingers, but when it comes to using a brush, not much product is picked up, which I think is a good thing because it gives you more control with how much to apply. Nothing can be worse than having already finished your foundation base and then plopping too much blush on one cheek that you have to wipe off and ruin the whole side of your face. This is limited edition and if you can still get your hands on one of these babies, I highly recommend it. Even to look at it is worth the AUD $75 price tag.
Tease blush swatch
My favorite lipstick range from Chanel is the Rouge Allure Velvet collection. I love almost every single shade that is available. This one is #34 La Rafinee which is a plummy pink. The formula is so soft and smooth. Unlike usual matte lipsticks, Chanel's is super creamy and rich. The velvet range of lipsticks also slightly tints the lips which I prefer to Rouge Coco's and their lip glosses. To me this is like a matte version of the YSL Rouge Volupte lipsticks.
I usually go through phases with my brows. I like to change things up every now and then. Sometimes I would use pencil, sometimes I would use wax and sometimes I go for brown eyeshadow. This month, I have chosen the brown eyeshadow route and been setting it with MAC's brow set. It's super easy to use, and doesn't make your eye seem like you brushed super strong hold hair gel through it. It also helps soften the lines/brush strokes a little but from my application making it look more even colored and natural. It does get pretty icky pretty quickly, but it's just eyeshadow in there, can't hurt nobody :P
I have probably used 5 or 6 bottles of this cleanser from The Body Shop in my lifetime. I've just rediscovered it in the past two months and was reminded of what a simple and easy to use cleanser it is. This foaming cleanser is serious when it says that it foams. This product actually comes out of the tube in a foam state which is super easy to massage around the face and, amazingly, very quick to wash off as well. Almost every other "foaming cleanser" I've used comes out in gel/cream state and then blends into slightly foamy state after mixed with water and once rubbed throughout the face for a minute already. I love this product so much because its easy to wash off and that means I don't make a wet mess of my bathroom counter trying to wash my cleanser off my face.
I bought this moisturizing gel a really long time ago. So long ago that I'm not sure if it's past its expiration date yet. But it is a brand new bottle and I just don't want to waste it and throw it out. When I first purchased it, it felt really oily on my skin. I'd rub it into my skin before bed and wake up the next day with my face soaked in oil. I tried it for about a week and then put it in the back of the bathroom cupboard. Not knowing what came over me a few weeks ago but I decided to give this product a go again. Maybe my skin has matured? Maybe pregnancy has changed my hormones and hence my excretion of oil? But this just makes my skin feel silky smooth after application. It seems to absorb into my skin straight away, not leaving behind any oiliness that you get with some other moisturizers. So I've been finding myself using this day and night and preferring it over my usual (and unfinished) Estee Lauder Advanced Time Zone creams. For the large bottle of 125mL, I must say Clinique is very reasonably priced. And this bottle will definitely last you months. If you have oily/combo skin, I recommend you visit a clinique counter to request a 7 day sample of this product before you dive it as it may have different results for your skin. And if you have dry skin, there is a lotion version that is a little more rich to give your skin a little help.
