Monthly Favourites | July 2013

Wow guys - over halfway through the year! I have a few favourites to share for the month sooo here we go!

First up some skincare bits:

I have been in love with the Soap & Glory Fab Pore Hot Cloth cleanser this month! I reviewed it in full here so I won't go crazily into detail. I love that this pretty much gets everything off of my face and it leaves my skin feeling really nice and softly moisturised. I also think that this has improved my skin quite a bit!

To help with Winter dry skin blues I've been using the Origins Drink Up Intensive moisture mask on a weekly basis. This is a very talked about product which is an overnight treatment that provides and replenishes the moisture in the skin. I wake up the next morning with soft, supple and moisturised skin. I only have a sample but thanks to Cherie who kindly decanted some of hers for me, I don't think I'll need to purchase the full size for a while.

This month my lips have been SO dry, more so my lip line and the skin around my lips. It has been dry, flaky and super itchy - gross, sorry. Oddly enough I don't have an unexpired tube or tub of Lucas Paw Paw ointment hanging around so the only lip balm that has been soothing my lips relatively well has been the MOR Lip Macaron in Passionflower. Its not a super intense lip balm but it does provide good moisturisation to the lips and I use it regularly every night regardless of how dry my lips are.

For the face I've been reaching for my Sonia Kashuk Concealer Palette (review here) which is a good standby. It's not my favourite concealer formula - tending to cling a bit to dry, flaky skin and accentuating it throughout the day. However, the shades are easy to match to my skin (I do use the corrector quite a bit too) and it is pigmented and long lasting.

I have been using the Jane Iredale Bronzing Powder in the shade So Bronze 1. I'm really not a bronzer person, I don't ultimately have the desire to look tan all the time and tend to only use them for contouring. However my sister gave me this one which is satin at its base and has some golden shimmer particles. It isn't overly shimmery but more so individual particles. The colour is a warm light brown (not dark enough and too warm for contouring). So - I've been using it for its purpose! When I have a slightly lighter foundation, or when I look washed out, I sweep this over my lower cheeks, around the forehead, temples and neck. It warms up my skin and gives some dimension to my face. 

For blush I have pretty much been using this one exclusively for the whole month. It is the Models Prefer blush in the shade Desk to Date which I've featured here. It is really the perfect everyday peachy pink that gives a natural and warm glow to the face.

For eyes I've been wearing the Estee Lauder Pure Colour Stay on shadow paint in the shade Halo whenever I wear eyeshadow. It is a beautiful beigey champagne cream shadow with a slight pearlescent/shimmery finish. It is so creamy and actually acts as an efficient primer preventing creasing, etc (unlike the Maybelline Color Tattoos). I'll have a full review up too but I really do love this!

Also on the eyes I've been using the Rimmel Scandaleyes waterproof kohl kajal in Black. This is a super pigmented, creamy pencil with great lasting power. I've been using this in my tightline and although it does smudge down only the lower lashline a bit, it's not as bad as others and it doesn't fade despite the smudging. It great on the lashlines too!

As I mentioned, my lips have been super dry so lipstick hasn't been a front runner this month. I've been using these MAC cremesheen glasses quite a bit. I talked about their formula a bit and have swatches here. I like Color Saturation for a bit of a bolder berry lip and Going Casual for a more natural pinky lip. They are a little bit moisturising, rather long lasting and comfortable on the lips.

What were your guys' faves this month!