May Favorites!

My first monthly favorites post! Usually I tend to use my products for a month before I swap them around, so I thought it would be nice to share the products I enjoyed using most.

1. Maybelline Age Rewind Concealer
A hyped product on YouTube, where I first discovered and heard of this product. Usually, I tend to stick with high-end concealers, since I find it to have better pigmentations. But I found this Age Rewind Concealer to be especially great for highlighting rather than concealer.
Downside? packaging. After one use, it practically exploded somehow. So sad since a lot of product was wasted.

2. Josie Maran Magic Marker Lip & Cheek Stain
I used to own a similar marker tint from Revlon. I enjoyed using it, but somehow I lost it. I feel the same about this Josie Maran marker. The tint looks natural, but I didn't find it to be long lasting. Also the price ($19) was a bit much since I could buy a similar product at the drugstore for half the cost. Pass.

3. Etude House Fresh Cherry Tint
Love, love, love! This is more of a gel-type tint, rather than the watery ones. Gels tend to sit more comfortably on my lips. If you have pigmented lips and haven't found a tint that shows its true color, this this one is a MUST! I find it much more pigmented than any other tints I've tried thus far. Cute packaging and highly affordable. I own all the colors, but this red one is my fave.

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush in Dim Infusion

I'm a complete blusher junkie. I don't need to buy anymore, considering the amount you get and it's nearly impossible for me to hit pan on my products, but I couldn't pass up this new Hourglass product.

After looking up swatches online, Dim Infusion was the one I liked the most. It's a milky orange color which looks natural and it's different from the other oranges I own.

The casing is very luxurious looking; it's rose gold with a large mirror. Each blusher has a different marbling. Mine is a good mix of the dim powder + blush color.

The texture is very soft and it is easy to blend. It's not hard to overdo this blush. I find it doesn't emphasize large pores and it has about 5 hours of lasting power before it starts to fade.

Jill Stuart Jelly Eye Colour # 19 Passion Fruit Swatches

TonyMoly Latte Art Milk-Tea Morning Pack Review

Who else is a fan of milk tea? I certainly am. Intrigued with the concept and its ingredients, I bought this morning pack with much hope.

It claims to be a make-up starter. Apply it before make-up to prep your skin. Since it contains caffeine, it will de puff your skin and leave it looking healthy.

It's a clear type gel with no strong scent. I found it very easy to apply and it does settle and dry quickly. Since I am not one to use primers daily, I found this pack to be nice since it's basically a two-in-one (skincare + make up base!)

A generous 100g for under $10. Since you only need a pea size, I imagine this lasting awhile :)

Astalift Dupe!

Astalift is a high end Japanese skincare company that is currently very popular. Their best selling product is their jelly moisturizer, which sells for $147!
Instead of shelling out that big amount, I decided to try SANA's dupe called Nameraka Soflavone Lift Up Red Gel. Similar to Astalift, it's a reddish jelly type product that it's fun to use. It comes with a mini spatula, which make it more hygienic to scoop.

I haven't used Astalift, but this moisturizer from Sana is so, so nice! Since the texture is gel-like, it sinks into the skin really quickly. There is a bit of stickiness, which is to be expected since it is like jell-o, but aside from that it really does hydrate the skin!

Since I've just started using this, I can't speak about the anti-aging benefits, but as a moisturizer it does leave my skin feeling supple the next day.
Like most Sana products, it contains no mineral oils or added fragrance.

Jill Stuart Jelly Eye Color

Prior to my Japan trip, there was one brand I really wanted to try out and it was Jilly Stuart. While it's accessible online, I wanted to swatch the products and see the colors myself.
In the end, I bought this jelly eye shadow in passion fruit. The texture, like the name, is very bouncy and plush. It's easy to use and blends effortlessly. The color is a lovely pink with a hint of sparkle.
I think I paid about $20 for this tub, but it will will last me awhile since you only need a tiny amount for each use.

Illamasqua Stagnant Nail Polish

I tend to gravitate towards taupe nails colors, for some reason. Not exactly sure why, but I think it looks great and it's less harsh than black.
This is my first time using a color from Illamasqua ($15, Sephora) The bottle is different from the others in my collection and I like the brush applicator.
The color, like I mentioned, is a mushroom taupe. It leans purple, more than brown. One coat is enough for an opaque application. If you love taupes, then you'll enjoy this color!

ORLY Nail Defense

Truthfully speaking, when I paint my nails I often do not use a top coat, but my polish will remain non-chipped for 10 days! How? ORLY nail defense!
I used to think that all base coats worked the same, but after discovering this one from ORLY I knew how mistaken I was.
Like I said, I don't use a top coat and I often do a lot of work with my hands. This clear base coat works wonders and it really does live up to its claims!
What base coat are you currently using?