It’s been a while since I’ve done a monthly favourites post… I always intend to and then get distracted - must be more disciplined! I gathered these July favourites by zooming in on the hotspots where my most used products gather - from the windowsill where I do my makeup to handbags where I stash essentials when going out for the day. If I can’t find something, the bottom of my handbag is usually where it will be, especially lip products and concealers, my two main topper-uppers.
This month’s favourites are mostly makeup based, but I do have some separate skincare posts coming up.
THE BASE | Things always get more dewy for me in Summer, with a lighter base, coral lips & cheeks and a smoosh of bronze on the lids. So predictable, but it works!
Oskia Get Up & Glow has been helping me do just that. When I first saw this product I assumed that it was a skincare/makeup hybrid due to its pinky opalescence, but it’s not. This is an energising serum that does add a degree of instant glow, but is much more about what lies beneath, with a cocktail of radiance boosters that don’t disappoint. It hasn’t stolen Oskia Renaissance Cleansing Gel’s No1 spot (be still my beating heart) but is a lovely addition on days when my skin needs perking up (that’ll be most days then). I also like to press it over makeup with a Barely Cosmetics sponge for an afternoon pep up, a tip from the lovely Kenneth Soh MUA (the process, not these specific products, though he may well be a fan!).
The first time I tried Pixi Illuminating Tint & Conceal resulted in much swooning, ohh-ing and ahh-ing. This is a flipping genius product and I love it lots. Think mega glowy tinted moisturiser with SPF20 and a built in concealer on the end. Genius. Mine is No1 Light Glow. Coverage is minimal, but can easily be topped up with the concealer and it also works beautifully mixed with a little foundation. Probably my favourite Pixi Beauty product to date.
I didn’t come cheek to cheek with a Tom Ford blusher until early Summer - and now I get the hype. Tom Ford Frantic Pink is the precise colour I’d create if I was making my own blush - the perfect coral pink with a glowy finish, wrapped in satisfyingly clunky packaging with a built-in mirror. An instant face pepper-upper that looks beautiful paired with bronzer. (NB For those who missed out on Bobbi Brown’s sell out Calypso Cheek Palette (my review here), this creates a similar effect to all three shades blended.)
As much as I love luxury beauty products, it pains me to pay £29 for a single eye shadow crayon, but I did. Twice. And I can’t deny that By Terry Ombre Blackstar is a total beaut. Bronze Moon is a one sweep wonder… I’ve mainly been wearing it all over the lid, blended up into my crease and smudged along my lower lash line. It’s daytime friendly and can be smoked out for night, which I usually do with its older sister, Brown Perfection. I find Bronze Moon easier to work with and really do think it’s a suit-all shade that most people will fall for as hard as I did.
I love a lightweight shiny lipstick in Summer and Mii Silkcrème Lip Lover in Crush adds the perfect pop of bright coral. Nourishing lychee and antioxidants make these lipsticks feel really balmy and weightless, with a flattering shiny finish that makes them very wearable for daytime. I never get mega lasting power from this kind of dewy formula, but it’s a compromise I’m happy to make as I love how it looks and feels - layering over the matching lip liner helps add longevity.
FRAGRANCE & HAIR | I get asked what perfume I’m wearing every single time I go out in Tom Ford Fleur de Portofino, one of my most complimented fragrances ever. (Laura Mercier Fresh Fig is its closest contender in the compliment stakes). I love that, because who wants a perfume that no-one can smell?! Having said that, this is not an overpowering scent, but a fresh yet sweet, feel-good one that whisks me away to a tropical island every time I spritz. Kinda convenient since I happen to live on one of the coldest islands on the planet *sniffs wrist again and feels thankful for good imagination*. See my full review here.
I’m a sucker for a mist-on hair oil as I find them so much easier to use than the kind I have to carefully massage in while taking care not to apply an entire dollop on one strand. Label M Therapy Rejuvenating Oil Mist has been my go-to for days when my hair needs extra moisture, added definition, de-fuzzing or just some faux gloss. ie unless it needs washed, I use this. It also smells gorgeous (maybe I should use it when my hair needs washed) and doesn’t weigh my hair down or make it lank, at all. Top tips: use on ends/mid lengths only and don’t spray near a tiled or wooden floor unless you want your nearest and dearest to go on their ear. Guilty, whoops.
So there we go. I started this at tea time and it’s now bed time… which may be why my monthly favourites are more quarterly than monthly! I know, I know I could just say less about each product, but it’s hard when you’re on a roll and really excited about that lipstick…
What’s your current favourite - if you had to pick just one? Oh the pressure!
