May 2014 Favorites

Time for some favorites for the past month!  Let's get to it.

Clarins Liquid Bronze Self Tanning (review) -- I've been using this every other night to give me some color on my face and décolleté.  It's light and milky, and feels kind of refreshing.  A great, gradual self tanner.

Rimmel Match Perfection Foundation -- True story: I needed a new foundation to match my newly self-tanned face, and I didn't want to spend too much money on one because I wasn't sure how often I was going to self-tan, or even if I was going to like doing it.  So, I went to CVS and looked for the cheapest (or close to it) foundation and discovered this one for $6, plus I had some Extra Bucks, so it cost me $2.  I hadn't done any "homework" on it, so I was buying it with only having read the ingredients on the back (I liked the fact it has titanium dioxide for sunscreen).  I took it home and immediately slapped it on my face, and discovered it was a light, liquidy, comfortable foundation with light to medium coverage.  It was a win!  I've been wearing it almost everyday, and think it is rather great.  The packaging, however, leaves something to be desired.  It is a glass bottle with no pump that is narrower at the bottom than the top, so it is quite tippy.  Chance of me spilling it: near 100%.

Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder -- I have already repurchased this powder.  It gives a nice finish to the skin, doesn't look powdery, and it isn't drying.  Inelegant packaging, but whatever.  It works.

Too Faced à la mode Eyes -- This palette has nothing but shimmery shadows, so I have to supplement it with matte shadow from somewhere else, but I don't mind.  The colors are so springy/summery and just feel right for this time of year.  My favorite colors: Jardin (shimmery peach), Cannes (shimmery and sparkly copper), and Soleil (shimmery plummy brown).  De La Mer (shimmery navy blue) makes a great liner color.

MAC Lipglass in Water Deities from the Alluring Aquatics Collection -- This is a very shimmery "light bronzy pink" (according to MAC). It has the signature Lipglass vanilla scent and tacky texture that makes it long-wearing.  Gorgeous color.  Pretty packaging doesn't hurt either.

This is only a small part of the garden!

My Garden! -- The garden is looking lush and full now that all the plants are up.  Plenty of spring flowers have been blooming over the past month, and it's really fun to see what blooms when, what starts growing when, and where I need to add more plants!

I'd love to hear about some of your recent favorites!

Clarins Liquid Bronze Self Tanning Quick Review

I can't tell you why this isn't called Self Tanner instead of Self Tanning.  Maybe it's the translation from French.  In any case, I love this stuff.

I've never been one to self-tan my face because I've always been concerned that it would be all blotchy and weird because I use a BHA (salicylic acid) or AHA (glycolic acid) or a retinoid on my face almost every night.  I figured if it didn't work for my face I could always use it on my body somewhere.  My legs usually need a little help in the color department after a long winter.  But, I love it on my face, neck, and chest!

I've found that this self tanner is gradual and subtle enough that I can switch it with my regular skincare every other night and it gives me a nice glow and color.  It also claims to soften the skin, and I feel like maybe it does, so it kind of works as skincare, too.

It is a milky liquid that feels wonderfully light and dries quickly.  It has a herbal-y plant-y scent on application that at first I wasn't too fond of, but have grown to really like.  It doesn't have the signature self tan gross smell (I can't smell it at all!), and it is buildable, so for more color, I just apply it every day instead of every other day.  It also seems light enough in texture that it could be worn during the day. I just choose to use it at night.

As with any self tanner, be sure to wash your hands after application.  Even though this is a gradual tanner, it will stain the palms (I learned this after waking up with a tan palm one morning).  You can apply this with a cotton pad because it is liquid-y enough, but I don't bother with one, and I just use my hands.

I love the color this gives me, and the light, refreshing feeling of it on the skin.  Plus, no self tan smell?  Big thumbs up from me!

Clarins Liquid Bronze Self Tanning is $36 USD for 4.2 oz.

P.S.  Is it self tanner or self-tanner?  To hyphenate or not to hyphenate...