Late Summer Favorites

Happy (?) last day of summer!  I thought I'd celebrate (???) the day with a favorites post.  And, because I didn't write a July favorites post, and I'm slightly late with August favorites, I figured I'd just call this a "late summer favorites" list.

NARS Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer -- This tinted moisturizer has a wonderfully light texture, has a light citrus scent, and leaves the skin slightly dewy.  It has decent coverage for a tinted moisturizer, and it protects the skin with an SPF of 30.  I have been wearing the shade Alaska because I've been using a self-tanner, but I think I'm going to need to switch to Finland for the winter.

MDSolarSciences Mineral Creme Broad Spectrum SPF 50 UVA-UVB Sunscreen -- This stuff has an interesting texture.  It's very silicone-laden, and kind of thick.  I love that it has a really high SPF, but my favorite thing about it is how well it works as a makeup primer.  I need to try to write a full review of this sunscreen.

Benefit They're Real! Mascara -- Whenever I use this mascara, I remember how good it is. However, I did manage to poke my eye rather seriously with the wand recently, and it really hurt.

Prada Candy -- Wearing this perfume puts me in a good mood.  It's kind of a sweet, but spicy
floral-y scent that has completely different top and bottom notes, so it smells totally different after a few hours of wear.  You really need to try it for yourself.

Sleek Garden of Eden Eyeshadow Palette -- I have really been enjoying this palette.  My favorite shades in this palette are Eve's Kiss, Evergreen, and Fauna.  Tons of possibilities with this.

from left: Eve's Kiss, Evergreen, Fauna

I sometimes find writing favorite things lists kind of tough, because the staple items (like foundation/tinted moisturizer, mascara, powder, etc.) remain pretty much the same each month, and I use so many different other things (like eyeshadows, palettes, blushes, lip colors -- I usually mix those up everyday) that it is hard to choose favorites.  Does anyone else have this problem?  How do you choose what favorites to write about?

Thanks for checking out my recent favorites!

Stila Sheer Color Tinted Moisturizer SPF 20 Review

I've been using the Stila Sheer Color Tinted Moisturizer (in the color Bare) for some time now (like a year at least).  It does everything I want it to, so I haven't bothered to try a BB or CC cream yet.

Stila says:  This revolutionary oil-free, tinted moisturizer multitasks as a skin-hydrating, skintone-perfecting, SPF-protecting complexion enhancer. The micro-fine light diffusing pigments create a sheer wash of natural color and help diminish the look of fine lines and wrinkles. Its oil-free formula melts right into the skin and dries down, creating a gorgeous glow without the tackiness or greasiness. 

Other key benefits include:

• Oil-free tinted moisturizer with SPF 20 protection
• Water-resistant
• Light-diffusing pigments help diminish the look of fine lines and wrinkles
• Ginseng root extract and Gingko Biloba Leaf extract provide potent antioxidant benefits and help prevent premature aging

It has broad spectrum sunscreen SPF 20 in the form of titanium dioxide and zinc oxide.  It also claims to be water resistant for up to 80 minutes, which is kind of unusual.

I find this quite hydrating and my skin never feels like it isn't getting enough moisture.  It is sort of a light cream texture that doesn't feel too slick or slippery, and it dries to a satin finish that looks natural.  I do use a setting powder, just because I tend to get oily in the t-zone after a few hours.  I like the fact that because it uses mineral sunscreens (titanium dioxide and zinc oxide) I can use this around my eyes and not worry about irritation or stinging.

Stila Sheer Color Tinted Moisturizer swatch in Bare

It has sheer to light coverage, which I prefer for everyday.  I find that it provides enough coverage and I often skip concealer (unless I really need it around the eyes) and just wear this.  It tones down any redness quite well and it seems to make my pores look a little less noticeable.

I also like that this has anti-aging skincare ingredients.  It is chock full of antioxidants like vitamins A, C, and E, ginseng and ginko biloba extracts, as well as soothing antioxidants like chamomile and green tea extracts.  (Antioxidants protect the skin from oxidative stress that damages and ages the skin.)

Stila's Sheer Color Tinted Moisturizer is a wonderful tinted moisturizer that protects the skin, provides lightweight moisture, and evens out skin tone well.  I expect to repurchase this (again) when I run out.

Laura Mercier Illuminating Tinted Moisturizer SPF 20 Review

Laura Mercier is known for her foundations, tinted moisturizers, and skin perfecting makeup techniques.  I've wanted to try her tinted moisturizer for ages, so I finally bought one.  For some reason, I decided to try the illuminating version (probably because I read a good review of it on Beautypedia.com).

Laura Mercier's website says:  A lightweight, buildable sheer foundation formula that delivers a youthful, radiant finish, while protecting skin from the damaging rays of the sun with broad spectrum SPF 20 UVA/UVB sunscreen protection. 

This is called "illuminating" for a reason.  It is really glowy and verges on being shimmery.  I feel like almost too much so, at least for my liking (I mean, I can actually see some "sparkliness" coming off my hands when I wash them after applying this).  Now, maybe this would work better for dry skin or for people who feel like their skin is dull and wants it to look more radiant, but I feel like it just makes my slightly oily skin too shiny.  I haven't tried it as a highlighter and maybe it would work well for that purpose, but I prefer to use my tinted moisturizers all over as a simple base to even out my skintone.

The formula itself it quite excellent.  It has a wonderfully creamy, slightly thick texture that feels very hydrating, and dries to a natural (not matte or dewy) finish.  It is gentle on the skin, and uses titanium dioxide and zinc oxide as the broad spectrum sunscreen ingredients.  It's also got some anti-oxidants to provide some anti-aging benefits.

I have to say I didn't like this, but only because it is so "luminous".  It may work beautifully on someone else's skin, and someone who prefers a more glowing look.

Since I like the actual feel of it on the skin, and the skin beneficial ingredients included, I think I might try her regular tinted moisturizer or maybe even the oil-free formula once I'm finished with my Stila tinted moisturizer.