Tag: skincare

July Beauty Favorites

by liftbakeloveLeave a Comment on July Beauty Favorites

The theme of this month is “I’m tired and don’t want to do anything, but still want to look awake at work.” It’s full of super quick and easy to use products or tools that make my other products easier to slap on. And first up, a product that creates a self-care moment every time a shower – so needed right now.

My favorite recent find has to be the NĂ©cessaire The Body Wash. I love the eucalyptus for when I need a mood boost (like a morning shower or a “it’s too hot to function, and I need to cool down” shower), and sandalwood is great for creating a sense of calm before I head to bed. I love the packaging, and the formula perfect for my dry skin – clean, but not stripping, and my skin feels moisturized without even needing lotion. I very much understand all the hype and think it is well deserved!

My go to combination for my face has been the Glossier Skin Tint and By Terry CC Serum. I really just need something quick and easy to slap on that will make me look alive on video calls, and this is the perfect combo for that. They mix together so well and add just enough coverage to even out my skin and add some warmth. I’ve also worn the By Terry serum alone, mixed with moisturizer, and mixed with primer, and it adds the perfect glow and slight amount of color any way I use it. I’ve also used it as a liquid bronzer, and it works great for that too. I’ve definitely fallen in love with both of these products this summer!

I’ve gushed about Salt New York’s cream products before, but I’m so excited about my new blushes and their new mini palette. It’s so fun to play with these to create whatever color I want. I also have their rose blush in another palette, and I love using these brighter colors to make that shade warmer, cooler, or more vibrant. If anyone is interested, I do have a reward link you can use to get $5 off, but am 100% not affiliated with or sponsored by Salt New York (although, I totally would if they asked because this is one of my all time favorite brands).

From left to right: blackberry, raspberry, coral, peach

Anyone knows me knows I’m obsessed with Sonia G brushes, and when she restocked a couple of the ones I was missing, I had to get them. The Worker Two and Worker Three are the perfect brushes for blending out cream shadows and creating one-shadow looks, which is about all I have the energy for at the moment. I honestly didn’t realize how much I would love these until I got them, but I’m so glad I picked them up.

Allana Davison said that the Smith 157 was the perfect brush for blending out cream bronzer (which is pretty much I’m all using these days), and she was so right. This is also the perfect size and shape for blending out contour and highlighter. I am very tempted to get a second, but I think everyone else fell in love with it too because it’s sold out everywhere at the moment.

Along with all the other products this month that are for “need something quick to make me look alive”, the Em Cosmetics Lip Cushion in Magic Hour is so easy to swipe on and completely brightens up my face. It’s also super moisturizing and hands down the best tinted lip balm I’ve ever tried. I love keeping it on my desk to have it handy at all times, and if we had anywhere to go, this would 100% be my purse lip product.

What have you been loving this month? What do you want to see more of here on LiftBakeLove? Let me know down below!

May and June Favorites

by liftbakeloveLeave a Comment on May and June Favorites

Since it’s now July (again, already? how? I was just saying this about May!), I wanted to share my favorites from May and June since I missed last month.

So I am definitely part of Kackie Reviews Beauty’s blush fam and own over 20 blushes. I love blush, particularly cream blush, and the Westman Atelier Baby Cheeks Blush Stick in Petal is the perfect “natural but makes me look way healthier and hydrated than I am” shade. And now that I just don’t feel like doing anything really, it’s so nice to have something that is so easy to put on and blend and that stays all day. It’s super expensive (I got it on sale – like everything in this post!), but I am still very tempted to get other shades because I just love this formula so much.

After watching so many of my favorite YouTubers rave about this, I finally broke down and got the Tom Ford Shade and Illuminate cream bonzer and highlight duo when it was on sale. Just like the Westman Atelier blush, it’s such amazing formula that blends like a dream, looks natural, and still makes an impact. The shade intensity 0.5 is great for my skin tone, and I even really like the highlight shade even though I know a lot of people don’t. I love how they are both a little sheer which makes it super easy to just throw on without having to be super precise.

Kaja Bento from lightest to darkest. Westman atelier Blush in Petal. Tom Ford Shade and Illuminate in 0.5.

For something that is actually a reasonable price in this list, the Kaja Beauty Bento Bouncy Shimmer Eyeshadow Trio in Toasted Caramel is an amazing set of shimmer shadows that you can wear alone or as toppers. They have a ton of different shades available, including some with mattes to make an easy 3 shadow look.I love wearing any of them all over the lid or pairing them with my other palettes to bring in some extra sparkle. I also love the packaging and how it really clicks closed, and I can’t wait to bring it with me when we can finally travel again.

I’ve talked about how much I love my Bite Beauty Lip Lab Bespoke Lipsticks before, and when I got an email that I could get a replacement for only $40 + 15% off, I jumped at the chance to get one of my favorites in the sheer formula. And, of course, it’s perfect. I love the formula, I love the color, and I love the new packaging. It was super easy to order via email from the SOHO lab where I made my original ones, and it’s definitely my new favorite lipstick.

My new sheer lipstick, and then my other 3 custom lipsticks in the satin finish.

And now a few skincare favorites:

I thought that the Caudalie Grape Water was kind of silly, to be honest. Then, it was on sale, and it’s actually fairly affordable for a spray like this anyway, so I finally got it because I’d heard so many good things about it. They were all right – it really does increase hydration, and help my other skincare sink in. It also helps calm my skin down after a workout, when my face is usually super red and hot. Less important, but it also smells great, and I love the mister on the packaging. It’s definitely my favorite spray.

Anyone knows me knows I only have one holy grail makeup remover/first cleanse, and that’s the Clinique Take Off the Day Cleansing Balm. It started feeling a bit heavy now that I’m stuck inside all day without air conditioning, and everything just feels hot and gross, so I decided to switch to the cleansing oil and see if that worked better in these circumstances. It’s great – I loved how I can pump it out from the bottle without having to dig into a jar, it works exactly the same as the balm, and it feels way lighter. I will definitely switch back to the balm in the fall/winter, but I’m so happy to have this for the summer!

With all the hand washing and walking around barefoot in my apartment with no ability to get my nails done, my hands and feet really needed some TLC. It turns out that the Sephora foot and hand masks are amazing. My hands and feet feel so hydrated and so much better after using them, and I love to stock up during their sales. All the scents I’ve tried have been awesome!

March/April Beauty Favorites

by liftbakeloveLeave a Comment on March/April Beauty Favorites

I’ll be sharing some of my favorite “stay at home purchases” as I mentioned in my last post. Since it’s now May (already? how?), I wanted to share my favorites from March and April since I took a break last month.

I’ve tried lots of wash-off face masks, but I’ve finally discovered my holy grails, and I’m so excited to share these. The first is the Peter Thomas Roth Pumpkin Enzyme Mask. I’m only using it once or twice a week, so this jar will last forever, making the price much more reasonable for me. It is one of the only things I’ve found to really help my skin when it’s feeling congested or dull when an AHA toner won’t do quite enough. It smells strongly like pumpkin, so if you’re not into that, I would consider skipping this one. For me, it’s totally worth the smell for a few minutes to get clear, bright skin. Bonus – I haven’t had any acne issues since I start using it despite my not great diet and high stress levels lately.

What I use right after the pumpkin enzyme mask to deeply moisturize my skin is the Farmacy Honey Potion Renewing Antioxidant Hydration Mask. This mask warms up as you massage it into your skin, so not only does it work to deeply moisturize and calm my skin , it’s also a really great relaxing experience. It is the perfect mask to use after an exfoliating treatment or just when your skin is feeling extra dry. My only regret is that I bought the small size! I know there are a bunch of folks who use this a few times a week, which I definitely want to do now that I understand how great it is, so I’m hoping I can pick it up on sale when I run out!

If you know me or have read my past posts, you know I definitely don’t need any more blush. I got more anyway because it’s one of my favorite product categories. I think I’ve featured blush in my favorites every month so far, and that probably won’t stop any time soon. I’m usually more drawn to cream and liquid blushes, so I very excited to have found a really amazing powder blush formula – the Em Cosmetics Heaven’s Glow Blush in Magic Hour. It provides a soft, glowy look without being overly pigmented so it is such an easy way to brighten up a look. I also use this to set cream and liquid blushes if I know I’ll be on video calls for 12 hours, and the color is perfect for that for a wide range of shades. It’s been beating out my favorite Nars and Hourglass blushes for my most used powder blush, and I really hope they come out with more than just the two shades they current have!

I’ve written about my love for Natasha Denona shadows before when I talked about my favorite products of 2019, but I know it’s not possible or practical for everyone to get a $129 or more palette. I’m so excited she came out with these $25 mini palettes with the same high quality formula and much more curated shadows so you only get what you need. The Mini Retro Eyeshadow Palette is a really great addition to my collection because the colors are so unique. I’m not sure I was able to capture them in my swatches here, but I’m loving the shade selection here. These are great to use in conjunction with other palettes (especially the shimmer shades) to add some color to an otherwise neutral look or to make a really pretty springy pink/green look.

I have found my perfect gloss formula, and they are only $14! The Tower 28 ShineOn Jelly Lip Glosses are beautifully sheer, moisturizing, glossy without being sticky, fairly long lasting for a gloss, play nicely with lipsticks and lip liners underneath, come in a great color selection – I could go on and on about these. I have the shades Fire and Fearless. Fire is a great spring/summer bright orange shade and Fearless is a really pretty berry, but both are sheer enough that I can wear them for my work calls or to warm up or cool down lip products underneath. I was going to splurge for a expensive lip oil during the Sephora sale, but these definitely fulfill that need for me, and I’m so happy I got these instead.

I definitely didn’t need more brushes, but Sonia G. restocked her pro face brushes, and I was so excited to grab the Face Pro and the Designer Pro. The Face Pro is the best brush I have found for a diffused contour and bronzer application and is able to create that diffused look with all of my powder bronzers. It’s really great for me to have a brush I can use without having to think about if it’s the right one for the formula. The Designer Pro is perfect for blush or highlight or targeted powder application and similar to the Face Pro, it works great with every formula I’ve tried it with. As with all her brushes, they look great after washing, there is very little shedding, and they have the right weight distribution to make using them a great experience. Of all my Sonia G. brushes so far, I would recommend these as these shapes are more unique in her line versus others, and if you’re looking for a super high quality brush for blush, bronzer, and highlighter, you can’t go wrong with these two.

What are you loving this month? Anything you want to see from me next? Let me know!

What’s been making me happier lately

by liftbakeloveLeave a Comment on What’s been making me happier lately

I was going to do a round up of some of my favorites purchases I’ve made for working/staying at home (and probably still will) but I realized what’s much more helpful is this: what have I been doing to make myself a little happier? Most of these are free (or close!), and I hope these suggestions will help someone out there who needs a bit of joy in their day!

Reading:
This hilarious, amazing book and all of Samantha Irby’s other books
The Anna Edit‘s tips on kitchen organization, working from home, and what books to read next
Half Baked Harvest’s Nine Favorite Things because there are so many fun and interesting links and recipes every week
M.M. LaFleur’s newsletter which has fun things to do, make, read, and watch (just like this! I like these kinds of lists a lot) – you can subscribe here.

Working out with:
My favorite dance/cardio workout from when I lived in NYC (305 Fitness) is live streaming multiple classes a day – they are so fun and effective!
My normal powerlifting program (which isn’t free, but is only $8/month), Stronger by the Day, now has a 4x a week bodyweight/at-home workout program which has been keeping my strength up with the gym closed

Still getting a pump even at home!

Listening to:
My favorite podcast of all time (Forever 35) has a full length and mini-episode every week
The hosts of Forever 35 also launched a fantastic daily podcast, Here For You, which I love listening to every morning

Watching:
I recently discovered Kackie Reviews Beauty, and she is so informative, relaxing, uplifting, and more – very much recommend her videos
Cate the Great Beauty is now doing livestreams 3 times a week! So many hot takes and skincare and makeup advice, and lots of the same people come every time, so you get to enjoy plenty of inside jokes
My usual YouTube list – Allana, Meg, Michele, The Try Guys, Amanda, Natacha, Kayley, Anna, Sam, Kristi, and Jamie
The entirety of the Office because my husband hadn’t seen it before, and clearly we needed to fix that

February 2020 SKINCARE AND MAKEUP FAVORITES

by liftbakelove2 Comments on February 2020 SKINCARE AND MAKEUP FAVORITES

I’m super excited to share my February 2020 favorites! These are 5 things that I either discovered or rediscovered in January that stood out as favorites.

I missed the original launch of the Sonia G. Sky Eye Brush Set and made sure to pre-order when they finally came back, and I’m so happy I did. These are the best eye brushes I’ve ever used, and I have some pretty amazing brushes already. Every eye look I’ve made with them has been perfect, regardless of which eyeshadow formula I’ve used. My eye look have never looked this blended, and I can finally do shadow liner with the mini booster or the flat definer. These are incredibly versatile and high quality, and I cannot recommend these enough.

I learned a great trick from Cate the Great Beauty on YouTube to make the most out of my hyaluronic acid serums. I felt like my The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid wasn’t really doing anything until I started putting it on while my skin was still wet in the shower – total game changer. My skin feels way less dry and the serum is a great base for all my other nighttime skincare. I feel like everything absorbs better on top. I’m going to try this tip with the Good Molecules one when I run out of the The Ordinary version, and I’ll report back if it works just as well!

I traveled in February, and the only color cosmetics I brought were my Salt New York Crème Tint Pros. This is my favorite cream formula, and I love how quickly I can do a natural “my face but better” look with them. They blend out super easily, are super lightweight, and are the perfect shades for me. The highlighter shade in the top right, warm tan, is also one of my favorite eye shadows to use if I want to do something super quick. They just had a presale that ended and will be opening the store back up soon.

As much as I love my Salt New York cream blushes, I discovered a new favorite blush this month. I got the new Mac Glow Play Blush in Grand, and it’s incredible. It brightens up my whole face and blends so easily. The texture is like a cross between a powder and a cream, so it looks super lifelike with a slight sheen like a cream and has great lasting power like a powder. I’m trying so hard to resist buying more colors because the formula is probably the best blush I’ve ever tried.

A skincare discovery this month, also inspired by Cate the Great Beauty, was the Glow Recipe Pineapple-C Brightening Serum. It’s one of the only Vitamin-C serums my skin can tolerate, and it really brightens my skin in the morning. I mix it with my moisturizer before sunscreen, and I think it has really helped keep my skin hydrated and smooth during the day under makeup.

I hauled quite a bit for my birthday so you’ll be seeing some new discoveries next month. There are already some things I can tell are going to earn a spot in my every day routine. I’m also always here to help you find your next favorite things, so let me know in the comments if there’s anything you want me to test out!

January 2020 Skincare and Makeup Favorites

by liftbakeloveLeave a Comment on January 2020 Skincare and Makeup Favorites

I’m super excited to share my January 2020 favorites! These are 6 things that I either discovered or rediscovered in January that stood out as favorites.

The Laneige Cica Sleeping Mask has been a skin game changer for me. I got it as a gift with purchase from Sephora and loved it so much I went and got the full size, which I hardly ever do. I have dry, sensitive skin, so I tend to wait before committing, but this is incredible. It’s $34, but you only use it twice a week, and I can tell this jar will last me forever. My skin is less red, smoother, and brighter to the point that I went multiple days in January without foundation and felt like I didn’t even need it.

Speaking of going foundation free, I ran out of my MUFE concealer and needed a replacement, so I picked up the new Hourglass Vanish Airbrush Concealer. I’ve used it sparingly as foundation all over my face, and it looks beautiful. It covers my dark circles without looking cakey, and it blends right into the skin so you can’t even tell you’re wearing makeup. I’m really excited to have this for travel since I can use it as foundation and concealer using a tiny amount and won’t have to bring multiple base products. It is a little drying so I need to make sure to moisturize well first, but I am confident this will be amazing for the spring and summer.

I definitely didn’t need any more eyeshadow, but the Viseart Petite Pro 4 was on sale, and it’s been on my wish list since it launched. I’m so happy I decided to get it. It’s the perfect mix of neutrals, and I love how small this is for travel or to take with my during the day. Like all Viseart shadows, these blend seamlessly with little fallout and aren’t overly glittery, so I can put together a look for work super quickly. It’s also only $30 even when it’s not on sale, which makes this a great option for anyone wanting to try out Viseart eyeshadow.

I fell in love with a new primer in January – the Vichy Mineral 89 Face Serum. As you can see in the photo, I’m still working through the sample size, but I am definitely get the full size when I run out. It provides a hydrating base for anything I put over it, and I love to mix it with my Hangover RX Primer or the Hollywood Flawless Filter to add some extra hydration to those.

I also rediscovered two of my long time favorites:

I finally redeemed a voucher I had for the Lancome Monsieur Big Waterproof Mascara, and I realized why this was my favorite mascara for so long. It keeps my lashes curled all day so I look way more awake, it doesn’t flake or smudge, and it comes off super easily even though it’s waterproof.

I also started wearing my Nest Citrine again, and it is my perfect every day scent. I love how fresh it is and how it stays all day despite how light the scent is. I’m trying to work through my perfume collection, but it’s been tough because this is all I’ve been wanting to wear.

I’m trying out a few new things right now that you might see in my February favorites so check back in a month if you want to learn what they are! What was your favorite discovery in January?

2019 Skincare and Hair care Favorites

by liftbakeloveLeave a Comment on 2019 Skincare and Hair care Favorites

Best skincare discoveries in 2019:
I have a ton of tried and true favorites that I’ve used every day for years (comment below if you’d like a detailed post on that!), so instead of going through each category, here are my favorite discoveries in skincare this year.

Good Molecules Niacinamide Brightening Toner – This toner is my favorite skincare discovery of 2019! It has made my skin clearer, brighter, and less dry. It’s also $14 for a huge bottle. I’m so happy Beautylish sent a free sample to me in one of my orders because this was the #1 product that changed my skin for the better this year.

Krave Beauty Kale-lalu-yAHA – After trying a bunch of other chemical exfoliants, this is the one my skin responds the best to. It keeps my skin from getting congested, and it always looks so much brighter and glowy the morning after I use it. I only use it twice a week, but I can tell a huge difference if I forget to use it when I travel.

The Ordinary Granactive Retinoid 2% Emulsion – I wasn’t expecting anything too crazy for something under $10, but this has done great things for my skin. I was having trouble with wrinkles forming on my forehead and around my mouth and using this twice a week has totally gotten rid of them. It didn’t cause any purging or redness either, so I’m super excited to have found this.

Fresh Lotus Youth Preserve Dream Night Cream – My friend Vera recommended this to me when I was looking to replace the reformulated Clinique Moisture Surge (which I had used for ten years!). She was right in that it was exactly what I was looking for. It’s incredibly moisturizing without being oily, and it smells amazing. I’ve already gone through a full jar in 2019 and repurchased another and can say for sure that this will be a staple for me for many years to come.

Krave Beauty The Beet Shield – My favorite sunscreen was discontinued earlier this year, so I had to look for a replacement. Since I already loved the Kale-lalu-yAHA and had heard great things about the Beet Shield for dry skin, I decided to try it. This sunscreen blends in so quickly, leaves no whitecast, and doesn’t dry out my skin like many others do. I can also confirm it works – I used it for a week in Las Vegas and two in Florida without getting any color on my face.

Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse Multi-Purpose Dry Oil – This is hands down the best body moisturizer I have ever found, and I have tried dozens at this point. It sinks in so fast, is lightweight and not greasy, and keeps my skin moisturized for days. I can also mix it in to my other moisturizers super easily if I want an extra boost. I usually get incredibly dry skin in the winter to the point of being itchy all over, but haven’t had that problem at all this year thanks to this dry oil.

Best hair care discoveries in 2019:
In 2019, I bought a few too many Sephora Favorites Hair sets and got a bunch of hair related gifts with purchase. This led to me having over 50 hair products to try this year. My favorites of the bunch are:

Bumble and Bumble Hairdresser’s Invisible Oil Shampoo, Conditioner, and Primer and the While You Sleep Damage Repair Masque – This line and the mask are magic for my hair. Together, they keep it looking shiny, soft, and frizz-free without weighing it down. Plus, it smells amazing and compliments all the perfumes I own vs overpowering them (like DryBar products can do). I only use the mask about once every 3 weeks, and that’s been more than enough to keep my hair feeling great.

Ouai Wave Spray – I had decluttered this years ago for feeling sticky and not doing much for my hair, but now that I have it back in my collection, I have no idea what I was thinking. It works incredibly well after I curl my hair to give it some texture and beachiness without making anything crunchy. I do think it works much better because I now have shorter hair, but I can definitely say it works better than the other wave sprays I tried this year.

dpHUE Apple Cider Vinegar Rinse – When dry shampoo and other products have built up in my hair, this rinse does such a great job getting it clean again. It doesn’t leave my hair dry or overly stripped. It was particularly useful after my engagement shoot and wedding when I had what felt like gallons of hair spray in my hair. It got it all out super quickly, and my hair felt exactly the same as before.

Tangle Teezer – I own a ton of hair brushes at this point, and I thought that it didn’t make a huge difference what you used. This brush totally changed my mind. I love how compact it is and how it fits in my hand, and I can use it with wet or dry hair with limited breakage. The best part for me is that I have some waviness in my hair when it airs dries, and this brush doesn’t straighten them out at all.

Next up – brushes and lifestyle favorites!