The Monthly Review | January

Usually I start out my end-of-the-month posts with a statement of how quickly the month went by. But this wasn't the case with January, it just dragged by so slowly and I'm pretty happy it's finally over. I always feel like January is such a downer of a month, too - the holidays are over, and it's just dark and cold and gloomy all the time. I'm trialing a new type of monthly post instead of a favorites post, so without further ado, let's get into it.

BEAUTY

Of course I still had to throw some beauty in here. This month basically centered around the Glossier Priming Moisturizer Rich* (review) for me. I was lucky enough to be sent it early to try it before the launch, and it really is something special. A late favorite was the new Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipstick in Pillow Talk. The Lip Cheat in the same shade is my absolute favorite, so I had to jump on the limited-edition release of the matching lipstick. I've gotten back into wearing eyeshadow this month and I have the Tom Ford Eyeshadow Quad in Nude Dip to thank for that - it's probably the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. I've also fallen for the Colourpop Pressed Eyeshadows in the last week of the month - I'll have a review up this week.

TV/MOVIES/BOOKS

Brett and I binge-watched Westworld earlier this month on HBO, and I was blown away by it. Every episode left me with more questions, so I'm excited to watch Season 2 when it comes out. I also watched all of A Series of Unfortunate Events when it came out on Netflix - I loved those books when I was a kid, and it was really cool to see them brought to life (I loved the movie with Jim Carrey, but it was nice to see the books followed more closely). Most of the other things I've been watching have been things like the original Star Wars and Singin' in the Rain. I was really shaken by the deaths of Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds at the end of December, so it's really motivated me to revisit their work. If you loved them, too, I'd definitely recommend the HBO Documentary Bright Lights, which took a super intimate and heartwarming look at their relationship. Similarly, I've also been reading Carrie Fisher's books this month. When I'm on lunch at work though, I'm still working my way through George R.R. Martin's A Storm of Swords. 

Just this past weekend, Brett and I saw La La Land and I absolutely fell in love with it. I'm a huge fan of old-Hollywood musicals, and it really brought back that kind of nostalgia for me. I won't spoil it, but I was left pretty emotionally-wrecked by the end of it. But I'm still planning on seeing it again!

MUSIC

After listening to nothing but Christmas music nonstop last month, it was nice to get back into some normal music. I went back into listening to my playlist of oldies like Simon & Garfunkel, Carole King, and James Taylor for the most part - it's the kind of music my dad always has playing when I'm home, so it feels super comforting whenever I listen to it - it feels like home. I can already tell that after this weekend, though, I'll be listening to the La La Land soundtrack a lot - I've already been annoying Brett by listening to the Planetarium song around the house.

OTHER HIGHLIGHTS

I know I said this month dragged by, but there have certainly been highlights. Brett and I tried a few new restaurants, including an Indian place right down the street from us and a ramen place that just opened the next town over. My two best friends from home also visited this month, and I got to ask them to be my bridesmaids! We had a super fun afternoon catching up. I'm already looking forward to February because just this weekend I'll be trying on wedding dresses for the first time, getting lunch with my grandparents, and getting my fourth tattoo.

Let me know how you liked this "review" post rather than a normal monthly favorites! What were your highlights of the month?

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I'd also like to take a moment to say that there have been many horrible things happening in the country and in the world this month, and the continuation of my regular posts is in no way a reflection of my ignorance or apathy towards what's going on. I want to keep this space a positive escape, but I'm working to use my voice on my other platforms, like Twitter, to share my opinions and amplify voices that should be heard.

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Four Blogs to Follow

I've been reading blogs for such a long time, longer than I've been writing my own. I love having a read through other people's blogs - seeing them working so hard and being so passionate is super motivating and inspiring. There are tons of blogs I try to stay up-to-date on, but right now there are four from which I make sure to never miss a post.

Cindyhyue

Cindy's blog is a work of art - her photos are gorgeous, every post is informative and well-thought-out, and I just love how she lays out the photos and text in each post. She makes me want pretty much every product she features because she manages to make it look so gorgeous in photos. We have really similar taste in products, so I always have a browse of her blog if I'm feeling spendy - lately she's got me wanting to try all things Tatcha.

Amelia Says

Amelia's blog is another one that's just beautiful - I just love how she plays with light in photos! She's a huge Glossier fangirl like me, and like Cindy, we also have similar taste. She writes the most detailed, well-researched posts on skincare ingredients that are super interesting. You can really see the amount of work and creativity that she puts into every post, so it always leaves me coming back for more.

The Minimal Journal

Caitlin's blog is one that I've only started reading recently, and I can't believe I didn't start earlier. She brings such a refreshing attitude towards beauty, focusing on a more pared-back approach rather than the "buy everything" mentality you see a lot nowadays. She's another one with lovely photos, and she always posts the most beautiful looks. She's really talented, and I love how she pairs a more dramatic eye with fresh skin - those kinds of looks are right up my alley.

Thirteen Thoughts

Paula's blog has been one of my favorites for awhile. She writes a mix of beauty, lifestyle, and blogging tips posts that are always so well-written and interesting. I'm sounding like a broken record here, but her photos are absolutely beautiful as well - you can really tell they're hers when you see them. I especially love her tips posts - they're actually some of the only tips posts I read because she comes off as genuinely helpful and not at all preachy. I've learned some super useful camera tricks from her!

What are some of your favorite blogs to follow?

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Spotlight | Drunk Elephant Skincare

If I was forced to pick just one favorite skincare brand, I think I would pick Drunk Elephant. I've now tried a good portion of the line, and I've just fallen in love with everything. It's a bit of a pricey collection, but you can really see their dedication to delivering the best ingredients and also their effort to preserve them in the best packaging. Drunk Elephant's philosophy on ingredients is refreshing - rather than touting phrases with no real scientific basis like "all-natural," they are up front about their use of both natural and synthetic ingredients. However, they won't use an ingredients unless it directly benefits the skin or the integrity of the product - favoring safety and bio-compatibility rather than what ingredients are "trending." They are sure to exclude sensitizing ingredients like silicones, colorants, fragrances, and chemical screens, so their products really are for every skin type. For reference, my skin is normal to dry and prone to dehydration, and I occasionally have hormonal breakouts on my chin.

C-Firma Day Serum | I think if you get one thing from Drunk Elephant, it should be this Vitamin C Serum - it's seriously changed my morning skincare game. This works to brighten and firm the skin with a potent mixture of Vitamin C (L-absorbic acid), ferulic acid, and Vitamin E to prevent free radical damage and replenish lost lipids in the skin. There's no risk of the antioxidants losing their effectiveness from air and light exposure because of the genius packaging - it's opaque so it won't let light in, and the pump ensures no air will get inside. I instantly see a difference in the brightness of my skin when I use this - it's perfect for perking up the skin on tired mornings. Vitamin C is also known to help increase the effectivity of SPF, so this is especially a necessity when I know I'm going to be outside (I work in a place with no daylight so SPF isn't a priority during the week).

T.L.C. Framboos Glycolic Night Serum | The nighttime counterpart to the Vitamin C Serum, this exfoliating serum containing a 12% AHA/BHA blend works to resurface and brighten the skin overnight. The blend of acids used is composed of glycolic, lactic, tartaric, citric, and salicylic acids. It's a clear gel that instantly sinks into the skin and feels pretty moisturizing. It also contains Horse chestnut and white tea to calm and soothe the skin. The product, however, is formulated to avoid sensitizing the skin - it's at the ideal pH of 3.8-4.0. I always wake up with such bright, radiant, and smooth skin after using this.

Virgin Marula Luxury Facial Oil | This is another star of the show for me. I'm a big fan of facial oils in general as I find they keep my skin nourished and also balanced. Marula oil is great for the skin because it contains important antioxidants as well as Omegas 6 and 9. This one just feels so juicy and hydrating on the skin without feeling heavy. This oil is totally pure and virtually untouched - it's cold-pressed and never bleached, cut, or deodorized. They just wrote a post on their Instagram here explaining this further. Long story short, if I could only keep one of my facial oils, I'd pick this one in a heartbeat.

Lala Retro Whipped Cream | This is my all-time favorite cream to use at night. It's able to keep my skin moisturized all night long despite the dry heat. This is a whipped blend of six African oils, so it really intensely nourishes the skin, and you can really tell there's oils involved. Because of its whipped texture though, it doesn't feel heavy. I think someone with oily skin could even get away with using this, albeit a smaller dollop than I use. In addition to the oils it also contains Plaintain extract to firm and brighten, sodium hyaluronate crosspolymer to hydrate, and fermented green tea to combat irritation and aging. I'm currently scraping the last dregs out of this and will be repurchasing any day now - I'm super intrigued by the new packaging with the airless pump!

T.L.C. Sukari Babyfacial | The newest product to the line and also to my collection, I'm already head over heels in love with this at-home peel. Formulated with the same TLC blend (tartaric, lactic, and citric acids) as the night serum, this uses a much higher percentage of 25% AHAs as well as 2% salicylic acid. This leaves my skin incredibly smooth, and my pores feel as vacuumed as when I use a charcoal mask without the harshness that comes along with that. I use this once a week for about twenty minutes before washing it off - I experience some tingling when I first apply the product but it goes away immediately, and I'm not left with any redness or irritation afterward. Like the Night Serum, this is formulated at an ideal pH for effectiveness as well as to avoid skin irritation and redness, 3.5-3.6. It also contains chickpea flour to absorb excess oils without overdrying the skin, pumpkin ferment extract to further gently exfoliate as well as provide fatty acids and antioxidants, and matcha, milk thistle, and apple extracts to condition and soothe the skin. This is quickly becoming my favorite product I've tried from the brand because of the instant difference I feel in my skin. I follow up with the Marula oil (a sample is included in the box!) and the Lala cream, and my skin literally feels buttery smooth.

Have you tried anything from Drunk Elephant? What are your favorites?

And this post wasn't sponsored, I just really love the brand and have purchased all the products myself!

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