The Monthly Review | May

UM - how are we just one day away from it being June? May was a whirlwind of a month that started with a bang - trips to New York City with Glossier and Newport with Brett, and has since settled down a little. 

Beauty

This month my beauty picks have been all about Glossier - the new sunscreen, Invisible Shield, launched this month (review), and I've been using it every day since. I haven't been able to love a sunscreen enough to wear every day until now. It's truly weightless and feels like nothing on the skin. I've been all about Glossier products for my base too - Priming Moisturizer, Perfecting Skin Tint, and Stretch Concealer. It leaves a beautiful dewy base that lets your skin show through. You can get 20% off your first Glossier order here.

I've also been super into cream cheek products lately, especially in stick form. They're super quick to apply and add a lovely flush to the cheeks. My go-tos have been the Nudestix Nudies All Over Face Color in Naughty 'N Spice (review) and the Smashbox LA Lights Blendable Lip & Cheek Color in Mulholland Mauve. Another group of products I've been loving this month are sheer, glossy lip products. I can't stop wearing things like the new Wander Beauty Beach Balm,* Nudestix Gel Color Lip + Cheek Balm in Pulse, and the NARS Lip Tint in Ephelide (review). 

One last beauty update - I'm still head over heels for my Byredo Rose of No Man's Land Perfume Oil, but this month I've been wearing Byredo Mojave Ghost more and more. My friend Miran is an absolute babe and saved a bunch of leftover goodies from the Glossier rep meetup she organized at The Wing and passed them onto a few of us when we met up with her in New York. I can't describe what Mojave Ghost smells like at all, but I absolutely love it, and now the scent reminds me of what a lovely time I had in New York.

Music/TV

For most of the month I wasn't listening to much music because I was constantly listening to My Favorite Murder instead. But Harry Styles's new album came out in the middle of the month and I haven't been able to stop listening to it. I like every single song on the album, and I can listen to the whole thing start to finish on my way to work. Brett and I saw Guardians of the Galaxy 2 this month, too, and it got me back into that kind of music. The movie was just as good as the first one, I think!

As for TV, I've been binge-watching series left and right while Brett is on his new work schedule. I watched all the episodes of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend that were on Netflix and absolutely loved it. I'm a huge fan of musicals, so this was right up my alley. Once I finished that, I watched Schitt's Creek - it's such a good show! It wasn't quite laugh-out-loud funny, but all the actors in it were great and fun to watch. I've now started watching Veep and Frasier over from the beginning (I go for Frasier when HBOGo freezes up), and it's reminding me how much I loved them.

Other Highlights

The most obvious highlight of the month was my trip to New York with Glossier - it was honestly a dream come true. I wish I had taken my camera around so I could write a whole post on it, but it was such an amazing, inspiring experience. It was awesome to meet the GTeam, see the "Gloffice," and we even got to see behind the scenes of Invisible Shield before it launched. The whole trip was just one big highlight to me, but standout moments were getting to meet an incredible group of women (including Amelia and Jodie, who I had been talking to online for almost a year!), seeing Emily Ferber go through her favorite beauty products over breakfast, having dinner with Emily Weiss, and being recognized by my Instagram handle when introducing myself to people at Glossier ("You're Dadmunk!"). 

Brett and I also took a quick weekend trip to Newport, RI this month, and it was a nice little getaway. We saw an improv show that was so good (just like Whose Line Is It Anyway?), walked the Cliff Walk (which was beautiful even though it was gloomy outside), and had the best breakfast ever.

This past weekend was a highlight, too - my sister came home for the weekend, so it was nice to spend time with her and my parents. We had lunch with my grandparents, too, which is always one of my favorite things to do when we're both home!

On the wedding front, there haven't been many updates, but we did find a photographer! She's the sweetest, and I'm looking forward to the day even more now. Her style is exactly what I was imagining for the day - every photo looks so natural and candid, and I felt so at ease speaking with her. 

What were the highlights of your month?

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Nudestix #BabeBoss Faves Box | Review + Swatches

A brand I haven't gotten around to trying much, but that's been impressing me left and right lately, is Nudestix. Just last month I reviewed two of their new Nudies All Over Face Color sticks, and I've still been using them as part of my daily routine. Nudestix is a brand focused on easy-to-use stick products that are perfect for on-the-go people, perform well, let your natural beauty shine through, and are vegan and cruelty-free. As someone who likes to throw on their makeup at their desk every morning as quickly as possible, this kind of message really speaks to me. One of their latest releases is the #Babeboss Faves Box, a collection of six best-selling lip and cheek crayons each chosen by a beauty influencer. 

If you're looking for an introduction to the brand, I think this would be such a good place to start. For one, it's such a good deal price-wise. These makeup crayons usually retail for around $24 each, but this set of six full-size products is $59. If there are at least three colors in the set you'd wear, then it's definitely worth your while. It's also a great intro to the brand because there are multiple formulas included: the Intense Matte Lip + Cheek Pencil, Magnetic Matte Lip Color, Gel Color Lip + Cheek Balm, and original creamy Lip + Cheek Pencil. Most of the shades are nudes/neutrals, which are always my favorites, and there are two bolder shades. As I said, I've been so impressed with the brand's formulas overall, so let's get into each product in the set.

Lip + Cheek Pencil, 'Sin' | This product was selected by the founders of Nudestix, Ally & Taylor Frankel. It's a beautiful rosy shade that adds a pretty pink flush to the lips and cheeks. It's the perfect accent to a no-makeup makeup look and just makes you look radiant and healthy. This pencil is super creamy and comfortable to apply and has a bit of a sheen on the lips.

Gel Color Lip + Cheek Balm, 'Pulse' | This was the color I was most excited about in the set because it was selected by Samantha Ravndahl - one of my favorite people to follow on Instagram and watch on YouTube. The Gel Color is a beautifully balmy product that's quite sheer and glossy. Pulse is a plummy nude that looks like it would be flattering on a lot of skintones. It gives your lips a little "something-something," and it leaves a lovely dewy glow on the cheeks.

Intense Matte Lip + Cheek Pencil, 'Purity' | This color was selected by Jaleesa M, and it's one of the prettiest nude shades I've ever used. It's the perfect combination of brown, peach, and pink, so it seems like it would be universally flattering. These are some of the creamiest mattes I've ever tried, and they're extremely pigmented in one swipe. There's still the tiniest bit of sheen left on the lips, making them still look full, but they last an incredibly long time.

Sin, Pulse, Purity, Boho, Burgundy, Stiletto

Magnetic Matte Lip Color, 'Boho' | This shade was selected by Lynette Cenee. It's a beautiful deeper brown nude that adds a flattering 90s vibe to any look. I haven't used a true brown shade like this in awhile, but this one is reminding me how much I love the look. It's not too warm that it pulls orange on me, while not being too cool that it drains any life from my face. The Magnetic Matte formula is insane - more matte than the Intense Mattes, and they feel lightweight and last absolutely ages.

Magnetic Matte Lip Color, 'Burgundy' | This color was chosen by Cydnee Black. I've been loving these kinds of vampy red shades lately (so in season, I know), and this one is one of the prettiest. Again, it's super matte, so you know it's not going anywhere. This is one of the more wearable red shades I have, I feel, because it seems to be a little muted, with a little bit of a brown tone thrown in. It looks stunning paired with really minimal makeup.

Intense Matte Lip + Cheek Pencil, 'Stiletto' | This shade was selected by Karen Yeung. This was the one shade I didn't see myself wearing in the set, as it looked warm on everyone I saw wearing it. It's actually (on me, at least), more of a blue-toned red, which is my favorite kind of red to wear. It's very bright and poppy, similar to NARS Dragon Girl - I think Stiletto has knocked it out of my number one favorite spot! Like Purity, it's a really lovely almost satin-matte formula that's creamy and comfortable on the lips but doesn't slide around.

I'm so pleased with this set, and it was such a nice surprise to find all of the shades completely wearable on my skintone. I think they did a great job choosing the shades included - they really seem like they'd be flattering on anyone. I really admire Nudestix for collaborating with such a diverse set of influencers on this set - it's not every day you see a brand showing women of color the recognition they deserve. 

You can get the #BabeBoss Faves Box from Nudestix, Sephora, Ulta, and Beautylish.

(This post hasn't been sponsored, I just think this set is the greatest of deals for really amazing products!)

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Five to Try

There are few things I love more than discovering my love for a new beauty product. I'm constantly trying new things hoping to find some hidden gems, and I've rounded up a few beauties this time. My five selections this time around really reflect the look I'm going for this spring/summer - seriously glowy, bronze skin and flushed lips.

Guerlain Terracotta Sun Trio | I already have one of the Guerlain Terracotta bronzers in my collection, but I love it so much that I just had to try the new addition to the Terracotta line, the Sun Trio. It's a light highlighting shade, warm medium shade, and cool contour shade all housed in one compact, and the formula is just beautiful. The shades work together perfectly, and on lazy days I've been just swirling the shades together to get my perfect hybrid bronzer/contour shade. I have the lightest shade, but it does come in a few more shades to suit multiple skintones. The powder is quite perfumed though, so do be aware of that.

Smashbox LA Lights Blendable Lip & Cheek Color | I had been wanting one of these since I saw Tamira Jarrel rave about them, but my love for Glossier Cloud Paint kept me from trying any new blushes. I finally took the plunge and ordered Mulholland Mauve, and I'm so glad I did. It's a beautiful neutral shade that adds warmth, definition, and a flush to the skin all at once. I haven't tried much from Smashbox, but the formula is lovely as well - it's really blendable as the name suggests, but it doesn't just blend away. You're left with a decent amount of pigment that stays put all day. There's a sponge on the end to aid with blending, but I've just been using my fingers.

Wander Beauty Beach Balm* | I love a good tinted lip balm. When Wander Beauty asked if I'd like to be sent their newest product, the Beach Balm, which is available in a beautiful shade called Sangria, I jumped at the chance. I've loved everything from Wander Beauty I've tried so far, and this balm is no exception. It hydrates the lips well and leaves a lovely wash of berry red on the lips. It really gives the lips a "just bitten" effect, which I really love on minimal makeup days. If you're in the market for a new tinted balm for the summer, definitely check this one out.

Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Sleeping Mask | I only just recently got this, but I can already tell it's a winner. I'm going to be reviewing Glow Recipe's new own-brand skincare products once I test them some more, so keep an eye out for that. So far, I'm in love with this mask though. I'll admit I was drawn in entirely by the packaging, but I'm staying for the fresh watermelon scent. It's a gel/jelly-textured mask that spreads over the skin easily and instantly feels cooling and hydrating. You can either leave it on overnight (it's not sticky and won't come off on your pillow), or apply a thicker layer and wash it off after 10 minutes. So far I've only used it overnight, and I've woken up to bright, smooth skin. My skin is dry and drank the mask right up, so I did follow it up with a thicker moisturizer, but I still saw the results that the mask claimed.

Anese Slay Serum* | I mentioned this in my New In Skincare post recently, and it's been love since first use. It's a lotion-like texture that sinks into the skin easily without any tackiness or stickiness. And oh my the glow - it leaves my skin so glowy, but not greasy in the slightest. I've tried it at night and in the morning, and either way, my glow is set for the day.

What products do you think are worth trying?

*Products mentioned have been sent to me for consideration, but all opinions are my own. Please see my disclaimer for more information.

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