Loving Lately | August Favorites

September 05, 2017 in Makeup, Skincare

It's been awhile since I did a full-on "Favorites" post, although I had been sort of disguising them in my monthly edit posts. This month I packed up my life and moved into a new house, so I became dedicated to a small edit of products as the rest of them were packed up and ready to move.

For pretty much the whole month of August, I was mixing together three of my favorite Glossier products for the perfect glowy pink cheek: Haloscope in Moonstone, and Cloud Paints* in Haze and Puff. I've fallen especially hard for Moonstone lately - the opalescent sheen it gives has been perfect with the cooler tones I've been reaching for. The Cloud Paints are forever my favorite blushes, and mixing Haze and Puff creates the most perfect pink shade for me that makes me look healthy, rested, and glowy. Speaking of Glossier, August marked the launch of Wowder* (review), and I've been smitten. I wasn't even a huge fan of powders before and rarely wore it, but now I've been using it every day. I've had a lot less issues with mascara smudging now that I'm setting under my eyes every day. And I love that it doesn't dry my skin out. Make sure you shop Glossier through my rep link!

One thing I love using on quick, minimal makeup days is a champagne-colored eyeshadow stick to brighten up my eyes. The Nudestix Magnetic Eye Color in Angel is the perfect nude champagne shade. It's not overly sparkly, but just shimmery enough to add some brightness and light to the eyes. The formula is beautiful, blends easily, and doesn't budge once set. You can use the code "DADMUNK10" on nudestix.com for 10% off there, too!

The last makeup bit I reached for a lot in August was the MAC Lipstick in Craving. My sister was getting rid of this, and having an affinity for berry pinks, I grabbed it. It's an Amplified formula, so it's quite creamy and very pigmented. The shade is a lovely medium-toned berry pink. My favorite way to wear this is dabbed into the lips - it instantly brightens up the complexion.

As for skincare, I've really been working to detox and exfoliate my skin - the stress of moving to a new house was really taking its toll on my skin, but I've finally gotten it under control. The Pixi Peel & Polish* has been a lifesaver. It's a quick exfoliating mask using fruit enzymes and lactic acid to gently resurface the skin. It only takes 2-3 minutes and gives instant results, so I love using this in the morning when my skin needs a pick-me-up. It really smooths the skin and gives a perfect canvas for makeup.

When I've been needing a bit more of a detox, I've been going for the Origins Original Skin Retexturizing Mask with Rose Clay. This is probably my favorite clay mask out of all of them I've tried. It really feels like it's cleaning out the skin, but it doesn't feel stripping or dry me out. It also has jojoba beads to gently exfoliate as you wash the mask off, and they burst to help rehydrate the skin. It's a favorite for sure, and not just because it's pink!

What were your favorites for August?

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

Six Overnight Masks for Ultimate Beauty Sleep

September 01, 2017 in Skincare

Since I talked about my favorites for looking awake on early mornings earlier in the week, I thought the natural progression would be to bring up the face masks I like using overnight to wake up with better skin. As I have quite dull, dehydrated skin, I love going for a masks that will give my skin a kick of brightness and hydration - which, lucky for me, is what most overnight masks on the market take care of.

The Miracle One | There's one that's genuinely blown me away in the past few weeks - the J.One Black Jelly Pack was definitely an impulse buy, but it's one I don't regret at all. It's the sister product to the original Jelly Pack in the white bottle, which i use during the day. The black version is meant to hydrate and repair dry, dull complexions overnight. It uses the power of seven antiaging ingredients: red wine, black cumin seed, black truffle, black currant, blackberry, black bee propolis, and black pearl. Just reading the description had me sold. It's a lightweight, jelly texture that I pat into my skin at night, and come morning, my skin is so smooth, plump, and glowing. If you get one thing from this post, it should be this.

The Glow-giving One | The Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Sleeping Mask has been very popular since its launch earlier this summer, and for good reason. The packaging and beautiful pink color are what initially drew me in, but the product itself is lovely as well. It smells like pure watermelon and has a fun bouncy and wiggly texture, and it sinks into the skin beautifully. It works to exfoliate and brighten the skin overnight using AHAs, as well as tone and hydrate with watermelon extract and hyaluronic acid. It's not quite hydrating enough on my skin to use on its own, but I still see great results when topping it with a night cream. I wake up to ridiculously smooth, glowy skin every time.

The Hydrating Ones | The majority of my overnight masks are ones whose main purpose is to deeply hydrate. Unlike the first two masks I mentioned, I use a thin layer of all of these over a night cream (rather than on their own) to really lock everything in. The Laneige Water Sleeping Mask is one I've been reaching for over and over again lately. It's got a lightweight gel texture that really quenches the skin. Despite sinking in and almost drying down, it still leaves my skin so incredibly hydrated come morning. Usually I need to feel like my face is a greased-up frying pan to be able to sleep, but not when wearing this. The Dr. Jart+ Water Fuse Hydro Sleep Mask* has a similar feel to the Laneige, but is maybe a bit more creamy rather than gel-like. This helps to keep my skin balanced and hydrated all night long. I look glowy, but not shiny, in the morning. This one really plumps up my skin and helps smooth out any texture. Going even more to the cream side of the gel/cream products is the CosRx Ultimate Nourishing Rice Overnight Spa Mask. This feels the most like a normal night cream, but still feels weightless on the skin. This one feels the most moisturizing of the bunch here and keeps my skin super nourished and healthy-looking overnight. My last pick isn't technically an overnight mask, but when my skin is feeling super dry, I love using a thin layer of the Glossier Moisturizing Moon Mask overnight. This really makes the skin plump, bright, and glowy.

What are your favorite overnight masks?

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

Feeling Fresh All Day Long

August 31, 2017 in Lifestyle, Skincare, Makeup

This post contains sponsored content by Secret.

One of the biggest challenges I face day-to-day in the summer is keeping on top of feeling fresh, bright-eyed, and bushy-tailed all day. I take good care of myself in the morning, but on hot days I need a little more help so as to not devolve into a sweaty, greasy mess by lunchtime. I’ve added some bits into my routine that’s really helping me feel bright and healthy throughout the day.

I’ve been starting off my day with the Secret Invisible Spray deodorants - I used to always be a stick deodorant kind of gal, but these have seriously wowed me. The spray is super convenient and easy. One quick spray is all I need, and it gets me out the door that much faster. They feel dry as you spray them on, so you’re not going to have to wait around for it to dry. These just launched in July in four scents: Cool Waterlily, Luxe Lavender (my favorite), Glam Grapefruit, and Boho Berry, and are formulated to help you feel clean and fresh for up to 48 hours. The scents really do last all day long, and rather than mixing with your sweat, they work to capture and lock away underarm odor - I can really attest to this, as these kept me feeling clean and fresh even while moving into a new house in 90 degree heat. They’re also formulated with Fade Resistant Scent Technology, so you’ll never go nose-blind to your chosen scent.

Along with making sure my body feels fresh to get ready for the day, I also need to take care of my face - a detoxifying face wash is my first step in my skincare routine on days I know I’ll need a boost. It creates a really clean, bright canvas for the rest of my skincare and makeup. If I have time, I also like to prep my skin with a moisturizing mask. They help to cool down and plump up my skin as well as keep it hydrated all day. My last necessity in the mornings to feel fresh is a minty lip balm. Not only does this keep my lips hydrated and smooth, but the mint provides a cooling kick that feels refreshing.

On my way out the door, I’ll make sure to take a few bits with me for touchups. The Secret Invisible Sprays are perfect for on-the-go because they won’t stain your clothes, and again, there’s no wait time after applying. So far I’ve been good with just one spray in the morning and won’t need a touchup, but I like to carry around my scent for the day as peace of mind. I’ll also pop a setting powder into my bag, because the Secret may keep sweat at bay under my arms, but I still may need a few touchups for my face. Face mists are a must to carry around as well - if I’m feeling overheated and a bit grimy, they feel refreshing and cooling right away.

Since I’ve started using the Secret Invisible Sprays, I’ve really amped up my “freshen up” game - they’re game changers for sure!

Have you tried the Secret Invisible Sprays yet? What do you use to make sure you feel fresh all day?

All opinions are my own. Please see my disclaimer for more information.