May Favorites

This is a bit of a departure for me. I almost never do favorite posts, but since I only used up 1 full sized item in May, I thought I'd talk about some of the items I've been loving lately. I am going to combine my May and June empties into one post coming your way early July.

I found myself reaching for easy options this month. My allergies have been bothering me and my skin has been a bit of a mess but the weather has made heavy foundation uncomfortable.

I went back to using my Missha Perfect Cover BB Cream in No #13. I was absolutely thrilled when Missha introduced this pale neutral shade. I covers better than a tinted moisturizer and somehow stays put even when I sweat. The SPF 42+++ is also a great for sunny days. Missha almost always runs deals on their website, so you should be able to get this for far less than the retail price if you're interested in trying it.

The Body Shop Born Lippy Stick in Strawberry has been my lip balm of choice at nighttime. The slightly waxier consistency means that it stays on my lips through till morning and doesn't slide around during the night. My lips feel soft and moisturized when I wake up and a plus, it smells like strawberry Bubble Yum.

This L'Oreal Infallible Eyeshadow in Eternal Sunshine has been a great swipe and go color. It instantly brightens the eye area and remains subtle for day time. It can be applied with either a finger or a big fluffy brush. Even if I don't put on a base, you barely notice the creasing unless you look at it up close due to the light color (as an aside, I do get creasing with these).

I've had mixed thoughts about the Real Techniques brushes but this one is great. It's the Real Techniques Setting Brush and is a fairly new edition to the brush line up. This little brush is absolutely perfect for highlighter. I've also used it for setting my under eye concealer, cream blushes and even putting on an all over eyeshadow color. I believe this brush retails for $7.99 and it is definitely worth it. I'm thinking of picking up another one the next time the line goes on sale at ULTA.

If you have sensitive skin like I do that tends to be drier, I highly recommend using a men's facial shaving balm for shaving your legs. I've been using one from a small Etsy seller Ophelia's Apothecary. I don't know why I even mention the name of the shop as the customer service I received was absolutely horrible. I ordered in November and only after opening a complaint via Etsy did I finally get my package in January. Seriously, don't order and I'm not linking them. This is more of a general favorite anyway. Using a thick balmy product for shaving has really helped on cutting down the irritation on my legs. This one has shea butter but there are a ton on the market at different price points. If the constant shaving for shorts/skirts weather has your legs in agony, try a mens shaving balm.

I know this isn't a makeup favorite, but I have absolutely loved this little necklace I received in a previous Little Black Bag. It's by the brand Gorjana which I have been absolutely obsessed with and due to the price point of their store, getting things at a fraction of the retail price through Little Black Bag has been amazing. This piece is simple and is on a longer chain and looks awesome with practically everything. I wear it at least once a week and I get a ton of compliments on it.

Um yeah, another non makeup favorite but I am obsessed with my new toy. I was contemplating buying one of these and was deciding between different brands and models when a box wound up on my doorstep. Apparently, my dad got tired of me talking about this whenever I came over and oo-ed and ah-ed over theirs so he bought me one out of the blue. I love my Keurig. I now know what all the hype is over and it has cut down my coffee expenses tremendously. I used to buy a coffee practically every morning at Starbucks, which at the minimum was $3 if I bought a regular iced coffee, now my daily coffee tab is more like a buck.

So those were my May favorites. What did you love in May?

Disclosure: Referral link utilized.

Current Faves

Kiehls Nurturing Baby Cream for Face and Body: This is in Kiehls Babies line but I find it great for dry sensitive skin in the winter. This is a very rich emollient cream with a very subtle scent especially suited for babies delicate skin. My skin literally drinks this stuff up and unlike some of the lotions and creams I get in the drugstore, I don't need to squeeze out tons of it to get the desired softness - a little will do, which makes the $18.50 price a bit more reasonable. I usually use this on my hands and body but have been known to put a little on my face when it's quite dry at night. The next morning it is super soft. Also the tube is kind of cute, huh? Major ingredients include apricot kernel oil, shea butter, glycerin and honey.

Benefit "That Gal" Primer: I bought this during Sephora's Sale Sale in this set. At $28 at regular price, I feel it is over-priced but in the set it came out to about $9 and that is a bit more reasonable. This comes in a weird sort of packaging but it works and at least so far hasn't broken me out (I've been using it a bit over a week now and quite like it). It kind of reminds me a super thick lipgloss tube, the product twists up and then out in little holes poked in the top. It's a pink cream that smells faintly of strawberries though I wouldn't necessarily call it moisturizing. However, it's not super thick or sticky like a lot of primers on the market and it does a decent job of evening out my skin tone and making a good base for foundation/concealer.

Garden Botanika Eye Shadow in Blossom: I picked this up when ULTA clearanced the GB brand and this shadow had an unfortunate fall recently but that doesn't mean I won't give it the love it deserves. This is a very pale matte pink color and does a great job of brightening my eye area up. I also sometimes use it to set my under eye concealer since it's very close to my skintone. It gives me a "my eyes but better" look and my eyes instantly look fresher with a little bit of this and a coat or 2 of mascara.

Coffee by Cuisinart Coffee Maker: Yes, I know this isn't makeup. But I do love coffee (I put a little lite whipped cream in it for foam).