April Beauty Round-up

I’ve officially passed the 60-day mark in quarantine. In every aspect, consistency and routine are what’s keeping me sane. I get up around the same time each day, have the same breakfast, write for a bit, work out, get dressed and make lunch. Then it’s more writing and then I make dinner. And so on. It’s gotten predictable which has made the days move by more quickly. Thank god.

What’s keeping you sane?

When it comes to my beauty routine, consistency has also kept me from having any major issues. Adding new products into my routine is always something I do gradually. I purchase very similar types of products from different brands, making sure the ingredients aren’t too far off from something I know my skin likes. As tempting as the new arrivals may be, I add in something new only when its predecessor is officially gone, that way I can truly measure how my skin reacts.

I had a little breakout at the beginning — mostly small pimples but one cystic whopper that left me a lovely purple parting gift on my cheek. Now, it’s dryness I’m dealing with. I haven’t added any new masks to my routine yet so my regimen is the same, but I’m definitely in need of more moisture. For once, I’m being good about drinking enough water and I’m constantly misting my face throughout the day. Fingers crossed.

I did, however, finish these four products in April:

Repurchase:

Ubuna Re-Gen — I mourned the end of this tripeptide serum, just as I will mourn the end of their hyaluronic acid serum, which is currently on its last legs. This serum layered beautifully with my retinoid to help repair and nourish my skin at night. It helped with any irritation and most importantly didn’t clog my pores. In the morning, my skin looked dewy and refreshed. If I could stomach the price tag, I would grab this one in a heartbeat.

Oribe Bright Blonde Radiance and Repair Treatment — I loved this product not for its impact on my hair color but more so for the conditioning aspect. It did give my color a bit of a boost but it didn’t do any heavy lifting when it came to remove brassiness. It is, however, a very convenient way to deep condition your hair in a few minutes. I liked that it was sprayed on, working like that tangle treatment our mothers all doused us in as kids to get out all the knots. It definitely softened my hair and rinsed out in seconds.

Pass:

Glossier Bubblewrap — We all have that one product we’re just trying to use up to justify the money we spent on it. That product isn’t causing any negative reaction, but it sure as shit isn’t doing anything positive for us either. Sadly, with eye creams like this one, that breakup can last six months. Yes, this eye/lip cream was hydrating and didn’t cause any milia (yay), but I honestly feel like it undid all the work my La Mer Eye Concentrate had done to lift and brighten my eye area. It’s like I wasn’t using anything. And when I put it on my lips, it gave them a nice momentary plump, but the second I ate or drank something I realized it tasted absolutely awful.

NUFACE Gel Primer — This primer works perfectly with the device, no question. Apply enough and you won’t get any zaps. But it costs a lot to only leave on for 5-10 minutes, which is why I’m switching to a pure aloe vera gel. I didn’t leave it on after the treatment and rub it in because it actually made my skin tingle in a way that bordered on stinging. Didn’t break me out but didn’t feel nourishing either. Thankfully, I only had the small tube and not the big pump bottle.

See what else I’ve used up here.