June Beauty Round-up

And just like that, it’s July and time for another round-up of beauty empties. But that’s frankly not where my head is at the moment.

Right now, I’m missing being in Michigan with my friends. Every summer, a group of us would go for a weekend in the Irish Hills, staying at a friend’s cottage for a few days swimming, boating, eating and drinking. Always plenty of drinking. We flew in from different states and enjoyed what was sometimes the only time we were together in person all year. The summertime is when I miss living in Michigan. With all of the freshwater lakes, there really is nothing like it. Everyone has their own traditions for this time of year but one thing is consistent: Everything is a group activity.

As much as NYC is often a stinky, hot mess in the summer, it’s beautiful in its own way and we plan to spend the long weekend enjoying as much of the city as we can, masked up and socially distanced. For all of my American friends, I hope you have a safe, fun Fourth of July weekend.

Not traveling has obviously meant less interruptions to my beauty routine. I’d usually switch up parts of my routine to use up samples while on the road, but since I’ve been mostly home for 120 days and accounting, I’m using up my full-size products more quickly and desperately trying to avoid accumulating more but every fucking thing is on sale right now. Blast.

For the month of June, here’s where we landed:

Repurchase:

UBUNA Drench — I used this up a week ago and I’m officially in mourning. This is my favorite hyaluronic acid serum I’ve ever used and I so wish I could justify the cost of buying it again. In addition to three hyaluronic acids, this formula also includes ceramides and amino acids to help plump and hydrate the skin. One pump is all you need so this baby will last you a while if you take the plunge. At least four months. It also mixes beautifully with the rest of the UBUNA serums and doesn’t pill if layered with other products. I think I might be convincing myself to repurchase this in real time as I type. Where’s my credit card…

Lancer Radiance Awakening Mask Intense — My first luxury mask, this one really does work some magic overnight and one tube lasted me well over a year with once weekly use. It’s packed with antioxidants, vitamin C, niacinamide, licorice extract, red algae and so much more to help fade dark spots, hydrate and fight the signs of glycation (something I’m learning more about right now). Whenever I use it, my skin looks calm, even and smooth by morning. It layers well over serums, but I usually skip the retinol and any thick moisturizer under it. It works best for me when I apply a nickel-sized amount to my face and under my jaw about 30 minutes before bed. Don’t rub it in. After 30 minutes, I blot off any excess with a tissue and find what’s beneath is nice and set for sleeping. You may get some transfer onto your pillow case, but it doesn’t stain.

Alterna Caviar Anti-Aging Overnight Hair Rescue Hair Treatment — This product has gotten an update since I last bought it more than a year ago, so I linked to the new version. I’m not great about using hair masks on a regular basis, but this one I love because I can quickly put it on before bed, twist my hair up in a bun and go to sleep without worrying about it getting all over my sheets. It doesn’t even stain the silk scrunchies I use. It quickly absorbs into dry hair to provide a deep conditioning treatment overnight to repair split ends and other signs of damage caused by aging and the environment. It’s like anti-aging cream for your hair. Sold.

Pass:

UBUNA Resist — This Japanese beauty brand’s anti-pollution serum is almost like a balm. It’s the thickest of the line by far but does mix easily with the other products. I liked using it daily to help protect my skin if I went outside, which didn’t happen much while I was using this, or to help shield my face from all the screen time. However, I can’t say I noticed any other differences in my skin, which makes it a lot to pay for this type of product.

Honest Beauty Elevated Hydration Mist — I realized at the start of quarantine I had a lot of face mists on hand. Staying indoors has made my skin more dry these days so I have been misting. A lot. Any time I head to the bathroom I make sure to mist to give my skin a boost. The ingredients in this one include aloe, watermelon extract and essential oils like lavender. It doesn’t have a very strong scent which is a plus and feels nice on the skin, but it doesn’t really do much else. My favorite mist remains this one from iS Clinical.

See what else I’ve used up here.