Well, we did it. We left NYC for our first little trip since March. I was anxious the night before, barely getting any sleep, let alone beauty sleep (What is that anyway?). I had a knot in my stomach and a small lump in my throat as we entered the tunnel and turned back to see the skyline fade into the distance.
We packed masks, wipes and sanitizer. We rented our own car and checked the precautions in place at both of our accommodations in advance before booking. But once we arrived at our first destination and settled in, we adjusted to the new normal of travel in the time of COVID-19 quite quickly — we were just happy to be able to take an excursion, safely, in a state that has been through absolute hell. Every time I saw a “NY Tough” sign on the highway, I was grateful for how seriously the citizens of New York took the threat of COVID-19. Let’s hope it pays off in the coming months.
I’ll share more about our little trip later this week, along with some of my other favorite getaways close to NYC. But for this Sunday, let’s talk beauty. I used up a mix of skincare and haircare products this week, including a cleanser it took me half a year to burn through.
For the month of August, here’s my rulings:
Repurchase:
Pixi DetoxifEYE — My hands down winner this month. I was way late to the hydrogel eye patch game. I’m a big user of eye cream, but always saw these patches as an unnecessary step. Then I found myself using up an eye cream that wasn’t really delivering on all fronts. So, I started using these each morning and in just 10 minutes, they de-puffed, brightened and smoothed my under eyes. AND they stayed in place. I usually wipe away the extra serum, since I find it pills when I put anything on top, but that’s not a dealbreaker for me.
Tatcha The Rice Polish: Gentle — I used the Deep version of this polish a couple of years ago and wasn’t a fan. I found it to be too much for daily use. Yes, my skin is oily, but the more I try to strip that away, the worse my skin gets. Embrace your shine, my greasy friends! When the Gentle version came in my Box of Style, I was skeptical, but using it at night after my cleansing milk changed my mind. This powder dissolves beautifully in water and left my skin so smooth and soft without stripping it. My nighttime products absorbed better and it has helped keep my chin and jaw clear. Plus, you need so little, it took six months to finish the gorgeous jar.
Ole Henriksen Banana Bright™ Vitamin C Serum — This isn’t a full-size bottle (kindly gifted), but it lasted me almost two months so I figured it made sense to include in my beauty reviews for the month. It’s also the first vitamin C serum my skin has liked in a while, even with such a high concentration (15%). It isn’t oily, with more of a creamy texture and has a nice fresh scent. One pump covered my face a neck and let me tell you, it really does give your skin a radiance when you use it daily. I also noticed it helped lighten some darker spots on my forehead along the hairline. It’s a nice 2-for-1 thanks to the hyaluronic acid.
Phyto Huile Soyeuse Lightweight Hydrating Oil — I first tried this hair product after a travel-size came in my Birchbox waaaay back in the day. I like for several reasons. First of all, it can eliminate the leave-in conditioner spray from your routine because it detangles. Second, it disperses evenly because it’s a spray, even though it has a thicker consistency, which makes it much easier to use than a regular hair cream. I’ll still comb it through. And lastly, it helps to relax my curls a bit if I want more of a wavy look. My hair feels soft and healthy, not crunchy, when I use this before diffusing my curls.
On the Fence:
Embryolisse Lait Crème Fluid — It’s a lovely, light body lotion that I found was perfect post-laser hair removal. Very gentle, doesn’t sting at all and very soothing. However, it’s also marketed as a cleanser, saying you can use it as a first cleanse to remove makeup. I tried it, thinking damn, this is a much more affordable option than my BR products, but it just didn’t break everything down easily enough and left a film on my face. So, if you’re shaving often or having a procedure, this is a great moisturizer for your body, but I wouldn’t consider it multipurpose.
Pass:
EVO Fabuloso Platinum Blonde Colour Boosting Treatment — My highlighted hair gets pretty brassy since it’s so dark naturally. That means I need a powerful purple shampoo and/or conditioner to brighten it back up. This purple conditioner doesn’t stain your hands (bonus) but didn’t give very impressive results. Once I switched back to a purple shampoo, I noticed how much brass it was leaving behind. I also needed to use a lot to rehydrate my hair.
See what else I’ve used up here.
1 Comment
So glad you were able to get away!