May Favorites & an Honorable (But Sad) Mention

Hi everyone!

Hope you had an awesome Memorial Day weekend! Couldn't ask for better weather here in NYC.

Well, it's that time again - favorites! I've selected three products I used quite frequently during May and am really loving them. And here they are...

1) Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer Light: I so love this primer! I'm on my fifth bottle so far. This is the oil free version; at first I used the original one which worked great but it felt heavier on my skin. The oil-free version is perfect for my acne prone, oily skin.

In my opinion, this product really smooths out and preps your skin for foundation application. It can be used with any foundation you have. I primarily use this with my BareMinerals Foundation but I've also used it under liquid foundations such as the Revlon ColorStay and PhotoReady foundations. I especially love using this product during the summer months when my skin is oiliest...it helps your makeup maintain a matte finish all day. Plus, not only is it a cosmetic product but it also doubles as a skincare product that contains Vitamin C and peptides! The 1 oz bottle retails for $36 and can be found at Sephora or Ulta. It's a bit pricey but definitely worth every penny!

2) Rimmel London Natural Bronzer in "Sun Light": I've been testing various bronzers for a while and finally found one that doesn't look orange or "dirty" on my fair skin. "Sun Light" is the lightest of the three shades they carry and it's a matte bronzer. As with any bronzer you use, a light application is best; but, I've found that this one is more application friendly and gives you a beautiful natural glow. I've also tried the shade "Sun Dance" which is similar to "Sun Light" but it has shimmer which many people do not like. This product retails for about $6 and can be found at any chain drugstore like CVS and Walgreens. For a drugstore brand, I'll grab this over my pricier department store bronzers anytime!

3) Korres Lip Butter in "Wild Rose": There have been so many mentions of this product on YouTube and in various magazines. At first I wasn't planning to buy it but I ended up caving in and picked up the shade "Wild Rose" which has a sheer red tint. It smells lovely and it's quite moisturizing on your lips! There are several other "flavors" available and I may pick up another one in "Jasmine". One of my favorite YouTube gurus, BelleDuJourNYC, picked up several after a rumor went around that they were being discontinued - yikes! Fortunately, Sephora told her it was not true; but regardless, I don't blame her for stocking up! Korres Lip Butter retails for $10 and best of all, it contains no parabens or sulfates! Who doesn't love that!

And now for my honorable (but sad) mention...

NYX Eyeshadow in "Skin": Just before I took this photo my poor little eyeshadow had a terrible mishap - it slipped out of my hand and fell on my hardwood floor! :(

So as you can see, it totally crumbled. Fortunately, the compact didn't open when it fell so I didn't lose the eyeshadow. I think it's still usable - I just need to store it in a sifter container so it won't fall all over the place when I try to use it.

Anyway, I really love this shadow. Like it's name, it's a natural flesh tone color that works as an all-over eye color and it's especially good for blending out darker shadow colors. I find it works great with most of the shadows I have, especially my various brown and plum shades. Long live the Skin! LOL

So those are my May favorites. Hope you'll give them a try - you won't be disappointed! If you have any questions or comments about these products, feel free to post them below.

Until next time!

Liz :-)