Info Space

— September 19, 2016 —

Monthly Favorites | Summer 2016


As I always seem to say, it's not often that I do a Monthly Favorites feature on my YouTube or here on my blog, because I find myself either using the same products repeatedly or I typically only switch up products depending on the look I'm aiming to achieve. However, a lot of you lovely folks have requested I continue with them, so ta-da—here we are with some of my favorite products from July and August!




Formula X, #ColorCurators Line icon— $12.50 USD / $16 CAD for 0.40 oz.

Some of my favorite shades from this past summer are Beige From Our Book, Puffin! and Victory Lap, which is my most worn shade—it's an absolutely beautiful pink, metallic rose gold shift. The color is more on the sheer side so it does require quite a few coats, but I find shades or finishes like this tend to be more sheer anyway. Plus, sheer polish is in right now! Victory Lap is a very stunning, delicate shade—it gives off an underwater, opal feel—and the shift is very noticeable, even in the worst of lighting.
In general, I'm a fan of the Formula X Nail Polish range, I find the brush makes them very easy to apply and the polish itself is longer-lasting, it usually lasts a week before chipping at the tips!


Tatcha Luminous Dewy Skin Mist icon— $48 USD / $58 CAD for 1.35 oz.

This is a more expensive product, especially for being a face mist, but it really does leave your skin looking very hydrated, dewy and glowing. It's great for dry skin, mainly on days when your foundation or makeup is left looking a little parched and flaky—it quickly absorbs into the skin and instantly refreshes your face.
In all honesty, it took a few wears to get the hang of it and really enjoy this product, since a few pumps do go a very long way—I'd say anything over 3 - 4 mists would almost be too much. (Less product needed means it'll last longer though!) Since the Luminous Skin Mist is very dewy, I found over-misting can leave you looking more on the oily side. It also has a very strong green tea, herb type scent due to the natural ingredients. All in all, I've really been enjoying the dewy look that it provides. If you're in the same boat with dry skin and love a dewy look, definitely give this product a shot!


Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara — $23 USD / $30 CAD for 0.27 oz.

I rarely talk about this mascara on my channel, but it's been a long time, go-to since the day I very first tried it. Better Than Sex adds length, fullness and volume to lashes. It also gives lashes a more curled appearance, but I feel that's influenced by the hourglass shape of the wand, rather than the formula itself so I may just be crazy.
The mascara leaves your lashes feeling soft and flexible throughout wear, they're never stiff so there's not going to be any flaking during the day. I've also never experienced transferring, but if that's a common issue for you, Too Faced did recently release a waterproof version which I'm very excited to try in the future!


Benefit POREfessional Face Primer — $31 USD / $39 CAD for 0.75 oz.

I tend to be pretty late to the game with popular, cult favorite products and this is certainly another one that gotten around to trying and loving, as you can tell by the tiny sample size. Porefessional is an excellent face primer for filling in pores and smoothing out the skins texture—it does exactly what it promises. 
I've been mainly focusing it on problem areas where pores are more visible (nose, tops of cheeks) and it's made make up apply and wear a lot easier. It's also slightly mattifying and I feel it does prevent foundations from breaking down so quickly. There's no doubt that I'll be purchasing a full sized tube!


Clinique Cheek Pop Blushes — $22 USD / $24 CAD for 0.12 oz.

These are one of my favorite blush formulas of all time—my most reached for shades are either Heather Pop, which is a perfect everyday blush that suits every look, or Pansy Pop because it's more unique and cool toned.
The entire line is consistent in quality and performance, it doesn't matter the shade and the color is subtle, yet buildable. They also leave a nice soft, satin sheen to the cheeks. Obviously the biggest plus is the super cute daisy design, but it doesn't hurt that they're also a more affordable blush.


ColourPop Creme Gel Colour — $6 USD for 0.11 oz.

Zulu and Cry Baby have been most reach for shades for eye looks; I've also used DTLA as a cut-crease before too! These gel liners are really beautiful once you play around with them. They're super opaque as a straight color on the lid, or as a simple liner (which is what their intended use is).
They have a creamy texture, but they do dry down incredibly fast. I like using a flat synthetic brush brush to pick up a small amount of product and work in sections, applying color to the lid. After experimenting, I found they don't work as an eye shadow base; shadows and powders don't layer over them easily and they can get crumbly if they're worked with too much once dry. But I do love using them straight on the lid as a pop of color—they last a crazy long time!


MAC Vamplify Lipgloss — $20 USD / $24 CAD for 0.16 oz.

The Vamplify Lipglosses are without doubt my favorite gloss formula from MAC. Ever since Pamela released with the Brooke Candy Collection, I've been re-hooked on them. I was so excited for the new collection to launch (July 7, online), it featured new and re-promoted shades. Fingers crossed, here's hoping the formula becomes permanent in the range!
If you haven't heard why I love these yet—they're highly pigmented, opaque, hydrating and very comfortable. Unlike their lipglass formula, they're not sticky or tacky either. It's just an all around great product to wear alone or layer over other lip products. I'm not typically a fan of glosses, but these are my one exception!


Makeup Geek Eye Shadow icon— $6 USD for 0.064 oz.

I'm not usually one to fall into these more "social media" influenced based brands, but I'm glad I finally got around to trying Makeup Geek products, because despite my stubbornness, they actually live up to their hype—I've been loving them since first swatch, as cheesy as that sounds! 
The shadows are pigmented, easy to blend with themselves and with other brands, the texture is incredibly smooth and they're all around nice shadows. I've been wearing and testing them in my most recent videos and a lot of you have complimented those looks—it must be a good sign!


Fruits & Passion, Pear Peony Fragrance — $34.50 USD / CAD for 3.30 oz.

If for some reason you've ever wondered what I smell like, this is the answer. The notes are a mixture of pear, magnolia and green tea—it's not something I originally thought I would like, as fruity and flowery scents aren't my thing, at all. The scent in general surprisingly very fresh and summery, it isn't overly sweet or sickening.
Fruits & Passion is a Canadian based brand, but if you ever find them available where you live, definitely give their products a sniff! If memory serves me right, I've been wearing this scent on-and-off for almost a decade; they recently had a sale so I definitely made sure to stock up!


So those are my favorite products from Summer, be sure to let me know yours in the comments!

Disclaimer: All product(s) featured were purchased by me for personal use and/or send for consideration, post may include affiliate link(s).