In truth, skincare was never something I took very seriously until this year. 1) I didn't have the money to buy decent skincare bits when I pleased and 2) The expensive products I did try, usually recommended by beauty therapists didn't really do their job, and at times aggravated my skin's problems. I think forming a skincare routine really comes down to you. You know your skin better than anyone else and you eventually work out what is effective and what is not. I have combination skin so I try to look for products that are designed to be gentler on the skin and sink into the skin rather than sitting on the surface. My current routine ticks almost all of those boxes. If you do like any of these products go in store and try them for yourself first. What works for me may not be as effective on someone with dry skin for instance. Ramblings aside, here's what is currently sitting on the skincare shelf..

It's that time of the month. Beauty bloggers and vloggers everywhere gather up their beauty stash and start thinking about what products have really stood out. I just made that decision making process sound a lot more dramatic than it really is. Formalities aside, July saw a bit of a mixup to the beauty and skincare lineups for me. There's nothing wrong with a touch of variety and I tried quite a few new beauty and skincare bits this month.

Here's what's made its way into my July favourites..



The Makeup

Benefit The Porefessional* This product had me a little bit uncertain at first. I found it a little drying but since I've changed up my skincare routine (more on that soon)  I haven't had a problem with this primer. If your skin is drier then I'd suggest getting a sample of this first to try out. This primer dries matte once on the face and is supposed to help your foundation last longer on the skin. Judging by the amount of foundation my Bioderma-soaked cotton pad picks up I'd say this is definitely doing its job.

Hourglass Arch Brow Sculpting Pencil in Soft Brunette This wax to powder formula pencil is foolproof and long lasting. The pencil itself is quite hard so it is pretty difficult to go overboard when using this on your brows. I find this shade quite subtle yet it still manages to leave my brows looking much tidier.

Rimmel Stay Matte Powder in Transparent  I've had this powder for a while but haven't really been using it properly until this month. This powder is great for on the go touchups or applying over foundation if you just want a light layer of powder. It doesn't go cakey over makeup and because this is the transparent shade it isn't too noticeable. Like the name suggests this leaves you with a matte complexion, eliminating shine. While this powder may not be as long lasting as some of its higher end counterparts, it does the job and lasts pretty well.

Benefit Hello Flawless Foundation in Petal* I love this foundation, evidence here. It doesn't go cakey and offers lightweight, buildable coverage. It's also oil free so you aren't left with any unwanted shine and as an added bonus it has SPF 25, perfect for Summer. It definitely sits better on the skin than some heavier foundations and it lasts nearly all day.

Mac Paint Pot in Eclair  (limited edition) This pigmented pot of gorgeousness has made its way into the favourite selection, again. During the semester break I was a bit lazy with eyeshadow application and often reached for this shade and Let's Skate to quickly apply across the lid. It's easy to apply and blend with your fingers and lasts all day. You can't really fault these.

I've tried a few moisturisers in the last few years. Mac's Studio Moisture Cream didn't suit my skin too nicely, Kiehl's Ultra Repair was too creamy and didn't sink into the skin very well. Bring in Origins GinZing, the new energy boosting moisturiser.

You know those days when you suddenly find yourself with only five minutes to spare to do your face? They're the days when you want as few products as you can to look half decent. Bring in the Five Product Face, a combination that will no doubt leave the makeup lovers in a panic. Don't fret though, this is best reserved for those pressed for time and lazy makeup days. Proceed with caution if you're one of those aforementioned lovers..

The summer makeup has well and truly retired, glittery bronze eyeshadows, I'm looking at you. On the plus side it means the smokey eye and the bold lip colours can come out to play. This month was all about the cult products and some products I would've steered well clear of a year ago. Anyway, experimentation musings aside, here's what made its way into the May Favourites basket.

So in all honesty I thought my April Favourites selection was going to be extra product heavy but surprisingly it wasn't. A few new products did make their way into the stash but some still need to be put through their paces a bit more before earning favourite status. There were definitely some clear winners this month though, particularly in the skincare department, perhaps even some holy grail contenders. Time will tell..

There's something about the beauty products that are hard to find but worth the effort. Naturally living in Sephora and Boots-less New Zealand this can be the case a lot of the time but it definitely does make the find all the more satisfying.

Here's a few of the harder to find gems that I've added to the stash recently..

Benefit World Famous Neutrals Palette in Most Easiest Nudes Ever *Someone bought this back for me from Australia. Firstly this palette wins for its gorgeous design and packaging. It is compact, lightweight and resembles a vintage book. Each of these kits contain six eyeshadows, two creaseless creams and four longwear powder shadows. In Most Easiest Nudes Ever you'll find the cream shadows; rsvp and no pressure. These are both super creamy in formulation. When applied with a flat shadow blush they glide on like silk. The other four shades in this palette are; call my buff (pale gold with shimmer), thanks a latte (golden brown with shimmer), pinky swear (soft matte pink) and quick, look busy (matte espresso).  I love the colours in the palette in particular the creaseless cream shadows as they are such gorgeous colours by themselves and they last really well. This would be a great palette for eyeshadow beginners or anyone on the go who wants to create simple but effective eye looks.

There is nothing quite like the ritual that is gathering up the tools, the makeup bag and propping oneself in front of the mirror. Beauty arsenal at the ready, makeup brush in hand, let the regime begin.

Ahh sleep, an activity that is such a luxury. Sinking under a pile of blankets with a book in hand and then later dazing off with an eye mask on=heavenly ♥. Recently though I've found it harder to doze off so I headed to the beauty blogs to see if there was any offerings around to aid sleep and stumbled upon these two gems.