Lovin’ Lately

Thirty-one days. That’s exactly how long my “I won’t be buying any makeup until April” goal lasted. I’m giving it another try though.

To be fair, I only bought a few brow/lash products… the rest was skincare. This means that you can expect February to be filled with a lot of skincare posts, because that’s definitely where my focus is at the moment. Now that my acne has cleared up almost completely, I definitely notice some of my new-ish acne marks a lot more. I also notice the uneven texture on my cheeks more, too. I don’t really stress about them too much, but having suffered from skin problems my entire life and getting close to hitting 30 (ugh) I’d love to finally get my skin to look as beautiful and clear as… well I don’t ever remember it looking “clear“.

I’m planning on eventually getting laser treatment for my scars, once I’m done with Absorica, but for now I’ll stick to some of my trusted skincare products, I’m also testing a bunch of new ones. More about those later though, it’s time to see what I’ve been lovin’ lately.

I would have included all Patchology products I love in this post, but since I just told you about two of my favorite ones right here, I’ll only mention one more that I’m loving. Their 5-Minute Hydrogels* are also amongst my favorite products to use in the morning right before doing my makeup. They’re formulated with caffeine and hydrolyzed collagen and definitely help me deal with that crazy puffiness/darkness I’m suffering from since I started Absorica. I think I already mentioned it in one of my previous posts but since I went on a higher dose, I feel extremely tired all the time. Yesterday I literally fell asleep while writing a blog post, with a laptop on my lap.

Despite sleeping so much (which is totally not my thing, usually 6-7 hours is all I need) I wake up to really tired and fatigued-looking skin under my eyes. Puffiness is definitely something I’ve dealt with in the past, but I could go days without sleeping and never had dark circles under my eyes. These hydrogels are nice for a quick little pick me up in the morning- especially if I put them in the fridge for a couple of minutes before. If you want to try these, you can use my code “PAULA25” for a 25% discount on Patchology website.

I’ve been using this Jasmine Body Oil by kimberlyloc and Rachel’s Plan Bee* for about a month now and I’m in love. It’s a vegan, cruelty-free, jasmine– and vanilla-infused body oil made with two types of jasmine in a base of organic apricot kernel oil and sunflower seed oil. I love using this oil all over my body after shower/bath; it’s very rich, nourishing and I love that it comes in a lockable pump bottle- genius! The jasmine scent was a bit strong for me at first, as usually I like lighter scents, but if you love natural body care products and the scent of jasmine and vanilla, you’d absolutely love this oil.

Because my skin is so dry now, I’m all about cleansing milks at the moment. I still absolutely love this cleanser, but since I love rotating between a few cleansers, I also picked up the Darphin Intral Cleansing Milk a few weeks ago. It’s less… milky and nourishing than I expected, but I still love it, nonetheless. It’s really nice for sensitive skin as it calms and conditions it very nicely.

Two other skincare products that I already mentioned here on the blog several times but still love: Derma E Purifying Youth Serum* and Clinique Moisture Surge* gel. Both are amazing for dry skin. I like using the Moisture Surge in the morning as it hydrates without leaving a greasy/creamy residue and usually reach for the Purifying Youth Serum from Derma E* at night (I’m on my third bottle of this stuff and love it! Just wish it came in a bigger bottle).

Within next few weeks I’ll be publishing a post featuring some of my favorite mascaras and this new one from YSL, The Shock Volumizing Mascara will definitely be included. Love the brush and the volume that this mascara gives my lashes and the fact that it doesn’t clump or flake throughout the day. The only thing is that this mascara has a VERY wet formula. I go through this with a lot of mascaras, so I don’t mind, but it does seem like a bit of a waste when for the first week or so, I end up wiping so much excess product off.

So, it’s no secret that I’m juuuuust a bit obsessed with candles. This limited edition Rosa Mundi Candle from Diptyque does not only look beautiful, but it smells divine. I’m actually burning it right now and I can’t get enough. It’s funny, but I used to hate rose scents/fragrances, but now I can definitely appreciate them, or more like, can’t get enough of them. The art design of this candle is beautiful, the throw is quite strong and I love notes of currant and bergamot included here.

I think when it comes to my monthly Lovin’ Lately posts, you can almost always expect me to include a face mist ;). Feel Refreshed Hydrating Floral Mist* is formulated with a combination of 10 natural extracts and hyaluronic acid. Like most facial mists that I love, this one is very refreshing and leaves my skin feeling hydrated and calm. I love using this one when I get home from work, right after removing my makeup and cleansing my skin.

As you can tell, January was another month filled with skincare loves. What are some products that you guys are loving at the moment? I’m on a hunt for a good eyelash serum next, although I do love me some RapidLash, I’m thinking of trying something new. Any recommendations?

Love you. Mean it!

*PR samples/gifted items