June 2016 Favorites
1. Stridex Pads, $5 / 2. Sensationail Polish to Gel, $8
3. Excipial, $12 / 4. Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector, Moonstone, $19
Thanks for bearing with me last month since my favorites were a bit of a mess, but I’ve got my act together just in time to share my June 2016 Favorites.
These saved my sanity and were mentioned in my recent arsenal update. I never struggled with my skin as a youngster so the past eight months were REALLY hard for me. The breakouts I was experiencing as minor but consistent, but I’m firmly in the, “I’m too old for this shit,” camp. I made some changes, including introducing these wipes into my routine. Once daily, they’ve changed my world; I still have some redness remaining from some problem areas I’ve had, but they’re on the outs. These ones are 2% salicylic acid and they’re working great for me. If you have similar needs but more sensitive skin, you can pick up their gentler, 0.5% wipe with aloe. So far, I’ve found the lowest price-per-package to be on Amazon.
Almost a favorite for its mere existence, Sensationail Polish to Gel is a thing. I’ve loved gel polish since I first got the original Sensationail Starter Kit in 2012. Although color choice has been coming along, we don’t have nearly the palette in quality gels as regular nail polish (RNP). The ability to turn my regular polish into gel is something I’ve been wanting for literally (not figuratively) years. Now, I have it. More to come on this – it’s pretty exciting. You can buy this at Target or via Target.com – so far it’s the only place I’ve seen it for sale. I just bought a backup with a 5% Cartwheel, too!
The NP dermatologist I saw recently noticed that I have keratosis pilaris (backs of my arms) and suggested I try the 20% Urea Intensive Healing Cream. KP generally is not painful, but it can be annoying to have completely pointless bumps on your arms. I’ve tried dealing with it on my own for years; I tried using an AHA lotion on it. I tried scrubs and was way too hard on my skin as a result. Eventually, I gave up and accepted it until my derm gave me samples of this to try. Apply just as you get out of the shower, let it sit for about a minute, then firmly rub it in. It’s a bit gross, but dead skin ends up rolling off. I’ve already purchased a full-sized tube and will continue to repurchase as long as it works. It hasn’t gotten rid of it 100%, but it is a welcome change. Heads-up, this is NOT for use on your face.
I found my highlight! The liquid version of this is just right for those who aren’t trying to look like a disco ball. It can easily be mixed with foundation, applied sparingly with a beautyblender or Real Techniques sponge, or stippled on. I bought the travel sized tube to test the waters – although I LOVE this, I will probably restock with a travel-sized tube as long as they’re sold. The tiniest amount goes a really long way; I can’t see myself getting through the full size before it starts to go bad! Moonstone is a pale gold and really, really lovely. Seeing swatches next to Champagne Pop I’m like… nah, that’s too pink for me.