Summer Favorites- Beauty Edition

I've been trying out several new products over the last 4 weeks and thought I'd share what I'm trying and my thoughts so far, both good and bad. So I've rounded up a couple of my June beauty favorites for all of you.

I read in some magazine, Us Weekly or In Style, about Christophe Robin Cleansing Scrub. It is a cleansing shampoo and full on scalp scrub all in one.  All winter long I was suffering from dry scalp particularly at the base of my hairline. I thought it had to do with some of my makeup making its way into my hairline and not always getting fully washed off at night and/or due to the fact that I only wash my hair 2-3 times a week causing a lot of build up.  

I was hesitate to try because 1) a scrub is not typically something I use for my head and 2) it was kind of pricey for the large container. BUUTTT... I bought the small container for under $20 used it for the first time (about a heaping teaspoon) and instantly knew I loved it.  Not only was a heaping teaspoon more than enough, I'll use less next time, but it lathers beautifully and the scrubbing texture is actually really nice.  It feels as if its truly cleansing my hair AND scalp.  One of the other benefits is that because it really does do a deep cleanse to your hair all the build up that sits on it, even after normal shampooing, is removed and your hair stays fresh for longer.  Where as before I may start to feel and see my hair getting oily after day two, with the cleansing scrub it was day three or four.  Now, you definitely can not use this with every wash because I think it would dry out your hair too much but once a week or even once every 10 days is perfect.  I will definitely be purchasing the larger container next time since its a lot more bang for your buck!

Julep is a pretty new brand to me. I tried some of there face cleansing products a few months back and was pleasantly surprised so I started trying a few of there beauty products as well. The Julep creme shadow stick is different than any eyeshadow that I use but it's the perfect item to keep in your purse or travel with.  You don't have to worry about it breaking, no need for additional brushes and it's slim.  The shadow goes on like a cream but finishes like a shadow and has a blending sponge on the other end making it easy to apply, blend and finish. The other day I went from work to meet some girl friends and applied this while driving. It was a great added touch to dress me up a bit for a night out.

This Julep mascara has turned out to be a new FAV. I'm talking it rivaling Dior's and my ride or die, Loreal. It has a stiff plastic wand which I've stayed away from in the past but I love the firmness because it really presses again my lashes coating each one and separating them.  Plus, its a good mid-priced option. 

I also have the lip balm. It has a moisturizing balm in the certain so it doesn't dry out your lips.  It applies very easily and has a silky texture.  Not a super long wear but sometimes I don't want a lipstick to stain my lips, so that's a plus.

Another product that I am super excited about is Lash Boost by Rodan & Fields.  Now I've been hearing the R&F name for over a year now but, it wasn't until I had several friends rave about this particular product and actually see amazing results from another friend that I decided I too should try it out.  I only just got it a couple of weeks ago and it takes about 4-8 weeks before you see results so stay tuned because I will do a full post later on talking all about it with before and after pictures to see if it really lives up to the hype. I will say that this far it's easy to apply. At first I noticed it made my eyes a little itchy. Nothing that wasn't manageable or causing me to rethink using it and within a week that went away. I think it was just my skin adjusting to it.  It's too premature to say but I feel like my eyelashes are starting to get longer.  Only time will tell.  

I finally broke down and purchased the Nars Ita brush for use with contouring.  I've heard about this brush for years after some of my favorite you tubers swore by it but at $55 I just couldn't bring myself to break the bank for it.  I've since started realizing I use my brushes for years, they typically last and good brushes make a world of difference.  I've always bronzed but there is just something about contouring that really changes a look.  I have a more square shaped face and focusing a little extra contouring at my cheekbones and jawline helps to break up the overall boxy shape.  I do like the brush in that it makes it easy to cut a nice line along my cheekbones and its keeps the disbursement of bronzer pretty centered, I'm not overly wowed or in love with this brush. It does do the job I bought it for and I'm not sure what else I expected.  I'm sure I've just heard so much hype and thought about it for so long that I set my expectations unreasonably high. 

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