Five Faves – Spring 2025

See, here is where I would normally write a charming little soliloquy about spring and how wonderful it was. But I live in North West Queensland. Spring ended for me in Mid October.

All jokes aside, it’s time for my final faves for the year. Well, final faves before I tackle the big ones in January. And it was a pretty solid few months for me. I spent most of it buckling down and testing new products. And there have certainly been some standouts. As always, this will be a shorter faves. Many of these I will be talking about again very soon. So, let’s get into the faves!

LA ROCHE POSAY EFFACLAR A.Z AZELAIC ACID GEL CREAM – $65.99
I’ve heard a ton of buzz around Azelaic Acid over the years. It’s supposed to be a game changer for those with acne prone skin. And with the loosening of the restrictions around Azelaic Acid here in Australia, we’ve seen quite a few new Azelaic based serums pop up over here. This one from La Roche Posay is the first one I’ve tried. And I am now hooked. My skin has been quite temperamental this year. With my skin randomly breaking during the first half of the year more than usual. Ever since I introduced this into my routine back in September, I’ve noticed a significant reduction in my breakouts. And the ones I have had are smaller and heal quicker. I’ve gotten up to being able to use this three times a week in conjunction with my retinol on different nights. It’s made a world of a difference. If you’re never tried an Azelaic Acid before, I would recommend this one wholeheartedly for beginners.

MECCA MAX LIFE PROOF SATIN BLUR FOUNDATION – $38.00
I gave this one the review treatment a few months back (which you can find here). It’s still my favourite foundation launch of the year. Stunning skin like finish. So lightweight and comfortable. Lasts in the heat like a dream (having said that, I haven’t tested it against humidity yet). I know that this got sent in PR for a lot of people and there has been a ton of hype surrounding it. But consider the hype very real. Get it if you can.

TOO FACED CLOUD CRUSH WHIPPED LIP & CHEEK COLOR in MILK & COOKIES – $48.00
Another one that I shouted out recently. I’m still completely obsessed with this formula. It’s a gorgeous blurred effect to the cheeks. But it wears like a powder. Plus the smell is delectable!

MORPHE SHAPELIFTER MICRO CONTOUR PENCIL – $22.00
This was a last minute edition to my most recent stash. And I truly did not expect to fall in love with it as much as I have. I love that the tip is small and precise. It gives me a lot of control as far as placement goes. The tone is fantastic. It’s a solid neutral tone as opposed to a grey cool tone, which I do tend to avoid when it comes to contours. Grey can look muddy on my complexion. And the overall effect looks so natural. Morphe has been having an incredible year. And if they keep bringing out winners like this, I can see them going very far.

SETSUNA PERFUMES IN LOVE SOMEDAY PERFUME ELIXIR – $120.00
NOTES – Top: Candied Iris. Middle: Vanilla Milkshake. Base: Marshmallow
I included Setsuna’s first fragrance, Dancing In The Moonlight, in my last stash of favourites. But truth be told, I think I love In Love Someday more. In the short 3 months since I picked this up, In Love Someday has jumped to the top of my favourite fragrances list. It’s so creamy and fluffy. But the projection and wear is on the same level as my beloved Viral Vanilla. A little spritz goes an extremely long way. And I can still smell this on my skin after 10+ hours of wear. If you’re a gourmand lover, this is a must own.

And that wraps up the beauty faves. Let’s chat about some random faves!

CROWD CONTROL – Dropout TV
I know, another Dropout show. But allow me to once again influence you into getting that Dropout subscription. A spinoff from an episode of Game Changer, Crowd Control consists of a simple premise. Three stand up comedians flex their crowdwork skills with an audience. The twist being that they audience is filled with people with fascinating backstories that range from ‘oh, how cool is that?’ to ‘HOLY SHIT, HOW ARE YOU STILL ALIVE?’. The longer they go, the more spicy the backstories. It’s great, so fun, so funny. A solid little watch that will put you in a good mood for sure.

THE UGLY STEPSISTER – Shudder, AMC+
This might not be the twisted fairytale retelling that you expected to see here. But it is the twisted fairytale retelling that has been living rent free in my head since I saw it. As the title suggests, it’s a Cinderella retelling from the perspective of one of the ugly stepsisters. As she ‘competes’ with our Cinderalla stand in to win the affection of the handsome prince. I won’t go much further as this really should be gone into with as little knowledge as possible. Having said that, this is a rough sit. The cinematography is gorgeous, but it doesn’t shy away from some of the more brutal things women put themselves through to garner a man’s affection. And if you’re not in anyway a horror fan, maybe sit this one out. But if you can pick up what I’m putting down, you’ll have a great time with this one. Just maybe avoid lash extensions for a while. (Also, bonus rec if you do watch this, This Ends At Prom also did an episode about The Ugly Stepsister that is worth a listen)

MAN’S BEST FRIEND by SABRINA CARPENTER
I almost didn’t have a third recommendation to put here. And then I remembered that this is the only album that I’ve been listening to for the last three months. So, may as well shout it out here. I know that fans were mixed on this, but I reckon it’s a bop. This is a rare no skip album for me. I do legitimately love every song. My standouts though are Tears, Go Go Juice, and Goodbye. And if she does tour this album in Australia, I will be there hell or high water. I will fight people if I have to.

And that is a wrap on Spring! Now, dreadful, asshole summer. I kid, mostly. In any case, I hope Spring was kind to you all. Let me know your faves from the last few months in the comments below.

Cheers and love
Emily xo