Well folks, the end of the year is finally in sight. 2023 has been a slog and I can’t say that I’m sad to see it almost over. You know what does make me feel better though? Talking about my favourite products from the last three months. As is basically tradition, my Spring Faves is always the toughest one to do because many of the products that I’m loving now will be ones that I’ll be talking about again come January. And I hate feeling like I’m repeating myself. But these are the products that I’ve been obsessed over during the springtime. Let’s get into it!
LA ROCHE POSAY CICAPLAST BAUME B5 – Discontinued.
So, I picked this up when it was going viral on TikTok earlier in the year because I’m still totally susceptible to peer pressure. Only for it to spend the following 9 months sitting in my bathroom cupboard because I wasn’t sure how to use it. In October, however, it finally came in handy. You see, the night I went to see the Eras Tour Movie, I developed an allergic reaction on the underside of my left arm. It was red, itchy, lumpy, and quite uncomfortable. Remembering that I had this in my cupboard, I whipped it out and slathered it all over my arm. The reaction went down in a little less than a week. And I’ve since been using it to heal some of the scratches and scarring on my other arm. I now refuse to be without it. (Em’s Note: This is the original version. The Cicaplast Baume has since been reformulated).
BENEFIT FANFEST MASCARA – $48.00
This just got the review treatment from me. So I shall keep it short. Benefit finally made a mascara that I love. I knew they had it in them!
GISOU HONEY INFUSED LIP OIL – $45.00
I seem to be in the minority with this one. Because I freaking love this lip oil. This was basically the only lip product that I wore since I got it. I think the disconnect with this one is two-fold. Firstly, it doesn’t smell like honey. Which I feel like was expected of a product that says it’s honey infused. But I actually don’t like the smell of honey, so that’s a win for me. The other thing, I think, is the texture. Unlike a lot of the lip oils that I’ve tried over the last year, the Gisou has a true oil like texture. There is no stickiness, no stringiness, and honestly, it’s not as shiny. But it’s so nourishing and soothing on my sore lips. And the thin texture means I can layer it on my lips with ease. If you’re on the fence about this one, I do recommend it. But maybe give it a sniff first.
TOWER 28 SWIPE CONCEALER – $36.88
Let’s face it, none of you are surprised to see this here. This has overtaken the Urban Decay as my concealer of the year. It truly looks like skin once it’s blended in. So lightweight and hydrating. But it packs a wallop when it comes to coverage. I love this especially on it’s own both under the eyes and on the chin to cover my dark spots. And the wear is impressive considering how thin the formula is. I really need Tower 28 and hurry along and launch in Australia already.
L’OREAL PARIS REVITALIST CLINICAL VITAMIN C SERUM – $59.99*
Well then, maybe I should call this the surprise of the year? I never usually fuck with drugstore Vitamin C serums just because of how unstable they can be. But I got sent this one in PR a little while ago now. And the difference it’s made to my skin is phenomenal. This serum is 12% Vitamin C, which is fairly high for drugstore. But it also contains Vitamin E for antioxidants and Salicylic Acid to help the skin’s overall texture and appearance. I’ve noticed a huge difference in my skin’s appearance. The dark spots on my chin have faded considerably. And it pairs well with my peptide serums. I know that this one is pricey, but it’s worth it. Also, it’s drugstore, which means it’ll go on half price sale throughout the year. If your skin can tolerate Vitamin C, this is so worth it!
And that’s it for the beauty faves! Let’s get into the other faves for the last few months
TAYLOR SWIFT: THE ERAS TOUR (in cinemas) Oh yeah! I saw The Eras Tour movie! And it was fucking awesome! While I’ll forever be sad that I didn’t get tickets to the actual concert *shakes fist at timing*, I’m glad that we all got this. I laughed, I cried, I sang at the top of my lungs. And I knew every single word (which shocked the hell out of me). If it’s still showing and you haven’t gone to see it, I highly recommend it.
SCOTT PILGRIM TAKES OFF (Netflix) – Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World is one of my favourite movies of all time. So I was ecstatic to hear that they were bringing the entire original cast back for an eight episode animated series for Netflix. It launched last Friday at the time I’m writing (it’s the 21st of November). And now having finished it, it’s totally not at all what I expected. It’s better. I’ll tread lightly on spoilers because it did just come out. But if you’re a fan of the movie like I am, do not go in expecting an animated remake of the movie. Showrunners Bryan Lee O’Malley and BenDavid Grabinski change up the story in a way that not only improves on the source material (both movie and graphic novel), it actually fixes a few of the issues I had with the graphic novel in particular. It’s funny, heartwarming, and it kicks a ton of ass. It’s sole fault is that it’s on Netflix which means it’s going to get cancelled in two weeks. (Future Em’s Note: They do intend this to only have one season. Make of that what you will)
PARAMORE – Last Saturday, I got to embrace my inner 18 year old emo kid and scream sing Misery Business at Paramore’s biggest headlining show ever. It was a truly magical experience. If you’re in Melbourne and you have a chance to go, I say go. It was a hell of a show.
And that’s a wrap on my Spring Faves! Let me know what you were loving during Spring in the comments.
Cheers and love
Emily xo