I was about to start this post with my usual "Wow the month went by so quickly," but actually, January has just dragged on and on. I mean, it's still not even done yet. Is anyone else with me? January is usually a pretty "blah" month for me, except in terms of beauty - trying out all the new products from Christmas is always my favorite thing. This month, as always, I have a mixture of new and old favorites. I'm still working hard to shop my stash and use things up - gotta save up for a wedding!
It was a good makeup month - I discovered a new favorite nude lip all thanks to my sister. She got me the Pat McGrath Permagel Ultra Lip Pencil in Bare Rose and it's officially my favorite thing. The formula is amazing, and I'm thinking it may have surpassed Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk as my wedding lipliner. Speaking of lips, I've also fallen back in love with the Glossier Generation G Lipstick in Like. I actually lost mine a month or two ago and finally bought a new one, so it's been nice to have it again. It adds the perfect pink flush to the lips, and come to think of it I might just pair it with the Pat McGrath pencil for my wedding!
I also mentioned buying the Dior 5 Couleurs Eyeshadow in Dream in my Christmas Beauty Haul, and I've been reaching for it all month. All the shades are matte, so it makes for a super chic plum-toned eye. I just love cool tones, so I can't stop dipping into this one. This has a lovely formula, too - just the right amount of pigment, not too powdery, and they stay put through the whole day. The last makeup bit I've been using nonstop this month is the Kjaer Weis Highlighter in Ravishing.* I've lusted after Kjaer Weis products for the longest time - I mean, how stunning is that packaging? The product inside is just as beautiful. It's a subtle pale golden cream that adds the perfect sheen to the tops of the cheekbones. It has a slightly drier, almost a cream-to-powder texture, so I find it lasts really well and doesn't slide around.
As for skincare, I've been ending my routine each morning with the Dr. Jart+ Cicapair Tiger Grass Color Correcting Treatment. It works wonders for reducing my redness and protecting my skin. It also contains SPF 35, so it's got me covered for the day. It's a thick green cream that changes into a more beige shade as you rub it in. It creates such a nice barrier between your skin and *the world* so I feel like my skin is cleaner and less irritated at the end of the day when I wash it off - on days I don't use it, I definitely notice my skin takes in a lot of the dust from work and I'll be super dry and dull the next day. Emily Ferber of Into the Gloss just wrote an article about how wearing this on planes has saved her skin from post-flight breakouts, too!
As for new skincare, I was sent the Wander Beauty Baggage Claim Gold Eye Masks* earlier in the month, and I'm already looking to order another box. I love undereye patches as it is, especially on mornings when I wake up feeling puffy, and these are nice and lightweight and don't slide around. I like that I can still go about my morning and don't have to sit still while wearing them. They feel so nice and cooling on the skin and really help to depuff my undereyes. The last bit of new skincare I've been using all month is the Holika Holika Skin & Good Cera Super Cream. I happened to go into CVS on Christmas Eve and realized they had added the K-beauty section, and I picked this up on a whim because I know my skin just loves ceramides. I've heard people compare this to the Dr. Jart+ Ceramidin Cream, and while it's not a complete dupe, it's good enough for me, and it was only $16. It has a thicker consistency that just melts into the skin on contact, and it keeps me moisturized all day/night long. It's just a good, basic moisturizer that I think would work for pretty much anyone.
My last favorite isn't exactly a beauty product, but it's been featured in almost every photo in the last month and I've been burning/savoring it nonstop. My sister was spot-on in her Christmas-gifting this year apparently, because I've been obsessed with the REPLICA By The Fireplace Candle she got me - we had both been wanting the perfume, but she figured a candle would be a better gift in case the perfume reacted weirdly with my skin. It has such a cozy scent, with that smokiness like burning wood, but it also has a touch of sweetness attributed to roasted chestnuts. It doesn't have a very strong scent, but it still does fill the room when lit. That's fine with me, because my nose is quite sensitive. All this has done is made me really, really want the perfume!
What were your favorite products this month?
*Products mentioned have been sent to me for consideration, but all opinions are my own. This post contains affiliate links.