Things I'm Loving 10.15.24

We had such a fun weekend, despite what I’m thinking is a painful bout of teething for my younger son. We had family photos taken on Saturday, and then we visited family and went to a pumpkin patch on Sunday! The boys also got their “school pictures” done at daycare last week, so between that and the family photos I’m just excitedly waiting by my email inbox to see how both sets came out. I’m usually not big into fall and Halloween, but I’m really trying to lean into it this year to make special memories for my kids!

Commodity Velvet Expressive Eau de Parfum | I’ve still been rotating through my perfumes almost daily, but I’ve been reaching for this one again and again. I love the Commodity fragrances and how they evoke a specific place or feeling. Velvet is my favorite that I’ve tried - on me it smells so similar to Maison Margiela Replica By the Fireplace, but it has much better lasting power. It smells sweet and smoky, almost like being at a campfire, and it’s just the perfect cool-weather scent. The top note is coconut water, middle notes are roasted almonds and rose petals, and the base notes are vanilla, amber, and smoky musk. I’m hooked.

Olive & June Long-Lasting Nail Polish in ‘Garnet Glass’ | My nails are still a little sad and broken, but the cuticle serum I mentioned last week is helping a lot. I finally painted my nails for the first time since the summer since they’re not feeling so weak and brittle lately and chose this new Olive & June shade - their nail polishes are my favorite. They have a great brush and the polishes hold up really well for me with minimal chipping, despite me being really hard on my hands at work. Garnet Glass is such a good fall shade, a deep berry-toned red, and it’s one of their jelly polishes so if your nails are less beat-up than mine you can wear it for a sheer wash of color that would be really pretty! I built mine up with an extra coat to be more opaque though, and I love how it looks.

Hot Cocoa Lip Balms - Glossier Balm Dotcom & Summer Fridays Lip Butter Balm | Two of my favorite balm formulas have come out with Hot Cocoa scents recently, and I’ve really been loving both! They smell quite similar, but the colors and formulas are different: Glossier has a slippy-er, petroleum jelly texture, while Summer Fridays is a thicker, plush balm. I find that I can feel the Glossier hanging around on my lips for longer than the Summer Fridays, and it leaves more of a glossy sheen. I really do love them both though, though I prefer the shade of the Glossier - it’s a little more of a cool, red-brown, while the Summer Fridays balm is more of a true, neutral-leaning-warm brown.

Madewell Perfect Vintage Wide-Leg Crop Jeans | I wore my favorite pair of Madewell jeans for our family photos, and while they no longer offer the exact style I had (mine are at least three years old), these are almost identical. I think Madewell’s Perfect Vintage line just fit me the best of any jeans I’ve tried, and though they’re pricey, they really are much better quality than cheaper brands I’ve worn before.

ILIA Lip Sketch in ‘Rhyme’ | I haven’t mentioned this yet in one of these posts, but I’ve been going back to it time and again since I got it over the summer. I think all of ILIA’s products are brilliant, and I’ve been really impressed by these lip crayons. They have a a natural matte finish and feel super comfortable on the lips - they don’t feel dry at all. Rhyme is such a good shade, a cool pink-mauve. I probably sound like a broken record at this point, but that’s my favorite kind of shade!

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5 Beauty Products I'm Loving Lately

Between changing up my products for the changing seasons, figuring out how to style a new haircut, and the Sephora sale, I feel like I’ve found a few new favorites lately that I just couldn’t wait to share. I’ve been using the shorter days/longer nights as an excuse to really take care of myself and indulge in longer, almost meditative, routines.

Amika Thicc Volumizing Base* - This has been such a huge help when styling my hair. It’s a thicker cream consistency, and you really only need a pea-sized amount to see a dramatic result. It’s formulated with Redensyl, which plumps and thickens each hair strand. The result is volumized hair that’s still touchable - I can’t deal with products that make it impossible for me to run my hands through my hair, but this doesn’t do that. It’s been especially helpful in making sure my curtain bangs don’t fall flat while I’m styling them or in between washes. This bottle will last forever! I’ve linked it on Sephora above, but you can also get it from the Amika website and use code DADMUNK for 10% off (affiliate code).

Woo Me Beauty Nail Growth Serum - I read about this on The Stripe, one of my favorite blogs, and just had to try it. Woo Me Beauty is a small, Black-owned brand, and their Nail Growth Serum has rave reviews. It uses a blend of oils as well as garlic to moisturize and strengthen the nails and cuticles, without having a garlic smell. My nails have been splitting and flaking a lot lately, I’m assuming from the dry almost-winter air as well as constant hand washing, but this has been helping a lot! It’s only been about a week (the website says you can see results in two), but I already feel like my nails are growing a lot better and stronger than usual. The bottle is also exceptionally pretty, and this will for sure have a place in my Holiday Gift Guide coming up!

Fenty Beauty Cheeks Out Freestyle Cream Blush in ‘Summertime Wine’ - This was part of my last-minute Sephora sale order, and I’ve been reaching for it constantly. I had heard so many great things about these cream blushes, so I don’t know why (or how) I resisted picking one up until now. I like that it’s not overly emollient, so while it’s easy to apply and blend, it doesn’t slide around or fade throughout the day. Because I chose a deeper shade, it’s quite pigmented, but it still sheers out well and is easy to build up to your desired level of pigmentation on the cheeks. Despite the name, I find Summertime Wine is such a good winter shade - it’s a beautiful mulberry that adds the perfect “cold weather” flush on me. It has a bit of shimmer running through it, but it just creates a radiant glow on the cheeks, rather than looking glittery.

Gucci Beauty Rouge a Levres Voile Sheer Lipsticks - This is quickly becoming one of my favorite lipstick formulas. I’m just not into the super pigmented, matte lip anymore. I like that these are sheer, but they’re not particularly balmy or slippery, so they still stay put well and don’t transfer a lot. The sheer finish makes some of the deeper and bolder shades more wearable for everyday - the two shades I have are a deep cherry red (506 Louisa Red) and a deep berry (603 Marina Violet), but because they’re sheer, they look like a soft lip stain. I can’t not mention the packaging here, too - it’s so beautiful and feels quite luxe, so I have these out on display when I’m not carrying them around in my bag with me!

Byroe Bell Pepper Serum* - Byroe sent me the serums from their salad-inspired skincare line early this year, and I’m only just now getting around to testing them out. And I’m kicking myself for not trying them sooner! I’ve really been loving the Bell Pepper Serum, a watery-gel serum meant to hydrate and soothe the skin. It contains Centella Asiatica and ceramides to soothe the skin and strengthen its barrier, as well as bell pepper and Ascorbic Acid to brighten the skin with Vitamin C and antioxidants. It’s been quite effective - my skin feels instantly soothed when I’ve put this on after a long day, and I’ve noticed a difference in my skin’s texture and tone. Breakouts fade more quickly, so I’m not left with many dark marks on my chin anymore. The price is a bit steep, but I would repurchase this one when I run out! They also sell a set of minis to try more of the line.

What have you been loving lately?

Products marked with an asterisk (*) have been sent to me for consideration, but all opinions are my own. This post contains affiliate links.

February Favorites

Remember how I was complaining on and on about how slow January was going by? Well February was the opposite - I can't believe today is the last day! I normally try to keep my favorites post down to 5-6 products, but there were so many great things this month that there's quite a bit to talk about here.

Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze & Glow | At the end of January my sister kindly let me borrow her Filmstar Bronze & Glow for me to try out and determine if I wanted to use it for my wedding makeup. This is 100% worth the hype and I need to buy my own ASAP - the powders are beautiful and pretty much impossible to overdo. The Sculpting shade is the real star for me here, as it's the perfect shade to subtly chisel out some cheekbones while also adding some life to the face.

Smashbox Photo Finish Primerizer | Another bandwagon I'm glad I jumped on this month. Normally I skip primers and rely on my skincare to "prime" my skin for makeup, but this is one I can get on board with. It makes my skin look so juicy and plump, smoothing away any dry patches without being greasy at all. I think this does extend the wear of my makeup a little as it keeps my skin from drinking up my foundation.

Dior Addict Lip Glow, 'Berry' | Yes I know - another Lip Glow. I now have three and they're all very important to my collection. The berry shade is the latest addition to my little Lip Glow family, and I just love the color it gives my lips. It doesn't have as much of a color change on my lips as the other two I have, but it's such a beautiful berry shade that adds a nice flush to the lips. I find it goes well with most makeup looks I do, from extremely minimal to something a little more bold.

Stila Shimmer & Glow Liquid Eyeshadow, 'Cloud' | I keep thinking this was an impulse buy, but I had actually been wanting it for weeks when I finally did buy it at the beginning of the month. I had heard such great things about the Shimmer & Glow Eyeshadows, and I love the original Glitter & Glow Eyeshadow I have so I wanted to give it a try. I went for Cloud, a lavender with a stunning gold shift. I don't have anything like it in my collection. I love plum tones on my eyes, and the gold shimmer in it keeps it wearable, almost like a neutral. The formula is just as great as everyone says, and it doesn't crease on me all day long.

Fresh Black Tea Kombucha Facial Treatment Essence* | I finally finished up the Missha Essence I had been using at the beginning of this month and was able to crack this baby open. I had wanted to try the new Fresh Essence since they started teasing it on Instagram, and it's just as good as I was hoping. It has Fresh's signature cucumber scent and feels super cooling and hydrating on the skin. The watery consistency sinks in instantly, and I find it really helps to plump up my skin. With continued use I think it's really helped to smooth out my skin. I pat on a few layers morning and night, and it's always a step in my skincare routine I look forward to.

Renee Rouleau Rapid Response Detox Masque | This is another product I saw on Instagram and decided I needed it. The people I saw reviewing it were saying it was helping to clear up their acne caused by hormones and diet, which pretty much explains me to a T. It works by not only helping to clear up bacteria and excess oil but also soothing redness and irritation. I've never tried a mask that was both great for detoxing and also hydrating the skin, and it's definitely something my routine was missing. Right now, I'm using it about once a week and twice in the week leading up to my period to help ward off those breakouts. I've been breaking out from starting Curology this month, but this mask has been keeping my skin in check otherwise.

Glossier You Solid Perfume* | The latest Glossier launch is of course a favorite for the month. I've worn Glossier You every day since it launched in October, and it's quickly become my favorite scent to wear. Now you can easily take it on-the-go for touchups. The solid perfume is housed in the cutest little pebble that fits right in the palm of your hand. It's super weighted so it feels so nice to hold, and it has the signature thumbprint in it to make it easy to open with one hand. It has a super satisfying magnetic click closure too - I find myself just clicking it open and closed absentmindedly sometimes. The scent wears closer to the body than the original spray of course, but I find it has about the same lasting power on me. I like to layer a bit of this on before spraying the perfume before I leave the house - I find it helps it last even longer. 

Essie Grow Stronger Base Coat | My nails were in a sad state for most of January, and I'm trying to get them back into shape now. I picked up the Essie Grow Stronger Base Coat this month based on Tamira Jarrel's recommendation, and I'm obsessed. It leaves a sheer nude tint on the nails, so I've just been wearing it on its own all month. It really has made my nails a lot stronger, and they grew so long that I actually had to cut them last week - normally they break before I get the chance to cut them. I haven't tried it under other nail polishes yet, so I'll report back on that when I do.

Kristin Ess Signature Hair Water | I really need to write about my favorite hair products, because then you'd see what a Kristin Ess love affair I've been having. The Signature Hair Water is a new addition to her line, and I was instantly intrigued - it seemed like it might just be a spray can of water, but I bought it anyway. I've actually found this great for reviving my hair when it starts to get frazzled by the second day after washing - it's got a bit of castor oil in it as well as their "zip-up technology" that help to seal split ends. Normally getting my hair wet without washing it makes it dry super puffy, but this doesn't do that. I've found it super helpful this month when my hair has gotten wet from being outside shoveling - I'm not left with frizzy hat hair afterward.

Books, Movies, TV, Etc | Stop what you're doing right now and go watch "I'll Have What Phil's Having" and "Somebody Feed Phil" on Netflix. They're both docuseries starring Phil Rosenthal (creator of Everybody Loves Raymond), and he goes to different cities around the world and seeks out the best food. He's such a goofy guy and they're both great "feel-good" shows. Speaking of heartwarming shows, I've also been loving the new Queer Eye series - I haven't watched them all yet, but I'm hooked. I love it just as much as the original and I love all five of them. I listened to the audiobook of Princess Diarist by Carrie Fisher this month, too, and while I read the book already, I'd highly recommend listening to the audiobook. Carrie Fisher narrates it, and her daughter Billie Lourd reads the journal entries included. It was great to hear it come to life, and it made me miss Carrie Fisher even more. For music, I'm totally behind on this, but I'm finally listening to Lana Del Rey's Lust for Life album and I'm obsessed. I've always been a Lana fan, but until now none of her albums really topped Paradise for me.

What were your favorite things this month?

Products marked with an asterisk (*) have been sent to me for consideration, but all opinions are my own. This post contains affiliate links.