Two makeup posts in a row? It must be a sign my wanderlust is trying to express itself amid my stay-at-home quarantine for what has felt like the longest month. A quick note if you see the above photo and think “we’ve seen many of these products before..”; if you know me, you’ll know that I love to experiment with anything luxurious and promising but that I’m also very loyal where if something works, I’ll keep it. For reviews, this is good because I can provide you all with actual real feedback since I ‘live’ with the products, but for content, where many bloggers cycle through new release after new release without any repetition (where the reviews tend to be more superficial and not that enlightening IMO), you’re likely to see things I might have talked about before and not always the “release of the minute.”
RMS Beauty Signature Set – (in MOD) if you like discovery and options, the RMS Beauty Signature Set is for you as it’s a composite “best of” collection of 5 products in a convenient palette. I opted for the MOD palette which features the Master Mixer, Living Luminizer, Smile Lip2Cheek, Spell Lip2Cheek, and Simply Cocoa Lip & Skin Balm because the selections and colors felt more versatile to me and featured the ‘greatest hits’. This is lovely for basically testing out the entire range and figuring out how to play with the colors, and textures together before buying the stand alone products. I love that the products together cover nearly everything from lip color to blush and highlights. And while most of the makeup featured in this post is very clean, RMS Beauty is known for being as natural and organic as it gets.
Ellis Faas Skin Veil Pen – (in S102) Ellis Faas is a brand that should be more well known than it currently is, at least Stateside. If I were to draw a comparison, Ellis Faas would be Kjaer Weis meets Serge Lutens: the packaging is nothing short of original and innovative with refillable “pens” for every makeup category shaped like a haute couture piece; the colors are rich, lush, and editorial, drawn from human colors that always compliment natural skin tones; and the wear is almost costume makeup grade in endurance with an almost nude second skin feel. The Skin Veil Pen dispenses foundation through a brush tip applicator that gives skin a gorgeous glow up, I’d describe it as ballerina emerging from a dew petal.
Glossier Boy Brow – I’m so glad that full brows are in, but letting them grow out can be unwieldily. Boy Brow is a great tool that fills spots in, and it has a waxy texture that holds brows in place so you have a natural yet clean and streamlined appearance. Unlike brow pencils that rely on a bit of skill to get the shape right, this is really meant to accentuate and fill out your natural brows giving quite an effortless but put-together look where brows don’t look too “artificial,” like you just woke up with fuller, uniformed brows — and isn’t that the best, no wonder this remains one of Glossier’s top-sellers.
Tatcha Kissu Lip Mask – This is the most precious thing. The Kissu Lip Mask is a pot of peachy goodness in a honey jelly texture. Using a combination of Japanese Peach Extract, Camellia Oil, and Squalene to repair and nourish the lips, Kissu is a pleasurable lip mask that you apply with a scooper (provided). It’s just so delightful to put on and “luxuriate.” I love it for mornings after I’ve brushed my teeth and need to give myself that 15 minute window before starting teas or anything else. According to Tatcha’s own studies 100% of women noticed improved texture and overall condition to the lips within 1 week, and 100% of women noticed continued improvement after 2 weeks. I definitely think lip balms have their place, but sometimes you just want to break the cycle of dry/chapped lips, and Kissu mask about 2 times a week has helped me tremendously (and in case it wasn’t clear, it’s SUCH A JOY to use).
Rituel de Fille Enchanted Lip Sheer – (in Narcissus) Rituel de Fille is a newer organic color cosmetics line, but what made it stick out in a crowded space is their strong branding and product identity, focusing on an occult-like vision of natural cosmetics where rich pigments and stunning shades are the focal point. Enchanted Lip Sheer is smooth and creamy, deeply moisturizing to the lips, the coverage is sheer (as the name suggests) but the color is indeed quite rich and the staying power is impressive. From the consistency and texture to the feel, look and overall performance of the product, it truly doesn’t feel like an “organic product” which I mean in the best way possible in the sense that I was pleasantly surprised by how much organic make-up has really caught up to conventional products even in the color space (which even makeup artist Katey Denno acknowledges can sometimes fall short). Even the scent of rosemary and lavender is quite spellbinding. Narcissus is a nude, buttery color that tends toward a peachy strawberry color, perfect for spring/summer, and for when you want to look together in a more subtle way. The color is more exciting than a typical nude, and more discreet than a statement red, ideal when you want options.
Beautycounter Sheer Lipstick – (in Twig) Perhaps my favorite item from the Beautycounter makeup collection, for the performance and beautiful packaging alone. This has been my “everyday” lip stick. The formula is pure butter, silky smooth and super moisturizing. The color is light and buildable, you can easily go from barely there your-lips-but-better to full glam color. Oh and this buttery lip stick also smells like vanilla from the natural vanilla extract. Unlike many conventional lipsticks, this is not only luxurious but also feels “good for you,” hence its place as my regular go-to.
I hope this downtime is giving you time to rediscover, experiment, and just have fun with your products again, for me it’s been with makeup, share yours in the comments!
*This post is not sponsored, though it may contain some affiliate links.