The little sweet treats that are getting me through this month
It’s one of those times for me when life is moving a little faster than I’d like and I’m just doing my best to keep up, which one could argue is not going as well as I’d hoped…and somehow even my makeup routine has been almost an afterthought than a daily ritual that I look forward to.
My current makeup routine is really less of a routine than a scattered collection of essentials and new products that really deliver and wow me, and while a lot of it was covered in my spring makeup post, I have some newer releases to share that are truly exceptional.
That said, I am still very much a sucker for a little treat approximately every few days, where I have to get myself a little (makeup) treat every week or so to treat myself for, well, existing, and to brighten my day, even if just for 5 minutes.
Today I have 5 (!) little and not so little, but very sweet treats that have been carrying me through the past couple weeks and making me feel more like myself.
I’ve been looking for the perfect lip stain for the better part of 15 years and have come close, but they always seem to be just a little bit off, whether it’s the shade range or it’s a formula that clings to my dry patches a little too much. Enter the Violette Lip Nectars – the lip stain formula of my dreams that is both hydrating and longwearing with just the right shades, and the best part is that it actually stains without catching into every line and dry spot on my lips. This formula perfectly balances the hydrating shine and stain aspect, with the stain developing as the shine starts to set and settling into a natural tint. They also fully live up to their claims of being hydrating, since I can wear these exclusively all day without feeling the urge to apply lip balm.
The shades are absolutely on point, with Betise being the perfect rosy red stain that doesn’t look like too much but definitely gives me a flushed rosy effect, and Dahlia Noir is the ideal deeper deep berry that just looks like I’ve drank a few glasses of red wine. In case you’re also looking for the perfect rose and wine stains, there’s also a set of two stains at a little discount. I mean, you might as well. I demo all the shades and staining effect in this reel.
I’m not much of a coffee drink drinker – I live and die by my homemade black coffee every morning – so when the little treat desire strikes I turn to beauty. One of my recent mental health walks brought me to Sephora, where I absolutely fell in love with the matcha bubble tea scent of the Laneige Lip Glowy Balms. It captures the delicate floral earthiness of matcha, while the slightly sweet base really brings in the sweet bubble tea essence that really makes this balm a sweet treat.
The formula itself is perhaps not groundbreaking, but it’s a good basic moisturizing balm formula with a lightweight feel that is a crowdpleaser for good reason. The matcha scent really makes the balm, and I liked it so much I took a chance and ordered the taro version as well, which is a slightly sweeter and creamier scent that is just as delicious. At $19, this is a perfect sweet treat since it’s basically the same price as buying bubble tea and a pastry anyway…
Just when I thought I couldn’t possibly need another skin tint, Merit came around and surprised me with a skin tint that is both fresh and radiant while having surprising oil control on hot and humid days. It has a light almost gel-like lotion texture that gives seamless light coverage. Though I was immediately skeptical of the dewy finish, it settles into a very natural looking glow that doesn’t look shiny, and throughout the day it just stays looking like my skin but better. It’s not overly dewy or matte, but it’s just the most balanced and better version of my skin, and it stays that way.
Trust me when I say I wanted to blow this off as just another boring skin tint and instead find myself reaching for it day after day. The only thing to note is that I don’t agree with the brand’s marketing of this as a tinted sunscreen, since I can’t imagine applying a full ¼ teaspoon of this on my face to get the full sun protection. I use this strictly as a skin tint over my spf and would only recommend it as such. I wear shade 24.
This perfume wasn’t quite an impulse buy, but it was 100% influenced by my friend Teresa when who had this perfume when I visited her in Paris and made me try it on, which then promptly made me go out and purchase a bottle on my own. It’s not quite a little treat, but at least I shopped tax-free…? Citrus scents usually don’t work for me, but the fresh green notes of basil and the grounding notes of sandalwood and musk make this a surprising hit that I haven’t been able to stop wearing. Yes it’s juicy and bright with the mandarin top note, but the basil balances out the brightness perfectly and prevents it from going sour on my skin, which typically happens with citrus perfumes. It ends up feeling more like a fresh and refreshing antidote to the hot and steamy days we’ve been having. Longevity is roughly 8 hours on me, which is pretty good for a light scent profile such as this one.
I know I just said I don’t get along with citrus perfumes and here I am talking about a second citrus in the same post, but I promise this one is worth seeking out. As much as I love the sound of Kayali fragrances, most of them haven’t worked very well for me, though Capri in a Bottle is a delightful exception. It’s bright and lemony with a strong sugar vanilla base – yes, sugar vanilla as opposed to a vanilla sugar – that it settles into a beautifully sweet lemon sugar treat on my skin. This is definitely more of a lemon gourmand scent than it is a citrus scent, and that is what makes it work so well. It’s fresh and sweet without being cloying, like a lemon meringue instead of lemon cupcake, and the vanilla base makes this last all day on my skin. The mini bottle is definitely in the sweet treat category, though the scent is so good it might just be worth the big bottle.
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Bluemercury has an incredible sale that includes so many luxury makeup and fragrance brands that are rarely on sale. The sale starts at 20% off $200+, and up to 30% off orders $1000+. Consider this a great time to pick up that Byredo or Parfums de Marly fragrance you’ve been eyeing, or the most decadent Oribe shampoo and conditioner that always seem to be excluded from sales. Victoria Beckham is even included in this one, making it the only time I’ve seen her products discounted other than her holiday sales in November.
Make Up For Ever currently has a 25% off sale, which is perfectly timed for the release of their new Artist Color Crayons, a new multistick that has impressive pigment and wear. I tested these out in Sephora and was so impressed with how the color stayed even after rubbing my skin where I swatched the products. The shades are also perfection, with a wide range of contour, highlight, lip and cheek shades that truly has something for everyone. I picked up Luminous Taupe, a cool toned taupe that is a promising cool contour shade or eyelid shade, and Iconic Purple, an lavender purple that is such a flattering tone for olive skintones. Stay tuned for when these are delivered and I can fully play with them!
MAC Cosmetics has 40% off most of their products, and while I can spend a whole post on my favorite MAC products (let me know if you care enough for one!), my top recommendation right now is this perfect beige blush with a hint of mauve that is my ideal nude blush.
Reformation has 25% off a decent selection of clothing and accessories, and while Reformation is not really my style, I’m still trying to talk myself out of these mesh leopard print flats that I mentioned a few weeks ago.
These treats and temptations have done their part to make me feel just a little more grounded, and unlike a watered down matcha latte, they will actually continue to provide me little moments of joy.
What are giving you moments of joy and little dopamine boosts? I’ll take all the ideas I can get, so drop all your recommendations and recent finds in the comments.
As always, you can find all my recommendation and latest posts on ShopMy and Instagram. Thank you for reading!
