Monthly Favorites: August 2023 Edition!

[AlexBT]

Monthly Faves: August 2023!

Happy late summer, fellow BIC-ers! Team BIC was working remotely for the first half of the month (preparing to move into our new Sephora HQ!) so I bounced around a bit and enjoyed a change of scenery away from my typical desk setup. ✈ Exploring new places is fun, but there’s something so comforting and satisfying about coming home and getting to settle back into my routine again. No shade to all our fave minis (we had so much fun during ourMajor Minis Challenge!), but there’s nothing quite like having access to all my full-size beauty must-haves from my home stash after a few days of being limited to the pared-down regimen I’ve managed to fit into my carry-on!

Here are the products I’ve been loving this August:

• Danessa Myricks Beauty Infinite Chrome Flakes Multichrome Gel for Eyes & Face Monarch 
• Farmacy Lip Smoothie Vitamin C + Peptide Lip Balm 
• MATTER OF FACT BRIGHTENING + FIRMING SERUM with 20% Vitamin C + Ferulic Acid 1 oz / 30 ml 
• SEPHORA COLLECTION Silicone Scalp Massager 
• Yves Saint Laurent YSL Candy Glaze Lip Gloss Stick 02 healthy glow plumper and Yves Saint Laurent YSL Candy Glaze Lip Gloss Stick 15 Showcasing Nude 

Your turn, Community! Hit the reply button and tell us about your August favorites. Be sure to tag those products with the “#” symbol (hair, makeup, fragrance, wellness, skincare, etc.)!

[itsfi]

We have similar skin types @jaaayp, year round almost. Fall thru spring, I'm combo-dry (early fall and late spring) to dry/very dry (late fall to early-to-mid spring) and then from June through mid-October, I'm combo-oily to oily. And dehydrated year round. 

Are there any ingredients you're sensitive or allergic to, or that you like to avoid? 

[itsfi]

@jaaayp, here's my current cleansing routine 

• Pre-Cleanse / Makeup Breakdown - Bioderma Micellar Water (on days I wear waterproof mascara or more than just a wash of eyeshadow)
• First Cleanse - Tatcha The Indigo Cleansing Balm Moisturizing Makeup Remover 1.9 oz / 54 g - I love it. I was in Sephora the other day and was talking to two different cast members about it. One had never used it before but was sold on it based on what her coworker and I shared. Like @ather, I'm a huge fan. It's gentle and effective, leaves my skin cleansed, refreshed, lightly hydrated and soft.
• Second Cleanse - Skinfix Hydrating Foaming Oil Cleanser with Hyaluronic Acid 6 oz/ 177 mL - good for my sensitive and sometimes rosacea prone skin. 

Seasonal Choices - here's what my rotation has generally been for the last 18+ months, though I may stick to the above cleansers since they have been working nicely, especially the Tatcha Cleansing Balm.

• for summer when my skin is at its oiliest 🌞
• First Cleanse - Dr. Ceuracle Pro Balance Pure Cleansing Oil 
• Second Cleanse - Neogen Real Fresh Foam Cleanser, Green Tea or The INKEY List Salicylic Acid Cleanser 5 oz (for when breakouts are common) or Biossance Squalane + Elderberry Jelly Cleanser (this seems like it is being or has been discontinued ... sigh)
• for the coldest part of winter when my skin is at its driest ❄️
• First Cleanse - Tatcha Pure One Step Camellia Cleansing Oil Mini 0.8 oz/ 24 mL (not sure why I can't tag a full size) or The INKEY List Oat Makeup Removing Cleansing Balm 5/150  or Banila Co. Clean It Zero, Nourishing (the yellow jar), but I think I will try the newest version (white jar, contains ceramides) this winter
• Second Cleanse - isClinical Warming Honey Cleanser or Kate Somerville Goat Milk Moisturizing Cleanser 4 oz/ 120 mL or MILK MAKEUP Vegan Milk Cleanser 4 oz/ 118 mL 

Exfoliating Cleansers: I reach for one of these maybe once per week, sometimes 2-3 times in the peak of summer (which for me is usually mid-August thru mid-October): 

• AmorePacific Enzyme Peel Cleansing Powder - sadly, Sephora no longer carries AmorePacific
• Tatcha The Rice Polish Foaming Enzyme Powder Gentle (the gentle version)
• Dermalogica Mini Daily Milkfoliant Exfoliator .45 oz / 13 g 

[jaaayp]

WOW thanks for sharing @itsfi this is an extensive list.. I actually do have the biossance cleanser... IS IT BEING DISCONTINUED???? biossance is sooo underrated. I'm gonna try out the #The INKEY List Oat Makeup Removing Cleansing Balm 5 oz/ 150 mL because my friends been basically threatening me to try it 😂 and im definitely gonna pick up the Skinfix Hydrating Foaming Oil Cleanser with Hyaluronic Acid 6 oz/ 177 mL because I've definitely been eyeing this. THANKS FOR OPENING MY WALLET JKJK 🙃🤣

p.s. would like to schedule a session at your skincare lounge every season please LOL 😆

[itsfi]

Lol @jaaayp! I could go on and on about skincare with all the lovelies here on BIC. Oooh, skincare lounge? Looooove that! ♥️

Yeah, I think that Biossance cleanser is on the outs. 😔 Or, they’re having some challenges with reformulating it. Or maybe it’s the issues its parent company is having that is delaying the introduction of a new formula - Biossance intro’ed some “new” versions of their original products earlier this year, but the elderberry jelly cleanser wasn’t part of it. Or it wasn’t from what I can tell and recall. I mean, let’s be real, I’ll be fine. I’m sure I have a backup of it and if not, there’s plenty of other cleansers to choose from, but I really do (or is it now did?) enjoy that cleanser. 

[ather]

@jaaayp  Noooooo. You definitely need to try Rhode. My skin loves it!! Which serums abs masks did you buy!!!

[jaaayp]

Oh gosh @ather and @itsfi let's see if I can list/remember everything I just picked up in the last few days... will list in the September haul if i miss some LOL have you guys been checking the oh snap deals 50% off? I have because the app keeps telling me something in my loves/saved is on sale 😂 

I was really trying to hold off until the next VIB sale but couldnt resist the 50% off....

• TULA Skincare Brightening Treatment Drops Triple Vitamin C Serum 1 oz / 30 ml (50% off)
• fresh Floral Recovery Overnight Mask with Squalane 3.3 oz/ 100 mL (50% off)
• KORRES Santorini Grape Velvet Skin Drink 1.01 oz/ 30ml (50% off)
• KORRES Santorini Grape Poreless Skin Cream 1.35 oz/ 40 mL (50% off)
• LANEIGE Water Bank Blue Hyaluronic Revitalizing Toner 5.4 oz/ 160 mL 
• NARS Powermatte Lip Pigment Vain (50% off)
• Tower 28 Beauty MakeWaves® Lengthening + Volumizing Mascara Jet (repeat)
• Olaplex No. 7 Bonding Frizz Reduction & Heat Protection Hair Oil 1 fl. oz./30 mL (repeat)
• Farmacy 10% Niacinamide Night Mask 1.7 oz/ 50 mL (repeat)
• COSRX Eye Cream 
• COSRX essence 
• COSRX sunscreen 

[itsfi]

@jaaayp, I saw REN on sale. I almost picked up a few things but restrained myself. 👏 But only because I made some splurge-y purchases today. On shoes. 👠👟 🛍

[jaaayp]

I would love to see what you got @itsfi 👀 I'm a vans girl so I own like 12 pairs of vans on rotation while my other 30 pairs of shoes are collecting dust LOL BUT doesn't mean I can't look 🤪 🙃 

[itsfi]

Ooooh @jaaayp, vans!!! 😍 I have 2 pairs of vans in what has become a small collection of (maybe 6-8?) sneakers. 👟 If I jot them down I’m sure it’ll turn out to be more than 8 so I’m just going to not do an inventory count. 😆 

I tossed or donated a ton of shoes (but none of my sneakers 😉) when I was getting ready for my home project but I still have a lot. I’ll post a couple of my recent ones in a bit - a pair of penny loafers, slides & heels. I recently started wearing my heels again to work. Well, recently might not be entirely accurate. I started wearing a more diverse collection of my heels to work (instead of just rotating between 3 pairs of heels and 2 pairs of flats) so somehow that justified picking up more shoes. Heehee! 

[ather]

@jaaayp  That’s an impressive list. And you are right you can’t beat the 50% off. I haven’t been looking at the sale because I don’t want to make an order! I’m trying to get through what I have first!! 

[jaaayp]

Do it @ather do it!!!! 😂😂😂🤪🤪🤪🤪 I just got KORRES Santorini Grape Velvet Skin Drink 1.01 oz/ 30ml delivered and it leaked and it's out of stock so no replacement 😑 but sephora took care of it so all good... but since its open, gotta start using it right away 😭 now I have 9 serums on rotation....

[ather]

@jaaayp  OMG 9 serums!! That’s crazy! Do you have a fav or 2 lol

[itsfi]

@jaaayp, my sentiments are in keeping with  @ather‘s - 9 serums??!! Which 9??? Skincare enthusiasts want to know. 🥰 How do they fit in your rotation? Any favorites? 

I have pen and paper 🖊️ 📄 in hand and am  ready to take notes and learn! 😍 Go!

Serum 1 …

[jaaayp]

@itsfi @ather I use different serums throughout the month depending on what my skin needs.. Definitely a big problem 😂 BUT I do keep them in my mini skincare fridge so hopefully it's not all going bad. I combine any of these serums with Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Exfoliating Toner for Clear Skin or Farmacy Brighten Up 3% TXA Dark Spot Toner with Azelaic Acid 4 oz / 120 mL  or OLEHENRIKSEN Glow2OH 7% AHA Exfoliating Dark Spot Toner 

Glow Recipe Strawberry Smooth BHA + AHA Salicylic Acid Serum 

Glow Recipe Avocado Soothing Skin Barrier Serum with Ceramides 1 oz/ 30 mL 

Glow Recipe Plum Plump™ Hyaluronic Acid Hydrating Serum 

Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Dew Drops Serum 

Dior Capture Totale Le Sérum Anti-Aging Serum 1 oz / 30 mL 

INNBEAUTY PROJECT Green Machine Vitamin C Dark Spot & Hyperpigmentation Serum 1 oz/30 ml 

TULA Skincare Brightening Treatment Drops Triple Vitamin C Serum 1 oz / 30 ml 

Farmacy Honeymoon Glow AHA Resurfacing Night Serum 1 oz/ 30 mL 

I recently just finished Biossance Squalane + Phyto-Retinol Serum 1 oz/ 30 mL 😂

I feel like I can't tell you guys what's best since everyone's skin is so different but.. the combo I've been loving lately is either the TXA Toner with Vitamin C to lighten up some scars 🙃

[ather]

@jaaayp  These are all great products! I’ll have to test out the ones I haven’t tried yet! I totally agree that it’s hard to say what works for you may not work for me. But it’s always nice seeing what works for others right @itsfi 

[itsfi]

The 50% sale is a hard one to resist @jaaayp. You picked up some great products. Love the formula on the NARS Powermatte (and I'm not usually a matte lipstick gal, though I've become more of one with the more hydrating formulations that have come out). Are the CosRx products from the same line? I do like their snail and propolis ranges. 

[jaaayp]

OH and yes @itsfi I love the powematte! I have NARS Powermatte Lip Pigment Le Freak somewhere where I can't find... but fall is coming and I'm very excited about NARS Powermatte Lip Pigment Vain I love mattes because I can't pull off gloss 😂

[itsfi]

The Powermattes put me down the matte path @jaaayp, though mattes probably aren’t the finish I’d instinctively go for. I do like the more hydrating matte finishes that brands have put out. 

Oh, I think you could def pull off glosses but I get why they are go to’s for many. What is it about them for you that makes it a challenge to pull off? 

[jaaayp]

Yes! It's the snail line 😂 @itsfi 😂 except the sunscreen... the sunscreen is a different line and my fav, Aloe Soothing Sun Cream. I've been using it for like a decade because it provides all the benefits while it feels like nothing 🙂

[itsfi]

CosRx aloe SPF is a fave of so many @jaaayp. 👍🏼 It was a fave of a former coworker (who I talked Kbeauty and sheet masks with all the time when we worked together) and her husband. I have SPFs on rotation because I love ‘em so much (and the formulations have gotten better and better over the years); one of my absolute faves is Etude House Sunprise Mild Airy Finish SPF - good grief, the names on sunscreens!! 😅 

Oh, that CosRX snail line is fabulous 🐌 My favorite is the essence. ♥️ The eye cream / serum is good too. They introduced a sheet mask into that range a few years ago, if I’m remembering right. 

[itsfi]

Yes, what serums and mask did you purchase @jaaayp?!!! Asks the girl who does not need any more serums or another mask. 😉 @ather