Monthly Favorites: July 2025 Edition!

[KhyleyBT]

A summery helloooo to you BIC, and I hope July has been treating you well! 🌞 My summer is off to the races weeee. 🏁 We are lucky to enjoy Summer Fridays over here at Sephora HQ, so I’ve used those to plan some long weekend trips, river days and whatever else allows me to soak up the sun—queue up the Summer BBQ playlist 🎸🎵

With that in mind, I’ve paired down my makeup routine in the warmer weather and gathered some minis of my regular skincare regimen. Thank you to everyone who commented on myMonthly Favorites: May 2025 Edition! post about sunscreen recs! MERIT launched their new Tinted Mineral Sunscreen a few days after I posted, so I snagged that and have not been disappointed. It blends beautifully, has no white cast and as a Brown girl, it’s one of the first tinted sunscreens I’ve used where I found a good shade match. 🤎 12/10 recommend for any of you looking for clean & light coverage with sun protection!

Here's everything I’m loving right now:

• MERIT The Uniform™ Tinted Mineral Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 45
• Peter Thomas Roth 24K Gold Firming Hydra-Gel Eye Mask Patches for Fine Lines and Dark Circles 
• Sol de Janeiro Delícia Drench™ Jet Set 
• TOM FORD Soleil Lip Blush Balm with pH-Adaptive Pink Stain clear

Lights, camera, action BIC 📸✨ I wanna know what’s in your summer stash and what you’re up to for the rest of it! Make sure to use the “#” to tag your faves so we can yap n shop like always 💅

P.S. We are aware of a bug preventing new products from showing up in the product tag search, but don’t let that dampen hot BIC summer 🔥, we still want to hear about them!

[PrettyPaint]

@Sunnysmom That sounds exactly like what I experience - sorry you deal with that as well. I'll keep the LaMer eye balm in mind next time I can find it on sale! 🙂

[Sunnysmom]

I’m so sorry @PrettyPaint , it’s miserable! Yup for sure the sales and keep eye out for the little offers or rewards too as I find those little tubes often have enough to help out any little outbreaks! 💞

[Ispend2much6]

@Sunnysmom   I think it's the old version; is it just a different tube?  Anyway, I was also afraid but figured if it was on the internet, it was safe to do. 😂

I was desperate, so I tried it.  It didn't bother the area near my eyes at all, but I was very careful to apply it only to the cyst.

@PrettyPaint   I'm a little concerned about the pads now.  Maybe twice a week was too much for me, or it's just me, but my skin is taking close to a week to recover, and that's without wearing any makeup and using Avene's heavy duty skin repair creams.

[PrettyPaint]

@Ispend2much6 Oh no! Thanks for the update, but I'm so sorry your skin seems sensitive. I hope it resolves soon!

[Sunnysmom]

I don’t know @Ispend2much6 , I’ll have to look. I  have both a white and a black tube and I get them mixed up because so similar. Lol I think it’s the black tube though. 

[CynthieLu]

Oooouh I appreciate the shot of the rainwater serum from DE, it's sooo pretty on your skin @Ispend2much6.😍 I think I have to go looking to see if they have a tester next time I'm in store. I want you see that IRL.

[Ispend2much6]

@CynthieLu  Thank you!  It could almost work as a highlighter, I think.  I definitely don't like it all over as a stand alone for me, as the shimmer emphasizes the concave areas in my face, and the puffy parts. 🙂

[CynthieLu]

Using it in targeted areas is such a great idea @Ispend2much6. I could see this going on your shoulders even if you wearing something light over the summer. 🌞

[CynthieLu]

Summer faves incoming 😉☀️

Has anyone else tried this sunscreen from Clarins?? It's so handy for beach days or just getting ready to enjoy those sun beams. 😎 

Clarins Sunscreen Care Oil Spray Broad Spectrum SPF 30 5 oz/ 150 mL ( can't seem to tag mine, it's the SPF body lotion 🧴👌)

Valentino Donna Born in Roma Green Stravaganza Eau de Parfum Travel Spray with Vanilla & Tea Accord 0.33 oz eau de parfum spray 

Drunk Elephant A-Gloei™ Marula + Retinol Oil 1 oz/ 30 mL 

Hourglass Phantom Volumizing Glossy Lip Balm ( this is perfect for a touch color and moisture while still going for undone ❤️ this is Thrill.)

Hope everyone is enjoying the summer months, gosh don't they go by fast? Happy breezy beach days BIC! 🏖️

[Sunnysmom]

The Clarins looks good @CynthieLu , great to know. Love that HG balm, so comfy! 

[PrettyPaint]

@CynthieLu Great picks! I haven't smelled the green version of Roma yet, but glad to hear you love it! 

[CynthieLu]

I heard some positive reviews around BIC and it lead me to try it out for myself in-store. It was a good one! So I scooped it up. I really like a sweet aroma and this one is sooooo lovely. 💚 It's very wearable @PrettyPaint 😀

[PrettyPaint]

@CynthieLu That's great that you were able to try it out first in the stores. Wearable and sweet sounds wonderful!

[CynthieLu]

I want something I can bust out day or night without worrying it's too much, if that makes sense @PrettyPaint. This one is just so easy to put on. 😉

[Ispend2much6]

@CynthieLu  I've been wondering about that retinol oil.  How much do you like it? 🙂

[CynthieLu]

I really enjoy it @Ispend2much6 it's very gentle and dosen't aggravate my sensitive skin at all. I don't use it nightly, just a few times a week at most. But it works well with the different skin care items in my routine, and it's nice to finish it all of with an oil like this. I tried Sunday Riley Luna Sleeping Retinoid Night Oil before, and found them both to be impressive.  Have you tried that one ever?

[Ispend2much6]

All good news @CynthieLu - thanks!  I have used SR; it's good, but I don't care for the scent.  I'm using Biossance's Biossance Squalane + Retinol Night Serum 1 oz / 30 mL .  I like how all of their products go together, but I'm kind of at a crossroads.  This is the first summer of my life that my skin has been extremely dry and dull and an oil sounds good.

[Margalee]

@KhyleyBT 

Hi Khyley! 

I am not sure I've tried Merit sunscreen but I have gotten some Glowscreen sunscreen by Supergoop. Their regular sunscreen dries my skin but this luminescent? sunscreen does not. I have a lot of trouble with foundations and BB creams caking and settling in pores. This is very sheer but hasn't given me trouble unless I do something like put a priming moisturizer on and then it settles into my pores. The mineral screen version does highlight my facial hair so if you are a hairier person the mineral version, which is goopier than the other version, might highlight hairy places on face and chest. I don't notice the problem with the one not labeled mineral on front. Both versions work well for me. 

I am still loving Lola Vie detangler and I am really enjoying Verb mini glossy hair protectant. I do enjoy the Ceremonia Guava leave in. One of the few products that doesn't grease my hair. I had to use it for about a week to see real results but then my hair was so shiny! Innersense beauty hair products have been newbies I enjoyed using. I think they smell good.

I have been trying out Vaseline products for skin. Illuminate Me and Radiant X both keep me looking hydrated all day and are very inexpensive compared to what I'd been using. Their B3 product is great for me as a face cream too. If I am breaking out, clogged pores etc I use that and it actually works for me.

Perfume wise I found the Harlem perfume company discovery set. Love it, love it! I enjoy every perfume in it. I really wish some of them lasted longer than they do on me, but I like their scents. I was so glad Sephora picked up this brand. I have wanted to try it out for quite awhile. I also picked up Givenchy L'Interdit Angelique. I find it aromatic but still retaining the grape-y DNA of the original. Perfume is so personal to everyone's body chemistry. I am not sure how much longer it will be available but I am glad I picked that up.

I've been trying a lot of new products recently. I've really enjoyed most of them. There have been a few letdowns though.

[KhyleyBT]

Great recs in here @Margalee! I used to use the Supergoop Invisible Sunscreen and many of my friends enjoy the glow sunscreen. I tend to lean aware from glowy SPFs because I can lean a little sweaty (especially in the summer 🥵) and that doesn't usually help my cause LOL! I haven't tried the leave-in conditioner, but am a big fan of the Ceremonia Guava Rescue Hair Heat Protectant Spray 6.7 oz / 200 mL! When I have my natural hair out from my usual knotless braids, it really helps with detangling after wash days 😍 so maybe I should pick up a mini of the leave-in for my next go!

[PrettyPaint]

@Margalee I still need to try the Harlem fragrances. That's great that there's a discovery set. 

[CynthieLu]

Glowscreen is a really nice sunscreen with just that little extra little oomph ✨ @Margalee I think it dosen't get enough attention. 

It sounds like this was a pretty great month for you trying newness. 👌 Ooouh now I'm interested in seeking out the Givenchy L'Interdit Angelique you mentioned. 🍇 It's grape-y you say?