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Monthly Favorites: May 2022 Edition!

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Summer is right around the corner, BIC! 🌞🌴 I’m manifesting glowy skin and luscious locks this season, and you know I’m leaning on beauty goodies to help me get there. I feel like recently I’ve been trying out products that are completely new to me, and I’m happy to report that several of them have already become regulars in my various beauty routines.

 

Say “hello” to my newfound faves! These are the products I’ve been loving in May:

 

Now it’s your turn! Hit the “Reply” button and let us know what skincare, hair, makeup, fragrance, and/or wellness products you couldn’t get enough of this month (and don’t forget to use the “#” to tag your products). 😎

Re: Monthly Favorites: May 2022 Edition!

@missy94612, it's a beautiful fragrance, isn't it?! I love that you have this in different sizes; the mini version I'm sure is adorable. I haven't always loved gardenia scents but there are a few in the Gucci line that have made me change my mind in that regard.

Re: Monthly Favorites: May 2022 Edition!

A mix of old and new favorites this month. (Tagging @Ispend2much6, @itsfi, and @Saradestin for my feedback on the Facetheory Ocuwake cream.) 
 
May 2022 favoritesMay 2022 favorites
Sephora Collection glass nail file - Glass files efficiently shorten and shape my nails without tearing them up. I own 2 of these: 1 stays at home, the other lives in my purse/bag. The one in my photo's a bit dirty because I didn't wash it after its last use. I don’t know when Sephora stopped selling these, but mine are at least 3 years old and still work like champs. Thats much longer lasting than any emory board Ive ever used. 
 
Facetheory Ocuwake Eye Cream - I was curious about one of its ingredients, Meiview™, which is claimed to boost collagen production and reduce eye area wrinkles and bags. At $21 USD (actually less than that, since I bought it on sale), I figured why not test it out. Ive consistently used it once a day, alongside the next item on this list, for a month. Of course it hasnerased my undereye lines, nor did I expect that. But its softened them and greatly reduced puffiness. And since I use just a tiny amount each night, this tube should last a long time. Note that I dont use this as an eye cream moisturizer; I always top it with a full face moisturizer. 
 
Ocuwake contains another interesting ingredient, hexylresorcinol: 
Spoiler
Hexylresorcinol is in some first aid sprays, creams, and oral medications/lozenges as a pain reliever and antiseptic. Facetheory says it’s a melanin inhibitor “clinically proven to be four times as effective than hydroquinone in lightening skin.” Im not the best candidate to test that claim because most of my undereye darkness is caused by sunken skin. I considered testing it on a smallish dark spot on my cheek, but 1) I kinda like that dark spot and 2) I keep forgetting. 
 
Also, I feel obligated to mention that hydroquinone is not a bad ingredient. The FDA hasnt banned it, they just dont allow it to be sold OTC anymore. Hydroquinone is effective but must be used correctly—for instance, not used daily on a longterm nonstop basis—to avoid rebound hyperpigmentation. Hexylresorcinol could be an option that can be used that way without issues. 
The Ordinary Argireline Solution 10% Serum for Facial Wrinkles 1 oz/ 30 mL- This ingredient’s in The Ordinary Buffet, my favorite hydrating serum. But I like the standalone argireline serum for target eye area treatment of wrinkles. I used to use it just on parts of my lids, but this month I’ve used it alongside Ocuwake each night (and on its own some mornings) under my eyes. And I gotta say, short term results from that combo are at least comparable (for me) to the pricier NIOD Fractionated Eye-Contour Concentrate, which I’d used for a long time. With longer term use, it might even outperform the NIOD serum. 
 
COSRX Pure Fit Cica Serum - A repeat favorite and still one of the best-for-me skin soothers for days when my skin’s throwing a red inflammation tantrum. Contains 7 components of centella asiatica plus panthenol, pine bark extract, and hyaluronic acid to calm and hydrate my skin. 
 
Vanicream Daily Facial Moisturizer - Also a repeat fave. It’s been my AM moisturizer of choice for, gosh, about 2 years now. Contains squalane, ceramides, hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and a peptide, with no fragrance. 
 
Gucci Lunar New Year Rouge à Lèvres Voile Sheer Lipstick 520 Marina Scarlet- Perhaps my perfect orangey red lip shade, in a comfy formula that holds up well to coffee. I still laugh about Gucci calling their Voile lipsticks “sheer finish” since both of my Voile shades are very pigmented. But as a lover of bold lipsticks, I’m not complaining. 
 
LYS Beauty Higher Standard Satin Matte Cream Blush Inspire- I don’t talk enough about Lys's cream blushes. Inspire is a gorgeous coral-leaning terracotta on my cheeks that blends easily and evenly. It melts into my skin without being too emollient. And for me, it holds up well throughout the day. 

Re: Monthly Favorites: May 2022 Edition!

@WinglessOne  Softening undereye lines is a pretty good result- especially when we use products consistently already!  I’ve never heard of this cream but will definitely be trying it out since you’re such a fan! I started reading on Hexylresorcinol and am about to go down a rabbit hole tonight of learning new words to make sense of the scientific articles😆

Re: Monthly Favorites: May 2022 Edition!

Thank you so much for the tag and your always detailed reviews @WinglessOne!!! 🤗🤗 That eye cream looks great! I have been using The Ordinary Argireline Solution 10% Serum for Facial Wrinkles 1 oz/ 30 mL for years, morning and night, and I will never stop. I have seen great results with continuous use. I have just purchased Drunk Elephant Shaba Complex™ Firming Eye Serum 0.5 oz/ 15 mL taking advantage of the Memorial Day Sale, and I look forward to see what it does for my struggling eye area! 🤞🤞

Re: Monthly Favorites: May 2022 Edition!

@Saradestin  I hope DE Shaba works well for you! I don't think I've ever tried it, though I have a couple of old foil samples... I see it's been reformulated since I got my last sample. Aside from Ocuwake, argireline, and low- to mid-strength retinol*, what's worked best to firm my crepey undereye skin, soften lines, and reduce puffiness are Biossance Squalane + Peptide Brightening & De-Puffing Eye Gel 0.5 oz / 15 mL and the previous formulation of Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Advanced Retinol + Ferulic Triple Correction Eye Serum 0.5 oz/ 15 mL (both products used separately, not layered together). Bonus points to the old DDG eye serum for knocking out the sun damage hyperpigmentation I used to have under my eyes. Each of those 2 products costs more than Ocuwake + TO Argireline, and I can't speak to the current DDG serum formulation, so I probably won't try anything new for a long time. Well, unless I finally get up the nerve to try a dermal filler. 😂 

 

 

*Under my eyes and on my neck, I use The Inkey List Retinol a few times a week. On the rest of my face, I use Avene RetrinAL 0.1 Intensive Cream. At some point, my neck and undereye skin might be able to handle the retinaldehyde without irritation. I'm slowly building up to that. 

Re: Monthly Favorites: May 2022 Edition!

Great products @WinglessOne! Thank you again for sharing them together with a detailed review! I would consider a dermal filler for my hollow eyes anytime! 😁

Re: Monthly Favorites: May 2022 Edition!

I love my glass nail file, too, @WinglessOne.

Re: Monthly Favorites: May 2022 Edition!

@curlychiquita 👍 I really think everyone who likes to keep their nails a certain length or shape should get a glass file. 

Re: Monthly Favorites: May 2022 Edition!

@WinglessOne What's the texture like on the Vanicream?

Re: Monthly Favorites: May 2022 Edition!

@greeneyedgirl107  It's a lightweight lotion texture, slightly thinner and more emollient than Paula's Choice CLEAR Oil-Free Moisturizer 2 oz/ 60 mL but not heavy greasy feeling. I use the PC oil-free moisturizer at night because my nighty retinaldehyde serum contains evening primrose oil. For my skin, the squalane in the Vanicream moisturizer + the evening primrose oil in my retinal serum = too much emollience overnight. 

Re: Monthly Favorites: May 2022 Edition!

@WinglessOne Thanks for the information - that's really helpful!

Re: Monthly Favorites: May 2022 Edition!

@WinglessOne Sephora made their own glass nail files?!  Where was I?  And why did they stop making them? ☹️

Re: Monthly Favorites: May 2022 Edition!

@CookieGirl1  I wish Sephora still made them, or at least sold another brand's glass files. I assume Sephora's have an etched grit, not a sprayed-on grit, since mine have lasted so long without wearing down. I could be wrong though. Either way, they're really nice. 

Re: Monthly Favorites: May 2022 Edition!

I bought one of those glass files on your recommendation, @WinglessOne. It hit the tile just after removing from the package 😖 

Re: Monthly Favorites: May 2022 Edition!

@eshoe  😦 ! If you're willing to try your luck with another one, consider Butter London's (especially if you catch another of their sales), or order a Germanikure one from Amazon or direct from the brand. Ulta sells a glass file under its own brand, but it has a sprayed-on grit, not an etched grit. Sprayed-on grit will wear off, possibly as quickly as the spray grit on your average emory board. 

Re: Monthly Favorites: May 2022 Edition!

Noted, @WinglessOne - thank you for the recommendations and pertinent info. I would have never have known about the etched/sprayed on grit otherwise.

Re: Monthly Favorites: May 2022 Edition!

@WinglessOne  That's a lot of good info; thanks!  Interesting about hydroquinone.

Re: Monthly Favorites: May 2022 Edition!

@Ispend2much6  I chuckle whenever I'm at a drugstore or Target and still see Ambi products (most or all contain hydroquinone) on the shelf. It's like Ambi doesn't give a crap what the FDA says. 🤣 As part of the federal CARES act, all products containing hydroquinone were supposed to be pulled from shelves in late 2020, and I hear the FDA will start cracking down soon—though at that agency's usual pace, "soon" could be a long ways off. 

 

It's really too bad hydroquinone's been removed from OTC availability, since those products were good low-cost ways to treat hyperpigmentation—provided folks followed their doctor's instructions. Right now, there's only one FDA-approved product... I forget what it's called, but it's not cheap and it's Rx only. I think there's also a less expensive generic version available by Rx. 

Re: Monthly Favorites: May 2022 Edition!

@GeorginaBT I'm jealous that the Olaplex No. 9 Bond Protector Nourishing Hair Serum 3 oz / 90 mL works for you!  I bought it, tried it a few times, and decided that it just wasn't for me.

Re: Monthly Favorites: May 2022 Edition!

Hair is so personal @CookieGirl1! Totally makes sense to see products other people love not work on me, and vice versa. 😊 Do you like any of the other products from the brand? 

Re: Monthly Favorites: May 2022 Edition!

@GeorginaBT I've been using No 3,4, and 5 for quite awhile and those all work well.  No 9 just wasn't it for me.

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