niacinamine

new summer loves: they happened so fast

cerave ultra-light moisturizing gel

peach & lily power cocktail lactic acid repair serum

anua heartleaf 77% soothing toner

i have fallen in love with these light and hydrating products. the feeling of the cerave gel moisturizer that i bought in a pinch when i ran out of my cerave pm was one of the best decisions i made so far this summer. i am generous with this and apply three pumps since i have combination skin. i chose the anua heartleaf to try something new for a toner instead of my tried-and-true hada labo gokujyun premium. though very different in viscosity from the hada labo toner, which is thick and juicy, this one has the consistency of water. i use my palms to gently press it into my skin. i have noticed a significant difference in my skin since using these. my skin tone and texture are more even, my acne less frequent, my face feels hydrated. that might also be because the peach & lily lactic acid serum has been in the mix as well. i’m applying the serum twice weekly and taking a short break from retinol. TBA: an update once i have a longer journey with these lovers. but so far, so good.

bonus: the shaving heroes

billie shave glaze

megababe après shave

do not sleep on these! i don’t have a complete review either yet since i just used them for the first time this evening, but i really enjoyed the ease at which i was able to shave with a “glaze” instead of a cream (not to mention, it smells divine), and the roll-on aftershave from megababe is absolutely revolutionary.

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i like that i can still pick up the base notes at the end of the day on my wrist.

1. cerave foaming oil cleanser (value size)

my waterproof mascara melts away

i’m a night showerer and i love a cleanser that can be a one-and-done. of course i end up double-cleansing anyways especially if i’m wearing makeup and sunscreen, but washing twice with this cleanser never leaves me feeling dry. i also feel so clean after using, like it’s truly taken everything off. oil attracts oil, after all, and the science with the foaming action i cannot understand but maybe i’ll go read about it. in any case, she’s gentle on the eyes. she’s a real homegirl, and even when i’m drunk my face is washed like someone’s doing it for me. put her in the shower, or keep her by the sink. a little goes a long way.

2. neutrogena body oil

i feel sexy

wow i am really into the oils lately. i know it’s been around a long time, and palmer’s been here longer, but this one does the trick for me. i used to literally use baby oil to put on after lotion if i was feeling frisky (i still have a bottle i need to finish, actually) but i’m a grown woman now so i guess i’ll adopt a mature body oil. i started using bio oil for stretch marks a while back, but honestly any good oil to put all over that’s more bang for my buck is gonna be the winner these days. i wanna be soft and i wanna feel luxurious without spending a lot. this does it. mwah.

3. versed press restart retinol body lotion

smooths me over

you can subscribe to their “mask maven” for $15/month and receive a variety of sheet masks