April Favourites

I've never done a monthly favourites post before, as I tend to stick with the same products regardless of the month and I usually blog about any recent purchases or discoveries separately. I always enjoy reading others' monthly favourites though, so I thought to do one of my own. I like that compiling a "favourites" post each month is almost like the beauty equivalent of a diary. Listing what were the most favoured and reached for items of the past month (even if they've been blogged about before or are regular favourites) is a really neat way of recording how people actually use the products they own.

L'Occitane Daily Face Cleanser with A.O.C. Olive Oil
For the longest time I hated this cleanser because it didn’t foam properly no matter how much I used. Recently I decided to give it another go, accepting that it doesn’t lather, and began to appreciate its virtues. I use a small amount in the morning and it’s very gentle and non-drying. It leaves the skin feeling moisturised and clean, without the harshness of cheaper foaming cleansers. I couldn't find it on the Australian L'Occitane website, which leads me to think sadly it's been discontinued.

Jurlique Rosewater Balancing Mist
I use this to bring some life and dewiness back to the skin if I feel I’ve gone a tad overboard with the face products (as can happen when you’ve slapped on foundation, blush, bronzer and highlight). I also spray it on a bare face for a refreshing misting. Like most of Jurlique’s products, the scent is divine. The trick is to hold the bottle (literally) an arm’s length away from the face – any closer and it’ll be more like a hosing down than a fine layer of mist.

Batiste Tropical Dry Shampoo
I’ve been pleasantly surprised by how well this works, as I’ve been a loyal user of Klorane oat milk dry shampoo for years. I bought this on sale just to try it out and I find myself reaching for it more than my Klorane. Though I prefer the scent of the Klorane, the Batiste performs just as well, if not better. I spray this on my roots in the morning in between washes and it keeps oiliness at bay for the whole day.

Revlon Lip Butter in Strawberry Shortcake
Not that I needed any more Lip Butters after my ridiculous haul, but I did go back and buy this last one. It felt remiss of me to not at least buy one pink shade. Yes, it still looks slightly purple on my lips, but it’s sufficiently darker and rosier than the light pinks in the range so it’s not completely unflattering for my skin tone. As a wearable, everyday pink, it’s been a fixture in my handbag since I bought it.

Real Techniques Buffing Brush
Not really a monthly favourite, as this is probably my favourite brush, ever. But I did use it on a daily basis this month with my Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum foundation (which I was this close to also including in my favourites, except for the niggling fact it’s too dark and yellow-leaning for me). This brush is pretty much the only one I use to apply liquid foundation. It’s quick, easy, super soft and gives a streak-free, fully blended, natural-looking finish.

Essence Eye Soufflé in Pas des Copper
I apply this with my finger in the mornings as both a primer/base and a wash of colour over the lid, before adding a touch of darker bronze eyeshadow closer to the lashline for slightly more definition and depth. I love the texture – it’s dense enough so that a thin layer glides on without looking patchy, and it’s not overly creamy so it doesn’t smudge or move around easily. It also blends really well with powder eyeshadow. This is a versatile, very wearable shimmery taupey/medium bronze shade that is virtually failproof. I hope Essence comes out with more neutral cream eyeshadows like Pas des Copper because this is undoubtedly one of the best budget beauty buys I’ve made.