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ouai haircare

Loving Right Now. Summer Favorites

best summer beauty products

 

Hi guys! A couple of months ago, I did a review of my Spring Favorites in beauty and skincare. I remember mentioning that I will be posting my Summer faves soon but I’ve gotten so busy lately that I almost forgot to post this. Well, since we’re still really in the last few days of Summer until Fall starts at the end of this month, let’s take a look at the beauty, skincare, haircare, and other stuff I’m currently loving this season.ย 

 

(All products/items mentioned in this post and are seen in the following photos are all linked down below)

 

SKINCARE

 

Eve Lom Cleanser review

 

Elemis Superfood Facial Wash (5 oz: 25 USD) – This is a lightweight, green, gel-like, and very gentle face cleanser that doesn’t strip the face of its natural oil. It’s ideal for sensitive to normal skin and can be used every day. The smell is quite earthy and very organic.

 

Lancome Energie de Vie Water-Infused Cream (1.7 oz: 57 USD) – I got this as a sample and it feels really light on the skin. It’s also very softening and it’s one of the best water creams I’ve tried out there. I Highly recommend this cream especially for those with sensitive, normal or oily skin.

 

Caudalie Divine Oil (3.3 oz: 49 USD) – This smells nice and luxe, with a hint of something green and fresh. This oil is not only perfect for the body, but it’s also great for the face and hair. It’s non-sticky and it sets into the skin well. You can read more about my favorite dry body oils HERE.

 

Farmacy Green Clean Makeup Removing Cleansing Balm (mini/1.7 oz: 22 USD, 3.2 oz: 34 USD) – This really melts any kind of makeup and it smells nice. I never get bored of using this and a little goes a long way, so this lasts a long time for me. I would love to try the Cherry version soon. Read my other Farmacy faves HERE.

 

Belif The True Cream Aqua Bomb (mini: 0.84 oz: 22 USD, 1.68 oz: 38 USD, 3.37 oz: 62 USD) – This is going to be my permanent staple when it comes to facial moisturizers. I just love how smooth and soothing this feels on my skin, it’s perfect for my oily-prone skin type because it’s very lightweight and it retains my skin’s natural moisture. The scent also keeps me coming back to this. A little bit is only what you’ll need since this gel feels extremely creamy, plus it doesn’t irritate the skin.

 

Eve Lom Cleanser (0.7 oz: 24 USD, 3.4 oz: 80 USD, 6.8 oz: 135 USD) – I was a bit disappointed with this cleanser at first because not only was the smell too strong, like too sour and a bit too rancid for me (think vinegar) but also this cleanser feels too thick, too creamy and too oily for my already somewhat oily skin. At first, I thought this wouldn’t work on my skin but it turns out to be a blessing in disguise because this saves me a lot of time especially when I’m tired after a busy day and a face full of makeup. This cleanser also acts as a solid makeup remover and it removes all kinds of makeup while it cleanses the face gently. It does contain mineral oil and lanolin but it did not cause me any breakouts. This also comes with a free muslin cloth for a more thorough cleansing, but I just really use my fingers with this cleanser. I don’t think you need a large container for this because I have the mini size and it’s lasting me a really long time. You only need a little bit of this to work on the skin.

 

Olehenriksen Transforming Walnut Scrub (3 oz: 28 USD) – This is such a gritty-textured and exfoliating cleanser that smells nice and it makes the skin really smooth. This can be a strong exfoliator, so I only use this once a week. It makes my face really smooth and it feels flawless. It’s perfect to purify the pores and it gets rid of rough skin patches. It also preps the skin for any type of serum, toner, or skincare.ย 

 

Nuface Toning Device (325 USD) – Got this from the last Nordstrom Anniversary Sale. I don’t have wrinkles yet but I bought this for toning purposes. It’s only been a month since I started using this and I really really love it. It tones my upper eye area, my chin, jaw, and it helps to emphasize my cheekbones. I didn’t feel any pain or discomfort when I first started using this. In fact, I didn’t really feel anything at all, LOL, but my face looks like it’s been working out on its own, lol again. My cheekbones look more emphasized and my bone structure seems to show a bit more. I also look more awake and vibrant with this. I will review this further in the following posts to come.ย 

 

 

BEAUTY

 

Olehenriksen Banana Bright Face Primer

 

My foundations of choice this season have to be lightweight, easy to use, and natural-looking just because it’s Summer. So, no thick makeup look for me this season.

 

Nars PureRadiant Tinted Moisturizer SPF 30 in Groenland (1.9 oz: 45 USD) – As I mentioned, I didn’t feel like wearing too much makeup this Summer with all the heat and humidity. I wanted to look more carefree and natural, so I opted for this classic Nars favorite and it gives me enough coverage for a nice and easy, lightweight, fuss-free Summer look

 

I use three face primers this season and it’s a collection of no added SPF and one that has an SPF depending on the occasion and the situation.

 

Olehenriksen Banana Bright Face Primer (1 oz: 36 USD) – A Vitamin C and E primer that smells just like the Banana Bright Eye Cream. This feels more like a skincare and primer-in-one. What I love about this is that it blurs the pores in an easy, non-sticky, lightweight manner and it smells really nice. This is a good creamy primer to use in the Summer or be it at any season.

 

Nars Smooth & Protect Primer SPF 50 (1 oz: 36 USD) – This feels very silicon-ish and it blurs the pores very well. This does feel like the original beloved Make Up For Ever Primer but with the added SPF. I like to use this just in case I’d forgotten or got too lazy to use my facial SPF.ย 

 

Milk Makeup Hydro Grip Primer (mini/0.33 oz: 15 USD, 1.52 oz: 30 USD) – I really like this primer a lot because it’s light and it doesn’t feel very silicon-ish. It’s actually quite hydrating and it blurs the pores just as good as the silicone-based ones. This is quite similar and a cheaper option to the very pricey Sisley Paris Double Tenseur Moisturizing Gel Primer.

 

Laura Mercier Candleglow Sheer Perfecting Powder in shade #1 (0.3 oz: $38) – I bought this to try and see if it’s a good alternative to the Armani Neo Nude which I love (reviewed HERE). This one feels and looks baked with a silky feel. It’s not as loose and powdery as the Neo Nude but it’s still finely-milled. This does set the foundation well and it gives a nice radiant soft-focus finish. It looks naturally glowy and it’s the next best thing to the Armani Neo Nude.

 

YSL Touche Eclat All-Over Brightening Pen in shade #3 Luminous Peach (1 oz: 35 USD) – I use this for daily touch-ups especially around the undereye area and I can just blend this using my finger. This feels very creamy, mess-free, quick, and clean to use. It won’t hide very dark blemishes because of its sheer coverage, but this does help to brighten the undereyes very well and it’s creamy, so it doesn’t cake.

 

 

Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eye Liner-Micro Tip

 

 

There are two more eyeliners I’m loving this season apart from the Tom Ford Eye Defining Pen I reviewed at the beginning of this Spring. I like the ones that are micro-tip or has very fine tip/lines for a more natural daily look. Also, fine eyeliners are great for small eyes and for those that don’t have a lot of lid space.

 

Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eye Liner-Micro Tip (0.016 oz: 22 USD) – The tip of this is really fine and it’s probably the finest eyeliner tip I’ve ever tried. This is perfect for those that have very narrow lids or for those with hooded eyes.

 

Sephora Collection Fine Line Felt Tip Eyeliner (0.017 oz: 14 USD) – This doesn’t smudge and it has a fine yet stiff felt tip. I would say that this is the next best thing to the Stila eyeliner above, although this is not as thin as Stila’s, but still, this gets the job done and it can apply an accurate line on the lid. It’s very thin enough and it’s perfect for tightlining, plus the felt tip feels pretty solid.

 

Here’s a couple of lipsticks and lip colors I’m loving this season and they’re mostly matte.ย 

 

Nars Velvet Matte Lipstick Pencil in Take Me Home and Dolce Vita (0.086 oz: 27 USD) – These are beautiful shades to rock this season, with the Dolce Vita being a bright dusty rose tone, and the Take Me Home shade as a terracotta lip color. I will swatch these when I review my favorite shades of the Nars Velvet Matte Lipstick Pencils soon, so, stay tuned for that.

 

Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz in Granite (0.003 oz: 21 USD) – I recently added the granite shade to my collection of this cult-favorite brow product. I have been using varying tones of brown for my brows a lot and though they fit me well, this time, I wanted to try something more dramatic and darker, so I picked the granite color which is a good match for my brunette hair.

 

Too Faced Peach Puff Long-Wearing Matte Lip Color (0.07 oz: 19 USD) – Reviewed HERE.

 

Chanel Le Volume De Chanel Waterproof Mascara (0.21 oz: 32 USD) – This is one of my favorite reliable waterproof volumizing mascara and it’s perfect to hold the curls in high humidity.

 

Nyx Powder Puff Lippie (0.4 oz: 6.37 USD) – This is similar to the Too Faced Peach Puff but without the peachy scent and at a much affordable price. See the swatches HERE.

 

La Mer Cushion The Luminous Lifting Cushion Foundation SPF 20 review

 

Anastasia Soft Glam Eyeshadow Palette (42 USD) – I recently started using this more because of the soft natural look that I can get with this palette. I love the brown tones of this especially the matte ones and the shades are really pigmented. You can see the swatches of this palette HERE.

 

Charlotte Tilbury Glowgasm Face Palette in Lightgasm (75 USD) – See the swatches HERE. I can understand why some people don’t like this because this can be so tricky to pull off especially with the Lightgasm palette. It isn’t a soft powdery type and can be hard to blend. It’s also not that pigmented and it only tends to show to those with fair to light skintone. For my light-medium skintone, I have to use a stiff brush and dab it several times on the palette before this could give off some color on my skin.

 

La Mer Cushion The Luminous Lifting Cushion Foundation SPF 20 (120 USD) – Apart from being quick, easy, lightweight, and mess-free to use, this cushion feels like a second skin and it gives a natural glassy glow. It also smells nice and I love that this comes with a nice SPF and a free refill. This sets on the skin well and it doesn’t slide. See my favorite cushion foundations HERE.

 

I found two very nice blotting papers from Amazon which are super affordable and they work just as well as the ones you’d find at Sephora, Ulta or at any drugstore. These are Natural Bamboo Charcoal Oil Absorbing Tissue (100 sheets: 6.95 USD) and the Palladio Rice Paper Tissue (40 sheets: 4.30 USD).

 

beautyblender protective case

 

 

Beautyblender Blender Defender Protective Case (12 USD) – This where I keep my beautyblender whenever I travel. This case can fit two dry or damp beautyblenders and it has a breathable design that allows a damp sponge to dry while inside. This is very flexible so you don’t have to worry about this shattering at all.

 

HAIRCARE

 

 Briogeo Blossom & Bloom Ginseng + Biotin Volumizing Shampoo

 

Briogeo Blossom & Bloom Ginseng + Biotin Volumizing Shampoo (8 oz: 24 USD, 33.8 oz: 58 USD) – This is my latest fave shampoo from Briogeo. I like this even better than the Don’t Despair, Repair line, I love the nice light citrus/orange, ginger, coconut, and grapefruit scent. This shampoo is light on the hair and it cleanses well without adding residue. It also volumizes and this makes my hair bouncy. See my other Briogeo haircare faves HERE.

 

Ouai Leave-In Conditioner (4.7 oz: 26 USD) – This works to tame my frizz and a little bit of this goes a long way. I love its musky lemon rose scent. My hair feels really nice and soft with this, and since this is also a thermal protector, I use this a lot together with my Harry Josh Hair Dryer. See my other Ouai haircare faves HERE.

 

Bumble and Bumble Bb. Donโ€™t Blow It Fine (H)air Styler (mini/2 oz: 16 USD, 5 oz: 31 USD) – This is still my hair cream of choice for whenever I don’t blow dry my hair. Lately, I’ve been so busy that I just really air dry my hair, so, I use this a lot and it holds my hair down, tames it, and it keeps the frizz at bay.

 

Swissco Hair Comb – Found this handmade wide-tooth comb at Amazon for a very cheap price and it’s very flat, so it can fit anywhere on any purse or satchel. It works great as a detangler for my strands.

 

 

SUNCARE

 

Isdin Fotoprotector Fusion Water SPF 50

 

There are two Clarins products I’m loving for body suncare as well as for the face.

 

Clarins Sunscreen Care Oil Spray SPF 30 (5 oz: 36 USD) – This is still one of my sunscreen of choice this Summer because this smells nice and very lightweight since this is a dry body oil with an added SPF. I like that this sets on my skin without the greasy feel that most sunscreens have. I’ve lost count of how many bottles of this I’ve consumed, all I know is I’ve been keeping some backups of this in my vanity.

 

Clarins UV Plus Anti-Pollution Sunscreen Multi-Protection SPF 50 (1.7 oz: 43 USD) – I’m finishing this up and it’s a pity that this is getting more and more difficult to find because this is really nice and light on the face. This doesn’t irritate my skin and it doesn’t leave an annoying white cast. This works very well in protecting my skin from getting sunburned. See my favorite body and face sunscreens HERE

 

Supergoop Super Power Sunscreen Mousse Broad Spectrum SPF 50 (3.4 oz: 19 USD) – I’m also finishing this up, and this is my sunscreen of choice for when I’m on the go. I like this a lot because it’s fast and easy to use. Its whipped texture gives a lightweight non-sticky feel and it’s not messy to use. This has no scent and it spreads evenly on the skin without leaving any white cast.

 

Isdin Fotoprotector Fusion Water SPF 50 (1.6 oz: 39.99 USD) – This is quite similar to the Clarins UV Face Sunscreen above and this is currently in my purse. I love its tiny size and I love that this doesn’t sting the eyes. It feels very fluid and light on the skin and it has a nice SPF level. It’s a pity that this is still very limited here in the US. This was given to me by a relative from Europe.

 

 

best beauty and skincare products for the summer

 

These are all the products I’ve been loving this Summer and will still be loving all throughout the beginning of Fall. Stay tuned for my Fall favorites soon.

 

What are the beauty, skincare, and haircare products you’re currently loving season?

 

Ouai Haircare Review

ouai haircare

 

Hi there! Summer’s coming up and I am bracing for frizzy strands, annoying flyaways, and some other hair issues that could come up anytime during this hot season. As much as I love Summer, I know my hair could take a beating around that time, so, to better prepare myself, I’ve investigated a few haircare brands that I think could help prevent my hair from looking like a bird’s nest this Summer, LOL. One of the brands I’ve investigated is Ouai Haircare. I must admit that at first, I wasn’t quite sure what I was getting out of this brand. I did find their lineup of products to be quite confusing and even more so redundant. But, I got curious anyway, so, over the course of time, I tested a few popular Ouai haircare products and here’s what I found.

 

ouai leave-in conditioner review

 

Air Dry Foam (4 oz: $28) – This is the first Ouai product I purchased and I was really impressed at how good it made my hair feel. First, you apply this non-sticky foam on your damp hair (about two pumps on my long hair) and scrunch it softly on your strands. Then let your hair air dry and voila! you’ve got soft smooth manageable hair. I know this is meant for wavy or curly hair types, but honestly, this works very well for my fine hair and I love this a lot. I mostly air dry my hair (because I usually don’t have the time for blowouts or styling) and this product helps a lot. This has a nice light perfumey musky scent that goes away within a few seconds, and this pretty much leaves the hair frizz-free and zero flyway even up to the next day.

 

ouai air dry foam review

 

Leave-In Conditioner (4.7 oz: $26) – A Ouai bestseller, a lot of folks really love this non-sticky lightweight leave-in conditioner. This has the same light floral musky scent that most Ouai haircare products have and this definitely eliminates hair frizzies and flyaways by just a few spritzes on the strands. On top of that, this also acts as a heat protectant prior to any hair styling. So, this product is pretty much a multitasker, which means fewer products piled on the hair and less time-consuming application. For my hair, this doesn’t soften as much as the Air Dry Foam above, but this adds a nice volume and it makes my hair behave well – looking smooth and shiny for the whole day and also the next.

 

ouai texturizing hair spray review

 

Texturizing Hair Spray (mini/1.4 oz: $12, 4.5 oz: $26) – This would have been the perfect texturizing hair spray for me ever because this doesn’t have a very annoying obtrusive scent and it really adds volume and texture to my fine long layered stands without leaving any residue, but there are few things that bothered me about this product. First, its spray nozzle could freeze up, making it difficult to use. Second, using this may kinda want you to wear a gas mask, LOL. Seriously, this texturizing spray is way too powdery and way too foggy to use. Expect to see a lot of smoke when using this, so you may want to use this while in a large room or else this could impede your breathing.

 

ouai dry texture foam review

 

Dry Texture Foam (5.8 oz: $28) – This product confused me at first because I thought this would be just like the Air Dry Foam above, but actually, this is quite a bit different, especially in terms of application. Though the effects of the Ouai Air Dry Foam and this are quite the same, this Dry Texture Foam needs to be applied on a dry hair, kinda like a pomade or a styling cream. This is definitely not meant to replace a dry shampoo, but it’s more like a foamy non-sticky texturizing shampoo, which of course definitely adds texture and vibrance to the hair, making it more volumized, frizz-free, and ready to be styled. I like this a lot because it’s perfect for whenever I miss out on applying the Ouai Air Dry Foam or the Leave-In Conditioner and I had to style my hair asap.

 

ouai wave spray review

 

Wave Spray (mini/1.7 oz: $12, 5 oz: $26) – This is probably my least favorite of all the Ouai haircare products reviewed here because this pretty much feels like a flexible hold spray. Unlike most wave sprays I’ve tried in the past, this scrunches my hair so much that it just feels dry. It does add texture to it but it’s way too drying for my fine hair. Perhaps, this could work better for those with wavy hair, but definitely not on my strands. I do love the scent of this though, but thank goodness I got this as a sample because I will be skipping this next time.

 

ouai review

 

Overall, if you’re new to Ouai haircare, I suggest you carefully read their products’ descriptions and see what they’re meant for. They may seem redundant and confusing at first because they do have several items that address each specific haircare concern. With that being said, I appreciate what this brand had done and I think their products will definitely help my hair this coming Summer. If you ask me what Ouai haircare product/products should you buy at first, I’d definitely say that you try their Air Dry Foam (my most fave), and their Leave-In Conditioner or their Dry Texture Foam.

 

Have you tried any Ouai haircare products already? What do you think?

 

These Ouai Haircare products are currently available at Sephora, Barneys New York, Bloomingdale’s, Bergdorf Goodman, Harrods, Lord & Taylor, Neiman Marcus, Net-A-Porter, Nordstrom, Revolve, Selfridges, Urban Outfitters, and SpaceNK