REVIEW | Fresh Sugar Tinted Lip Treatment SPF15 x Advanced Therapy Lip Treatment x Sugar Lip Polish

I have a confession to make - I don't like wearing lipstick. Sort of hate it, actually. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy testing them out and hauling a few occasionally, but I rarely ever wear lipstick on a day-to-day basis. I find them way too sticky and heavy on the lips, especially in this humidity. So instead, you'll almost always find me rocking one of the Fresh Sugar Tinted Lip Treatments SPF15 instead.

Fresh Sugar Tinted Lip Treatment Sunscreen SPF15

$24 USD at Fresh, Sephora

0.15oz | 12 shades

I've gone on and on about this before, but I'll say it again - I love Fresh, so freakin' much. The Sugar Tinted Lip Treatment in Petal was the first item I purchased from the brand, and I've been completely hooked ever since. The lip and face products from Fresh have become some of my must-have staples in my makeup and skincare routines, and these lip treatments are one of my favorite, no-fail picks to gift to family and friends. Definite winner!

As someone who has always had major gripes with lipsticks - they feel heavy, they smear and smudge, they fade super quickly - these Sugar Tinted Lip Treatments have been the answer to my lipstick prayers. They are sort of a hybrid between a lipstick and a lip balm - they moisturize, protect (with SPF15!) and smooth the lips, while providing a sheer wash of color without the dreaded greasy feeling. They also have that signature zesty citrus scent that Fresh products are known for. Yum! I pair these with the Advanced Therapy Lip Treatment underneath to make sure my lips stay smooth and hydrated, as well as exfoliate beforehand using the Sugar Lip Polish to ensure soft, supple, kissable lips at all times. Perfect triple combo!

Rosé | Petal | Tulip | Advanced Therapy

Fresh Sugar Advanced Therapy Lip Treatment

$26 USD at Fresh, Sephora

0.15oz | 1 shade

Fresh Sugar Lip Polish

$24 USD at Fresh, Sephora

o.6oz

Sugar Tinted Lip Treatment in Rosé | 

I got this adorable sample with one of my Fresh purchases a few months ago, and it gives a beautiful sheen to the lips with a subtle, rosy-pink tint. It's quite sheer, and is my go-to for my 'no makeup' makeup days!

Sugar Tinted Lip Treatment in Petal | 

This was the first lip product I picked up from Fresh - the shade is just so me - and it's the perfect MLBB shade that makes the lips look effortlessly pouty and perfected. Ooh là là!

Sugar Tinted Lip Treatment in Tulip |

I am definitely not a bright lip kinda girl, but this shade is a lovely, wearable hot pink that is perfect for the summer, and it instantly brightens up the face while making the lips look plump and oh-so-juicy.

Advanced Therapy Lip Treatment | 

The second you apply this lip balm, you can feel your lips become instantly hydrated and nourished. It's crazy! I love that it really softens up the lips and enhances the application of any lip products on top. The only con is that it can tend to seep into your mouth and leave a rather unpleasant, bitter aftertaste. But that might just be me, and it's so nourishing that I can live with it!

Sugar Lip Polish | 

I mentioned this in my May Favorites already, but this product is wonderful at gently buffing and exfoliating away any dry, flaky bits on your lips while still keeping them moisturized. My lips always feel so soft afterwards, and lip products glide on so much nicer. Mine is a smaller, half-sized mini tub (0.28oz) of the usual full-sized (0.6oz) jar, and it's still going strong after a few months. Apply this dry for best results, and again, try not to get this in your mouth!

Rosé | Petal | Tulip | Advanced Therapy

If I still haven't convinced you to go out and give these Sugar Tinted Lip Treatments a try, then I have failed at life. Just kidding. But seriously, I am not kidding when I say you need at least one - or maybe three - of these lip treatments in your collection. Especially if you're like me and don't like wearing lipstick! Plus, the Advanced Therapy Lip Treatment and Sugar Lip Polish are wonderful additions to step up your lip game to the next level. Go on, you can thank me later.

SAMPLE SUNDAY | Smashbox Camera Ready BB Cream SPF35 x Shiseido Benefiance WrinkleResist24 Intensive Eye Contour Cream

For this week's Sample Sunday, I'm trying out a BB cream that claims to give you flawless, camera ready skin, and an ultra-rich, anti-aging eye cream that claims to target five types of eye wrinkles. I didn't even know there were five types! Let's check it out!

Smashbox Camera Ready BB Cream SPF35 |
My first impression of this Smashbox BB Cream was that it felt very similar, in both consistency and coverage, to my NARS Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer SPF 30, which I love. So that's a good start. This has a thick, creamy texture and has light to medium coverage that instantly evens out my redness and discoloration. Although my shade in Light looks pink straight out of the tube, it turns a golden yellow shade as soon as I start blending it out. I was pleasantly surprised with the oil control - my face looked relatively shine-free (for once) after a long day at work with zero touch ups! With some trial and error, I found this blended into the face the best using a buffing brush - pairing this with my BeautyBlender made my face weirdly patchy. Not cute. Overall, this BB cream really seemed to agree with my skin, and I love that it comes with SPF 35, so I would definitely consider purchasing the full size ($39 USD) once this sample is finished. Smashing!

Swatched | Blended out

Shiseido Benefiance WrinkleResist24 Intensive Eye Contour Cream |
My mom gave me this deluxe eye cream sample from one of her Shiseido skincare purchases a while back, and although it's targeted for more mature skin, it doesn't hurt to start early! This eye cream claims to counteract five types of eye-area wrinkles, including crow's feet, corner creases, under eye wrinkles, lid creases and vertical lines (not entirely sure what that last one is), as well as improve firmness and the appearance of dark circles. This has a rich and luxurious texture - it's creamy but not greasy - and feels intensely moisturizing under the eyes. Although I used this mainly in my nighttime skincare routine - since it does take a good while to fully absorb into the skin - I tried it a few times in the morning as well and found it worked great under makeup - unlike the First Aid Beauty 5 in 1 Eye Cream, this didn't get patchy or ball up under my makeup. Huge plus! While I can't comment on the wrinkle-resisting claims, my under eyes do feel more plump and hydrated after one week, my dark circles seem to have reduced slightly, and I experienced no sensitivity or irritation. And since a little goes a long way, I would be willing to splurge on the full size in the future ($55 USD for 0.5oz) and say au revoir to wrinkles and aged skin!

Finally, two samples that I was actually impressed by! Although my wallet's not going to be too pleased, my skin will thank me fosho.

MONTHLY FAVORITES | June 2016

Today officially marks the start of the second half of the year. Give me a minute while I properly freak out. How are we already halfway done with 2016?!

All the craziness aside, June was a particularly exciting month for me because... I got a new job! Hip hip hooray! Which also explains the lack of posts... my apologies. But June was not exciting in the least in terms of my makeup favorites - I stuck to the same products and slapped them on my face every morning. My goal was to look fresh and awake, and not at all like I stayed up playing with Riley the night before.

Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum Foundation in 52 Vanilla |
As you should already know by now if you've read my rave review, this is one of my favorite foundations of all time. It evens out my complexion, gives me a natural glow, applies like a dream, smells ah-mazing and lasts all day. What more can I ask for?! (Well, maybe SPF... but that's a whole other issue.)

Benefit Erase Paste Brightening Concealer in 2 Medium |
When I feel like I need extra help in the dark circle department - which is always 'cos I'm a night owl - this is what I reach for. This concealer in Medium is a pink, salmon shade that I use as a corrector under my eyes, and although the consistency is very thick - and a little does goes a long way -  it's super easy to blend out and really helps neutralize my dark circles before I go in with concealer. Works like a charm. 

Urban Decay Naked Skin Weightless Complete Coverage Concealer in Light Warm |
The Urban Decay and NARS concealers are pretty much interchangeable in my routine - I seriously love them both - but this one in Light Warm is a much lighter shade than my NARS Creamy Concealer in Custard, which makes it more aptly suited for brightening up the under eyes and highlighting the face. It helps trick people into thinking I look super energized and ready to take on the day, when in fact I'm hitting the snooze button on repeat inside.

Coty Airspun Loose Face Powder in Naturally Neutral |
I got this little gem way back when I was still in college and never opened it until last month. And boy, was I missing out big time. This has become my go-to setting and baking powder for my face and under eyes - I've been using this over my Laura Mercier powders which is saying a lot - and it gives the most beautiful, soft finish to the face. I recall this being around $5 USD and it seriously works like a high-end powder, if not better. The only con is that it has quite an overwhelmingly powdery perfume scent, which some people claim to love, so to each their own. 

Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blush in Exposed |
This is the first shade I picked up from the Tarte blush range, and it's my best blush buy to date. It's a gorgeous, rosy nude shade that gives your cheeks a natural flush and I swear it looks perfect with every skin tone and any makeup look. I can also attest to the 12-Hour claim - it's true!

MAC Eyeshadow in Wedge |
This matte, "soft muted beige taupe" shade from MAC is the first eyeshadow I ever purchased from the brand, and is probably my most worn eyeshadow ever. I wear this on my eyes almost every day in some way or another. This month, I've been blending it all over my lids with the fluffy Sigma E40 Tapered Blending Brush, and I'm good to go. It is gorgeous worn alone or as a transition shade, and is definitely a must-have in my books.

Fresh Sugar Tinted Lip Treatment in Rosé |
This adorable, sample-sized lippie from Fresh is perfect to just throw in my makeup bag and apply on the go - it's moisturizing, has SPF, and adds a subtle rose tint to my lips. So much love for such a tiny product. Stay tuned for an upcoming review (hint - rave) on my Fresh lip products! 

So those were my favorites for the month of June, hope you enjoyed!