While I mostly write about tech/programming/design, I have always had a love of finding new and novel ways of elevating and enriching my lifestyle. That means trying out as many products as I can get my hands on. Everything from skincare, to makeup, to haircare, fragrance, fashion, gadgets and more.
I’m finally going to start sharing the items I use and love, in the hopes that my reviews and recommendations will help others on their journey of self discovery, expression, and care. I’ve read through tons of blog posts, watched countless youtube videos, and meticulously researched the ingredients and materials incorporated into the products I love to ensure I can not only fully appreciate them, but also to sharpen my own judgment against exaggerated, false marketing, and misinformation.
Skincare
Proper skincare is absolutely vital, and I settle for nothing but the best when it comes to caring for the largest organ in my body. I use these two products often, and I love both of them. These are the last two steps in my body skincare routine. I always put any retinol products on before I moisturize to ensure maximum absorption.
💜 Vinosculpt Lift & Firm Body Cream By Caudalie – $45
This body cream is absolutely luxurious. Everything from the deep, rich, intoxicating scent, to the buttery melting texture of the product itself creates a luxurious experience and always leaves my skin feeling amazing.
🟣 Retinol Skin-Smoothing Body Treatment By Paula’s Choice – $29
Retinol products stimulate cell growth in your skin, which reduces and prevents signs of aging (fine lines, wrinkles, uneven texture, uneven skin tone), and keeps skin glowing and looking fresh.
This one is the best reviewed on the market as of this post, and I must say it certainly gets my seal of approval. It has a lovely, light scent, and does not feel drying or irritating to the skin.
My only critique is that I wish it came in a bigger bottle.
Haircare
💇🏼♀️ Hair Insurance Leave-In Conditioner By Aussie – $4
If you use heat on your hair at all, you should be using some sort of heat protectant. Split ends and dry hair are never fun. This stuff is easy to use, and works well.
Fragrance
Scent is one of our most dominant senses, and is something many of us don’t pay enough attention to. Exploring fragrance adds another dimension to life, and a rich one at that. Here are a couple I’ve been enjoying lately:
🍎 Poison By Dior – $115
This is quite an opinionated fragrance. It’s dark, enchanting, seductive, and a bit wicked. This is not a subtle scent by any means, but it doesn’t fill a room. This is not one of those over-powering scents that will announce your presence before you are seen. It feels luxurious and the perfume itself lasts quite well on the skin.
It doesn’t smell overly sweet, and actually has a bit of a bite to it. It’s very feminine, but also commanding. If you intend to enhance yourself with an aura of power, subtlety, class, and a healthy touch of hedonism then this may be something to explore.
💌 Romance By Ralph Lauren – $74
It’s sweet, feminine, playful, dreamy, and floral. It’s the kind of scent that feels like a personified version of springtime itself is flirting with you. It is very feminine, light, almost airy. It reminds me of fresh linen, meadows, and love letters.
Makeup
I’ve been using all of these items for quite some time, but they’ve recently been back in heavy rotation for me.
👑 Revolution Pro Colour Focus Eye Shadow Palette Rock & Royal By Makeup Revolution – 20$
This pallet has some beautiful purple shades that can create a wide array of looks. The deep violet shade is absolutely stunning.
This pallet is excellent because of how well the neutral shades not only compliment the purples, but also work excellently on their own. This is one of those pallets that has unusual and complex undertones in the shades. They can look very different on the skin than they do in the pallet, especially the neutral shades.
It may appear that there are near-identical shade duplicates in a couple of places, but don’t let that fool you. Swatch them all to see what they really look like. This pallet does a good job of playing with color and texture equally well.