My Embarrassing Makeup Fail
Early makeup memories, things I'm loving, huge ULTA sale starting soon!
Happy Tuesday! Here we go with my first newsletter in a very long time. I love to read newsletters and am thrilled to be back with my own! A couple newsletters I subscribe to and enjoy reading are This Needs Hot Sauce by Abigail and 5 Smart Reads by Hitha.Â
My goal with this newsletter is to share beauty reviews, tips, and more in a consolidated space each month. I’ll also share self care ideas, food discoveries, and a few of my favorite things (think books, stationery, movies/tv shows, accessories, etc.) If there’s something specific you’d like to see, hit reply and let me know!
An early makeup memory
It’s 2009, my first year in college and I’m new to the makeup world. I’m getting ready for class and my makeup collection consists of a handful of products like powder foundation, lipstick, mascara, and eyeliner. The powder foundation is the same mom used. I figured, this foundation works well for mom so it should be fine for me since our complexions aren’t too different. Boy, was I in for a shock.
The foundation is not a match and the formula is not suitable for my skin type - it looks so cakey. Also, parts of my skin peels every time I press the sponge and apply more foundation. I’m confused as to why this is happening and what to do. I’m running late for class and wipe it all off and go bare face instead.
Fast forward to now
Thinking back to early makeup moments like the one I shared above makes me wish I knew a few key things earlier on in my beauty journey. One thing I wish I knew is how important it is to use beauty products that cater to my specific skin type. Teenage me knew I had sensitive and combination skin but I didn’t factor that into my makeup product choices until later. My makeup choices primarily were influenced by what people around me or the popular youtubers used, without taking into account our skin types being different.Â
Something else I wish I knew is how important skin prep and taking care of skin is. The peeling I experienced was a result of me not regularly exfoliating my skin. I started taking better care of my skin soon after. If you’re looking for an exfoliator that’s gentle enough to use everyday, this exfoliator is one of my favorites and has been for years!
Updating Beauty Routines for Spring
Spring is only a couple weeks away and I like to go through my makeup and skincare routines and see what changes/additions to make. My skin is usually much drier during winter so I’m switching to a lighter moisturizer for spring. I’m using the Clarity Lotion from Pixi Beauty - it’s an oil-free moisturizer that has a light texture and water based formula. It gives me the light hydrating feel that I look for this time of year and it’s formulated with Willow Bark extract to help clear pores and Aloe vera to hydrate and soothe.
Makeup wise, I still enjoy a more natural, everyday makeup look with pops of color. Berry tones are a favorite, especially on the lips and cheeks. I discovered this blush from Essence on TikTok a few weeks ago. It’s under $10 and comes in 8 shades. I use shade 8 Berry Cheeks and it is really pretty and flattering. The formula is on the more pigmented side so I recommend going in with a lighter hand and then building it up.
Staying on the topic of berry tones..let’s talk tinted lip balms. I shared some of my favorites in this blog post but the one that’s been on repeat for me lately is this vegan tinted lip balm from Tower 28 Beauty! Specifically the shade Drink, a juicy berry. Tower 28’s JuiceBalms are buttery smooth and give a burst of color. If you’re looking for a lighter pink, try shade Shake.
Huge beauty Sale Coming Up
ULTA’s 21 Days of Beauty is coming up! March 12th-April 1st, to be exact! This will be a great time to stock up on favorites and splurge on something you’ve been eyeing. Event details can be found here and I’ll share the best beauty steals from this event on Instagram stories.
Self Care Idea of the Month
Get moving. Whether that’s taking a walk outside, participating in a workout class, or spending some time at the gym. Whichever method floats your boat, but take some time to exercise. I’ll be the first to admit that I’m terrible at getting movement in but when I do, I feel amazing! Physical activity helps reduce stress and can help boost your mood. My favorite way to get some movement these days is by participating in the 10 and 20 minute Nike Training Club workouts on Netflix. They have a bunch of different workouts to choose from - I’ll usually start off with a yoga session and then jump into one or two of their Burn Body workouts!
A Restaurant Discovery
I recently checked out KPot in Lexington - it’s an all you can eat dining experience with Hot Pot and Korean BBQ. The ambiance was very lively and night life-esque. There’s an option to only have Hot Pot or only have Korean BBQ, or do both! My friends and I chose to experience both and while we waited for our broth and meats to come, we got in line to build our sauces and grab sides like kimchi, pickled radish, and fruit. They also had a dessert bar and a freezer with various sherbets!
I opted for the mushroom soup for my hot pot with pho noodles, spinach, mandu, and a few other sides. For the BBQ, we got a few types of meat and vegetables, and pineapple. I did save room for dessert and grabbed some fruit, mango jelly, banana pudding, raspberry sherbet, and a pastry type thing. All in all, a really great experience and I hope to go back soon.
Things I’ve Been Loving
I recently splurged on Rare Beauty’s Puffy Traveler Tote and Puffy Makeup Bag! I love the color story and will be great to take on upcoming travels!
Been using Dermalogica Dynamic Skin Retinol Serum in my evening skincare routine for about a month now and am a fan! I thought I’d never find a retinol that was gentle and effective for my sensitive skin until I started using this one by Dermalogica. Dynamic Skin Retinol Serum helps minimize the appearance of pores, smooth texture, and even tone.
One of my favorite splurges to this day is the Hatch Restore. It’s a sunrise alarm that has options for white noise, music, and more to help you fall asleep. I get more restful sleep with my Hatch Restore, I have it set to play rainfall noise for 2 hours when I go to bed and it gently wakes me up with a sunrise alarm. I also use it as a reading light for nights I read in bed.Â
If you have any feedback or something more you want to see next month, hit reply and let me know. Thanks for tuning in and have a great week!Â
xo Priyanka