New year, new self-care routine. As I’ve mentioned in previous blog posts, my approach to beauty is minimalist. Most of the times, I do my make-up in the car, rarely style my hair, and ritually cleanse my skin at night. Going into 2022, I wanted to stock up on some of my beauty favorites and branch out more into hair care. Here are my thoughts on my latest Sephora *haul:

*All products I purchased myself

ILIA Super Serum Skin Tint (re-stock): I believe I first saw ILIA’s triple acting skin tint on an Instagram ad. Usually, I feel only slightly curious by the sponsored content on my feed, but when I saw that this product is a serum, skin tint, and SPF all in one I was sold. I can be really bad at remembering to put on SPF everyday and I don’t like to wear a heavy foundation, so the ILIA Super Serum Skin Tint is a great solution for anyone on the go.

Pros:

ILIA recently released a new assortment of shades called “In-Between”, so more likely than not you’ll be able to find a shade that suits you.
The triple action formula is such a game changer. After applying a few drops of the formula on my face, my skin is dewier and looks healthier.
In terms of wearability, I don’t re-apply the formula. I probably should for more SPF protection but either way, I find that the serum wears comfortably throughout the day.

Cons:

The formula feels a bit greasy. As I rub the serum into my skin the greasy feeling goes away but I wish this formula would feel a bit smoother and lighter.
The serum smells a bit like paint. It’s not super strong scent like actual paint you’d use for your house but to me the smell of the serum is one of it’s worst qualities. I think it might be due to the Zinc, an active ingredient in the formula. Despite the smell, I’m on my second bottle of this skin tint so I do love it despite these factors.

The shade I bought is called ST11.5 Morgat.

Tatcha Deep Cleanse Exfoliating Cleanser (re-stock): I’ve been using this cleanser ever since a few of my friends gifted me a Tatcha skincare gift set for my birthday a few years ago. I have eczema so my skin is usually very dry and sensitive. Every night, I depend on a good cleanser to keep my skin calm and clear.

Pros:

The formula is very lightweight, gentle, and effective. I find that my skin feels happier and moisturized after cleansing my face each night.
The little exfoliating natural luffa fruit pieces are a nice textural element to the formula and I feel like they help gently exfoliate my skin without drying it out.
The scent is very light and pleasant. It adds a calming element to the experience of cleansing my skin each night.
A little goes a long way! It wasn’t until recently that I bought the 5 ounce bottle. I’ve used the 1.7 ounce travel size before and made it last for months.

Cons:

Tatcha is an expensive brand. The quality, packaging, and sourced ingredients are so worth it though.

OLAPLEX No. 4 Bond Maintenance Shampoo and No. 5 Conditioner (new purchase): Okay so here’s the thing with haircare. I do care but I want to do the bare minimum. Find a good balance of shampoos and conditioners has always been a tricky thing with me. In the past, using heavily scented or cheap shampoos made my eczema flare up, so for the longest time I’ve just been using a Kirkland brand shampoo from Costco since it gets the job done and doesn’t irritate my skin. The last few times I’ve gone to get my hair cut by my hair stylist, Yuka, she used OLAPLEX. I loved how shinny it made my hair look after so I decided to try to buy the shampoo and conditioner to try at home.

Pros:

Neither formula irritates my skin. Both are lightly scented and leave my hair feeling clean.
So far, I do like both formulas, but I’m still trying to figure out a good hair washing routine. Recently someone mentioned to me that your hair products should change seasonally just like you might use heavier moisturizers in the winter. So I’m still trying to figure out how frequently I should wash my hair and what kinds of products might be better for winter haircare.

Cons:

Though I think both bottles will last me for a while, I think the mini sizes might be too small for those who wash their hair more frequently. The shampoo and conditioner do come in larger sizes but obviously it’s more expensive.

FENTY Beauty Gloss Bomb Cream Trial Size (Free Sample): Personally, I don’t own too many FENTY Beauty products, so I was excited to try a new lip gloss from this brand.

Pros:

I imagine this shade looks good on every skintone. The little rose flush of color against the warm shimmery tones is just so flattering. I feel like this is the perfect everyday lip gloss and the formula doesn’t feel too sticky or heavy on the lips.
Perfect size for throwing in your bag on the go.

Cons:

I find the wearability of lipgloss to be less than lipstick or a lip tint. I love the way lip gloss looks but I hate the feeling of getting lip gloss on my hair or face mask. Lip gloss just doesn’t last as long as other lip products so though I love a juicy lip, gloss just isn’t usually my go-to.

Shade: Fenty Glow

Swatches from top to bottom: Tacha cleanser, ILIA skin tint, FENTY Beauty lip gloss

Thank you so much for reading my first beauty blog post of the year! Overall, I feel very lucky that I have relatively low maintenance skin and hair. To me beauty is all about self-care and feeling good about the products that speak to you. Also, there could always be a product that I might not love but maybe you will! If you’re ever curious about trying a product yourself DM me with questions on IG.

Wishing you a warm and happy week!

xx

Kiana

(Ella Kol)