This is the first entry in my new monthly wrap-up of the things I was loving (and not loving) in the last month. From makeup to skincare to clothing and beyond, here's a list of what was great — and maybe not so great.
Made the Cut
P&Co Women
Like (too) many things, I discovered P&Co Women via an Instagram ad. Their minimal, retro, workwear-inspired styling was right up my alley, so a handful of months ago I placed an order for one of their henleys during an end-of-season sale and was really pleased with the quality. Thick, nicely constructed, and feels like it'll last a long time. Definitely not a fast fashion piece.
Their summer collection recently launched and I purchased two shirts: the Kohala Sway Shirt in Burnt Orange ($98.00) and the Desert Retreat Acid Wash T-Shirt ($54.00). While I had a bit of sticker shock at those prices, these wound up being even nicer in person than I expected. Again, thick fabric, well made, and lots of love and attention put into the graphics.
These ship from the UK so if you're in the United States like me, expect a bit of a shipping delay right now thanks to COVID. Be patient if your tracking goes, uh, days without any updates like I experienced — your package is likely still on its way. For reference, I got a size eight in the tee for a slightly oversized fit, and a size six in the button down. You can check out P&Co Women here.
Free Assembly
Walmart really upped its game with its recently-launched Free Assembly line. It reminds me of a mix of Madewell meets Everlane, with an emphasis on clean lines, neutral colors, and simple patterns. I can't stop buying pieces from this brand, which is a problem when you live in a small apartment and are making a concerted effort to keep your wardrobe pared down to only the things you really love — but I do really love everything I've purchased so far and see them being a longtime part of my wardrobe. Pieces start at $8.00, so cute + affordable. Nice.
I was really surprised by the quality of some of the pieces; if you took the tags off and told someone it came from somewhere significantly more expensive than Walmart, they'd likely believe you. Something to note, however: this line runs really small in bottoms. I've had to size up two sizes in the jeans and shorts, which seems to be a common issue for a lot of women judging by the online reviews on Walmart's site. Short lengths are available online and are petite friendly (I have a pair of jeans in their short length). Tops are true to size and I wear XS in Free Assembly as I do in nearly every brand. One thing I can't speak to (yet) is how these items hold up in the wash, but so far, so good in terms of wear, style, and fit.
MERIT Beauty
Back in January, I wrote about my first impressions of the minimalist beauty brand that keeps selling out on both its site and on Sephora. My feelings were mixed on the two items I was gifted by MERIT prior to the brand's launch — the Flush Balm blush in Terracotta and the Day Glow highlighter in Cava — but in a nutshell I was really impressed with Day Glow and so-so on Flush Balm. Those opinions remain the same, but since then I've purchased The Minimalist complexion stick ($38; I wear the color Ochre), Clean Lash mascara ($26), Shade Slick tinted lip oil in Au Naturel ($24; was also gifted Marrakech), and the Blending Brush ($30).
If you're looking for products that enhance your skin without covering much up, this is a great brand to look into. I don't wear a ton of makeup and very rarely wear foundation, so The Minimalist is a nice, quick option to cover up dark circles and create a brighter, more even looking complexion. It's not the best at covering up acne, so if you have a lot of breakouts and want coverage, this isn't great for that. I absolutely recommend the Blending Brush. It makes application of The Minimalist easy and even. Clean Lash is a fantastic mascara that really makes your lashes look fluttery and volumized, while Shade Slick is a non-sticky gloss with great color payoff (though I don't totally love all of the colors and wish there was a brown-based nude). Give MERIT a shot if you want fresh, natural looking makeup.
e.l.f. Acne Fighting Putty Primer
I love, own, and use all of e.l.f.'s Putty Primers. However, e.l.f. recently released their Acne Fighting Putty Primer and I'm really enjoying this one and think it may be my favorite of them all. Part of the marketing schtick for this one is the claim that your acne will improve within 30 days of using it, and while I don't have very much acne save for the monthly hormonal breakout, I can say my face has been looking nice and clear since using it. My face looks smooth after application and it helps my makeup last at least a little longer, though nothing lasts very long on my oily face. e.l.f. is one of the best drug store beauty brands out there and you really get a lot of bang for your buck with this brand. At only $9.00, this is a great buy and I've been very happy with this product.
Covergirl Mascaras
I've been using the Exhibitionist mascara ($8.99) for a long time now and still consider it my favorite mascara to date. But it's in good company with a couple of other Covergirl mascaras I've really been loving: Clean Volume ($7.99) and Clean Fresh ($10.99, only available at Ulta). Both claim to be clean and vegan, but I'm not gonna lie, I don't look for clean and vegan products specifically and really only tried these because the packaging looked cute and they both claimed to volumize lashes, which is what I want out of a mascara in addition to lengthening. Clean Volume definitely gives more volume than Clean Fresh, which gives a softer, fluffier look with some volume, but they both look great, don't make my eyes burn when my lids start to get oily by the end of the day, and come off easily with makeup remover.
MIX:BAR Cloud Musk Perfume
I'm not very good at describing perfume despite how many different perfumes I own (it's... a lot). But all I'll say is that this is a soft (but not powdery), feminine scent with a hint of warmth. Not overpowering and fades to something delicate. My only complaint is that it doesn't have a lot of lasting power, unfortunately. But at $22.49 at Target, it's a surprisingly nice perfume and I'll definitely restock once I'm out.
First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Firming Collagen Cream
After a long string of day and night creams that have left me pretty unimpressed, FAB's collagen cream ($42.00) finally made a good impression. After weeks of using it every night and most days (sometimes choosing to use my Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Pink Juice Moisturizer instead), I do think my face looks somewhat firmer overall. While recommended for dry skin, this works really well for my oily skin and doesn't leave me super greasy.
Viori Shampoo and Conditioner Bars
I have a lot of somewhat fine hair with an oily scalp and can't go a day without washing my hair, but I've been concerned about excessive fallout and stripping. Some months ago I discovered Viori through, yes, yet another Instagram ad (these people know I'm an easy mark, I guess) and decided to try them, intrigued by the claim that they'll help decrease shedding and breakage over time. I went with the Citrus Yao Shampoo and Conditioner Bars ($16.25 each) which are best for oily scalps and absolutely love these. My hair looks like garbage when I air dry it, but not when I wash and condition with these. I've also found that I actually do lose less hair in the shower with these products and I'm not totally sure why. These come in recyclable paper packaging and once you use up the bar, it's gone, so these are nice for reducing waste, as well.
These products are inspired by the haircare rituals of the women of the Red Yao Tribe in the mountains of Longsheng; Viori gives back 5% of its profits to the tribe, purchases Longsheng Rice directly from the Red Yao women at a 100% markup, and uses its profits to help preserve the Red Yao culture and improve the people's wellbeing.
Didn't Make the Cut
e.l.f. Putty Blush
I know I was just singing e.l.f.'s praises up there but every brand has a dud or two even if they have as many winners as e.l.f. does. My main issue with the Putty Blush line ($6.00) is the color selection. I get that they're going for the tropical vibe, which I'm all for, but none of the colors are very great. Bahamas is very, very orange IRL and looked almost comical on my face, while Tahiti is alright once it's blended out but just too pink for my taste. Also weird that the shade names aren't on the product itself, so I'm about 98% sure Tahiti is the pink shade I got and not Fiji. I do recommend getting the Putty Blush Brush if you want to try these, as it helps diffuse the color (because these are really pigmented). Bali, the only color I was really intrigued by, was sold out when I went to buy these and I'm thinking I should've at least waited for it to restock before buying. I might give that color a shot, but overall these were really hyped and I think they're just alright.
Good Chemistry Queen Bee Perfume
No. I've never had a perfume give me a headache and then make me feel queasy, so the honor of "First Perfume to Ever Make Me Feel Like Garbage" goes to this one. Really weird because it smelled totally fine from the sampler in the store but this was just so sickeningly sweet, cloying, and overpowering on me (and I hate super sweet perfumes). Body chemistry makes a difference with perfume and this one + my body = cotton candy overload. Woof. Hard pass.
ColourPop Cheek Dew Serum Blush
Massively disappointing because I was so excited for this one. The texture is so runny and watery to the point where this vanishes on your face as soon as you try to blend it out. So you put on more, thinking you just have to build it up to get some color payoff, and then rapidly realize this product is clowning you and you're engaged in a Sisyphean task of applying blush that will never actually show up on your face no matter how much you slather on because the more you put on, the more comes off. It's sad and it's frustrating because the color (I got Kiss Kiss) is really, really nice and the dewy sheen it gives your face is great. But ColourPop really dropped the ball on this one and I don't get how their product testers weren't like, "So where's the product?" when they were testing this one out on their own faces. They need to go back to the drawing board with this one and figure out how to make it buildable without lifting itself off your face every time you try to apply more and blend. Sad.
Be sure to check back next month for another round of products that made the cut and didn't, and thanks for reading the inaugural entry in my new monthly series, The Cut.
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