A Random Friday Favourites

Do you hear that? No seriously…turn off that song or TV show playing in the background and listen carefully.

It’s…

…the…

…WEEKEND calling, baaaaaaaabbby!!

And time for a quick Friday Favourites post.

I’ve been playing with a ton of new products lately and I can’t wait to tell you all about them. Let’s jump right in, shall we?

Briogeo Detox + Restore Kit

I have a blog post all about this duo coming up next week, so I don’t want to share too much. But just know that I rarely ever get THIS excited about haircare! My hair has never felt softer or stronger and I’m O-B-S-E-S-S-E-D!

THE INKEY LIST Oat Cleansing Balm

I bought this cleanser during the Sephora VIB sale, so I haven’t had it for too long. But I’ve had a really good feeling about it from the get-go.

It’s a pretty strange texture that caught me off guard at first. Almost like a thick vaseline, but thicker. Although you won’t find a trace of petroleum jelly in this (clean!) skincare product. It’s a bit tough to squeeze out of the tube, but that’s literally my only complaint so far.

If you’re used to a cleanser that foams, The Inkey List Oat Cleansing Balm may take some getting used to. When mixed with water, it emulsifies into a milky consistency, and to be honest, it’s kind of hard to tell if it’s doing anything when slathered on the skin. But LINDA, listen to me! This cleanser works better than any other I’ve used before. Big claim, I know…

Here’s the deal: I usually have to double-cleanse to remove all of my makeup, especially mascara, but this balm gets rid of everything the first time. It feels a little greasy when massaging it into the skin, and leaves a bit of an oily film that can be hard to rinse away. But after drying off, my skin feels hydrated and comfortable, not oily. Typically, I feel the need to dunk my face in a tub of moisturizer, but I don’t feel it’s necessary after using The Inkey List Oat Cleansing Balm. In fact, I’ve even been skipping the lotion step in my skincare routine altogether…

At $12.99, you get a large amount of product for the price, and so long as my skin doesn’t randomly react to it in the coming months, I see myself re-buying this cleansing balm over and over again. 10/10 would recommend for anyone with dry or sensitive skin.

Drunk Elephant Sweet Pitti Deodorant Cream

I’m still on the hunt for the best natural deodorant, and with so many on the market these days I feel like I have a ton more to try before I can truly decide which one is best. However, the Drunk Elephant Sweet Pitti Deodorant Cream could be a pretty good candidate to take the trophy. I won’t spoil too much because I’ll write a dedicated blog post all about it after some more use. But…I love the way it smells, it’s so creamy and easy to apply…and it works!

BITE Beauty Agave + Nighttime Vegan Lip Therapy

Now, I’ve talked about the BITE Beauty Agave Lip Mask more times than Alexa says “David” on Schitt’s Creek, so I know you’re wondering why I’ve switched and what the difference between the two is. The truth is, they’re very similar.

Both obviously contain Agave Nectar, BITE Beauty’s signature ingredient to help soothe and nurture lips. But the Agave+ Nighttime Vegan Lip Therapy contains Mangosteen Extract versus Pomegranate Extract for antioxidant benefits. It also has a very nice camomile-bergamot scent, which is supposed to help lure the body to sleep. It’s thinner, more oily, and less intense than the mask. But it still does an amazing job to moisturize my lips overnight and heal them from the fluctuating temperatures and dry air outside.

Which one do I like better? That’s a tough choice to make. Because even though they’re similar, they’re still different at the same time.

First I should note that both contain the same amount of product, but the Agave Lip Mask (tube formula) costs $2 more at $34 CAD. I certainly like that the Agave+ Nighttime Vegan Lip Therapy is slightly cheaper. It’s also easier to apply (the mask can be a bit tough to squeeze out of the tube, especially if your house is cold). But sometimes I just need the super thick moisture barrier of the Agave Lip Mask and I like that I can still feel remnants of it on my lips the next morning when I wake up.

There are rumours that BITE changed the formula of the Agave Lip Mask, however, and it’s not the same as it once was. I have yet to test it out. If you’ve used both of these products, let me know which one you prefer!

For now, the Agave+ Nighttime Vegan Lip Therapy is what I have in my arsenal and I’m enjoying using it each evening before bed.

Avon Birthday Balm Lip Crayon

The Avon Birthday Balms have such a beautiful, lightweight formula and I find myself reaching for them regularly when I just want to slap on a colour quickly or add a bit of shine to my lips. I have a few different shades, but the one I use the most is Surprise! It’s a brown-y, pink with a slight grey undertone. It’s sheer but with noticeable colour (if that makes sense?) and has a glossy finish. The wear-time isn’t great, but the colour and formula are so fuss-free that re-application can be done without a mirror.

It’s also a non-GMO shea butter formula. Which is a claim I honestly haven’t seen for beauty products before. I suppose it’s just another way of saying ‘organic’…

NARS Bronzer Powder in Laguna

I just have a little itty bitty sample size of the NARS Laguna Bronzer, but it’s my first time ever trying this cult-favourite and MAN is it good! It’s a beautiful colour for light to medium skin tones and has a subtle shimmer to give a warm golden glow. The powder is very finely milled, smooth and easy to blend. I’m so impressed and I hope this tiny compact lasts forever or else I’m going to have to go and buy a full size.

Well, this random Friday Favourites post (also known as a monthly favourites post…which I haven’t done in over a year…) turned out to be longer than I expected. I hope you enjoyed reading along (if you’ve made it this far). I certainly enjoyed writing it and gushing about some of the products that I’ve been loving lately. If you’ve tried any of them, I’d love for you to let me know your thoughts! Leave a comment below or connect with me on Instagram @beauty_by_birdy.

Talk soon!

xxx