a few faves for february

Six, to be exact.

I have never committed to regular favourites posts because, as a boring bitch who does not like to mess with a good thing, I very often do not have anything new to report (I also want to make sure products are actually worthwhile before I tell everyone about them). This month, however, I have much to discuss, so strap in.

I cut a chunk off the top of my thumb two days before my first BIAB appointment but she’s caught up admirably, hasn’t she?

BIAB

If even a few months ago you told me that the nails on the right were mine, I’d have laughed at you. Historically, I have not been good to my nails. I bit them right down to the quick, shredded the skin around my cuticles, and peeled off gel polish. But then my sister, who has also never had a nail in her life, started getting BIAB and grew hers out to an admirable length. I suddenly saw a way forward for myself, too.

BIAB (builder in a bottle, or builder gel) is essentially a gel layer that’s applied on top of your natural nail, allowing it to strengthen and grow underneath. It’s not soaked off like normal gel polish but refilled. You can wear it on its own with a top coat (it comes in a variety of neutral shades) or have gel polish applied over it, which is what I usually do.

The photo above shows the results of about four appointments/months of growth. My nails have never ever been this long, and I really love the look (I can see now why people get extensions). I love the sound they make when I tap things. I love rubbing them together, Dolly Parton-style. It’s just been a very fun experience. I will say you need to be diligent about getting it done – it can start to lift if you go too long without a refill – which makes it a costly process. It’s worth it for me right now, but I can’t say I’ll be committing to new nails every 3-4 weeks for the rest of time. I’m interested to see what will happen when I inevitably get the builder gel removed. Until then, I will continue to be my own personal ASMR video.

La Roche-Posay Lipikar AP+M and Cicaplast B5 Baume

This may sound sad, but one of my resolutions in January was to moisturise my body more. You’d think being so into skincare I’d be better at it, but I am not. It’s cold! It takes too long! I’d rather be in my jammies already! My skin has been paying the price for this laziness – it’s dry, itchy, and prone to eczema. I needed to bring in the big guns, so I turned to the ole gals Lipikar and Cicaplast. I use Lipikar all over and apply the Cicaplast balm directly to drier patches (god, this is a glamorous string of words). I don’t find Lipikar greasy or slow to sink in at all, which is surprising given it feels so rich and moisturising. I can’t say I’m lotioning up after every shower (it’s still cold!), but I’m certainly doing it more often, and hoping to reap the rewards. Soft, comfy skin for 2k23.

PS Beauty Lip Liner Pencil in Velvet Touch and Revlon Super Lustrous Glass Shine Lipstick in Toasting Glasses

I was hunting for a replacement for my favourite Penneys lip liner, and while my exact shade doesn’t seem to exist any more (boo), I did find this (yay). It’s slightly more rosy than the other one, like a more intense version of my natural lip colour, and the formula is creamy and easy to apply. And it’s €1.50! I don’t see anyone else talking about Penneys lip liners when they absolutely should be. They are fantastic. ONE EURO FIFTY.

The Revlon lipstick is yet another viral product, so of course I picked it up when I saw it in my local Boots. I love a gloss-balm hybrid, and this is a really beautiful one – it has a smooth, glass-like shine, it’s a flattering colour (a warm brown that pulls a tiny bit mauve on me), and it’s comfortable to wear. A great one to keep in the handbag, which I have very much been doing.

Huda Beauty Easy Bake Loose Powder in Cherry Blossom Cake

If you read this newsletter regularly, you already know: I simply love to be influenced. This powder was all over my various feeds, so it slipped easily into my basket during my annual St Stephen’s Day online shopping trawl. Apparently this shade is hard to get now, so I feel quite smug. I have tons of powders already – please remember, I was on an undereye journey – but this is the only one I’m reaching for these days.

It is so soft and finely milled, and sets your base products without making you look too flat and matte. Despite the name, I don’t bake with it – I use a tiny amount to lightly set my t-zone and undereyes. The result is strangely natural for a Huda Beauty product (I’m sure Huda herself would acknowledge that her line leans more towards full-coverage glam), and the light pink hue softly brightens without giving you that extremely 2016, just-discovered-banana-powder look. I love it.

Thanks for reading Vanity Project! I’m gonna take a lil break in March to get married and stuff, so the next time I see you, I will be a normal person again (I hope). Wish me luck!