November felt like it came and went in the blink of an eye, but I still managed to give a number of products a test drive and came away with a lot of winners. You know the drill by now, so let's jump right in.
Made the Cut
Chunks Checker Claw | Black/White
As I mentioned last month, I'm really into the checkerboard pattern and recently came across the Chunks brand and their signature Checker Claw hair clip ($18). I loved its more rounded silhouette, so I decided to order one to see if they're worth the hype. At $18 for a hair clip, I'll admit I wasn't super thrilled with the price, but it's actually a really well-made clip that feels strong and sturdy, not like it's going to snap off the hinges like a cheap clip. I went with the Black/White colorway. I have a lot of hair that's on the thinner side, texturally speaking, but when it's all twisted and piled high it needs a good clip that's going to hold it all in place. This one fit the bill.
My only gripe is that, even though I signed up for shipping notification texts, the text and shipping confirmation email didn't come through until the day after the package wound up on my doorstep. So it arrived without warning, but it at least arrived without issue. Super cute clip and looks great snapped over a purse strap when I'm not wearing it in my hair.
Glossier Balm Dot Com | Cookie Butter
This is a bit of a cheat entry, given that I actually bought and first used this in October, but I forgot to mention it last month and have been using it throughout the month of November, so it still technically counts as something I tried out this month. I have nearly every flavor of Glossier's Balm Dot Com ($12 each), but I wasn't expecting to love this one as much as I do. It not only smells mouthwateringly delicious and exactly like cookie butter, but it gives a flattering wash of caramel to the lips, a shade that the Balm Dot Com line was lacking. It's just as lightweight-yet-moisturizing as the other shades, so between the perfect color and the formula, this has become one of my favorite lip products to date.
Unfortunately, just like Fig (one of my other favorite shades), Cookie Butter is limited edition, so act fast if you want to grab this before it's gone.
Glossier Lash Slick
Despite the fact that I have a small handful of tried and true mascaras that I'll continue to use until their respective brands don't make them anymore (which I sincerely hope never happens), I'm always willing to try a new one for the sake of variety. I've been very curious about Lash Slick ($16) for a while now but just never got around to ordering a tube, but I finally picked one up during Glossier's Black Friday sale (20% off).
This is a really nice mascara and I'm happy to add it to my rotation. It doesn't give me super bold, voluminous lashes like some of the other mascaras I use, but it really lifts and fluffs the lashes for a wide-eyed, bright-eyed look with moderate volume and length. It reminds me a lot of Covergirl's Clean Fresh Mascara, which is one of my go-to products. Perfect for a more natural look, but still gives lashes some noticeable oomph (rather than leaving you asking if you're even wearing mascara and why did you even bother putting any on). No spider lashes here. The product description mentions that it comes off easily with warm water; I haven't tried that yet, as I use a micellar water to remove makeup, but I will say that this doesn't come off as easily with makeup remover as my other mascaras, so perhaps warm water is the better way to get this off.
Bagatiba Mini Gold Hollow Hoops
I've purchased a couple Bagatiba necklaces and pendants and while I love their designs, I don't love how pricey they are. I had my eye on the Mini Gold Hollow Hoops for at least a year but couldn't bring myself to pay the $160 for gold-plated stainless steel. But Black Friday rolled around and Bagatiba was offering 40% off of everything, so I decided it was finally time to add the long-coveted hoops to my collection.
Because these are hollow, they don't weigh down my lobes and are easy to wear all day. The shine of the gold finish adds some sparkle to any outfit, and they go with absolutely anything you want to wear them with. But for $160, I really wish Bagatiba would put a little more effort into their earring packaging like they do for their necklaces. The earrings were packaged in a small box with their name printed in a trendy, aesthetically-pleasing layout on the lid, but the earrings were in a plastic bag along with the card they'd be hanging off of if they were on display in-store. Packaging matters, and especially the more expensive a product is.
AKASHI-KAMA Yama Crewneck Sweater | Caramel
I've been following AKASHI-KAMA on Instagram for a short while now, and like their clean, minimal streetwear inspired by traditional Japanese clothing. The Yama Crewneck Sweater in Caramel ($180) is part of their F/W 2021 collection, and the second item I've purchased from them (the first was their Noragi Jacket). The price tag is steep, but the quality is great, and I like supporting smaller brands where possible.
This sweater is the perfect chunky (but not too chunky) knit for colder weather. The pattern is unique and visually interesting and I really love the nude color of this piece contrasted against the blues and greens of the triangles. Wear it with pants, wear it with jeans, even wear it with a skirt. It's versatile and the perfect statement piece for people with more minimal tastes who are looking for something eye-catching without being too bold or over the top.
Farmacy Beauty Honey Halo Ultra-Hydrating Ceramide Face Moisturizer
Yes, I found yet another moisturizer that I had to try, but I blame the free sample I got in a recent Sephora order. While the Alba Botanica moisturizer I've started using is for daytime, I use Honey Halo (jumbo, $68) strictly in the evening. It's recommended for normal to dry skin and it's easy to see why as soon as you touch it: it's a thick texture and extremely hydrating formula (they weren't exaggerating when they claimed it was ultra hydrating). A little goes a long way for me, and while this isn't targeted for oily skin types, my skin drinks this up nonetheless. I'd recommend not overdoing it with the application of this moisturizer if you're very oily, like me, as it can leave you too greasy. This makes my skin look especially nice when used in tandem with Honeymoon Glow, and the subtle honey smell is great. I also like that it comes with a small, metal spatula that magnetically sticks to the lid of the (beautiful) jar.
The only line/wrinkle I have so far at 30 (12 days away from being 31 at the time of writing) is a smile line on the left side of my face. While it's too early to say whether this cream is helping reduce the visibility of that line (nor do I expect a single product to be such a miracle worker without using other, complimentary products with it), I will say this cream makes my skin look plump, hydrated, and glowing in the morning, and overall very youthful. So far, so good. I also expect this product to last a LONG time because so little goes such a long way.
Didn't Make the Cut
Versed Mood Lighting Luminizing Glow Drops | Sheer Golden
Versed reached out to me and sent me five products of my choosing for free. I'm familiar with Versed and really like their Vacation Eyes eye gel and a couple of other products, but was happy to be given the chance to try out so many other products. I was particularly excited to give their Mood Lighting liquid highlighter a go — I love natural highlighters that give a subtle-but-fresh glow.
Unfortunately, this product just barely missed the mark. I was tempted to not say this didn't make the cut, but it's just a bit too subtle for me to reach for this over my other highlighters (which are already pretty natural looking). The product description says this can be mixed into face makeup or worn alone, and that it acts like a serum. I've been hesitant to use this over my entire face out of fear of looking like a shining beacon of light by midday, but given how subtle of a sheen it gives off when worn alone, I might not have too much to worry about.
I applied Mood Lighting to the high points of my cheekbones, as I do with all my highlighters, and I was having a hard time seeing much of anything on my face once I blended it out. Outside in the sunset it appeared a little more noticeable, but overall I felt like this disappeared too much into my skin to be very impactful. It works as a very natural-looking product, which is what I prefer for my makeup, but there's natural and then there's "Did I put anything on my face yet?" I'll keep reaching for this from time to time for something a little different, but this hasn't replaced any of my existing highlighters as a new favorite.
Be sure to check back next month for another round of products that made the cut and didn't, and thanks for reading my monthly series, The Cut.
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