October was a major month for me: Zack and I got married! All of the months of planning, stress, and anticipation came together in a beautiful day with our families and friends. Despite the crush of activity and last-minute stressors, I actually tried a number of products this month and discovered a lot of things that I loved. Let's get to it.
Made the Cut
MERIT Great Skin
I was iffy on MERIT's Great Skin ($38) when it got announced. As someone with extremely oily skin, I wasn't sure I needed this serum, particularly because the selling point is the extra dewy, fresh finish it gives your skin. But since I've tried every MERIT product aside from the brow products, I figured I'd give this one a shot.
For my fellow oily-skinned people out there, I wouldn't recommend using more than one pump of this, and even then I'm not sure you'll need the whole pump. It definitely gives the skin a really nice "lit from within" glow when applied sparingly, and makeup goes over this product nicely without pilling. It works especially nicely with MERIT's Minimalist stick. However, all of the marketing and UGC MERIT has been posting featuring this product show women that look, frankly, really greasy after using Great Skin, and remind me of myself after a few hours into my day post-makeup application, when I really need to degrease my face. It's not a look I want to intentionally emulate, so I use very little of this serum when I do use it.
MERIT touts a lot of skin benefits that one can get from using Great Skin, and while it's perhaps a little too early to say whether the product delivers on all of them, I will say that I agree that my skin appears smoother and brighter after using it and it's definitely sufficiently hydrated afterwards. It also hasn't made me break out or clogged my pores.
Violette_FR Bisou Blush | Louise
The long and short of this review: I absolutely love this blush. I bought Violette_FR's Bisou Blush ($35) in the shade Louise the day it launched and had to wait quite a while for it to ship, but it was worth it. Each shade features marbled pigments that help create shades with depth that look gorgeous when applied. The finish is matte, but because the product is creamy it doesn't look flat on your face; the attached brush on the bottom of the stick blends well and makes this super convenient to carry and travel with. Louise is a nice neutral brown tone with shades of pink mixed in, which is the type of shade I love. Lasting power is decent, not the most long-lasting blush but gets through most of my day (and nothing lasts very long on my face anyway). I also like the subtle scent of this product; nothing overwhelming, just a pretty, soft scent that makes applying this a pleasant experience.
Everlane City Boot | Toasted Almond Suede
These boots are fantastic and have quickly become one of my favorite things in my wardrobe. They launched in four different colors and fabrics — cream, caramel, and black leather and sand suede — and, in the market for a pair of suede tan boots, I went with the Toasted Almond Suede ($250) in size 6.
While I wear a size 6, I normally size up to 6.5 in boots, especially if they're pointed toe but even if they're square toe. Unfortunately, Everlane was sold out of these in 6.5 so I took a chance on 6; I read a couple reviews from people who said the square toe made these accommodating for their normal shoe size, and I found that to be true. However, others mentioned that these aren't great for long wear and can start to get uncomfortable under the ball of the foot after some hours, which I also found to be true. I have other square toe boots that I can wear all day without issue and these aren't as comfortable. But with no blisters or cuts after the first wear, I was fine by the end of the day. These are versatile boots and can be dressed up or down easily.
La Perle Winnie Dress
Easily my favorite thing this month: my wedding dress. This gorgeous dress is the Winnie by La Perle. Absolutely stunning in every way, from the train to those bell sleeves, to the back detail to the intricate lace with tiny little fans on the hem and different shapes inspired by nature on the edges of the sleeve hems. This was the first wedding dress I ever tried on at my first-ever (and only) bridal appointment and I knew it was special as soon as I put it on.
I felt amazing in this dress and it helped that the seamstresses at Janene's Bridal in Alameda are incredibly talented and got it to fit me like a glove. I'll post more pictures (and a detailed breakdown of the wedding) once I get them back from the photographer, but for now enjoy these sneak peeks of this stunning gown.
Glossier Balm Dotcom | Swiss Miss
Glossier snuck in a new, limited edition flavor of Balm Dotcom towards the end of the month, and while I'm not the biggest fan of hot chocolate I do love chocolate in general, so I had to give it a shot. This is one of the most mouth-watering scents I've ever smelled and makes me desperately want dark chocolate every time I smell it. The sheer dark brown tint is really nice and the formula is the same as every other Balm Dotcom scent, so if you like the texture, hydration, and want a deep shade for winter, grab this one before it's gone. Head to Glossier's site and search for Balm Dotcom to find it.
Didn't Make the Cut
Nothing! Yet another month of nothing but wins.
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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