the 21st journal
birthday chat and coloured mascaras
Hello, hi there and a very warm welcome to the 21st edition of the journal! Thank you for coming back, we have some super fun beauty talk ahead of us.
It was my birthday this week and since I am now 27, it got me thinking what I would tell my self if I went back 10 years to when I was fresh-faced and 17. Definitely had a very different approach to beauty at the time and it’s wild to look back at how my thinking has changed in the last decade.
We also have a look at some great coloured mascara options, as well as products that have been added to my cart recently.
Enough chit chat; let’s talk beauty.
10 Things I’d Tell My 17-year-old Self
This week I turned 27 which got me thinking about how much my approach to beauty and my skin has changed over the last decade
Ok you’re pretty good with wearing SPF when you know you’re going to be in the sun but girl you’ve got to up that daily application (and reapplication). Older you is going to be grateful you got into that habit as early as possible. Plus right now you’re not keen on the whole baby face thing, but one day you’ll be grateful you still get carded.
No coverage is better than the BB cream that is absolutely too warm for you. Put it down and enjoy how nice your skin already looks.
Play with makeup! It’s ok if you make mistakes, it all washes off.
That Taylor Swift Wonderstruck perfume will one day be a collectable, enjoy it and continue to spray liberally!
You’re going to have breakouts because you’re hormonal, it’s normal and fine and there’s genuinely no need to be embarrassed.
Put down the St Ives Apricot Scrub and then throw it straight in the bin. You have dry, sensitive skin and don’t need to use an abrasive scrub every other day.
You don’t need to have a skincare routine just for the sake of it, or use products because they say they’re for teen skin. One clarifying product is enough, you don’t need to clarify at every step
Your natural brow shape is lovely, put down the tweezers.
Aluminium in your deodorant is not a bad thing and isn’t the cause of your eczema, so please feel free to go back to actual antiperspirant that stops you smelling. Please.
Remember to show that cute face some love!
Still don’t know what to buy your loved ones this Christmas? Last week’s journal was the ultimate gift buying guide, we have different categories and lots of very budget friendly options. Check it out here.
Coloured Mascaras You Need To Know About
Long gone are the days where black mascara was the only option - some of our favourite brands and formulas are now available in a range of hues, most popularly brown, burgundy and blue. The shades can help to compliment or enhance different eye colours and skin tones, providing a softer or more vivid look than just plain black. For example, I have very fair skin with blue eyes, so whilst a black mascara gives me great definition and drama, a chocolate brown or burgundy can be a little less stark.
Here are some of the excellent options you can try:
Tower28 MakeWaves Mascara in Drift
This is one of my favourite all time formulas and you can now pick it up in a gorgeous, chocolate brown shade. It’s lengthening and defining for the lashes without being too intense or heavy. The perfect ‘everyday’ mascara formula. Shop it here.
Mecca Max Lashing Out Coloured Mini Mascara Duo
Mecca Max have excellent mascara formulas and this duo is such a fun way to try out more than one shade. It comes with both a vibrant blue and burgundy, so you can play around with them as much as you want, maybe even doing one of each? Shop it here.
Benefit BADgal Bang! Volumising Mascara
Benefit took their hugely popular BADgal Bang! Volumising mascara formula and brought it out in 3 new shades - brown, plum and blue! Shop it here.
Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Push Up Lashes Mascara in Dream Pop
Of course the queen of beauty has done a coloured mascara but put her own twist on it. Dream Pop is a brown & burgundy shade, so it feels different but without being too out there. It’s also very complimentary when used with the warm, smoky shades you see so often in CT makeup looks. Shop it here.
Maybelline Sky High Mascara in Burgundy Haze
A super affordable option and viral for a reason, Maybelline do great mascaras and their Sky High formula is no different. So far in Australia, we have the classic black, brown and the newly released burgundy and blue. Shop it here.
3 Things I’ve Bought and…
I’ve been a bit light on the beauty buying as of late, but wanted to share a few things that I’ve picked up and am enjoying (or will be as soon as I try them).
Innisfree Sheet Masks
In case you missed it, Innisfree is now available to purchase in store at Priceline, so of course I had to check out the range. My first purchase? A few of their sheet masks that include excellent options such as aloe, centella and ceramide focused formulas. Plus, They’re all $4-$6!
Tower28 LipSoftie Tinted Lip Treatment in Ube Vanilla
It is a little dangerous for my bank account that my faves Tower28 are now available at Mecca, but also wonderful. I picked this up a few weeks ago and have been loving the soft, hydrating formula, along with the super yummy scent and tint.
La Roche-Posay Anthelios Invisible Fluid SPF50
This cult fave SPF has been on my radar to try for quite a while now, so I finally picked it up to play with as part of my upcoming summer SPF series. It’s a lightweight, very fluid formula and I’m excited to see how it goes as we move more into summer.
3 Things I Want to Buy
Holme Beauty Swipe, Shine, Go! Essential Bundle
You’ve heard me wax lyrical about Holme Beauty so many times, including about their exciting holiday collection, so it is probably zero surprise that this is currently in pride of place on the wishlist. I’m eyeing off the ‘sexy’ offering, which has a deeper red shade for brunettes.
The 7 Virtues Coconut Sun Eau De Parfum
I’ve been looking for a fresh, coconut based scent for the summer and this is really calling to me. I’m such a fan of their Cherry Ambition scent and how it wears on the skin, so this is sure to live up to that standard.
Kosas The Wet Set Juicy Jellies
This is a set I treat myself to every year and I absolutely will be picking this one up to. I love the juicy looking shades they’ve gone for, especially the cola, which I see being on high rotation this summer.
The Big Three
Ok, you know how you have your big three in astrology? This is just the beauty product version of that, and yes I think I’m pretty clever thank you very much. The Sun will be something that’s going on my face on the daily, Moon is for the nighttime routine heroes and Rising is for the newcomer or rising favourite of the week.
SUN: ULTRA VIOLETTE SHEEN SCREEN IN BEJEWELLED
A little while ago, Ultra Violette updated their SPf lip balm formula, giving it a new name, formula and shades. It’s lush and nourishing and glides on like a dream, you can’t even tell it’s got SPF in it. The standout shade for me has been Bejewelled, which is a super pretty and flattering pink, a little bit more than my natural lip colour.
Sun protection that involves your lips is always important, but has become even more of a priority for me, now that a job change has meant increased sun exposure in my day. Pretty shades like this make it so easy to pair with a lip liner for a gorgeous combo that’s protecting your pout at the same time.
Shop it here.
MOON: GLOSSIER BODY HERO DAILY OIL WASH
I’m going to count this as part of my evening routine, since my nightly showers have become a little bit more luxe since introducing this oil wash. It has a gorgeous scent, great packaging and a handy pump that really works for the formula (while looking great on my shelf). Summer is an excellent time to introduce a body oil wash because the emulsion it creates under water is very effective in removing extra grime and sweat and body sunscreen.
The scent is bright and uplifting - apparently Orange Blossom Neroli - perfect after a long day and leaves just enough on the skin once I’m out of the shower to keep me feeling fresh. If you’ve been looking for a shower oil, this is the one.
Shop it here.
RISING: SUMMER FRIDAYS JET LAG SOOTHING HYDRATION MIST
I picked this up a few weeks ago because I am a big fan of Summer Fridays, especially when it comes to their hydrating + soothing formulas. Mists are a big part of my summer routine, perfect for popping on my desk or in my work bag to keep me hydrated and fresh throughout the day.
This is very lightweight and comes in a compact bottle with a very fine, very even mister, which I appreciate. The ingredients list is absolutely stacked - glycerin, ceramides, aloe, calming minerals etc - and I can feel myself being much too liberal because it just feels so good on the skin. At the moment, I love reaching for it just as I’m getting out of the shower and need a little boost before I do my routine.
Shop it here.
And with that, we’ve reached the end of the 21st edition of Morgan’s Skin Journal! if you’re made it this far, I hope that means you’ve enjoyed it and would consider sharing it with a friend who might enjoy it. There’s so much beauty goodness still to come in 2024 and I hope you join me for it.
I’ll play myself out with my song of the week and see you all for the next journal 🩵
Love, Morgan