What I Bought in November

November was an interesting month as I finally started feeling a lot more confident with my independence whilst being back home. Even though I’ve traveled far and wide, lived in big cities, and even grew up in the Orlando area, I felt as if I was lacking confidence in getting around and doing things. I felt overwhelmed at the thought of meeting up with friends and making plans to shoot. November finally forced me out of the house. I had my routine in check and was getting quite tired of following the same schedule every single day, so I started venturing out more. I took a day trip from Orlando, found a new coffee shop in town, met up with a friend to shoot, and decided to even go out for drinks in downtown! It was nice to finally start exploring Florida and I’ve grown to appreciate it a lot more now since I’m a blogger. My senses seem hyper aware and I’m perfectly fine with it!

Since being back in America, I’ve been sort of obsessed with trying brands that I would see all over the internet and not have access to. London doesn’t have Sephora and you have to make a steep purchase to ship from the US and then pay an import tax on top. Not completely worth it, in my opinion. I also wanted to jump on a few beauty trends while I was at it, so here are the things I bought in November!

Rose Quartz Roller & Gua Sha

I don’t suffer with a puffy face in the mornings, but usually get puffy eyes when I’m tired. The face roller has been around for ages and I couldn’t wrap my head around how beneficial it would be for me. The more I looked into it, I thought that there isn’t much to worry about because it’s not actually a product that sits on my face. I decided to give it a try, but didn’t want to spend too much just in case I didn’t see it worth the effort. Luckily, I came across this rose quartz roller and gua sha set that also comes with a mask brush. It comes with instructions on how to use both, but I also searched for face rolling and gua sha routines on YouTube. Long story short, I am in love. The blood circulation really helps bring out the natural brightness in your skin, I’m getting more out of my serums as it seeps into my skin, I also see a decrease in fine lines where I see tension! The MoValues box set I bought I think is great value and the roller is so sturdy! Definitely a great present for any skincare junkie!

Would I purchase again? Yes!

Rafa Natural Body Butter

I’m not going to give away too much, but I took a day trip from Orlando to a cute town called Lakeland. Lakeland was where my parents first settled when they moved to Florida and where I spent the first several years of my childhood. We still have lots of family friends in the area that we regularly visit. Lakeland is about an hour drive from where my parents live and it always was a town that was always considered charming. Walking around Downtown Lakeland, I came across the Rafa Natural shop that smelled absolutely gorgeous! Rafa Natural is a locally crafted, natural, vegan and organic skin and body line made just in Bartow near Lakeland! I picked up the Rafa Natural body butter in French laundry and it is luxurious! Made with shea butter and jojoba oil! With no residue, it still combats my dry winter skin and has such a lovely scent. I really want to try the serums and masks next time!

Would I purchase again? Yes!

Avarelle Acne Absorbing Cover Patches

Pimple patches are are one of those big skincare trends that I didn’t jump onto right away because I couldn’t find any that didn’t use benzoyl peroxide. I try to stay away from those notorious chemicals and wanted something with natural products or essential oils. The Avarelle Acne Absorbing Cover Patch has tea tree oil that helps dry out the pimple, calendula oil is an antiseptic, and cica is a plant-derived product that eases redness. I loved these for a few reason!

• They heal more than just white heads. I’m talking about red, fiery spots and even blackheads!
• Since the ingredients are a bit gentler, they really help soothe underneath the skin too helping prevent further breakouts.
• After about 6 hours, they spot is flat and doesn’t leave marks like the patches with benzoyl peroxide.
• The patches are paper thin and colorless, so you can barely see them on.

Would I purchase again? Yes!

Detoxifying Face Masks

I guess I’m cheating here and grouped three products under one theme that is detoxifying face masks. If you know me, travelled with me, came over to my place, you will know that I am absolutely infatuated with face masks and do them so often! I find that face masks are a great little routine that helps me shut off from everything and I can just relax. So it’s not surprise that I picked up three different face masks this month.

• PureBiology Premium Face Mask is your ultimate clay mask with collagen, kaolin, Vitamins B, C, and E. I was nervous to try out an Amazon beauty brand just because information they present hasn’t be reviewed by the FDA. I didn’t have much to lose, so I gave it a try. My skin is combination and closer to the dryer side and my mom has oily skin, but the mask works for both of us! It doesn’t dry where it hurt, but soothe and hydrates as well. I use it once a week, which is more than enough, and get that deep clean that I need! I would definitely purchase again.
• Boscia MATCHA Magic Super-Antioxidant Mask is another great face mask that works on all skin types. I got it because I heard it’s powerful is helping with excess oil, which is something I was struggling with now that I’m in a much warmer climate! Additionally, it helps with fine lines that erupt from stress. I would say that it’s not a mask where you will see instant results, but definitely a mask that should be added to a weekly routine to help relax your skin. I would also note that a little product goes a long way! I would definitely purchase again.
• I got the Pacifica Cosmic Play face mask on a whim since I was shopping in Target. It’s one of those new-to-me brands since I’ve come back to the US and I’ve not heard too much about their products. The pouch easily gets 5 uses out of it as you don’t need a thick layer of the product, but it does get incredibly dry and stiff and you need a wash cloth to wipe it off. I was worried that my skin would be irritated after, but was pleasantly surprised by how bright it looked! Since I use the other two mask interchangeably once a week, I’ll use this mid-week after a day spent mostly outside. I don’t think I would purchase again since it’s a bit too drying for my face, but I would definitely try Pacifica Beauty’s more hydrating products!

Patriot Coffee

Alas, nothing to do with skincare. One thing I noticed about Orlando since being back was the influx of speciality cafes that have popped up all over! Not only do most make great coffee, but also source some of the best beans often sourced from roasters in the state. I came across Patriot Coffee Roasters when I was doing research on Lakeland for my day trip and knew I needed to get my hands on some of their beans to try! The company is born in Downtown Lakeland from just a market and now supplies to one of the largest grocery retailers in the south! I prefer my beans from Colombia since I find the cocoa flavor comforting. Instead I went for the Peru bean and I love that it’s low in acidity with a nutty hint. Great way to wake up!

Would I purchase again? Yes!

Let me know what you bought in November!