BOMB Balm

So I’ve had a subscription to Ipsy for almost 2 years now. For those of you unfamiliar with Ipsy, it is a cosmetics subscription that shows up at your door once a month in a shiny pink bag with fun little samples and sometimes full products. I’ve found some real gems through Ipsy, and this latest is probably my all-time fave – Watermelon Energizing Aqua Balm by Purlisse! It comes in bright, fruity packaging and is marketed as a moisturizer of sorts. However, I have found that it makes a fabulous, I mean FANTASTIC makeup primer. See, I am a girl who has struggled for years with acne and oily skin. For about the past decade, I’ve leaned on Clean and Clear Dual Action Oil-Free Moisturizer and it’s been pretty great and affordable. I’ve even used it on the majority of my makeup clients when I was doing more free-lance wedding work because, as it states, it’s not oily and doesn’t cause makeup to slide off of one’s face.

But you guys, this Watermelon Balm is NEXT LEVEL. As it escapes the tube, a noticeable and very pleasant (not too sweet) scent of watermelon fills your olfactory system. Massaging it into your pores reveals its weightlessness. And then your foundation goes on, and it’s almost magnetic! I am certain my face appears brighter, my foundation more smooth. By the end of your long day, you will also notice that this miracle balm makes that makeup stand the test of time. Even without a finishing spray.  So yes, as you can see, I am OBSESSED. At $45 a bottle for the full-sized product, this is probably the most expensive cosmetic product I’ve purchased but it is so worth it! I may not use it on my ALL of my work nights so that I can savor it for the days I want to feel extra special, but we’ll see – like I said, I’m addicted. Also, fun fact, the person behind Purlisse products is a WOMAN, Jennifer Yen, who decided to create this line with the help of her GRANDMOTHER to spread and share the beauty secrets she’s learned as part of her Asian heritage. A girl and her grandma – does it get much better? You go, girls!