Lady E's Favorite Things: July 2025 Edit (Three Luxuries I'm Loving This Month and One That Missed the Mark)

It’s taken me years to find pieces that feel like home to my skin and soul… someday I’ll share the ones I created myself.

I’ve always believed in curating moments, not just things. Whether it’s the click of a favorite pen, the weight of a beloved moisturizer, or the scent of a shampoo that lingers like a memory — what we surround ourselves with speaks volumes about how we choose to live.

✨ My soft rituals help me stay sane while running businesses and my household. Whether I’m building systems, brainstorming brand direction, or simply choosing what scent to wear while I write, I honor beauty, utility, and energy alignment. These are the objects that made my month softer, smarter, and more luxurious — and one that just didn’t vibe with me.

Laneige Water Bank

I reach for this moisturizer after I shower, when I'm all alone in the room, locked door, and I could just breathe, and be myself. It's a part of my after-shower ritual that I savor slowly. I apply the moisturizer on my face gently, being careful not to tug on the skin, while whispering to the rashes, "it's alright now. Time to let go." 

I've been using this moisturizer for about 4 months now. The first time I wrote about it, I've been using it on and off. Little did I know that it's power lay in consistent and regular application. 

I used to apply a thick layer, but I've learned that less is more. It's already light to begin with, but applying thin layers help my skin breathe, especially if I have a bad flare. I use this with other products to help heal the papulopustular rosacea on my face. 

Will I continue using this product? Absolutely! I mentioned in my earlier review that Clinique 100 HRS has started giving me rashes, but I believe, because of Laneige, my skin calmed down so well that I'm able to tolerate Clinique again. 

Read my review of Laneige Water Bank here.   

Bouncy & Firm Eye Sleeping Mask

This is another favorite in my luxe after-shower ritual. 

This product lives up to its name. I'm a night owl and I sleep between 1 and 2:30 am, but I don't have dark circles under my eyes. Plus, the skin there truly is bouncy and firm! I apply this every morning to avoid any potential reactions at night. My skin is extra sensitive at night because we release more histamine at night. So, I'm also extra careful about the products I apply before bed. 

I love the cool, refreshing feeling that this eye mask delivers. Not like that annoying menthol feeling from this product, at all! It really relaxes my eye area. I've also noticed that I don't get rashes on that part anymore! I don't know if it's because it's always moisturized by this product or what. 

I used to use this product for my undereye care, but stopped since I experienced chronic urticaria. I had to stop everything during that time. 

Will I go back to that product? No. I'm sticking with Laneige this time. Read my review here. 

The Face Shop The Botanic Lemon Verbena Body Lotion (Vegan)

Another part of my soft life after-shower ritual, The Face Shop Lemon Verbena lotion is what I reach for when I want a gentle kickstart to my day. It's a whisper that says, I'm ready to start my day light and creative. 

We love this lotion so much that it's almost empty. I have to remove the cap and force the remaining product out of it. I reckon I only have 2 more uses out of this bottle. In my original review, I said that I will repurchase, but since discovering this lotion, I've changed my mind. This lemon verbena lotion will only truly remain as my July favorite. 

The Product That Missed: The Face Shop Grapefruit Lotion

This one came close, but something felt… off. I’m learning to listen to those little whispers of 'not quite right.' They’ve saved me more than once — in beauty and in life.

This is one of my purchases from The Face Shop Baguio branch. I had such high hopes for this product. I love citrusy scents. Plus, seeing that the avocado lotion and body wash in the same line worked really well for us, I thought this will work out fine too.

I was wrong. Yes, the scent was lovely. Yes, it helped moisturize my skin without weighing it down. It's light and easy to absorb. But I work around the house all day - cooking, laundry, purging stuff, etc. I don't sweat a lot, and when I do, it's usually on my stomach or my back. On testing day, after a few hours,  and right after cooking, I noticed a weird smell. Like clothes that didn't dry well on the clothesline. Or sweat that dried up on a shirt. I smelled my shirt. It wasn't that. I smelled my cardigan. Not that too. I smelled my arm where I applied this lotion and bingo! I wasn't sweaty that day, even after cooking. I'm always in an airconditioned room but it seems this lotion doesn't mix well with my hormones and sweat. My son has been using this, and so far I haven't gotten any complaints. So, I guess it's me? 

Anyway, if you work in the kitchen or work in a job that makes you sweat a lot, it's best to skip this product. Try the avocado one instead. I haven't had any problems with that even if I sweat in the kitchen for hours. 

These are my July favorites — small pieces of the life I’ve built, intentionally and gently. I hope they inspire you to find what makes you feel quietly powerful too.