Beauty products are one of my favorite items to buy – I can spend hours browsing at Target, Ulta, Sephora – they’re all very dangerous places for me to be left alone. Today, I’m going to share my beauty brand favorites – products I currently use and want y’all to know about.
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Body Care
Baby Oil Gel: No, I don’t use this for tanning (I’d fry like a lobster, anyway!). I use this gel in the shower, right after I shave, to seal in moisture. I seriously cannot say enough good things about how well this product works, and you can find it at most drug stores. I have used both Johnson & Johson brand and the Well Beings brand.
Body Wash: I was SO excited to get a Trader Joe’s that opened this past year in Hoboken. One of my favorite products that I’ve found from there is the Trader Joe’s Refresh citrus body wash. Not only is it cruelty-free, but it also biodegradable and smells AMAZING. One thing to note is that it doesn’t create a ton of lather, but it’s enough lather to make me feel like it’s cleaning me up in the shower.
Deodorant: Two years ago, I switched to natural deodorant. I tried many different brands, but the one that I ended up falling in love with is Schmidt’s. I use the “Cedarwood + Juniper” scent all the time, and I recently found some different scents at Marshall’s, so I picked up a couple “Earth + Wood” scents, which will probably smell like the one I already use (we shall see – I haven’t used it yet!).
Lotion: About 3 Christmases ago, my boyfriend’s sister got me a set of bliss body butters for Christmas, and I’ve been hooked ever since. They’re so rich and creamy and actually leave my sensitive skin feeling very moisturized, which is damn near impossible in bitter cold winter temperatures. My two favorite scents are vanilla + bergamot and cassis + sandalwood.
Cosmetics
Blush: One day on my lunch break, I went to Saks Fifth Avenue and got a “free makeover” from the NARS beauty counter. I also left the store with a few NARS products. My favorite blush is “Impassioned” from NARS. It is a light rose color, which is perfect for my pale skin tone.
Bronzer: I get free makeup from my sister pretty much every time I visit home (she has a makeup problem that I benefit from!). My favorite bronzer is one of these products I got from her – Model Cosmetics shimmer bronzing powder. It’s pretty dark, so I only use a light dusting when I do use it. Another one that I’ve used that is quite affordable ($4!) is ELF Cosmetics’ “Sunkissed Glow” bronzer. Because I don’t use a lot of bronzer, this stuff lasts forever for me, and it does a good job contouring my face (mostly in the summertime!).
Color Corrector: The green dupe in NYX’s color correcting concealer palette is awesome for when my face is showing some redness. I have the entire palette but really only use the green one, so I’ll be buying just that one once I run out.
Concealer: Another NARS favorite – their Radiant Creamy Concealer. I use the color “Light Vanilla”, and it does a great job hiding under eye circles. A little bit goes a long way with this stuff!
Eye Brow Filler: Anastasia. Dipbrow. Pomade. If y’all haven’t tried this stuff, this little tub is my secret weapon for having my eyebrows show up in photos (trust me, you’ll notice if I don’t have my brows “on”). And it lasts FOREVER. I seriously just replaced mine after 2.5 years (yes, the product was still fresh and worked even after that long). Same advice here – a little goes a long way! I use the brow applicator with an angled brush + a brush on the opposite end from Anastasia, too.
Eye Liner: Honestly, I don’t wear eyeliner often, and when I do it’s usually brown. I just buy the cheap drugstore retractable eyeliner in a shade called “Espresso”, not sure what the brand is. It rolls on really easily (I hate eyeliner that’s an actual pencil, it feels like I have to stab myself to get it to go on). Every once in a while, I’ll use a black eyeliner to line my top lid and do a cat eye. I like using NYX Epic Ink liner.
Eye Shadow: Urban Decay’s Naked Palette 2 forever has my heart. The shades in this palette are very complimentary to my skin tone. I don’t wear eyeshadow that often, but when I do, I use this palette.
Foundation: Foundation has been the biggest struggle for me. I’ve been experimenting with different foundations for what seems like years – I can’t find one that I love. Would LOVE some recommendations for a great foundation that is full-coverage and long-lasting.
Highlighter: I dab Benefit’s “Watt’s Up” highlighter right underneath my eyebrows and over my lids, and it works like a charm for brightening my face. For the rest of my face, I enjoy Ulta’s Essence brand “Pure Nude” highlighter. Similar to the bronzer, I use just a little sweep of this over my cheeks and nose (I don’t use this every day).
Lipstick: Another Essence brand find – #6 “Barely There” lipstick! It’s THE perfect rose/mauve color. I wear this stuff every.single.day. It’s creamy and is very versatile – I wear it to work and out on the weekends.
Mascara: Mascara is one beauty product that I enjoy experimenting with because there are so many good ones to pick from! Currently, I’ve been using Buxom’s mascara in “Blackest Black”, which I mostly put on my top lashes. I also just got to try Maybelline’s Total Temptation volumizing mascara in “Blackest Black” for free (I got it in a VoxBox from Influenster) and was really impressed. It really does build my lashes out to look much thicker than they naturally are, and the lashes look separated, not clumped together (hate it when mascara’s do that to my lashes!). It’s also infused with coconut extract, which leaves the mascara creamier.
Setting Powder: Another beauty product that I need help with finding a favorite for! I hate “caking on” powder, but I do like a setting powder. Right now, I have both Bare Minerals loose powder in “Fair 01” and Cover Girl’s Professional loose powder in “110 Translucent Light”. They both do a good job of setting my makeup, but again, I feel like a little goes a longggg way. Sometimes it can feel “cakey”, which I don’t like. Would LOVE another loose powder recommendation!
Setting Spray: Elf has an affordable setting spray that does the trick for me. Seriously, it’s only $3 at Target. #winning
Facial Care
Astringent: I’ve used T.N. Dickinson’s Witch Hazel as an astringent on and off ever since I started washing my face! It’s 100% natural and easily wipes off makeup and build up when you put it on a cotton round. Highly recommend giving it a try!
Cleanser: Lush Dark Angels all. the. way. It deeply cleanses my skin with it’s exfoliating ingredients (mud + charcoal + sugar) and leaves it feeling incredibly clean after using.
Facial Spray: I’ve been using Mario Badescu’s rosewater facial spray for years and absolutely love how it smells and the way it refreshes my face. Another great facial spray that I enjoy using after I workout is Dermologica’s Ultracalming mist, which smells like lavender and is made for sensitive skin. It’s more expensive, so I bought the travel-sized one for my gym bag and have been carrying it easily in my bag because of it’s small size.
Makeup Remover: Organic Coconut Oil – it’s magical. Try it.
Masks: I have a weakness for good face masks. Lush has my absolute favorite face masks, Cup O’ Coffee and Mask of Magnaminty and are the two that I currently use and love.
Serum: While I don’t use this as much as I should, a couple days a week I use OM Aroma & Co brand renew pumpkin serum right before bed. It’s known to renew your skin overnight through cellular regeneration and is loaded with vitamins a, c, e, and zinc. When I use this, I wake up with very smooth, soft skin.
Those are my current beauty products favorites! What are your absolute favorite beauty products? Share in the comments below.
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