I will apologize up front that I no longer have a theme for this blog. I guess for the most part it's just pictures of my family and my life now. So those of you who come here to read about what's going on in my life and not for what make-up I'm wearing, just skip this.
DISCLAIMER: No one is sponsoring this post. None of these products were sent to me for a review. These are just products I can't live without right now.
Anyhow, I love finding things that work and I always seem to be on the hunt for something better. Beauty products also happen to be my current obsession (trying to be less of a clothes horse and not buy so many shoes, too). So this is what's on my mind.
1. Marchesa Parfum - Prettiest bottle ever. Light floral scent. I got it for Christmas after I sniffed everything that Sephora had to offer about a year ago. I had settled on this scent and finally got it! It's divine. It's my favorite. It's the first scent I picked out on my own (my husband always picked my fragrances out before this. Before my husband, my Grandpa did).
2. Neutrogena Eye Cream - It's not necessarily this brand that I'm in love with, because this is the first eye cream I've ever used. It's that using eye cream has made such a difference in my skincare routine! My eyes aren't as puffy when I wake up, and they don't get as irritated or red because I don't use my moisturizer around my eyes anymore, I just gently tap this stuff. This also helps keep my eye makeup on and helps it glide on more smoothly.
3. Medela Nipple Cream - OK, weird, I know. But I use it for my lips. It really really works and it has no taste to it. We had -15 wind chill this morning and my lips aren't dry. Enough said.
4. Eau Roma Water - I bought this a year ago from LUSH. It's handmade rose and lavender water that I spritz on before I put my moisturizer on in the morning and at night. During the winter months my skin gets so dry, especially after I put make-up on. Sometimes I spritz this on during the day over my make-up to help with the itchiness. It smells so fresh, it takes some of the redness away before moisturizing, and it helps make my skin look dewy.
5. Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge for Lips & Cheeks in Powder Pink - I don't use this for my lips, I just dab a small dot on the apples of my cheeks. It gives the most natural looking flush and does not make my skin dry. It lasts all day, too. A friend sent it to me for my Birthday last year and I've been hooked since.
6. LASHFOOD Conditioning Mascara - I got this as a free sample from a Sephora order. I also like Benefit mascara, however, this stuff is amazing. It never ever flakes, my lashes look longer and are stronger. When you first use it, it looks so natural that I wasn't so sure about it. I want drama for my lashes. It feels like you're just swiping oil on them, though, not dry gunk. After a few weeks of use, it starts working amazing - I have gone a couple days without mascara because of how long my eyelashes have gotten and now the mascara is noticeably dramatic.
7. ELF Eyebrow Gel - I'm obsessed with eyebrows right now. Putting a gel on them makes a huge difference for me because my eyebrow hairs are so long. The gel keeps them in place. I try to keep my eyebrow hairs trimmed, but even when I trim them, they need the gel to keep them arched. This stuff is so cheap ($2) and it does the trick. I'm sure there is better stuff out there, but for silly gel for my eyebrows, I'll spend $2, thank you.
8. Make-up Eraser Cloth - This cloth is what inspired me to write this post. This thing is a miracle. Seriously. I've used tons of make-up removers, pads, wipes, you name it. This works without any chemicals or soaps. You simply wet it, wipe once, buff with the opposite side of the cloth, and voila! I only wash it once a week, too. Do yourself a favor and buy this. It is worth its weight in gold.
9. Feeling Younger Skin Tint - I picked this up at LUSH with a Christmas gift card just for the fun of it. It's like putting pearlized paint on your skin, but it's actually handmade and healthy for your skin. My skin glows with this stuff. I mix it with my foundation for a more dewy look. Easier than "strobing," but gives the same effect.
10. Tarte Amazonian Clay Bronzer - Since age 15 I've been wearing bronzer and mascara. My two make-up must haves. In the past, any bronzer I've used clogs my pores, smudges, or hasn't been just the right color. This bronzer does not clog my pores, blends flawlessly, and is the most natural looking color I've ever used.
11. Essie Nail Polish Good as Gold - I love Essie polish. For whatever reason, this color dries so fast and only needs one coat. I have lots of Essie polishes, but only this one dries and covers this quickly. I love being able to swipe a quick coat on right before I walk out the door. Within minutes of driving, the color is dry and no second coat is needed. Such a versatile, classy color, too!
12. LUSH Reindeer Rock Soap - With that same LUSH gift certificate I picked up some of this soap, thinking it would just smell nice. I use it on my face in the shower, too. Since using this soap I have not been itchy at all (and remember, -15 wind chill here this Winter). I have the Clarisonic brush and haven't had to use it due to the exfoliation from the Make-up Eraser and the gentleness of this soap. It is so expensive for how fast you go through it, but if you want to splurge on something, this is totally worth it.
13. Urban Decay Smoky Eye Palette - I splurged on this a few months ago. I felt guilty at the time, but now I don't know how I'll use anything else. When I use the dark colors in this palette, I don't see a dusting under my eyes, the colors are all my favorite eye colors (with plenty of neutrals if you want to do a naked eye). The brown in this palette is the perfect color to fill in my brows, too. I also love the brush that comes with the palette for swiping in the crease of the eyelid. I'm addicted to this product.
14. NARS Sexual Healing Lipstick - I made the mistake of succumbing to the NARS make-up counter at Sephora and trying on almost every single color. Of course I'd find out that my most favorite lipstick color is in one of the most expensive make-up brands available! I can't go on about how great the texture is necessarily, but this color I cannot rave about enough. It has the right amount of shimmer, the right amount of frosty, the right amount of nude pink, and I've worn it about every day since I got it for Christmas (thanks Mom!). And sorry about the name. ;-)
So after all that, I'm still looking for the perfect foundation. I thought I was a Bare Minerals fan, but it has looked kind of funny this Winter. I can just see the powder and before using the Reindeer Rock soap my face was itchy when I wore the powder foundation like it was when I was using Urban Decay and Make-Up Forever. I tried the LUSH Colour Supplement, but it doesn't glide on easily and dries a little weird. I want to try NARS tinted moisturizer next. Any suggestions? I want something that covers well, offers a wide range of colors so I can match my skin right, and that isn't drying.
I'm also not thrilled with the moisturizers I'm using. Thankfully my cleanser/toner/exfoliating regime makes up for it. But still. I'm using Aveeno Daily Moisturizer for day and Neutrogena for night. Neither products are bad, but I don't really notice much of a difference when I use them. Maybe it's just that my reindeer soap, eau roma water, and that makeup eraser is all I need! I was given a sample of Perricone MD once - it was amazing, but I just can't afford it. Suggestions?
OK, I'm done now. I'm glad I got to get all that girl talk out.
