Favorite Beauty Products

Happy Friday!

Can you believe we're only a week away from the start of February? Selfishly, I'm almost happy January is coming to an end because it seems like I was sick for the whole month with one thing or another.

Bubble Away The Impurities

I was lucky to be introduced to the belif Pore Cleaner Bubble Foam which was a new-to-me skincare line and product. What I love about this gel-to-foam wash-off mask is that works for any skin type whether you have oily, dry or combination skin.

New Beauty Voxbox from Target

Another great VoxBox was received from Influenster a few weeks ago filled with some new beauty goodies from Target, which I've been testing and I'm excited to share my thoughts on.

Blackhead Suction Device

I stumbled upon this "Pore Vacuum Cleaner" on Amazon and I'm so glad I decided to purchase it. Costing only $27, it's a steal of a deal and works wonders.

Friday's Fave - The "Coolest" Thing in Skincare

I've never tried a tightening gel or firming treatment of any kind so Kate Somerville's Tight'N Cryogenic Tightening Gel couldn't have come at a better time as I approach my mid-30s and the fine lines have started to appear around my eyes and forehead area.

Interesting Finds: Skincare Edition

Happy Friday lovelies!
After last weekend I was feeling so relaxed and ready for the week until I was hit with a migraine, cold sweats. and sore throat on Wednesday just in time for my work's client event which I've been planning for months now. I pulled through but have been home in quarantine since.

I started doing "Interesting Finds" posts a few weeks ago and I've been really enjoying finding new and unique products in different categories so I'm rolling with it as a Friday series moving forward. Feel free to join me sharing your interesting finds. 

Last Call For a Beauty Haul

Happy Friday friends!

Beauty products have been on my mind lately and Spring is the best season because it brings brighter colors for clothes, accessories, and makeup. Even though I live in Florida - "the land of no real seasons" - different skincare products are needed to deal with the temperature changes and brighter lip colors are always fun.

Today I'm sharing some new products I've stumbled upon along with my tried & true products that are permanently in my beauty/skincare routine.

(The Ulta/Sephora Beauty Giveaway is at the end of this post)

New to Me

I'm so intrigued by the new Bliss Correcting Sticks to even out different tones whether it may be blemishes, redness, or discoloration. They supposedly help soothe your skin before applying tinted moisturizer or foundation. Since I have pink undertones, redness is my main concern.

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Yellow Corrector - Neutralizes redness

Peach Corrector - Corrects darkness and discoloration

Green Corrector - Camouflages redness and covers blemishes
Lavender Corrector - Counteracts dullness and brightens skin

Current Beauty Lusts

Tried & True Beauty Faves

I've mentioned these products before, if not several times, when I share my skincare routine and favorite makeup products.

Tarte Foundation  /  Miracle Complexion Sponge  /  Better Than Sex Mascara

EcoTools Brush Set  /  Gimme Brow Fiber Gel  /  NYX Butter Gloss

Mattifying Oil Free Moisturizer  /  So Totally Clean Deep Pore Toner

Last call for a beauty haul!

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Finding Balance for Your Skin Type

Has anyone tried Ole Henriksen products before? This skincare line was completely new to me so I was excited when I received 3 full-size products in the mail to test out. 

Although I have my tried and true favorites when it comes to skincare and hair products, I'm always keen on trying out new and possibly better products especially as ingredients become more organic or refined.

The Ole Henriksen Balance product line is specifically formulated for oily or combination skin so you can get that glow without the icky shine from oil-prone skin. The face moisturizer is particularly unique because it hydrates and mattifies at the same time.

I incorporated these three products into my AM/PM skincare routine over the past couple weeks with no breakouts, no redness, just healthier looking skin. The smell isn't my favorite but I think the natural ingredients keep it from being too fragrant plus these products contain no parabens, sulfates, or phthalates.

Key Ingredients

 Green tea, eucalyptus, algae (kelp) and Irish moss: extracts contain natural antiseptic properties which help to absorb excess oil and refine pores.

Salicylic acid + glycolic & lactic acids: help lift and loosen dead skin cells that clog pores.

Neem seed oil: a legendary ingredient in Ayurveda.

Rosehip fruit extract: helps reduce oil production and fights shine while minimizing the appearance of pores (only found in the face hydrator/moisturizer).

Oil Control Toner
A gentle astringent that removes oil and refines pores—without stripping your skin.

Find Your Balance Oil Control Cleanser
Deeply cleanses and purifies pores reducing excess oil.

Counter Balance Oil Control Hydrator
Hydrates, controls oil, mattifies and reduces the appearance of pores.

I received these products complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes. All opinions expressed in this post are true and honest based on testing out the products over a period of time.

Skincare Essentials

I talked about my favorite facial products last year in this skincare review  and shared several tried and true products that have stayed in my rotation for many years. Since then, I've tried some new products although many remain the same. Here are my faves:

 I really like the Yes to Grapefruit Facial Wipes but will probably try the cucumber scent next purchase. I've been using the L'Oreal Go 360 Clean Facial Cleanser on a daily basis for a few years because I love how it softly exfoliates your skin to remove dirt or makeup so I won't be changing out this product anytime soon.

I use my Clarisonic Mia along with Philosophy's Purity Cleanser about once a week. Since I don't use the Mia very often, the battery dies very quickly so that can be frustrating when it dies half way through my cleaning routine. There are also cheaper options such as the Olay Advanced Cleansing System that do the job just as well (I've tried both).

I've been using Cetaphil's Gentle Antibacterial Cleansing Bar since high school and will probably never give it up. It's very gentle on your face and does a great job of cleaning and hydrating. K also likes how it works and uses it on a daily basis. The Murad Oil-Control Mattifier moisturizer is a new product recommended to me when I recently went to get a facial and expressed some disappointment with my skinny getting shiny throughout day. I only use it on my forehead (problem area) and use my regular Garnier Anti-Sun Damage Moisturizer on the rest of my face. It does it's job well at mattifying to prevent a shiny face.

 I don't use Tarte's Maracuja Oil daily but I like applying it at night after showering and cleaning my face thoroughly. Maracuja oil is a hydrating treatment that helps with anti-aging and makes your skin firmer, brighter and smoother (will not cause breakouts) so this is what I use to fight against wrinkles. Body Shop's Camomile Gentle Eye Makeup Remover has been in my rotation for probably 15 years and I have never come across any product better so it will remain as one of my staple skincare products. It's VERY gentle on your eyes and not oily, it smells good and works really effectively so I only have good things to say about this makeup remover and definitely recommend it.

What are your tried and true facial products?

Beauty Products Worth Trying

I'm always trying new products especially as a blogger who reads lots of reviews and gets tempted to try that new face wash or mascara. Some products are a staple that I've been using for over ten years while others come and go depending if it works for me or not. Here are some products that are in my current rotation.

1.  L'Oreal's Go 360 Clean, Deep Exfoliating Scrub: I love this face scrub and have been using it for about two years. The gentle beads work really well to fully clean your face without damaging your skin. Although I really like how it works, I was open to trying something new so I purchased Garnier's Clean + Balancing Daily Exfoliator which I think works equally well to gently wash and exfoliate your face at the end of the day to remove makeup and oil/dirt.

2. Cetaphil's Gentle Cleansing Bar has been in my rotation for over 10 years and I like to use it in the morning to wash my face before applying moisturizer and makeup to start the day. I know some people might be apprehensive because it is a bar of soap but it actually works really great to moisturize and balance out my combination skin. It doesn't dry out your skin like regular soap would do.

3. d.j.v. MIARAY Fiberwig Mascara: I just purchased this mascara a few weeks ago based on Sarah's recommendation and I think it works really well as a daytime mascara although I think it's equivalent to some more affordable drugstore brands such as Maybelline's Falsies. It doesn't cake up and gives a nice natural look which is great but it's not ideal for creating dramatic eyelashes for going out at night or to weddings etc.

4. The Body Shop's Camomile Gentle Eye Makeup Remover: I've posted about this eye makeup remover before and it's been in my rotation for probably 15 years. I hate oil-based makeup removers that create a mess and leave your face feeling greasy. This one is the opposite to that. It's gentle as the name states and removes makeup quickly and leaves no residue. I've never found anything better so there's no need to try anything new.

5. Nyx Butter Gloss: I love this lip gloss and have it in 4 different colors. I'm not a fan of sticky glosses and this one is the perfect texture which provides shine while also moisturizing your lips. I've also repurchased the Eclair color a few times. It also helps that the price point is very affordable at only $5.

6.  Joico Color Endure Shampoo and Conditioner: This shampoo and conditioner was recommended to me by Kerri and I really like the smell and how it works for color treated hair (the red bottles are specifically for blondes to prevent brassiness). It's still fairly new to me but so far I'm really liking how it works and leaves my hair feeling silky, smelling good and is helping my brassiness go away.

7. Yes To Grapefruit Rejuvenating Facial Wipes: I've probably tried every brand of facial wipes and never found a favorite.  They've all been mediocre but I love the smell of the Grapefruit Yes To wipes and how it works to clean your face without leaving any residue. So far these wipes are probably my favorite.



8. Garnier Skin Renew Anti-Sun Damage Daily Moisturizer: I purchased this moisturizer a few months ago based on Kay's recommendation. I had been using an Oil of Olay face moisturizer for almost 10 years and was ready to try something new. Immediately I preferred the smell and consistency of the Garnier moisturizer compared to Oil of Olay. The lotion is thicker so I feel it provides better coverage while also being very moisturizing and providing daily SPF.

What are some of your favorite hair/skin/beauty products that have been in your rotation?

Beauty & Skincare Wishlist

Naked 3 Palette  |  XXL Plumping Powder  |   Too Faced Lip Cream

Agent Zero Shine  |  Miracle Worker Overnight  |  Airbrush Legs

Patent-Gel Top & Tails  |  Smashbox Liquid Halo  |  Girls Summer Bath Gels

I've had my eye on the Naked 3 palette for a while now but only recently ran across most of the other products and would love to take them for a whirl. Butter London's at-home gel nails to save money instead of going to the salon, Batiste's plumping hair powder for more hair volume and Benefit's zero shine agent to prevent a shiny face all sound pretty amazing!

Also, having recently hit 30, I think it's time to try out a good nighttime face moisturizer to start firming and avoiding wrinkles from now. Lastly, bright lips, tanned legs and sweet smelling scents are a must for the summer.

Have you tried any of these products and would you recommend any of them?