Aloha!
In case you missed it, I did mention I was a product junky. You could literally open my makeup drawer & see way too many products than I need. This goes for hair, skin, food brands, & books too. (I am a closet book nerd!) Sometimes it can be borderline ridiculous to a point I have to purge my closet, drawers & any other item I haven't touched in over 6 months. It's probably a sickness but there are worse things to have. With that said, I wanted to show you a few items I use on a daily basis. I promise it will not be 100 things because let's get real - that could take all year.
1.) Clarisonic Mia 3
I fricken love this thing! My mom bought it for me as a Christmas present last year and I cannot seem to put it down. I use it once in the morning & once at night with my face wash. It has 3 speeds & interchangeable scrubber brushes. I think there are close to 8 or 9 different brushes that are focused on anything from acne & sensitive skin to oily skin & dry skin. It is so gentle & has replaced my need for a face exfoliate. I still use exfoliates but not as often. This little piece of equipment will literally take off all of my makeup & dirt. I swear by this thing. If I don't use it for an extended period of time (for some odd reason), my skin tends to feel rough. This just confirms the fact this thing works like a charm. One tip though, If you are tan or use self tanner, expect your face to look lighter than the rest of your body. You are exfoliating after all. Also, you will need to change the scrubber brushes out every 30 - 60 days depending on how often you use it. The brushes will start to fray and be less effective. Besides, after so many face scrubs, it is just good hygiene to replace them. If you want an indepth skin care routine, let me know.
2.) Hourglass Luminous Light (Ambient) Highlight Powder
I first heard of this highlighter from Youtuber Jaclyn Hill. Basically, almost everything I have makeup wise is because of Jaclyn. If you haven't seen her makeup tutorials you must check them out. (Here is the link.) What I have to say about this highlighter is it is absolutely beautiful. It isn't so bam in your face but leaves a nice dewy sheen where ever you need highlight without it looking overdone. It is luminous just like the name implies. I will use this on days I really do not feel like applying a ton of makeup (Which is almost everyday). I will use it to highlight my cheekbones, the bridge of my nose & above the arcs of my eyebrows.
3.) Maybelline New York Eyestudio Blackest Black Eyeliner
I actually discovered this little gem of an eyeliner WAY before I discovered Jaclyn Hill's videos. This is a drug store brand that literally kicks all other eyeliners out of the ballpark. It is a cream eyeliner that dries once you apply it. It is Jet black - probably the blackest eyeliner I have come across. And it sticks. Of course, it will smudge if you rub it but it stays put. It doesn't bleed like some other eyeliners & it lasts all day long. I use an eyeliner brush to apply it but you can also use the brush they provide in the packaging. I personally do not like the brush they provide but to each their own.
4.) Josie Maran Argan Oil
What bad thing can I say about this oil? Nothing! Other than it is what you can expect from an oil - it's oily. For someone as dry as me, it is perfect. I use this at night after I use the Mia 3 to add moisture through the night while I sleep. I just lather it all over my face & leave it on overnight. When I wash my face off in the morning, it leaves my face feeling baby smooth. Literally a night and day difference. I have used this in conjunction with a homemade oil concoction I made in the past & the results were amazing. It left me with soft, hydrated skin & reduced the appearance of fine lines. Trust me, I have a few. We moved a few years back and I haven't been able to find the overnight oil recipe I made. I'll see if I can track it down and provide it here.
5.) Aveda Botanical Kinetics Hydrating Lotion
I have to say, when I first tried this on in store, I thought I would love it. I still use it everyday because lets be honest, spending any significant amount of money on a lotion makes you want to use it to the last drop. But I am not crazy about it. At first application, it feels kind of greasy & stays that way for the first 15 minutes. Afterwards, my skin still feels dry - some days it is worse. For me, it just feels like my skin needs added moisture that this particular lotion doesn't provide. I find myself applying this on multiple times throughout the day. So once this is done, I am on the hunt for the next hydrating lotion. Any suggestions?
6.) Neutrogena Deep Clean Cream Cleanser
I bought this because I ran out of my other face cleanser & I was the epitome of broke. I was at the grocery store & they had this on sale. I thought this would be a good fill in until I could afford my other cleanser but I actually love this one more. Why? It feels like it deep cleans my skin while still leaving it feel hydrated. It doesn't feel like it strips the natural oils which is a huge plus for me. I can use it morning & night without any drying whatsoever. Plus the price isn't bad either. You can find this at any drug store location. I found mine at Krogers.
I hope my descriptions helped you decide if you wanted to try any of these products or not. If you have any questions about any of these items, ask me! I'll share all I know. Do you have any suggestions for products in these categories? Share!
Mahalo,
Brittany Bowman
"Your outer beauty will capture the eyes, your inner beauty will capture the heart." - Steven Aitchison
