Guess who’s back, back again.  It’s been a hot minute since I’ve posted but I’m here now with a (long) list of my current beauty favorites.  I’ve been collecting this random assortment of products for months and using them all religiously, so I promise they are well worth the money.  At least that’s what I tell my boyfriend when he says “You bought MORE stuff?!” Whoops.  Anyway, let’s get to it:

 

 

Face & Skin

Freeman’s Dead Sea Minerals Anti-Stress Mask

God do I love me a face mask.  Freeman is an OG in the mask department and the dead sea minerals mask is my new favorite.  I loooove the turquoise blue color of the product, I love the fresh scent and I especially love how my skin feels after washing it off.  This mask dries semi-hard, not as hard as a clay mask, and comes off easily with warm water.  It leaves my skin bright, refreshed and overall feeling better.  And I think that in this political climate, we all need as much anti-stress products as humanly possible.  Pro Tip: This face mask pairs wonderfully with a Pinot Noir and any episode of The Real Housewives.

Aveeno Eczema Therapy Moisturizing Cream

I don’t know about you, but my seasonal allergies this year were HORRIFIC.  My nose ran constantly and I wanted to claw my eyes out of my skull they itched so badly.  When my allergies are really on one, I get eczema flare ups on my upper and lower eyelids and they turn into a puffy, scaly, red itchy mess.  Is this turning you on?

So to keep myself from scaring small children when I walk through the streets, I picked up this Aveeno eczema cream at CVS.  It has been a life saver.  This lotion is unscented, super light weight and sinks into my pissed off eczema skin quickly.  It feels so soothing and helps relive the itching and puffiness almost immediately.  I put this all around my eyes and it has never bothered my contacts or, most importantly, made my eyelash extensions fall off.  If you also deal with the scourge that is eczema – you need this stuff.

Origins High-Potency Night-a-Mins Mineral Enriched Renewal Cream

Okay, I’ll get this out of the way immediately – this shit is expensive.  And it comes in a tiny jar.  BUT – It’s fabulous.  I love a good bougie night cream and this is my current favorite.  I’ve been using it for the past 6 months or so and I don’t see myself stopping any time soon.  This cream is packed with vitamins and minerals and goes on with a velvety smooth finish.  I wake up with glowy, refreshed skin even after using a tiny amount (I try to ration it out so that I’m still able to pay my electric bill each month).

Another bonus?  It smells amazing.  To me it smells exactly like the orange Flintstones Push Up ice cream popsicle things from back in the day.  God those were amazing, I probably ate thousands of them as a kid.  But I digress.  If you’re looking for a high quality night cream and don’t mind spending a few extra bucks, grab this one.

Hair

Garnier Flat Iron Perfector Straightening Mist

I’ve been straightening my naturally wavy hair for years but never really realized how important it is to use a heat protector.  Thankfully, I’ve seen the light and error of my ways. This Garnier mist is inexpensive, protects hair from heat, and brings smoothness and shine with added Moroccan argon oil.  It even keeps my hair straight and smooth on humid summer days and that is a goddamn miracle.  It’s super inexpensive and available everywhere so get you some.

Makeup

Tarte Amazonian Clay Full Coverage Airbrush Foundation

It seems like I’ve been on a never-ending quest to find the perfect foundation for years.  Unsurprisingly, I never found one that truly worked for me and I’ve finally figured out why – I was always trying liquid foundation.  As I’ve mentioned a billion times before, I have incredibly oily skin, and liquid foundation would just kind of…sit on top of my skin and eventually slide off.  How chic!  How sexy!  Not really.

Finally my brain had the brilliant thought of “Hey, maybe try some powder foundation, you clown?” Enter the Tarte Amazonian Clay Full Coverage Airbrush Foundation.  This stuff is LEGIT. It helps suck up the oil while still providing enough coverage to even out skin tone.  I was a bit skeptical that a powder could really provide full coverage but it does (beautifully!) and it doesn’t ever look cakey or settle into fine lines and wrinkles.  It’s a bit pricey – as foundations usually are – but one of these little jars last forever.  The powder is easy to spread around and buff into the skin with the kabuki brush that comes with it (pictured above) so a little goes a long way.  I can’t recommend this foundation enough for my fellow oily skinned people!

Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz

Anyone who is even remotely interested in makeup has heard of the Brow Wiz.  I was a bit late to the brow game – I only started shaping and filling my brows in about 3 years ago.  I know, I’m ashamed too.  I began dipping my toe into the brow world by using powders with tiny brushes and basically hoping for the best.  While that worked out fine, the powder and brush never mimicked the look of actual brow hairs and that’s really the look I wanted.

Finally, I got my hands on the Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz and my brow life was instantly changed. The Brow Wiz has a very fine-tipped point pencil that is smudge-proof, long wearing and incredibly easy to work with.  Add in the fact that the other end gives you a brush to shape and groom your brows and it is honestly the only brow product you will ever need.  My favorite shades are Soft Brown and Taupe, in case you’re dying to know.

Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Blushed

Now it’s time for a drugstore favorite! When I’m putting my face on, I tend to spend a lot of time on my base/foundation and eyes and typically lips are my last step.  So I love when I can find a go-to shade that looks good with any eyeshadow color or clothes color, and I can just slap it on and be done.  Blushed is that perfect shade – the ultimate “My lips but better” color.  The formula gives a tiny bit of sheen without being too glossy, and the it never looks dry on the lips. I know that liquid lipsticks are all the rage currently but they look a bit harsh on me so I gravitate toward a semi-glossy finish.  This color is perfect for work, school, anything.  I keep a tube in my purse and in my makeup stash at all times.

L’Oreal True Match Super-Blendable Concealer in Fair/Light

Keeping it in the drugstore family with this awesome concealer.  I’ve tried my fair share of under eye concealers but this has been my favorite for the past year.  The name is accurate – this stuff is super blendable. I like to put a few dots under my eye and just use my finger to tap and blend in the product and it works perfectly every time.  It never looks cakey or heavy and stays all day when I dust a bit of translucent powder on top.  It’s not the greatest for covering dark, red-colored blemishes but it can be layered to help tone them down.  This is another product where a little goes a long way and one of these lil baby tubes will last a long time.

The Balm – Meet Matt(e) Ador Eyeshadow Palette

Ah yes, my favorite makeup item to buy – eyeshadow palettes! The latest addition to the collection is the Meet Matt(e) Ador palette by The Balm.  I’m a sucker for dusty pink and coral shades, they look fantastic on blue eyes, and I also love the addition of dark colors in this palette to use as liners or for a smokey eye look.  The Balm always delivers high quality and these shadows are no exception – super matte and easy to blend with great color payoff.  Plus, the packaging comes with a giant mirror which is always a plus when traveling or doing your makeup on the fly.  This palette isn’t cheap but I justify that by reaching for it almost every day to put together quick looks for the office.

And that’s it for now!  What products are you loving?  Let me know 🙂