Is anyone else over this dry winter weather yet? I don’t know about you, but it wreaks havoc on my skin. That’s why I was so excited that Derma-E sent me these products to try. With ingredients like Hyaluronic Acid or Vitamin C they were sure to help out my dryer, dull winter skin, right? Find out below:
Hydrating Day Cream
With ingredients like Hyaluronic Acid, Green Tea, Vitamin C and Aloe, it’s no wonder I’m a fan of this moisturizer. It goes on smooth, leaves my skin feeling moisturized and leaves a matte finish. Perfect for both my makeup free days and under makeup.
Ultra Hydrating Alkaline Gel Booster
Need that extra boost of hydration? This gel will help you do just that. While I am not a huge fan of liquid gel textures on my skin, this sure does help give the skin that extra “boost” of hydration. If you are suffering from really dry skin or have dry patches, apply this on the area and you will notice your skin feeling moisturized again without that oily feeling.
Vitamin C Bright Eyes Hydro Gel Patches
Hello Bright Eyes! I love a good eye mask, especially one that has immediate results. And these Eye Gels do the trick. Thanks to the combination of Allantoin (smooth eyes here we come), Caffeine (bye bye puffiness) and Vitamins C & B3 (the day’s looking brighter), these eye masks immediately left my under-eye area looking brighter and ready to take on the day!
The Verdict:
You should totally check out these Derma-E products.
*Note – I received these products as a gift from Derma-E but all of the opinions are my own.*
“Invest In Your Hair. It Is The Crown You Never Take Off.”
2020 is going to be the year of Hair for me. Why? Because it’s finally growing again. See, after having kids, my hair started falling out and thinning… like a lot. With my hair thinning combined with my ever oily roots, I had pretty much given up on ever having a “good hair day” again. That was until I started to include Hum Nutritions Hair Sweet Hair vitamins into my daily routine.
Seriously, I was a skeptic. A hair vitamin can’t actually do anything for hair, right? But, I also figured what could it hurt to give it a try. So I did. And after about three months, I started to notice a difference. My hair stopped falling out, and started growing in thicker. It’s been easier for me to keep volume too. So in the spirit of good hair days again, here are my top tips for Fabulous Hair over the next decade.
Hair Vitamins:
See above. Hum Nutrition’s hair vitamins gave me my healthy hair back. And lets be honest… you can’t have a good hair day without healthy hair! Plus, these Hum Nutrition vitamins have PABA which helps maintain natural hair color (anything to keep those grey at bay, right?) and FoTi, a Chinese herb for healthy hair.
Seriously, hair color can make or break your whole look. It can make a hair cut, can bring out your eyes, can complement or clash with your skin tone and can even make you look thinner. Hair color is an art form. Find a colorist who sees it as such and is just as concerned about the overall hair health. And once you get that fabulous hair color, maintain it.
Colorist Recommendation: Hair Colorist Michael Canale – If you live in or near Los Angeles, DC, Chicago, New York City, San Francisco, San Diego, Orange County or Dallas, go to Michael. He is the best in the biz, voted “Best of the Best” Allure and responsible for countless Celebs, politicians, CEOs and socialites hair colors. http://www.canale.com
Maintenance Recommendation: Maintain that gorgeous color with Canale’s Cool Blue Signature Gloss. http://www.canale.com
Hair Cut
Find a haircut that works for you and your face shape. And be honest about what works for you… and what doesn’t. Example, as much as I would love to try a Pixie cut, there is no way that would work with my bone structure. And that’s ok. I know it, and I’m willing to admit it. So I will always have to be a longer hair kind of girl.
Shampoo & Conditioner
There are tons of great shampoos and conditioners out there. Find one that works for you and your hair type/concerns. I’m currently loving Strands Shampoo and Conditioner because it is formulated specifically for my hair and hair concerns using samples of my actual hair.
Want to help maintain healthy hair but still want to use a hair dryer? Find an Ionic one. An Ionic Hairdryer uses negative ions to break up positive water molecules, meaning your hair drys faster without opening up the hair shaft. There are so many great options out there. I’m personally loving the DryBar Buttercup one. Now once you have your hair dryer, if you’re looking for volume, dry your hair upside down to achieve longer lasting volume.
Hair Mask: I recommend using a hair mask once a week to help keep hair healthy. I have been loving One ‘n Only’s Strengthening Restorative Hair Mask recently.
Dry Shampoo: One way to help keep hair healthy (and help hair color last longer) is to go a couple days between washes. My favs are DryBar’s Detox and Batiste’s Dry Shampoos. Remember, the trick to dry shampoo is to spray it in your hair before bed so it soaks up all the oils while you sleep.
Heat Protectant: Before drying your hair or using any hot tools on your hair always use a heat protectant spray. I am still testing several ones and will let you know when I have a recommendation.
Texturizing/Volume Spray: This is definitely a necessity for fine/thin hair. Find a finishing spray that adds texture and volume to your hair. I am personally loving DryBar’s Triple Sec at the moment. It adds some dimension to your hairstyles and can even make your hair appear thicker.
I never realized how much of a difference a pillowcase can make, but a silk pillowcase can make a huge difference in your hair. It reduces friction, which leaves your hair less frizzy. Plus, a silk pillowcase is better for your skin too. That’s a win win in my book.
Over the past year, I have tried a lot of great (and not so great) beauty products. With that said, I decided the best way to close out 2019 and the decade was to reveal my Fav Finds from the past year. Check them out below!
This is my fav find of 2019! I seriously call it Botox in a bottle. It uses Peptides to relax the muscles underneath the skin, essentially numbing them. I use this on my forehead and I started noticing a difference after the first day of using it. Now I can’t live without it.
Who knew hair vitamins could make such a huge difference? Well, let me tell you, they can and do. I have been loving these Hum Nutrition Hair Sweet Hair vitamins. Not only do they taste like strawberry candy (I seriously look forward to taking these everyday!), they work. Ever since having kids, my hair started thinning and falling out, thus, why you always saw me with my hair up in photos. I started taking these and after a couple months, my hair stopped falling out and growing in super healthy. Now I wear my hair down all the time!
Looking for a great anti-aging moisturizer that not only makes your skin look more youthful but also doesn’t make you break out? Check out Kate Somerville’s Deep Tissue Repair. It has quickly become my fav nighttime moisturizer.
Looking for a acne product that shortens the lifespan of those pesky breakouts? Check out this Mario Badescu Drying Lotion. Super easy to use and helps dry out those breakouts in no time. Just put a Q-Tip in the bottle (DO NOT SHAKE FIRST), and apply this to your breakouts before bed and wash it off in the morning.
The switch to Natural Deodorant was a struggle this year. Most of them do not work, and left me smelling so gross (seriously… even the kids commented on how bad I stunk 🤢), that was until I tried Kopari’s Coconut Oil Deodorant. And let me tell you… It is amazing! It works even better than those non-natural deodorants I’ve tried. Check it out!
Finding a good Dry Shampoo can be rough, because let’s be honest… Most of them just don’t work. But that is not the case for DryBar’s Detox Dry Shampoo. As soon as I tried it, I quickly fell in love. I have been able to get up-to three days out of my hair with this baby… And I used to be lucky if I could even get to day two hair!
By now, most of you know I love my Face Masks, and I have tried a lot of great (and not so great) masks this past year. But alas, there can only be one Best. And that would be this Cellcosmet CellRadiance Mask. The nanostructure of the actual mask helps it adhere perfectly for the skin. But most importantly, it showed great immediate results. My skin literally looked and felt tighter, hydrated and radiant.
I finally made the move from MAC’s setting spray to this Urban Decay All Nighter because it is amazing! My makeup stays in place until I’m ready to take it off. Now that’s a win in my book.
If you love K-beauty products, than you will love Beauteque’s monthly Beauty Box and Mask Maven subscription options. I have found so many great products this way.
Ulta Beauty is one of my fav places to shop during the holidays. Why? Because whether you’re shopping for family, a friend or yourself, they have some amazing options (and great deals!). Check out the Top Picks of 2019 below:
It’s time for Ulta Beauty’s 21 Days Of Beauty sale, and you know what that means? There are some great deals on some great products coming up. I’ve gone through all the lists, and these are my top picks. Happy shopping!
Happy Face Mask Friday! So I’ve been using Pixi Beauty’s Glow collection for several weeks now and decided to stick with the glowing theme and try their Glow Mud Mask. Full of ingredients that detoxify and brighten the skin, this mask sounded like it would work great.
The ingredients:
Kaolin Clay: This ingredient is excellent for detoxifying the skin. It’s known for drawing out excess oil and doesn’t dry out the skin. Plus, it’s safe for sensitive skin.
Sea Salt: Sea Salt cleanses the pores and can fight acne causing bacteria.
Ginseng: Ginseng is a great anti-aging ingredient that brightens and tones the skin.
Aloe: This anti-inflammatory ingredient helps retain moisture, fight acne and soothe the skin.
The Verdict: I always love a good mud mask, and this Glow Mud Mask is another winning skin treat from Pixi Beauty. My skin looked and felt cleaner, smoother and glowing. Plus, it wasn’t dried out. You should totally check it out!
Happy Face Mask Friday! This week I decided to add some glow (and gold!) to my skincare routine with Oh K!’s Glowing Skin Gold Foil Sheet Mask. This K Beauty mask fights the sings of aging and acne while soothing the skin and leaving a healthy glow. But why? Let’s take a closer look at the ingredients:
Gold – Gold is a great skincare ingredient known for reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, improving skin elasticity and leaving the skin glowing.
Apple – Packed with Vitamin C, this ingredient prevents premature agin, leaves the skin glowing and treats acne and dark spots.
Cherry – Did you know that Cherry is known for treating acne and rosacea? It also fights free radicals.
Chamomilla Flower – This ingredient is great for soothing the skin.
The Verdict: I love this mask! It really left my skin soothed and brighter. Plus, it even reduced the naturally red undertones to my skin. I will definitely be making this mask a part of my regular routine.
Mother’s Day is right around the corner, and you know what that means? It’s time to find the perfect gift! But what do you get for the woman who has done so much for you? Or for your Mom Tribe? Well, keep on reading, because I’m here to give you some ideas to make your shopping that much easier.
The Gifts That Keep On Giving
I wanted to start with this category because these are the gifts that keep on giving, and show the moms in your world that you care… frequently throughout the year… but what are these gifts? Why some great quality Subscription boxes of course! Find my top 3 below:
For The Mom Who Like A Little Bit Of Everything: FabFitFun.
Seriously, this subscription is amazing and comes with so many perks in addition to the full size goodies in the box (which range from beauty, to fitness, to fashion, to self care), including their FabFitFun TV. FabFitFun TV has everything from Cooking Demonstrations to Meditations to Workouts and more.
Upbox is a newer subscription service that is super affordable and filled with a variety of self-care products, including bath bombs and salts, body washes, candles, face masks, body creams and more. One of the cool things about this service, is that every month they pick a Bible verse and then plan the entire box around that theme.
For The Mom Who Loves Trying New Skincare Products: C’Nu Skincare
C’Nu Skincare is a subscription service specializing in providing Natural Luxury Skincare products. And the cool part? For every subscription sold, they donate a subscription to Dress for Success to empower women in need.https://seenewskincare.com/collections/home-page
Gifts For Skincare and Self Care
These are some gifts for the Moms in your life that love all things skincare and self care.
I don’t know about you, but as each year ticks by, I continue to search for products that will help keep my skin looking “yeouthful.” Retinol is a great ingredient to do just that… And when combined with the ingredients of Hyaluronic Acid, Vitamin E and Aloe, you have Yeouth Skincare’s Retinol 2.5 Serum.
Ingredients:
Retinol – Retinol is a form of Vitamin A that stimulates the renewal of skin cells, therefore diminishing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, smoothing out the skin and even preventing acne outbreaks.
Hyaluronic Acid – This is a miracle ingredient that hydrates the skin and stimulates cell regeneration.
Vitamin E – This antioxidant protects the skin from free radicals and reduces skin damage caused by UV rays. It is also commonly referred to as a “wound healer.”
Aloe – This ingredient is known to soothe the skin and reduce irritations and inflammations.
The Verdict: I have been using this serum for the past few weeks, and while it can take months to see the full benefits of retinol, but I have noticed my skin smoothing out.
Please note – Since this product contains retinol, my skin has been more sensitive to exfoliants and certain ingredients since I started using it. But the redness does go away after about half an hour, and the Aloe and Hyaluronic Acid help keep the skin soothed and moisturized.
Happy Skincare Sunday! Hopefully you all had a great weekend and are adjusting to the time change and lost hour of sleep. Not going to lie, Spring Forward is always a little rough for me… LOL.
So, I normally love all things Bliss. I always love their Oxygen Facials at their spas, use their Makeup Melt to remove my makeup and have a lot of success with their masks. That said, I was excited to finally try their Fabulips Sugar Scrub and Polish and had such high hopes for it. I really wanted to love it. But… to be completely honest with you… it was just ok.
The Positives:
With ingredients that include natural oils, vitamins and butters, this product is incredibly moisturizing.
It smells delish!
The Negatives:
With sugar granules and walnut shells, you would think this would be a great scrub… but it’s not. It barely exfoliates the lips.
It leaves the lips and skin around your mouth very oily.
The Verdict – I would not recommend this product. There are better options out there.
Totally Tash 