Whether you’ve been sick or not, this post is a good read!
Skin Tip: Avoid Winter Hands!
Happy Friday readers!
Harsh winter weather coupled with frequent hand washing can leave your hands feeling extremely dry or chapped. Using a hand cream with occlusive ingredients like shea or cocoa butter can help as well as using gloves when you’re outside. Reapply frequently to replenish lost moisture.
Have a great weekend!
Stephanie
Best of Beauty 2105 Part II: Skincare and Hair Products!
Welcome back to part II of my Best of Beauty 2015 segment where I’ll be covering skincare and hair products I’ve enjoyed throughout the year. Let’s get to it. 🙂
Skincare
Cleanser
Monarch Beauty Herbal Milky Cleanser
Love using this creamy cleanser when my skin is dry and it also doubles as a makeup remover.
Renee Rouleau Purifying Face Wash
This unscented cleanser deep cleans skin without leaving skin stripped of moisture and will last you a long time.
Toner
Monarch Beauty Transforming Toner
A soothing mist integrating green tea and chamomile that helps calm skin and restore skin’s pH levels.
Rhonda Allison Cucumber Spritz
A light toner that is perfect to take on the go to refresh and hydrate skin.
Facial Moisturizer
Skin Script Cacteen Balancing Moisturizer
This medium-weight moisturizer contains prickly pear cactus to help heal and is rich on olive oil fatty acids that help retain moisture in the skin.
HydroPeptide Power Lift Advanced Ultra-Rich Moisturizer
When my skin needs a little bit of extra moisture, this one is perfect to use as the thicker consistency glides on skin without making me breakout.
Eye Cream
SkinMedica TNS Eye Repair
The fast absorbing and light texture makes this easy to work with plus the blend of peptides, retinol and vitamin C and E help firm, brighten and smooth the eye area.
Renee Rouleau Total Eye Repair
Another fast-absorbing eye cream that contains hyaluronic acid to hydrate skin and works very well under makeup and concealer.
Exfoliator
Kate Somerville Exfolikate Intensive Exfoliating Treatment
One of my favorite go-to exfoliators, this contains several acids and enzymes to exfoliate skin while cinnamon helps blood circulation.
Sunscreen
Dermalogica Dynamic Skin Recovery SPF 50
This product streamlines my morning skincare routine as it’s a moisturizer and sunscreen in 1.
Mask
Dermalogica Sebum Clearing Masque
Perfect for spot treating, this has kaolin and bentonite clays to this soak up extra oil and salicylic acid to treat breakouts.
Body Moisturizers
Skinfix Ultra Rich Body Butter
An unscented moisturizer that absorbs quickly and allows you to customize it with your favorite essential oil.
Lush Cosmetics Charity Pot
Another great moisturizer that helps lock in moisture and the ylang ylang cocoa butter scent is soothing.
Hair
Shampoo
Acure Organics Repairing Shampoo Moroccan Argan Stem Oil + Argan Oil
I received a sample of this in a Target Beauty Box and I really liked how it cleans hair without taking away too much moisture-crucial for curly hair!
Tessa Water Colors Shampoo in Molten Bronze
Love using this color depositing shampoo about every week or so to help refresh my hair color.
Conditioner
Nelson J Beverly Hills Argan Oil 7 Moisture Healing Mask
This hair mask helps smooth out the frizz factor from my curly hair and makes detangling easy.
Dry Shampoo
Bumble and bumble Pret a Powder
This travel sized option quickly blends into the hair, absorbing any excess oil.
Klorane Extra Gentle Dry Shampoo with Oat Milk
Fairly unscented, this also helps absorb extra oil in hair without leaving behind a white residue.
Shine Spray
Dry Bar Sparkling Soda Shine Mist
Adding shine to hair is very easy with this portable spray and it leaves hair smelling amazing.
Heat Protectant
Treseme Keratin Smooth Flat Iron Smoothing Spray
The best affordable heat protectant spray that makes straightening my hair easier and leaves it smooth and shiny.
Are any of these your favorites too? Let me know in the comments below!
Stephanie
Best of Beauty 2015 Part I: Makeup!
Hello readers and Happy New Year! Hopefully this year has been off to a great start for you. 🙂
I’m rounding up my standout makeup products for 2015, so let’s get started.
Lipstick
Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipstick
Housed in gorgeous, vintage rose-gold packaging this lipstick will change the way you view matte lipsticks.
Kiko Milano Cosmetics Smart Lipstick
Priced under $10, you’ll be able to stock up on a few without breaking the bank and they wear incredibly well.
Estee Lauder Pure Color Envy Sculpting Lipstick
With a magnetic cap to keep the lining of your purse safe, these lipsticks have all you can ask for: creamy application and highly pigmented color.
Lipgloss
e.l.f. Cosmetics EX-tra Lipgloss
At $2, you’ll get smooth application and impressive pigmentation with these glosses.
NYX Butter Gloss
Another great and affordable line , these glosses come in a beautiful range of non-sticky colors and smell so sweet.
Dior Addict Lip Maximizer
Higher on the price point but definitely worth it, this tingly pale pink lipgloss leaves lips with a smooth and fuller pout that isn’t sticky.
Foundation
Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation Stick
With the portable, sleek packaging, this foundation stick is perfect to carry on the go and allows for buildable coverage while letting your skin shine through.
Rimmel London Lasting Finish Foundation
Giving high end foundations a run for their money, this drugstore gem offers full and light-weight coverage with a satin finish.
Highlight
The Beauty Crop Lighting Crew Highlighting Cream
One of my Birchbox samples, this highlighting cream smells amazing and provides a nice glow for the face or body.
Charlotte Tilbury Wonder Glow
I received a sample of this product and it provides a lovely lit from within sheen that doesn’t scream heavy shimmer or glitter.
Mascara
Benefit Cosmetics Roller Lash Curling and Lifting Mascara
A great mascara that lengthens and curls my lashes with no irritation.
Eyeliner
MAC Fluidline
One of my favorite gel liners, this is easy to apply and control with lasting power.
Stila Cosmetics Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner
A staple in my beauty arsenal, once you apply this, it will not budge and it will last you a long time.
Bronzer
Clinique Chubby Stick Sculpting Contour
My first cream contour product, this is easy to carry with you, blends easily and gives a natural but defined finish.
Concealer
Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer
The wand in this concealer allows for precise application and the shade Vanilla provides great coverage without it feeling heavy.
TreSiQue Correct and Cover Concealer Crayon
Another Birchbox sample, I like to use this when I need a tad more coverage and blends out nicely.
Brows
Too Faced Brow Envy Kit
This kit almost has everything you basically need for grooming and touching up your eyebrows including tweezers, setting wax and customizable brow powders.
Blush
Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush
A smooth blush that gives a beautiful glow and comes in a great range of colors for any skin tone.
Burberry Beauty Light Glow Natural Blush
My holy grail blush, this feels and blend like butter and the shade Earthy Glow can be used as a blush or slight contour.
Colourpop Super Shock Cheek
These wallet friendly blushes have a unique mousse-like texture that is nicely pigmented and comes in a variety of shades and finishes.
Eyeshadows
Tarte Cosmetics Beauty and the Box Eyeshadow in Apple of My Eye
Included in a PopSugar Must Have Box, these shadows are can be worn any season as it includes gold, bronze and brown shades.
Bobbi Brown Long Wear Cream Shadow Stick
Eyeshadows in a stick form that take a little bit of blending but provide long wearing color that doesn’t easily crease.
That’s it for today. Stay tuned Thursday for my picks on skincare and hair products.
What were your favorites in 2015?
Stephanie
Happy New Year 2016!
Happy New Year’s Eve (or day) everyone!
I ran across this quote yesterday and I found it to be perfect for today. 2015 for me was a good year. I accomplished several of the things I set forth on my vision board in 2014. This blog has grown so much within a year and has been viewed in about 97 countries! To many, I am considered their go-to skincare and beauty expert and I can’t even begin to tell you how much that means to me. Whenever I get a text message, an email or a comment asking for my advice, I’m so thankful I’ve established myself in a way where people can trust my opinions and advice. I’m continually reading and educating myself to provide you with the best information available which lead me to accomplishing my dream of (finally) taking the UCLA Cosmetic Chemistry course. It’s crazy how when you put your heart and soul into something you love, greatness occurs.
Of course, life wouldn’t be life if it also didn’t come with many downfalls and yes, I had plenty of those this year too. There are lessons we have to learn and sometimes they present themselves in the most painful ways. My willingness to help sometimes exposes me to be torn apart and used, making me withdraw from getting attached to people. This is something I have to work on. Defining myself as a person and not by my chronic illness is something else I’ve been struggling with. But, I just have to keep going forward, staying positive and having faith that things will get better.
So what will 2016 bring? I have no idea but I have a feeling it will be awesome! I’m working on some other ‘visions’ so stay tuned. Thank you so much for the love and support you have shown me. May 2016 bring all of you happiness, love and health.
Best wishes for 2016,
Stephanie
December 2015 Favorites!
Hello everyone! How was your Christmas and long weekend? Mine was great although I still can’t believe that we are only a few days away from a new year. Crazy how time is zooming by.
Anyhow, I’ve gathered my favorites this month so let’s get started. 🙂
Renee Rouleau Purifying Face Wash
This face wash is on heavy rotation in my skincare routine. It’s a very gentle, unscented gel cleanser that slightly foams but doesn’t leave skin feeling stripped of moisture. Ingredients like sea whip and green tea are included to calm skin. I think this cleanser is perfect if you don’t have too many breakouts.
Skin Script Raspberry Refining Cleanser
I ordered a box full of Skin Script skincare gift sets and I’m really loving this cleanser. It smells like raspberries and includes glycolic and salicylic acid to help clear up acne as well as yucca extract to help relieve irritation. This cleanser gently foams and rinses clean without that harsh tight feeling certain cleansers can leave afterward.
Skin Script Cacteen Balancing Moisturizer
I picked up a few samples of this moisturizer at the esthetic trade show in Long Beach and it’s been a good moisturizer for these winter nights. A medium weight moisturizer, this has prickly pear cactus to help heal and is rich on olive oil fatty acids that help retain moisture in the skin.
Tarte Cosmetics Beauty and the Box Eyeshadow in Apple of My Eye
I’ve been reaching for this eyeshadow quad quite frequently throughout the holidays and I love it. Bronze and gold eyeshadows are my go-to shades and this quad encompasses gorgeous colors that can be used to create subtle daytime looks to dramatic smoky night time looks.
e.l.f. EX-tra Lip Gloss in Scott
I picked up the e.l.f. Mix and Mingle Lip Gloss set at Target and while I’ll have a complete review on the blog later, the shade I have been loving is Scott. Scott is a peach beige lipgloss with gold flecks that once applied give a nice subtle glow. Priced at $2 each, they glosses have good pigmentation, decent staying power, aren’t sticky and have a sweet taste. My only issue is that the lip gloss applicator is flimsy and I’m constantly worried it may break off.
e.l.f. EX-tra Lipgloss in Scott
Rhonda Allison Holiday Wine Luster Holiday Set
I follow fellow esthetican Christina Gliatta from Estie Skincare on Instagram and when she posted this Rhonda Allison kit, I knew I had to order it from her. I’ve been wanting to try Rhonda Allison skincare products for a while and this kit did not disappoint. It includes one ounce of Cucumber Spritz and half an ounce of Blushed Wine Gel.
I use the Cucumber Spritz in the morning before I apply my makeup to add moisture to my skin without it feeling heavy. Depending on the weather, I’ll toss it into my purse and take it on the go to refresh my skin. The Blushed Wine Gel is a great antioxidant moisturizer for my combination skin during the day. It has small shimmer particles that provides skin with a glow and it works great under my makeup.
So far, I am impressed with the Rhonda Allison line and can’t wait to try more in the future. If you’re looking to try out Rhonda Allison products, make sure to follow Estie Skincare-Christina is super nice and helpful.
Sara Happ Lip Scrub in Peppermint
A special extra that Christina included- thank you!- this lip scrub is heaven sent! I like Fresh Sugar Lip Polish but this one is more moisturizing, and perfect for this harsh winter weather. The price is a little steep at $24 but you only need very little of this luxurious feeling lip scrub so it will last you a long time. Lips feel super soft and hydrated and most importantly, are left flake free. Bonus: the packaging is so chic complete with a little bow.
What are your favorites this month?
Stephanie
Merry Christmas 2015!
Merry Christmas Eve everyone!
Just popping in really quick to wish you all a great Christmas with your loved ones! 🙂
With love,
Stephanie
PopSugar Must Have Unboxing December 2015!
Hi everyone! How was your weekend? It’s windy and gloomy over here today but luckily I have an insight to December’s PopSugar Must Have Box to brighten things up. Let’s get to it! 🙂
Luv AJ The Rose Gold Ombre Bracelet, $65
An ombre bracelet that has a mix of silver, rose gold and gold plating.
Swing Design Nova Blue Mist Jewelry Box, $36
A jewelry box that has a stitched blue leatherette and suede interior-perfect for housing the rose gold ombre bracelet we received.
My Cup of Cake Classic Belgian Chocolate, $5.99
It doesn’t get much simpler than this three minute gourmet souffle that features dark Belgian chocolate and all-natural ingredients.
Meri Meri Silver Stars on White Glitter Tape, $4
Perfect for the holiday occasion, this white glitter tape adds a sparkling finish to your gifts.
Nima Oberoi Lunares Geo Stopper, $24
An exclusive geo stopper, wine lovers will appreciate this bottle stopper that is handcrafted to not tarnish or break so you can reuse it.
Stowaway Cosmetics Creme Lipstick Trio, $30
A lipstick trio that is designed for the girl on the go. They are small enough to fit comfortably in your clutch and also to be used up before they expire. Shades include Muted Plum, Raspberry and Cranberry.
Tiny Prints Gift Tag Stickers + $20 Promo Code, $20 (Special Extra)
Another great holiday item, these heart gift tag stickers have already been used to seal Christmas gifts. A $20 off your purchase card was also included with this.
Below is a swatch of Muted Plum. I may gift the others away so I didn’t swatch those but one is a bright red shade (Cranberry) and the other is similar to fuschia (Raspberry). These remind be of Bite Beauty except Muted Plum has a little more slip to it which makes it glide effortlessly on the lips
Stowaway Cosmetics Muted Plum
As with my other PopSugar boxes, I am pleased with the items included in here, especially the lipsticks and the holiday tags!
What do you think of this month’s box?
Stephanie
Skin Tip: Take 5!
Happy Friday everyone!
With the holiday madness, don’t forget to take 5 minutes out of your day for you. Sip a cup of tea, meditate or flip through a magazine. It’s good for your overall health and you’ll release some stress.
Have a great weekend!
Stephanie
December Birchbox Unboxing 2015!
Happy Thursday everyone! December’s Birchbox is in so let’s get to it! 🙂
Klorane Gentle Dry Shampoo with Oat Milk
For a few years now, I have been wanting to try out this dry shampoo so when I saw it was included, I was happy. After trying it though, I found it to be sticky and it doesn’t have a scent per se but still smells kind of odd, if that makes sense. Not my favorite dry shampoo yet but I’ll give it another shot. Bonus points for not leaving a white residue behind.
JUARA Coconut Illipe Hand and Nail Balm
This balm is supposed to hydrate, firm and plump hands as well as improve nails and cuticles and with this cold weather, it was good to put it to the test. It is fast-absorbing but not as hydrating sometimes as I would like. The scent reminds me of the beach so it’s a nice little pick me up during the afternoon.
Harvey Prince Sea Salt Texturizing Mist
I’ve seen this in multiple beauty blogs and I’m glad it was included. It has a citrusy, floral-esque scent and it gives a nice, beach-like texture to my ends when I flat iron my hair. Would definitely invest in the full size bottle.
Coastal Scents styleEYES Eyeshadow Palette- socialEYES
This month’s sample was an eyeshadow quad from Coastal Scents. While I love the colors, a vibrant turquoise and lovely gold, I will be giving this one away, hence the reason for no swatches.
theBalm Cosmetics FratBoy
You gotta love the packaging on theBalm Cosmetics and the nifty names they come up with. Again, the color looks lovely but I will also be giving this one away as I have colors that look similar. Although I am not entirely fond of the size of the sample-it looks like it would be an eyeshadow sample-my previous experience with their blushes was great so I am sure this is no different.
Overall, this was a good box filled with items I have been eyeing for a while now.
What’s your opinion on this month’s box?
Stephanie
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