I get asked pretty often to share my beauty routine, and pretty often I get embarrassed to share because I really don't feel like there is much to it. I don't use special anything on my face. Grocery store quality is where its at for me.. and really all I have time for. I DO however take pride in the products I use on my hair. But I get the added bonus of being great friends with two ladies whom work in the 'hair care' field.
If I do ever get up enough nerve to sit in front of a camera to record my hair do-ing skilllz, you'll be the first to know.
Until then, I will share my all time favorite hair products..along with a little extra to make your day full, and because I am ALWAYS on the search for new beauty products to try out, so this kind of post is right up my entertainment alley. Hopefully yours, too!
|HAIR|
If you take just one thing away from this post, know that this stuff is incredible. I am a 'night shower' person, and spray this at the root of my hair after towel drying and then let it air dry. This is for when I curl my hair the next morning. If I am blow drying it straight, I douse my roots right before blow drying and it makes a huge huge difference in the volume and is not sticky at all whatsoever. No other volumizing product has ever come close to what I get when I use this. Plus it doesn't leave my hair heavy. It's the best. Just trust me.
Perks of having your bestest friends be so in tune to the 'hair world'. KMS is a product I was introduced to by my hair dresser friend, Angela. Guts and KMS is like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Complimentary. When I had lighter coloring in my hair, I used baby powder to absorb the oil in my 2 (or three..or four..) day old hair, but now that I've gone to the dark side, this has been amazing and not overly 'gunk-y' after a couple uses. Plus, I use it to revamp all-day hair before an evening out to re-volumize my limp locks. You wont be disappointed.
It's a 10 Miracle Silk Smoothing Balm
The greatest of all great for taming those fly-aways. I have had the same bottle for months and I'm not even close to running out. I have really thick hair, and it doesn't take much of this balm to smooth the frizz. I apply to my towel dried hair before I would use Guts 10 and follow the same steps for styling as I mentioned above.
Runner Up
Aquage Uplifting Foam
I learned about this product from
Kate's blog, and really love it! I use it when I can conveniently get my hands on it. I often will use this in combination with the Guts 10..but also think it is perfectly effective for volume control alone. I will say that it doesn't let me get as far in between washes as the Guts 10 does.
GHD Straightener
I've used many-a-straightener in my day, and this is by far the very best I've ever used. I was sold on it about 4 years ago, and the same one is still going strong and is as hot as ever! I love, love, love this guy.
Kenra Hair Spray
I talked about my love for Kenra before, but really. This is my
favorite hair spray.
It doesn't weigh my hair down and isn't sticky at all and since I was introduced to it by a sweet friend, I haven't bought any other brand of hairspray. I don't see that changing for, well ... ever? Yes, ever. I've been using it for 3 years and until the rest of my life. There are several different 'levels' of hold, but go big or go home, ladies (and gents?). Kenra 25 is the most important for Texas hair.
|FACE|
Benefit 'It's Potent' Eye Cream
I have pretty dark under-eye circles and have been wearing 'eye cream' since I was a freshman in high school. That's 15 years of running the gamut of experimenting with creams. Back then I was a
Clinique girl, so I stuck with what I knew, and the eye cream cycle spiraled out of control from there. About two years ago I stumbled upon this product during one of my (rather dangerous) trips to
Ulta and I've never looked back. Those dark puffy eyes are no more.
'
Say YES to Grapefruit' CC Cream
I totally wish I knew that this product would change my skin life once and for all when I picked it up off the shelf or else I would have graced a fantastic before and after picture for you to see. Everything breaks me out. Everything. Why I thought a tinted moisturizer would do anything for me is beyond me, but I'm glad I tossed it in my cart at Target one fine day. I've done the BB creams before with little result, but this CC cream rocked my world.
Runner Up
'Say YES to Carrots' Night Cream
Uncented and gentle for my sensitive skin. Not overly heavy to clog my pores, and always makes my skin super soft in the morning.
|MAKEUP|
If a six dollar mascara could solve the world's problems.. this would be it. Period. Of all the questions, comments, and requests I get - What mascara do you use? is the number one. I've used every last mascara brand, both designer and drugstore brands alike, but The Falsies is my fav. I apply 3-4 coats, allowing for dry time in between. This is my most time consuming part of my makeup routine, which makes the rest of my routine pretty simple.
MAC Paint Pot | Painterly
My mother in law knows the way to my heart and always sticks to the best and most special for my Christmas stocking - including introducing me to the MAC Paint Pot several Christmas' ago. She explained that rather than using it as an actual 'shadow', use this as more of a base to help hold your shadow in place. Never again have I had any lines or creases in my shadow. THE best beauty tip I have ever gotten. I also put it under my eyes as a 'concealer' of those dark under circles, and to hold the shadow I usually line under my eyes. In 4 years I have used TWO of these pain pots. yes, just
two. Make the splurge. Its worth it.
CARGO Liquid Foundation
This is another product I've used everything under the sun with. I came across this CARGO brand when I was searching for something (anything) to save me from the drips that were left in my bottle of concealer at home. The gal at the makeup counter told me this is what they use when they do make-up for special events.. sold me right there. And I love it. Never heavy, and the only foundation that doesn't clog my pores. I've recently come to learn that it is sold online only in most places, but isn't stopping me from continuing to use. One pouch lasted me almost a year (which tells you how little you actually need to use for coverage. I apply just about a pea or dime size amount with a foundation brush (my favorite is the
MAC Foundation Brush).
Runner Up
MAC Small Angle Brush
I use my tiny angle brush every day. I do not wear eye liner, so I use this all the time for lining eye shadows on my lid and under my bottom lashes.
|BODY|
Aveda Foot Relief
If I had to choose one (JUST one) part of my body that I am most self conscious about, it would be my feet. I have terrible feet. I mean, bad. Really. They aren't stinky (phew!) but they don't sweat.. so in turn I have the most dry feet of anyone on the planet. I used to think it was because I was an athlete.. but my ballin' days are long gone (I played basketball from the age of five through high school) and then became a runner, and then had babies (and am no longer an athlete or a runner). And my feet are still the same. They crack. They bleed. They
hurt. The summer sandal weather causes me nothing but stress. Not enough pedicures in the world could save me from the disaster that are my feet. Until I randomly received a sample of Aveda Foot Relief. Changed my life in less than a week. If I happen to run out and leave any time lapse in between I can tell a major difference. I live by this stuff.. and tell everyone about my 'baby soft feet' when I walk into the store to re-stock my stash.
Dove 'Nutrium Moisture Shea Butter' Deodorant
There is nothing worse than the smell of powdery stick deodorant. I cannot stand it, but Dove (all around) is my favorite. I have been please with all their 'scents' and options for deodorant, but the shea butter is by far my favorite- and really controls those 'sweaty' situations. (Side note: Jordan uses the Dove for men deodorant, and LOVES it.)
Rodan Fields Essentials Foaming Sunless Tan
I used to be a lover of all tanning beds. Looking back at old pictures of me.. enter emoji with the largest eyes everrrr.. I overdid it a bit and thought I really looked
good. In my much wiser days that are the present I have opted to use the sunless varieties over the damaging beds. Again, I've tried a bazillion, but LOVE this one. It goes on easily and evenly (the foam is amazing for keeping things even) and doesn't smell like a tanning lotion. Most self-tanner is unsafe for use during pregnancy, but I reached out to my friend and consultant,
Brittany Laws, and she did confirm that this
is safe to use during if you are carrying a baby. I will say, as a disclaimer, to bring this product with you to let your OB check it out if you are preggo and decide to try it out.
Runner Up
Footlogix Foot Mousse
In my pre-Aveda Foot Relief days I found this to be the greatest defense against keeping the cracked heels at bay, but didn't give me the 'soft' feet I wanted.
+bonus+
|NAILS|
What you can't see are my nails in this picture. I do my nails- OFTEN. When I can splurge and get them done in the salon I go for the gel mani every time because it lasts and lasts (and lasts), but when I can't (and don't have time - story of my life), I do them myself. Which is fine because I have a severe addiction to polish. Yep. A mother-lover of color. A few requirements for when I do my nails.
1.) I do them at night right before I go to sleep. That way I don't have a real chance to smudge them.
Which brings me to number 2.)
Quick dry polish. I wake up with smooth and flawless nails 98% of the time. Love it. Need it. Get it.
I honestly have no idea of this polish's working power. I've used it and had my nails chip the very next day (grrr..) and also used it and had zero chips for a week. It is for those week long self-mani's that keeps me coming back to use this.
As far as the POLISH goes.. I love them all. Designer and drugstore. Although, as of late, I am finding the designer brand AT the grocery store, which makes for an interesting explanation to the hubby when he glances over the receipt.
Transitioning to Fall is my favorite time of year because I am naturally drawn to those warmer brown and gold undertones that typically show themselves well during these later months. I am one of those that enjoys (like, really enjoys) pairing her polish with her outfit, and especially when I've spent money on a mani or pedi, that following week I will be wearing something to coordinate with the polish I chose.
I'm always a lighter choice on the toes and a dark on the fingers. Mainly because I switch my finger polish SO much, I can have more fun with the bold brighter, shades and my toes get few polish changes in between, and so, to avoid the clash, I stay pretty neutral. PLUS- the fact that I absolutely hate my feet causes less care and more intention to stuff them in a boot. This is the best time of year for that.
Julep has offered up this super fun
Polish Style Shift for making that transition, and hello- its genius!
I am actually wearing
Claudette as we speak- and I LOVE it. I recently made a small wardrobe purchase due to an influx in gift card monies around
my birthday time- you may have seen something like this on
The Gram (@masseya)
With the newest purchase of polish in mind (I know..weirdo..) here is what I picked out!
So there it is. My favorite beauty products (and then some..)
I am always on the look out for new things to try - do you have a favorite beauty product you absolutely swear by? Please share!
