Anyway... a few years ago, I posted my favorite beauty products, and I thought I would share some with you again. As many of you know, I'm a beauty addict... I love makeup, hair care, skincare... all of it. And I love to help friends find products that work for them. In that spirit, here are some of my very favorite products from 2013.
2. True Blue Spa Fresh Foaming Body Buff - I have dry skin, baby. Whether it's the cold Midwest air, or the heat of the summer months, my skin needs some TLC. So once a week, I bring this in the shower with me, and pour some of my loofah. The scent is light, it lathers up nicely and it helps scrub the dry skin away and preps my skin to soak up moisturizer. Also, if you like to self tan, this is a great product to prep your skin. Pick it up at Bath and Body Works - save your coupons, cause this retails for $20, but will last you about a year.
3. O'Keefe's Working Hands - Raise your hands if you have dry, cracked hands! I do too, between the cold weather and washing my hands a thousand times a day, my hands and cuticles are seriously messed up. My sister had this out a few months ago when she was visiting and I loved it the first time I used it. This is a great odorless moisturizer that will keep dry cracked hands from becoming a major deal. My husband loves it, too! He works outside for a good portion of his shift, and this has prevented the bleeding and cracking that he usually experiences in the winter. I get my O'Keefe's cream from Amazon. Have a Prime Membership? Then stock up, cause these are just $6.99! One tub will last hubby and I a little over a month.
4. Glamglow Super Clearing Treatment Mud Mask - My skin goes absolutely bananas after babies. Hands-down, worse acne than I experienced as a teenager. Glamglow is the best mask I've used - filled with great ingredients! Glycolic acid, salicylic acid and lactic acid helps to improve skin texture, clear pores, moisturize and helps with collagen stimulation. It's pricey - nearly $70, but I get mine from Amazon for around $40, and it's worth every penny.
5. Rosebud Strawberry Lip Balm - Ok, so there's nothing super fancy about this stuff. But it works. And it smells like strawberries. I use this on my lips and cuticles. It lasts forever, and I haven't been without it since I discovered it a few years back. You can pick it up at Sephora for $7. It's usually in those bins near the register. Pop one in your purse and get another one for next to your bed.
6. Real Techniques Expert Face Brush - If you're going to spend money on makeup and want the best results from it, you have to use good tools. I have a decent makeup brush collection and have tried brushes from many different brands. Real Techniques brushes were designed by a UK makeup artist and beauty blogger. Nic Champman knows her stuff and has created a solid collection of synthetic brushes. Synthetic brushes are great because they are easy to clean, don't trap bacteria as badly as natural bristles and are much cheaper than natural hair brushes. The Expert Face brush does a great job of putting on liquid foundation and cream products. This is a great buy at $8.99. You can find them at Ulta.
7. Chanel Ombre Essentielle Soft Touch Eyeshadow in Fauve - Oh, Chanel. I heart Thee. This is new to my collection this year. Fauve is a great mid-tone purple with taupe undertones and a hint of shimmer. This is my go-to color for a quick eye look. I use a flat brush and place it on my lid and then buff it out with a fluffy brush. For a more dramatic look, I'll use a pencil brush and place it underneath the eye at my lash line. A little goes a long way as it's pretty pigmented so this will last me years. It's $28 at Chanel.
8. MAC Prep and Prime Highlighter in Radiant Rose - Momma's got some dark circles. I need all the help I can get and traditional concealer, on it's own, just doesn't do enough for me. After I'm done with my concealer and foundation, I grab this little gem and run it underneath my eyes, down the center of my nose and one top of my cheek bones. This helps to brighten underneath my eyes, and highlight the areas on my face that I want to pop. I'd recommend using clean fingers to work it into the skin or a sponge like the Beauty Blender. This comes in several different shades, depending on your skin-tone and what you're trying to achieve. I get mine at my local MAC counter, but you can also find it online here for $25.
9. Make Up Forever Mat Velvet + Foundation - One of the many awesome changes that happens to me post-baby is oily skin. Like a freakin' oil slick, friend. We were on vacation this summer, just 2 months after John was born, and my normally dry skin became an oil field. I went to their local Sephora and picked this skin savior up. If you're oily or have combination skin, this may be for you. This will help control oil while providing medium to full, buildable coverage. I would recommend using the Real Techniques buffing brush with it or a Beauty Blender sponge to get the best results. Sephora is the exclusive retailer for Make Up Forever - you can purchase it for $36.
10. Chanel Rouge Allure in Gracile (89) - Can I just be honest? I have a ridiculous amount of lipstick and lipgloss. I'm always on the hunt for my perfect color. Chanel's Gracile is pretty close to my perfect lipstick. It's a midtone peachy pink - perfect for every day wear or can be paired with a soft smoky eye. It's hydrating but not too slick. The Rouge Allure is $34 and can be found at a Chanel counter or online.
11. Tarte's Amazonian Clay Long-Wear Blush in Amused - I feel that a great blush can pull any makeup look together. And a great bright blush can help waken up a tired mommy face. I love Tarte's Amazonian Clay blushes - they have great pigmentation, are long-wearing and are not chalky. It's a natural finish and Amused is a great bright pink blush - the kind of rosy cheek you get when you've been outside on a winter day. You can pick these up at Ulta or Sephora for $26.
12. Chanel's Glossimer in Paillettes - Look in any beauty hoarder's makeup bag and I'm sure you'll find a Chanel Glossimer. They are divine. Hydrating, not too sticky, and beautiful colors. Chanel's Paillettes is my perfect pink and is one of my favorites and is near empty, so I need to get on it and buy another one. This is a staple I'll have with me until they stop making it. Find yours at a Chanel counter for $29.50 or online.
13. MAC Pro Longwear Concealer - I found this concealer two years ago while pregnant with John. My skin went absolutely crazy - I suspect I developed rosacea. I had lots of bright red patches on my face that I couldn't get covered with my normal concealer and foundation. MAC came through once again and rescued my face. Well, this didn't cure my rosacea, but it did cover it up so it wasn't completely obvious. I'm still not without it - it covers undereye dark circles without creasing, covers any blemishes and dark spots. I like to use a small stippling brush to work it into the skin before I layer on my foundation. You can pick this up at your MAC counter or online for $19.50. I would recommend getting color matched before purchasing!
What products did you reach for time and time again this year? Do you like drugstore or do you buy most of your stuff at a department store? I'd love to know!
NOTE: I am not sponsored by any brand or store. These products were purchased by me.
