Instead of organizing this by am/pm I am going to go by type and then mention when I use it! I am NOT an expert and actually have a hard time knowing what is “helping” and go by how it feels! Not the best method but hey, it works! My main issue is clogged, enlarged pores so a lot of the products I use target that and overall skin texture.
Cleansers:
BR Lait U: My favorite cleanser everrrrrr, it removes all my makeup (eyes included) and leaves my skin feeling very soft. Rub a dollop (of daisy haha) of the creamy cleanser all over your dry skin, massaging it in. You will begin to see your makeup melting away. Then I get one of these cloths ( I am obsessed!) wet (not dripping wet) and wipe everything off your face. Then rinse with water and pat dry. This product is one of the more affordable items from BR and the bottle is big and will last you a while!
Dr.Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Pore Perfecting Gel: I thought I had talked about this before but I cannot find the post – damn! Okay, it is made of similar ingredients to my favorite Alpha Beta Peel Wipes so it gets a lot of work done! I use it in the morning because it does not make my skin feel stripped just clean!
Drunk Elephant Beste No.9 Jelly Cleaner: I am pretty neutral on this guy and use it if I am feeling extra dirty because it gets very sudsy. Because of that you cannot get it around your eyes, but it does remove face makeup.
Tata Harper: I love a lot of their cleansers (and masks) because they feel CLEAN, well honestly they are the only “clean beauty” thing in my bathroom. So I probably use this when I am feeling like I need to be “better”. But honestly, I have used a handful of their products and they are all amazing, I just have not repurchased because other items are still full.
Serums/ Ode to Toska:
I use two serums from BR (Iribol and Dermpore) and like them fine! Out of all the products I have a hard time seeing results from or understanding it is serums. I have never found one I am obsessed with. So I am going to use this section as an ode to Toska Spa in Charlotte. This is where I order all of my BR products from – the owner (and manager of their IG account – which you should follow because she shares a ton of tips) is not only a celebrity facialist but her and her team are incredibly kind! Their customer service is out of this world, they ship quickly, they answer silly questions and they are equally as nice in person!
“Treatments”:
I switch between BR p50 PIGM and Dr.Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Peels. There are a ton of different versions of p50 which are broken down here and here. Both of these products work amazingly at keeping my skin even toned and free of breakouts!
Moisturizers:
BR Creme Placenta: Yes, yes you read that right, placenta! I fell in love with this thanks to a sample and am not turning back. I use it in the evening and wake up with plump, soft skin! This is what the website says “By elevating the level of antioxidants, encouraging the production of collagen and increasing the blood supply to the affected area, the cream will diminish the appearance of skin imperfections.” Sign me up!
Drunk Elephant Protini: Honestly, I got this for free from my old job and think of it as a neutral. I have been using it more because my beloved Magic Cream is running low. It works great under makeup + sunscreen and never feels too heavy. Honestly, I would spend the extra what $20 for Magic Cream if you are debating it!
Tatcha Dewy Skin Cream: Before I got Creme Placenta this was my go-to night cream and I still love it! It truly does leave my skin dewy and clam. The only reason I was searching for something new was because my skin does not absorb it very quickly….so if I go straight to bed my face feels sticky on the pillow. Now I use it on nights where I am back to the couch post skin care routine.
Makeup:
Have been living in SuperGoop Glow Sunscreen! It reminds me of Charlotte Tilbury Flawless Filter – dewy, lightweight with good coverage for summer. That plus, Glossier eye under and CT Blush (in LoveGlow) and I’m out.
Top 3 Favorite Sunscreens
Okay, in full honesty I just started wearing sunscreen daily maybe last year? I understood that I “should” and it’s the “holy grail of not aging” blah blah blah, but I am lazy and it takes me a minute to really get into a routine (for more than a week) with something. BUT, now that I am passed the phrase of only putting it on if I’ll be outside, I have found a few favorites.
The first is the setting spray from SuperGoop. It is setting spray with SPF….I mean talk about a 2 in 1! I used to carry the mini bottle around in my purse so I never had the excuse of “I forgot”! Plus it would be great to carry around to re-apply throughout the day!
Next up is from EltaMD – their “UV Clear Facial Sunscreen Broad-Spectrum SPF 46 for Sensitive or Acne-Prone Skin, Oil-free….”. I use this on top of moisturizer and have loved it for the main reason of I never noticed it. It didn’t break me out or make my makeup lay funky.
Most recently, I have been using Glow from SuperGoop and love love love it! It reminds me a little of Flawless Filter from Charlotte Tilbury which you know I love. It is not as dense at FF but in a good way, it gives minimal coverage that is perfect for little to no makeup days!
Weekly Favorites
Tinted Eye Cream
I got a sample of this Tatcha eye cream, after learning my nearest Sephora doesn’t carry Charlotte Tilbury, and FELL IN LOVE! It is a tinted moisturizer…for your eyes!! I get this sounds so simple but I have never come across a product like this. My under eyes tend to get dry even after using a moisturizer pre-concealer, they tend to get cakey. This is no longer the case thanks to The Pearl Eye Illuminating Treatment . It is super creamy, covers my dark circles and offers the perfect amount of brightening.
All in all, couldn’t recommend more!
Skincare Refresh
After seeing the Embryolisse Lait-Creme Concretre all over IG I finally ordered it and am obsessed. The popular French drug store brand has a lot of fans and now I understand why. First off it’s only $20 which is great considering I am obsessed with Magic Cream that is $100…so my wallet is happy. I have been using it for about a week now and love the way my skin feels and more importantly how my makeup lays on it, not too heavy! A little goes a long way and make sure to warm it up with your fingers before applying.
Second new skin care purchase was the newest eye cream from Glossier. I love so many of their products so this was a no brainer. Honestly, I can never tell if an eye cream is working but I like the consistency and again how my makeup lays under it.
Ways to use your Truffle Bag
I had always seen Truffle bags around town but have enough Glossier bags to last me so I never got one for myself. My gal, Cat, got me one for my birthday last week and so far I love it! For you single or non-married girls there is that point in a relationship when you start traveling with a small cosmetic bag for nighttime skincare. Nothing that would scare the guy away if they saw how much you were traveling with (ease them into that) but enough to get your makeup off and get some type of p.m skincare. This small bag is perfect for that, it fits my mini face wash samples and one full-size oil/serum!
Second use, lipglosses! Was also kindly gifted this nude set that fits perfectly for weeks when I want all the options. Right now my go-to’s are Charlotte Tilbury lip liner + Nars Orgasm Lip Balm or Clarins gloss.
What do you carry in your ‘sleepover bag’?
Biologique Recherche Masque Vivant
My parents went to France a few weeks ago and the only thing I asked was they go to the Biologique Recherche and get me some goodies! My mom is the best did so and brought me back a few things including a sample of the Biologique Recherche Masque Vivant mask. After doing research and using ONCE I ordered the full size! “They,” say that if you use two times a week you will never age…I cannot speak to that because that is a big promise but I will say that my skin is straight up glowing and so firm after I use it!
BR is not known for having “pretty” products but effective. It is super thick and smells bad but you don’t need a lot so this one bottle is going to last me a long time! It is a balancing mask made with Yeast, Cucumber, and Witch Hazel extracts renowned for their skin purifying properties!
I have mentioned this before but BR products can be a little harder to come by in the states but the website linked above is super easy to make an account with!
