beauty

The only two things I have ever immediately bought from someone’s Instagram story have been bronzers/highlighters. Last Summer it was the Tom Ford bronzer and this Summer the Smashbox pallet. With three colors it is perfect for any skin tone and no matter which week of your fake tanning routine you are in. My favorite has been the middle with the far right coming in second, not to say the lightest one isn’t good I just use it more on my forehead/nose.

Let’s start with me telling you that I and my bed are ONE. I love being in bed, eat the meals in bed, watch the shows in bed, do the night time skin care routine in bed….all the things in bed! Having a perfectly styled side table has never been my thing, at least not the table on my side. Ever since I can remember my side table has been filled with differ cups or bottles of water, candy wrappers, and a book. As I have gotten older not much has changed except for a few editions and slightly more organization. I now have a few different skincare options so that no matter my mood I don’t have to get up.

Let’s talk makeup wipes for a second. I used to use them exclusively until Glossier Milky Jelly. A few months ago I randomly picked up a pack from Target, the Target brand specifically. Enjoyed them, used them every night, loved the way my skin felt after. One day while grocery shopping I remembered I needed a fresh pack and grabbed the Neutrogena ones….bad call bad call. Why a bad call? It was the only thing I changed in my skincare routine and my skin was a mess and I blame it 100% on the Neutrogena makeup remover wipes.  Moral of the story, you should try out the Target brand ones!

Every once in a while I will try and clean things up haha! But really that means making it look like this photo not putting away the advil!

Spring is officially here which means it is time to switch up your makeup. I know the last makeup post I wrote was all about drugstore foundation which is completely opposite of today. If it seems like I am phony or liar but I am NOT! I love the foundation I talked about in that video and still use them daily BUT have found that they are a little heavy for the heat that is rolling in.

Thankfully the budget has lightened up a bit which let my finally splurge on the moisturizer I had been wanting. Wait let me back up because that is not truly how it went down…I was at Nordstrom returning something and of course, ended up at the Charlotte Tilbury section chatting away with my new bestie. She took one look at my face and said your skin is too dry and kinda dull. Well THANKS, how can I fix it?!

Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter– have worn it every day since I bought it!! She said the main difference between this primer and the other CT primer is that this one is more moisturizing(?). There are multiple colors, I have #2 and it’s all the things 😉 I use it alone and under foundation, depending on the day. If you buy anything after reading this post, it should be this.

So after I was hooked on the primer she asked me if I had used Magic Cream. I rolled my eyes because it’s just soo expensive. I then proceeded to black out and buy it and am here to tell you, I have no regrets. My skin feels so calm and a little goes a long way. You may be thinking well you are only using other CT products so of course, you love it…..I have used non-CT foundation (my Maybelline) and it is still amazing.

The issues I was facing were that my under eye looked gross halfway through the day and my face wasn’t staying on. She solved the first two with CT products and BLEW MY MIND with her solution to the first. eye.cream.in.the.AM. WHAT?! 

So the next day I took out my never used Khiel’s avocado eye cream and applied it after my moisturizer. Have I already used the term game changer? Because this is a game changer! My under eye (glossier) is staying on perfectly and isn’t doing the weird spotty thing it used to. I will say, it does make for a dewy look so if that is not your thing I would suggest using a setting powder.

Thoughts? Questions? Concerns? New products you are in love with?

What is a chemical exfoliant? What is a solution? How do I use a chemical exfoliant? Do I need to use a chemical exfoliant? What else can I use when I use a chemical exfoliant?

Let’s get into the nitty gritty but also big picture, starting with a dictionary:

Chemical Exfoliation (v): Remove dead skin cells and push skin turnover. They are known to help smooth the skin as well as help it glow. As we get older the turnover of cells slows and using a chemical exfoliant helps speed that process back up giving us the skin we had back in the day.

AHA (n): Alpha-hydroxy acid. Works on the skin’s surface, enhancing our skin’s moisture by breaking down what holds dead skin cells together. Because of that grossness, it is normally recommended for people with dry skin. BUT on average AHA is water soluble, meaning it doesn’t get into your pores.

BHA (n): Beta-hydroxy acid. Is not water soluble making it capable of getting deep into our pores. This makes it more popular for people with oily skin and skin prone to clogged pores. It also is great for sensitive skin because it is naturally more gentle.

Lactic Acid (n): Is a type of AHA that comes from milk (weird) and works on the surface which makes it more gentle. It helps improve texture, reduce discoloration and prevents breakouts. It is said to lighten the skin which again is weird but makes sense since it helps with dark spots.

Glycolic Acid (n): Is also an AHA but it is the smallest form which allows it to penetrate into the skin. Besides doing everything stated above that AHA’s do Glycolic acid also stimulates collagen production. It helps clear out pores, blackheads and improve skin texture and color.

Retinol (n): Not an acid I know but is in the same conversation. Retinol is a type of Vitamin A and seems to do similar things to your skin that acids do: unclog skin, firmness, discoloration and overall anti-aging. The main difference, it is not an exfoliant, it enhances properties of your skin.

ok okay, these all sound the same….they technically are. So which do you use? The ones your skin likes best. 

Now to the popular products out there that contain acids…well the ones I have 😉

Dr. Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Peel Pads: has both AHA and BHA as well as something that helps protect skin from the shit in the environment. Peels are a combination of acids that remove the dead skin cells and then treat the fresh skin with anti-aging ingredients that brighten and firm your skin. I really like how these are pre-soaked pads and you’re getting a lot of product each time. They are pricey not going to lie to you but I think they are worth it. I noticed a difference right off the bat and even now after starting to use them again after a few months off. I have started to cut them in half…money saver! Putting the other half back in and wrapping it up in a hair tie.

Paula’s Choice: First off they have an awesome quiz that helps you find the best AHA/BHA product for you because they have a lot! I have the pore refining treatment with 2% BHA. Each product has different percentages of AHA or BHA and targets specific things along with different formulations. Great if you are a little picky!

Glossier Solution: Has both BHA and AHA (lactic acid + glycolic)- double duty! Wait, it also has PHA which I am new to. PHA is another type of AHA or from the same chemical family (?) but attract water which helps moisturize your skin. So it does everything discussed above for the great Glossier price tag. It also has aloe which helps soothe after all the chemicals. This has a cool press and releases trigger (I don’t know what to call it) that you put a cotton swab or ball on. I don’t know if it’s because I am using a ball vs swab but I felt like I needed to press into the container a lot to get the ball wet. This is sounding weird. I’m done.

Sunday Riley Good Genes Lactic Acid Treatment: Has 5% lactic acid as well as licorice, lemongrass, and aloe which all help with radiance, brightness and soothing. Marketed mainly for sun damage, large pores and keep your skin clear.

Biologique Recherche P50 Toner: Honestly this French brand is too cool to share a ton about itself besides the fact its beloved haha. It is made up of lactic acid, onion extract, and salicylic acid. I got the mini size over a year ago and use it sparingly but overall like it! I am thinking that when my beta peel pads run out I will get the big bottle of this instead. It does smell weird but feels awesome and after lots of stalking learned how you should be applying it. Press and release the cotton pad upward moving along the sides of your face not concentrating as much on your cheeks that tend to react more. Guessing this should be how you apply all chemical exfoliants.

Sunday Riley Luna Night Oil: A retinol oil that aims to boost the plumpness of skin while doing everything else a retinol does through the night. I love this product and have found better results when I am not skimping on it and use a full pump.

Okay so now what? Which do I use? Can I use them together? Some people say hell no NEVER use one in the AM one in the PM. Others say this is a myth and if your skin can handle it go for it. You can also combine retinol and vitamin C, so throw that in there too!

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So two factors lead me to the drugstore beauty aisle. One, my extremely tightened budget and not wanting to blow through my fancy foundation. Two, needing a heavier more moisturizing foundation for winter. I had every intention of trying out the one my friend Cat swears by but got the wrong one…whoops I’ll report on that one next. I tested a total of 3 and loved two of them:

1. Maybelline Fit Me! Dewy+Smooth Normal to Dry SPF 18 #115 Ivory: This one has two cons, the way in which it leaves the bottle, way too much quickly pours out and it’s a little on the warmer side. It is not dry but not dewy either despite its name and glides on my skin so easily! In terms of color, it is a slightly warmer ivory than others but I have been using it more because of the consistency. This one is also the cheapest, think like $6!!!!
2. Loreal Infallible Pro-Glow 24 Hour Radiant Finish Normal/Dry Skin SPF 15 #201 Classic Ivory: If you watched the video you know this one was/is my favorite. The color is spot on to my fair skin. I was using this one every day for a few weeks and it really does stay on great the entire day. The only con is it does feel a little dry and I found myself using a spray of some sort after I was done with everything. If you are also pale but have warmer undertones I assume their ivory would be great but if you have cooler undertones like I do this one is perfect!
3. Covergirl Vitalist Healthy Elixir SPF 20 #710 Classic Ivory: My least favorite only because of the color, way too warm for me. Other than that I loved the consistency and coverage! Next time I need a restock I would be open to trying it in a different color.

For the past month, I have been stumped on how to transition my summer makeup into Fall makeup. I think the main struggle was that Fall really wasn’t here yet so I had to keep up the dewy look alongside humidity rates still being high. Now that the temperature is finally cooling down and the humidity is lacking (for now) it has been easier to figure it out.

We all know that you should swap out your lighter moisturizer for a heavier one this time of year which in my case is bad. Why? Becuase typically summer moisturizers are the ones with SPF in them where the heavier ones don’t focus on that. So I am left sans SPF, which has never been a concern but I feel like it should be? Bringing back in Glossier Rich which I gabbed over here and still love.

Another main swap for fall makeup is highlighter. After trying out Virginias highlither, Becca in Champagne Pop ,  while in Nashville I was hooked. In the past, I have used Nars Albatross, which is still a great option, but something about this one I love ten times more. I like to see the highlighter doing its job and this one seriously pops! Don’t be afraid of its darker color clearly, I am super pale and it doesn’t look like a weird shimmery bronzer on my skin.

Ever since college, when I moved to Ohio and learned what seasons are, I have been convinced people are prettier when it’s colder out. Our faces get pretty flushed not sweaty flushed. With that, I wear less foundation in the Fall because my skin isn’t reacting to as much. Does that make sense?

So here is the routine: 1) Glossier stretch concealer under my eyes, around my nose, and on my forehead, if needed 2) Glossier cloud paint in dust or bronzer as a slight contour 3) Tarte blush (in paartay)  4) Becca champagne highlighter making a C around the outside of my eye and a little on my nose 5) Glossier wowder or a translucent power to set undereye and matte any oily areas 6) Benefit eyebrow.