I’ve always been someone who loves to shop for beauty products. I can remember the first makeup kit that I begged my mom to buy for me in the 4th grade. It was Clueless themed from the TV show based on the hit film and included an aggressive shade of lime green eye shadow inside-ha! I’ve been somewhat of a beauty junkie ever since, and find testing new products and skincare lines to be a fun and easy way to pamper myself. I love researching different ingredients and products, so I spend a ton of time reading up on beauty brands. I even found one of my newest obsessions through Kaitlin’s post about Olaplex (it is amazing if you haven’t tried it yet!). So today I’m here sharing my favorite products in hopes that you will love them as much as I do. These products are regulars in my beauty routine, so consider them tried and true.
Drunk Elephant A-Passioni Retinol Cream ($74)
Ever since I discovered Drunk Elephant earlier this year, my skin has undergone a serious transformation. Drunk Elephant takes clean beauty above and beyond, leaving what they call “the suspicious six” out of their products (this means no essential oils, drying alcohols, silicones, chemical sunscreens, fragrances/dyes, or sodium lauryl sulfate). I swear by the Drunk Elephant line, but the A-Passioni retinol in particular has worked miracles for me. When I turned 30 last year I woke up with wrinkles seemingly overnight and I knew I needed to incorporate some preventative care products into my routine as a matter of urgency. Drunk Elephant’s retinol has erased some of my fine lines and made my skin brighter. Retinol is known to be a harsh ingredient, but A-Passioni leaves my skin looking glowing and hydrated after use. I follow my retinol application with Drunk Elephant’s Protini Polypeptide moisturizer and lock in moisture with their Virgin Marula Facial Oil.
Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara ($25)
When it comes to beauty, I tend to dabble more in expensive cleansers, creams, and serums rather than makeup. I keep my makeup routine pretty casual. I do wear NARS blush and bronzers, but the rest of the items in my makeup bag are likely from Target. There are a lot of great drugstore mascaras, but I bought Too Faced’s Better Than Sex on a whim recently and will NEVER go back to drugstore mascaras. This mascara is incredible and I totally understand the cult following behind it now. It’s never clumped and lengthens and thickens my lashes so well. I was considering getting eyelash extensions for the longest time, but after using this product I don’t have to! My only regret with this mascara is that I didn’t buy it sooner.
Jo Malone Wood Sage & Sea Salt Cologne ($70-140)
My perfume collection can easily rival my handbag collection, I have so many bottles. I can’t leave my house without spritzing on perfume, I wear it every single day. Smell is our strongest sense, and I love to collect perfume because a particular smell can bring me back to a special moment in time. I tend to gravitate towards floral or fruity scents, but I recently just finished a big bottle of Jo Malone’s Wood Sage and Sea Salt cologne. It’s so different from my normal scents, but it smells absolutely incredible. I don’t usually repurchase perfumes once they’re gone because I want to try out new ones, but I will absolutely be repurchasing this—it’s just that good. Wood Sage and Sea Salt is perfect for wearing during the day or night, and it smells so fresh and beachy. Bonus: you can mix and match Jo Malone scents to create a unique fragrance just for you, which I think is super fun if you like to collect fragrances.
Burt’s Bees Tinted Lip Balm ($5)
Beauty products don’t have to be pricy to be effective and great, and Burt’s Bees lip balm is a shining example of that. This lip balm gets a 10 out of 10 from me and is super cheap, so obviously I purchased it in multiple shades (pink blossom is my favorite). I like that I can put this on and it has the same consistency as chapstick but adds a pop of color to my lips. I like to wear lip gloss, but sometimes they’re sticky and high maintenance. However this tinted lip balm is super lightweight and easy to wear. I don’t have to worry about eating and drinking when I’m wearing this product, so it quickly became one of my holy grail beauty items. I’ve gone through 3 full tubes of this in the last year, I apply it multiple times a day. With a price that good, you’ve got to try it.
IT Cosmetics CC+ Cream with SPF 50+ ($39)
This IT Cosmetics CC cream was actually a castoff from my mom, who accidentally purchased the wrong shade for her, but fatefully the perfect shade for me. This is a great CC cream if you are looking for full coverage, as it is definitely on the thicker side. I tend to wear less make up during summer because nothing clashes more than sweat and make up, but now that we are heading into fall I will start wearing this heavier cream again. It contains collagen, peptides, and hyaluronic acid, helping your skin fight wrinkles and hydrate your skin during the day. It wears well over moisturizers and serums, but make sure you blend well to prevent caking (I learned this the hard way)! Armed with a good beauty blender and natural lighting, this is probably the best foundation I’ve ever used.
