MY IN-SHOWER ESSENTIALS

Hi guys!

Today I'm sharing with you my everyday essentials that you can find in my shower right now. These products have been living there for a long, long time and have been repurchased numerous times. That's how you know they're tried-and-true! Scroll below to see my thoughts...

The first product I'm going to discuss is the VERB Hydrating Shampoo. (and conditioner! in the amber bottle!) I was introduced to this brand when I was working as a receptionist at a hair salon. It was introduced as our "junior" kind of hair care line because of the low price point. College Bailey was ALL. ABOUT. THAT.

You know, post-college Bailey is still all about it. My hair feels soft and cleansed and this shampoo/conditioner does not break the bank. Big plus? Sephora sells VERB so you can rack up your points while affordably taking care of your hair! VERB has multiple shampoos that you can choose from depending on your hair type and goal.

Next is another product that college Bailey introduced us to. While working at South Moon Under I randomly purchased the Kalastyle Swedish Dream Sea Salt Soap. Why I was buying an $8 bar of soap while making not much higher than minimum wage is beyond me but I have been using this soap now for four years. It smells great, cleans effectively and doesn't leave you squeaky or with a film on your skin. It moisturizes, too! But the absolute best thing about this soap? It has sea salt in it that once exposed out of the soap bar, exfoliates your skin beauuuuuutifully. It's the best body exfoliator that I own. If you need something to exfoliate prior to shaving or tanning, this is your product!

My daily cleanser is the Pixi Beauty Glow Mud Cleanser. I first tried this cleanser when my dad bought me this Best of Bright Discovery Set for Christmas last year. I wanted that set for the Glow Tonic but I was lucky to fall in love with not just one product, but two! The mud cleanser utilizes glycolic acid as an exfoliant and is a really nice texture-- it's silky and thick and it also smells nice. I always feel fully cleansed after using this and will be rebuying when I run out soon.

Last up is the Philosophy the Microdelivery Exfoliating Facial Wash. Trust me when I say I love this stuff. I own about four bottles in varying sizes so that I 1. never run out and 2. can bring it with me when I travel anywhere. I use the Microdelivery wash whenever I need a facial pick-me-up with a bit more than a light chemical exfoliator like the Pixi Glow Mud cleanser. Unlike the other popular facial exfoliator, the St. Ives Apricot Scrub, I find the smaller exfoliating beads to be much less abrasive on my face and I'm never left red or irritated after using this.

What is your current shampoo/conditioner/cleanser/soap combo? Shower products are so personal and it's incredible how we fall into a routine with products like I have with these. I hope you have a great day and if you're reading this on my posting day, have a GREAT weekend!

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MY CURRENT SKINCARE REGIMEN | OCTOBER 2018

Helloooo hellllooo heeeello!!

Today we're talking skincare. My routine, to be exact.

I seem to have a good thing going when it comes to my skin nowadays so I'm sharing my go-to products with you all while the days are still warm and my skin is not yet parched and cracked (coming soon: Winter 2018/2019 😒)

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Aren't they pretty?

We'll go from L to R...
First up is my love aka Ole Henriksen Truth Serum. I just allowed myself to buy a larger size during the Sephora VIB sale after running through some smaller bottles throughout the past year. It's a Vitamin C serum which I am told by my dermatologist is to be applied in the morning to help shield the skin from sun damage. That in and of itself is a joke because I get to work when it's still dark out, sit in my cubicle farm all day and then go home. But for the weekend, the Truth Serum is the bomb 😅 It absorbs quickly, smells of orange and has never once broken me out.

Next up is my current moisturizer, the Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Cream. I bought this over the Spring to replace the moisturizer that I grew up smelling and using—it's by Olay and both my mother and sister use it! It was great but I had heard amazing things about Drunk Elephant and decided to give a couple of their moisturizers a go in sample form before indulging myself in a full size. The morning after I applied the Protini cream I was actually taken aback by how good my skin felt. I haven't gone a day without using it since! TBH I may survive the Winter after all because it's so thick and luxurious.

My current eye cream is Benefit's It's Potent! Eye Cream. I've been using this for years on end and have never had any issues. It's marketed to diminish dark circles, though and I've gotta say it does not do much in that regard. Supposedly it contains alcohol, too (thanks for that lesson, /r/skincareaddiction) so I don't think I'll be repurchasing it once I run out. Until then, it’s a fine cream in my experience.

Into the "actives"..

My dermatologist sold me on retinols when I went in for an overall check-up and to inquire on Botox (still want it. haven't gotten it. LMK if you have $500 I can borrow!!!) The product sold in my doctor's office is the Alastin Renewal Retinol. It is a less.. "intense" retinol so it was good for a beginner. I haven't noticed much of a difference but I like to think it's doing its job. I make sure to only use this at night and under my Protini so that 1. I don't get some breakout from overworking my skin and not moisturizing properly and 2. it doesn't counteract my next product...

Pixi Beauty Glow Tonic. This stuff. I LOVE this stuff. My same dermatologist (and others in the past) have told me that toners are not necessary and are full of alcohol and dry out our skin. I don't care. This stuff will remove texture on your skin like an eraser on one of those *good* mechanical pencils from when we were in school. The ones with the erasers that barely had to touch your pencil marks to get rid of them. Texture = gone. I make sure to not use this at the same time of day or on the same day as my retinol because it is an active and they will cancel one another out, making each useless. If I'm not using this in the morning I will use it at night and just skip my retinol that evening.

I guess I'm in the market for a new eye cream then, yeah? I'm considering the DE Eye Serum but I would love to hear any holy grails that y'all have. Leave me a comment below! Anyone use these products? Also, really, if anyone has $500 so I can get Botox I'll take it heh

HELLO DECEMBER: MY FAVORITE MOISTURIZERS

During the month of December everything around us starts to get frigid and that includes the air allll around us. With that drop in temps, the moisture in the air drops as well! This leaves us with cracked hands, staticy hair and dehydrated bodies. I'm here today to talk about my favorite moisturizers that help keep my entire body happy and running well throughout our driest months.

Hair: I actually have a past post on this product but I will still give a little talk about the Organix Moroccan Argan Penetrating Oil. I've been using this product for years and can never see myself getting tired of it! I just pour out a dime or quarter size of product(depending on how thick my hair is/what kind of haircut I have at the time) onto my hand and rub my hands together to distribute the product into an even layer on my hands and rub it onto the bottom half of my damp hair. I work it in and try to get all of the product off of my hands and run it through the upper portion of my hair when I have a very small amount left on my hands. It's light but an intense moisturizer and my hair has been so happy ever since I began using it.

Face: Although I don't wear a moisturizer year-round, I definitely have to during the deep Winter months because my skin changes from combination to dry! The moisturizer that I've always used is by Cetaphil and it's the formula for oil control. My skin really loves in it in the Winter(not so much in the Winter as it's soo moisturizing and makes me oily) and just laps it up. I was told to get it by my dermatologist so I always feel comforted whenever using it that it's going to be helping my skin instead of working against it like many other beauty products.

Throat: This section might seem a bit odd to you but if you have ever woken up with a sore throat then KEEP READING! Humidifiers will be your saving grace in the coming months. The one pictured is the one that I currently have in my apartment and it's the Crane Drop Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier (linked is the exact one I have.. the green one is cheaper than the rest and idk why). Humidifiers add moisture back into the air of your home and help stop the morning sore throats that have come to exemplify my Winters. You do have to be careful not to OVER humidify as it'll make your home too damp and could lead to mildew but just a little bit goes a long way. Trust me.

Skin: My favorite lotion. Jergens Dry Skin Moisturizer. My mother got me on this stuff and I have used it for years and years and years and will continue to do so for the rest of my life, supply willing. This lotion has the most amazing scent and absorbs into your skin really quickly. That tight, dry feeling goes away instantly and you're left with super baby soft skin. I really wish I could get across my feelings about this product better but it's just a staple in my life and I couldn't imagine life without it. It's truly one of the best and my most favorite skincare product.

Nails: Can't have a skincare post without having a Lush product. Lush's Lemony Flutter Cuticle Butter is the most amazing cuticle product I have ever tried. It gives your dry nail area the oils they need to be softened and absorbs quickly so there's no greasy fingerprints anywhere. Also, it lasts for evvvvver. There is so much product in one jar and you can use it for years even though the expiration date only allows for about one and a half. I have also used this as a moisturizer on my feet during the Winter and it can actually be used anywhere that you have thick and dry skin so places like the cuticles, heels and elbows.

Body: Last but not least is something that everybody should follow but I'm not entirely sure do. I am a huge fan of water and I drink probably triple the amount that people are supposed to per day. It keeps your body hydrated which leaves you with beautiful skin and healthy organs. Being hydrated throughout the year is always important but especially such during the Winter since everything gets so dry. Be sure to grab water with all of those Holiday meals instead of the eggnog or cider this year! Your body will thank you.

All of these things help my body stay comfortable throughout Winter and I am thankful for all of them. There's nothing worse than having tight skin or cracked heels, right? I would love to hear about the products you use to keep yourself moisturized! I am always open to trying new things.

MARIO BADESCU CELLUFIRM DROPS

Turning twenty was like a mid-youth crisis to me. I had been preparing for it mentally by choosing what anti-aging tools I wanted to purchase once I turned the corner out of my teens. Think it's way too early? Many professionals recommend beginning an anti-aging regimen once you hit the big 2-0 to absolutely prevent your skin from going too loose too early.

Typically, I do pretty well taking care of my skin. I stay out of the sun(not by choice.. my skin tone doesn't exactly fare well under sunshine) and have started to moisturize. Also, if you check my mom out she totally does not look her age. It's hard to believe she's a year off of sixty because she looks fab. If I'm anything like her genetically(which I seem to be) then I'll be set for minimal wrinklage and minimal graying as I begin to age. All of that still couldn't stop me from wanting to do as much as possible to combat aging skin!

Cue Mario Badescu. All of our favorites. I did mad research trying to find a formula that was non-greasy and was popular for anti-aging. I stumbled upon a super cool product; Mario's 'Cellufirm Drops'.

For $25 you get 1oz of a green collagen-filled, gel-like liquid. Seems like a small amount but a little goes a long way with this product. You're told to place dots around your face and neck and then massage them into your skin. The basic structure that I've been doing looks a bit like this:

as I feel these are the areas most prone to wrinkling. If you can't really tell, there are three dots around my eyes, two around my mouth and one in between my eyebrows.

The drops are very lightweight and definitely non-greasy as they are advertised. I can't tell you if they've done anything quite yet as we won't really be able to tell for a bit but as I trust the Mario Badescu brand, I feel as I'm in good hands.

Besides these and the famous drying lotion, what other Mario Badescu products have you guys tried, if any? I would love to hear all about 'em so I can add them to my next 'to buy' list.