Hey guys! I'm so excited to share my first post with you.. I am also so happy to be writing again! I got my degree in English, so I used to write daily in college and have really missed it.
I wanted to talk about some of the products I'm loving during this season of life, but before I do that, I want to make sure I get my heart across clearly.
I know there is a difference between a want and a need. We don't need a lot of the things I will share on here, and I never want you to confuse a want with a need. Needs are things like shelter, water, food, clothing... wants are things that may enhance our lives in certain ways, but that we could ultimately live without. I never want my attitude on here to encourage you to think you can't live without a product just because I have a passion for sharing products that have been great for me. I am so thankful for every single thing I have and know that it is an absolute privilege to have my needs met and so much more.
With that being said, let's talk about a few my current favorites:
Tula Skincare
This is something that I purchased at the beginning of 2020 after seeing so many influencers brag on this product. I had never really used skincare prior to this, but since I had just turned 25 I felt like this is something that I may want to start investing in. I was skeptical, so I opted for the mini kit (linked on my liketoknow.it) and am so glad I went for it. I've always had the reddest cheeks EVER (like seriously looked like I was sunburnt) and within 2 weeks I noticed that... my cheeks looked.. normal. I would have never gone out in public without some kind of foundation or powder on before this because I was honestly just that self conscious of my skin and how red, splotchy, and uneven it was. Now, I will gladly spend a day makeup free and am actually PROUD to show off my makeup free skin. This is huge for me. I will say that I never really struggled with acne prior to this except for the occasional hormonal breakout. I use their cleanser every evening after I remove my makeup (with olive oil.) I put the day and night cream on every night after I was my face, and right before I do my makeup in the mornings. I also use their glow & get it under my eyes every morning as soon as I wake up. I find that I often wake up with puffy, tired eyes, and the glow & get it balm has anti-inflammatory ingredients as well as caffeine that fix my puffy-eye-issue right up.
If you're wondering how long they last, I'd say the cleanser lasts for 4-5 months if you just use a small amount once a day. The day and night cream lasts exactly 3 months and I use it twice a day. I also only use a small amount of it because with these products, a little goes a long way and you don't want to unnecessarily waste product. The glow & get it lasts at least 6 months, but I only use it once a day. They have 3 under eye sticks but the blue one is my favorite because it is specifically formulate to target puffiness and that's what I struggle with. I am totally serious when I tell you that these products changed my skin! I will never go back.
You can purchase the mini kit here. You can get the cleanser here, the day & night cream moisturizer here, and the glow & get it that I use here. :)
2. Isle of Paradise Self Tanner
I had been eyeing these products for quite a while but decided to rule a few cheaper self tanners first. I tried the target Tanologist one and didn't hate the medium tanning water, but ultimately think it's just a little too difficult to apply. I tried the Tanologist mousse and didn't think it applied evenly enough, and I honestly think the color is a little bit orange. I tried a Loreal mousse as well, and thought it was too sticky, stinky, and didn't feel like it made me look much darker. I got tired of the trouble with the cheaper stuff and decided to just go for the Isle of Paradise body butter and drops from QVC.
I applied the body butter just like any other lotion, and thought it was streaky at first. I watched a few videos of how other people applied it and realized I needed to buff it out more with my hands instead of just aimlessly rubbing it around like regular lotion. I also needed to scrub the palms of my hands with a nail brush because I turned them orange...oops! Once I practiced applying it, I loved how simple it was and that it doesn't leave you feeling sticky like the other tanners I had used! I also think the "medium" has a gorgeous color to it. If I went with the "dark" I think it could've looked a little too orange because I am so fair skinned. I also LOVED the tanning drops for my face. I just apply them with my moisturizer before bed twice a week. I love having a bit of a glow without the mess and trouble of other self tanners. I do think the body butter is out of stock right now, but they have the hyglo drops for your face & body as a bundle on QVC and I've heard that they're just as good!
You can get the Hyglo drops here, and if you're more of a "self tanning mousse" girl, QVC has a great deal right now for a bundle where you can get 2 mousse's and a tanning mit for under $45.00! Get it here.
3. Flamingo Razor
I saw this at Target one day and thought "why not try it?"... I am so glad I did! I had been interested in the Billie Razor for a while but I don't love monthly subscriptions, so I felt like this might be a good alternative. Let me just tell you guys that I have never used a razor that made my legs feel so smooth. Flamingo is owned by Harry's Inc., a men's razor company, and I really think the blades are so similar to the blades on men's razors. They feel heavy duty and I was a little apprehensive to press hard enough to get them to actually shave my leg because they look really serious and I was afraid of cutting my leg! However, this means that I always get a super close shave, and I am all about that.
The razor came with a replacement blade and a little suction thing that hangs on the wall of your shower and holds your razor! It's just a cheap little thing, but it's been hanging in my shower for over a month with no problems. The appearance is my favorite thing, because it comes in four beautiful colors. The grip of the razor feels super stable and comfortable, and I think the overall product feels pretty high quality. I was wary because some of the online reviews said it felt cheap and rusted quickly, but that was not my experience at all. I shave my legs religiously, so I'm really glad to have found a product that works so well. I also like that they donate 1% of all profits to organizations that help empower women in multiple ways. That's important.
Note: It's only $9.99 at Target, so if you don't know if you'll love it, keep the box and they'll take it as a return. You can purchase it here.
4. Burt's Bee's Toothpaste (and tinted chapstick)
I've always used whatever toothpaste I could get my hands on, but recently had a bad experience with one of the more popular brands. I started using this *popular brand* of toothpaste and very quickly noticed that my mouth became extremely sensitive. I thought maybe I had eaten something that burned my mouth and let it go... until sores started popping up in my mouth. And then the same thing happened to my husband. I knew that the only thing we had both recently changed was our toothpaste. So, I did a small amount of research and learned that there are certain chemicals in a lot of popular toothpastes that can strip the good bacteria from your mouth and cause side effects like the ones we were experiencing. Now, I know this doesn't happen to everyone, but it was enough to turn me towards better alternatives. I immediately started looking for "cleaner" toothpaste and landed on Burt's Bees because it was inexpensive compared to some of the other clean brands.
This toothpaste tastes like peppermint essential oils (yum!) and makes my mouth feel so clean. I use the whitening one and haven't felt any sensitivity at all. I've never loved a toothpaste before, but I think this one changed that for me. I legitimately look forward to brushing my teeth now.
On a different note, I also love Burt's Bees tinted chapsticks. I have been wearing less and less makeup lately due to a combination of COVID keeping me home and the Texas heat melting my face off when I step outside. I do still like to have a little something on my lips to add some color, and their tinted chapsticks are great. I use the "rose" color for a subtle pop. My lips don't get that weird flakey stuff on them either, which is a big deal. Anyone else know what I'm talking about?
You can buy the toothpaste here, and the chapstick here.
5. Bareminerals Original Foundation
Okay- throwback to middle school. When I first learned how to put on makeup, this is what my mom gave me to wear! Haha... I eventually stopped wearing it in high school because I was not really into that natural look anymore (say hello to all of the eyeliner, yikes..) Anyway, I started buying it again a few years ago when I worked at Ulta just to see if I'd like it. It has since become a staple in my makeup routine! I love the luminosity of the original foundation because I love how bright and even it makes my face look. I have been wearing less and less makeup lately, so I usually just put on some concealer, Bareminerals, and mascara and call it a day. Even on days when I feel like putting on a full face of makeup, I'll add it under my eyes for a little bit of brightness and glow. I definitely think it's an acquired taste because of the shimmer, but I don't like going without it! :)
Honestly, this list could go on and on, and I'll definitely share so much more as time goes on. For this post, however, I'm going to leave it with these 5 things. You could say they've really earned the Silver Medal in my book. Haha!
Thanks for reading guys, seriously. If you have any questions, you can always reach out to me.
xoxo,
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