What's in my Beach Bag?

July 07, 2015 in Lifestyle, Skincare

Hello from Maine! I'm currently on vacation at the beach with my family for the week, so I thought I'd go through all of my beach bag essentials.

The most important thing is that SPF. I'm pale as a ghost and will burn after about 10 minutes of sun exposure, so protecting my skin is super important to me. I'm a convert to the Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch sunscreen - after dealing with sticky limbs every year, I've finally found one that doesn't make me want to run for the showers immediately. I've got the SPF 100+ pictured but I'll probably be using something more like the 55 this year - is it true everything above 50 is all the same?

Another SPF I'm excited to try is the Supergoop! Defense Refresh Setting Mist with Rosemary SPF 50. I spotted this in Sephora while doing some last-minute shopping before I left and thought it sounded like the coolest idea. Reapplying sunscreen on my face all day really clogs up my pores and makes my skin so congested, so I'm really intrigued by having the SPF in mist form. I've tested it out a couple times already, and it really controls excess oil and smells quite minty and herbal, so I think it will be a great refreshing remedy for when I'm overheating on the beach. I'll report back on this one.

I also always make sure to bring along a lip balm with sun protection in it. I've got one from Hawaiian Tropic that has SPF 45, which sounds great and smells like coconuts, but as my lips are very randomly sensitive, I'm also bringing along the Jack Black Intense Therapy Lip Balm with SPF 25 in the Black Tea & Blackberry scent just in case since I know that one won't give me a reaction.

Now that we've got SPF covered, the other most important thing for me to bring is a book. Since the water is so so cold in Maine, I mostly just sit on the beach and read. This summer I'm desperate to get back into reading the Game of Thrones books - I embarrassingly started A Clash of Kings a couple years ago and never finished it. In case I just can't get into it right now, I'm also bringing Dark Places by Gillian Flynn. I completely devoured Gone Girl when I read it in the fall, and I've heard her other books are just as good if not better.

In case I do go in the water, I always bring along a wide-tooth comb so my hair doesn't get too tangled up by the time I get back to the house. I didn't include it in the picture, but I'm also considering popping a mini of the Bumble & Bumble Hairdresser's Invisible Oil Primer in my bag too to give my hair some UV protection and to help detangle. I've also got to have my hair clip with me at all times - I can't stand my hair blowing in my face so I just clip it up into a very attractive top knot when I get too annoyed with it.

The last bits and bobs I carry around are my phone, some headphones, and some sunglasses. I've got three pairs I've been rotating through this summer, and they're all from Target (including those pictured). I'll also make sure I've got a water bottle with me so I don't get dehydrated, along with a loose dress or shirt I can throw on over my bikini.

What do you keep in your beach bag?

Makeup Lately #2

July 04, 2015 in Makeup

As promised in my first "Makeup Lately" post, I'm back again to tell you what I've been slapping onto my face every morning for the past week or so. Like the last look, this one is also pretty minimal, but with a tiny pop of color I don't usually go for.

Over the past few weeks I've been back on the bareMinerals Complexion Rescue bandwagon. I think this will be one of the first bases I'll ever finish - I've gone through about half of it by now. I just love that it gives a beautiful dewy glow to the skin but doesn't feel tacky in the slightest. I've also been needing my trusty concealer duo of the Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Dark Circle Eraser for under my eyes and the NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer everywhere else more than ever. I've been waking up so tired every morning, and it shows not only under my eyes but all over in my skin too. This combo just helps to brighten everything up. I like to blend it all in with the Zoeva Silk Finish Brush for a flawless but natural finish.

For my eyes I've been using a little more color - I start with a wash of the ColourPop eyeshadow in Bill, a muted plum, all over the lid and into the crease and add a thin line of the Kat Von D Ink Liner in Baudelaire to my top lash line. I have a bit of a soft spot for navy eyeliners, and this is the first liquid one I've tried. The tip dries out pretty quickly so I have to close the pen and shake it again before moving on to my left eye, but once the color is there it doesn't budge. I really like how the navy looks with my brown eyes, and I'm definitely going to be wearing it with more bronzey eyeshadows soon. I've been reaching for my L'Oreal Voluminous Waterproof Miss Manga Mascara lately because it never smudges on me despite the weather heating up. On my brows I've still been using the Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow Pomade with the brush that goes with it (I think it's #12) - I've finally gotten the hang of this recently so it's all I've been reaching for.

For cheeks I've been keeping it light and neutral with the Stila Aqua Glow Watercolor Blush in Rosewater - it's just a perfect neutral pink shade that gives a natural flush and goes with anything. I love that the first layer of these is quite sheer, so I can go for a subtle hint of color or build it up if I want. I've been skipping contour recently and going straight for the highlight (which is apparently known as strobing - I've been following a trend I didn't even know about!). I recently got my hands on the Laura Mercier Matte Radiance Baked Powder Compact in Highlight 01 that I mentioned in my Beauty Wishlist, and it's just stunning. You get a very noticeable glow, but it still looks really natural and like you're just glowing from within. Definitely a product I'll never be without from now on.

Lastly for lips, I've been playing it safe with some more neutrals. I made a FeelUnique order recently and discovered I could get Bourjois products through there, so I had to pick up the Rouge Edition Velvet in Nude-ist. It fits in nicely with all my other neutral colors, and the formula is so long-lasting. Another one I've been gravitating towards is the ColourPop Lippie Stix in Lumiere. It's such a lovely mauve-y pink shade that's really similar to the NARS Audacious Lipstick in Anna, and it's a little bit of a bolder option than Nude-ist.

What products have been your go-tos lately?

The Skin Pamper-ers

July 02, 2015 in Skincare

Being the owner of some constantly dehydrated and dry skin, I always like to give my skin a treat before I go to bed. Even in the summer heat, I just love slathering on a thick layer of moisturizer. If I could layer on an overnight mask every night without overloading my skin or if I could afford to use a sheet mask every day, I totally would.

I first realized my love of a nice, thick moisturizer at night when I started using the First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream. If you’ve been reading my blog from the beginning, you’ll know I’m obsessed with this stuff. Recently though, when I was having a hard time spreading it evenly over my skin without dragging and tugging (it is a thick cream after all), I tried mixing a little of the facial oil I had on hand (rosehip), and a new favorite was born. I like how adding in the rosehip oil thins the cream out a little, making it easier to spread over and work into the skin. Sometimes when I’m having a dry moment in the morning, I’ll mix the Ultra Repair Cream with the Indie Lee Squalene Facial Oil for something more lightweight.

I was super happy with my cream + rosehip oil mixture for quite awhile, until I got my hands on the Nourish Argan Skin Renew. This cream has a lovely whipped consistency that sinks into the skin flawlessly. It’s got so many skin-loving oils in it, like jojoba, sunflower seed, and argan of course, so it glides beautifully over the skin like my other mixture, and I don’t even have to mix anything together. It feels heavenly on my constantly stressed skin and really feels like it’s relieving and repairing it. Most reviews I’ve seen say they limit their use to a few times a week, but I just can’t resist slathering this on almost every night. It feels that good. When I wake up in the morning, my skin is hydrated, plump, and absolutely glowing and feels so incredibly nourished.

The Nourish Argan Skin Renew is formulated with Frankincense, a natural astringent to gently balance the skin (making this cream perfect for all skin types), and Rose of Jericho, which improves skin's natural hydration levels and cellular density. It can adjust to different skin types and environments, so despite feeling like a thick cream, it's one that anyone could use. It's also made using natural ingredients, is cruelty free, and 85% organic if that's important to you. Working in a place that's not exactly the portrait of cleanliness, I can tell when my skin just feels tired and worn from the environmental stress. Washing off the grime from the day and then applying the Argan Skin Renew just really makes it feel like my skin is springing back to life. You only need to use a small amount, so this jar is going to last awhile, but I can already tell it's going to be one to repurchase.

Have you tried a more "oily" moisturizer like the Argan Skin Renew?