Tuesday, May 31, 2011

My top 5 daily used products/tools

I wanted to make a post about the products I like right now. As the season changes, what you need or look for in products change and well, mine tend to change daily. However, the products I am going to talk about are products I have used a lot for the past few weeks.

My friends always tell me when there is a new product they like, why the like it and is it worth it; my goal is to do the same. I will post links at the bottom for the products.

*Yes, I am buying an actual camera soon; I will be able to post more pictures and better quality than my Blackberry.



1). Nars – Pro Primer, multi-protect primer, spf 30 sunscreen - $32

I ordered this online via Sephora.com based on another vloggers review of this product and the fact that it was a more cream based that gel/oil. I already have combo skin, so I don’t want to make any other areas oily.

The first time I put this product on it felt light, it wasn’t heavy, it didn’t feel like it was going to clog my pores and it felt like it was hydrating my skin. After giving it a minute to absorb, my skin was ready to put my foundation on. I could feel that the primer was acting like Superman for my skin and was going to protect it from the harsh day, while keeping my makeup in place.

By the end of the day, I looked in the mirror and the only part of my face I had to touch up, was right under my eyes. With that fact right there, I was sold and it will be a staple part of my makeup routine. Yes, it is on the pricey side but you don’t need a lot and if you do, you’re using too much.



2). Aveeno – Ultra Calming daily moisturizer with spf 15 - $16.99

I have actually had this for over a year, I used it once and for some reason didn’t like (I cannot remember why). Anyways, I was using Philsophy ‘Hope in a Jar’ and wasn’t seeing any major benefits from the product. One day, my face experienced was feeling rather raw and I just couldn’t see using my current moisturizer on my face. I felt I needed something gentle, to hydrate and protect my skin. I then remember I had this product and dug it out from hiding. Best decision I made! Not only has this hydrated my skin but has kept my skin balanced (no oily t-zone or clogged pores) but it also helps with redness on my face. I am rather pale, so redness will appear 10x more noticeable. Plus, I feel that since I started using this product, all acne on my face has decreased dramatically.

I love this product and I will be using this product for a while.

3).  ELF- Shimmering Facial Whip in Spotlight- $1 at Target or on eyeslipsface.com

I was exploring Target for cheap beauty products and came across this. For a $1, I felt it was worth testing out. I love shimmer and anything I can use to add a little highlight on my face. I tested it out on top of my cheekbones and I loved the highlight it gave to my cheekbones. I continue to use it and every now and then I put it on my brow bone. A little goes a long way; you just need a tiny dot because it spreads!

4). ELF – Foundation brush - $1


This speaks for itself, it is a foundation brush and it is a fairly cheap one. Being cheap doesn’t mean it is not effective. I have used many foundation brushes over the years and this $1 brush is exactly the same to the $30 foundation brush, I bought from high-end brands. It is great for blending but you must wash it to keep it working as a usable tool.

5). Physician’s Formula- Conceal Rx in Fair light - $7.99

I love this concealer and I mean it! This is the best one I have used in about 2 years. I have tried everything out there, some are too thick, some don’t blend well, some don’t stay put but this one does it all. For starters, you don’t need a lot, this product is concentrated and you need a tiny dab or smaller to cover a large area. It covers my dark circles, acne spots, acne scars, redness and the list goes on and on. Plus it blends so well into your foundation/skin that it truly un-noticeable. It doesn’t break down during the day, it doesn’t run and it just covers everything perfectly.


These are just my thoughts on products that I use, that I bought and have had a positive experience with it. I did just notice, that between my primer, moisturizer and foundation, I put 65 spf on my face, daily. That explains why I never get color from the sun on my face, ha ha.

All these products can be found on sephora.com, ulta.com, physicansformula.com, eyeslipsface.com and I am sure there are many other sites as well. ELF products I discussed I purchased within a Target store.

BirchBox



I received my first Birchbox in the mail today and was thrilled with the sample products I received. For those that don’t know how Birchbox works, I will explain!

-       It costs only $10/month and they send you 4-5 high-end samples. This includes shipping of you box each month.
-       You can cancel anytime.
-       If you like the sample you received, you can order the full size product on the site.
-       Every dollar you spend, you get 1 point. After $100 points, you have $10 to use towards buying a full size product.
-       Every referral that leads to a sign up, you get 50 points.

This month I received the following samples:
1). Stila -Eyeshadow in Poppy. A blue color but it is so pretty on. They gave us a FULL SIZE this month, valued at $18. Which basically paid for this whole box!
2). Bulgari - Mon Jasmin Noir - It is okay, not my cup of tea.
3). Archipelago - Pomegranate soap- It smells delicious but nothing I would buy a full size of.
4). Ahava- Mineral hand Cream. I LOVE this hand cream and I am very tempted to buy the full size. It has a soft smell; it is non-greasy and gives all the moisture back to your hands.


Here is a picture of the cute packaging and a picture of the products!