Summer Beauty Finds

In the ever endless search for the perfect beauty products, I have come across a few new items that I feel are worth sharing. I have been blessed with much better skin this pregnancy (last time was a full acne catastrophe) and have been testing some new, gentler products with less ingredients that are suspect for the baby. 

From Left: 

Ole Henriksen Truth Creme Advanced Hydration : While this cream gives great hydration, it is not greasy at all. It has kind of a funky smell (orange and vanilla), but there is definitely a brightness to my skin after using this at night. I rotate moisturizers at night, so I slather this on probably three times a week. 

Lancome Artliner Eye Liner: I have used this sporadically for a long time, but recently fell back in love with it. I tend to just use liner, if I wear it at all, on the upper water line (between eye and lashes) and this is really easy to apply and to correct with a cotton swab. 

Make Up for Ever HD Foundation: Searching for the perfect foundation that covers, blends well, and does not look like a mask is super hard. I am really loving this product though and use it with a Beauty Blender for just the right amount of coverage. It has just enough coverage to hide all those imperfections, but your skin still shows through. 

Josie Maran Organic Argan Oil: This has been the best surprise purchase so far. My skin breaks out so easily, so using oil as a moisturizer is scary. But I LOVE this moisturizer. I use it day or night and my skin is so soft and not greasy at all. Which is weird since it is pure oil. 

What have you tried lately that you love? I am such a product junkie, I need to know your secrets. 

xo

Erin  

Crossing Over: Foundation

One of my most vivid beauty memories is when I was with my mom at a Lancome counter while she was stocking up on her favorite essentials. I, being the always-cool-and-everything-else-is-not eleven year old, was bored and could not understand why anyone would ever wear so much stuff all over their face. As I complained to my mom and the salesgirl, they both looked at me and said, "You just wait. One day you are going to be sitting here buying the same products and you will understand." I rolled my eyes and wondered off to the shoe section to look at Doc Martens. 

Almost twenty years later, and I for sure understand the purpose and allure of make up. But only until last month did I finally try my hand at what I think is the ultimate in the "what mom wears" make up category, foundation. 

For every day use, I still am a huge fan of Laura Mercier oil-free tinted moisturizer. But I have been needing a bit more coverage with the effects of pregnancy all over my face and the loss of some of my favorite retinol products (cannot use while pregnant) that usually keep my skin an even tone after a break out. 

And I have to say my first endeavor into foundation has been a great one. I found one that is water based, light as can be and does not go on like a mask, which is by far the worst look on the planet. 

Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua, has just a bit more coverage than a tinted moisturizer and evens out skin tone like nothing else I have used. The built in SPF 15 is a great bonus. Because it goes on so smoothly (apply with clean fingers), your skin looks like itself only better. It does not look like your grandmother's cakey mask. 

It is a small bottle, but you only need to use a little bit to see the difference. Then once applied all over, reapply a bit more where you might need more coverage. I would visit a counter and ask for help to make sure that you match your skin color perfectly. 

So I guess I finally get it. After all these years, sometimes you need a little help to cover up what life has tossed you. As long as it looks fresh and natural, I think my eleven-year-old self would think it looks "okaaaaaay". But I would still get an eye roll. 

xo

Erin