My 6 Biggest Beauty Mistakes (And How You Can Avoid Them)

Over the years, I’ve made some mistakes while learning how to do makeup and skincare effectively. Most of them were simple mistakes because I didn’t know better. Some were stubbornness.

However, just because I made these mistakes doesn’t mean you have to. Some of these are fairly common mistakes, but others are a bit more unique to me.

Pumping My Mascara Wand

I’d go so far as to say that not pumping your mascara wand is the minority, even now. I believe that it used to be good beauty advice, and only recently have people started to realize that it’s really bad for your mascara. It dries your product out, and it won’t last anywhere near as long.

Since stopping that, I’ve been able to make a tube of mascara last a lot longer. Which, of course, saves money. Plus, dry mascara doesn’t look very good when you put it on.

Read the rest of my biggest makeup mistakes on mugsandmakeupblog.com!

Why am I Breaking Out?

We’ve all been there. One day you wake up and your normally clear skin is dotted with clogged pores! And it’s always at the absolute worst time too, like a date, a wedding, or other celebration. Today we’re going to look at some reasons why you could be breaking out.

Your Products Aren’t Right for Your Skin

This is a common problem for me. As a blogger, I try quite a bit of skincare products regularly. Sometimes, even the most well researched product doesn’t work well on my skin.

If you’re breaking out often, the first thing to do is make sure that you know your skin type. Then make sure you’re using products designed for your skin. I used to break out a lot because I used products meant for oily skin – when mine is fairly dry!

The Weather Changed

In the winter, the air is going to be dryer. This will dry your skin out, potentially causing you to break out. I had this problem and ended up clearing my skin up with an overnight hydration mask.

In the summer and spring, sweat can cause clogged pores, particularly near the hairline or under eyepieces of glasses. Make sure you’re cleansing well and regularly. If you’re still having problems, a pore cleansing mask may help.

Your Makeup Brushes Need Cleaning

When you have a lot of makeup brushes, it’s hard to keep up with washing them, but it can make a huge difference in your skin. I usually try to wash them weekly, but realistically you can go around 2ish weeks without washing them if you don’t do makeup every day. Makeup sponges should be washed every time they’re used to keep them bacteria free.

Your Linens Need Washing

This is something that it took me a while to learn! I have to keep my sheets, towels, and washcloths fresh to keep my skin clean. If I don’t change my pillowcase weekly, I’ll break out. If I use the same towel or wash cloth for too long, I’ll break out. It’s not a big thing, but it can make a HUGE difference in keeping your skin clear.

Another side note: Disinfect your phone screen while you’re at it, that can help if your break outs are localized.

What if Nothing’s Working?

If none of these things help fix the issue, then it’s likely hormonal in some form. It could be related to stress, or to natural fertility cycle hormones. Consider seeing a dermatologist to figure out the issue if it bothers you!

I Moved! – Don’t Forget to check me out on mugsandmakeupblog.com!

How to Build Your Skincare Routine

Your skincare is always going to be unique to you. Everyone’s skin is different and will react differently to different products. So there will always a trial and error process to finding your skincare.

And remember – what worked for you as a teenager will not always work for you as an adult. Your skin changes with you. Your skin during puberty will be different than it will be after. Pregnancy will change your skin chemistry – sometimes temporarily, sometimes permanently. Even something as simple as your period can change your skin’s composition.

Find Your Skin Type

This is the absolute most important part of your skin care routine. It will inform the kinds of products you’re going to get. It’s one of the primary reasons that there are so many different types of skincare!

Personally, I have normal-dry skin. It’s mostly normal, but tends towards dryness more than oiliness. This article from Tatcha has two great ways to figure out your skin type!

You have to be extra careful if you have sensitive skin because products can cause your skin to break out or burn, or you could even end up with hives or something more serious. If products have caused you to have reactions before, make sure you’re purchasing items that are good for sensitive skin.

Establish Your Basic Routine

Every routine should have at least these four things:

• Cleanser
• Exfoliator
• Toner
• Moisturizer

When choosing a cleanser, ensure that it works with your skin type. Some cleansers are more moisturizing, which is great for drier skin but really bad for oily skin. Some are extremely strong and on normal or dry skin it feels like your skin has been stripped of all of it’s moisture and nourishment.

An exfoliator is a product that you use 1-3 times a week, depending on the product and your skin. These types of products, be they chemical or physical exfoliants, will help remove dead skin cells from your face to reveal bright, healthy skin underneath. Be careful with these though, some exfoliating products are very harsh and can leave cuts on your skin. Make sure you’re using something gentle.

Toners will help remove any other makeup or dirt from your skin, as well as help balance your skin. Most toners are based in witch hazel, which is not ideal for dry skin. If your skin is dryer, search for something more hydrating.

Moisturizer will add or lock in moisture. Dry skin will need very strong, thick moisturizers. Oilier skin will want a more lightweight, barely there type of moisturizer. Don’t make the mistake of thinking oily skin doesn’t need moisturizer! Everyone needs a good moisturizer.

Establish Your Specific Concerns

When choosing those products, you should also figure out what other concerns you want them to help with such as:

• Acne/Blemishes
• Rosacea
• Scarring or dark spots
• Wrinkles
• Dark under eye circles
• Puffy Eyes

Now sometimes you can’t get help with these particular concerns in your products. That’s when you supplement with other products. For example, if you have dark and/or puffy eyes, find an eye cream that will target these issues. Serums tend to be where you get most of your wrinkle reducing or brightening benefits.

Another area where you can add some of those benefits are in your masks. Doing face (and eye) masks regularly can add some of the brightening, moisturizing, acne fighting, or wrinkle reducing benefits to your regular routine.

My Skincare Routine

Now my skincare routine is very changeable. For the sake of blogging, I try a LOT of different products. But I’ll just put the ones I’m currently using so you can get an idea of how my routine goes.

Cleanser – Fresh Soy Cleanser

Exfoliator – The Better Skin Co. Lava Magik

Toner – Boots Botanics Organic Toning Spritz

Moisturizer – Glow Recipe Banana Bright Moisturizer

Supplemental Products – Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Sleeping Mask, Zatik Relief Eye Serum

I hope this was helpful for you guys! Let me know what your skincare routine looks like in the comments!

What Kind of Foundation is Best for You?

Choosing a foundation is one of the hardest parts of getting a flawless makeup routine. There are so many moving parts involved in choosing one, including your skin type, your preferred primers, and even the rest of your makeup! Many makeup websites will have this information, and Sephora will even sort their foundations on their website by these different factors.

Taking all of these things into account will help you find a foundation that works for you.

Skin Type

Skin type is the first and most important thing to consider when choosing your foundation. The most common types are dry, oily, normal, and combination. Dry and oily are fairly self explanatory, as is normal. Combination is a mixture of those. If you’re not sure what your skin type is, Tatcha has these two great methods to try to figure it out! I tend towards dryness, which impacts my foundation choices significantly. Matte or oil controlling foundations don’t usually work for me, and can make my skin look dry and flakey.

Skin Undertones

This impacts your choice of shade of your foundation. The three main undertones are cool, warm, and neutral. Warm undertones tend towards yellow, peachy, or golden. Cool ones are pink, red, or blueish. Neutral is a mix of those two. This cool guide from Stylecaster gives you several different tests to see what your undertones are (including the age old jewelry trick).

Other Skin Concerns

This is where you address concerns such as sensitive skin, dry patches, or acne. Often you handle most of those with skincare. However, you should keep an eye out for whether or not a foundation you’re interested in will cater to those issues. Many foundations are formulated with ingredients such as hyaluronic acid, retinoids, or salicylic acid to help with those.

Primers and Foundation Base

The type of primer you use will make a big difference in your foundation choices as well. Silicone based primers such as Maybelline Baby Skin, Benefit Porefessional, or CoverFX Blurring primer are best with silicone based foundations. Water based primers such as the Too Faced Hangover Primer, Smashbox Photofinish Primer Water, and Laura Mercier  Foundation Primer work best with water based foundations. If you try to mix the two, it can cause your foundation to separate and get cakey on your skin.

Foundation Formulas

So this is looking at things like mineral foundation vs stick foundation vs liquid foundation. This just depends on how your skin reacts. Often, stick foundations settle into fine lines and don’t perform as well on dry skin. Mineral foundations tend to work well on sensitive skin. Liquid foundations, particularly those without a mattefying effect, don’t work as well on oily skin. Now there are always exceptions, so be sure to research the foundation(s) that you’re interested in!

Foundation Finish

Lastly, you want to decide what kind of finish is your favorite. Some people really like their skin to look smooth and matte. Others love a fresh and dewy skin. That’s definitely personal preference above anything else, but again, some things you may have to use other products to achieve. With my dry skin, I can’t really use many mattefying foundations. So I use a mattefying powder instead. If you can’t use dewy foundations, then use a matte one and be generous with your favorite highlighter.

My current favorite foundations are the Makeup Revolution Conceal and Hydrate (moisturizing, medium-full coverage) and the Maybelline Superstay (full coverage, long wearing). What are your favorite foundations? Let me know in the comments!

Choosing Skincare for Sensitive Skin

Working with sensitive skin can be anything from annoying to potentially severely painful. Reactions from improper products can most cause at best some redness, but can also cause itchiness, rashes, or hives. So when you’re choosing products for sensitive skin, it’s important to be very careful of what products you’re choosing and how you apply them!

Know Your Skin Type

I know I probably sound like a broken record when I say this, but it really does make things so much easier! And particularly with sensitive skin, you want to ensure that your products do exactly what they need to do. Make absolutely sure that you know what your skin type is so that you can properly care for it.

Figure Out What Triggers Your Skin

Different people have different things that their skin react to. The most common sensitivities are fragrances and preservatives. Other fairly common ones include food dyes, lanolin, and certain essential oils (such as tea tree and peppermint). If you react to things a lot, it could be worth finding out what you’re allergic to. If it’s only certain products, it’s usually not worth it.

Look for Products Designed for Sensitive Skin

Many brands have products specifically for sensitive skin. Simple, Neutrogena, CeraVe, and Burt’s Bees are great drugstore options. For more expensive products look to brands such as Clinique, Glossier, BareMinerals, Drunk Elephant, and Philosophy. Make sure you’re looking for products created for sensitive skin. These products contain lower risk ingredients, making a reaction significantly less likely.

Research, Research, Research

Look up the product you’re interested in. Read reviews, watch YouTube videos of someone with skin like yours testing it, and check the product claims and ingredients. The more severe your reactions tend to be, the more careful you want to be about the products you choose.

Test CAREFULLY

If you can, test the product before you purchase it. Most beauty product stores such as Ulta and Sephora will either allow you to test in store, or will give you samples that you can use at home. When you sample, make sure that you only use the product on a small area such as right under your jaw or the back of your hand (if places other than your skin react as well). This way it’s less to wash off if there’s a reaction! Most places, especially Ulta and Sephora, will take products back as a return. If you try it at home and discover that it gives you a bad reaction, you can usually return or exchange it.

Sensitive skin can be really hard to manage, particularly with skincare products. But if you take the time to find products and a routine that truly work for your skin, you can have great skin just as easily as anyone else! Do you have a favorite product that you use on sensitive skin? Tell us about it (and your skin type) in the comments!

Boxycharm February 2019

Hey guys, I’m back! It’s been quite a couple of weeks. I ended up taking last week off to just… chill. I was on vacation for a couple of weeks, which is why this is so late! I’m very excited to review everything for you, however.

This month’s Boxycharm was worth $121! It was a great box overall, with some products I was super excited to try.

Too Faced Better than Sex Mascara

This was a product I was very excited to try. This is considered to be one of the best mascaras on the market. However, I wasn’t terribly impressed. I’ll be fair here- I am extremely picky about mascara. This one does add beautiful length to my lashes. But I have some lashes that struggle to stay curled, and this did absolutely nothing for them. And it clumped a bit on my lower lashes in a way that I wasn’t a fan of. It’s not awful, but it really didn’t change my life.

Pretty Vulgar Shimmering Swan Highlighter in Glow Up

Pretty Vulgar is one of those amazing yet highly underrated brands. I liked this highlighter a lot, though it’s not as glowy and beaming as I like my highlight. Other than that, it’s beautiful. It goes on nicely and doesn’t show off a bunch of texture. If you prefer subtle, this is the highlight for you!

touch in Sol No POREblem Primer

So far, I’m loving this. The feel of it is amazing, not too silicone-y but not too moisturizer like either. It definitely made my makeup last! The pump is amazing, and the packaging is very lux feeling. My pores look significantly smaller with this primer alone, and my makeup looks flawless with it on! I was surprised to find that the lines I have on my forehead were blurred somewhat as well. It’s a great product, even given it’s price.

Farmacy Clean Bee Ultra-Gentle Cleanser

First off, I love that this feels ever so slightly moisturizing. not like it’s greasy, but like it doesn’t strip your face. It’s very gentle, and is perfect after my makeup removing balm. It smells very herby, but also somewhat like honey. I’m not particularly blown away by this, but I do enjoy using it and it hasn’t caused me, or my skin, any issues.

Trestique Prime + Glaze Lip Crayon in English Rose

My first reaction was to be frustrated because I felt like this should be more pigmented and closer to the packaging color. But as I wore it, I came to absolutely love it! It feels amazing on the lips, and the primer prepped my lips so well. English Rose is a gorgeous color as well. Such a gorgeous, soft pink! The packaging feels very sturdy and it’s kinda fun looking as well. The only thing I have against it is that it feels a bit sticky on the lips. That wouldn’t really even bother me if my hair didn’t get stuck in it! But I would absolutely get more shades of this.

January 2019 BoxyCharm Reviews

Whelp, it’s that time again! Time for me to go over and talk about this month’s Boxy and all of the products I received! I’ll be honest. This wasn’t my favorite box. But I’ve had so many great ones, and even one or two good products can make this box worth it! My box this month was worth $121, which is actually a pretty good value!

Tarte Rainforest of the Sea Vol. 3 Highlighting Eyeshadow Palette

I was really not thrilled by this. As far as the quality of the shadows, I was impressed for sure. All of the shimmers were gorgeous and pigmented. But therein lies my issue with this palette. It was all neutral shimmer. I would have been happier if the singular matte shade had been a decent crease color, but it had basically no pigment and the shade itself was super light. I would definitely try another Tarte palette, but as beautiful as the packaging is on this one I just don’t think it was a great concept. You can’t do a look with this. I’m going to be giving this away to a friend. Otherwise it will just sit in my collection.

Briogeo Don’t Despair Repair Leave In Mask

Wow Briogeo, you never disappoint, do you? This product leaves my hair SO SOFT. All of their products do, really. They’re great to put in before you dry your hair and they’ll help keep your hair soft and shiny. Just be careful not to use too much! I’m a huge fan of this brand and was so happy to see it in this month’s box.

Bite Amuse Bouche Lipstick in Dragonfruit

I was really excited about this lipstick. The shade is unusual for me, a bright pink shade. My favorite thing? It’s super comfortable! It’s not a matte, but instead has a gorgeous satiny finish. It does go on a bit greasy, particularly if you put too much on. I’ll also say that it’s not at all transfer proof. But the thing is, it doesn’t bleed and it doesn’t smear super badly when it transfers. Honestly, just make sure you blot this lipstick really well with tissue and it should help minimize these issues. Overall, I think this is one of the very few bullet style lipsticks that I would buy again!

Tatcha Luminous Dewy Skin Face Masks

These are actually such great wintertime products! I didn’t even realize how dry my skin was getting until I tried out this mask. This was my first Tatcha product, and I’m starting to understand why people pay what they do for the products! But it really moisturized my face. I’m still feeling the difference a couple of days later. I looked naturally radiant afterwards and just overall very healthy. My favorite part was how refreshed my skin felt after the mask! It didn’t feel heavy or oily at all, just refreshed like I’d sprayed a facial mist on it.

Starlooks Luxe Longwear Eye Pencil in Aurora

This eyeliner was a shimmery, glittery pink. And therein lies my issue. It has basically no pigment and it barely shows up on my skin. It won’t show up as a waterline eyeliner, and I can’t get any pigment out of it to smudge along my lower lashes (or upper lashes for that matter). I’ve tried really hard to enjoy and get something good out of this, but I just can’t. It’s not a product I enjoy. Perhaps I’d prefer this product in a different color?

Influenster Best of Beauty Box vol. 1 – Skincare

This year, Influenster curated their Best of Beauty winners into a really awesome purchasable beauty box. Thanks to one of the products on this list, which I’ll get to, I decided to go ahead and purchase the box. As of this writing, the box is still available here.

Since the box is so large, I decided to divide everything up over the course of the next few weeks. I also am not using every single one of the products. Some of the products were gifted to family members and others are in my ‘giveaway’ box.

The products from this box that I will not be using or reviewing are the Alba Botanica Hawaiian Detox Warming Mud Mask, the Coola SPF 50 Sunscreen, the Sunday Riley Good Genes Lactic Acid Treatment, and the Jergens Natural Glow Daily Moisturizer. The mud mask I’m going to hold on to because with my dry skin, detox masks tend to just dry me out. I gave the sunscreen to my mom for her trip to Florida in the summer. I have the Sunday Riley product in my giveaway box, and I’m super leery of using a self-tanning lotion in the winter.

With all that out of the way, let’s get on to the products that I am reviewing!

Ponds Dry Skin Cream

I was very leery of this when I first tried it. I’ve heard of the brand before, but my skin isn’t usually ‘dry patches’ dry, so I wondered if this product would break me out. It did the exact opposite! I started using it as a night cream and it’s absolutely amazing. It doesn’t feel super heavy overall, and you don’t need much to get total moisturization. I will say that the scent is fairly strong, but it’s a fresh scent and I’m not bothered by it anyway. I’m definitely adding this in as a permanent part of my skincare routine, at least in the winter!

Philosophy Purity Facial Cleanser

I’m going to start by saying that I’m extremely picky about cleansers. I’ve had some very bad luck in the past, so I’m very funny about how I like my cleansers to be. If I didn’t have a less expensive alternative, this would be my go-to! It’s a very light cleanser that doesn’t strip the skin, but you still feel like it gets rid of all of the impurities. The product is scented, it’s overall very herby, though I’m not entirely sure which herbs. It’s not completely unpleasant, but not a particular favorite. Honestly, my only issue with it is the price point. I had a cleanser I purchased previously that does a similar job but is significantly less expensive.

Origins GinZing Refreshing Eye Cream to Brighten & Depuff

I’ve been singing this product’s praises since I started this blog. It was one of the first products I reviewed here, and it continues to be a favorite. I use it literally every single morning. I purchased this box because I could get it at a price that made it like $4 cheaper than what this product costed on its own. And for $200+ worth of products, even if I only used like one other product it was worth it.

So this product makes my dark circles significantly lighter, and it makes them coverable with makeup. I literally wake up every morning looking like I’ve been punched in both eyes. It’s bad. My dark circles are the actual worst thing ever. But I use this every morning, no matter what, and it makes a huge difference! I love it, and I recommend it to absolutely everyone.

Tree Hut Coconut Lime Shea Sugar Scrub

I’ve actually used one of these before. I was leery of the coconut/lime scent mixture but it’s not too terribly strong – or at least not to the point that I can’t handle it. Not my favorite, but not awful either. But these sugar scrubs are fantastic! They’re abrasive, but not painful or irritating. I always feel super clean after using one of these sugar scrubs, but they don’t dry my skin out. It’s actually surprisingly hydrating for a scrub like this!

EOS Shave Cream in Pomegranate Raspberry

This was not the first time I’ve used this product. It’s overall great, super moisturizing, and smells absolutely amazing. I don’t get bumps after shaving with this stuff, which is nice. My only issue is that I prefer shaving creams that foam up a lot. This is more lotion-like. It’s definitely insanely moisturizing though, I don’t need lotion after shaving with this. The only other problem that I have with this is the price point. I actually used to buy it for myself, but I didn’t see the point when I can get a good shaving cream for significantly cheaper. It improved my shaving experience, but not that much.

Love Beauty & Planet Coconut Water + Mimosa Flower Body Lotion

Love Beauty & Planet didn’t have one particular product in this box, but I was sent this particular lotion. I’m pretty pleased with it overall! I wasn’t sure how I was going to feel about the scent, but it’s overall a nice smell – to my surprise. It’s super moisturizing, and really melts into the skin. You don’t need much to moisturize either!

Be sure to tune back in next week for the haircare products!

My Favorite Skincare Products of 2018 Vol. 2

Welcome back! So back in July, halfway through the year, I did a Favorite Skincare products of 2018 post. Throughout the rest of 2018, I got access to even more amazing products to try. I’ve actually managed to replace almost every single one of these products with drugstore alternatives.

My Origins GenZing Eye Cream is still in rotation, I actually just repurchased it a couple of weeks ago. So that’s one of my go-tos, even now. The Tarte products were rotated out with new products that are just as great, but much more affordable. I still love them, but I can’t justify spending that much if I’m not going to get good return. The Bath and Body Works Scrub is also a favorite still, I just haven’t repurchased it recently!

However, I’ve got some great new products to share with you! If I reviewed a product already, I’ll link to the post so you can read my original review as well.

Mario Badescu Facial Spray with Aloe, Cucumber, and Green Tea

This is my toner. With dry skin, it’s hard to find a toner that won’t dry your skin out! However, this one is great for keeping skin moisturized. It can also be used as a primer or a setting spray, but I haven’t tried that application. Next time, I might try the lavender spray for my toner since I love the smell of lavender (and relaxing is definitely on my to-do list).

Formula 10.0.6 Be Berry Ready Daily Foaming Cleanser

I’ve used one of these before and seriously disliked it. The grapefruit scrub was very drying. However, the reviews on this one indicated that it was more mosturizing. I gave it a shot, and it is! The only thing I don’t love is the very sweet, almost artificial/medicinal berry smell the product has. It’s almost overpowering, but the smell doesn’t stick around so I don’t worry about it too much.

Simple Brand Smoothing Facial Scrub

This great, reasonably priced exfoliator is great for dry skin. It’s so gentle that you can use it every other day if you want, though realistically I tend to use it 2 times a week or so. Depends on the week. The brand is great for sensitive skin, though this particular product can be difficult to get ahold of.

Farmacy Beauty Green Clean Makeup Remover

This came in a BoxyCharm and I’m in love. It takes my makeup off so easily, and it doesn’t feel like it’s stripping my skin. It smells very herby overall, somewhat like PineSol but less artificial. It does a better job than micellar water, and requires less (read no) scrubbing. The makeup literally melts off. One thing is that I 100% recommend cotton pads or a wash cloth to help, your skin won’t get as clean otherwise.

L’Oreal Paris HydraGenius Glowing Water Cream for Normal/Dry Skin

This has become my holy grail moisturizer. It’s light enough for daily wear, but super moisturizing. Enough that I’m able to go through the winter without a more intense daily moisturizer, which surprises me a lot. I’m a huge fan overall. It’s actually one of the least expensive drugstore moisturizers I’ve seen in places like CVS and Walmart, which makes it even better.

Ahava Hydration Cream Mask

This came in my most recent FabFitFun box and it saved my skin! I was starting to break out after the weather changed, but I didn’t connect it to the cold. My skin had dried out and I was trying to dry it further with clarifying masks! Oops. But I used this mask overnight and my skin was back to normal within 48 hours. It even helped stop a couple of pimples from forming once I got my skin’s natural moisture back.

Stay tuned later on in the week for the sequel- makeup favorites of 2018!

FabFitFun Winter 2018 Reviews

Hello everyone! I thought this time it might be fun to go through and review all of my items from my FabFitFun box. This box was pretty intense, so this post is going to be a doozy for sure. However, it was a great box: I was so amazed! The value was $316 according to FabFitFun’s website. Considering I paid $50 for it, that’s not bad at all.

Bearpaw Combo Set Headband and Pop Top Glove Duo- $45

This is just super comfy. It’s a black headband and glove set. The headband has a soft, thick cream-colored sherpa fabric on the inside to keep you warm. The gloves are thinner, but they’re actually quite warm as well. They’re slightly large for me, but I’ve got very small hands so I’m not surprised. Overall I love them!

Mark and Graham Colorblock Throw in Gray/Ivory- $49

This blanket is a somewhat small, yet incredibly soft cashmere throw blanket. I do really like mine, but the biggest problem is keeping the cat out of it. I’m terrified that she’s going to destroy it! So I don’t use it much. It’s about the right size and shape that it would actually be a great shawl/wrap as well as being a blanket. If you folded it right, it could even be used as a blanket scarf!

Oribe Gold Lust Dry Shampoo- $44

This is one of those products that I love, but that I’d never buy for myself. It’s an amazing dry shampoo that makes my hair feel fantastic pretty quickly. It’s also great for adding a little bit of texture and volume to your hair. This dry shampoo doesn’t have much of a scent that I’ve noticed, but it does keep your hair smelling very fresh. It doesn’t leave a white cast on my dark brown/auburn hair, which is nice. My only issue with this product is that it doesn’t feel worth the price. Other lux brands such as amika are as good or better: and around half the price or even cheaper. Especially since I do use a decent amount at once, even on short hair.

PUR Cosmetics Be Your Selfie Palette- $36

I’d say this was a fairly okay palette. I think the thing that was the most disappointing was how pink the palette looked in pictures but it was very neutral/cooler browns when you actually see it. The shadows performed fine, though I don’t always care for PUR’s formula. The shimmers weren’t ideal, they were very sheer and not good for building up. Overall, this was a bit disappointing overall, but awful. I think I’ll be giving it to a family member where it can get a better home.

Dr. Brandt Microdermabrasion Age Defying Exfoliator- $79

I absolutely love this. Finding an exfoliator that works for my dry skin without drying out really badly is immensely difficult. And yet if I don’t use one, my skin gets flakey and dry. This one makes my skin feel amazing, but isn’t rough and highly abrasive. The exfoliating beads are very fine, feeling more like sand than anything else. It rinses off very easily and leaves my skin super soft and ready for my moisturizer! I’m super pleased with this product overall.

Way of Will Elevate Essential Oil Set- $31

These are actually skin safe essential oils, which is super nice. This package comes with sweet orange and eucalyptus essential oils, good for headaches and sore muscles. I mostly diffuse them, and they’re pretty potent. They don’t seem like they do better than the ones I’ve gotten at Walmart or Michaels though, leading me to believe that I’m going to have better luck with less expensive essential oils.

Thrive Causemetics Brilliant Eye Brightener in Stella- $24

This is okay, but it’s not my favorite. This is a cream highlighter stick in a champagne shade. It’s very subtle, which isn’t particularly my cup of tea. My other main issue is how hard this is to blend into anything. I do use it fairly regularly, but I’m not a fan. It’s too dark for my lower inner rim, but too subtle for my browbone and inner corner. It also takes eyeshadow off when I put it in my inner corners. But really, as much as I’ve tried to like this, my Colourpop Supershock Highlighter in Flexitarian is so much more blinding, so much easier to use, and cheaper to boot.

Ahava Hydration Cream Mask- $33

I was a little bit leery of this at first, I thought it might end up being too much and make my skin super oily. But let me just tell you. This stuff works miracles! I was having a lot of problems with my skin breaking out for what felt like no reason. I kept doing detox masks and drying my skin out. I used this overnight one night and my skin cleared right up! It’s a mask that can be either used as a 3-5 minute ‘blast’ of hydration or an overnight mask that sinks into your skin. It feels like a moisturizer, but one that’s lightweight and super hydrating! I’m super impressed with this, it’s definitely my new favorite mask.

Blaq Hydrogel Eye Masks with Hyaluronic Acid- $29

You guys know about my dark circle issues. It’s a mess. But a set of these masks really makes a difference! I used it for around 10 minutes before I put my makeup on and I didn’t need nearly as much color correction and concealing. My under eyes felt so much lighter! My skin felt super refreshed and cool after the masks, and when the liquid dried down it didn’t leave my skin feeling sticky or weird. Overall just a great set of masks that I’m really excited about!