I cannot remember the last time I have had chapped lips since I first bought this. And for that reason, this product will forever be a staple item in my purse. I picked up this particular brand (
C.O. Bigelow Rose Salve No. 012) at
Bath & Body Works several years ago, because I needed something moisturizing for my lips. Let me just say, it does the job impeccably. I was sick of buying lip glosses that just sat on top of my lips, and had a sticky finish that would stick to my hair and never really moisturize my lips. It's emulsified with extra-soothing rose extract, which helps ease irritation and condition the skin. Now, here's the best part: It can be used not only on the lips, but on the face, cuticles, elbows, knees, or any other patch of dry skin you may have. I have a terrible habit of picking at the dry skin around my fingernails, so I sometimes massage it into my cuticles, and it really helps to soften them and lead them on the path to healing. This product does what it says, it's affordable ($5.50 for a tin which will last you FOREVER), and it smells divine!
A Dependable Eye Cream
It's so important to start the fight against aging early on, rather than try to reverse it (which is virtually impossible without invasive or costly procedures, of course). I am 29 years old, and have been using an eye cream for about 4 years. However, I recommend starting use before that. Around 24 or 25 years old was when I, personally, started noticing wrinkles / darkness under and around my eye area. At that point, I couldn't erase it completely, but I was determined to slow the progression of it. I've used a few different brands (depending on my budget at the time). One product isn't going to work best for everyone, so do your research and find one that will target exactly what you're trying to remedy. For me, it it mainly wrinkles, so I am currently using the
Clinique Repairwear Laser Focus Wrinkle Correcting Cream. It was voted a
Most Valuable Product of 2013 in Redbook Magazine. You can purchase it anywhere that sells Clinique products or on
Clinique's website. I got mine at
Dillard's.
Eyeshadow Primer
I started getting really tired of my eyeshadow creasing years ago, and finally discovered the miracle of eyeshadow primer thanks to
MakeupByTiffanyD. I wish this product had been around a lot longer than it has. It basically prevents your eyeshadow from creasing, and keeps it in place throughout the day. I have only ever used Urban Decay's Eyeshadow Primer Potion, so I can't speak for any other brands. However, Urban Decay does it right. I can't say enough good things about this product! I've even done some impromptu swimming with makeup on, and my eyeshadow literally still looked perfect when I emerged from the pool. This stuff is simply a must-have if you wear eye makeup on a regular basis. I NEVER go without it when I wear makeup.
Foundation Primer
For those of you who wear makeup often, you know it's a challenge to keep your face looking as fresh at 5:00pm as it did at 8:00am. This is where the amazing invention of the foundation primer comes in. Think of foundation primer as a paint primer. It gives the skin a smooth, mattified finish, while keeping your skin's oil production from ruining your makeup throughout the day. I have oily skin, especially when I wear makeup, so I started using a foundation primer about a year ago after revelling in my success with using eye primer for years. I've tried several brands, but the only one that seems to control my oil and keep my makeup in place is the
L'oreal Studio Secrets Professional Magic Perfecting Base. Just like the eye cream, the same primer will not work for everyone. Everyone's skin is different and has different needs. This one just happens to work well for oily skin. Again, do your research, and find one that works best for your skin type. I use it every time I wear makeup, but if you don't have a big problem with oil, you may only need to wear it in the summer months or when you know you'll be active. If you have extremely oily skin, you may want to pair your primer with an oil controlling foundation.
Oil-Free Eye Makeup Remover
Going back to the fight against aging skin, especially around your eyes, it's imperative that you give your skin a break from makeup at night. You skin naturally regenerates while you are sleeping, and it needs to be able to breath without anything holding it back. I never go to sleep without washing my face and removing every trace of makeup. Gentle cleansers do a great job of removing most of your makeup, but they will almost never remove all of it. You've got to have a gentle eye makeup remover on hand. I currently use the
CVS brand Oil-Free Eye Makeup Remover. It's closely compared to the
L'Oreal and
Nutrogena brands. I, personally, like the liquid form of eye makeup remover rather than a cream/lotion/etc, because my skin feels much cleaner once I've used it. I just put some on a cotton ball and
gently rub it over my eyes to remove whatever my cleanser left behind. It's also not a bad idea to swipe it across the rest of your face to grab leftover foundation, etc. You do not need 2 different types of makeup removers for face and eyes. The one for your eyes will do the job for both!
Cuticle Trimmers
As I mentioned before, I have an awful habit of picking at my dry cuticles. I used nail clippers for years to clip them, and they are just NOT designed for that purpose at all. I've found that once I purchase cuticle trimmers, my cuticles don't grow back as jagged as they did before. Always remember to use a salve, lotion, cuticle softener, or cuticle oil and push the cuticles back before trimming them. This will help them to grow back more evenly and be easier to manage in the future.
A Hair, Skin, and Nails Vitamin
This one is a no-brainer. The best way to take care of your outer shell is to take care of it from the inside. There is only so much topical products can do. Taking a daily vitamin that targets the health of your hair, skin, and nails will do wonders for your appearance. There is just NO excuse not to do this. It's way too quick and easy. I just recently started taking these, and I have already noticed a difference. Pre-natal vitamins work just as well.
Dry Shampoo
Contrary to popular belief, washing your hair every day is not necessary. In fact, it's recommended that you don't! Washing your hair too often can cause your hair to become dry, brittle, and damaged (especially if you use hot tools on a regular basis). The only downside to not washing your hair daily is that for most of us, our hair tends to look greasy, flat, and lifeless. Thankfully, most dry shampoos are able to solve this problem. They come in aerosol form and powder form. I currently use
Big Sexy Hair Volumizing Dry Shampoo (aerosol). This has, by far, proved to be my favorite. I have tried a couple other brands, but usually the smell is off-putting, or they just don't give me enough boost. Just lift you hair up in sections and spray the
roots only, then fluff your roots with your fingers. This stuff is amazing for when you're in a hurry in the morning, or when you're unable (or don't want to) wash your hair. I sometimes still need to run my flat iron through a few places to get rid of kinks and bumps left by sleeping, but it's much better for your hair than stripping the oils, using a blow dryer AND and flat iron over the entirety of your hair on a daily basis.
I hope you've enjoyed part one of my must-have beauty products and will benefit from it! Stay tuned for more installments!
