my favorite products these days

I wasn’t really a products junkie until my 30s. I really didn’t do much for my hair or skin until even more recently. Now, I love a good product. A great review from a blogger I follow and I’m digging for more reviews, asking more questions, totally intrigued. Oils, serums, hair potions… GIVE ME ALL THE MAGIC ELIXIRS. Forget a pair of shoes, how about a facial?!
I know there’s a lot written about self-care these days–what it is, what it isn’t. I’m no expert, but I do know that my life is really busy, and it involves taking care of a lot of people other than myself. So, it makes me really happy to take a bit of time to do something like a mask, a hair conditioning, listening to a really great podcast that fulfills me, meditating, getting a gorgeous mug for a daily cup of tea.. something for me. I suspect you feel similarly! Simple things in the grand scheme, but that somehow are always pushed to the back burner. Here are a few of the things in the beauty products realm that I really love and look forward to using and that just work well. Some are in the safer beauty realm, others aren’t as much. 01. beautycounter cleansing balm: gosh, i don’t shut up about this balm do i. it’s the best multitasker ever. brightens skin tone, reduces redness, removes makeup, hydrates without stripping moisture. it’s my nightly cleanser these days, and it’s expensive but i’m telling you a little bit goes a long way. it can be an overnight super hydrating mask as well. it’s got tons of nourishing oils in it and vitamin c. i’ve had the same jar since september and it’s got at least a 1/3 left in it, used daily. if a balm isn’t your thing, i love this cleansing milk too.
02. damn good toner: anti-inflammatory, and great for breakouts, and regulating pH. leaves you feeling cleeeean. this shop is full to the absolute brim of amazing products. also, check out the face wash. if you don’t believe me, read the reviews.
03. osea probiotic polish: this is the most amazing exfoliator. it’s super gritty so it really does a good job removing dead skin. plus it’s packed with all sorts of other good stuff like vitamin c for evening skin tone, and probiotics. for your skin! note: they sent me this but not with any sort of obligation to write anything. i just really love this exfoliator. also love their white algae mask!
04. beautycounter countermatch body lotion: love this for after showers all over my legs and arms. no stickiness. vitamin e for moisturizing and skin elasticity. their body butter (citrus-scented–safe fragrance though!) is amazing too.
05. kevin murphy volumizing powder puff: this must’ve gone off the market or something because there’s one listing on amazon for over $300. let me just say, it is not worth that. however, if you can find it for $20ish, then hell yeah. it does a good job sort of stickying (new word!) up the roots so that they stay voluminous. it’s the best. and can definitely be sort of reactivated with a little fingers to the scalp massage-and-lift throughout the day.
06. beautycounter sea salt spray: my newest hair product and it’s great. i love it just as much as my coconut spray, but it’s possible that it gets my hair a little bit curlier, with a bit more of a hold element. i usually use it after their volume line of shampoo and conditioner and i can honestly say i love this as much as my dry bar or living proof volume lines i used to use. bonus–it does lather up more like a normal shampoo (which is sometimes tricky for ‘clean’ versions).
07. living proof full dry volume blast: this will definitely be a product i replace when it’s gone as i think it just does a really good job with exactly what it says it’ll do. volume! i tend to use this one more than the powder puff because it’s just… a little easier?
08. olaplex hair perfector no. 3: i read so many gloooowing reviews about this. like cult-following stuff. had to try it. i have done it twice. first time i wasn’t sure if i noticed anything, but the second time i kept it in for like well over an hour, while i just did laundry and such, and i think it definitely made my hair just sort of softer and healthier feeling. on a forever-quest for princess hair.
09. beautycounter lipstick: i love my beautycounter lipsticks so much. the sheers are still my favorite over the color intense ones (the sheers are more gloss meets lipstick while the color intense ones are a little more on the matte side, but still not suuuper matte) but the 9 to 5 and brunch are definitely two favorite colors in the color intense. and for the sheers: terra and twig all the way! p.s. if you’re trying to figure out what color is for you, there’s a great color guide if you scroll down here where it’s shown on three different arms.

Or, just throw away all the products and just put cucumbers on your eyes.

Please share–what are your desert island products?!

P.S. Nightly skincare routine and my spring makeup.