You might remember that one of my 2014 goals was to wear makeup more regularly. In an effort to do that, I subscribed to Ipsy, a monthly makeup bag subscription where you receive 4-5 beauty products a month. It was fun and I highly recommend the subscription if you’re in the market for a monthly subscription. I recently cancelled mine, but not because I didn’t love it! I cancelled because thanks to Ipsy, I now have a favorite everything. I started noticing regardless of the new stuff I’d get, I’d continue to use my favorites. New is fun and great, and I’ll continue to try new products occasionally, but I think favorites and staples are the best! In an effort to keep my goals for 2015, I switched my monthly subscription to a stationary one, A Beautiful Mess Happy Mail. I want to be as intentional this year to love the people in my life well, which for me is often done by writing notes and encouraging words, as I was to wearing makeup last year. But, you must know my favorites!
MY BEAUTY FAVORITES
HAIR
SHAMPOO:
If you’ve been around me for any amount of time in the last year or so, you know I was/am a huge advocate for DIY beauty care. I still am! But I recently found a shampoo and conditioner, via my Walmart Beauty Box samples, that is as good to my hair as DIY shampoo. I rotate out the “real” shampoo and conditioner and the DIY stuff these days. My friends told me I lost some of my hippie cred by using “real” shampoo, BUT it is 100% vegan, paraben free, sulfate free, and an oil infused shampoo. SO I think I get to keep SOME hippie cred.
DIY Shampoo – Combo of honey, baking soda, and water
“Real” Shampoo – L’Oreal Oleo Therapy Oil Infused Shampoo (paraben and sulfate free – the stuff that’s really bad for you hair and the reason I started doing DIY hair care)
CONDITIONER:
DIY Conditioner – combo of organic unfiltered apple cider vinegar (I get it at Whole Foods or Kroger for $5 or less), lavender oil and water
“Real” Conditioner – L’Oreal Oleo Therapy Oil Infused Conditioner (paraben and sulfate free)
DETANGLER:
Healthy Sexy Hair Soy Tri-Wheat Leave In Conditioner – I LOVE THIS STUFF! Was an Ipsy bag sample, and then I had to start buying it. I get it on EBay for slightly cheaper than most places.
DRY SHAMPOO:
You can read more about my hair washing routine in the DIY beauty blog post, it’s still the same for the most part, I just rotate DIY shampoo and “real” shampoo now. I usually use DIY dry shampoo on day 2 or 3 and “real” dry shampoo on day 3 or 4.
DIY: mix of cocoa powder and corn starch, applied with a blush brush
“Real”: Not Your Mother’s Clean Freak Refreshing Dry Shampoo
FACE
FACE WASH:
In shower – combo of local honey, coconut oil, baking soda, and Aztec clay
Makeup removal – Equate Night-Time Soothing Makeup Remover Towelettes
FACE MASK:
I mix Aztec clay, lavender oil, and organic ACV. I don’t do this as often as I did, but it really helps with black heads. I apply it just on my nose and you can feel it tingle.
MOISTURIZER:
Night time – organic coconut oil applied with a cotton ball
Morning time – Avon Elements Moisture Boost with SPF
BLEMISHES:
Organic ACV – spot treat with a qtip or cotton ball
TONER:
MAKEUP
BASE FACE:
Avon Magix Face Perfector with SPF. This is probably my fav beauty product overall. I use this instead foundation because I don’t have any major cover up needs. It’s a gel to powder formula and it evens out creases, lines, and imperfections.
CONCEALER:
NYX Above and Beyond Full Coverage Concealer in Fair
POWDER:
Was Avon Everlasting Pressed Powder BUT they just stopped selling it. I’ll probably go back to Maybelline Fit Me Pressed Powder.
BRONZER:
Essence Sun Club All-In-One Bronzing Highlighter in Sunlight – I use this in place of blush. My cheeks are naturally REALLY rosy, so I prefer bronzers to blushes.
BROWS:
Hard Candy Brows Now! Fiberized Brow Gel in Medium Dark
ALL OVER BASE EYE SHADOW:
Miss Adoro Silky Eye Shadow in Fairy’s Tale – When I run out of this I’ll just get a drugstore brand of a light color, but I do LOVE it and use it daily.
BOTTOM LID BASE EYE SHADOW:
Elizabeth Mott Pop! Goes the Shadow in Champagne – I got this in my Ipsy bag AND won a free one, I LOVE it, and though it’s a little pricy, might rebuy it when I run out if I can’t find a similar replacement.
EYE SHADOW palette:
Coastal Scents Revealed 1 and Revealed 2 palettes. I will buy and rebuy and rebuy these for as long as they sell them. Revealed 2 is my favorite because of my skin tone, but I LOVE both. They are frequently compared to the Naked palettes. They also last forever. I can’t see the bottom on any of my colors yet.
EYE SHADOW BRUSH:
Crown Brush Deluxe Infinity Shadow/Crease Duet – Major Ipsy treasure! I just my ring finger for blending and applying to my eye lid, but I LOVE this brush for all over base color application and crease colors. I also use the crease end to apply color to my lower lash line (I don’t do eyeliner).
MASCARA:
Maybelline Falsies Flared. I also LOVE Tarte Cosmetics Lights Camera Lashes that I got as an Ipsy sample, BUT I can’t justify spending $20 on a tube of mascara.
LIPS:
I don’t have a favorite. I love them all! My go-to daily for a little color but mostly to stay moisturized is Maybelline Baby Lips in any color (fav is Peach Kiss). My go-to everyday colors are Revlon Lip Butters. My go-to for staying power for pictures, fancier occasions, or just because I want colored lips all day are Revlon Balm Stains. I have more lippies than anything else. #obsessed
NAILS
Polish:
As you may or may not know, I have roughly 300 bottle of nail polish (and by roughly, I mean I stopped counting at 300, BUT don’t buy regularly anymore so probably still close to that.) I love LOTS of polish brands, but by far my favorite remains to be Wet-N-Wild Megalast. OPI, Essie, and China Glaze make the best colors. But as far as staying power, my go-tos, application, and formula, Megalast continues to be my fav. Everyone’s body chemistry is different, so what works well for one person might not work well for another, but for me, Megalast works!
Top CoaT:
Another thing that’s different for everyone, and I’m always trying new ones. I’m currently using Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Topcoat, and I like it okay, but the “miracle” combo for me for slowest chipping seems to be using NYC In a New York Minute Quick Dry Polish in Grand Central Station then adding Wet-N-Wild Megalast Clear on top.
Base Coat:
Hands down ORLY Bonder Rubberized Base Coat.
Cuticles:
For cuticle conditioning, Julep Essential Cuticle Oil. For removal Julep Vanish Cuticle Softener and Remover + Julep Cuticle Pusher + QVS Cuticle Clippers.
Quick DrY:
Can’t live without the Julep Ta Da! Quick Dry Drops. I get them on super sale deals and never pay full price.
Remover:
For glitter polishes I use the ONYX Professional Glitter and Polish Remover dipper. For everything else I use a nourishing acetone from Sally’s – Beauty Secrets Professional Nail Polish Remover.
Clean Up:
I clean up the inevitable polish I get on my cuticles and skin by dipping the E.L.F Concealer Brush (I get it at Big Lots for 95 cents) into acetone.
What are your favorite beauty products??
Kasia's Kitchen 