HAIR: If we’re being honest, I wasn’t all that much into styling for about 8 out of the 12 months last year for obvious reasons. But the tangles and knots were too much of a hassle to deal with on wash day so I made it a point to get a short chop AND dedicate one full day to washing, styling, and drying my curls. It helped - a lot! Two products that pleasantly surprised me were Drunk Elephant’s Cocomino™ Glossing Shampoo and Cocomino™ Marula Cream Conditioner. The shampoo is formulated with a sulfate-free blend of coconut-based surfactants to lift dirt and styling products without damaging the hair shaft or stripping color. The formula also helps prevent water loss and adds smoothness, which means less frizz for curly girls. The conditioner has a nourishing blend of plant oils and butters work to soften, smooth, and detangle while fortifying the hair shaft to protect against the damage done by heat styling and color treatments. I love the light, nutty scent they both have, not at all overpowering.
FACE / SKINCARE: I’ll start this section off with one of my favorite, and recurring buys the m-61 PowerBlast Mask. All it takes is two minutes for the mask to foam up to exfoliate and clarify the skin. And thanks to ingredients like chamomile and lavender, it’ll calm and soothe the skin. I wrote more about this mask here.
My go-to toner as of late, is the COQ-10 from Indie Lee. It’s a clean beauty product that uses aloe vera and cucumber to refresh, smooth, and clarify. It also has Hyaluronic Acid which provides continuous moisture and other nutrients + powerful antioxidants.
I’ve also written about Bliss’ Glow & Hydrate Serum in the past, and my love for the lightweight formula and its superstar ingredients, niacinamide + hyaluronic acid, which help reduce blemishes and brighten up the skin. Definitely scoop this up if you’re looking an inexpensive serum to add to this year’s routine.
I haven’t written about Naturopathica’s Calendula Cream yet but I have mentioned it plenty on my Instagram page. It’s a nourishing moisturizing, thick cream that’s perfect for the winter season. Its main ingredient, Calendula, is an anti-inflammatory that soothes dry, sensitive skin. I like to layer this on thick at night and wake up to dewy, moisturized skin in the morning.
During the AM, I opt for a lighter formula. Right now, I’m loving Skinfix’s Triple Liquid-Peptide Lotion which has squalene, jojoba, and macadamia oils that micmic the structure of the skin’s vital natural lipids to more effectively replenish those lipids. And its high concentration of botanical actives deliver optimum nutrition for improved skin barrier function. Another thing that I love about this brand - they share clinical results on nearly every product they create.
Lastly, a product that I’ve admittedly slept on and now love is Estee Lauder’s Advanced Night Repair Eye Supercharged Complex. What sucked me in is the gel creme texture that absorbs quickly and leaves the area feeling silky-smooth. The formula kept my eyes looking bright, hydrated, and not-as puffy. The formula also repairs UV and blue light damage which is needed after all the screen time I put in last year.
FACE / MAKEUP: I’ve worn the least amount of makeup but when I did put in the effort, I opted for a multi-tasking product like ILIA’s Super Serum Skin Tint SPF 40. It’s a weightless, light coverage tinted serum that softens imperfections with a luminous finish. It also has skincare actives like niacinamide, squalane, and hyaluronic acid so you can skip your skincare routine if you’d like!
And if I’m wearing makeup outdoors it’s super important to set it with a powder or risk having it all rub off on my mask. I’ve been using Tarte’s Smooth Operator since it also helps diffuse imperfections and minimizes oily skin for a natural-looking finish.
BODY: I made the transition to natural deodorants back in February, which was great timing for testing out and finding the best formula that worked with my body chemistry. Definitely not an easy task or scent to endure at first but after reading reviews on Kaia Naturals’ Underarm Bar and adding it into my routine things went more smoothly! The bar helps to manage and keep odor under control thanks to its ingredients like activated charcoal and apple cider vinegar. It can also enhance a natural deodorants strength - making it a powerful duo together. The bar might seem a bit pricey but I’ve only needed to restock twice in the last year.
SHOP MY ESSENTIALS:
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