When I look back at old pictures of myself in high school or college, all I can do is laugh and cringe simultaneously. We won't even begin to discuss middle school years. The early 2000s trends were so atrocious in retrospect. I can't believe everyone let me walk around with horrible uneven eyebrows (they're sisters- not twins), no one taught me how to blend my eyeshadow, or the fact that you have to curl your hair away from your face. Yikes! Thank God for YouTube tutorials, and all of the beauty influencers we stalk on Instagram today. There are tons of videos mocking influencers, but the accounts I follow truly do influence my life or shopping decisions I make. Seeing someone speak openly about products they do or don't like is more personable to me than a review online. Besides, people go absolutely HAM in the review section online. I've always been consistent with my skincare routine since I was a teenager. Growing up, I remember my mom reading labels on products while I would run amuck trying to get her to hurry up. Now that we've been quarantined for a month, I would do ANYTHING to roam the Target aisles aimlessly. My mom loves skincare products, and I like to think I inherited that same love for beauty products. Over the years my skincare routine has changed due to a little thing called aging. Ugh. At almost 30, I try to use my eye cream every night, and remember to use sunscreen when needed. During college I struggled with horrible acne, and it made the first half of college a really rough experience for me. Luckily I was able to get my acne under control, and haven't dealt with breakouts that bad since. Once I find a product that works really well for my skin I don't tend to stray from it. I've kept the same skincare routine (Clinique Three-Step- I'm a combination oily skin girl) for about four years just so my skin stays clear, but every once and a while I love to try something new. I could spend hours looking at different beauty products at Ulta or Target- it's one of my favorite self-care practices. Poor Adam has learned the hard way that "I'm just getting one thing" actually means "I'm going to spend an hour looking at different setting sprays, and asking you which one I should get." He's a trooper, though! There are plenty of beauty product favorites that remained high on my list of must-haves, but some of my new favorite products I recently discovered within the last year. I can never live a life without them now! Seven Beauty Product Must Haves!Mario Badescu Facial SprayIf you have asked me about my favorite beauty products, odds are I probably told you about the Mario Badescu facial spray. What all could I say about this spray? The smell is amazing, it will leave your skin glistening, and it's a wonderful product to use at night before bed and in the morning. During the summer my skin gets so oily (Asian girl probs), so I have to change my moisturizer once it starts to get hot in the spring. Even in the summer I can still use this facial spray and it doesn't leave my skin feeling greasy. There are multiple scents, and I think I've tried them all except the Rosewater. I'd recommend the Aloe, Cucumber and Green Tea to start off with. You'll be obsessed though, so prepare to buy them all eventually. And it's only $7!!! It basically costs the same as a Chipotle burrito! Smashbox Primer WaterOne of my favorite people to follow on Instagram is Bretman Rock, and if you don't follow him you truly haven't lived your best life yet. He had a video from yearssss ago and he was spraying setting spray all over his face and being obnoxious. I think that's when I too became obsessed with setting spray 😂 I've tried a few different setting sprays over the years- the NYX one is pretty good, and Ulta's is fine. I don't love it because it's not much a mist and more of a literal spray, so you have to make sure your mascara is completely dry. Anyway, I randomly found this Smashbox Primer Water and OMG y'all.. it's wonderful. I somehow bought this set for $5 during an After-Christmas sale at Macy's, but it's still available online! The smell is amazing, and the pump creates a light mist instead of a splash. My favorite of the two is the Sea Salt and Lemon scent. Love Beauty and Planet Argan Oil & Lavender DeodorantThis product isn't necessarily beauty, but pain is beauty and pain is also being stanky. I will admit, this brand is a little more on the pricey side, but the Target Circle app always has coupons for this line. Truthfully I used Dove or Secret deodorants for years, and didn't know what ingredients were in those products. I'm pretty sure I had a coupon for this deodorant at Walgreen's and it was also on clearance so it cost me maybe $0.80. But! I can honestly say that this product doesn't leave nasty little clumps in your armpits, and it smells so good! No harm in try more "organic" items! Mario Badescu Mint Lip BalmThere was a product at Bath and Body Works YEARS ago, and it was a lip exfoliator. My mom and I found it when I was in middle school, and I know they've stopped carrying it but I just can't accept it. I haven't found a lip product I loved as much since finding this Mario Badescu Mint Lip Balm. The label says mint, but it's not overpowering at all. I use this every night before bed, and my lips are so soft in the morning! Carmex is still that bitch, but I do love this lip balm too. Clinique All About Eyes"Eyes, lips, face, wait!" Have you guys heard that song on Tik Tok? LOL. Every year for Christmas my mom gifts me all sorts of little beauty goodies and I get so excited. I'm pretty sure that's how I stumbled upon this item. I usually switch between this Clinique All About Eyes of the Moisture Surge eye creams. Clinique items can get expensive really quickly, but a little goes a long way. I stock up on my skincare routine about every six to eight months. This eye cream is lightweight, and lasts forever! Tip for purchasing Clinique- Macy's will frequently have a free gift with purchase, so you can end up getting more bang for your buck. The Clinique website also has really good sales often. Ulta Express Tan Tined MousseBelieve it or not, I used to go to the tanning bed. I'm so ashamed and mortified to admit it. My college apartment had free tanning, so I went all the time. I used to sit at the pool for hours too wanting to be tan AF. Don't get me wrong, there is NOTHING I can't do with beach waves and a tan, but it's not worth wrecking my skin. Last summer I didn't go to our apartment pool hardly ever, and my legs hadn't seen the sunlight in months. Adam and I also had a summer wedding to attend, so I needed a quick fix. I went into Ulta and found this self-tanning lotion, and I was thoroughly impressed! I had never used self-tanning products before, so I had no idea what to expect. Once you figure out how much product to put on your tanning mitt it's a fairly easy and quick process. The longer you leave the lotion on the tanner you will be. I'd say the color lasts about 4+ days, for me at least, and you don't have to age yourself with a tanning bed or sit outside and sweat for hours! Reusable Tanning MittI scored this adorable reusable tanning mitt set at Macy's on the same order I placed for the Smashbox Primer Water. I don't know how I found this, but I made sure to scoop it up before they sold out. Amazon sells plenty of reusable mitts and they're inexpensive. I'm all about saving the environment these days. The key step in self-tanning is making sure you exfoliate before you apply the tanner. Although I bought the tanner at Ulta, I personally didn't love their tanning mitts. The one I had kept ripping on the side, and it only lasted for about two uses. If you have a reusuable mitt, you'll save way more money in the long run! I can't wait until I can peruse TJ Maxx, Target and Ulta again. I'm sure there are so many beauty products waiting patiently to be purchased. Since quarantine began, I've put a lot of work into my blog posts and revamping my blog site. I think I want to start making makeup videos to pass the time. The only negative is that I'll have a beat face with absolutely nowhere to go LOL.
What are some of your favorite beauty items? Leave a comment below! 💗
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