Wednesday, May 21, 2014

Stay Pretty :: Skincare Picks



I got my first facial on my trip to The Greenbrier, and suffice it to say I'm absolutely hooked!  My skin has never looked better.  I typically take pretty good care of my skin but after my facial I am that much more inspired to keep it healthy and glowing.  To do so, I have rounded up my favorite products plus a few that I am looking forward to trying.  What are your go-to skincare products?

Earth Science Clarifying Facial Wash: I bought this cleanser on a whim while grocery shopping at Fresh Market.  I knew nothing about it but needed some new face wash so I figured I'd give it a try.  To be honest, it has to be my new favorite {even more so than Philosophy's Purity Made Simple}.  It smells great, never makes my skin feel dry or tight, and works amazingly well with my Clarasonic Mia.

Clarasonic Mia: Yes, I know that everyone has been raving about the Clarasonic for years, but I have to admit that I absolutely love mine as well.  I have had it for three years and feel like it does an amazing job at cleaning my skin and sloughing off dry skin cells.  If I skip it for a day or two I can definitely tell a difference in my skin.  Would I say it has changed my life {like many online reviewers claim}?  No.  But I love it and can't imagine not using it.

Origins High Potency Night-A-Mins Night Cream: This past winter wreaked havoc on my skin {thank you Polar Vortex!}  Like so many others, the record cold tempetures and wind completely dried my skin out which in turn caused me to breakout.  Dry skin AND pimples...not a pretty sight.  I started using this night cream every night and loved it so much that I actually used it as my daytime moisturizer as well.  Now that warm weather is finally here I have switched to a lighter face lotion but still use this every night.  It smells fantastic, absorbs quickly, and gives my skin that coveted glow.

Origins Plantscription Anti-Aging Eye Cream: To be honest, I haven't actually used an eye cream where I see visible 'results.'  I use this more as a preventative measure {they always say your eyes are extra susceptible to aging due to the delicate and thin skin that surrounds them}, but I find that it absorbs quickly and keeps them feeling moisturized.

Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment SPF 15: I bring a tube of this amazing lip moisturizer everywhere I go.  It not only makes my lips feel great and protects them from harmful UV-rays, but it the slight wash of color is a perfect way to always make me feel put-together {when in actuality 90% of the time I go make-up free}.  My favorite color is Rose.

Ole Henriksen Truth Serum: I'll be the first to admit that I did not take the best care of my skin as a teenager.  I lifeguarded for five summers and in college stupidly visited the tanning beds quite a few times {WHY?!?!?!}  I now feel like I have to make up for the damage done, and have noticed a few tiny dark spots/permanent freckles on my face.  My facialist told me that Vitamin C is a a great way to turn back the damage, and this serum definitely packs a punch.  I only started using it a few weeks ago but the reviews are fabulous, it smells great, and absorbs quickly.  So far so good!

Glamglow Supermud Clearing Treatment: This stuff is AMAZING!  Put it on, and within 10 minutes the mask is covered with tiny little dots of dirt and oil that it visibly extracts from your pores.  My face looks clean, clear, and polished after this mask.  Plus, it's really fun!

Tata Harper Resurfacing Mask: While I would love to get a facial every few weeks, realistically it just isn't in my budget.  Instead, I plan on buying this mask which I have heard makes skin glow beyond belief!

Josie Maran Argan Daily Moisturizer SPF 40: I use this moisturizer every day.  It absorbs well but my favorite aspect is that it is all-natural and protects my skin from the sun.  However, I just found out that they discontinued this formula and have read the new formula is not nearly as good...so buy it from Makeup Alley before it's gone!

Fresh Rose Floral Toner: The facialist at The Greenbrier told me that overall I was taking good care of my skin {YAY!}, but she did recommend adding a toner to my regimen to shrink my pores.  I haven't tried this toner from Fresh yet but the reviews are amazing, it is all natural, and I love anything that smells like roses :)

Laura Mercier Flawless Skin Face Polish: I was under the assumption that my Clarasonic adequately exfoliated my skin, however the facialist at The Greenbrier explained to me that the main job of the Clarasonic is to deep clean, and that by adding an exfoliator 1-2 times a week it will help with overall pore clarity.  I haven't tried this polish yet but reviews are fantastic and I will definitely be picking it up the next time I am at Sephora.

Fresh Seaberry Face Oil: I recently received a sample of this face oil and am absolutely hooked!  I made the mistake of buying no-name Organic Argan Oil from Amazon.com as I figured it was the same as the popular Josie Maran version just less expensive...however I have used it twice and broke out HORRIBLY both times!  Lesson of the story?  I will be using my Argan Oil for my body and will pickup the amazing Seaberry Oil for my face.  I guess you get what you pay for :)

13 comments:

  1. Desperately need some eye cream over here. lol. Never tried origins but have always heard great things! Let me know! :)

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  2. Thank you for sharing. I definitely need to buy Origins night cream ...
    Enjoy your day!
    Margaret
    http://www.decordesireforbeauty.com/blog.html

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  3. Christine DinsmoreMay 21, 2014 at 12:04 PM

    i am always looking for a magical face lotion/creme/serum - right now i am using something from whole foods, i can't remember the name. and i always use coconut oil on my neck and chest.

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  4. Great picks! I love Fresh products as well. I definitely need to look into the Origins products though!
    http://liveitinerantly.com/

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  5. Allie @ 6000 Miles to HomeMay 21, 2014 at 8:09 PM

    I use many of these lovelies as well! Great compilation. I'm really happy to hear this review on the Clarisonic... of course I've seen rave reviews everywhere but sometimes they feel fake. I believe YOU for some reason!! haha I think I might need to make the splurge.

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  6. Vanessa Steil-Living in SteilMay 21, 2014 at 8:37 PM

    Thanks for sharing your picks! I am always looking for new products to add to my skincare routine. I have been using Aveda's Outer Peace Cooling Masque and am very happy with the results!

    Vanessa
    www.livinginsteil.com

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  7. i love a veda products vanessa so i think i might need to pick that up. thanks for the recommendation!

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  8. i know what you mean...some of the reviews on sephora that say "it cleared my cystic acne" or "i look 40 years younger" seem just so over the top! personally it hasn't changed my life, but i do really love it and can't imagine my beauty routine without it :)

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  9. thank you natalie! what a wonderful gift for your mom! i really love mine and definitely can't imagine my beauty routine without it :)

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  10. i have always had good results with origins products and find them to be a good price point :)

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  11. i love the idea of using coconut oil on my neck and chest.
    thanks for the recommendation christine!

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  12. the night cream is amazing...i put it on my face in bed right before i close my eyes and it always feels wonderful by the AM. the only negative is my dog loves how it smells and always wants to lick me!

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  13. i used clinique eye cream before and like origins a lot better :)

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