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If you have been reading my blog long enough then you know that I don’t like to overly complicate my beauty routine and have been using mostly the same products for several years. I swear by things like the Clinique Gel Moisturizer, Purpose Gentle Cleansing Wash, and Neutrogena Anti-Wrinkle cream. Somehow, I’ve managed to age pretty gracefully without using super expensive products but recently I developed severely dry and chapped lips so I had to go hunting for a new lip product. While looking for something to help my sand paper lips I discovered a couple of other products that I figured I’d try. After a month of trying them I am pretty solidly hooked. Let me share what I got:
Too Faced Hangover Pillow Balm Lip Treatment ($23, Ulta.com): If you follow me on Instagram you probably saw various stories from me where I complained of sudden severe dry lips. I tried a couple of natural chapstick options from Dr. Hauschka and Weleda that actually made my lips worse before I finally went and bought this product from Too Faced. This product is literally a lip saver! If I had waited another week to buy it I definitely would have lost my lips. It leaves your lips not only soft and as smooth as freshly churned butter, it also plumbs them up in a very natural way. I put it on first thing in the morning after I brush my teeth and again at night before bed. If I want a little pigment on top I do a light coat of my favorite Lip Bar color and I’m good to go for the rest of the day.
Becca Cosmetics Zero Pigment Foundation ($36, Ulta.com): This is a product I stumbled on while looking for an old Pixi by Petra product that I used to use back when I wanted to look flawless going to the yoga studio. It was a sheen reflective kind of primer that you used your eyes to deflect away the look of dark circles without needing to wear heavy concealer. While asking the Ulta associate about this product she told me about this product that Becca recently released that’s basically a filter for your face. Comprised mainly of hyaluronic acid this clear face foundation has quickly become my day to day foundation. It not only evens out my complexion without a lot of product, it also acts like my Tarte Mermaid Skin and provides my face with additional much needed moisture. So if you’ve been thinking that I look a little more clear faced when you watch my Instagram stories this product is why.
Equate Beauty Regenerating Eye Lifting Serum ($13, Walmart): Nothing beats good ol’ fashioned Retinol. I’ve been using the stuff since I was 20 (because I liked that age and wanted to stay looking that way as long as possible). Over the years I’ve tried all kinds of overnight undereye creams that made all kinds of promises and never lived up to any of them, except for the Olay Regenerist Under Eye Cream. So after not getting as much benefit from the Caudalie stuff I used for almost 2 years I decided to go back to Olay, that’s when I saw that Walmart’s Equate brand had come out with a generic version of the Olay serum. And this little tube may be better than the original. I can tell the nights that I forget to put it on because my undereye area just doesn’t look glowy. And you know how much I love beauty on a budget.
These three products have singlehandedly brought my face back from the dull stupor it had been in while my thyroid recovered. While they are not all bargain finds I think they are all well worth a try if you’re struggling with skin issues but want to maintain a minimalistic beauty regimen.
Let me know in the comments what your current favorite products are and if any of them are quick minimalist products. I’d love to hear how you all keep your beauty routines simple. At a time where so many people are doing more and more when it comes to their skin, I’ve come to really love doing less.
Happy Regimen,
