Beauty products and the idea of “must have” items had never been a huge priority for me in my younger adult life. I don’t think I really found my stride with my own makeup until I was past 30. Growing up, my Mom didn’t put a lot of emphasis on cosmetics or skin care and I felt like it was a lot of work I didn’t want to do. I was also fairly frugal and didn’t want to spend my money on promises that probably wouldn’t add up to anything. That’s such an attitude for a young person to have, right? I remember reading about ‘fine lines’ and other old people problems and looking in the mirror to see zero lines of any kind. My hair was thick, my skin had plenty of bounce. End of story.
Enter turning 30. My skin starting sending subtle hints that it was worth taking care of and yesterday would’ve been a great time to start that plan. I started trying different skincare lines and ended up leaning towards clean brands even though some of the clinical ones probably could’ve given me better results. I kept thinking about long term health and what was going onto my skin and therefore, into my body. It also felt worth it to invest in quality products that might cost a little more. I was also starting to see my own value in a new way and embracing the idea that I was worth taking care of… this was a newer idea for me. I was very good at taking care of everyone else but I consistently put myself on the back burner.
Now I am 40 and although I know I’m going to grow old someday, I’m definitely on board with holding some of that off for as long as possible. I would like to age gracefully rather than like a head on collision. Lol! I have tried plenty of products over the last decade and found my own ‘must haves’ that I use all the time. I’m definitely not a beauty expert but I know what I like and here are my current favorites!
Honest Beauty Mascara
I have tried so many mascaras from the high end brands all the way to the ones sold at Target. My main problem with mascara has been that, for me, most mascaras run and I have raccoon eyes after a few hours of wear. I’m not sure why this is but it’s annoying enough that I had opted out of wearing mascara at all unless I was going out for something special. I have found some that didn’t run but then they flaked!! Even trying another brand felt futile but I ordered this product online and crossed my fingers. I’ve been wearing this product for a few months now and cannot say with enough enthusiasm how much I LOVE it! It’s also a clean product (safe, non-toxic, made with natural ingredients) and the best mascara I have ever used. It doesn’t flake and I don’t have raccoon eyes after a few hours. It’s a total win for me!
Prose Shampoo & Conditioner
This is also a clean brand and it’s customized. I spent about 10 minutes filling out a survey on the Prose website and was excited to see if the products were good. I have always had a sensitive scalp and most shampoos irritate it. I wanted something that would help me stretch my days between washing as my hair is long and if you have long hair, you know what I’m talking about. All I can say is that this brand has been so good for my hair and scalp. It’s not nearly as sensitive as it was prior to using the products. I did decide I wanted to make some tweaks to my mix so I went online and changed a couple of my survey answers and this last shipment was even better!
Beauty Counter Counter+ Lotus Glow Cleansing Balm
This brand is one of my favorites for skincare and I use many of their products. I love everything I use but this balm is my favorite of all. I have tried other balms from companies like Goop but nothing compares to this one from Beauty Counter. It’s so gentle and makes my skin feel clean but not stripped. I even use it as a makeup remover at night. This balm is also a clean product so I feel good about using it on my skin everyday. If I had to pick one skincare product I would never want to be without, it’s this one.
* photo used with permission from Beauty Counter
Beauty Counter Overnight Resurfacing Peel
This product is amazing. I don’t always have time for a mask for exfoliating my skin so this is a great option for me. I apply it at night and use a warm wash cloth in the morning to wash my face and my skin is smooth. It sloughs off dry skin in a very gentle way and takes up zero time in my day. It’s not a total substitute for a mask but it’s a great product for in between masks. The only negative I can think of with this product is the smell, which is somewhat unpleasant. However, I’ll keep using it because the results are great! I buy Beauty Counter from my sister-in-law @familyfulfillmentproject on Instagram.
* photo used with permission from Beauty Counter
Rodan and Fields Lash Boost
I have always had total eyelash envy of anyone with long, thick eyelashes. Mine were never anything special… until now!!! I have been using lash boost for under a year and only consistently for the last 6 months and my eyelashes are so much longer. They’re still not as thick as some people’s but I am so happy about them. I’ve even had friends mention how long they are when I have mascara on which is a huge thrill if you’ve never had long lashes and suddenly you do. lol! I apply the serum at night and wash it off in the morning. Easy! A big shout out to my friend Katie James, who hooks me up with this product!
Modere collagen
It might seem funny that I’d add a collagen product I drink into a blog on beauty products. The reason I am though is because I’ve been using it for 3 solid months now and I have so much new hair growing. After my 2nd pregnancy, I lost a lot of hair and it just kept falling out for a few years, which gave me some panics for sure. I have had a couple spots on my head that were noticeably thinner for the last several years. I heard about this product from one of my favorite Instagram accounts @shalicenoel. She recommended giving it a couple months to see results so I decided to give it 6 months, just in case my body needed more time. After 2 months, I had all this new growth in those thinner areas so I’m a total fan of this product. I had added powdered collagen to shakes for added protein for years but powdered collagen absorbs at a much lower rate than liquids so I think this is why the results have been so much better for me. If you want to try it, this code will give you $10 off! (6677093)
Well those are my top 6 products I’m using these days. What are the ones you love?
xo Bonnie
