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Top 5 Favorites – Beauty

I know, I know.  It’s almost the end of January.  Truth be told, I didn’t plan to share your December Top 5 Favorites because it’s typically a weird month with the holiday.  But your favorites ended up being rad beauty products that I mainly shared on Instagram, so I wanted to give them a bit more love here on the blog.

I’m dubbing these 5 beauty faves my ‘underground heroes’ because they quietly worked their way into my weekly routine.

Body Oil

When my beloved açai body oil stopped shipping to the US, I had to find something else.  Everything I tried was mediocre until I found this.

It has a light citrus scent and absorbs quickly with a velvety finish.  My skin stays hydrated and supple the entire day.  It’s awesome.

Foundation Base

This foundation base is made to reflect light.  It beautifully blurs away imperfections and makes your skin look so radiant.  Take a look at it here.

It can be worn on the face or body.  I’m wearing Rich, the lighter of the two shades.  P.S. It’s green beauty.

Mascara


I have been searching for the perfect mascara for literally 10 years.  I’ve tried it all.  Every time I think I’ve found a winner, I find something wrong after a month of use.

This mascara changed the game for me.  I have sensitive eyes and this is the only one that makes my lashes look great and doesn’t have me rubbing my eyes at the end of the day.

Lip Gloss

I bought this on a whim because it was highly reviewed and I needed something cheap to add to my cart to get free shipping.  It ended up being such a pleasant surprise.

It comes in a regular version and a milky version.  I have Fearless, a deep berry color.  Note that it’s sheer color, goes on like a gloss, but feels like a balm.  It’s the best hybrid of chapstick and lipstick that I’ve found.

The best part?  It’s NOT sticky at all.

Facial Steamer

If you want a spa treatment at home (who doesn’t during a pandemic?), get this steamer.

I was nervous about getting it because of the cost and some reviews said the water cap breaks easily.  I’ve been using it for 6 months and it’s still like brand new.  It’s very well made and absolutely worth the spend.

I use it after washing my face to open up my pores before putting on product, or while I’m doing a mask to increase the efficacy.

It’s now a beauty cabinet staple.

 

Non-Toxic Nail Polish Review: Veque & Sundays

Veque nail polish reviewIf you’ve seen my past beauty must-haves, you know I love Veque nail polish.

The woman-owned, indie brand has an incredible lineup of 9-free, non-toxic polishes.  They were the ONLY brand I wore until I found Sundays.  I deviated simply because I wanted a cuticle oil (something Veque currently doesn’t offer) and stumbled upon Sundays in my fave green beauty shop.  After adding their cuticle oil to my basket, I saw they had the perfect cherry orange-red polish and decided to give it a whirl.

From there, I was hooked.

Here’s what you should know about each brand – application, color options and my favorite products from each.  Both offer non-toxic, vegan, cruelty-free and 9/10-free polishes.

Veque Nail Polish

Veque’s polish has the perfect consistency – substantial, but not too thick – and does not chip.  The tips of my nails just rub off from normal wear after about a week.

The application is perfection.  The brush is wide (it covers the width of your entire nail bed) and the handle is the perfect size for gripping.

Their hero product is their base coat.  It’s white (as opposed to clear or nude) and makes colors POP.  If you’ve ever been frustrated by not getting a color to look like the bottle, GET THIS PRODUCT.  It works especially well with pastels and neons.

As someone who wants their nails done as quickly as possible, this is a quick extra step I always make time for.

FAVORITE COLORS

Lagrandiere – the best green ever
La Vie – grey-purple
Amis – grey
Rojo – cool red-purple
Rosso – deep plum
Opera – medium purple

Veque nail polishClockwise from top: 1) Au Revoir, 2) Bare, Lagrandiere, Seduisant, Rosso, Americano, 3) Lagrandiere, 4) Soiree

Sundays Nail Polish

Sundays application and consistency is almost identical to Veque’s.  Wide brush, thick polish, vibrant colors.  The main difference is the brush material – Sundays brushes have more synthetic bristles.  Veque’s are more natural fibers (like a makeup brush).  The handle is also thinner.  Not a deal breaker, but I much prefer Veque’s thick handle.

Sundays hero product is their fast-drying top coat.  I was a Seche Vite hold-out because it made my nails dry SO fast, but disliked that it wasn’t non-toxic.  Sundays top coat is the perfect clean beauty equivalent to Seche Vite.

I also love their cuticle oil.

FAVORITE COLORS

No. 13 – the perfect cherry orange-red
S. 01 – a shimmery rose gold

Biologique Recherche Product Review

Biologique RechercheIf you’ve seen any of my Sunday Series you know Biologique Recherche is a brand I’ve talked about a lot.

I discovered them a year ago because of their cult-following product, p50 lotion.  (More on that in a sec.)

What’s so unique about this brand – other than the insane efficacy of their products – is that the supply is heavily controlled.  You can only buy it online from two places – Paul Labrecque and Rescue Spa.  I buy mine via Rescue Spa and can’t say enough good things about their team – they are SUPER knowledgable and very quick to respond if you have any skincare questions.

Biologique Recherche is a French company founded over 40 years ago.  They employ a pharmaceutical-grade tracking system to their products – hence the heavily controlled supply I mentioned above. Each product comes with a proof tag.  So do NOT buy it off of Amazon, eBay or any other site besides the two above.

Their products are very close to being green beauty, which I love.  They stick to natural ingredients – like horseradish, wasabi and vinegar – as much as they can.

All of Biologique Recherche’s products come in sample sizes.  I recommend purchasing a sample size first to see if the product works for you.

Biologique Recherche Products I Love
p50 lotion

p50 lotion

I should save you the time and just tell you to BUY THIS PRODUCT.

It’s actually a liquid toner, not a lotion.  You can apply it with a cotton swab or just using your hands (like a man pats on aftershave).

At first, it should be used once per day.  You can soak your cotton swab in water first if it’s too intense for you.  Once you’ve built up a tolerance, it should be used twice per day.

What it does: exfoliates, balances, hydrates.

Think of it as a carpenter whittling a block of wood into a masterpiece.  It slowly strips away impurities and then rejuvenates what it finds underneath.

It comes in five versions: p50, p50 Original 1970, p50 V, p50 W and p50 PIGM 400.  I use the last one because it’s formulated to help the most with hyperpigmentation.

p50 lotion was my best skincare purchase of 2020.  I will use it for the rest of my life.

Masque Vivant

Masque Vivant

This mask looks and smells like chocolate syrup.  It contains live yeast extracts and its claim to fame is that it stops the aging process.  I can attest to this fact.  If you want to be Isabella Rossellini in Death Becomes Her, get this mask ASAP.

What it does: purifies, revitalizes, brightens.

I mix mine with baking soda to treat blemishes.  In the age of “mask-ne,” this is your best friend.

Lait VIP 02

Lait VIP 02This cleansing milk feels SO luxurious.  I’ve never had a facewash leave my skin feeling the way this one does.  It doesn’t just cleanse – my skin feels moisturized, tighter and looks brighter when I use it.

You massage it into your skin and then wipe it off with a wet washcloth.  I use these.

If you wear makeup, they recommend you double cleanse.  I usually use a makeup removing wipe first and then use this cleansing milk once.

This cleanser is best for those who live in harsh climates/are exposed to pollution.

What it does: hydrates, calms, eliminates impurities.

Serum PIGM 400

Serum PIGM 400

What it does: reduces and prevents the appearance of dark spots.

I’ve yet to find a product that effectively treats hyperpigmentation.  This is it.

If you have sun spots, age spots or melasma, I recommend trying this.  It does NOT contain hydroquinone or any other harsh chemicals, which is super important to me.

Serum Placenta

Serum Placenta

What it does: restores suppleness and tones; expedites healing.

This is a “do-it-all” serum.  It gives skin a constant boost for a glowy, soft effect.  AKA revitalization in a bottle.

Full disclosure: I purchased a sample size of this and did not buy the full-size once done.  I liked what it did for my skin, but the smell turned me off.

I’m one of those people that will tolerate anything for efficacy, but I liked the results I saw from the Serum PIGM 400 better, so chose that serum over this.

If you’re looking for an “all in one” serum, this is a great choice.

Beauty Tools & Products I Can’t Live Without

Best Beauty Tools & ProductsThe Sephora Holiday Sale is here!
Save 10%, 15% or 20% off

Rouge (those who spend $1000/year) = 20% off
VIB (those who spend $350/year)= 15% off
Insider (no yearly minimum)= 10% off

This is THE opportunity to stock up on everyday beauty items, do some holiday shopping and pull the trigger on products you’ve been curious about but haven’t yet tried.

I thought this was a great opportunity to share my tried and true beauty products.

Sale ends November 9.

Skincare (almost all green beauty)

Exfoliator – this is both a physical exfoliator and an enzyme exfoliator (hint, you need both and this one is amazing).
Toner – a green beauty option to P50 lotion, this stuff gently exfoliates (can be used everyday) for the clearest, brightest skin.
Moisturizer – if you are prone to breakouts whatsoever, seriously consider swapping out your cream moisturizer for an oil.  This one makes my skin feel like velvet – so supple and luxurious.
Acne eliminating pads – I wrote about these here (forewarning, they BURN).  But man, do they eliminate and reduce blemishes.
Mud mask – instantly clears pores, tightens and brightens.  I use it before a photoshoot or event.

Makeup

Primer – I rarely use primer, but when I do, this is the only one I’ll use.  Gives you a velvety base that makeup melts flawlessly into.
Foundation – I hate dewey finish foundations.  I don’t want to worry about touching my face and having makeup rub off.  This feels like a moisturizer and provides max coverage.
Lipstick – I learned about these from my beauty blogger guru who deemed them her fave lipsticks ever.  That’s a high bar.
Cream eye shadow – I wrote about how I do my smokey eye and this is Step 1.
Eye shadow quad – these colors are the best I’ve ever used for everyday and for a smokey eye.
Eyebrow pencil – the most natural way to enhance your brows with a super easy to use application.
Eyebrow gel – I use this over the top of my brow pencil for the perfect finished look.

Tools, Hair & Nails

Foundation brush – I wrote a review of this brush here.  Get one!
Makeup sponge – for small areas (concealer) this is top of the line.
Facial cleansing device – this removes dirt and grime 1000 times better than just washing your face with your hands.
Facial Steamer – I was skeptical about this at first, but I use it twice per week to open up my pores and remove impurities.  It also allows your products to deeply absorb into the skin.
Dry shampoo – I got this as a sample and WOW.  This is THE dry shampoo to use for truly dirty hair.  It provides just the right about of volume too.
Nail art – I wrote a review on these here.  Super cute and an easy way to take your mani up a notch.
Turmeric powder – if you are prone to inflammation (which makes breakouts worse) this powder is a must.  Mix it with water or milk for a yummy latte that is packed with vitamins.
Silk pillow case – these have been on my holiday gift guides for the past 4 years.  A must for wrinkle reduction.
Tweezers – if you are living without these tweezers, I don’t know how you are living.

BeautyBlender vs. Artis Brush

BeautyBlender vs Artis BrushAs a die hard BeautyBlender fan, I didn’t think I’d ever use anything else to apply my foundation.  But I kept seeing Artis brushes EVERYWHERE so I decided to give them a try.

Holy cow.  Had I been missing out.

Let’s compare the two.  Check out my video of the difference in application.

BeautyBlender

Pros

  1. Can be used wet or dry
  2. Provides great coverage

Cons

  1. A pain to clean (check out my beauty hack for the best way to clean them)
  2. Needs to be replaced every 6 months (not environmentally friendly)
  3. You use a lot of product
  4. Can only be used with liquid or cream makeup

I always thought the BeautyBlender gave the most seamless, natural finish.  Then I tried the Artis brush (more on that in a sec).  While the BeautyBlender does provide excellent coverage, you do get a “blotch paint” effect.  Some parts of my face would have great coverage, others not so much.

Also, the way my makeup wore off was always uneven.  You could see my pores through the product – almost like air bubbles in paint.  Not good.

I do think the BeautyBlender still has a place in everyone’s makeup bag.  It’s great for applying concealer or other makeup to small areas.

Artis Brush

Pros

  1. Super soft bristles
  2. Flawless, even coverage
  3. Can be used with powder, liquid or cream makeup
  4. Makeup lasts much longer
  5. You need very little product – a little goes a long way
  6. Clean with brush shampoo and it will last forever

Cons

  1. The cost

I am a total convert.  The Artis Oval 7 is my new favorite beauty tool.  I only need a small amount of foundation to cover my entire face.  The brush blends so well it’s almost like your makeup disappears.  It’s incredible.

The one thing I had to get used to was blending foundation around my nose.  Artis does make smaller brushes that may work better for this area, but I think the Oval 7 gets the job done.

It also works great for concealer or areas where you want heavy coverage.  The flawless blending is the same – I just use a lighter touch and fewer brush strokes.

I bought this set that also includes a handle-less Oval 7.  This is great for traveling because it takes up less room in your makeup bag.

Conclusion

I now only use the Artis Oval 7 to apply my foundation AND concealer.  I’m keeping my BeautyBlender for touch-ups, but I’ll be honest, I haven’t used it once since getting my Artis.  I doubt I will ever purchase another one.

If you’ve been on the fence about Artis brushes, I highly recommend them.  This is one of my best beauty buys of 2020!

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