Daily Skincare Routine

Happy holidays! Can you believe it's been a year since my Skincare Favorites & Routine? I can't. I guess time flies when you're having fun. As we make our way into the colder, drier months of the year, I've felt the need to amp up the moisture in my skincare routine. I've found additional favorites since last year. I use the following products every day.

1) Cleanse

I wash my face twice a day: once in the morning when I wake and once when I come home for the evening. My cleansing routine is very similar to that which I described in my Skincare Favorites & Routine: Facial Cleansers & Face Washes (which I do realize is a very repetitive title), except I've swapped out my wash cloth for the BOSCIA Konjac Cleansing Sponge*. I still pat my face dry with a wash cloth, but I find the sponge really gets all the grime and makeup off my face. Not even gave away a few sponges as holiday gifts to some lucky individuals who've expressed interest in stepping up their skincare.

As far as skin hygiene goes, bacteria build up is always a concern. Because these sponges are only built to last about 3 months if they're used daily, bacteria shouldn't be an issue. I do recommend making sure you ring our your sponge and hang it up somewhere to dry (even if that's around your sink spout).

2) Moisturize

After my skin is squeaky clean, I follow up first with my favorite serum IMAGE SKINCARE Vital C Hydrating Anti-Aging Serum, which I wrote all about in There Must Be Magic in Image Skincare if you're interested in reading more.

Then, I follow up with a moisturizer. In the morning, I use KATE SOMERVILLE Goat Milk Cream, which leaves my skin feeling as soft as baby skin. At night, I use CLARINS HydraQuench Cream for Normal to Dry Skin. In the morning, my skin feels completely hydrated, and this cream smells pretty great (in a moisturizer way).

3) Hydrate (aka: drink water)

Drink water! Just drink it all day long. During the drier months, it's important to stay extra-hydrated. Put reminders on your phone, post-its everywhere or whatever it takes to help you to remember to drink water. I keep a water bottle at my desk at all times, and I remind myself to drink. REMEMBER: if you're feeling thirsty, that means you're already dehydrated. Among the endless benefits water provides, it is great for your skin.


I'm incredibly happy with my current skincare routine. I've noticed tremendous improvement in the overall health and hydration of my skin, and I attribute that entirely to my current skincare routine. Additionally, I've been able to cut out a few steps in my daily skincare routine, which is a huge plus!


What skincare are you loving? Have you tried any of these? Do you plan on trying anything? Comment below and let me know! I love hearing what you're loving.

While you're at it, you might as well follow me on BlogLovin', Facebook & Twitter if you haven't already. If it feels like the right thing to do, that's because it is.

xx

Lauren

* This post is not sponsored. I've been sent the BOSCIA Konjac Cleansing Sponge for review. All opinions are honest and my own.

How To: Hide Dark Eye Circles

For majority of the week, I am one tired lady. Despite my efforts, I can never seem to get as much sleep as I'd like to during the work week. One telling sign of inadequate sleep is dark, puffy under eyes, so I do my best to hide them. The following method is tried and true, and I highly recommend it to you if you want to cover up your dark circles without your under eyes looking dry and flaky.

 

Step 1: Bobbi Brown Corrector 

my shade: Light Bisque

Gently pat this over the dark circles with the fourth finger on either hand. For more on my thoughts on this product and how I use it, read more in My Thoughts On: Bobbi Brown Corrector. This product also topped my Makeup Worth Repurchasing and best beauty products of 2013 lists.

 

Step 2: Origins Plantstcripton Anti-Aging Concealer

my shade: 02 - Light/Medium

After trying countless hyped-up, high end concealers (which shall remain nameless) that claim to be formulated for the under eye area but really do nothing but settle into my fine lines and make my under eye skin extra dry, I finally tried the Origins Plantscription Anti-Aging Concealer, and I'll never go back. This concealer is actually hydrating and blends under the eyes like a dream. It doesn't sit fine lines, glides over the skin and leaves it looking much more awake and radiant.

Using the product wand, dot this in the hollows below your eyes where the Bobbi Brown Corrector is covering the dark circles. Start near (but not quite on) the inner corner of your eye and stop approximately a quarter of the way through the hollows. Do not dot the corrector or the concealer to the outer corner of your eye.

 

Step 3: Buff it out with Real Techniques Contour Brush

This brush (which is currently sold exclusively as part of the Real Techniques Core Collection) is the perfect buffing tool for blending under eye concealer without leaving evidence -- no brush strokes, no finger prints. The concealers stay put; your skin looks flawless; and your dark circles are covered!


Here's the part where I encourage you to share your thoughts. Do you think you'll give any of the forementioned products a try? Have you tried them already? Is there something you're loving that's helping conceal your dark under eye circles? Comment below and let me know!

While you're at it, you might as well follow me on BlogLovin', Facebook & Twitter if you haven't already. If it feels like the right thing to do, that's because it is.

Until next time... Lauren, out!

xx

Fall Haul

For the past 6 months, I've put myself on a [relatively] strict[ish] beauty buying diet. It started when I decided I needed to go through my collection and get rid of a few things. I've begun giving away or throwing out products that didn't work for me. As new product launches have come out, I did my best to resist; however, I felt my purge deserved a little splurge, so I rewarded myself with a few new presents (of the skincare, haircare and beauty sort). I didn't buy them all at once, so I've already formed solid opinions on some and just pulled others out of the box today (because what's better than receiving a beauty package in the mail? Answer: nothing. Christmas CAN be all year round). The result: my Fall Haul.

Let's dive into it!

ORIBE Soft Dry Conditioner Spray

This is one of those products that I just pulled this out of the box today. I'd like to avoid washing my hair everyday, but my second day hair is so dry with only a tiny bit of oil at the roots (sorry if that's gross, but at least I'm honest). Typically, dry shampoo doesn't do anything to revive my already dry hair. I usually wash my hair to add moisture back (usually via deep conditioner). I thought this sounded promising. I'm not sure if it will serve the function I purchased it for, but I figured it's worth a shot. It claims to be "a weightless silkening spray that leaves hair cashmere-soft, with natural and natural shine." Let me know if you've tried this in the comments below! If so, what do you use it for?

FIRST AID BEAUTY (FAB) Facial Radiance Overnight Mask

I was fortunate to try a sample of this mask, and I was incredibly impressed with the results. I gave it a fair test before ultimately deciding to purchase it. It's not cheap, but it's not going to break the bank (and I think it's worth it). This did exactly what it said it would do -- it made my skin radiant while adding moisture. The only thing that I don't love is the smell -- it reminds me of chemicals; however, I've been impressed with everything I've tried from the First Aid Beauty line so far, and I'm a hard one to please in terms of skincare. Don't be surprised if you see an updated skincare routine featuring a few of my favorite First Aid Beauty skincare products on this-here-blog in the near future. 

it Cosmetics Brushes for ULTA - Velvet Luxe Soft Focus Sculpting Brush

When it comes to the online beauty community, I'm a harder sell than I used to be. I used to want to try almost everything that beauty vloggers and bloggers I trusted would talk about. Now, not so much. That being said, Tati completely sold me on some of the new IT Makeup brushes for ULTA. I was able to resist completely blowing my paycheck on all of her top picks and decided just to try the Velvet Luxe Soft Focus Sculpting Brush first. I'll admit, I've only used it once (because I just bought it over the weekend), but I can already tell it's a holy grail brush. Not only is it extremely soft, it works amazingly to create the perfect cheek-hollow contour.

NARS "Douceur" Blush

I picked this up per Suzie of HelloOctober's recommendation. I love her blog and her YouTube channel. She's so sweet and has excellent recommendations. We have similar base skin tones, so I love her recommendations. I saw her apply this blush to her cheeks and immediately knew I needed it in my life. Cutting to the chase -- this blush is wonderful and I love it. It's perfect for Fall (all year round, really). It gives the cheeks a natural looking flush, and I think it would be a fantastic blush for women with fair to medium skin tones. While this blush does have nearly undetectable and sporadic flecks of glitter, it applies matte. This is not a shimmery / highlight blush. 

CHARLOTTE TILBURY - Lip Cheat Re-shape & Re-size Lip Liner "Pillow Talk"

I'm so, so, so excited about this lip liner. I've never really owned lip liners, and I feel like it's not something to get excited about, but I can't help it! It just came in the mail today. After trying to scheme and figure out how I was going to get my hands on some Charlotte Tilbury all the way from across the pond, the unthinkable happened - Charlotte Tilbury came to the US! You can now pick up the line at Nordstrom (thank you Nordstrom!). I decided that I absolutely needed this in my life after Amelia Liana confirmed that this is her favorite makeup item. She's been talking about it for a while, and she's still obsessed. I have a good feeling that I'll share the sentiment with her. I'll let you know my thoughts when I actually give it a try.

LIPSTICK QUEEN - Invisible Lip Liner

Another lip liner! I picked this up before I knew Charlotte Tilbury had landed in the USA. I haven't been using it too long, but I'm really liking this stuff so far. It's done a great job of keeping even my brightest lip colors looking sharp. I have no complaints!

RIMMEL LONDON - Moisture Renew Lipstick "In Love With Ginger"

Speaking of bright lip colors... I really like this red from Rimmel. Just like the Charlotte Tilbury lip liner, I was dying to get my hands on this lipstick shade. I'd heard several of my favorite British Beauty YouTubers and bloggers talk about it (and had seen them wear it). For a while, the only way I could've purchased this lipstick is if I had placed an order on ASOS.com (which is a great resource for UK beauty items that are hard to track down in the US). I was nervous about buying a bright red lip color over the internet without try it first. Luckily, I didn't have to because it this color (along with several others) just launched at drugstores where Rimmel is sold! I decided that it's a beautiful shade both online and in-person. Rimmel makes good lipsticks in general -- they never dry out my lips (which is a big deal for me) and have a semi-pleasant fragrance for lipstick.

TWO FACED - Better Than Sex Mascara

I'd heard a lot of great things about this mascara, and when the "Twice the Sex" package went on sale, I decided it was time to buy. I use this after my DIOR - DIORSHOW MAXIMIZER Lash Plumping Serum and tarte Lights Camera Splashes mascara when I want an extra dramatic effect. I can get a little clumpy, so I typically follow up with my eyelash comb to take out separate my lashes.

KOH GEN DO- Aqua Foundation Illuminator "IL01"

For a while, I've been mixing a sample size of this product in with my Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation for smoother application and more radiance. I decided it was time to finally buy the full size, so I did. If you're interested in reading more on this product, check out My Thoughts On: GIORGIO ARMANI Luminious Silk Foundation. Spoiler alert: I love it. 

FRESH - Sugar "Tulip" Tinted Lip Treatment

Last, but not least: I'm a longtime Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment lover, but I've only gone for the colorless treatments in the past. I can be pretty lazy when it comes to applying anything to my lips throughout the week (other than my Nivea Lip Butter in Vanilla & Macadamia Kiss), so I figured I'd kill two birds with one stone -- a fantastic lip treatment that gives the lips a nice pop of color. Tulip is definitely a Fall color.

What are you loving or dying to try for Fall? Have you tried any of the products I listed above? Comment below and let me know. I love hearing your thoughts.

Be sure to check back soon for more! If you haven't already, be sure to follow me on Facebook, BlogLovin', and Twitter to keep up to date with all of my blog and my beautiful thoughts ;)!

xx Lauren