Friday, February 11, 2011

Show Us Your Life - Beauty Tips

This is a perfect time to put a post up about my current beauty tips.  I love reading other blogs and getting ideas of what works and what doesn't!
First things first:  Shower

I have had so much success with the following hair products, my husband has started using the shampoo.  His hair was thinning more and more and frankly, he was using products with ingredients that cause hair loss!  When someone mentioned my luxurious hair and fast growth, he had a light bulb moment.  His hair looks amazing now!

I have wavy, "can be curly if I try hard" hair and this shampoo and condition is to die for:

 Kinky Curly "Come Clean" Shampoo and "Knot Today" Conditioner.



These do NOT have SLS or other damaging products.  I purchase mine at Whole Foods - but you might need to ask - they usually are not with the other shampoos and hair products.

Also in the shower, every day I will use Burt's Bees Citrus Facial Scrub.  Love this! It is  a grainy, fruity concoction.  I get a little bit and smear it all over and scrub, being careful to not let chunks fall on the floor.  I buy mine at Target as I can't find it anywhere else around here.


When I get out of the shower and squeeze excess water out of my hair carefully, I use a Microfiber towel to soak the rest of the water.  This is incredible!!  I bought a "dog" towel at a local store that works just as well and much cheaper!  This will eliminate blow drying time. 


The product that has transformed my hair into luxurious is Morrocanoil.  This smells heavenly and the result in my hair is amazing.  I never spend this much money on my hair, but after my stylist used it month after month.....I was convinced.  You cannot find a single negative testimonial about this - folks swear by it.  Be careful ordering on Amazon - I've heard there are some "fake" products being sold.  I buy mine at my salon.

I've also started using Agadir Argon Oil Spray and it is also wonderful.  I had used it only once when I went to my stylist and she mentioned how soft and healthy my hair was.  For processed hair, that is a good thing!



I put this on after I take my hair out of the drying microfiber towel.





 While my hair is up in the microfiber towel, I use my highly recommended  

products.  I swear by these.   I am 44 and after 1 year with these products, my skin looks like this:

Please excuse the marks on my nose from my cheap reading glasses.

I have written many times about these products - click HERE.

This company uses ALL NATURAL ingredients - we should be careful what we put on our skin.  Read my link above or go to the company to read all about their philosophy and ingredients.

Be sure to order SAMPLES.  I recommend the main sample pack and the seaweed sample set to start off with.  Samples are great for traveling!


These are the photos of the products I love.


Butter Me Up - VERY thick, I use this every day on my newly shaved legs.  Several scents to choose from.

Body Cream - very much like normal lotion.  Several scents to choose from.


Honey I Shrunk the Pores - LOVE this.  Use it 3-4 times a week.  My skin is so tight afterward.  You could eat - smells very raspberry. 

Peel Me a Papaya - this looks like oatmeal and I keep it in the shower, being careful not to get it moist.  I pour a little in my hand, add a tiny bit of water, tilt my head back (so as not to lose much on the floor) and then scrub into my skin for 2-3 minutes.  I had hubs do this the other day and he was surprised how soft his skin was afterward.


Amazing Face - my favorite day cream.  Light lemongrass scent.

Creme de Rose- a light rose scent.  My daily night cream.  

Rose du Jour - another light day cream.  LOVE the strong rose scent.



Gypsy Rose Tea Astringent/Toner - I've NEVER used this type of product before and now I can't live without this.  Use it morning and night and it lasts forever.
Black Velvet Fabulous Foaming Face Wash - you have to try this to believe it.  Your skin honestly feels like VELVET after use.  They also have one for blemish-prone skin called You Can't Zit Here Foaming Face Wash.  I go to her "Tools" section and also buy the Foaming Bottle for $4 - the product lasts longer this way and actually foams.







Skincredible - a tantalizing sandalwood scent, great for rosacea, wrinkles, bruises, cracked skin, broken capillaries, blemishes, discoloration and other skin issues.

Melon Medley - I love this serum.  While it is oily to touch, my skin soaks it up and feels so soft.


Pure Rose Distillate - I spray this on multiple times a day for hydration. I love the rose scent - very calming.


~~~~~~~~~~
A sea salt peel I have used for the last 7 years is Swisa  Beauty Dead Sea Facial Peel.   I used to find it in mall kiosks, but now order it off ebay.  Your skin, in one use, will say WOW.  You won't believe how much dead skin you peel off and then are left with baby bottom soft skin.

I use once a week.


I also swear by my DermaNew Microdermabrasion System (that I found for a steal at Marshalls!) 


Did you know that products like C.hapstick have some ingredients that not great for us?  We started using this Vitamin C lip balm from Walgreens, and my "chapstick addicted" husband switched over and has never gone back.  Try this for super smooth, nourished lips.



As for makeup, I have several products I highly recommend:

Nars Orgasm Blush - I've used this on all my female family members and it was beautiful!  I would normally NOT have bought this color but reading all the amazing testimonials, I gave it a try.  So glad I did!



VERY pigmented and lasts forever.  I've had this over a year and use it all the time!

Urban Decay Primer Potion - ever wish your eye shadow would stay all day and not crease?   I prefer the EDEN, as it gives me a neutral base.  The original one goes on clear. 

Some of my favorite brushes come from CVS - Essence of Beauty - check them out!

Dual Ended  - packs on color very well.

I recommend getting these makeup palettes at Sephora.  My husband just commented the other day how much use I get out of them.  Easy to travel, too.



This one has colorways that pull out to take with you for the day.


Use a fan brush for your blush - makes a huge difference.  You can run this brush through multiple colors at a time, shake and then apply.  Perfection.  Also use a Kabuki brush for all over blending.

Kabuki and Fan brushes
And ladies, the PERFECT under eye concealer is by Eve Pearl:  Salmon Color!!!  You will be shocked at how well this works.



Another new product I am using is to contour - this one is great!

Smashbox Contour Kit


Oh and almost forgot - my newest purchase -

M.A.C. Mineralized Skin Finish in Soft and Gentle.  Fantastic highlighter!!





Two inexpensive Sally Beauty Supply products are:

Palladio Herbal Facial Primer

and

Palladio Rice Powder


And I recommend keeping everything well organized!





One more huge beauty tip for those of us over 35.  When we use peach products with our brown eyes, it ages us.  Try using more pink/purple tones (as a neutral) and see if folks don't comment on looking younger!  I didn't believe it until I tried it. Now, you will hardly ever find me in neutral, peach shades.


This colorway is your friend!!!  Give it a try before saying "no".  I did and now won't go back.

I think this about covers it.  So many more things, but these are my favorites.  Enjoy!  Now I'm off to go see other blogs and ideas!!









Share/Bookmark

11 comments:

  1. I bought the same lip balm for my daughter. I don't want her getting all those bad things in her system! I am going to check out your skin care. I am really wanting to get natural products that will haelp my crazy skin. Thanks so much for sharing!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Amy, I forgot to add - be sure to get the SAMPLES at Simply Divine Botanicals, to see what you like and don't like. I recommend the sample pack and the seaweed sample set - although each little item can be ordered in sample size. Those are great for traveling.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Amy, you have gorgeous hair! I also blogged about Moroccan Oil today. I LOVE THE STUFF:) And I've used/loved Nars Orgasm as well. Love your post today!

    ReplyDelete
  4. I have never heard of Simply Divine before. I will def have to look into it. Your skin looks amazing! I am very jealous!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Thanks so much for all the great recommendations! I have curly hair which can go frizzy quick. I am anxious to start looking for those products that your recommended!

    ReplyDelete
  6. i have heard about the morroccan oil. I have been using coconut oil (tropical traditions)...they also have all natural skin care items as well.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I'll definitely have to check into the hair care products that you use. Now that my hair is longer I get a lot more breakage and it's fine enough to begin with. It sure could use something to give it a boost in the strength department. It's always been on the wavy/curly side naturally, but most of the things I've been using recently leave it flat. Especially if I blow-dry it. (I do use a ceramic ionizer/dryer which is much better for your hair)

    I use very little in terms of skin care products or make-up because my skin is uber sensitive, but I've used the Burt's Bees lip balm and their hand and body lotions for years. The Baby Bee skin cream and the Baby Bee Buttermilk lotion are 2 of my favs.

    My daughter used to buy chapstick/blistex all the time and I really didn't like some of the junk they put in them, so I started buying her the Burt's Bees products instead. We both love the tinted lip balm, since neither of us wears lipstick.

    We don't have Whole Foods here, so I'll have to search online for the shampoo and conditioner. Thanks for the great tips!

    M.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I am so jealous of your organization! That looks fabulous. My bathroom counter is a mess!

    ReplyDelete
  9. You have gorgeous hair! I think a lot of us with our flat thin hair would be super jealous!

    I'll rave about my foundation & concealer. I've tried everything to cover up my redness and nothing ever works. It either makes me break out or doesn't cover enough. I randomly stopped at an Estee Lauder counter one day and it changed my life! The double wear stay in place foundation and concealer is the best invention ever!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Hi Sheri...

    Loved reading through all of your beauty tips and makeup favs, my friend! I must admit...all of my makeup fits into one tiny bag...hehe!

    Have a wonderful week, my friend!
    Chari @Happy To Design

    ReplyDelete
  11. Im so bad with makeup but id love to be better! I really enjoyed your tips!! Thanks!

    ReplyDelete

Thanks so much for your lovely comments!