Beauty Products You Never Knew You Needed:
1. Sunscreen. Sunscreen. Sunscreen. Nothing is stressed more in my department. Everyone should be using some kind of SPF on their face and, ideally, your body. Every day. Rain or shine. The fact is, your clothes aren't adequate protection and although we're invincible 20-somethings, the sun is the number one cause for aged-looking skin. Not to mention, skin cancer! And you don't have to slather on a thick, white, greasy beach-day lotion. SPF comes in a lot of moisturizers and makeup.
Tried and loved:
Clean and Clear Soft Oil-Free Daily Moisturizer, SPF 15. It's light, oil-free (which is key for me) and has a slight - yet not overpowering- scent of sunscreen to remind you of summer. Every time my boyfriend kisses my cheek he says I smell like the sun! Buy it.
Sugar Tint, tinted moisturizer. - This is a fantastic tinted moisturizer. It's sheer, yet gives descent coverage and a nice glow. Plus, it's oil-free and has an SPF of 20. Love, love, love it. It's a bit pricey ($28 at Sephora) but it's better than settling for a cheaper, greasy tinted moisturizer or foundation that clogs pores. Buy it.
Neutrogena Sunblock, Ultra Sheer Body Mist SPF 45 - This has UVA and UVB protection, plus it's a sheer spray-on mist which makes putting on sunscreen convenient. Buy it.
2. Scalp exfoliate and dry shampoo. We all know that if you want a clear complexion and healthy skin, exfoliate once a week. It clears away dead skin cells which can clog pores. Well isn't your scalp just an extension of your skin? I never knew the difference a scalp exfoliate can make. Unclogging your scalp (think of all the product build-up!) in turn reduces oil production. This can prolong the time you need to shampoo -- another step in healthy hair. For days that you don't wash your hair, use a dry shampoo.
Tried and loved:
Bain de Terre Sugar & Fig Scalp Massage Scrub - Natural sugars dissolve as you massage your scalp, and the rest is easily washed away with shampoo. So refreshing. Buy it.
Oscar Blandi Pronto Dry Shampoo Spray - I've tried other dry shampoos and powders, and this is my favorite. It soaks up any oil, and also adds some volume and life to dirty hair. I know it sounds gross, but it's very important to not wash your hair too often -- it disrupts your natural hair oils. Buy it.
3. Eyelash curler. It's just necessary.
4. Eye brighteners. This is one of the best things I've discovered. Besides just using an eyelash curler and a good concealer (which I know is hard to find), white brightening powder and white brightening pencils make a huge difference. Let's face it -- you're out late. Maybe one or two or seven too many drinks, stressed about finding a job, staring at a computer screen too much. The result? Panda eyes. What you need to do is, first, use concealer not only under your eyes, but also on your eyelid and up to under your eyebrow. Rub in. This gives one uniform matte look. Then use your eyelash curler and a curling mascara to open up the eyes. Finally, take a white, brightening powder and dab it under your eyes, on your eyelids and up to the eyebrows. Avoid your eyelashes and eyebrows because, well, it's white powder. Then -- this is the kicker -- use a pinkish/white brightening eye pencil on the inner corners of your eyes and at a sideways-V shape along the outer corners of your eyes. Blend in. It gives a dramatic result. Trust me.
Tried and loved:
Benefit eye bright - I've tried other white pencils and this is by far the best. It's the most essential product in my makeup bag. Another really good use for this is for your lips. For a naturally-enhanced pout: Use a natural-looking lipliner on your bottom lip (heavier under the middle of your bottom lip) and blend in. Then take your handy white pencil and put a little where your upper lip dips in. Blend in. A little gloss in the middle of your bottom lip help too, but I'm sure you already knew that. Buy it.
Wet n Wild Beauty Benefits - They have a cheap concealer that comes with a white powder for eye brightening. I think it might not be out until April, and there are tons of other white powders out there, but this is the one I've been using. Benefit Miss Popularity is pretty good too. Buy it.
5. Lip exfoliant. When you have dry, flaky chapped lips, you can keep slathering on lip balm but the dead skin is still going to be there -- just a little softer. Just like you need one for your face and your scalp -- guess what -- your lips are skin too. I use a pretty expensive one from Jane Iredale but Smashbox has one at Sephora for $18.00. And I love Smashbox. But any will do. Buy it.
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