Good Morning Lovelies. It’s only 8:30 AM here in the Queen City and I have already had an elephant-sized coffee and a green tea to follow… A good indicator that I am running on fumes and Jesus. My vacation officially starts in 4 hours 7 minutes and 23 seconds, not that anyone is counting or anything. Annnnd in typical fashion, I haven’t packed a lick. In my defense though, my life is practically scheduled down to the last minute up until January. I barely have time to pee, much less pack a suitcase. I pride myself on being a fairly efficient packer, but it is always a process deciding what I want to bring. There are a select few products though, that are always a give-in in my beauty repertoire, the first and foremost items that I throw into my little black bag of tricks. And they just might be the first and foremost items that you should be throwing into those Christmas stockings you slackers haven’t stuffed yet… I am right there with ya partner. Santa’s main elf has been also been slacking this year… buried under a pile of events, flights, and juggling Hinge dates. Just in case you are down to the wire – here is a list of my favorite things – sure to please just about anyone on Santa’s nice list.
P.S: Any product you want the purchasing link to… Just click on the photo. Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy.
Disclaimer: These product recommendations are based on my own personal opinions. I am not a doctor. These opinions are based on my own personal trial and error. I am an Amazon affiliate, should you choose to purchase something from one of my Amazon links I will get a small commission at NO COST to you. Happy Shopping!
The Ordinary Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%:
Oh man oh man oh man… for those of you who have had ANY trouble with your skin THIS is your go-to product. In my adult years, I have battled with many different skin issues: Rosacea, acne, perioral dermatitis, and more. It has been an uphill battle for me trying to find products that actually work for my sensitive skin. I have literally tried it all: numerous new face washes, expensive retinol serums, the dreaded “anti-dairy, sugar, grains, and everything-fun-under-the-sun diet,” and this is the only thing that has worked for me without any negative side effects. You just dot it on your face before bedtime, rub it right in, and voila! It gently cleanses your pores and is a gentle anti-inflammatory.
Retail Value: $7.90 from Sephora
Bumble and Bumble BB Glow Thermal Protection Spray:
This is one of the more pricy items on the list but boy oh boy is it a good one. It is one of my new personal faves. You spritz it on your dry hair before you use any hot tools and it is aaaaamazing! It isn’t greasy, and it makes your hair smell so good. I have really noticed a difference in the overall shine and appearance of my hair since I have been using it. Not to mention it is a great pre-date spray… because nobody wanna be smelling janky on a date.
Retail Value: $32.00 from Sephora
Aztec Healing Clay:
This is my absolute must-have-in-my-life mask. It is pure bentonite clay that comes in a green powder and you mix the mask yourself, which is a must-have for me personally because you can pick and choose your ingredients according to your skin type. Bentonite clay is known for it’s healing properties and it is good for healing acne scars, unclogging pores, and detoxifying skin. Blog post coming soon on how I make the perfect face mask for ultra-sensitive skin.
Retail Value: $7.99 from Target
Erase your Face Makeup Remover Cloths:
So along with all of my other fabulous skin attributes, traditional makeup removers, as well as many eye shadows, typically irritate my eyelids. It got so bad in college that I had to go for several months with no makeup at all. I have had to get really creative over the years figuring out what products would and would not work for me. Then just like that, Erase your Face makeup cloths dropped from Amazon heaven and I have never looked back. The cloth itself feels like a terry cloth washcloth, but it must have some kind of magic stitched into its little fibers because I have never had any liquid makeup remover take off my makeup as well as these cloths do. It is a legitimate beauty miracle. All you do is wet the cloth with warm water and wipe the day away. Literally… that’s all you do! It’s so easy it’s sinful, and it comes with zero irritation. As an added bonus I recently figured out that they sell these at Bed Bath and Beyond! Can anyone say coupon!?
Retail Value: $9.99 and free shipping for four cloths from Amazon
The Wet Brush:
I have these vivid memories as a kid of my Mom brushing my hair after my bath and the hairbrush always getting stuck in my impossibly curly hair. Even as an adult I dreaded brushing my hair after my shower because getting the tangles out took forever. Then some genius, whom I would gladly plant a wet, sloppy smooch on, invented the wet brush. This brush is a game-changer for those with hair that gets easily tangled. Again I would gladly kiss the inventor… Thank you a million green M&Ms. You are the real MVP. Hip hip hooray for a tangle free world. > You can also get these at TJ Maxx – but I never told you that…
Retail Value: $7.19 on Amazon
The Original Turbie Twist
While we are on the subject of bath time… I have always been a towel wrapper. I will get directly out of the shower wrap my hair up and proceed to live my best, squeaky clean life. Once upon a time 4 years ago though, A passenger on one of my flights gave me a cloth hair wrap. Not used… obviously. Gross. It took me at least six times to figure out how to wrap that thing successfully around my mass of hair. Then I did it, and I have never stopped. I never use a towel anymore because the Turbie Twist is light, it dries my hair on the quick, and it helps keep the frizz in my curly hair at bay. The Turbie Twist is officially my new BFFL, and it should be yours too. If you want to get the real deal you can buy it on Amazon. Since I am your gal pal though, I am here to tell you that sometimes you can find Turbie Towels or the generic version at your local TJ Maxx and they are half the price.
Retail Value: $8.78 on Amazon
L’Oreal Paris Voluminous Primer
Everyone wants those long, luscious lashes… The first place to start? Prime those puppies. I started using the MAC version of lash primer first and I fell in love, but MAC also comes with a hefty little price tag. My aunt gave me this L’Oreal Paris Voluminous Primer for my birthday several years ago and HEART… I fell in love for the second time… but it was a much more affordable kind of love 😉 You simply apply the primer before your mascara and BAM you look like you have just joined that fake lash club – it is just THAT good.
Retail Price: A whopping $5.99 from Amazon
Patchology All Eyes on You Eye Perfecting Trio
Say hello 👋 to the holy grail of eye gels. I received these complimentary from Influenster earlier this month to test and review. I’ll be honest, I tried these apprehensively at first – because hello – world’s most sensitive skin over here – and I was pleasantly knocked off my feet. My job requires many long hours that sometimes leave me with these puffy tired eyes. These gels knock those puffy eyes right out! I am left with this amazing baby face that I hardly even recognize. I mean I WOULD EVEN CARD ME. For real though. This kit comes with three different types of gels, all of which you will love with a burning, beauty product passion:
- FlashPatch Rejuvenating Eye Gel (2 ct)
- FlashPatch Restoring Night Eye Gel (2 ct)
- FlashPatch Illuminating Eye Gel (2 ct)
You will buy more… the addiction is real.
Retail Price: $15.00 from Ulta.com
So if you are currently in a state of struggle over what to put in those velvet red socks of yours… your problems are over. Pack your stockings with the beauty products above and you might even impress the big guy in the red hat with your gift giving prowess.
Whelp, my blogging time is officially up for the day. So if I don’t catch you before… Have a Merry Christmas, happy holiday, and an even happier New Year!
Xoxo,
Megan Marie