My Beauty & Health Product Must-Haves

So I have posted about my beauty products at work (seen here), which mostly consist of lipstick, lip gloss chapstick and hand cream, but now I want to focus on some of my beauty products relating to skin care and make-up that I use at home and will never live without again!

Also, there are some great health and beauty supplements out there to keep you looking young and help in the anti-aging category! I’m going to be honest that even in my young 20s I am already looking into anti-aging products and keeping myself as healthy as possible. Life gets busy, but there is no reason to not take time to stay healthy!

I am excited to share some great information and anti-aging products from Holland & Barrett. Holland & Barrett is the UK’s leading retailer of vitamins, minerals and herbal supplements and also offers all products online, where you can easily shop by brand or category. Holland & Barrett  have a commitment to ensuring customers can confidently access clear and concise information to help them make informed choices about products.  Holland & Barrett also have a commitment to quality by using only the finest ingredients to create high-quality products, which are tested for potency and purity to meet the highest standards. Here they list some products, facts and natural remedies to help you stay healthy and beautiful!

Face wash: I have used Cetaphil for years and will continue to use it for years.  It was recommended to me by my dermatologist in my hometown, my dermatologist in my college town and my dermatologist here in Minneapolis.  I have very oily skin and it always leaves my skin fresh without ever feeling dry.

Face lotion:  Same brand as my face wash, and again, recommended by all of my dermatologists.  I use the Cetaphil lotion that has SPF in it though to protect my face from sun damage.  I also find this lotion to be a bit lighter and fresher feeling than the original Cetaphil face lotion.

Arbonne advanced instant-lift gel:  Arbonne is a beauty product company based out of Switzerland that only uses all natural compounds and components in their products, unlike many of the products made in the U.S.  I was introduced to the company by a friend who has now decided to sell products for them.  I highly recommend their lotions, this insta-lift gel and lip gloss!  Honestly this insta-lift face gel is supposed to feel like a mini face lift each and every day to keep the skin around the forehead and eyes tight.  Sometimes I feel silly for using this product at such a young age, but I love it, it is refreshing and I can literally feel my skin tighten up a bit when I use it.  Plus, one small bottle has lasted me eight months so far and it should probably last me a couple more months! Totally worth it, if you need to get in contact with a representative to buy some products, click on the “Contact Me” tab and I can help you with that!

Ole Henriksen African Red Tea See The Difference Serum and Express the Truth Cream:  This duo is sold on Sephora.com, otherwise you can buy them separately.  I got a free sample of the African Red Serum when I ordered some lipstick from Sephora.com and absolutely fell in love with it.  When I looked at buying it separately, or with the night face cream, I thought I would give it a chance for the price.  I have been looking for another night cream, but this one smells good and I also use it on my neck for moisture.   You are supposed to put both on at night, but I typically use the serum in the morning as well because it makes my skin so much smoother without creating any extra oil.  In fact, I think it helps keeps extra oil down! (One step forward for those of us who want soft skin but have always had problems with oily skin and blemishes!)

Sugar Fresh Lip Balm:  I got this as a part of my birthday gift from Sephora’s reward points and absolutely love it.  It makes my lips so soft and is a great base before putting on lipstick for the day!  (I don’t usually put my lipstick on until I get to work so I can get a morning kiss from the boyfriend… otherwise he runs away J )

Urban Decay Naked Eyeshadow Palette:  It comes with Urban Decay primer so you are set at the and ready to go with this palette.  I have read and heard so many great things about this palette that I just had to give it a try (plus I was in a huge throw away old make-up mood and needed some new basic, day-to-day eyeshadow).  I have always worn gold, brown and variations of metallic shades for work and daytime looks and this just gives you the ultimate opportunity to mix up a basic look each and every day, and it is so fun!  I typically line the bottom of my eyes with the goldish shade (it helps make your eyes look more awake), dab the lightest/white shade on the inner corners of my eyes and below the brow, and then either choose one or blend shades on my eye lids.  Viola, you are set to go for the whole day!

Foundation & Concealer: NP Set it Takes to Tango Foundation and Concealer make-up is available at Target.  I have been back and forth so many times with liquid, powder and mineral make-up  ranging from Clinique and BareMinearls to NARS and Estee Lauder, but haven’t ever found the exact right thing for me.  I thought I would give this a try one day while I was at Target and I never want to look back.  This foundation at first feels a little heavy, but as you blend it, it feels so light and looks so natural, more natural than I have ever felt with other foundations I’ve tried in the past.  Also, I am always worried about liquid-based foundations making my skin breakout, even though they seem to provide better all-day coverage, but this one has never made my skin feel oily or resulted in any major breakouts.

Powder: NP Set Pasarella Powder Foundation also available at Target.  I bought a shade that matched the Foundation & Concealer duo and use it to “set” my look for the day.  It helps as the final step to a fresh look all day.

So there you have it, these are the products I swear by! (at least for my skin type).  And the reason I’m not telling you about my mascara, blush and eyeliner is because I use multiple brands for these… haven’t quite found my go-to, so if you have any suggestions for me (I am light-medium skin base, dark hair and blue eyes) I would love your suggestions!  Side note though: with mascara, I do believe the drugstore brands are just as good as more expensive brands and I usually buy two kinds to switch between the mascara brush.  This usually helps separate them a little bit more!  Also, just putting a little bit of water on your lashes before using mascara helps hydrate them to make them look fuller.

Another note on this:  I know it seems like a lot of products, but I promise my routine takes maybe 15 minutes overall (all make-up included), and if I had more counter space it would probably take less (I drop my stuff on the floor all the time)!  It’s usually getting dressed, trying to find the right accessories and doing my hair that takes me the longest to get ready! That’s why I am so glad to finally have a routine that I like for skincare!