My Skincare Routine – Aug 2021

August 31, 2021 kriselizabeth25Leave a comment

I’ve been super busy over the past few weeks, vacations, Fourth of July, there’s a lot to do in the Summer. I thought I’d come back with an intensive blog post… my skincare routine. I think my skin is in the best place it’s ever been honestly, it’s hydrated, rarely breaks out, and radiant. I’ve always had really good skin generally, because of this my standards for my skin is basically perfect, like a tiny pimple is a problem to me. I’ve tried loads of skincare of the years, and these are my current staples I see myself using for a long time.

I’m currently 25 years old and I’d say the pillars of my skincare are a cleansing balm, a gentle yet clean feeling cleanser, a vitamin C serum, a gentle retinol, and all the moisturizing products to keep it hydrated. I also love face masks, but I think I’ll do a separate post on that or this will be far too long. So without further ado, here’s everything I use!

Cleansing Balms

I love a good cleansing balm to take off any makeup at nighttime. My favorites include the Clinique Take the Day Off ($31) Balm and the Then I Met You Cleansing Balm ($38). The Clinique one is amazing at taking off makeup easily and is fragrance free, whereas the Then I Met You balm is more of a luxurious experience it’s thicker and smells like a citrus dream.

Cleansers

I consistently use 3 different cleansers, that may seem very extra but it works for me. I like to use an extremely gentle one or I skip cleansing in the morning entirely, if I wash my face twice a day it gets extremely dry. If I cleanse in the morning I’ll use the Cerave Hydrating Cleanser ($13.99), in the evenings for a deeper clean I’ll use either the Youth to the People Kale and Spinach Cleanser ($36) or the Tatcha Deep Cleanse ($38). The Tatcha cleanser has very little exfoliating beads in it and makes my skin feel so fresh.

Serums

I’d say the most essential serums to have are a good Vitamin C, a retinol, and maybe an acid, I prefer to do face masks for acids though instead of serums. Vitamin C is a recent addition to my skincare routine and boy is it amazing, it’s got so many benefits, brightening, exfoliating, can improve the effectiveness of your sunscreen if worn together, hydrating, reduces redness, fades hyperpigmentation, boosts collagen production. Now you best belief something this amazing does not come cheap…. hence why I’ve never really used vitamin C before. The reason it’s so expensive, is because Vitamin C is largely unstable… and goes bad rather quickly. I keep mine in the fridge to preserve it longer.

I’ve tried other Vitamin C serums in the past and they didn’t do anything, but l LOVE the Drunk Elephant C-Firma Serum ($80), now it doesn’t smell very good and the texture is pretty sticky.. but it WORKS. I saw instant results when I first starting using it. It also isn’t a terrible price compared to other serums.

The only other serum I use is Retinol occasionally, like maybe once/twice a week. My favorite for years has been the Sunday Riley Luna Serum Sleeping Night Oil ($55). I think I first tried this out Freshman year of college…. I literally didn’t know what a retinol even was I just saw other beauty reviewers raving about it. Retinol in a nutshell speeds up cell turnover, kinda of like an exfoliator and reveals new cells underneath. This can prevent wrinkles from settling in from constantly turning over, but also helps clear up any acne spots you may have. This is a pretty gentle and non drying retinol, which is why it’s been my favorite for years. There’s a lot of reviews saying this is too gentle of a retinol for some, but it’s perfect for me. I remember my senior year of college, I still didn’t know what a retinol was and I just thought this was just like an oil to moisturizer so I was using it constantly and my skin looked amazing.

Moisturizing

My all time Holy Grail is the Krave Beauty Great Barrier Relief ($28). I just keep repurchasing. It’s Tamanu Oil and is formulated with Niacinamide. It is so soothing on my skin and overall one of the best products.

I also enjoy the Drunk Elephant Marula Oil ($40), this hydrates really well and is very quick to absorb.

My top 3 favorite moisturizers are the Khiel’s Ultra Facial Cream ($32) and the Drunk Elephant Protini ($68) and Lala Retro ($60) creams.

I love Hyaluronic Acid as well and recommend the Ordinary Hyaluronic ($6.80)

Mists and Essences

I adore the Caudalie Beauty Elixir ($18), I’ve been using this since freshman year of college. It has a lovely scent and it’s uber refreshing, so spraying this on my face anytime.

Avene Thermal Water ($15) is another favorite super soothing, great for sunburns! Love keeping this in the fridge during the summer to spray after workouts.

I am super new to essences, I started using one last winter for added hydration, I used the Neogen Essense ($22), I liked it for Hydration in the winter, but I didn’t notice any brightening effects.

SPF

Lastly and most importantly is SPF. Wear one as often as the sun is out. It’s all about finding one you like, doesn’t smell like sunscreen, and isn’t super greasy to wear one daily. My favorite is the Elta MD UV Clear SPF 46 ($29) at dermstore.com. I took this to the beach recently and now I can’t find it, so I’ll need to pick up another… $29 is pretty good price.

There you have it! I’ve been a skincare junkie as long as I can remember, these are my current favorites and tried and trues! I think I’ll be sticking to this for a while, I don’t really feel a need to try anything else. Hope you found this helpful if you’re looking for some skincare recommendations!

Top 3 Oribe Haircare Products

March 10, 2021 kriselizabeth25Leave a comment

Oribe is a VERY expensive haircare line. Sephora recently added Oribe as a brand they carry, so I definitely recommend picking these up when you have a coupon code or during the VIB Sale in April. i thought I’d share my top 3 favorites picks from Oribe if you wanted to pick something up!

I remember back in maybe 2013 or 2014, the Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray was absolutely everywhere with rave reviews. So of course, I had to pick it up. I bought a travel size for around $25 and it was so small haha. But I tried it and I was hooked. It’s SO GOOD. And their cult product for a reason. It has a very high end perfumery scent, noticeable but not overwhelming. But guys. The VOLUME. If your hair is feeling flat, you need this. It doesn’t leave any sort of residue really. Doesn’t make your hair sticky or gross. This product is just perfect. I’ve tried other texturizing sprays, but this is the one.

Next up is the Apres Beach Wave & Shine Spray, this one is to be used on waves or curls to achieve a sort of beachy look. The smell of this one is less perfume, and more fruity and beachy. This also adds a bit of shine to the hair. This stuff is truly amazing. It doesn’t leave a sticky residue and you’re left with volume, texture, and some shine. It’s perfect for waves or curls to add that beachy effortless vibe to them.

Lastly, I adore the Oribe Gold Lust Dry Shampoo. This just works. It smells kinda powdery, but in a clean way. When I use this, it leaves my hair feeling refreshed, lighter, and like I can go just a little bit longer before washing. It doesn’t a leave a heavy film or residue. There isn’t a white powder left behind to rub in either. It’s probably my favorite dry shampoo I’ve ever tried.

There you have it! My picks that I would recommend if you were looking to purchase something from Oribe. I’ve heard that Oribe really shines on their styling products, and I would completely agree. They are easily some of the best I’ve ever tried. I highly recommend giving these a try to make your hair look even better!

Glowy Products to Love

March 8, 2021March 8, 2021 kriselizabeth251 Comment

Hi all! It’s been too long, life has been super busy but I’m back and exciting to get this post up. These are a few products I have been loving to achieve a glowing makeup look. My skin has been dry, lackluster, and pretty pale, so one of the best things you can do is try and add some luminosity.

One of the BEST ways to simply add a glow to your makeup is to start with a luminous primer or moisturizer. You don’t need a new dewy foundation, just add the glow underneath. I recently picked up the Elemis Superfood Priming Moisturizer. This is GORGEOUS. It’s not glittery, just a tiny bit glowy. If you’re looking for something subtle I would definitely recommend this. It also mixes with foundation well if you want to try and create your own tinted moisturizer. It also is marketed to have skincare benefits as well as being a primer. This is silicone free, formulated with kombucha and fermented ginger, and fermented green tea seed oil. This is a beautiful option for a luminating moisturizer.

Next, I picked up the YSL Touche Eclat Blur Face Primer a while ago in gold radiance. This has been my favorite primer to reach for when I’m going for something with silicone in it. This feels amazing and super luxurious. There are subtle sparkles in this and it goes on looking sort of dewy. This is definitely is a very smooth primer without being overly silicone-y.

A recent addition is the Becca Cosmetics First Light Priming Filter in the purple shade. This is super beautiful, very glowy but not greasy looking. The purple shade is super unique and adds a special luminosity. I would recommend picking this up ASAP as Becca has recently announced they are closing in September 2021.

Dior BACKSTAGE Glow Face Palette – 001 Universal

Lastly, I’ve been loving the Dior BACKSTAGE Glow Face Palette in the shade 001 Universal. After reading so many raving reviews about this product I decided to pick it up. I LOVE Dior beauty, they do some amazing products and this is no exception. The gold shade on the top left is my favorite, just a great everyday highlight. The white is blinding, if you really wanna glow mix in the white. The pink is very pigmented, so you can use it as a glowy blush. Then there’s the bronze shade, which is probably my least used, but I like using this as an eyeshadow.

But yes! Those are my current favorites for a glowy look that I’ve been using all the time. I have way too many illuminating primers… it’s a weakness. Also the Dior highlighter palettes are stunning and so easy to use for multiple looks. But there you have it, thank you for stopping by and reading! Hope you found this helpful. What are your favorite products to achieve a glow? I’m always looking for new products to try out.