Products that upped my game in 2016
I am trying to be intentional about purchases in all aspects of my life, including beauty products. Last year I tried a few new items that are now a part of my daily arsenal. I figured I'd share with you my top game changers from 2016. And great news, each product is under $25 ;)
B U R T ' S B E E S T O N E R
AMAZING product. It's hard for me to find an acne fighting toner that doesn't have tea tree oil in it–I'm allergic–but this toner replaces tea tree with witch hazel. It still disinfects but does so without making my face swell in to an angry scaly rash (win win). I only use this toner when I am breaking out; it zaps the moisture right out of your skin. Normally I apply it at night and slather my skin with lotion in the morning, otherwise my cheeks are so ashy it looks like I used white chalk as a blush.
$8 - $10 per bottle
G L O S S I E R M A S K S
Masks are new to my skin care regimen but I have found them to be most necessary. Living in Colorado makes my skin change drastically with each passing season. In the summer I can stick to a gentle face cleanser and I'm golden. In the winter, my skin becomes dry, oily, and littered in acne. This is where the masks come in.
Glossier's Mega Green Galaxy Pack is my mask cleansing go to. What I love most is the texture: smooth and creamy with a few crystals of clay speckled throughout. As a bonus, the product has a cooling effect when first applied. It leaves my skin feeling tight and refreshed, as if all the black heads and dried skin were washed away like rocks in a mud slide. I usually follow it up with the Glossier Moisturizing Moon Mask. They're the perfect duo.
$22 per single container or $40 for the pack
G L O S S I E R H A L O S C O P E
Can you tell I love Glossier? Really, they make such simple products that are easy to apply and are great for your skin. They're a skincare first, makeup second kind of company, with a huge emphasis on highlighting one's natural beauty. (No, Glossier did not sponsor this post, I'm just a fan)
Haloscope may be the simplest makeup product I have ever applied. In the morning I just run product on my cheekbones, brow bone, and Cupid's bow, gently blend it in, and then rock that dewy highlight all day long. My favorite perk is that the product lasts all day–if I throw it on at 6 am it's still there by 10 that night. Worth every penny.
$22 per stick
M A C E Y E B R O W S
I have struggled with drug store brow liner. All the pencils have a warm tint or are such deep browns they apply like black eyeliner. I finally got my butt down to MAC to have a color matched to my eyebrow and skin color. It was suggested I use stud and now I am never going back. Before, my brows appeared over lined and harsh. Now, my eyebrows look fuller yet still have a natural aesthetic. With this brow pencil I can even go so far as to draw individual hairs–I could never do that before. Mac Eye Brow is a bit pricey for a pencil–around $16–but I've found it is worth the investment.
$17 per liner
H U D A B E A U T Y L I Q U I D M A T T E L I P S T I C K
Can I just say woah? I am a big fan of drug store lipstick, Maybelline being my favorite, but the matte colors always dry out my lips and the pigment fades quickly. When I tried Huda Beauty I was shocked by how strong the color is, how smoothly the lipstick applies, and the distance a small dab of pigment can go! On top of that, my lips don't feel like the Sahara when I take off my lipstick at night. Though still a bit drying (what matte isn't?) I am not slathering my lips in Vasoline or Chapstick as an eleventh hour lip repair. Also, once dry these colors do not leave lipstick marks on glasses, lips, cheeks–whatever your kissing. Not a trace.
$20 per tube
There you go! My top products of 2016. Have you tried any of these products yourself? Or do you have any products/brands of your own that changed around your routines? Let me know In the comments below.
- G R A C E
