Good morning, my pretties. The sun is shining and it's still cold but I'm sensing a glimmer of warmth coming, and I'm a happy lady. You know what else is happy? The new Pharrell album. I LOVE it. The way I loved Robin Thicke's albums in the past. I'm a huge fan of upbeat, R&B. Love all of the tracks, my fav is prob "Come get it Bae" or "Lost Queen". So great. And you know what ELSE makes me happy? A Led Zep spin class tonight. Yup. And since you've caught me in such a good mood today with my endorphins all pumped up, I'm gonna share something else with you that makes me happy- and that is, my list of beauty products that help keep me all kinds of together.
You may not know this, but I'm not perfect and I'm cool with it- some of us just need a little bit of help when it comes to that whole glowy, pretty thing. I've made a Pinterest board to show you where to buy everything I'm writing about below. I'm high maintenance all the way and that's just fine. Thank goodness there's a product for every little thing these days. I love reading lists (like those in Vanity Fair) of things that our favorite stars/celebs use- an endless source of fascination. Maybe it's that we women love to make lists, or maybe it's just fun to see the contents of a supermodel's purse. Call it an organization fascination/voyeuristic inclination. I just love to look at other people's crap.
Maybe some of you don't care what I smell like, what I use to take off the city dirt at night, or what color I paint my nails. But for those of you that do, read on.
Perfume: Dries Van Noten for Frederice Malle or Diptyque's Tamdao. I like sweet and spicy- think dessert in Morocco or somewhere Far East and that's about right. Both of these scents are from heaven- the Dries one is a small fortune but if used sparingly, it will last you. I don't leave the house without perfume. Period. I've also been known to dab a bit on before bed too. I'm obsessed.
Deodorant: Donna Karan Cashmere Mist. I have no idea why this became a cult favorite, but it's my favorite too. It's light and lovely and somehow keeps one sweat free. Plus it lasts a reallllly long time. It may seem insane to spend over $20 on deodorant, but you'll have it for about 3 months. It's the best and smells amazing.
Body wash: Molton Brown AB&C Vitalising Body Wash. This stuff. Smells so good and clean and yummy. I don't buy this all the time, but would if I could. Most days see me buying something from the local health food store (I'm digging John Patrick Organics these days too), but using Molton Brown in the am always makes me feel like I'm on vacation somewhere fabulous. That's a good thing.
Shampoo: Kiehl's Sunflower Color Preserving Shampoo. One word: yum. This shampoo smells so incredible. I almost prefer to let my hair dry naturally in a clip so I can take it down later in the day and the smell is just overwhelmingly delicious and clean. Plus it makes your hair nice and soft and doesn't mess with your expensive highlights.
Conditioner: Kiehl's Sunflower Color Preserving Conditioner. Yum again. Fabulous stuff. Hair feels so clean and nice and helps with damage from sun/color/life.
Deep conditioner: Sacha Juan Hair Repair. My radiator heat HATES my hair and vice versa. Ten minutes with this stuff and all is right with the world. The hair world, that is. It can't help with much else really.
Hair products for natural waves: Evo Haze or Sacha Juan Ocean Mist. For wavy, naturally dried goodness. Use the Haze when your hair is dry to crunch it and use the SJ for when your hair is wet and you want it wavy.
Hair product for stick straight hair: Bumble and Bumble Straight Blow Dry. Until my next keratin, this will do. Just fine. Great product- you only need a wee amount for max results. I suck at drying my hair and this stuff really helps.
Hair powder/dry shampoo: Lulu Organics Hair Powder. Love the packaging. Love the product. Great for after the gym or dirty girl hair days. Smells great and looks great- make sure to rub your hair with a towel after you tousle it in to avoid residue or flakes. Nobody likes that.
Toothpaste: Rembrandt Intense White. Good stuff.
Black eyeliner: Buxom or Kat Von D. Yea. You heard me. Kat Von D. I'm a lunatic for good black eyeliner- I feel like that's all I wear anymore and it better be good. The Buxom one (the fat one) has excellent smudge capabilities so it's kind of a liner/shadow all in one while the Kat Von D is super foolproof and allows you to get super close to your lashes for a natural yet dramatic look. I dig it a lot. Now if only I could learn how to line the top lid. I know- it's impossible but I've had makeup artists do it and it makes a huge difference, but the potential for eye poking out is just too high. In the meantime, the two above brands will do the trick, even if you're not a makeup ninja.
Lip balm: Farmers Welsh Lavender. Under $10 and does the job and it's not easy this time of year...love their hand and foot creams too.
Lipstick: Nars Dolce Vita. Still. Armani Lip Maestro 500 gloss a quick second. I will go red sometimes, but I'm really the girl who likes a natural lip, and for me and my lip color, I go with a rosy neutral. Dolce Vita is just the prettiest lipstick ever. I can't top it. The Armani one is a bit more saturated but the same vibe and last forever.
Primer for face : Hourglass Veil Mineral. Omg. Nothing better. Just the best primer ever. Your makeup won't move. It's unreal.
Primer for eyes: Too Faced Shadow Insurance. I'd get this right away. It's fabulous and keeps your eye shadow on all day. Insurance indeed.
Foundation: Armani Maestro. Ooh. I hate foundation. I love this product. Super light. Perfection. In the summer I may go more with a tinted moisturizer (Laura Mercier or Nars). But this is the best and most sheer.
CC Cream: Ole Henricksen Perfect Truth. Smells great. Looks great. Mix it with your founation and you'll be all aglow. I'm not really a matte girl. I like a glow. I lived in Florida, you know.
Concealer: Ole Henricksen Perfect Truth CC eye cream. This one so hard to get right. I'm going with Ole's because it's both illuminating and camouflaging. it's the best. I like to look refreshed (without shooting my face full of poison) and this is where I go. Love it.
Powder: Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette. Divine. Perfect little powder touch. Use sparingly. I'm not a big powder girl but it really keeps your shit together. And by shit, I mean makeup.
Finishing cream: Laura Mercier Secret Finish. It's not a secret, really. This stuff (a little dab) somehow makes you glow after you've put on all of the other stuff and tones down any heavy handedness. I love to have this in my purse to put on at the end of the day for a bit of a lift. It's lovely.
Mascara: Origins Ginzing Brightening Mascara. So good. Thick and lovely. I'm a fan. Can be totally worn alone if you're lazy and it looks fab.
Brows: Anastasia Powder duo. Love. Great. Just get a good angled brush (Nars makes a good one) and you'll have this for 10 years. I'm an eyebrow fanatic (lately have been threading and it's amazing) and this stuff is the perfect way to get a little more drama. Brush on, and then brush up. So good.
Eyeshadow: I love a Stila Palette. The In the Light Palette has everything you need for a neutral or more smoked out eye. I vacillate between the two so this is perfect for me. A girl needs options, non?
Cleanser: Ren Evercalm Gentle Cleansing Milk. Much like my personality, my skin is sensitive. It doesn't like those miracle wipes, though I wish it would. This cleanser smells lovely and is super gentle on dry, radiator skin. That's what I've got so this stuff is genius. I'm willing to take the extra few moments to use this- the wipes are just too much for me and this is a lovely option. I'm kind of OCD about washing my face every night- I can't imagine how I used to go to sleep with makeup on when I was a younger lady- now if I wake up with makeup on, I want to call an ambulance because something is clearly wrong with me. Maybe not an ambulance, but you get the idea...
Moisturizer: Ren Hydracalm or Frankincense. I love Ren for all of my skincare. So gentle, organic, and lovely. I love the calming cream for whenever my face is irritable, and the Frankincense is a great heavy duty night cream. Really enjoy all of their products so much.
Eye Cream: Origins. Any of 'em. I love them all but have been using their Starting Over cream lately. We all need a fresh start, right? I love Origins- well priced and great products.
Body Lotion: Kiehl's Creme De Corps Whipped Body Butter. Desperate times (as in freezing weather) call for fabulous moisturizer, particularly on the legs. This stuff smells like honey and feels like butter, thus the name. It's fab. Think liquid armor for winter skin. That smells good.
Nail polish: Essie Chinchilly. I will always love grey. It's my neutral in the same way that Ballet Slippers (pink) is for many ladies. I always go back to it- just a favorite as is Playa Del Platinum.
So those are my picks for my favorite products right now. Here is a link to my Pinterest board so you can buy each and every one if you are so inclined:
http://www.pinterest.com/sherimaven/my-products/
Today is a great day to get gorgeous. You're gorgeous without any of the above, but you know what I mean...I'd love to hear about your favorite finds/staples so don't hesitate to write me at sherimaven@gmail.com if you come up with any must haves. That does seem like an awfully long list, doesn't it? Damn- I love my products.
Cause that's what's up this beauty of a Wednesday in the super pretty 212. Yours, in powder puffs, perfume, and pretty pink lipstick. XO