To be honest I should rename this to Five Friday Beauty Faves. I have basically spent all of my free time on subreddit pages and in drugstore aisles researching the latest and greatest beauty finds. Eh, next month I promise to live a little but for now let's get to it.
via laurelskin.com
1. Laurel Whole Plant Organics Almond Grain Mask
This is one of those brands I discovered by chance and in the best way possible. I was invited to a new-to-me Laurel event and was definitely intrigued. On the day of the event, I walked into a room filled with skincare addicts (ah, my people) soaking up Laurel's knowledge, the owner. She gave us the rundown on all things pertaining to her organic skincare and even gave us her Almond Grain Mask and treatment brush to try at home. Obviously, I ran home to test it out.
The line is alcohol- and water-free in order to preserve the ingredients and provide our skin with the highest degree of nutrients. Because of that, the masks need to be mixed with water before it's slathered on. It felt extremely therapeutic and forced me to be in the moment. The mask itself felt and smelled heavenly. It left my skin gently exfoliated and moisturized - none of that tight skin feeling. Another plus is that it has 10 active ingredients and left me with a glowing complexion (aka great for those hungover days).
2. IT Cosmetics Confidence in a Cream
Oof! I've been using this cream since early March and am absolutely in love with it. The cream itself looks thick and might feel a little rich but once it's on your skin it is so light and absorbs so quickly. The cream is great for all skin types, from oily to sensitive, and contains Anti-Aging Armour Regenerative Concentrate™ to reduce the look of pores, discoloration, line and wrinkles. The one thing I truly love about this is how quickly it plumps up my skin and hydrates my face. For mornings when I'm in a rush, I use a face mist, this cream, and BB Cream for that dewy fresh-faced look.
Top to bottom: Instant Age Rewind, Super Stay Better Skin, Dream Lumi.
3. Maybelline's Concealers
I'm a purveyor of drugstore brands and Maybelline is definitely one of those few brands that I consistently check out. The Instant Age Rewind is a great on-the-go concealer and perfect for quick cover-ups since there's no need for a brush or sponge. The applicator has a sponge-like tip which ensures the coverage won't streak when applied. As for the formula, it does a great job at making me appear well-rested. Their Super Stay Better Skin is a concealer I use for my acne and acne marks mainly because of its Actyl C ingredient which fades marks within three weeks. And finally, their Dream Lumi rounds out my perfect coverup squad. This bad boy provides seamless coverage and illuminates skin at the same time. I love using this around my eyes and as a base on days I decide to bake so it can look extra lit.
Top to bottom: radiance highlight, matte highlight, deep contour, medium contour, light contour, soft contour.
4. IT Cosmetics You Sculpted! + Heavenly Luxe™ Angled Radiance Brush #10
I'll admit I own almost every contour palette out there but still get that deer in the headlights look when it's go-time. So when I came across IT Cosmetics' You Sculpted! I felt like they made a palette for those of us wanting a little more direction. This palette is chockful of helpful tips and even has an informational how-to book attached to the back. The colors are gorgeous and the formula is velvety soft and stays put all day long. If you don't already have a contouring brush then I highly recommend getting their Angled Radiance Brush #10 as well. The brush is so well designed for contouring it'll make the process easy peasy for an air-brushed finish.
5. Glossybox Subscription
Back in May, Glossybox was generous enough to send me their May box. Definitely bad timing on my part due to fracture (eek) but their packaging and curated contents left such a mark on me I knew I had to share as my Friday Favorite. Each month beauty experts choose an assortment of high-end or boutique goodies to match your beauty profile. I didn't have a beauty profile set up but I can honestly say that I loved (& used up) the items in my box: Benefit's Roller Lash, Rituals Zensation (LOVED this!), Nioxin Cleanser & Conditioner, Talika Photo-Hydra Day Moisturizer, and Versaspa Tanner. The monthly subscriptions is $21 per month and well worth the deluxe samples. (Sidenote, I think this would make for a great gift if you're stuck in a rut). Intrigued? Check out the site here.
