These products are all making me really happy right now so I just had to share.
It’s truly the little things in life, ya know?
And for me, treating myself to a steaming hot shower after a day of getting lots of dope shit done with a fabulous face scrub and delicious body wash is h e a v e n.
Here they are:
Every time I spray myself with this (which is several times a day) I feel like I’ve stepped foot into an enchanted cotton candy forest. What’s really funny is that right after I wrote this I was all, “what exact scents make up this delicious bottle of goodness?” and according to LaCoste it’s a combination of french macaroon and earthy patchouli. lol.
So basically it’s the perfect combination of light and sweet and woods-y without smelling like incense. I’m REALLY not a fan of overly strong perfumes. I like my fragrances to smell incredible, but in a subtle way that’s not all in your face leaving you and everyone else with a headache.
Plus, the bottle just has a nostalgic 2000s preppy vibe that strikes me right in the feels chords. I take this magic potion everywhere with me.
2. Bath and Body Works shower gel in “Warm Vanilla Sugar”:
SPEAKING OF NOSTALGIA. Ladies who were in middle/high school in the early 2000s…you get it. Maybe it was my small town upbringing (which meant there was literally one little mall within a 100 mile radius) and BBW was THE place to get your body care stuff, but as far as I’m concerned, this scent is iconic.
It smells like the inside of a cupcake shop and just, like, SUPER cozy. It’s sweet, but not overpowering.
As in, you can douse yourself in this when you’re taking your morning shower. As I do.
3. Crystal Mineral Roll-On Deodorant:
As I’ve mentioned many a time, I do my best to incorporate more “good for you” beauty products into my life. As in, more cruelty free, more vegan ingredients, less “WTF” weird chemicals that literally seep right into my skin.
Until this little nugget, I had THE hardest time finding a good, natural deodorant. I’m all for being chemical-free, but I am not, however, all for being sweaty.
I had found that with a lot of these “natural” products that I smelled lovely but I constantly had wet spots under my arms.
I know, ew.
So for a while I went back to my normal Secret drugstore deodorant, but my guilty conscience ate me alive every day as I put it on, knowing fully well I was letting chemicals sink riiiiight into my skin multiple times a day.
Being woke is such a buzzkill sometimes.
So after some major sleuthing on the interwebs, I finally discovered this stuff and it was love at first sight. It’s unscented, so basically your underarms smell like nothing.
It dries quickly, and I AM NO LONGER SWEATING. I’m a fan.
4. Ardell Wispies Lashes:
Before lockdown happened, I had eyelash extensions for a full two years and barely took any breaks in between. What can I say? I’m extra AF. I LOVE me some big, glamorous (but natural-ish) looking eyelashes.
They make your eyes look bigger, they pull together any look (seriously…when I had my lash extensions I would barely wear any makeup) and they just make me feel prettier.
I’ve been giving my lashes a break and letting them grow, but when I film, I still like to have a little something extra. Have you ever heard the phrase, “The camera adds 10 lbs?”
Not only is that true, but on camera, 40 lbs of makeup looks like a normal face of makeup. Plus, I like to keep it glam.
What I love about these lashes in particular is that they don’t look completely false (like, I’ve seen some triple stacked 3D crazy shit which for me just weighs my eyes down), they have a curvy band (some lash strips have a straight band — WHY!? the curve makes it foolproof when it comes to gluing them on and having them STAY on)…
…and they’re affordable. Plus, I get 5ish uses per pair as long as I clean and care for them properly.
5. Fresh Cosmetics Sugar Face Polish Exfoliator:
It’s really hard for me to not go OFF on a tangent as to how obsessed I am with this company as a whole. Yay for self control, and for another post!
But, real quick. I am. OBSESSED.
Every product this company has put out that I’ve used (6ish) I could not get enough of. Every application is a luxurious experience for my skin and smells good enough to eat.
This one included.
While it IS a bit of a splurge ($62 for 4.4oz) I PROMISE it’s well worth it. Not only does it exfoliate all your dead skin cells off your face to reveal your brand new baby skin underneath, but it leaves a layer of moisture on even after you wash it off.
It also smells juuust like lemon cake. That light, airy kind that melts in your mouth. This little jar of yumminess is forever a staple in my beauty cabinet.
6. Korres Almond Blossom Moisturizing Cream.
I really cannot get enough of a great face cream. Which, for me, is NOT the easiest task to find. My situation is like Goldilocks and the Three Bears: Too thick, too thin, too old-lady smelling…the list goes on.
Needless to say, I am VERY particular about what I put on my face and this stuff makes the cut. It’s got a light, refreshing scent with a HINT of floral. Like, a smidge.
Like all the other products I’ve listed here, it IS more feminine scented than not (FYI to any guys reading this).
It’s not cakey and not too thin, either, like some other cheap-o moisturizers I’ve used in the past. It sinks right into my skin and keeps it hydrated AF for hours.
I like to alternate using this stuff with my squalane oil wearing it underneath my SPF moisturizer a few times a week as well as at night before bed. Also, it’s DISCONTINUED. Upsetting.
I found this one at TJ Maxx! I do know that there are some sellers on eBay with this precious gem (I linked one in this post)- if you’re searching for this stuff, just be careful in making sure you’re buying from reputable sellers. You do NOT wanna end up snagging yourself a weird knockoff!
7. Microneedling Derma Roller.
I’ve been a fan of at home microneedling for quite some time now. If you’re not familiar with what it does, it basically breaks your skin down at a surface level with “microinjuries” from the needles (FYI this does NOT hurt at all. Like a .4 on a scale of 1-10).
This in turn signals your body to produce collagen and elastin, and rebuild itself plumper and smoother, giving you a more youthful, glow-y appearance. This is a disposable, which means it should only be used up to 10 times, and of course you need to sanitize it with rubbing alcohol before AND after each use.
I use this twice a week after washing my face at night. I apply serum (I like to use either my squalane or retinol oil) and GENTLY roll it up-to-down section by section all over my face (avoid the sensitive eye area) and then apply more oil to let it really seep in.
I ALWAYS wake up with glowing skin.
Have you tried any of these? Let me know your experience <3
xo, al
LOVE LIST
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