This post was highly requested so today let’s talk about hair! You know I love an extensive skincare routine. Well, that also extends to hair. Here are all the products that I love and use!

I only wash my hair twice a week and I always shampoo twice. Lately I’m using the Drybar On The Rocks shampoo to get rid of buildup and get really clean hair. If my highlights are looking brassy I’ll use Schwarzkopf Silver Shampoo for my second wash and leave it on for a few minutes. I follow up with this Kristin Ess deep conditioner.

When I get out of the shower I throw my hair up in this towel turban. It helps to dry my hair faster and prevent breakage. When I take my hair out of the turban I brush it out with the Wetbrush, starting at the ends. Next I spray on this leave-in conditioner that also acts as a heat protectant. To get some volume I like to use a volumizing mousse at my roots. Then I blow dry my hair using the Harry Josh Pro blowdryer and a round brush. This dries my hair super fast! I also part my hair on the opposite side when I blow dry so I have some volume when I flip it over.

Once my hair is dry I spray my roots with dry shampoo. This helps keep my hair fresh for the next few days. I don’t usually have to go back and add more dry shampoo over the next few days. After I add my dry shampoo I put my hair up in a Snookie bump to keep my volume while I do my makeup.

When I’m ready to curl my hair I section off the top and curl four sections on each side of my head using the T3 curling wand with the 1 inch barrel. It really is the best wand I’ve ever used! I take the top down and curl the top in four sections on each side. I never hold the wand on my hair for longer than 10 seconds. I also leave about the last inch of my ends off of the wand. After all of my pieces have curled I let them cool while I get dressed.

Once my curls are cool I comb through them with a wide toothed comb. Sometimes I need to go back with my straightener in the front since my hair is naturally wavy at the roots.

At night to preserve my hair I put it up in a bun with a french pin. I also sleep on a silk pillowcase to prevent breakage. In the morning I just take my hair down and brush it a little bit or straighten any areas that look weird.

And that’s it! Let me know if you’d like to see a video tutorial. Also, if you’ve used any great products I’d love to hear about them!

A few weeks ago I asked on Instagram for some of your skincare post suggestions and one ask was for my favorite masks. Today I am excited to share with you some of my favorite masks and treatments!

MOISTURIZING MASK

I like to use a moisturizer mask as an overnight sleeping pack when I need an extra boost of hydration. After completing my evening routine I slather on the Summer Fridays Jetlag Mask to wake up with moisturized, glowing skin. This is my new fave!

SHEET MASKS

I love to relax in the evening with a sheet mask. The cooling mask helps to decrease puffiness and calm my skin after a stressful week. My favorite of all time is the My Beauty Diary masks. They’re affordable and come in lots of different “flavors” to try!

EYE PATCHES

I love to use eye patches on mornings when I have a little puffiness or after a long night. These eye patches cool, moisturize, and firm the delicate skin around the eyes.

LIP MASK

I had such terrible chapped lips last winter and nothing was helping until I tried this Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask totally cured them! The best, the best, the best!

ACID TREATMENT

I use the Drunk Elephant Babyfacial weekly to resurface my skin and get rid of any dead skin cells or pore clogging gunk. To use it, I apply it once a week in the evening for my acid step. Then I wait for 20-25 minutes and continue my skincare routine as usual, minus my acid and retinol.

I hope you found some helpful tips or new products to try out. You know I love trying new products so let me know if you have any gems for me in the comments!

I’ve shared my daily skincare routine in the past, which hasn’t changed much. Today I want to talk about how I change up my routine in the winter. I have normal / combination skin and I tend to get a little drier in the winter. My skin LOVES moisture so I need a little extra in the winter. Also, my fine lines start to become more noticeable when I’m dry so slathering on some moisture at night helps me to wake up looking my best.

In my night routine I like to start out by taking off my makeup with a cleansing oil. Not only does it remove every trace of makeup, but it also helps to loosen dead skin and dissolve some of the gunk in my pores. I find in the winter my skin gets more clogged due to dry, dead skin flakes. Starting with an oil cleanse also helps to get a little moisture into my skin as well.

Next, I cleanse and tone like normal but lately I’ve been using a BHA Serum for my active step. BHA goes deep into the pores to dissolve dirt so again, this helps with the buildup I get in the winter. (BHAs are not safe to use during pregnancy due to the fact that they go deep into the pores.)

I let the BHA sit for about 20 minutes and then I start with my moisturizing steps. I apply my essence, serum, eye cream, and moisturizer like usual and let it soak in while I get ready for bed. The next step is the real game changer!

A sleeping pack! If you haven’t heard of sleeping packs before, they are an occlusive moisturizer you put over the top of you skincare regimen to seal in the moisture. This ensures that all the good stuff gets into your skin instead of evaporating into the warm, dry air from the furnace. I like to use the Laneige Water Sleeping Mask all over my face and wake up glowing!

Some nights I also use the Laneige Eye Sleeping mask as well over my eye cream. This mask deeply hydrates through the night, while de-puffing and soothing with a cooling ceramic massage tool. It feels amazing to put this on after a long day!

Finally I have to take care of my lips. I have the world’s worst chapped lips. I like using an all purpose balm like Glossier Balm Dotcom. I put a little on my cuticles as well while I let it sink in. Lastly, I layer the Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask over it to seal it in.

As you can see it’s all about light layers of moisture followed by sleeping packs to seal it all in. Skincare is very personal, but I hope this works for you! If you try any of these tips out I’d love to hear about it in the comments!

Now that holiday events are sure to be in full swing, I wanted to post a holiday makeup tutorial!

Corrector – As always I correct my under eyes with the Becca Corrector and a concealer brush

Concealer – I conceal my under eyes with It Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye using a Beauty Blender

Foundation – For foundation I used Anastasia Beverly Hills Stick Foundation and buffed it in with a brush. 

Brows – I filled in my brows with IT Cosmetics Universal Brow Pencil.

Bronzer – I used Bareminerals Warmth anywhere the sun would naturally hit, under my cheekbones, and my jaw line using an angled brush.

Blush – I applied Marc Jacobs blush in Kink and Kisses on the apples of my cheeks.

Highlight – I used a fan brush and highlighted along the tops of my cheekbones, the tops of my brow bones, and down my nose using Becca Champagne Pop.

Eyes – I used the Naked Basics Palette in the color Venus all over my lids and Faint in the crease. Finally I added Stila Kitten to my lids, brow bones, and inner eye corners to add a little shimmer. To line my eyes I used the Laura Mercier cake liner in deep brown with an angled brush. I wanted to keep my eye makeup pretty subtle since I was adding a bold lip.

Mascara – I applied Covergirl Clump Crusher Waterproof to my lower lashes (I have extensions on top).

Lips – I used my favorite red lip color – Nars Dragon Girl. It’s the same one Taylor Swift uses so you know it’s good!

I hope you find this useful for your upcoming holiday parties! I will definitely be rocking this look a lot in the next few weeks!

Now that Thanksgiving is over and the madness of the Black Friday and Cyber Monday have passed I wanted to start sharing my gift guides! Today I’m sharing gifts for the beauty lover in your life.

The Glo Pro – I love this special edition in pink glitter. If you want smoother, more radiant skin – this is for you!

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette – My favorite shimmery palette for some holiday glow!

Drunk Elephant – I love clean beauty and this set is a great way to try out Drunk Elephant skincare.

Bareminerals Nude Lip Set – Another clean beauty brand! I love a nude lip and the Bareminerals liquid lipsticks are the best I’ve tried so far.

Urban Decay Naked Basics – My favorite eyeshadow palette for creating a multitude of looks.

Glossier Skincare Trio – This is my holy grail cleanser and the priming moisturizer is perfect under makeup. Also need the balm to keep chapped lips away this winter!

My Beauty Diary Sheet Masks – I can never have enough sheet masks and the My Beauty brand are my favorite. I love this little set that comes with different “flavors!”

With Thanksgiving tomorrow I thought it would be the perfect time to share my fall makeup look. This would be a perfect look to replicate for your Thanksgiving dinner! See the steps below for all the products I used on this look.

Corrector – As always I correct my under eyes with the Becca Corrector and a concealer brush

Concealer – I conceal my under eyes with It Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye using a Beauty Blender

Foundation – For foundation I used Anastasia Beverly Hills Stick Foundation and buffed it in with a brush. 

Brows – I filled in my brows with IT Cosmetics Universal Brow Pencil.

Bronzer – I used Bareminerals Warmth anywhere the sun would naturally hit, under my cheekbones, and my jaw line using an angled brush.

Highlight – I used a fan brush and highlighted along the tops of my cheekbones, the tops of my brow bones, and down my nose using Becca Champagne Pop.

Blush – I applied Marc Jacobs blush in Kink and Kisses on the apples of my cheeks.

Eyes – I used the Naked Basics Palette in the color Venus all over my lids and Faint in the crease. To line my eyes I used the Laura Mercier cake liner in deep brown with an angled brush.

Mascara – I applied Covergirl Clump Crusher Waterproof to my lower lashes (I have extensions on top).

Lips – I used Nars Audacious lipstick in Rich Berry.

I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving filled with food, fun, and family!

If you missed part one go here! In part one we talked about the moisture barrier, the ideal pH for skin, and finding a low pH cleanser.

Adding a Daily Acid Toner

In addition to using a low pH cleanser, adding in a daily acid toner can help with keeping the pH of your skin low before applying additional serums and moisturizers. I see a big difference in the texture of my skin when I use a daily acid toner. My current favorite is the COSRX Two in One Poreless Power Liquid. It has a low dose of BHA to remove dead skin cells and tannins to tighten pores. For my pregnant mamas out there – no BHA for you! I recommend the Pixi Glow Tonic. It’s also available in Target stores if you don’t want to order online.

Essential Fatty Acids to Strengthen

Now that we have the basics covered – let’s dive into moisture barrier 1.02. The moisture barrier is held together by fatty acids and ceramides. A damaged moisture barrier will have a breakdown of these two things. The good news is that our skin is able to use topically applied fatty acids to repair itself. Essential fatty acids are found in many plant based oils. These oils can also help to strengthen a healthy moisture barrier. Some of my favorite oils and a serum to strengthen your moisture barrier:

• Josie Maran Argan Oil
• Drunk Elephant Virgin Marula Oil
• Stratia Liquid Gold
• Red Earth Brighten Concentrate Oil

Nurturing Your Moisture Barrier

Now that you have a strong and healthy moisture barrier, hopefully you are seeing improvements in the health and texture of your skin. Keep these four steps in mind for strengthening and maintaining your moisture barrier:

• Don’t use products with a pH of 6 or higher, especially facial cleanser.
• Use a daily acid toner. 
• Add an oil, serum, or moisturizer with fatty acids into your routine.
• Don’t over exfoliate, over cleanse, or get sunburned.

I would try using a low pH cleanser, acid toner, and a serum, oil, or moisturizer with fatty acids for two weeks and then reassess. If at that point you are still not happy with your skin – you can try adding in a BHA, AHA, or Retinol serum. We’ll talk about those in a later post! 

Hi all! Yesterday I guest posted over on the Live Organized, Live Simple Blog. I am re-posting here. Check out Amanda’s blog for more great posts about how to live simpler to get more enjoyment out of life!

I am obsessed with skincare as self-care and I love trying new products. With that said, sometimes I’m tired or busy and I don’t have time for an elaborate skincare routine. It is so important to take care of ourselves, and that includes taking care of our skin. No matter where I am or how tired I may feel, I always go back to this simple, 5 step basic routine:

Step 1 – Remove Makeup It is so, so important to remove makeup, dirt, and sunscreen from your face every night. You need to have separate steps for removing your makeup and cleansing your face. Many cleansers can’t take off concealer or foundation completely, especially around the eyes and nose. This also allows your facial cleanser to really get in and clean your pores. I love using wipes to remove my makeup because they are so quick and easy, and I don’t have to deal with messy oils getting into my eyes. I reach for my Clean and Clear Oil Free wipes every night.

Step 2 – Neutral PH Facial Cleanser After removing my makeup I cleanse my face. Growing up I always thought that a cleanser needed to be somewhat harsh to really clean my skin – the opposite is true in fact! Harsh, stripping facial cleansers can damage your delicate moisture barrier and invite more bacteria into your skin, causing breakouts. Our skin’s natural PH is neutral and we need to use a neutral cleanser to keep that balance. My current favorite is Glossier Milky Jelly Cleanser.

Step 3 – Toner I use an acid toner immediately after cleansing, applied with a cotton round. I find it’s a great way to get a regular dose of exfoliation into my routine without overdoing it. It also helps with keeping the pH of my skin neutral and preventing breakouts. I have been loving the COSRX Poreless Power Liquid. It has a low amount of BHA to slough off dead skin cells and tighten pores. It’s also the only product I have ever used that actually seems to clean my pores and make them look smaller. For my pregnant ladies out there – you can’t use BHA so I recommend an AHA product. I like the Pixi Glow Tonic.

Step 4 – Moisturize After toning we need to moisturize to keep from feeling dry and tight. I like to try out a lot of different types of moisturizers based on what my skin needs that day, but the one I consistently come back to is Cerave Baby Moisturizing Lotion. Don’t worry it doesn’t smell like baby. I like to use this one because it has all the great ceramides, hyaluronic acid, and niacinamide of the classic Cerave lotion but since it’s suitable for babies it’s also formulated without parabens. I use it on my daughter, too!

Step 5 – Sunscreen The last step may be the most important. The number one thing recommended for anti-aging? Sunscreen! Oh and it lowers your risk for cancer, I mean that’s good too. But seriously, I am all about aging gracefully and I do not want wrinkles and sun spots for as long as I can help it. To get true, age defying, cancer preventing coverage, you need to wear SPF 50. Every. Day. I tend to be a fan of Japanese sunscreens. They’re lightweight, non-greasy, and go great under makeup. One of my favorites is Biore UV Aqua Rich Watery Essence.

One final note – If I did my evening routine of removing makeup, cleansing, toning, and moisturizing – I just rinse my face with warm water in the morning. You don’t want to overwash! (Need to protect that moisture barrier!) Obviously, I do not use sunscreen in my evening routine.

That’s it, just five simple steps! Skincare is very personal and what works for me might not work for you, but hopefully you find this post helpful. If you try out this routine I’d love to know how it works for you! Come visit me over at Lauren Luvs for more great advice about Beauty, Style, and Mom Life! And thank you to Amanda for hosting me today!