fave products // olio e osso tinted lip, cheek & lid balms

As a busy mom and general wearer of multiple hats, I love a multi-use product. Anything that saves time and can be used for multiple things is a winner in my book. Bonus points if that product is non-toxic, super nourishing, and actually works! Enter Olio E Osso Tinted Lip, Cheek & Lid Balms. I’ve been testing out these multi-purpose sticks over the last several months, and love the convenience, portability, and colors! They offer everything from a bright peachy pink to a moody dark brown, so you really can use these in so many ways- think a pop of pink on the lips or even a bronzey contour on the cheeks! The balm itself has an all natural base made of olive, shea and grapefruit essential oils, and is super nourishing on the skin. I love how it glides on soft and smooth, and gives me a sheer but noticeable glow wherever its applied. Not to mention how hydrated it makes my skin feel. Plus, the compact stick formula makes it easy to toss in your purse, diaper bag, car, wherever! They are great for on-the-go, with no brushes or tools required. Olio E Osso is a female-founded brand that literally pours love into each balm, producing them all by hand in small batches! All the more reason to add them to your makeup bag in my opinion… Which shade should I try next?

 * This post may contain affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, it won’t cost you a penny more, but I’ll earn a small commission. This allows me to continue to generate content for you, and helps keep the site up and running. Thanks for your support! 

fave products // the ordinary niacinamide serum & azelaic acid cream

Skincare comes in many price ranges, and just because something is on the cheaper side, does NOT mean that it isn’t just as effective as some of the higher end products out there. Enter The Ordinary. Perhaps you’ve heard of this budget-friendly brand with a serious cult following by now. For whatever reason, I was late to the game in trying them out, but I’m so happy I finally did! I started with two products I’d heard rave reviews about: the Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% Oil Control Serum and the Azelaic Acid 10% Suspension Brightening Cream.

First up, the Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% Oil Control Serum is the perfect serum to reach for if you suffer from acne or blemishes. This high-strength vitamin-and-mineral blemish formula with 10 percent pure niacinamide and one percent zinc PCA is great for targeting pores and oiliness, and really helps keep breakouts at bay. Niacinamide (aka aka vitamin B3) works to reduce the appearance of skin blemishes and signs of congestion, while also visibly brightening skin tone, and zinc PCA: Visibly helps regulate excess sebum activity. For only $6.50 per one fluid ounce bottle, it’s truly worth a try for those with problem skin!

The Azelaic Acid 10% Suspension Brightening Cream is a multifunctional cream that targets numerous skincare concerns, from dullness to texture to acne. Azelaic acid works to brighten the skin tone, improve the evenness of skin texture, reduce the look of blemishes, and even offers impressive antioxidant support. If you suffer from any sort of hyperpigmentation or melasma, I definitely recommend adding this $10 product to your skincare routine! The Ordinary products are free of parabens, formaldehydes, phthalates, mineral oil, oxybenzone, coal tar, and sulfates SLS & SLES. Plus, they’re also vegan, gluten-free, and cruelty-free! I’d say all that plus their appealing price point makes them practically a must-try!

 * This post may contain affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, it won’t cost you a penny more, but I’ll earn a small commission. This allows me to continue to generate content for you, and helps keep the site up and running. Thanks for your support! 

fave products // good juju herbal

I mostly talk about facial skincare around here, but taking care of the skin on the rest of your body is super important as well! Plus, pampering yourself and treating your body well can feel like such a self care spa experience, so why wouldn’t you want to partake?? Bonus points for beautiful, handcrafted products that earn a coveted spot on your vanity or in your shower! Enter Good Juju Herbal, a brand that’s built on making lifelong, can’t live without staples. They believe that quality body care should be accessible to all regardless of skin condition, age, and income level, and the product line is intentionally designed to fulfill this purpose. Everything is also 100% natural (made from plants and naturally derived ingredients) with a strong focus on sustainability (they only offer the highest quality ingredients, fair trade partnerships, and value the importance of a healthy natural ecosystem). Not to mention, all Good Juju Herbal products are free from palm oil, parabens, fragrance oils, as well as skin irritating foaming agents like SLS. Yes please!

Now for the products themselves. I’ve been obsessed with the Good Juju Herbal Felted Soap, which is built on the fun idea of combining bar soap with a washcloth. It’s bar soap that is wrapped in a naturally antimicrobial coating of roving. When you wet the soap and start to lather, it will continue lathering through the outside coating. The roving will shrink with the size of the soap inside because when hot water hits the fibers of the roving, this allows it to open up and knit tighter and tighter around the outside of the soap. How neat, and feels so luxurious on the skin! I’m also a fan of the heavenly smelling Eucalyptus & Bergamot Bar Soap to take your shower to the next level. Good Juju makes some lovely scrubs for the body and face as well. Plus, the Whole Body Oil has been the perfect post-shower hydrator, and leaves my skin feeling soft and smooth.

It’s no surprise I love a good face oil, and Good Juju Restorative Face Oil is one of the better ones I’ve tried lately. With nourishing ingredients like blue tansy oil, rosehip, squalane, and jojoba oils, it’s great for all skin types, including sensitive and blemish-prone. The product works to provide the skin with vital vitamins and fatty acids, while also boosting collagen and lipid repair as skin ages over time. After using the oil for only a few weeks, I can already tell it helps to reduce inflammation, regulate oil production, repair the skin barrier, as well as supply lasting, lightweight hydration. Next on my list to try is the Good Juju Essential Salve, which is said to be great for calming irritated or inflamed skin.

As if all that wasn’t enough, they also participate in The Happy Skin Project, which provides free and discounted soap to those currently undergoing radiation or chemotherapy in order to keep their skin as healthy and intact as possible. Good Juju also donates their soap ends to local shelters & community organizations. How wonderful!

 * This post may contain affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, it won’t cost you a penny more, but I’ll earn a small commission. This allows me to continue to generate content for you, and helps keep the site up and running. Thanks for your support! 

fave products // milk + honey exfoliating cleanser & toner

There’s something about finding the perfect balance between products that are gentle yet still exfoliate and thoroughly cleanse the skin. Ya know what I mean? I’ve been a fan of milk + honey products for a while now- I love that their formulas are totally clean without any harsh or irritating ingredients, but are also super effective. I’ve been incorporating their Exfoliating Cleanser & Exfoliating Toner into my routine lately, and I love how quickly I’m noticing a difference in my skin. The cleanser works to revitalize dull & tired skin, and improve the appearance of pores, leaving you with soft, glowing, healthier-looking skin, while the toner uses a blend of powerful clarifying ingredients to gently resurface the skin. Mandelic acid, a gentle type of alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) made from bitter almonds, helps with hyperpigmentation and signs of aging, while black willow bark extract, which contains a natural form of salicylic acid (BHA), helps to promote cellular turnover. Plus, tea tree essential oil helps to reduce inflammation to support clearer, smoother skin. While you may worry that all these clarifying ingredients can cause dryness- fear not. Aloe vera juice and hyaluronic acid help to nourish and hydrate the skin, making this duo quite the one-two punch! If you’re looking to switch up your cleanser and toner, I definitely suggest checking out milk + honey products.

 * This post may contain affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, it won’t cost you a penny more, but I’ll earn a small commission. This allows me to continue to generate content for you, and helps keep the site up and running. Thanks for your support! 

fave products // r&co. haircare products

R+Co. haircare products // shampoo, conditioner, dry shampoo & volume spray

I know a lot of people out there must be missing their hair colorists and hair stylists during the quarantine, am I right? To be honest, the break is likely a welcome one for my hair. It’s definitely enjoying the break from being constantly teased and curled and spritzed on set at photoshoots… But one thing’s for sure is my balayage highlights have definitely been growing out. Luckily, my colorist (Dana Ionato at Sally Hershberger Salon in NYC!) is awesome, and when hand-painting the highlights on my hair, she intentionally leaves some darkness at the root, which creates a nice contract and gives the overall look some depth. It also helps it not to look so “omg I need my roots done ASAP” once the color starts to grow out.

To that end, I’ve found investing in some high quality hair products to be of the utmost important. Enter R+Co. I’ve had many of their products used on my hair during photoshoots over the years, and am always really pleased with the results. I used to wash my hair every. single. day. Crazy right? I thought I had to otherwise it would get oily, but to be frank, I was probably just fueling the fire. Now I only wash every few days, and lately I’ve been reaching for the R+Co Sunset Blvd Daily Blonde Shampoo & Conditioner. This particular set is great for color-treated blondes (especially when a certain pandemic is keeping you from your would-be touch-up appointment!)- it works to keep your blonde bright and helps prevent those yucky brassy tones. I also really love their Television Perfect Hair Shampoo & Conditioner, which is great for all hair types, and leaves you with clean, shiny, silky hair, and zero build-up!

In between washes, I’ve been spritzing with the R+Co Spiritualized Dry Shampoo Mist, and it definitely helps buy me that extra day (or two) without feeling like I need to cover up with a hat. The micellar-based formula thankfully doesn’t leave a powdery residue like many dry shampoos, and it even helps relieve itchiness! Whenever I want a lil va-va-voom in the hair department, I go for the R+Co Balloon Dry Volume Spray. It’s a great way to add texture, shine, and volume (duh) in a lightweight spray that won’t weigh down those locks. I’ll admit, I’m not the best hair stylist by any means, but the Balloon Dry Volume Spray helps me achieve that slightly messy, textured ‘do that I love! PS- many of their products come in travel size versions, making them great for tossing into your suitcase or gym bag! A big plus (in my book at least) is that R+Co products are vegan & cruelty-free, as well as free from parabens, sulfates, mineral oil, and petroleum! No need for any of that on your scalp, so close to the brain, in my opinion…. If you’re looking to change it up in the hair category, I definitely recommend checking out R+Co!

 * This post may contain affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, it won’t cost you a penny more, but I’ll earn a small commission. This allows me to continue to generate content for you, and helps keep the site up and running. Thanks for your support! 

fave products // tata harper beautifying face oil

As the weather changes during the fall and winter months, and my skin feels like it needs an extra dose of hydration, I constantly find myself reaching for my Tata Harper Beautifying Face Oil. This oil really pumps up your glow factor- essentially improving skin’s radiance and revitalizing its appearance all at once. If your skin is starting to feel dry, dull, or has a somewhat uneven tone, Tata’s Beautifying Face Oil could really come in handy thanks to all the essential nutrients it packs into your skin. I love that although it’s somewhat of a powerhouse in terms of the numerous high performance botanical ingredients it boasts, it doesn’t feel heavy or greasy on my skin. Rather, it absorbs quickly and gets to work delivering ample moisture and hydration. Vitamin B from camellia oil helps revive dull or fatigued skin, while several antioxidants help fight the effects of free radicals, leaving you with smooth, supple skin. Yes please! After adding it to both my morning and night routines lately, my skin definitely feels more glowy and luminous. Of course, as with all Tata Harper products, this oil is completely non-toxic and free from any harsh ingredients like synthetic chemicals or artificial fragrances, making it great even for those with sensitive skin. I highly suggest picking up a bottle of Beautifying Face Oil for yourself- the sooner, the better!