fave products // goop beauty goopglow vita-c brightening eye cream

I feel like I’m getting to that age where an eye cream is definitely a good idea. Mid 30s, two kids… you know what I mean. The skin under your eyes is super delicate, and is also quick to show signs of aging (or lack of sleep!), so adding a nourishing eye cream to your skincare routine can be highly beneficial. The Goop Beauty GOOPGLOW Vita-C Brightening Eye Cream does just that and more, thanks to an epic anti-aging combo of vitamin C and niacinamide. The gel-cream goes on smooth and silky, working its magic to depuff, color correct, and brighten right away, while also giving you firming, smoothing, and lifting benefits with continued use. If this sounds like it’s checking all the boxes, then we are on the same page! There’s even a plant-based retinoid alternative at play that helps reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. I’ve found that the light, hydrating texture absorbs into the skin easily, and is not irritating in the least. Plus it plays well with others- aka goes on nicely under makeup with no pilling! Here’s your sign to add GOOPGLOW Vita-C Brightening Eye Cream to your top shelf stat. I mean, hey, if it’s good enough for Gwyneth, am I right?!

 * 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 // taïla face oil, eye balm & toning mist

I was recently introduced to Taïla, high performance all-natural skincare rooted in the plant powered science of Ayurveda, and I have to say I’ve been pleasantly surprised. A lot of skincare brands claim to be rooted in this or that, or act like a cure-all for any skin concern, but Taïla really does deliver. Each formula advances treasured beauty traditions of India to awaken your senses and bring skin into harmony. The entire collection is non-toxic, using only USDA organic and wildcrafted ingredients, which I love! I even feel comfortable using the oil on my baby boy, that is, if he gets so lucky… The products are formulated with a team of Ayurvedic Doctors in Kerala, India, and are all sustainable and eco-friendly as well.

The Prana Face Oil is one of the best I’ve tried- it’s a multi-targeted treatment serum that works to nourish your skin in several ways. From smoothing fine lines to diminishing dark spots to boosting collagen production, it really is a jack of all trades. I love the antioxidant-rich superfruit amla, which helps fight dullness and leaves you with a beautiful glow! The Vayu Illuminating Toning Mist is super lightweight, but ultra hydrating all at once. It’s a great way to prep the skin and boost the performance of any subsequent steps in your skincare regimen (like the Prana Oil!). I love giving myself a spritz throughout the day to refresh the skin, and it’s also a nice way to set your makeup. Plus, key ingredient tulsi (aka Holy Basil) helps draw out impurities and neutralize environmental stressors! Yes please. The Nayana Revitalizing Eye Balm works to revive, nourish, and revitalize the delicate skin around the eyes thanks to its concentrated blend of phytonutrients. Manjishta and ashwaghanda work to keep dark circles, puffiness, and fine lines at bay, while also promoting the production of collagen and elastin. I’ve found the balm to be the perfect way to hide any signs of fatigue (hello mom life!). Pro tip- add a layer to your lips at night for an intensive hydration treatment while you sleep!

Everything Taïla makes is free of parabens, GMOs, sulfates, artificial dyes, and synthetic fragrances, making them a wonderful option for those with sensitive skin. What’s more- Taïla is a woman-owned business made in NYC! It’s so important to support these types of small, local businesses, so I’m happy to do my part in spreading the good word! Next up on my must-try list: The Nava Jungol Detoxifying Detox Mask!

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 * 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 // dermalogica biolumin-c eye serum

I love me some Dermalogica. It’s one of those brands I keep coming back to for their potent, gentle, yet effective products. I fell in love with their Biolumin-C Serum a while ago, so I was super excited when I learned they were coming out with a Biolumin-C Vitamin C Eye Serum. Yes please! This lightweight serum is packed with antioxidants that work to brighten, hydrate, and firm the area around your eyes. I’m sure you’ve noticed how delicate the under-eye skin is, and it’s also one of the first places to show signs of aging. That combo calls for perfectly balanced serum that will work to fight free radicals and environmental pollutants, but one that will also hydrate the skin and keep it supple. Biolumin-C Eye Serum uses Vitamin C Complex, a stable form of vitamin C that boasts both brightening and anti-wrinkle benefits, while ingredients like chia seed oil and tremella mushroom extract help to depuff and firm the skin. I love that the serum is free of sulfates, phthalates, and parabens (among other nasty ingredients), and is also vegan, cruelty-free and comes in recyclable packaging. Any move that helps the environment is a huge plus in my book. Be sure to grab one for yourself, stat!

 * 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 // iS clinical reparative moisture emulsion & youth eye complex

Oh iS Clinical, I really can’t get enough of you lately! Your serums swooned me months ago, but I really have yet to be disappointed by any of the products I try. The Reparative Moisture Emulsion and Youth Eye Complex are no different- surprise, surprise- so I wanted to give y’all the scoop on these classics from Innovated Skincare ASAP! The Reparative Moisture Emulsion has kept my skin protected and feeling smooth and healthy thanks to some powerhouse pharmaceutical-grade botanicals, peptides, and antioxidants. Copper Tripeptide Growth Factor? May sound confusing, but it’s clinically proven to fight signs of premature aging by reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles over time. Same goes for Extremozymes, which are enzymes that work to protect your skin from environmental stressors. Add in hyaluronic acid for both penetrating and surface hydration, and you’re good to go! Lots of makeup artists love this product, as it’s great for all skin types, and is a great way to prep the skin before applying makeup. Plus, paraben free is the way to be, y’all ;)

The Youth Eye Complex works similarly to the Emulsion above in many ways, but with a focus on the delicate eye area, providing you with both immediate and long-term visible improvements. You’ll find Copper Tripeptide Growth Factor and Hyaluronic here as well, but also acetyl octapeptide-3 and pseudoalteromonas ferment extract (sounds scary, but they aren’t!) which help fight pesky signs of premature aging, like wrinkles and puffiness. Yes please! Since incorporating this cream, my under-eye area has felt more firm, with increased elasticity, and not to mention looks brighter as well! As an added bonus, I also love using this product around the similarly delicate lip area. Try it out for yourself and see! Now tell me- which iS Clinical products have you tried and loved???

 * 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 // fresh beauty black tea age delay serum, eye concentrate & mask

Black tea in your skincare products? Yep, you heard me right! And not for the first time either. Remember this Fresh Beauty Black Tea Kombucha Facial Treatment Essence from a while back? This age-delay, anti-pollution toner is great for fighting pesky environmental stressors that cause your skin to age. I was and still am a big fan to pat some on post-cleansing! Lately I've been trying out some more products from Fresh's black tea line, and am happy to say I'm super pleased with the results! 

Let's start with the Fresh Black Tea Age-Delay Firming Serum. It works to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, offering an overall corset-like effect on the skin with its lifting and tightening properties. Ingredients like black tea ferment (aka kombucha) and extract, blackberry leaf extract and lychee seed extract fight free radicals that increase signs of aging while also improving your skin's elasticity. I love the combo of a super concentrated blend of peptides along with the antioxidant-rich honeysuckle leaf extract- this baby is no joke! I definitely feel like it helps define and contour the skin with continued use.

The serum pairs wonderfully with the Fresh Black Tea Age-Delay Eye Concentrate, which is great for any puffiness and dark circles you may have, and is also extremely hydrating for the delicate skin around the eyes. Black tea is obviously at play here as well, along with noni fruit juice, a powerhouse ingredient known to retain and increase moisture and protect the skin. The cooling formula is great for use both morning and night!

Whenever I feel like I need to take it to another level, I reach for my Fresh Black Tea Firming Overnight Mask. This leave-on mask provides intense moisture to dehydrated skin, and leaves you with a firm suppleness come morning. In addition to the ferments and extracts featured in most of the black tea products, the mask boasts belle de nuit extract, which is a real game changer when it comes to soothing and rebalancing your skin. Plus, super hydrator hyaluronic acid is present to provide and lock in ample moisture! I love waking up to wonderfully hydrated and plump skin. Now I'm craving a kombucha- thanks Fresh Beauty!

 * 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 // fleur & bee serum and creams

Y’all know me- I love a good line of natural, non-toxic products that won’t irritate my skin, but are actually effective. Not surprisingly, this has been even more true throughout my pregnancy over the last several months. That’s why I was stoked to find a new, local brand called Fleur & Bee, which specializes in 100% vegan skincare! So far this minimal line includes just the essentials (think serum, face & eye creams, toner), but is made with quality, cruelty-free ingredients, and none of that toxic crap! Plus, it’s all super affordable, so you don’t feel like you have to skimp on it each time you apply. Maybe the best thing about the company, however, is that they donate 1% of sales to help distribute menstrual hygiene products to girls in need. How amazing is that?

By now I’m sure you’ve heard me applaud the many benefits of a vitamin C serum. I recently added their Nectar of the C Rejuvenating Vitamin C Serum to my routine, and I have to say I’ve been pleased with the results. This baby helps soften the appearance of fine lines and leaves me with glowing skin, which just goes to show that natural can still be powerful! It even stands up to serums that cost 2-3x as much! I’ve also been testing out Fleur & Bee’s creams, and they’ve been equally as impressive. The Crème de la Cream Moisturizing Face Cream is gentle and lightweight, but packed with potent botanicals and vitamins like Q10, vitamin C, vitamin E, aloe vera and pomegranate to keep your skin sufficiently hydrated. Plentiful antioxidants help fight wrinkles and even skin tone as well! The Eyes Eyes Baby Anti-Aging Eye Cream helps combat tired, puffy eyes and dark circles thanks to ingredients like vitamin E, squalane, caffeine, and green tea! It definitely helps me to awaken looking more well-rested in the morning (even if that’s not necessarily the case lately thanks to the wonder that is pregnancy). So smooth and hydrating! I definitely recommend checking out Fleur & Bee if you’re on the hunt for some new non-toxic, cruelty-free skincare that won’t break the bank!

 * 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!