britt’s picks // dermstore anniversary sale

Dermstore is one of my fave one-stop shops for all things skincare and beauty. They’re currently having an epic Anniversary Sale, and I wanted to share some of my top picks with you guys. Shop now until August 17th to get up to 25% off (use code CELEBRATE) participating brands, and members even get 3x loyalty points on others! From an effective at-home LED therapy mask to a makeup artist fave cleansing water to one of my holy grail anti-aging and anti-acne products, you're sure to find some great deals. Get to shopping- and saving- on serums, cleansers, toners, sunscreen, exfoliants & more! And please be sure to share any great finds of yours as well :)

Sunday Riley Good Genes Lactic Acid Treatment

This serum is always a staple in my routine. A lactic acid exfoliating treatment that smoothes the skin, and leaves it bright and gloomy? Yes please.

SkinMedica HA5 Rejuvenating Hydrator

This is a super hydrating, fragrance-free serum that replenishes your skin’s hyaluronic acid, and guarantees eight hours of continuous moisture.

iS Clinical Active Serum

This is one of my holy grail products with amazing anti-aging and anti-acne benefits. Say goodbye to dull complexions and hello to radiant skin.

EltaMD UV Clear Broad Spectrum SPF 46

This sunscreen is made with zinc oxide and niacinamide, making it great for those with sensitive skin! It also won’t break you out, which sunscreens are known to do.

Dr. Dennis Gross SpectraLite FaceWare Pro

This at-home LED mask with red and blue lights helps to reduce the appearance of wrinkles and acne. It’s a splurge, but worth it when you compare to the cost of multiple laser treatments and facials.

Indie Lee CoQ-10 Toner

This nourishing, alcohol-free toner refreshes and rejuvenates the skin thanks to chamomile & cucumber extracts, hyaluronic acid and coenzyme Q10.

Bioderma Sensibio H2O

This makeup artist fave cleansing water and makeup remover does the job with ease, and doesn’t irritate your skin in the least.

ILIA Fullest Volumizing Mascara

This mascara really delivers plump, full, and non-clumpy lashes. Bonus points for a totally clean formula with no nasty ingredients.

HUM Nutrition Skin Heroes Pre + Probiotic

This combo of pre & probiotics works its magic to promote both gut and skin health on a cellular level.

GoldfadenMD Pure Start Detoxifying Facial Cleanser

This gentle cleanser purifies the skin by getting rid of makeup, impurities, and dead skin cells, and leaves you with fresh, hydrated skin.

Slip Silk Sleep Mask

This eye mask is gentle on delicate facial skin, comes in tons of colors, and is so soft and comfy to sleep in!

Paula’s Choice 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant

This classic product has a cult following for a reason. The original BHA toner works to unclog pores and even skin tone without being too harsh.

 

 * 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 // merit beauty makeup

Y’all know I’m a huge fan of clean beauty brands. I’ve sung their praises many a time on this ol’ blog. No surprise I was super pumped to learn about new clean makeup brand from Katherine Power, Merit Beauty, which has created formulas that are not only safe for our skin and bodies, but for the planet is well! Merit is all about minimalist beauty, and they take a “less is more” approach, which I’m all about these days. 2020 was a reset of sorts for most everyone, and I think it made us realize that we don’t need too much, especially when it comes to makeup products. As a mom of a toddler, finding ways to simplify my morning rituals is super important. Cheers to brands that bring us more, for less!

I’ve been trying out some products, and I love that I can achieve my ideal “no-makeup, makeup” look with just a few of Merit’s goodies, and usually only need one hand to do it! Plus, that cute, but sophisticated packaging is pretty easy on the eyes! If your complexion needs a bit of smoothing or evening out, The Minimalist is going to be your new BFF. It’s not technically a concealer or a foundation, but essentially does the job of both, in one compact, elegant stick. Only apply it where you need it, and blend it with their Brush No. 1 (omg so soft!) for that perfectly smooth finish. Flush Balm is a cream tint that melts into your skin, depositing a translucent veil of color without hiding your skin’s texture. It lasts all day, and gives you that subtle, but beautiful, natural flush. When you want a dewy glow without the overkill of sparkle, Day Glow is the highlighting balm for you. It’s also super moisturizing thanks to its vitamin-rich base.

Defined brows and lashes are an essential part of any well-put-together look in my opinion, and Merit’s Brow 1980 gives you volume and fluffiness in a nod to the classic brows of the ‘80s. Love that! It’s also flexible and doesn’t flake, because no one wants crusty brows… Clean Lash is my new go-to daily mascara, because it does everything from lifting to tinting to lengthening your lashes. It helps give you that wide-awake look (so necessary sometimes!) and doesn’t smudge or clump in the least. If you want to finish with a pop of color on your lips, definitely try out any of the fun hues of Shade Slick. It goes on sheer, and is basically a hybrid of an oil and a lip stain. Plus, it’s infused with rosehip oil and shea butter, so your lips will feel nourished all day! Merit is totally clean, vegan, and cruelty-free, but all these products are also EU-Compliant, meaning they are free from 1400 potentially unsafe ingredients. Woot woot!

Don’t miss snagging the super chic Merit bag (comes free with all first orders on meritbeauty.com!). I’m sort of obsessed- it’s the perfect makeup bag, but can also be used as a cute lil tote! Plus, it’s washable, so don’t worry if you have a makeup spillage ;) As if all this isn’t enough, Merit volunteers, donates and supports Baby2Baby, a non-profit organization that provides children in poverty across the United States with diapers, clothing and other basic necessities. At checkout, you can directly donate to Baby2Baby alongside your order. Amazing!

 * 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! 

sephora spring savings event 2020- my picks!

A couple times a year, Sephora gifts us with savings events that are basically a beauty junkie’s Christmas! If you hadn’t heard, their Spring Savings Event is happening right now and ends officially on Friday, May 1. It’s an amazing event and the perfect opportunity to stock up on not only your favorite skincare essentials, but consider pulling the trigger on products you’ve been eyeing for a while. After all, with this quarantine lasting until who-knows-when, we have all the time in the world to play with products at home!

In case you aren’t exactly sure how the Sephora sale works, here’s my breakdown. 

There are three tiers for Sephora members: Rouge, VIB, and Beauty Insider. 

  • Rouge members have spent over $1,000 with Sephora and had first access to the sale starting Friday, April 17 and receive 20% off their order.

  • VIB members have spent over $350 and began shopping Tuesday, April 21 for 15% off their order.

  • Beauty Insiders were granted access Thursday, April 23 and receive 10% off their order. There is no dollar amount you have to spend to get Beauty Insider membership! Sign up is free and fast, and you can immediately start shopping. 

Most importantly, you’ll need the promo code no matter which tier you belong to: SPRINGSAVE

With all that in mind, I wanted to share the 9 products that I’ve re-stocked since the Sephora sale began. From skincare to haircare, these are the brands and products I love and trust most when it comes to taking care of myself no matter the season.

TATA HARPER

Retinoic Nutrient Face Oil With Vitamin A

I love a Retinol. Truth be told, not being able to use this Retinoic Face Oil from Tata Harper during pregnancy and while breastfeeding is hard (to read more about anti-aging products to avoid during pregnancy, read this). I love this particular face oil because, although it’s retinol-powered, the oil and added vitamin A keep it hydrating and extra gentle on your skin. So many retinols can be drying or cause irritation, and this doesn’t. Looking forward to getting it back in the rotation!

 BIOSSANCE

Squalane + Tea Tree Balancing Oil

Biossance has a cult following for a reason. Its main ingredient in most of its products, Squalane, is a 100% natural, plant-derived moisturizer that is gentle on all skin types. This particular oil is both clarifying and balancing for the skin. I’ve noticed it helps me most with breakouts and redness and is great when it’s that time of the month and your skin is getting a little too hormonal!

SUNDAY RILEY

C.E.O Glow Vitamin C + Turmeric Face Oil

Another cult classic in terms of face oil is the C.E.O Glow Face Oil from Sunday Riley. Vitamin C is a hero when it comes to anti-aging and that, mixed with the calming effects of Turmeric make this product one of my all-time favorites. This oil does it all: brightens, hydrates, and leaves skin with an unmistakable glow, which we could all use more of nowadays.

DRUNK ELEPHANT

T.L.C. Sukari Babyfacial™ 25% AHA + 2% BHA Mask

I love my spa visits as much as the next girl, but there’s no telling when we’ll be able to go back to relying on an expert to pamper us. The importance of at-home self care has become even more vital to me over the last month or so to feel some sense of normalcy and calm. I love Drunk Elephant’s T.L.C. Sukari Babyfacial for this reason. It truly is as close to a facial in a bottle as you can get! Apply it once a week for 20 min and watch in awe as your skin is suddenly glowing again. It has almost 5 stars and over 2.1K reviews on Sephora for a reason!

 SUPERGOOP!

PLAY 100% Mineral Broad Spectrum Lotion SPF 50

Speaking of treating your skin, just because you’re not taking a beach vacation anytime soon doesn’t mean you shouldn’t still be protecting your skin via SPF daily. I swear by this Supergoop! 100% mineral, broad spectrum SPF lotion. Because it’s mineral based, it’s much less irritating making it ideal for sensitive skin. You can use it all over—on both your face and body—and you should! Have I mentioned how important SPF is?

ILIA

Super Serum Skin Tint SPF 40 Foundation

Speaking of SPF, ILIA is quickly becoming a new favorite in clean beauty for me. I wrote about the brand back in January, and I’ve since added another product to my arsenal: the Super Serum Skin Tint Foundation with SPF 40. This is the perfect option for springtime into the summer months. When it’s warm outside, the last thing you want to do is apply a heavy foundation to your face. This ILIA Skin Tint is lightweight and gives you a dewy finish thanks in part to its serum and hyaluronic acid! Plus, the SPF is perfect for every day, but especially pool or beach days.

MILK MAKEUP

KUSH High Volume Mascara

Another essential for spring and summer days when minimal makeup is what you’re going for is a great mascara. I love the KUSH High Volume Mascara from Milk Makeup. It’s volumizing without looking clumpy (huge plus) and is 100% vegan! Plus, the hemp-derived cannabis seed oil simultaneously conditions your lashes while thickening them. Just a few coats of this is all it takes to look and feel glam with minimal effort.

OLAPLEX

Olaplex Hair Perfector No. 3

If you haven’t seen or heard of Olaplex, you must not be active anywhere on social media because this line of products is everywhere and for good reason. With a team of legitimate scientists and industry experts behind Olaplex, their hair care product delivers serious results. I love the Hair Perfector No. 3 the most. It isn’t a leave-in conditioner; the No. 3 is a concentrated hair treatment that reinforces and strengthens all types of hair. Personally, I’ve found it’s great for color-treated blondes. By applying it for at least 10 min once a week (or more for severely damaged hair), it works to repair breakage and general hair damage.

SLIP

Silk Sleepmask

Lastly, to really round out the list of ultimate treat yourself Sephora skincare, I love this silk sleepmask by Slip. Sleeping on a silk pillowcase has proven to do wonders for haircare, and this sleepmask promises the same for your skin. Friction from tossing and turning can cause you to wake up with those oh-so-attractive “sleep lines,” but treating yourself to this mask made from the highest grade mulberry silk will prevent that and so much more. It’s one-size-fits-all and available in 8 different colors and patterns to fit your exact sleeping beauty personality, not to mention it’s hypoallergenic. It’s the small luxuries like this mask that are carrying me through quarantine, so I hope you’ll treat yourself to one, too!

Bonus Splurge!

DR. BARBARA STURM

Super Anti-Aging Serum

I somehow (?!) didn’t know Dr. Barbara Sturm products were carried at Sephora until now, but boy am I glad I do! With a background in anti-inflammatory medicine, Dr. Sturm focuses on non-aggressive natural extracts and scientifically-proven ingredients to treat the skin from within. Her super anti-aging serum is packed with antioxidants like purslane and skullcap to promote skin rejuvenation, leaving you with a firm, youthful complexion. Yes please!

 * 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 // w3ll people expressionist mascara

Mascara is one of those products you really don't need to spend a lot of money on. Sure, those high-end brands make great ones, but there are equally great options at the drug store! While you won't find this particular mascara at your local Duane Reade, it is an easy Amazon order, and you can feel good about using a much better-for-you product! W3ll People Expressionist Mascara gives you those big, bold, and fluffy lashes you crave, without all the chemicals. Considering how close you are to your eye balls, I'd say this is a huge benefit! Even better, the synergistic botanical blend that W3ll People uses actually nourishes your eyelashes, as opposed to making them dried out and super frail. I'm loving the new high-tech brush design that doesn't leave me with goopy, clumpy lashes, but rather separates and lengthens each one. The wand is also great for great buildable coverage, whether you want a very light application or something more dramatic. In the above pics, for example, I didn't even curl my lashes- just applied a couple coats, and voila! For my go-to natural look, I'll throw on some of this as well as the W3ll People Bio-Tint Moisturizer and Narcissist stick (to conceal if necessary), some Glossier highlighter, and be good to go! Easy does it for that perfect "no-makeup" makeup look. 

 * 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!