fave products // milk + honey blue tansy balm & bakuchiol treatment

milk + honey blue tansy balm and bakuchiol treatment

I first became a fan of milk + honey products after trying their Pink Clay Masque, which works wonders to clear your pores and balance the skin. I highly recommend it if you feel your skin needs a little detox situation. I love that all milk + honey products are hyperclean, effective, and safe. All super important in my book! When I heard they were launching a Blue Tansy Balm and Bakuchiol Treatment, I was totally down to give them a try. I’m all about a multi-use skin salve, and that’s essentially what the Blue Tansy Balm is. Blue tansy, blue chamomile, and blue yarrow work together to promote calm, balanced, healthy-looking skin, wherever you need it! It works equally as well to neutralize redness & dryness as it does to treat burns, rashes or scrapes! I personally love applying a thin layer to my face as an overnight mask that provides intense hydration while I sleep. Not to mention its clutch use as as a cuticle treatment as well. During the summer, if you find yourself with irritated bug bites or sunburns, a smear of this balm lends instant relief! Everyone in my family has gotten to reap the benefits so far, and I can only imagine I’ll find more uses for it over time. Talk about a do-it-all product!

The Bakuchiol Treatment is a wonderful alternative to the typical retinol products you find these days. This serum-moisturizer hybrid uses bakuchiol, a plant based alternative to retinol, to deliver retinol-like results without the skin irritation and photosensitivity side effects that can be all too common for some. The Bakuchiol Treatment works to reduce the appearance of fine lines & hyperpigmentation, while supporting collagen production to even your skin tone. Antioxidant rich botanicals like black willow bark extract & edelweiss stem cell extract work their magic to leave you with brighter, softer skin! PS- If your skin is a bit more dry and/or sensitive, I suggest adding this to your moisturizer or facial oil, and applying it that way. Otherwise, feel free to use solo as a leave-on serum treatment. Regardless, just don’t forget the SPF!

milk + honey also makes some luxurious sounding bath products (Eucalyptus, Arnica, Rosemary, Sweet Marjoram Sore Muscle Soak, anyone??) that I’m dying to get my hands on. I can just picture myself relaxing in the bath with a glass of wine and their Lemon, Vanilla Milk Bath. Yes, please. Now, get to pampering!

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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! 

sephora spring savings event 2020- my picks!

sephora spring sale 2020 picks.jpg

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!

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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 // paula's choice calm exfoliant, serum & moisturizer

If anyone out there has skin that is sensitive to certain ingredients, chemicals, or fragrances like I do, calming skincare products are of the utmost importance. I’ve been a Paula’s Choice fan for a while now- their affordable, yet effective products are hard to beat- so I was excited to try some goodies from their Calm line. After using a gentle cleanser (you could use their Calm Nourishing Cleanser) to wash my face, I apply the Calm 1% BHA Lotion Exfoliant to dry skin with my fingertips. It’s a slightly milder version of their cult fave Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid you may have heard about, but still seems to work its magic thanks to potent exfoliator salicylic acid. It feels smooth going on, and gently exfoliates to minimize pore size and smooth the skin. Next up, I followed with the Calm Repairing Serum, which is the perfect overall pick-me-up for sensitive skin. It’s lightweight, yet super hydrating, and is packed with antioxidants that help calm redness and fight signs of aging. I like to use it both morning and night, before applying moisturizer. In the mornings, I follow with the Calm Mineral Moisturizer with SPF 30 to keep my skin protected from UVA & UVB rays from the sun. I always prefer to use sunscreens that are mineral-based (zinc oxide & titanium dioxide) as they don’t irritate my skin like the others. Hyaluronic acid and apricot oil add a wonderful hydrating effect, and help protect the skin’s delicate moisture barrier. Plus, this one doesn’t leave that annoying white film on your skin, and goes on perfectly under makeup! I just discovered there’s a Calm Restoring Moisturizer with hydrating squalane and jojoba oil I think I’ll try next as an evening moisturizer too. Sign me up! I highly recommend checking out Paula’s Choice if you haven’t already!

 * 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 // ilia beauty true skin radiant priming serum & serum foundation

ILIA Beauty is one of the original clean beauty brands, and one I’d been interesting in trying for some time now. I love their motto, skincare-powered makeup, because I truly believe the two should go hand-in-hand in everyone’s routine. Finding the right balance between product safety and product performance can be tricky, but ILIA has really nailed it down. By using clean, effective ingredients and focusing on organic bases, vivid color, and active botanicals, they’re able to make mindful decisions about products that truly make your skin glow.

ILIA Beauty True Skin Radiant Priming Serum is the perfect product to help you transition from your skincare to makeup routines. Hibiscus extract, aloe, and beta-glucan create a super smooth base for makeup application thanks to their firming, moisturizing, and soothing properties. Plus, they help protect the skin from free radicals and harsh environmental factors that cause signs of aging. Pores and fine lines appear smaller, improving the texture of your skin and leaving you with a radiant glow! I especially love that it’s silicone-free, and leaves my skin baby soft to the touch.

The ILIA Beauty True Skin Serum Foundation is a killer two-in-one product. All the skincare benefits of a serum, plus the light but buildable coverage of a foundation. I love how weightless it feels on my skin, and- big bonus- it never gets cakey or flakey, but rather helps blur imperfections, leaving you with a velvety soft finish. Botanical actives like aloe leaf, rosehip, jojoba, and marula oils help sooth irritation and calm redness, and also boast some anti-aging properties thanks to their aid in plumping fine lines! Luminous skin is what you’re left with, and most importantly, your skin looks like skin! If clean beauty is important to you, and I hope it is, I highly recommend checking out ILIA Beauty soon!

 * 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 powerbright trx pure night cream & pure bright serum

Brighter, more glowing skin always sounds pretty appealing, am I right? Uneven skin tone can be frustrating, and although I try to be diligent in my use of sunscreen and other anti-aging products, sometimes the spots and discoloration still peep through. Thankfully, Dermalogica’s PowerBright TRx line of products is here to help us combat the dullness! I’ve been using the PowerBright TRx C-12 Pure Bright Serum and the PowerBright TRx Pure Night Face Moisturizer, and I can already tell a difference. I love how lightweight and quickly absorbed the serum is- it’s super potent, but still gentle enough that I can use it both day and night! This baby works to fight all sorts of hyperpigmentation, including brown spots, discoloration, and uneven skin tone thanks to ingredients like oligopeptides, phytic acid, and red & brown algae. Say hello to increased luminosity! Pure Night, with its rich and creamy texture, just adds to the impressive glow-factor you’ll be gaining. Its active blend of brightening agents (think vitamin C, niacinamide, pumpkin enzyme & white bird of paradise seed extract!) work their magic while you sleep, so that you wake up to more luminous skin. Um, yes please! If you’re seeking brighter, more even-toned skin, I highly suggest adding these products to your routine, stat. While you’re at it, check out some of my other favorite Dermalogica products as well!

 * 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 concentrated brightening essence

I’ve been a Tata Harper fan for quite a while now. From the body scrub & balm to the resurfacing serum to the hydrating floral essence, Tata knows what’s up! And things seem to be no different with the Concentrated Brightening Essence. This multi-targeted and hyper-potent essence is the item to grab if you’re seeking a more even, radiant complexion with a super brightening boost. Its correcting power is pretty impressive, as it helps with dullness, dark spots, and uneven skin tone. It’s been extra helpful for me after pregnancy as I’ve developed a bit of postpartum melasma that I keep hearing about. I can say that with continued use, the high performance botanical ingredients truly do work their magic. My skin is already looking more even-toned and luminous! I’m a big fan of Tata Harper’s motto- beauty without compromise- because it rings so true in every product I’ve tried. It’s hard to find 100% natural, non-toxic, eco-friendly, cruelty-free skincare that’s not only made with real ingredients, but that actually works! I’m happy to say that Tata Harper checks off all the boxes. Try them out if you haven’t already!

 * 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!