Stuff I love...beautify edition

I like to think that I am not a high-maintenance kind of girl. I hate to take a long time getting ready in the morning (though it takes me longer than I would like because my hair takes forever to dry...and I tend to linger in the shower...). But other than blow drying my hair, I don't fuss with a lot of products and I never use flat irons or curling irons and such. I wear minimal make-up. I do get my hair done every 7 - 8 weeks or so to keep it healthy, and I get my brows waxed every couple weeks. That is a must. Otherwise I would be a hairy beast. What can I say...I am Greek!

Still, I do have favorite products that I have used for a long time and I don't want to be without them. And I love them so much I want to share with all of you what I use! If I were to put together a gift basket of favorite beauty products for you, these products are what would be in it.

1. Bare Escentuals Make-up

I call this stuff the "UN-make-up" because you do NOT feel like you are wearing anything. I have been blessed with really good skin (thanks Mom and YiaYia!) so I don't want any gunky, gooey make=up crapping it up. I just want a smooth, flawless finish and that is what I get with BE products. It takes me literally five minutes to put it on in the morning, and it lasts all day. One product in particular is my all-time favorite make-up/skin care product EVER: Mineral Veil. Cannot live without it! I even brush some on my bare face if I am not leaving the house at all...it feels that good! And even though I know it is a no-no, I have slept with my BE make-up more often that not and my skin actually feels good in the morning!



2. Burts Bees Lip Balm

This has been my go-to lip balm for years. It is inexpensive. It is all-natural. Burts Bees products are not tested on animals. It is smooth and creamy and has a tingly peppermint scent. If I accidentally lick my lips it leaves a fresh minty taste instead of a chemical-y, yuck taste. It is never sticky. My lips stay so soft and un-chapped, even during our brutal cold New England winters.





3. Jergen's Ultra Healing Extra Dry Skin Moisturizer

I have found that as I have gotten older my skin has gotten drier. I tried more expensive lotions and they were ok, but not great. Then a few years ago out of desperation I grabbed this at CVS. I am never buying "specialty" stuff again! This is THE best lotion I have ever used. It even keeps my hand soft in the winter! It is very lightly scented (I would rather not walk around smelling like a fruit basket!). I can get it anywhere. And it is cheap! A big bottle only costs me a few bucks and lasts me for months.




4. Aveeno Skin Brightening Scrub

Aveeno is another line that I love for their commitment to not testing their products on animals and using natural ingredients. I like to use a cleanser with exfoliation to brighten up my skin, but I hate some of the rough, harsh ones that are out there. This is so gentle. You just get the slightest little tingle as the cleanser sloughs off the dead skin. And for something so gentle it really cleans deep. I always feel refreshed after I have washed my face with this. (I also use Aveeno shampoos and love them!)





5. Garnier Volumizing Hairspray

Are you kinda getting that other than the BE I am all about stuff I can buy at CVS? Yeah. Spending big bucks on beauty products really makes no sense to me. Strip away the fancy packaging and big names and I think underneath it all you have the same products. Hairpsray is no exception. I would love to not have to use any, but the reality it is I have super stick straight hair that will fall in my eyes if I don't use a little each day. But I hate how sticky and gross hairpsray can be. Once I tried this Garnier hairspray I was hooked. It is so not sticky. In fact you can't tell that I use any, but this stuff holds. And it does give some lift to my otherwise un-lifted locks. And whatever is in them that makes them "anti-humidity" is awesome because my hair never gets frizzy, which is great because New England gets disgustingly humid in the summer.

6. Victoria's Secret Dream Angels Heavenly Perfume

OK, so I just got finished saying I don't like to spend ridiculous amounts of money on beauty products but for this perfume I will splurge. If you have never smelled this perfume get yourself to the mall and get in to VS to take a whiff of it. It truly is Heavenly. It is so light and soft and feminine. I constantly get compliments on it. I have been wearing it since they first introduced it several years ago and I just never tire of it. I do sometimes wear a different perfume for a day or two, just to change things up but I always always always go back to this.




See? Not too high maintenance at all! :-) That is only 6 products I have to have every day. Not bad. I know there are women that can easily use triple that amount each day. I hope I gave you some ideas. And I would love to hear about your favorites, too!

Disclaimer: This is NOT a sponsored post. I did not get paid anything nor did I receive any products. I was not asked to review anything. This is simply my opinion of products I happen to use and enjoy.