I am always searching for new beauty products, and I am developing a comprehensive list of my favorites. These are my top five non-makeup basics.
Thank you for reading, and I am always happy to hear any comments or questions.
1. Clarisonic: How did I live without a Clarisonic? Using the electronic brush to clean my face is so much fun. I have also noticed a real difference in my skin - it looks brighter and feels cleaner, and I think that is a mixture of the deeper cleaning with the brush and that my products are more able to penetrate my skin. That is not a scientific fact, but I think it’s true! I have tried to be better about replacing the brush every two months, because both my boyfriend and I use it sometimes twice a day. It feels softer when I replace the brush. This is truly a staple.
I have experimented with different cleansers, because some specialized cleansers are too harsh with the added strength of the Clarisonic. I like gentle cleansers like Jurlique Balancing Foaming Cleanser and Perricone MD Hypoallergenic Gentle Cleanser.
2. Fresh milk soap: I have used this soap for years, and I think it is the best on the market. The bars used to be $8 and now they are almost $15, but I still think it’s worth it. The bar smells great, has a good texture, and leaves my skin soft. I’ve tried other soaps and they always make my skin feel a little bit stripped. This soap makes me happy every time I use it.
3. Deva Curl shampoo and conditioner: I started using this product on the recommendation of a hairstylist friend, and it has really changed my hair. I can wash with the conditioning shampoo as often as I want without having the stripped feeling that creates unruly curls. The conditioner leaves my hair feeling very soft and manageable. I recommend this to anyone with curly or wavy hair.
I have been reading about hair trends and the formula, which is free of harsh chemicals like sulfate, paraben, and silicone, is catching on for all hair products as a healthier way to treat hair.
4. Embryollisse cream: I discovered this cream after reading rave reviews from beauty industry veterans featured on Into The Gloss. I have always liked French drugstore creams like Nutritic made by La Roche Posay (LRP) because they tend to be heavier and less scented than American products. I like the Embryollise packaging better than LRP, which uses very heavy plastic that I find hard to maneuver. The LRP bottles also don’t hold very much - I end up running through their creams very quickly. Embryollise is very moisturizing but not quite as heavy as some of the LRP creams. It has a very slight scent that I like and the texture is creamy without being sticky or tacky. I wear it under sunscreen every day and under Josie Maran Argan Oil most nights.
5. Smith’s Rosebud Salve: I have carried a tin of Rosebud Salve with me since high school. The tin is not ideal - the product can melt in the sun and cause the tin to be difficult to open, but I love the feel of this lip balm so much that I use it anyway. Recently, Smith’s released Rosebud Salve in a tube, a huge upgrade that makes that product that much better. The balm leaves a slight tint to my lips and has just the right amount of stickiness so that I always want it on and feel naked without it. It layers well under all lipsticks, lip pencils or glosses, and I rub any leftover onto my cuticles for a little extra moisture. The company says it can be used to heal minor scrapes and burns, and I have used it a bit for that as well.
Another almost staple is Aquaphor, which still is a great product for lips, but it is heavier and can be too goopy under lipstick.
