Skincare Favorites

Although I should be doing homework, I decided to take a moderately small break in between my not so productive day. I need to get on that homework train, fast! 
Today I'm going to be talking about my favorite places to get skin care products and some new discoveries. 

Growing up, I wasn't the best at taking care of my skin. My parents always had pretty clear skin, so they didn't believe in skin care products. I used to be so convinced by every phrase on labels that I would just buy whatever was on the shelf. I have used things from DDF, to L'Oreal, to Purity. I never really found anything effective and I certainly wasn't aware of the ingredients that came with the product. It wasn't until I got into the beauty industry myself that I really found the miracle product for myself.
Before I go any further, I just wanted to let you know that I'm not sponsored by anyone. All opinions are my own. 

One thing that I kind of had a clue about were natural products. This includes having natural ingredients as well as organic ingredients. I started to shy away from the harsh products that were filled with chemicals and started to really focus on finding something in one line that worked for me. I have combination-dry skin. It's oily in the T-zone where it usually is, and dry elsewhere. I remember winter of 2013 being so dry that I would constantly find my skin having flaky patches. Let me tell you, Shea Butter saved me that winter. 
I used a 25% Shea Butter face cream from L'Occitane and I could have sworn that I never looked better in my lifetime. I found it a little heavy for the day time, so I decided to go with their lighter ingredient called Angelica. 

Both of these ingredients are nature's gift to me. I remember looking in the mirror one morning and wondered if that was really me. I still think that to this day and I've been using it for almost 2 years. I started using the Angelica gel cleanser that doesn't strip my skin of its oils and I also use the Shea toner just to give it that extra boost of hydration. Let me tell you, just when I thought that my skin couldn't get any better, I started using that Shea toner and I have go to say that that is the reason why I no longer have to wear foundation. I've always suffered from red skin, and I didn't know that it was because of dehydration. 
One ingredient that is very well known is Hyaluronic acid. It's found in most miracle creams and it also very expensive to produce. I once tried a product with it, and I broke out like crazy. You could see not only flaky patches, but also red bumps all around my face. Now I'm not saying that it isn't for everyone, I've seen lots of success stories with this ingredient, but it wasn't for me. You know what product saved me? That Angelica cream and Shea toner. I will never go back.

Another line that I love would be Burt's Bees. This line is also known to be all natural and some of the products are organic. One product that I love would be the cuticle cream. In addition to having a dry face, I also have very dry hands. I'm not the type of person who clips their cuticles, but I like to keep them hydrated so I can avoid those annoying hangnails. It also comes with a wonderful smell! 

Another thing that I enjoy using is the Yes to Cucumbers! facial wipes. I'm the type of girl who loves to take off their makeup after work so I could relax or take a nap. Who really wants a pillow that's stained with make up? Not this girl. I also often times feel a little gross at the end of the day due to sweat and I just want my makeup off. Yes to Cucumber!'s wipes give me a nice refreshing feel and gets all of the make up off. I also love the refreshing smell, too. They don't leave a grease residue that a lot of other make up wipes leave. I'm also curious about using Simple make up wipes as well, but that will be my next adventure.

I work near a Trader Joe's, and today I stepped into their beauty aisle. I saw quite a few things that I want to try. Right now, I'm using their toothpaste. I'm so boring. Once I run out of my current skin care products, I'm looking forward to trying their products!