i have been writing this post in my head for months.
truth is, i’m no beauty expert.
not even close to one.
in fact, most of my favorite products i learned about from friends who posted their favorite things,
and then i loved them, and now i wont go back.
so i wanted to show you a few of the things i use and love, especially for the summer months just in case
you wanted to try something new!
1. tinted sheer moisturizer by arbonne
i have a friend who sells arbonne and turned me on to this.
i’m sure there is a similar brand out there, but i freakin love this stuff.
next to concealer and mascara, it’s really the only thing i’ll wear in the summer.
it’s light, sheer, and just the right amount of color to even out my skin tone.
{i have kind of splotchy skin with no make-up on} so most days, all i wear is a little concealer and this stuff. {and mascara of course}
2. bare minerals by mineral veil
a few years ago, someone put this stuff on me in a mall and i thought,
“really? really? i’ve been using that creme-to-powder foundation and caking it on my face all these years when i could
be looking like one of those brats who doesn’t need make-up?!” {but who secretly IS?}
i bought this stuff when i was shooting glam portraits of women and we call it the fairy dust.
it’s good stuff for sure. it evens skin tone, matts a greasy face, finishes a look. i grabbed this stuff just to look like i knew what i was doing to clients because it reminded me of the finishing powder we used in my college make-up class,
but it’s another one i will always keep on me now!!
3. shine on spray by biosilk
i should mention that i have thick, frizzy, and dry hair.
i now keep this stuff in my bag at all times. i bring it with me when i shoot weddings too.
it’s how i get perfect waves, and how i fight the humid frizzies…
if you have oil-prone hair, you just need a little at the end,
once your hair is all done.
if you’re like me, and you’re hair is a freakin mane until touched by some heat,
then this stuff is a life-saver. one of my girlfriends who also does hair, taught me about this stuff…
i will have to show you the trick she taught me about perfect beachy waves too… cause this stuff is the trick!
{i have also tried another great one that chi makes, i just happen to be currently using and loving on this one}
4. 3D fiber lash mascara by younique
i bought this for myself and my aunt for christmas when i saw a link somewhere about it.
i. will. never. go. back.
i used to get extensions regularly because i have such weaksauce lashes.
{they have been yanked out by the root and singed off in their lifetime…so…}
it’s naturally based, feels and applies like mascara, but really does
magnify the length and volume of lashes up to 3x natural length!
(depending on application)
5. waterproof concealer stick by maybelline
laugh at me all you want for wearing super cheap make-up on this one, but the truth is,
i haven’t found one i love any more than this! and it’s suuuper cheap, you can grab it at most stores,
and it’s like butta.
when i get up, i have bags you could sell.
it’s not pretty. so naturally, i have one of these in every bag or place i might go.
if i had NOTHING else, i would hope to at least have this concealer with me…
at very least, i won’t look like a decaying corpse.
6. cetaphil cleanser {like from the drugstore!}
this is one i saw on a girlfriend’s blog a year or so ago and i’ve been using it since.
it’s really light and kind to my skin. i have dry skin, not super oily or even that prone to acne,
but when i used to use the harsh stuff, i noticed my skin went nuts.
i have one in the shower and out, so i can wash off my make-up and wash my face in the shower.
also super cheap and you can get it most anywhere. gotta love that.
7. a pretty lip color. this one is luxe from younique. 
i have recently ventured into a few lipstick colors i love,
but i still have to have a little gloss for my taste. this color looks great on everyone,
and this one isn’t sticky and it’s natural too. #win
8
. guys. my family laughs at me, because i really do use my coconut oil for EVERYTHING. i have shared before that i use it to tame my dry frizzy hair, kind of like a serum. i literally put coconut oil on my hair or body in some way, every single day. in the morning, i will put a little all over my face, then give it a minute to sink in before i put on my concealer and tinted moisturizer. it works like a primer when i use it this way, AND a moisturizer. only this is the ONLY thing that makes my skin feel “moist” for the day. and since it’s natural, it’s not like it will make you oil-prone skin types break out! i slap it on again right after i wash my face at night, to sleep in, cause then i wake up with super soft skin. i also use it after i shave to make my legs soft… i really do use it for everything… and i haven’t even mentioned the cooking and baking i do with it. yeah, just buy it in bulk. amazon that.
9. ultra waterproof liquid eye liner from maybelline.
i learned something about my color tone this year.
{being a darker-haired girl with green eyes and not fair skin}
i learned that i really do need thick lashes and a good liner to really look right to me.
this is another super cheap one, but i really like it. it goes on thin, but stays there!
and as long as i don’t try to re-curl the lashes after i use it, it does a decent job! i say especially for darker [haired/skined] girls, go with a good liquid liner and it’ll change everything.
10. a few cool new shades. i have a few of these eye pigments from younique and i love them too. i have a green one that i only bust out sparingly, and often layer with grays for a more subtle color, but how bout this color? apply with a damp brush and it will intensify the color, shimmer, and last longer. this one is pretty on it’s own for a simple natural look (for a more natural look i would apply it with a dry brush) but is really amazing paired with dark matte pigments too.
and the best news? we are giving some of this stuff away on instagram today!
about $100 worth of stuff, including all the younique goodies here!
Disclaimer: this is not a sponsored post, though this post does contain affiliate links. If you decide to buy and try these products, and use my links, I get paid too! So thanks, in advance.
