Deciding which products you need for your day to day self-care may seem like a chore, but it doesn’t have to be especially when there are so many amazing products on the market to help! It’s totally normal to feel overwhelmed by the number of products when you walk into your favorite beauty stores like Ulta or Sephora but lucky for you, we are here to recommend our top 5 beauty must-haves. Whether you are looking to gain a glow from serum or feel fresh-faced with a cleanser rest assured, we’ve got you covered!
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Exfoliator
The makeup and dirt we encounter throughout the day can cause terrible damage. However, your favorite face wash can’t always get it all out; that’s why an exfoliator is so important. A good exfoliator will reach deep into your skin to clean out all of the grime in your pores, something a regular face wash can’t.
Exfoliating isn’t only important for your face. It is essential for your body as well. Body scrubs help get rid of dead skin cells, giving your skin a natural glow, helps with circulation, and is an important part of your personal care routine. Exfoliating weekly will help with softening rough areas as well as make it easier for your skin to absorb hydrating products.
What We Recommend:
Mario Badescu Almond and Honey Face Scrub: This scrub has a unique blend of finely ground almonds, cornmeal, oatmeal, and kaolin that lightly exfoliates and lifts impurities from pores. The honey and sweet almond oil leaves your skin soft and glowing. It is super gentle, so any skin type should be able to use this scrub. $15
Derma E Microdermabrasion Scrub: Get a high-end spa treatment at home with this microdermabrasion scrub. This exfoliant is great for your skin and environment! It is vegan, recyclable, and wind energy certified. The salt from the Dead Sea exfoliates the skin giving it a smoothness no other scrub can. $30
frank body Original Coffee Scrub: If your morning coffee didn’t wake you up, this coffee scrub might. It’s made with real ground coffee beans, so you know it smells amazing. It is even full of vitamins to nourish your freshly exfoliated skin while scrubbing the old skin away. $10
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Body Lotion
Applying body lotion is a quick and easy step to add to your self-care routine. Dry skin is something we all struggle with, especially as the days get colder. Body lotion seals in moisture and keeps your skin hydrated, soft and supple. It also helps with softening elbows, knees and any other rough, dry areas of the body. After a long and hot shower, lotion is crucial to give your skin the hydration it needs. A little bit of lotion can go a long way, especially when the lotion you are using has an amazing scent and other benefits.
What We Recommend:
Soap & Glory The Righteous Butter Lotion: A cute pump bottle and a great price; what can be better than that? A lotion that works great too! This fast working moisturizer turns dry skin into baby bottoms. With Soap & Glory original pink rose scent, you’ll smell luxurious all day long. $12
Fresh Sugar Lychee Body Lotion: This lotion is amazing for summer. It hydrates your skin leaving it soft and supple, but it is lightweight. It has a great fresh scent (no pun intended haha) and doesn’t leave any residue. The Fresh Sugar Lychee Body Lotion is a little higher in price than most body lotions, but it is worth every penny. This is our go-to on hot summer days. $23
Hempz Original Herbal Body Moisturizer: A vegan lotion with 100% natural hemp seed oil full of moisturizing nutrients. It will soften some of the dryest skin with its natural acid ingredients, such as lemon, orange, and grapefruit. This moisturizer is just one of the many Hempz offers. If the improvement of your skin’s health isn’t enough maybe the floral and banana scent will win you over. $23
Leave-in Conditioner
We all want healthy hair and unfortunately, there are a lot of hair products and tools out there that continuously dry out and damage our hair. Dry, damaged hair is no fun, especially when the ends start to split. Leave-in conditioner is great because it is absorbed into your hair follicles and heals from the inside out. After the traditional shampooing and conditioning process, a leave-in conditioner is necessary to restore the oils in your hair that the shampoo stripped away. Leave-in conditioner to the rescue! It will heal and detangle your hair for the days to come.
What We Recommend:
Ouidad Moisture Lock Leave-In Conditioner: You’ve got crazy curls? Ouidad has the trick for you. The arnica extract heals and protects your hair giving it hydration that will last. It detangles your curls while controlling the frizz that can sometimes come with it. $26
Cantu Shea Butter Leave-In Conditioning Repair Cream: When used daily, this conditioner will help reduce split ends by working its way deep into your hair with its natural oils and shea butter. It is perfect for curly hair because it is hydrating and lightweight leaving your curls with their natural bounce. It gives your hair a beautiful shine and the strength it needs. $6
Not Your Mother’s Royal Honey & Kalahari Desert Melon Repair + Protect Leave-In Conditioner: Great for all hair types, this spray helps soften and repair damaged hair. The honey and melon are soaked into your hair to moisturize and create a natural shine. It is sulfate and dye-free so it is gentle on your mane, making it a manageable one. $7
Lip Mask
Chapstick is such a bore and reapplying it throughout the day can be a chore. It’s even worse when you forget it at home on a day out or it gets lost! That’s why lip masks are the way to go. Before bed, using a lip mask will moisturize your lips to survive the next day, so you can finally dump those pesky chapsticks.
What We Recommend:
Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask: Overnight this mask rejuvenates dry cracked lips to last you all day. The smell itself is magical and the amount in the jar goes a long way. You can get it in the original scent, vanilla or apple lime. Say goodbye to flaky peeling lips and hello to glossy and soft ones. $20
Burt’s Bees Lip Treatment Lip Mask: An all-natural one use lip mask is perfect for easy hydration. Their lip balms are the bomb, so you know their mask is too. It comes in the same flavors of their lip balms as well as the same moisture, but for a longer period of time. $3
Mamonde Lip Sleeping Mask: This overnight lip mask enhances your lips with antioxidants and extracts. The plum extract and shea butter moisturize your lips at night and keep them that way all day. This mask can even be used as a lip balm during the day in case you forget to apply the mask the night before. $14
Sun Protection
Some might feel that sunscreen is truly only needed in the summer but the truth is that the sun is always out and always causing damage to your skin. Some sunscreens can leave your skin feeling oily and uncomfortable but don’t worry, we got you. We have found the best moisturizers and makeup with SPF. It will protect you, keep your skin hydrated and give you that “no-makeup” make-up look we all want so bad!
What We Recommend:
Laura Mercier Foundation Primer SPF 30: A water-based primer to protect you from sun damage is something we all need. It keeps your foundation in place for hours keeping you looking fresh-faced. There are even vitamins to protect your face as well. $38
NARS Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer Broad Spectrum SPF 30: Besides protecting your skin from the harsh sun, this tinted moisturizer does much more. It helps smooth out your skin with the right shade for your skin and gives it a natural glow. The vitamin C helps rejuvenate your skin and helps rid it of any dark spots. It does a great job of providing that “no makeup” look. $45
bareMinerals Complexion Rescue Tinted Moisturizer: This is a hydrating gel-cream with broad-spectrum SPF 30. There are 20 different shades, so you can find one to match. It gives your face a natural dewy look to even it out. $32