From time to time I like to mix things up and stray from the standard format. I rarely blog about beauty-related topics but sometimes I have things to share. Personally, I love receiving recommendations for beauty-related products via word of mouth so here are five of my new beauty loves. I haven’t done one of these posts since February so this should be fun!
Aveda Smooth Infusion Style-Prep Smoother – I used this while I was visiting my parents at the beach. You apply it post-shower and it helps smooth the hair and protect against humidity. Given that I didn’t use a blow drier once and embraced my natural curls, this product was a life saver!
Schick Xtreme3 Sensitive – I just picked up these razors and they are my new favorite. They provide a close shave and don’t leave me irritated. I don’t have to go over any areas twice and they’re easy to hold and handle.
Neosporin – while we’re on the topic of shaving, one of my estheticians recommended Neosporin for post bikini wax to reduce irritation and the chance for ingrowns and I’ve been hooked ever since. It’s a summer beauty staple for me now. Try it!
Laura Mercier Face Polish – in my last beauty post I mentioned that I had switched from Bobbi Brown to Laura Mercier. I love that my Laura Mercier reps always send me home with samples, one of which was this amazing exfoliator. I quickly returned to buy a full tube and use it several times a week now. I swear that it’s helped with clogged pores and to give me a little more of a glow.
Calvin Klein Forbidden Euphoria Rollerball – I spent quite a while in Ulta recently sampling new perfumes. I wanted a rollerball because I can never commit to using a whole bottle of a fragrance. It’s also perfect for throwing in my gym bag. Note, I have the “Forbidden” version of this fragrance and the rollerball is not available on Ulta anymore.
What beauty products are you loving?
And a selfish side note while we’re on the beauty topic, can anyone recommend a hair dryer? Mine recently died in a burst of flames and smoke (seriously) and I’m in desperate need of a new one. I’m willing to splurge a little.
Hey Jen! Love your blog – all the way from Australia! I LOVE my ‘Parlux’ hairdryer – quite expensive but well worth it, they are really powerful and come in a range of cool colours ( < Australian spelling there haha). I'm sure you could find them over there too or online. Cheers, Amy.
thanks amy! i will check it out!
I love Ulta!
Bio ionic whisper light pro. It is awesome! I have a lot of hair but it’s fine and it can be frizzy and gets tangled easily in the wind. Somehow it makes my hair really smooth and not frizzy. It is also faster than any other dryer I have used. I have friends with different hair types and lengths who love it also. One of them is a hair dresser who bought one for the salon and home.
i like to hear about a blow dryer that helps with frizz. i definitely struggle with that in the southern humidity. thanks for the recommendation!
I use the Babyliss Pro Nano Titanium Portofino and love it! It’s a bit of a splurge for a hair dryer but it has two speeds and two temperatures and dries super quickly!
thanks ashley!
FHI 1800 Pink Nano blowdryer is amazing! I think mine is about 6 years old (I am due for a new one) but it still works. It dries your hair so fast and leaves it sleek so you can sometimes get away without the flat iron! Worth the splurge for sure.
thanks for the recommendation. great that it’s held up for so long. i shall check it out! 🙂
I loved the last time you did a post like this! I actually ordered the Moroccan Oil and South of France handsoap based on it! Loved them both. I didn’t realize it had been five months already since that post! I think I’m going to try the face polish from this list. Unfortunately I have a cheap hairdryer so I’m no help with a recommendation.
P.S. Have you heard of Birchbox? I recently got a subscription and absolutely love it! Each month they send a sample of different beauty products. This post reminded me of it. It’s so fun getting to try so many beauty products and it comes in a really cute presentation.
michelle – the moroccan oil is still one of my faves. i use it every day! i LOVE the face polish. highly recommend.
i have heard of birchbox but haven’t tried it. sounds amazing! i love playing with new things, especially when i don’t have to commit!
Sedu Revolution! Check Folica.com for deals. I’ve been using mine for four years and it’s still going strong. Dries my hair so fast, I’ll never use anything else.
I agree with Erin — I have the Sedu Revolution and it is great; however, it does not come with a diffuser if you use one. I also got mine from Folica.com. Just as a side note, Sedu makes a $700 dryer — Can you imagine??? I’ve always wanted to try it though.
thanks for the recommendation. a $700 blow dryer?!?! that is insane! would be interesting to try!
thank you, thank you!
Did you ever end up finding a solution to the constant breakouts that you blogged about last year? I have been breaking out like crazy the last couple of months, and I actually was just thinking about your post on it and wondering how/if you stopped yours? I’ve never had perfect skin, but have also never had it bad like this either. It’s so embarrassing!
alexis – i did. i went back on birth control. not the ideal solution but it’s the only thing that has helped. it took months after i went back on it for it to clear up and it still hasn’t been the same. now i use the laura mercier exfoliator a few times a week, philosophy face wash and 10% benzol peroxide cream as needed. i want to start using some sort of retin-a cream.
Mine actually started right when I went off bc too! I went back on it after about 3 months of bad skin, and 3 months later its still not clear. I guess I just need to give it more time. I agree about it not being a good solution, but I’m glad we don’t want kids any time soon so that I can take advantage of its few benefits:)
alexis – it was SO frustrating. my skin was relatively before i went on birth control. when i went off of it after being on it for years my skin went CRAZY. breakouts like i’d never had before. i couldn’t afford constant dermatologist trips so i went back on it and it took months for my skin to clear so hang in there. i still have scars from some of the bad breakouts. so frustrating. i’m scared to go off of it again. 🙁
Out of curiosity – have you noticed a change in your training since going back on birth control? I’ve been on the pill (major life saver for my skin and PMS), but feel like I’m plateauing in my training. Thoughts? (not sure if you’ve done a post about this in the past).
I can also recommend a product called nicotinamide. It’s a prescription vitamin that reduces inflammation (it’s not an antibiotic). My derm put me on it about a year ago and that + birth control has made a world of difference.
i have not noticed a change in my training since going back on birth control. i was on it for SO long before and only went off for 6 months or so. i am going to ask my doctor abou tthat vitamin. thank you!
I’ve tried that Aveda Smooth Infusion and I really liked it too! I usually stick with my Fekkai Smoothing Cream, but Aveda is a close second for me!
I’ve never heard about tha Neosporin trick! Totally trying it.
it has helped me so much!
Love Neosporin! It’s good on more than just paper cuts.
I have a CHI hair dryer and I swear it’s SO much better than my old drugstore versions. It dries hair in hair the time, and it doesn’t make it as frizzy. Plus….I got a cheetah print one. Can’t take the Jersey outta the girl 🙂
hahahaha – LOVE this comment. i am definitely willing so splurge on something that i use every day!
Oh I have been wanting to try that Aveda product! I’ll def pick it up. 🙂 Super Solano for me!
try it! it smells amazing too!
My hair stylist recommended a solano hairdryer over a year ago, so I spent like $80 and bought one on amazon… It works great and I think they have a good warranty etc..
thanks elizabeth! this seems to have received a lot of good feedback.
Omg I have to go look up that hair product now. I have such a hard time with my semi-curly hair in this beach humidity!
I need a new hair dryer too so please share with us what you buy/how you like it!!!
As for your neosporin fix, i was doing that as well for a while to reduce post wax bumps – then a friend told me about “Tend Skin” (you can buy on amazon). You just put it on immediately with a cotton ball or the like, and it’s amazing. I use it everyday just for prevention now, and also bring to the salon for them to apply after a wax! (tmi but it works!!!)
i will kate! we actually used to have some tend skin around the house. i need to get some more of that!
Been using Smooth Infusion for a couple of years now. Love it! I have super curly hair which I like to wear straight so I am now getting the Keratin Express at Modern Salon in Phillips Place. I love it!!! Lasts about 8 to 10 weeks. The less shampooing you do the longer it lasts. So easy to blow out and no frizz if you wear it curly. If I have to take a 2nd shower at night due to a late workout I just don’t use shampoo and it still comes out good! Runs $155 but it is totally worth it hear in the South.
linda – thanks so much for telling me about the treatment at modern. i haven’t tried keratin yet but it’s definitely something i would consider for the humid months.
I love Laura Mercier products! Hands down the best makeup I have ever used!
agreed!
I love my Aveda hair products, particularly the Pho-mollient. It’s a really light foam with a light hold that keeps my hair from wigging out without being stiff or sticky.
I’m interested to see the hair dryer recommendations. I get the feeling mine isn’t too far away from dying. I’ve had it for close to 8 years!
thanks for the recommendation on the pho-mollient. i have not tried that. i love aveda products too! and they smell so good!
I agree, neosporin is amazing for bikini wax!! no bumps at ALL! i’m also obsessed with the keratin treatment i had done on my hair…frizz free.
yes, the neosporin has been pretty life changing! 🙂
i have yet to jump on the keratin trend but i’ve heard great things.
i just found out this past weekend that neosporin works like magic on chafing from running! i forgot my bodyglide (ouch!) and paid for it dearly. neosporin cleared it up within 24 hours!!!
I adore perfume rollerballs – portable and super convenient. I have one filled with Philosophy’s Grace, which never seems to get old to me. I am also obsessed with Kerastase’s Elixir Ultime for smooth and soft hair.
i’ll check out that fragrance. i love their products! i use their purity face wash.
I ordered a T3 Featherweight off eBay five years ago and its still going strong. It dries my thick, naturally wavy hair in half the time of drugstore versions. Good luck!
I was wondering if you ever considered changing the layout of your site?
Its very well written; I love what youve got to say.
But maybe you could a little more in the way of content
so people could connect with it better. Youve got an
awful lot of text for only having 1 or two images.
Maybe you could space it out better?