It’s WILD to read my previous skincare/makeup post from just MARCH and how much things have changed! I’m still leaning toward a skincare-purchasing kick compared to makeup, but there are definitely new makeup things to report on as well! Some good hits and misses to discuss in general, as well as lessons learned. Skincare Lessons Learned and New Skincare Routine / Products I’ve become slightly addicted to certain subreddits on Reddit lately. My most common place to be scrolling through endlessly is the r/SkincareAddiction page. That’s where I learned that I may have oily skin, but I’m likely overproducing oil because I’ve destroyed my moisture barrier with majorly drying/stripping/harsh products for literal years. The minute I got acne and learned I had oily skin as a preteen, I started using so many cleansers that have probably beaten my skin to death. I just wanted to get some products that I could use successfully to make sure my skin looks better and feels better. I bought the CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser to restore my skin to a normal pH level and also some more hydrating products for the evening. I modeled my routine sort of around this person’s (The Ordinary products) and around the general ScA routine that is suggested on Reddit. Trader Joe’s & The Ordinary Hauls In my Reddit reading, I saw some recommendations from The Ordinary and Trader Joe’s skincare selections, so I thought I’d review and discuss them here now that I’ve been trying them for around 3 weeks. […]

Skincare My focus lately, for the most part, has been on new skincare items and routines. I have this problem where if something doesn’t work immediately (or breaks me out initially), I quit using it and assume it won’t work. I really need to give things a fair shake and see if they last. Tatcha’s Starter Kit After reading Sydney’s post about her experience with Tatcha, a brand I’ve been looking to try, I decided to buy the two week starter kit. I have oily skin but it’s been very tame in the winter months this year. This is probably due to a combination of a few things, which I’ll talk more about later, but it starts with skincare. The Starter Ritual Set (Normal to Oily Skin): I think I’ll talk about each item individually because I have  mixed feelings about some of them. I like the kit in general though because the small-ish sizes are big enough to definitely last more than two weeks, in my opinion. Pure One Step Camellia Cleansing Oil: ?? So I’ll admit that cleansing balms and oils are just not for me. People who wear a LOT of makeup on a regular basis – do any of these work nicely for you?! I have to use 5 pumps to get everything off, I hate using it on eye makeup, and it just feels weird on my skin. It’s not the oil’s fault here because it’s ALL oils and balms, but I won’t bother with this in the […]

I have been struggling with oily skin forever. I’ve gone through so many products and been educated on so many different things over the years… and I’ve FINALLY found a routine that keeps me minimally oily for the vast majority of my day. I had a routine recently that kept my fairly matte but would get cakey by mid-day because the products never fully settled into my skin. I switched to a new amazing concealer and powder routine that allows me to go from 8 AM until 4-4:30 PM without blotting my face. This is huge for me because usually I start to get oily after just a few hours of having my makeup on. If you’re curious about my journey to get here, here are some makeup and skincare posts and product reviews: old skincare routine and updates, new makeup, and favorite beauty brands. This post does not include other makeup items (like lips, eyes, etc.) — it’s purely focused on the face and how I combat oily skin! Check some of the other posts and my Lauren Lately updates for more. Skincare I have a slightly weird routine for this because I always want to use oil-reducing, mattifying products, but using too many can actually dry out your skin and produce more oil. Because of this, I try to alternate them with more hydrating products and balance things out without giving too much moisture. I have “A” and “B” days to categorize my morning routine and parts of my evening routine, […]

… aka own more than one product from. I saw this post and was inspired to make one of my own. I’ve talked a lot about different skincare, beauty, and makeup preferences/routines in recent months and hope to make it an even more regular thing here. I am constantly watching beauty YouTube and buying/testing new products that are recommended to me. My routines have changed a lot over the past year (multiple times) but I’m finally getting into a groove. I’ll probably post some updated favorites and routines soon! Otherwise, you can check out my posts on my first skincare routine, my favorite “holy grail” products, and two parts on beauty favorites and more. This post is about beauty (makeup and skincare) brands that I love. In my case, that means “brands and companies I own more than one product from.” I tend to try out a LOT of makeup and return things like nobody’s business. I opt for high-end stuff the majority of the time but there are so many wonderful drugstore options to mix in too. In order for me to discuss the brand here, I want to have more than one product from them in my arsenal. For example, Tarte Shape Tape is a wonnnnderful concealer… but I don’t own anything else from Tarte, so you won’t see them here. The Body Shop I have been using this line of products for a while. They’re still very much ingrained in my routine and I think they’re the reason […]

I love reading holy grail posts for beauty, so I wanted to do my own with a little twist. I do have some non-beauty items here, like random technology or kitchen-related purchases. I go through phases where I feel the need to revamp everything and try a bunch of new items (especially as far as beauty goes), but these things have stayed pretty consistent over the years. I’m good at sticking with the stuff that really works. Here are some items I’ve used over the past handful of years that have been repurchased countless times. Products Used for 5+ Years John Freida Frizz-Ease Daily Nourishment Leave-in Conditioning Spray | My hair is naturally very straight and thin, so I don’t have to blow dry or straighten. It dries perfectly straight within an hour of showering. I know, I know, don’t hate me. The one problem I do have though is FRIZZ. If I don’t use this spray, my hair will turn into a frizzy mess ASAP after it dries. I spray this on the bottom 3/4 of my head and comb through. It detangles, makes it smooth, and keeps it smooth all day. Wet Brush | This is my second go-to hair product. I’ve had a Wet Brush for years because it really works so perfectly on wet hair. It detangles nicely without pulling. I can’t imagine using anything else for brushing my hair. I have a couple of these around! iPhones and Apple Products | I’ve been buying iPhones and other Apple products […]

After trying some new face cleansers and skincare items in 2017, then deciding they were my favorite after just a month or so, I actually went off and tried a completely new routine for 2018. One of my favorite items that I listed from Lush actually slowly made my face break out (I think – I can’t tell for sure but it’s really the only new thing I was using during that time). I saw this thread on Twitter/Tumblr where a user talked about their skincare routine that seriously cleared up their acne. I don’t have too bad of an acne situation, but there are enough pimples to bug me. I’d love to wear a clean face out for errands and not feel all red/blotchy. I started this new routine on February 9th and now, around a month later, I wanted to share my routine and feelings about it. My Skin Type/Other Details & Goals Before I get into things, I don’t want to lead anyone astray about doing this routine. If you don’t have the following skin conditions/type, then maybe it won’t be the best for you. I’m NOT an expert on things like this and honestly I never cared that much about my skin, which is horrible. Confession: I didn’t even remove my makeup before bed until I was nearly out of college. (I actually had less acne back then; go figure…) Skincare was never a priority for me but I still got angry when I broke out […]