MY CURRENT FAVORITE WINTER BEAUTY PRODUCTS...

Well, the cold weather is definitely here! Did any of you get snow this weekend? We got a little snow, but enough ice to warrant a cozy day inside, so I was happy with that! Anyway, my skin has taken certainly taken notice of this colder and dryer air. If I had to think of two words that describe my body and skin this winter, those words would be CHANGE and DRY. I'm getting older and my body is changing, which means I'm taking more time to hone in on what my body needs to maintain and be fresh. I've also noticed that my skin requires a lot more moisture these days. So this winter I have had to beef up my beauty routine to address and accommodate the changes. Here are few things that are really working for me this winter... 

Sunday Riley JUNO Face Oil, also here

This face oil is probably the most effective beauty product that I've ever purchased. That is huge statement I know, but it is so true. Once the weather was consistently cooler and dryer, I started to notice that my nighttime moisturizer just wasn't cutting it. I felt like my face was dry again a few minutes after application. It would also be super dry in the mornings. I took that as a sign that my face needed more. I'd heard so many good things about face oils, but shied away from them because the thought of putting any type of oil on my face just kinda scared me. But I did some research and decided to try this oil by Sunday Riley. I read tons of good reviews on it and was comfortable about the all-natural ingredients, so I felt good about purchasing it. The first night I used it, I massaged 4-5 drops of it on my face before applying my moisturizer. It absorbed quickly, so my face didn't feel oily at all - it just felt fresh and moisturized. I woke up the next day with the SOFTEST skin! It wasn't dry either! It just felt so good and it was cool to see benefits after just one use. I haven't experienced any breakouts either. For now I am only using the oil at night, when my face tends to be dryer. Yes, the oil is pricey, but a little goes a really long way, so this bottle should last quite some time. I'm also making an investment in my skin. Thinking of it that way helps justify the cost, too.

Actually Organic Pure Argan Oil , c/o (also here)

Argan oil is not new to me, but using it is. I have always heard that it works really well on dry skin, hair and nails - all of which I had once the weather was cooler. Luckily, the sweet people at Actually Organic sent me a bottle of their oil to try out. I am SO glad they did!! I had a small eczema flair on my hand that had been lingering for a while. I started putting a little dab of this oil on the area at night - and within about a week, it had completely cleared up. The skin on that area of my hand was noticeably softer, too. Even though my battles with eczema are thankfully small these days, it's always amazing to find an all-natural product that helps- and helps quickly! I've also been using it to condition my fingernails and toenails, which had become quite dry as well. It takes a little time for the oil to absorb, so I apply it mostly at night when I'm done with my day. It's worked like a charm...

Whole Foods Essential Oil Diffuser (similar here and here), Young Living Peppermint Oil, NOW Lavender Oil

Good sleep equals beauty and these next products have helped tons with achieving relaxation and good sleep. Many people, including my naturopath, have told me about the benefits of using essential oils. I've always believed them, but never used them - up until about two months ago. And now I'm hooked. I was in Whole Foods a few months ago when I saw one of their diffusers. I honestly just loved the way it looked. It was ceramic and looked like more like an accessory as opposed to a diffuser. Most diffusers I'd seen just looked plastic-y and kind of cheap looking, so I just wasn't inspired. But the diffuser in Whole Foods ($50) got my attention. So I bought it along with a decently priced, but good-quality bottle of lavender oil. I already had a bottle of peppermint oil that a friend gave to me that I had never used. So I put it on my bedroom nightstand, loaded it up with a mix of lavender (2 drops) and peppermint oil (3 drops), and my sleep hasn't been the same since. The mix of those oils for me makes me so relaxed - and sleepy!! I typically just turn it on at night when I start my bedtime routine. Once I turn out the lights for bed, I set it to automatically turn off in an hour. I'm usually fast asleep in 10 minutes tops. The scent - and honestly the light sound of the diffuser - gets me more relaxed and in turn I feel like my sleep is deeper and more quality. So I get the hype now. Diffusers and essential oils are obviously effective and worth it. I'll never be without them again - especially if they help me sleep better! I look forward to learning more about them and how they help other issues...

Aura Cacia Vanilla Oil

Speaking of oils, I started using a new oil to alleviate some of the dryness of the skin on my body. I've always moisturized with coconut oil mixed with a small amount of natural body lotion. But on some days, especially really cold days, I felt like a needed a little more moisture. So I scoped out the essential oil section of Whole Foods and ran across this vanilla oil and it is AMAZING. It's pure vanilla oil mixed with jojoba oil, which means it smells fabulous and is really moisturizing. After my showers on really cold days, I mix about a tablespoon and a half of coconut oil with one drop of this oil (just one!), and it does the trick! And I don't have to apply my perfume oil since the delicious smell of the vanilla oil pretty much covers that. It's good stuff...

Dr. Bronner's Peppermint Toothpaste, Philips Sonicare Diamond Clean Electric Toothbrush

These last few products aren't so much "winter" beauty products, but effective new-to-me products that I just need to tell you about... So I've always been obsessive about brushing my teeth and flossing, but since I've gotten older and have been diagnosed with my autoimmune disease, dental health has become even more important. Changing my toothpaste has been on my agenda since my diagnosis. Most regular toothpastes contain fluoride. Fluoride is known to hinder the operations of the thyroid and it can disrupt hormones. Ugh... So I recently switched Dr. Bronner's Peppermint toothpaste and I really like it! It honestly took some getting used to at first. While it doesn't produce a nice sud-sy lather in your mouth as you brush, my teeth feel much, much cleaner after I use it as opposed to a regular toothpaste. I'll take that...

I've also noticed that I produce more plaque as I get older - regardless of the fact that I brush and floss twice a day. To address that issue, my dentist suggested I use an electric toothbrush. Oh my gosh! Where has this thing been all my life??!! This toothbrush has five different modes that specifically address things like deep cleaning, gums, plaque, and whitening. It has a timer on it that reminds you when to brush the sides, fronts, and backs of the teeth (sort of like the Clarisonic does for your face). I thought I was thorough when I used a regular toothbrush, but this thing quickly reminded me that I was not. Each cleaning is only 2-3 minutes and I can tell you that it gets the job done in just that short period of time. Totally worth it!

MY FAVORITE $10 NATURAL PERFUME OIL...

So I'm still in the process of parting with toxic beauty products - specifically the products that I use every day. I'm so close to being done! I've switched out my soap, most of my facial products, and my body moisturizer (mainly coconut oil mixed with an all-natural lotion). I even found a good natural nail polish... Next up: perfume.

Perfume is something that I wear every day. I honestly don't feel complete without putting it on before walking out the door. It's something about smelling extra fresh that makes me feel like I'm ready for the day. A few months ago, I was watching Kristen Bell's interview with Giuliana Rancic during the Emmy Awards. Giuliana kept talking about how good she smelled. Kristen said she was wearing Amber oil that she picked up from Whole Foods for $10! So naturally I picked it up on my next trip and grabbed the last bottle they had. They said they had been selling out since that interview... Crazy. 

I have to say... I LOVE it. It's a woodsy, yet fresh and sweet scent all in one, which makes it a great scent for fall. I just roll a little on my wrist and on my chest and I can still smell it at the end of the day. Since it's an oil, it mixes with the pheromones and heat of your body and creates a slightly different scent than the one right out of the bottle - but it still smells amazing. If you aren't close to a Whole Foods, then you can find it here on Amazon. 

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HOW I'M TACKLING DARK CIRCLES & DRY LIPS...

Soooo... I'm definitely at the point where I have to put just a tad more thought into my beauty regimen - which is why you have seen the topic of beauty here a bit more often. I remember the days when I would skip over the beauty section of magazines or websites because I didn't wear makeup or didn't really have an interest in skincare products outside cleansers and moisturizers. But oh how things change with age!! I still don't care for shopping for beauty products, wearing lots of makeup, or spending lots of time and money on trying different things. But my skin is aging and I'm at the point where I need to invest a little more time- when necessary - on finding good products for my skin. 

Notice I said "when necessary." My normal cleansers and moisturizers are still working great (I use the cleansers in this post and the moisturizer in this post), but I've noticed that I've needed a little more help lately when it comes to my eyes and lips. The dark circles and the fine lines are more visible - especially when I don't get enough sleep. I've also had a life-long issue with dry lips. So I took some time to find and try some new products that I want to tell you about in case you are having the same issues... :)

Even though I drink tons of water, have a really clean diet (two of the BEST beauty products in my opinion), and use an eye cream twice a day,  I noticed that the skin under my eyes would still get dry and puffy at times - especially after a few nights of less than stellar sleep. So I set out to find a better eye cream that was more hydrating, helpful with the puffiness, free of harmful ingredients, and not super expensive. I settled on this Rose Hydrating Eye Gel Cream by Fresh and I LOVE it! I have been using it in the morning and at night. Just a tiny bit goes a long way, so this little container should last a while. It's definitely hydrating, smells amazing (like roses!!), is cooling, has brightened the area underneath my eyes, and is helpful with the puffiness. It's also light, which makes it perfect under the new concealer that I'm using needing lately. Let's talk about concealer for a second... 

So outside of lipstick, I don't like to wear makeup - at all. But I have accepted it and only wear it for photo shoots, nights out, and special occasions. Even then, I only like to wear products that enhance my natural look. That's it. I have yet to find a magical eye cream that completely eliminates dark circles. I wear glasses on most days (seen here), which are great at concealing dark circles. But I've had to enlist a good concealer to help with the eye situation on the occasions I listed above. The concealer I was using (which was just ok), got a little old, so I wanted to try something new. Mary from the blog Memorandum recently mentioned the Lancôme Complete Coverage Concealer on her Snapchat account (probably one of my favorite Snapchat accounts). She said it was her saving grace after several nights in a row of little sleep. That's all I needed to hear. So I went to Sephora and tried it on. Peeps - this is some GOOD stuff. It's creamy, light, and has great coverage. It lasts, too! There's a certain way I apply it (or any concealer) to make it just right for me...

I apply three little dots of the concealer under each eye. I then use this foundation brush (pricey I know, but it's so good!) - and sometimes just a clean finger - to lightly and evenly apply the concealer under my eyes. Once it is set, I then apply this MAC 'Mineralize' Powder around my face and over the concealer to set it. The powder is amazing and what I prefer to use instead of foundation. I also use the concealer to conceal any blemishes I might have. It's good stuff... 

I think I've had dry lips since the day I realized that I had lips. They've always been dry. Exfoliating using them with this homemade scrub, applying a good balm under my lipstick during the day, and Vaseline at night has been lip regimen for years. Sometimes when I need a quick fix, I run my Clarisonic over my lips, which works like a charm when they are really chapped. In an effort to wean myself from Vaseline (yuck), I set out to find a good deep moisturizing balm to wear at night. I stumbled on this First Aid Lip Therapy while perusing Sephora and I must say that I got pretty lucky. I had never heard of it before I saw it in the store and my lips love it!! It has the look and feel of Vaseline minus the harmful ingredients. It also has a little hint of mint that I love. A tad bit goes a long way, too! My lips are moisturized and soft in the morning when I wake up, which is a far cry from so many other products (other than Vaseline!) I've tried over the years. Love it.

A FEW FAVES...

Peeps... I opened up Photoshop over the weekend and used it for the first time in FOREVER!! If that's not a sign that things are looking up energy-wise for me, then I don't know what is... So excited about that! Anyway, I thought I would do a little round-up of a few things that wanted to show & tell you about...

THE BACKPACK // The older I get, the more I value ease and convenience - especially when I'm traveling and running errands. Backpacks make things really easy and keeps the hands free - and I'm so glad they are sort of coming back! This classic structured leather backpack by Camelia Roma is gorgeous, made in Italy, and super reasonable in price compared to other backpacks I've seen. It's definitely been wishlisted. Everything made by Camelia Roma is gorgeous by the way...

A MOUNTAINSIDE REMODEL // The bathroom in a home remodel by Studio McGee is gorgeous!! The walls have thick 10-inch shiplap, which makes a huge statement in what looks like a small space. Love the idea... The whole remodel is definitely a must-see...

SLIP SILK PILLOWCASE // This pillowcase is definitely one of the best purchases I've made lately. I have long hair that can look atrocious in the morning without the help of wearing a silk scarf. The problem with wearing a silk scarf is that it was hard to keep it on all night. After some not-so-good experiences with cheap faux silk pillowcases, I splurged on this pillowcase and it was so worth it!! It feels amazing, stays in place, and is very cooling. I can wear my hair in a simple bun or ponytail at night and it isn't the least bit dry or frizzy in the mornings. The pillowcase also keeps the skin on my face hydrated all night. Love it...

EVERYTHING WE KEEP // I love a good suspense/relationship novel, and this book is so good!!! A sous chef, Aimee, is all set to marry her childhood sweetheart - only to find out that he vanishes days before the wedding during a fishing trip. He is pronounced dead and the funeral is held on the day of their wedding. Aimee is devastated, but goes on with her life despite the unsettling feeling she has that he isn't really gone. That might not be an original plot, but the way it's written has me hooked!! I'm halfway through this book and I am dying to find out what happened!!

WHIM 5-FREE NAIL POLISH // Did you know that nail polish can be super toxic?? It's definitely always smelled toxic to me, but it wasn't until my autoimmune diagnosis that I began to really read up on it. Most polishes are laced with hormone-disrupting ingredients like toluene, formaldehyde, and dibutyl phthalate. I can barely pronounce all that, so I know they aren't good! I always have a pedicure, so I've been on a hunt for a good polish that is free of those ingredients. I've landed on Whim, a polish free of five of the most dangerous polish ingredients. It goes on really smooth, dries fast, and is long-lasting. I'm loving the base coat, this color and this color for fall...

BR HEELED SANDALS // So if you've gotten this far in the post, then clearly you know that I'm ready for fall! I am crazy in love with suede sandals these days (I STILL wear these almost daily!), and I'm loving this pair for fall. They would be great worn with skinny or flared jeans and a lightweight sweater or with a sheath dress. Super cute...

MY NIGHTLY "WIND DOWN" ROUTINE...

My absolute favorite time of the day is night time - specifically the hour or so before bed. The day is over, dinner has been made and eaten, the kitchen has been cleaned, and preparations for the next day have been made. All there is left to do is relax and wind down! Love it. I am a very routine person, so establishing and sticking to a routine every night pretty much ensures a good night of sleep for me - and does for most people I think. I typically do these six things (all before 10PM on a good day!), which may seem like a lot, but self-care is everything to me these days. Here goes... 

1. The first thing I do is stretch myself out. I turn on a show on my DVR that I need to catch up on and then use this Magic Circle to stretch out my legs and hips. They have become incredibly tight from sitting at a desk all day for years. Sometimes I'll do a short series of Pilates (the 100, roll-ups, a side-kick series, etc. ) if what I'm watching on TV is worth the extra time and effort... :)

2. The next thing I do is step into my empty bathtub and brush my skin! Dry brushing has become a bit of a craze over the past few years and it's a craze that I'm totally with. It eliminates dead skin and stimulates the body's lymphatic system. The lymphatic system is a network of organs and tissues that rid the body of toxins, which makes dry brushing a super important thing for me to do given my autoimmune disease. Brushing the skin does sort of waken the body, so it almost makes more sense to do this in the morning. But I prefer more time to sleep in the morning to dry brushing, so I do it at night (I use this $6 brush). The next thing I do calms my body back down... 

3. I take a shower every morning and I take a shower every single night. That may be crazy to some, but I like to feel fresh before my day starts and I like to be free of the dirt of the day when the day ends. That's just how I roll. Showers relax me at night have have become a signal for my body to wind down. I know that because I don't sleep well on the rare times that I don't shower before bed. 

Anyway, my nightly shower is where I do the majority of my skin care regimen. My skin gets oiler and dirtier in the summers, so I use my Clarisonic two nights a week to get a good deep clean. If you don't have a Clarisonic yet, get one - like today or tomorrow. Clearer, softer skin and smaller pores are just a purchase away. Its been a game changer for me and most people I know who have one. Clarisonics don't exfoliate the skin, so I exfoliate a few nights a week using this pore scrub. I use this cleanser the other nights of the week and when I use my Clarisonic. I then moisturize with this night cream. 

And yes. All of my facial products come from the same line and can be found at your local drugstore, Target, or on Amazon. No offense to anyone, but I just can't be bothered right now with trying different types of cleansers, oils, masks, toners, and moisturizers that come from tons of different places. My face tends to dislike change, so I stick to what my face likes and this line along with the occasional good-quality facial, eating lots of fruits and vegetables, getting good sleep, and drinking lots of water is working well for me right now. I'll add things in if things start to change! I still use the products in this post in the mornings... 

4. I've mentioned this soap a few times here on the blog and I feel like it's worth mentioning again. I use the Dr. Bronner's peppermint soap in the mornings and at night. It's organic and all natural and has been a game changer for my skin. The peppermint scent is actually very calming for me, but lots of people I know use the lavender scent- particularly at night. It's just good stuff and can do TONS of things other than clean your skin... 

5. After my shower I crawl in bed and do my evening devotion. This is honestly something I just started doing consistently a few months ago. I downloaded this daily devotional book (LOVE it). I read it for the current day - and sometimes it's so good that I read the next day's too! I study the scriptures that are in each devotion and then I make my gratitude list for the day in my journal. I just write down 5 or so little things I'm thankful for that day. Doing all of this makes me appreciate that particular day no matter what it was like and it makes me look forward to the next day - no matter what I'm facing.

6. The last thing I do before bed is meditate. I wrote a full post on here on my routine. I do a 5 or 10 minute "deep sleep" guided meditation that often makes me fall asleep in a matter of minutes. I HIGHLY recommend sleep meditations if you have trouble sleeping. It works so well. I hear this sleep podcast works wonders, too...

Do you guys adhere to a nighttime routine????

TWO NATURAL BEAUTY PRODUCTS THAT I'M LOVING...

So lately I've been on a huge mission to sort of elevate my health to another level. I'm not sick or anything (thankfully), but I just want to focus more on treating my body the best way I possibly can. For me, that means paying more attention to not only what goes in my body, but what I put on my body. I've slowly been getting rid of toxic beauty products and replacing them with products made mostly of natural ingredients. Replacing my body wash and body moisturizer (I use a little of this mixed with organic coconut oil) were my first big steps, and I've now replaced my deodorant and facial cleanser. So excited! Here are the details... 

Schmidt's Natural Deodorant: I have tried TONS of different natural deodorants. I have even confessed to finding the perfect one in this post. Well it completely stopped working about a month after that post. After that I realized I needed to rethink my expectations of a natural deodorant. My regular deodorant was loaded with a super high percentage of aluminum. While it worked most of the time, it didn't work ALL the time, which I think relates more to my body than the deodorant. So why should I expect anything different from a natural deodorant?? So my new goal was to find a natural deodorant that worked the same amout of time and in the same way as my old deodorant. And I think I found one... I heard about Schmidt's deodorant while listening to The Food Heals Podcast and decided to give it a try. I have to say that it has been working quite well! It's aluminum, paraben, and phthalate free. While I still do perspire when I'm nervous or when I get super hot (as I did with my old deodorant), there is no odor at all when I do perspire. If I'm not nervous or really hot (how I am most of the time), there is no perspiration at all! It does not irritate my skin and it smells really good (Bergomot + Lime is my favorite of the scents offered). It has a thick clay-like consistency, so it's not as easy to put on as a stick deodorant, but you get the hang of it once you use it a few times. I've been using this for about two months now, so I'm crossing my fingers that it keeps working!! 

Neutrogena Naturals Purifying Cream Cleanser: I mentioned here that my face does not take too well to new products. At all. But I have really been on a mission to find a reasonably priced mostly natural facial cleanser that works and I FINALLY found one!! I have been using Neutrogena's Oil Free Cream Cleanser for the past 18 years (you read that right)! It obviously worked well, but it's full of chemicals. I tried several different types of natural products (expensive and not expensive) only to land right back at Neutrogena. They recently came out with a natural Purifying Cream cleanser that my face has actually accepted! That tube you see there in the photo is my second tube, which means things are working out! It's 98% natural and free of the really bad stuff like sulfates, parabens, petroleum, and phthalates. The cleanser has done for me exactly what it says it does on the tube. I've been using it twice a day for over a month and the uneven spots on my face (which I've always had) have disappeared. My skin feels clean, but not completely stripped after each use. I've had no breakouts and my skin also feels much softer! It works great with my Clarisonic, which I use once or twice a week. I also use the pore scrub once a week and it's super gentle just like the cleanser. They both smell great- just like the night cream that I've been using for a while. They range from $7 - $9 AND you can find both of these products at Target, most drugstores, and on Amazon!

Here are a few more of my favorite natural beauty and health products ---> Skin | Migraines | Home | Hair

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