I’m back! Summer was crazy busy with our wedding planning and all the activities that come along with a wedding. Now that all of that is wrapped up, I’m finally able to set aside some time for my blog and hopefully my Instagram which has also been neglected.
I thought I’d get back on track with some of my favorites from over the summer and beginning of fall. A lot of these makeup products were used on my wedding day.
Something else that I’m trying to be mindful of lately is purchasing cruelty-free makeup and beauty products. I’m not 100% CF yet, but I’m taking steps to get there. The area where I’m struggling most is with skincare since I’ve had some breakouts when switching cleansers. More details to come!
Too Faced Peach Perfect Foundation
After searching for the perfect wedding day foundation (no pun intended), I found this foundation when Shelby Wilson shared it in a foundation recommendation video. I knew I wanted a matte, long-wearing foundation for my big day, but I also wanted my skin to look natural. Shelby prefers a more natural look, so I knew when she had this in her recommendations it would be good!
And she was right on.
I grabbed a sample of the foundation at Sephora in mid-summer and went back to the store the next day to pick up the full size. That’s how much I loved it, and haven’t stopped wearing it! I wear it to work, for date nights, on the weekends and of course for my wedding. When I really want it to last all day, I’m sure to prep my skin appropriately with good skincare and primer. Then I set it with loose powder and Urban Decay All Nighter. Specifically on my wedding day, I set it with Ben Nye’s Final Seal which is designed for theater, so it really lasted the day.
The only downside to this foundation is the added fragrance. While I love the actual peach scent of the production, fragrance can irritate the skin and in my opinion it’s unnecessary in base products.
SheaMoisture Coconut Hibiscus Curl & Shine Hair Masque
Leading up to the wedding, I wanted my hair to be as healthy and soft as possible so it looked its best on the big day. So I grabbed this on one of my many trips to Ulta over the summer, and started deep conditioning my curls once per week. Right away, I noticed my hair was softer and had more shine to it. Plus the scent of this masque is fantastic!
This masque comes in a tub container and is a very thick consistency. I would say this product is best for 3A+ curls and those with thicker hair. If you have thinner hair or curls in the 2 range, you may still enjoy this product when used sparingly – it may weight it down a bit if too much is used.
Overall, I’m very happy with this product and will be trying more Shea Moisture products in the future!
NYX Slim Lip Liner Natural
If you’re in the market for the perfect natural lip liner that goes with nearly everything, this is it. I grabbed this during my search for a lip liner for my wedding day, and it’s been in my purse since. The color pulls slightly pink-neutral and I find it goes well with my full range of lip sticks, including my darker rose fall shades.
The other great thing about this lip liner is that it runs around $4 at the drugstore, Ulta or Target! The Slim Lip Liners also come in a variety of shades to go with any lip stick and they’re cruelty free. You can’t beat it!
Reusable Makeup Remover Microfiber Cloths
I’m still working towards reducing my waste and overall impact I’m leaving on the earth. As part of that, I’ve been wanting to ditch the disposable makeup remover towelettes for a while, but I’ve been hesitant. See, I use waterproof mascara every day to hold a curl in my eyelashes and I was convinced that I needed those towelettes to remove the mascara.
I finally purchased these towels to test with regular makeup remover, and was very surprised! These little towels are magic, I swear. The towels help with the makeup removal process – both eye and face makeup – and rinse clean with warm to hot water. This was definitely a concern for me as I was worried about stains, but so far they’ve rinsed and washed clean!
Not only are they great at home, but great for traveling! I brought one of these on our honeymoon and returned the travel size towelettes I had bought as a backup. I’m so happy to ditch the disposable towelettes! Give these a try – you won’t be disappointing!
Brow Waxing
I always thought brow waxing was a little extra, but I’ve been wanting to try it for a while. One of my bridesmaid’s had her brows waxed at the European Wax Center right before my wedding, and they looked amazing. So I made an appointment, had them waxed, and now I’m addicted! It’s so simple, but so effective to how your overall makeup looks. I’ll be continuing to get my brows waxed as long as it fits in my budget!
