Kiss Dry Skin Good-bye!

I don't know about you, but the dry, cold winter air takes a serious toll on my skin. I'm a moisturizer junkie, and even I fail to beat the dry skin that inevitably comes along with freezing winter temperatures.

I have a bit of an obsession with trying out different face products. My acne hasn't ever been super horrible or anything, but I do have a fair amount of scarring on my chin from picking one too many pimples when I was younger. Gross I know, but going to school with a red bump on my face that I could attempt to cover up with some make-up seemed like a much better option than going to school with a giant white-cap. Anyone else feel the same way??

So, in my years and years of trying to nail down the perfect skin care routine, I've finally come across a few products that I swear by year-round. That being said, these products are also amazing during the winter months. They keep my skin moisturized and my complexion on point; unless I'm exhausted, I rarely feel that my skin looks dried out and/or dull!

Moisturizer's a Girl's Best Friend

I love, love, love this cream from Shisheido. I use it every morning after I wash my face and my skin is feels amazing all day long. It kind of feels a little sticky when you first put it on, but after a few minutes it's fine! I attribute it to the fact that it has SPF in it, which is just another added bonus. Definitely worth the $$!

I love Clinique. This is another product I like to use, but only at night and only if my skin is looking like it needs a little extra moisture. It absorbs quickly but too much on my skin just leaves it looking greasy-- hence why I only use it at night. By the time I wake up in the morning, my skin is back in good shape!

Want to know what's great about this product? You can use it on practically anything. I lather it on my damp hair after I get out of the shower, and if necessary, on my face too. I was super apprehensive about using it on my face at first, but oh my, do I love this stuff.

I recently discovered Lush this summer when I was in London. Figures I didn't know it existed until I was 19 years old. #smallstateproblems I should probably use this stuff more often. When I do use it, it's after I use the ocean salt scrub from Lush (which I only use when I literally feel like a layer of skin needs to be peeled off.) There's no better moisturizer to follow that scrub if you ask me!

Acne Be Gone!

I refuse to ever stop using this stuff. When my skin is breaking out (particularly around that time of the month), this moisturizer is my best friend. The first time I put it on my face freshman year of college, it felt like it had set my face on fire. A little concerning, but it left no burns or marks! I have extremely sensitive skin, so I don't mess around when it comes to clearing up acne. I'll never leave this product.

And as for a spot treatment? The only acne spot treatment to never irritate my face has been this one. The best thing about it is that it actually works! I can't tell you how happy I was to find a spot treatment that actually reduced my pimples, instead of just burn them off. There's nothing fun about having a red rash on your face from an acne treatment that was too intensive, so ladies, if you have sensitive skin, this product is for you!

Don't Forget to Wash & Exfoliate

This is my go-to cleanser in the morning! I love how gentle Aveeno is, and the clear complexion aspect is just a plus. Not only does it wake me up for the day, but it helps get my skin ready for the day!

Another staple of mine, I use this almost every night. I know they say you're not supposed to exfoliate every night... But I do it anyways. This isn't an intensive exfoliating scrub, like the Aveeno cleanser, it's pretty gentle. At the end of the day, it does a great job of getting all that gunk off my face!

I'll admit it. When I first went to buy this scrub it was solely because I was desperately attempting to clear up a bad case of acne (my chin, the problem area of all problem areas...) this past summer. Between walking all around Europe in the dead of July, the sweat and the constantly changing water compositions, my skin was having a hard time. And on top of all that, my anxiety-ridden self was stressed out 99% of the time so that didn't help all that much either. It didn't help with the acne, but I love this stuff nonetheless. I found as the year went on that it's perfect for scrubbing off some dry skin. And not just on your face! Think elbows, knees, and probably anywhere else that needs some extra love.

So now you understand my shopping problem...

It goes way beyond clothes. I love beauty products, skin products, hair products, etc. At least I admit I have a problem. While I know some of these items may be a bit of a splurge, they're well worth the extra money. And if you make good use of them, they last quite a while!

xoxo

My Latest Obsession: Glossybox

I've gotta say, my hairdresser told me about Glossybox and I was kind of super apprehensive about it. $21/month is kind of a hefty price to pay for samples, especially if you're a college kid! On Wednesday though, I received my very first box (because obviously I caved and had to try it...). And I LOVED it! Loved. It.

Because it is so much a month though, I think I'm going to have to order one every other month or so. That whole learning to budget thing/trying to be responsible with my money is super annoying. But, it's a part of growing up right?

Anyway, I thought it'd be kind of fun to do a little review of all the products I received in my box! Mostly because they were all amazing.

Vichy Aqualia Thermal Rich Cream

This stuff is amazing and I am not entirely sure what I ever did without it. I switch back and forth every night between this cream, this gel from Clinique (another favorite!), and this Clean and Clear moisturizer-- depending on what I feel my skin needs the most. The normal size for the cleanser from Vichy costs $31, but I really think it's an investment I'm going to make once I'm done with the sample because it moisturizes your skin perfectly. And if you live in a cold-weather state, you know just how dry your skin can get!

beautyblender.pure

I love this thing. And I know I'm not the only one! A fair number of my friends have one or even two, and they swear by them. It's perfect for applying foundation, BB cream, or whatever base you use (just not powder foundations!) for your makeup. I'm not entirely sure I'd spend the $19.95 on one, but we'll see!

Mineral Blush (Desert Rose)

I usually don't invest in my blush, because well, it's blush... but that all might be about to change. This stuff is amazing! The blush I normally use is from Maybelline and it kind of feels like I'm sticking cake on my face every time I apply it. With this though, I apply it using my mineral brush and it feels so light and perfect. Perfect shade, perfect everything. Like all things though, too much of a good thing isn't always a good thing. A little goes a long way!

Toni & Guy Sea Salt Texturizing Spray

I don't know how many of you have hard-to-tame, easily-mangled, curly hair. But I do! I usually let my hair air dry because I think too much blow drying does too much damage to my hair, but when it does air dry, watch out. It's huge. I've tried loads of products to make it dry naturally and in a pretty manner, but none have worked... until this. I want to know their secret because I sprayed this on my damp hair before I went to bed and woke up to not-so-crazy curls. I was pleasantly surprised and will most definitely be purchasing this again.

BCBGMAXAZRIA Bon Genre Eau de Parfum Spray

I was super excited about this one, mostly because I love perfumes. I just bought the Prada Candy perfume and looooveeee it. I wear it (almost) every day. We got a small sample of this perfume from BCBG and wow, now I have two favorites! I was actually torn as to which one I should wear on Friday. It smells so, so good. It's not as "sweet" as the perfume from Prada, which I like because most of my perfumes are all floral-y and girly and what not. This one's a bit more edgy, and definitely a new favorite.

Now shop away ladies! I promise you, none of these products disappoint. I'll keep you posted on what comes in my next box too!

xoxo