Happy Tuesday, ladies! I hope your week is starting off awesome! We’re just making it work over here. California hasn’t had this much rain since I was in high school so we’re all a little bit confused. Anyway, today’s post is all about my holy grail beauty products. It’s a part of the Chic in Seconds series, which also includes a newsletter that you can subscribe to in the sidebar. The series is all about helping women make their day look as fabulous as they feel without cutting into their Girlboss hours. With that goal in mind, these are my all time favorite products that I know will never fail me – no matter how much time I have to get ready!
KENRA VOLUME FINISHING SPRAY (25)
So I was turned on to this hair spray from Kate at The Small Things Blog. When I started learning to do hair, I basically relied on Kate entirely. Her tutorials and product recommendations were always so solid and helpful. Getting used to this hairspray took a little bit because it’s really easy to use a heavy hand with it. But of all the hair sprays I’ve tried (A LOT), this one works the absolute best at keeping my hair in place over the course of the day. Even though my hair is quite thin, it is VERY resistant to holding a curl, and Kenra 25 has done the best at keeping my curls all day.
FRESH ROSE FACE MASK
So this is a fairly recent addition, but I knew from Day 1 it would be a miracle worker. I don’t have a ton of time to do masks, even though I quite enjoy them, and this one only takes 5 minutes (although I have left it on longer), but the point is I can treat my skin quickly. It also smells amazing if you like the smell of roses – it really smells just like a fresh bouquet. So the timing and fragrance make this mask a really relaxing experience for me. But on top of that, after I use it, my skin feels really refreshed and calmed. I’ve used it both as a dry skin treatment and as a breakout treatment and I’ve always felt a million times better after it. Plus, it’s gentle enough to do every day so I don’t have to worry about stripping my skin if I’m having persistent issues with it.
PCA SKIN BPO 5% CLEANSER
I know I’ve talked about this cleanser before, probably a million times, but definitely in my routine post. I’ve been using this cleanser every night for about 10 years, maybe more. Nothing gets my skin as clean as this does in the evening. It helps tremendously with my acne without over drying my skin or making it too sensitive. It’s the perfect consistency and doesn’t smell bad. And it lasts forever. This is probably the holy grail of my holy grails – I just love it SO much. Whenever I test other cleansers, they become morning options. I don’t think I will ever stop using this as my PM cleanser.
LIVING PROOF PhD DRY SHAMPOO
If the PCA Skin cleanser is my holy grail of holy grails, this is a close second. I’ve tried Batiste, which everyone raves about, and many other dry shampoos and none compare. I can burn through a bottle of batiste in about two weeks. The Living Proof bottle lasts me a month or more. Just three or four solid sprays before bed and maybe one in the morning, but my hair looks as good as day one – or better, honestly. It doesn’t leave much residue, but any that is visible soaks into my hair over night or is easily wisped away by running my fingers through it. I also really like the Kenra dry shampoo paired with this one if I need a little extra on day 3 or 4, but I’m not at a loss without it. I am, however, lost without the Living Proof dry shampoo.
THE BALM MEET MATT(E) HUGHES
The Balm’s Meet Matt(e) Hughes liquid lipsticks are my absolute favorite. They certainly have a texture that takes a bit of getting used to, but they last so well. I also love the tinge of mint. Charming is my all time favorite shade, but the whole collection is quite neutral and flattering. The one downside is they take a bit of time to dry completely, but once they are dry there’s absolutely no transfer. The only thing that can get it off your lips is something abrasive, like the scrub of a washcloth or if you eat something like a sandwich or something that really rubs against your lips. But I don’t mind that so much because I really don’t like lip colors that are too difficult to remove either. It’s a fine line, and the Balm is comfortably on it.
MAKE UP FOREVER SMOKEY EXTRAVAGANT MASCARA
This mascara. OMG. When I wear it, I always get compliments or am asked if I’m wearing falsies. My lashes just get so full and long, it’s amazing. I don’t notice any kind of flake off, but my lashes tend to grip mascara so well that that’s never truly a problem for me. But most of the time, if I’m using other mascaras, I have to layer two or more kinds to get the kind of full, long lashes I love. Or incorporate fibers or falsies. The Smokey Extravagant mascara, however, steals the show all on it’s own. It is a bit expensive, so I’ve spent so much time and money testing other mascaras, but nothing has beat it yet. I don’t think anything ever will.
And that’s it! It’s a short list, but I truly love everything on it. What’s on your holy grail list?
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