Tuesday, July 16, 2013

Dog Days of Summer


Well we are officially in full swing summer in the south, which means long days, muggy afternoons, no rain, frizzy hair, and busy weekends, but it can also mean sunny days, barbecues, lake weekends, and tan skin. There are many ups and downs to the summer in the south, let me tell you!

Something I like to keep in mind during the summer is the theory that less is more (unless we are talking about clothing, ladies. Keep it covered!) When doing my hair in the summer, I use less heat (air dry that hair, ladies, and cut out that straightener, I know it’s tough but you can do it!) When I am doing my makeup, I don’t like to use heavy foundations, powders, etc. It’s too much for your skin, especially in the humidity of the great state of Arkansas. For the most part, this is proving to be a very cost effective sacrifice; I don’t have to dish out $40 on my Make Up Forever HD foundation like I do in the winter.  I also have to change my skin care routine (My oily skin gets worse in the summer, I can’t seem to shake it!) This summer I have been blessed to find very inexpensive alternatives to my usual beauty routine that are perfect for beating that heat! Here are some of my latest finds (a few are splurges, but most are very inexpensive every day options.)


 
I’m not sure if any of you have hopped on the bandwagon for the BB/CC cream frenzy, but if you haven’t, you should run to your local drugstore, Ulta, Sephora, etc. and pick some up. I started my love for these creams with a BB cream that I picked up at Wal-Mart. I really liked it, it did not feel cakey on my face and I felt like my skin could breathe, although it did not provide as much coverage as I would have liked. When I heard about the new CC creams, I knew I had to try it (similar to a BB cream, only a step up in my opinion.) They have sunscreen in them as well as they moisturize and provide color correction. I picked up two CC Creams from my local Ulta. The first one I picked up was the Almay Smart Shade CC Cream complexion corrector. I really like this CC Cream; it provides good coverage and has incredible shade matching. I highly recommend using this, especially for days when you’re going to be in the sun. It runs approximately $8.99 at Ulta. The next CC Cream I am obsessing over this summer is the L’Oreal Paris Visible Lift CC Cream. It has a scent to it, but it’s a pleasant scent. It creates a flawless finish and is extremely light. It runs about $12.99 at Ulta. I have really been enjoying mixing together a little bit of the Almay and L’Oreal CC creams together on the back of my hand and then using my Real Techniques Stippling brush ($9.99, Ulta) to apply to my face.  The stippling brush has become my new favorite way to apply foundations, it creates a flawless finish with minimal effort and it does not make your face greasy!


The next summer must have for my daily routine is the Olay Fresh Effects Shine Shine Go Away cleanser ($5.97 at Wal-Mart.) Y’all, let me just tell you, this cleanser is incredible and I don’t know how I went so long without using it. As previously mentioned, I have incredibly oily summer skin, and this cleanser takes away the shine in one wash! I am beyond thrilled with this product. Another benefit to this face wash is the fact that it has a pleasant scent, which is hard to come by for most face washes that are available. I use this daily and it keeps the shine at bay for a good 10 hours.


I was a little surprised that I even picked up this next product to try. I never seem to gravitate towards the Rimmel section in the stores, but I had heard good things about the Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder in translucent ($3.99, Wal-Mart or Ulta.) I am so glad I decided to give this powder a shot. I am not a big fan of pressed powders in color, but some of the translucent powders out there are just too ghostly white, and instead of showing up translucent, they cast a white sheen on your face. With this pressed powder, it is not the case. It mattes your face while not adding any color. Absolutely spectacular for a day of fun in the sun to keep the oil at bay, even if you get a little bit sweaty!


 
My next summer essential is one I was shocked I took to so well. Maybelline Color Tatoo in the shade Bad to the Bronze. I am typically not big on cream shadows (oily skin includes the eyelids, y’all!) This shadow is easily buildable, so it can be used to create an easy day to night look. The shade is hard to imitate, so it’s an added bonus. I’ve been using it all summer and can’t get enough.

 
We have to protect our hair too, right ladies? I don’t know about y’all, but I have put my poor hair through a LOT! Finally, three years after all of the bleaching and absolute mess I put my hair through, my hair is finally starting to grow (hallelujah!) A BIG thank you goes out to my splurge product that is well worth dishing out the dough. The Macadamia deep repair masque ($18-30 dollars, depending on the size at Ulta) has been a Godsend. Not only does it smell absolutely divine, but it has restored my hair! It protects it from damage and it has been my go to whenever my hair starts feeling dry or brittle.

 
Ok, y’all, now that you know my summer must have’s, I want to hear about all of yours! I’m always, always, always on the hunt for new products that make my life easier, especially being in my early twenties, planning a wedding, and juggling career and family life.

Until next time! Xoxo

Michele  

No comments:

Post a Comment