As a beauty junkie, I too frequently buy into the latest claims, crazes, innovations and trends that arise with every season. That being said, there are certain items that I find myself repurchasing again and again, either because they are a necessity, or because I have yet to find a better replacement. Today, I will be sharing of few of these good ol' faithful beauty products that
1. Cotton Pads: You can rest assured that I will always buy another bag of these when I run out. Cotton pads, or "makeup removing pads," as these one are called, are amazing for applying toner to your face, and more gently removing stubborn black makeup under your eyes. However, I am not brand loyal to any particular brand/type of cotton pads, and usually buy whatever is cheapest/around when I run out.
2. Revlon Colorstay Base + Top Coat: Given how much I have grown to obsess over makeup, it is hard to believe that I used to not wear any (except the occasional mascara) or know anything about the entire realm until my senior year of high school. My first forray into extreme superficial girly-ness was with my obsessive nail polish hoarding around the tenth grade. Since 2008, I have barely spent a day with bare fingernails. However, I pride myself in the fact that my nails are still in good health, have no discoloration, and are usually chip-free. I have also tried out my fair share of base/top coats including Seche Clear + Seche Vite, OPI Ridge Filler, Sally Hansen Insta-Dry, Sally Hansen Diamond Strength, etc. After a long love affair with Seche, I have found my new holy grails, and that would be these gems my Revlon. They're easily accessible, relatively cheap, the colour lasts, my nails dry fast, and the finish is always super-glossy. I would highly recommend these to everyone, and also encourage you to check out the rest of the Revlon Colorstay nail line.
3. Hydraluron by indeed labs: Sometimes, you just gotta follow the pack, if just for investigative purposes (to see if a product can truly be as miraculous as it is made out to be). For those who have never heard of this product before, let me provide a brief synopsis: Hyaluronic acid (or sodium hyaluronate) is by no means a new skincare breakthrough or discovery. In fact, it has probably been somewhere in the ingredients list of several moisturizing products you've owned as it "can hold up to 1,000 times its weight in water" (whatever that means). However, hyaluronic acid is having a huge comeback, and indeedlabs is capitalizing on it by providing a no-frills, moderately priced, fragrance-free, and paraben-free "moisture booster" serum. A bit over a year ago, internet skin care guru Caroline Hirons sung her praises for hydraluron, and since then, almost every beauty blogger has also joined the fan club. Although the tube is little in size, it lasted me several months of near daily use.
So is hydraluron worth the hype? To be honest, not really. I have not noticed some fabulous breakthrough in my skin while using this product, nor do I notice a grand difference on days that I go without it. Granted, this may be because my skin wasn't really all that dry or dehydrated to begin with (I just sort of assumed that the extra hydration couldn't hurt). Regardless, I still chose to repurchase it before I ran out, because (a) it is still well-priced when compared to other serums, (b) I actually got it on sale so that was tempting, (c) hyaluronic acid is a skin-identical ingredient proven to boost moisture content and prevent moisture loss *(source). For now, this will remain an ol' faithful serum under the yet to find a better replacement category.
2. Revlon Colorstay Base + Top Coat: Given how much I have grown to obsess over makeup, it is hard to believe that I used to not wear any (except the occasional mascara) or know anything about the entire realm until my senior year of high school. My first forray into extreme superficial girly-ness was with my obsessive nail polish hoarding around the tenth grade. Since 2008, I have barely spent a day with bare fingernails. However, I pride myself in the fact that my nails are still in good health, have no discoloration, and are usually chip-free. I have also tried out my fair share of base/top coats including Seche Clear + Seche Vite, OPI Ridge Filler, Sally Hansen Insta-Dry, Sally Hansen Diamond Strength, etc. After a long love affair with Seche, I have found my new holy grails, and that would be these gems my Revlon. They're easily accessible, relatively cheap, the colour lasts, my nails dry fast, and the finish is always super-glossy. I would highly recommend these to everyone, and also encourage you to check out the rest of the Revlon Colorstay nail line.
3. Hydraluron by indeed labs: Sometimes, you just gotta follow the pack, if just for investigative purposes (to see if a product can truly be as miraculous as it is made out to be). For those who have never heard of this product before, let me provide a brief synopsis: Hyaluronic acid (or sodium hyaluronate) is by no means a new skincare breakthrough or discovery. In fact, it has probably been somewhere in the ingredients list of several moisturizing products you've owned as it "can hold up to 1,000 times its weight in water" (whatever that means). However, hyaluronic acid is having a huge comeback, and indeedlabs is capitalizing on it by providing a no-frills, moderately priced, fragrance-free, and paraben-free "moisture booster" serum. A bit over a year ago, internet skin care guru Caroline Hirons sung her praises for hydraluron, and since then, almost every beauty blogger has also joined the fan club. Although the tube is little in size, it lasted me several months of near daily use.
So is hydraluron worth the hype? To be honest, not really. I have not noticed some fabulous breakthrough in my skin while using this product, nor do I notice a grand difference on days that I go without it. Granted, this may be because my skin wasn't really all that dry or dehydrated to begin with (I just sort of assumed that the extra hydration couldn't hurt). Regardless, I still chose to repurchase it before I ran out, because (a) it is still well-priced when compared to other serums, (b) I actually got it on sale so that was tempting, (c) hyaluronic acid is a skin-identical ingredient proven to boost moisture content and prevent moisture loss *(source). For now, this will remain an ol' faithful serum under the yet to find a better replacement category.
4. Maybelline the ROCKET Volum' Express Mascara: I'm pretty sure the first ever mascara tube I got/stole from my mom was a Maybelline Great Lash mascara with the pink tube and green lid. I've strayed to the occasional l'Oreal and Covergirl, which have been solid, but Maybelline really delivers when it comes to maximum volume. Ever since then, I've sampled the majority of Maybelline's variations, including Colossal (+ Colossal Cat Eyes), The Falsies (+ The Falsies Flared), One by One, Mega Plush, and Great Lash Lots of Lashes. That might sound excessive, but I really only have one mascara in rotation at a time (and the occasional sample-size for my handbag). I cycle through them quickly because (a) if I'm wearing any makeup, I'm definitely wearing mascara and (b) mascara supposedly expires after three months. Lately, I have really been loving the Rocket mascara in blackest black, and just buying a back-up whenever they go on sale (which is frequently). Warning: this mascara is NOT for girls that still want their eyelashes to look "natural," or that can't stand having the occasional clump. However, I would recommend it to anyone else, considering the amazing results I get and the awesome price point. I am personally pretty "well-endowed" in the lash/eye department, so to speak, and like to exploit that asset to the best of my ability. So until Maybelline releases a new volumizing offering that is somewhat tempting (the "Big Eyes" really was not, sorry), I'll keep a new one of these at the ready.
5. L'Oreal Paris Infallible (Never Fail) Eyeliner in Carbon Black: After mascara, black eyeliner is the easiest way to maximize your makeup's impact with minimal effort. When I have the time to spend, I will often use gel or liquid formulations, as they are often more long-wearing and precise than a pencil. However, as a student, I am constantly needing to apply my makeup in five minutes or less, and that is when this pencil is truly a lifesaver. I cannot attest to the fact that this lasts a full 16 hours as l'Oreal claims, because I rarely wear my makeup for that long (and don't recommend you do, either). But, I can say that I definitely prefer this liner over the famed Urban Decay 24/7 (too creamy + expensive but great colour selection) and benefit's BadGal (got this once in a kit and it was so dry!). Some highlights: the pencil is retractible so never needs to be sharpened, it stays on the waterline AND the lash line, and it has a smudger on one end (which I never use but I guess it's pretty cool). Also, this liner never leaks onto my contact lenses (thank god), but the l'Oreal "Extra-Intense" liquid pencil eyeliner actually did. So if you loved the effect of the Extra Intense but couldn't sacrifice your vision, then I would give the Infallible pencil a try. The downside? You can only find this in 3 colours in Canada (carbon black, black, and black-brown), which is super rude considering you can also find a brown, navy and slate in the United States #typical #Canadianproblems.
6. Soap & Glory Hand Food: This hand cream was another over-hyped product from a couple of years back, and another product that was frustratingly not available in Canada, even though other Soap & Glory body products were (still waiting on their makeup line though...). Anyway, Debs always kept her eyes peeled in drugstores, to no avail, but eventually she made a Sephora order and added this to her basket. She got me the small sized-one seen in the photograph, which surprisingly still has a little bit of cream left (I keep it in my purse). Ironically, Hand Food is now sold in Canada, and offered in an even bigger size (the newer one in the photograph, which I keep on my night table). Hand Food is not a holy grail, life-changing product, nor does it provide intense hydration. However, it is currently an ol' faithful because it is the least-greasy hand cream I have yet to come across, and has a subtle, inoffensive fragrance, which makes it the perfect companion for on-the-go, especially during classes. Our hands suffer significantly from dryness during the winter, and carrying around a hand cream becomes almost essential for me. Now, if Hand Food could somehow contain SPF, then it would be a year-round staple. I have always neglected protecting my hands from sun exposure, and I have recently learnt how susceptible they are to damage. For Barcelona, I will definitely try to find a replacement with SPF, but I would still highly recommend Hand Food, and considering the affordable price point, I could see this relationship going long-term.
Now don't get me wrong, I may still jump at the opportunity to test out the latest "groundbreaking" top coat, eyeliner, mascara, or hand cream (I am a shameless beauty junkie, after all). But for now, these six products are some of my staples, as evidenced by my commitment to them, and I would surely recommend them all.
However, If you will remember one take-away from this post, then it should be: Unless you truly enjoy spending unnecessarily large sums of money, I really do not understand why you would buy a high-end mascara. Not only do you have to re-stock them frequently (or should be), but there are so many great mascaras available at the drugstore tailored to whatever you desire (volume, length, waterproof, curl, etc.) Yes, there are bad mascaras at the drugstore, but there are also bad ones at Sephora (And yes, I'm looking at you Diorshow). Do your research, experiment and enjoy the savings!
5. L'Oreal Paris Infallible (Never Fail) Eyeliner in Carbon Black: After mascara, black eyeliner is the easiest way to maximize your makeup's impact with minimal effort. When I have the time to spend, I will often use gel or liquid formulations, as they are often more long-wearing and precise than a pencil. However, as a student, I am constantly needing to apply my makeup in five minutes or less, and that is when this pencil is truly a lifesaver. I cannot attest to the fact that this lasts a full 16 hours as l'Oreal claims, because I rarely wear my makeup for that long (and don't recommend you do, either). But, I can say that I definitely prefer this liner over the famed Urban Decay 24/7 (too creamy + expensive but great colour selection) and benefit's BadGal (got this once in a kit and it was so dry!). Some highlights: the pencil is retractible so never needs to be sharpened, it stays on the waterline AND the lash line, and it has a smudger on one end (which I never use but I guess it's pretty cool). Also, this liner never leaks onto my contact lenses (thank god), but the l'Oreal "Extra-Intense" liquid pencil eyeliner actually did. So if you loved the effect of the Extra Intense but couldn't sacrifice your vision, then I would give the Infallible pencil a try. The downside? You can only find this in 3 colours in Canada (carbon black, black, and black-brown), which is super rude considering you can also find a brown, navy and slate in the United States #typical #Canadianproblems.
6. Soap & Glory Hand Food: This hand cream was another over-hyped product from a couple of years back, and another product that was frustratingly not available in Canada, even though other Soap & Glory body products were (still waiting on their makeup line though...). Anyway, Debs always kept her eyes peeled in drugstores, to no avail, but eventually she made a Sephora order and added this to her basket. She got me the small sized-one seen in the photograph, which surprisingly still has a little bit of cream left (I keep it in my purse). Ironically, Hand Food is now sold in Canada, and offered in an even bigger size (the newer one in the photograph, which I keep on my night table). Hand Food is not a holy grail, life-changing product, nor does it provide intense hydration. However, it is currently an ol' faithful because it is the least-greasy hand cream I have yet to come across, and has a subtle, inoffensive fragrance, which makes it the perfect companion for on-the-go, especially during classes. Our hands suffer significantly from dryness during the winter, and carrying around a hand cream becomes almost essential for me. Now, if Hand Food could somehow contain SPF, then it would be a year-round staple. I have always neglected protecting my hands from sun exposure, and I have recently learnt how susceptible they are to damage. For Barcelona, I will definitely try to find a replacement with SPF, but I would still highly recommend Hand Food, and considering the affordable price point, I could see this relationship going long-term.
Now don't get me wrong, I may still jump at the opportunity to test out the latest "groundbreaking" top coat, eyeliner, mascara, or hand cream (I am a shameless beauty junkie, after all). But for now, these six products are some of my staples, as evidenced by my commitment to them, and I would surely recommend them all.
However, If you will remember one take-away from this post, then it should be: Unless you truly enjoy spending unnecessarily large sums of money, I really do not understand why you would buy a high-end mascara. Not only do you have to re-stock them frequently (or should be), but there are so many great mascaras available at the drugstore tailored to whatever you desire (volume, length, waterproof, curl, etc.) Yes, there are bad mascaras at the drugstore, but there are also bad ones at Sephora (And yes, I'm looking at you Diorshow). Do your research, experiment and enjoy the savings!
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