About a month ago I asked for your input on some things here at Seasons + Salt. One of the suggestions that several of you had was to share a beauty-related post. Makeup and skincare is not something I typically blog about, but I do love reading about other peoples’ beauty routines, so I thought it’d be fun to share my own! This is not a sponsored post, all of these items I’ve purchased with my own money, and I am simply going to share what I love and talk about how I use them. :)
Skincare:
I honestly don’t do a lot with my skin. I don’t even wear sunscreen as much as I should, but I have found a pretty good regimen that works for me. I have combination/oily skin, but if I use a heavy duty face wash, my skin breaks out. Several years ago a friend told me about CeraVe, and I have been hooked ever since. I used to have to go to the dermatologist office to buy it, but now I am seeing it around more at places like Target and Bed, Bath & Beyond.
Here is my little routine, and how I use the above products:
1| CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser – I wash morning and night with this. At night, I use makeup remover to take my mascara off first. This cleanser is amazing because it almost moisturizers while it cleanses. It is not drying at all, but my face always feels very clean.
2| Origins Charcoal Mask – About once a week (or more), I need to give my face a good scrub. I used to use something by Mary Kay that I loved, but it’s a little harder to come by. After searching for something new, and trying several different samples, I have fallen in love with this charcoal mask! I am not really a mask girl, but this one is super quick and always leaves my face feeling like a baby’s butt (no joke!).
3| CeraVe Moisturizing Lotion – As I said above, I am a bit of an under-moisturizer, partly because my skin isn’t too dry, and partly because my cleanser is really hydrating. But, I always try to apply moisturizer around my eyes really well. And, if I use my mask, I always make sure to moisturize thoroughly afterward.
4| La Roche-Posay SPF 50 – I bought this after seeing it reviewed on Cup of Jo and thinking it sounded pretty great. I mostly like it, but I don’t love it. I wear it about 50/50 of the time and I mix it in my hand with my moisturizer before I apply it. I don’t really like wearing sunscreen because I can always feel it on my face. I have yet to find one that really soaks in. This does the job well enough for now though, and I am determined to finish it before I move on.
5| CeraVe Skin Renewing Cream Serum – I’ve recently added this to my routine and I love it! It seems like it really ‘freshens up’ the skin around my eyes, and I feel like I look a little less like a tired mom! I dab this around my eyes after my moisturizer has dried, morning and night.
6| Crystal Essence Aluminum- and Chlorohydrate-Free Deodorant – I stopped using antiperspirants years ago for two reasons: the potential health risks (which are debatable) and I don’t like the way it makes my skin feel. I want my skin to breathe (even my pits!) and antiperspirant blocks them from sweating, which feels icky to me. Since cutting out antiperspirant, I believe my skin has adjusted and actually sweats less. I have tried a few other deodorants, including Tom’s of Maine, and this Crystal Essence is my favorite.
And… About every other day I use Dickinson’s 100% natural witch hazel toner on my t-zone. I find this can be particularly helpful at removing any makeup residue still left after cleansing. However, I am struggling to find a less wasteful way to apply it. I currently use cotton balls, but would like to find another method that does not require throwing something away every day. I have tried cloths or toilet paper, but they absorb too much of the liquid and then it’s hard to get it on my skin. I’ve even tried splashing it directly on, but I tend to get too much on my skin, which can be drying, and I always end up losing some witch hazel down the drain in the process. If you’ve found any good reusable alternative to cotton balls or cotton rounds, I’d love to hear!
Makeup:
This looks like a lot of products when it’s all laid out, but it’s a pretty quick process – about ten minutes. In all honesty though, I’d rather spend my morning applying makeup than doing hair any day. I dislike doing my hair, and that’s probably why I only wash and style it every three days!
Here is my makeup routine in order of application:
1 | Anastasia Beverly Hills Perfect Brow Pencil (Medium Brown) – My brows are naturally thin, and certainly suffered from the over-plucked era of the 2000’s so they need all the help they can get. The first thing I do every morning before I start my makeup is fill them in. I like this brow pencil quite a bit, but the tip of the pencil can be rather soft, I intend to try the Brow Wiz for a more defining line when this one runs out.
2 & 3| Buxom Show Some Skin Weightless Foundation SPF 30 (In the Buff – discontinued shade) & Tarte Creaseless Concealer – I always do my base makeup (very light foundation in my t-zone) and my concealer at the same time. I mix a little foundation with my concealer to make it slightly less bright. I use so little foundation that I’ve been working on the same bottle for nearly a year. It goes on like moisturizer and gives me a bit of coverage in my red areas. Sometimes in the summer months I shelve it and just use a little bit of the powder (see below). This concealer formula is pretty thick, but it’s moisturizing and, if applied well, it does not sit in fine lines.
4| Tarte Amazonian Clay Full Coverage Airbrush Foundation (Light-Medium Natural) – I’m a big fan of Tarte because they don’t use parabens in their products. I feel like overall their products enhance my skin rather than clog it up. I use this powder daily; my only complaint is that I can go through it kind of fast.
5| Wet ‘n Wild Fergie Take on the Day Eye Primer – This little drug store goodie competes with some of the best primers out there. It holds my eye shadow in place, without creasing, all day. It’s a strong formula so I put it on rather lightly. The only draw back is it gets a little thick as it gets older, and doesn’t work as well. Hard to beat for the price though!
6| Yves Saint Laurent Color Palette 07 – I think I should have photographed this one open, but I didn’t think of that ’til afterward! I like warm, pink-toned neutrals for eye shadow and this palette is my favorite I’ve tried so far! I bought and returned the Naked 2 palette because it was just too cool for me. I love the idea of the Naked palettes, but I am pretty sure I’d never use that many shades! Or I’d get overwhelmed by the choices. I don’t wear a ton of eye shadow, but I like a little bit to brighten my eyes, which are a bit deep-set. This palette is also great because there is a darker shade that I sometimes wear on my lids for a more dramatic look.
7| bareMinerals Bronzer – This is so old, it came in the first bareMinerals set I bought years and years ago! I feel like bronzer lasts forever, as in it could take me years to go through it! I am naturally warm/darker complected so I use just a dash under my cheekbones to give my face a little more color.
8| Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blush (Dazzled) – By now you can tell I love my Tarte products. ;) I use just a touch of this on the apples of my cheeks to bring some life to my face.
9| Benefit ‘They’re Real’ Lengthening and Volumizing (Black) – Mascara is a big one for me! It’s my never-leave-the-house-without-it product. I am thankful to have naturally long eyelashes and, when I add mascara, it brings my look a lot of pop. I have tried many different mascaras and, for me, this one is worth the money! I like it because it stays on really well, and doesn’t ‘fall’ under my eyes throughout the day like other ones do. It’s not labeled waterproof, but I find it comes off best with some simple makeup remover before I wash my face. I tried Tarte’s mascara and found the formula to be a little on the clumpy side for me.
Many days I skip 5 & 6 and go bare-lidded, so I can get ready even faster! And other days I’ll add a little liquid liner for an amped-up look, but I am still reaaallly slow at getting those perfect wings. I didn’t include lip color because I feel like that could be a post on its own! I love lipstick and have a few favorites that I wear regularly. If you guys want to know more, I’ll be happy to share, just let me know.
I really enjoy makeup, and whenever I go to Sephora I truly feel like a kid in the candy store! Do you have any makeup/skincare favorites? I’d love to hear what works for you!
Perhaps you could buy a spray bottle for the witch hazel and then wipe a cotton pad over afterwards. This is what I do when I can be bothered to use a toner type product and it seems to work and makes the product last way longer as I barely use any plus nothing goes to waste.
Sunscreen can be a real pain can’t it? I hate the feeling of most sunscreens on my skin but I’m so pale that I have to wear one everyday so I’m constantly on the look out for the ‘perfect’ or at least non sticky sunscreen.
What a fabulous idea Sarah! So simple, but is sounds very effective – thank you for the tip!
Yes, sunscreen is a pain! I tried some by Origins ages ago, and might have to give them another go.
I use that same sunscreen, and found it from Cup of Jo too! So good. Also love the Origins mask and tarte’s products. I use the Tarte amazonian clay liquid foundation and just love it. I understand the tarte obsession!
Do you like the sunscreen? Sometimes I feel like it makes me a look a little whiter..
As a mascara suggestion, have you ever tried Pacifica? They have a regular mascara and a water resistant formula that I love (available at Target and Ulta)! I’m also a big fan of Tarte, and found their mascara clumps on me also. Pacifica is a brand I’ve grown to appreciate and admire, and their ingredients have been gentle with my sensitive eyes.
I have never heard of that one, but I am definitely interested! Will be checking them out. I love the sounds of the ingredients in that one.
I’ve been slowly overhauling my medicine cabinet and makeup bag over the past couple years. I’m constantly researching http://www.ewg.org/skindeep for good options and alternatives. I oil cleanse with an inexpensive bottle of Jojoba oil from Trader Joe’s. Then I follow up with a lightweight moisturizer from Desert Essentials. I’ve been making my way through products from BeautyCounter, they have beautiful packaging and fantastic products. I use their vibrant eye perfector, shampoo & conditioner, eyeliner, and concealer (reminds of YSL touche eclat!). I’m still on the hunt for a good tinted moisturizer w/SPF. I stick with good old Tom’s of Maine for deodorant and toothpaste. Honest Co. makes a decent sunscreen but it’s a little too greasy for me so I’m trying to use it up and move on to either Coola or Supergoop.
That website is great – thanks so much for sharing!
For sunscreen I use Neutrogena dry erase in SPF 55. My mom introduced me to it last year, and I wear it every day! Hope it works for you too.
I will check it out, thanks Jodie!
i love seeing your picks! i have oily skin as well, and i use shiseido sunscreen-i have both the urban environment oil-free and the extra smooth sun protection lotion. doesn’t make me break out, helps mattify my skin, and doesn’t burn or sting. i also keep a mustela sunscreen stick in my bag just in case. i’ve been staring at the tarte blushes for a while now, all the colors are so pretty, and i love how the packaging matches the color of the product inside. i’m currently trying out some lily lolo mineral foundation-you can order samples for pretty cheap. i’m going to try the deodorant you mentioned, that’s one thing that is definitely trial and error!
Thanks for sharing Lizzie, I’m definitely interested in trying out that shiseido sunscreen and the mustela stick! I agree, the Tarte blush colors are so dreamy!
After switching my wardrobe from fast fashion to more ethical brands I started to feel like I needed to scrutinize my makeup and skincare products as well. I love http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ and the app Think Dirty http://www.thinkdirtyapp.com for helping me understand what I was putting on my face. I totally recommend checking these resources out!
Since then, I’ve bought a lot of products from the Honest Company/Honest Beauty. I’m a huge lipstick fan and I love their lip crayons. I’ve also heard a lot of great things about Well People and want to check that line out too.
Thanks Kendra for the great rec’s! I am excited to dig into those sites.
I haven’t heard about Honest Beauty before now, and I am totally curious to check them out! Those lip crayons sound amazing. Did you buy them online? I’d love to try them first, but it doesn’t look like there are stores near me.
Hi Andrea, Honest Beauty is now selling at Ultra but I bought them online as a bundle. I got the strawberry demi matte lip crayon https://www.honestbeauty.com/products/demi-matte-lip-crayon and it’s a super pigmented red-pink. I want to try some of their lighter colors too since I didn’t realize how pigmented the crayons would be and the strawberry is definitely a statement lipstick! (FYI it goes on super creamy then dries like a cross between a matte and a stain). I also got some of the sheer lip crayons and they are closer to a tinted chapstick – just a little bit of color and shine but very subtle. I read a lot of reviews before I purchased everything (its tricky purchasing makeup online!) and I like the cream blush, brow filler and cleanser too. This goodie bag by Birchbox is also very tempting to experiment with new brands: https://www.birchbox.com/shop/limited-edition-new-naturals
I use Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunscreen. I found I need to apply it as soon as I get up so it has time to soak in before I put on my makeup. I hate the feeling of sunscreen on my face, but this is not too bad compared to others I’ve tried, even high-end brands. I also have used Cetaphil anti-bacterial soap to wash my face at night for years. The rest of my skin routine is Skin Script of which my aunt is the founder. She now sells her products to Dermatology clinics all over the USA. I’ve worn Bare Minerals powder foundation for years, but last time I ordered I got a sample of their Bare Skin Serum foundation and am seriously thinking of buying some for lighter makeup days. It has mixed reviews, but I liked that it glided over my fine lines and evened out my skin tone without having a heavy make-up look. My makeup is pretty simple most day with a foundation, blush, eyebrows and mascara. Last week I went to Sephora and bought the Naked 2 eye palette. As much as I wear eye shadow this should last me a good 10 years! Ha!
Have a great Memorial Weekend!
Ha! I bet! You know what I like about the Naked 2 palette? It has that charcoal color that can double as eye liner with the right brush. So much easier than pencil!
Wow, that’s super cool that your aunt created a skin care line. How amazing that dermatology clinics are buying her stuff!
I am also picky about sunscreens and it’s hard to find purely physical (vs. chemical) blockers that aren’t thick or leave a sticky, white residue. I’ve been using DHC products for years and recently tried the White Sunscreen Broad Spectrum 30SPF (anything higher than that provides diminishing marginal protection for a lot more cost) over my moisturizer. It includes 5% titanium dioxide and 10% zinc oxide active ingredients and has a milky consistency, so it’s very easy to apply, sets quickly, and a little goes a long way.
I love when capsule bloggers mix it up with a beauty post! It’s always so fascinating to see how a simplified wardrobe translates to a simplified beauty routine. I had a tough time finding a good facial sunscreen for awhile so I ended up just using a tinted moisturizer with SPF (Beautycounter Dew Skin Tinted Moisturizer). My skincare & beauty routine is pretty much all Beautycounter since I work in education & sales for them. Also LaVanila for deodorant and Honest Co for toothpaste. There are some DIY makeup remover round tutorials that could be applicable for your toner. Just pack a bunch of reusable cotton rounds (maybe cut up some old baby wash cloths) into glass jar and fill with toner. It’s a little more work than usually a spray bottle, but then you can control where the toner goes aka everywhere, but the eye area. Also have fun checking our EWG’s Skin Deep app. It was life changing for me, and I really taught me to pay attention to ingredients regardless of the brand.
Thanks Lauren, these are some great tips. Have you done the glass jar/toner option? It seems like I’d go through the toner really fast?? Or maybe if the reusable cotton rounds were really small. Or do you use the cotton rounds more than once?
I’ve been having the same guilt about applying my toner! I think I’m going to invest in reusable cotton rounds, like these ones (http://store.swbasicsofbk.com/products/eco-cotton-rounds) (sold out there but seem to be available at target: http://www.target.com/p/s-w-basics-eco-cotton-rounds-8-count/-/A-16542545).
Hm, did you read the reviews? They seem pretty mixed. Mel mentioned using reusable nursing pads – I think I might try that route!
I know the price seems insane but I really love the True Botanicals sunscreen. I live in Miami so I NEED sunscreen, but it’s always really humid. Which means everything looks greasy. This site only one I’ve found that doesn’t look greasy at all. They will even send you samples or mix the light and medium so you can get the right shade before you buy. Highly recommend.
http://bit.ly/1sZ5MoF
I also felt wasteful using so many cotton balls with toner so now I use reusable nursing pads. Hey are the perfect size and washable. I use one side, then flip and use the other the next day, then wash. Works like a charm with no waste.
What a great idea! I JUST got rid of my reusable nursing pads – ha! I should have kept them. Do you have the fluffy ones of the flatter ones?
I can’t imagine what it would be like to try and keep sunscreen on in Miami!
Mine are the flatter ones. They work super well!
I always use a washcloth/flannel and do a double cleanse (especially after using sunscreen – I use Anthelios Fluid by Le Roche Posay which works great without being greasy at all). The first cleanse removes all the makeup and dirt, and then the second skin can get in and clean the skin. It’s amazing the difference after I started using a cloth and realized how much makeup I was leaving behind! I started reading skin care expert Caroline Hirons blog and it really changed my skin! carolinehirons.com If you want to read up on her cleansing method, she has links in the sidebar called Cheat Sheets which are very helpful!
I switch cleansers around but I mainly use Tata Harper Cleansers, Emma Hardie Cleansing Balm, Body Shop Nutriganics Cleansing Oil and MV Organics. CeraVe is excellent. My daughters pediatrician recommended the body wash and the lotion for her super super sensitive skin and it has worked wonders for her. We would find it at Bartells or other drug stores (here in London we get it from Amazon.)
For makeup I use Terry CC cream or Chanel Lumeire Perfection Velvet. I also like Bare Minerals which soothes my skin when it acts up.
I’ve learned after getting rosacea in my 30’s that if I find something that works, I stick with it!
I’ve been looking for the right shade of lip color, something natural looking but longer lasting, so I’m curious about your picks. I usually wear a tinted lip balm from Burt’s Bees, but its definitely time for an upgrade :)
Hi Christina!
After trying lots of brands, I am a big fan of Bite Beauty. Their butter cream lipstick actually nourishes my lips, instead of drying them out, and I love that the brand uses food-grade ingredients. My most used lip color – and I’ve tried lots of brands, sticks and shades – is Rosewood by Bite Beauty. I can wear it like lipstick for a slightly more dramatic look, but most of the time, I put a little bit in the middle of my lips and then spread it with my fingers. That way gives my lips some color, without my looking ‘done up’ if that makes sense. It is definitely much longer wearing than tinted lip balm! But I also use that too on other days. ;) Hope that helps!