Here’s a roundup of some of my favorite beauty products.
1. Varis Boar Brush: The Varis Boar Brush works great on my fine hair because it does not pull out my hair when I blow dry it. The brush is ideal for all hair types due to the mixture of natural boar and nylon bristles. This brush helps smooth flyaways and speeds up drying time. For additional shine and moisture, hydroionic crystals are infused into the bristles and barrel. I use a medium brush.
2. Kusshi Makeup Bag Organizers: These bags are an excellent investment. They have a zip-out interior liner that is machine washable. This is great for removing makeup stains. They are designed to work with organizers that snap in for extra protection of your products. With zippers on three sides, the makeup bags open wide so you can see all of your makeup and skincare. There are even mesh pockets for easy access to your sponges and eyelash curler, along with a zipper pocket for anything you want to keep secure. The organizers are antimicrobial, mold resistant, stain resistant and water repellant. I use the Kusshi Brush Organizer with my Kusshi Makeup Bag.
3. Milbon Blowout Primer Repair: My hairstylist, Anh Co Tran uses this line of products. I like to make a cocktail with Milbon Restorative Blowout Primer and Milbon Luminous Softening Oil. This combination works great before a blowdry by softening the hair and optimizing heat protection. I use the primer for fine hair. Available in two formulas: Fine for fine to medium hair and Coarse for coarse hair.
4. Westman Atelier Blend Brush: Gucci Westman is the makeup artist behind some Hollywood A-listers like Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon, and Gwyneth Paltrow. She launched her line of clean cosmetics in 2018. I was not planning to purchase any of Gucci’s brushes until I tried them out. They are expensive but work so well. Each brush is handmade in Kumano, Japan. The blender brush is my favorite and works great with cream, liquid, and powder products, and it picks up, deposits, and blends to perfection. I use it with Osmosis Finish Press Base or Sorme Believable Finish Powder Foundation. The brushes are easy to clean and do not shed. They are a great investment piece that will last a long time with proper care.
5. Kinesiology Face Tape: I use this tape with Danna Omari’s Face Aesthetic Taping 101 online course. Facial taping is particularly helpful for people who are beginning to show the first signs of aging. The tapes resemble the structure of the skin and, because of that, when they’re stuck onto the skin they create a lifting effect by gently lifting the epidermis upwards, which creates space under the skin. The space that has been created gives an opportunity for circulation to flow better. The uplifted area creates the space where blood and lymph will flow much more effectively, and as a result, the treated area will regenerate much quicker. The combination of unique techniques of manual face correction and face self-modeling with the help of the tapes treat fine lines, wrinkles, and sculpting the face. Tapes are an extension of manual therapy and allow results to last longer by strengthening the muscles and retraining them and improving the function of the skin. Follow Danna on Instagram for more instructional videos. Read more about Face Taping here.
6. Living Libations Seabuckthorn All Over Lotion: I am very particular about what body lotion I use on my skin due to the chemicals and parabens in most lotions. Living Libations products are free from artificial colors, preservatives, fragrances, and petrochemicals. I apply this lotion to alleviate dry skin. It is expensive, but a little product goes a long way. Read more about the chemicals your skin does not need here.
I also use the Best Skin Ever Seabuckthorn Serum for facial massage and Living Libations Ozonated Healthy Gum Gel.
7. Westman Atelier Baby Cheeks Blush Stick: My favorite Westman Atelier beauty product is the blush stick. I use Petal. I apply it with my fingers, but you could use a brush or sponge to blend it out further. The line is free of silicones, uses no parabens, no PEGs, no talc, no phthalates, and no synthetic fragrances. Their formulations meet the European Union’s rigorous standards for clean beauty.
8. A313 Vitamin A Retinol Cream: A313 Vitamin A Retinol Cream is a potent vitamin A ointment that helps with acne, hyperpigmentation, and fine lines. It is one of the most popular beauty products in France and is very affordable. It has been called the European version of tretinoin or Retin-A. This is the most potent over-the-counter treatment I’ve found on the market. For that reason, I recommend starting slowly to give your skin time to adjust. For more information about this product, see this in-depth review here.
I also like Osmosis Skincare Calm Gentle Retinal Serum. It is $92 and combines Retinal with calming, nourishing ingredients. The Palmitoyl Tripeptide in the formula smooths out the appearance of wrinkles. Hippophae rhamnoides (Sea Buckthorn) offers a high concentration of nourishing omega-7. Prunus serotina (Wild Cherry) Bark Extract is known for its potent anti-inflammatory and astringent properties, so your rash, psoriasis, or eczema is soothed and detoxified. Apply a couple of pumps of this formula to clean skin in the morning and evening using a gentle massaging motion.
9. Ialuset Hyaluronic Acid Cream: The Ialuset Crème is another popular beauty product made in France. It is a white, water-based serum that plumps and hydrates the skin. It is best used in the morning to enjoy the benefits throughout the day before applying makeup or sunscreen. It contains 0.2% Hyaluronic Acid. It is not paraben free, but it is considered one of the few pure hyaluronic acid products on the market. It is a very affordable product with proven results.
10. Style Edit Root Touch-up Powder: This is my favorite root touch-up. It works so much better than the spray bottle touch-up formulations and blends well to match my base color. Style Edit is a powder that binds to the hair follicles and instantly blends unwanted grey roots or helps cover the new growth between base color appointments. All you have to do is sweep a minimal amount of powder over the roots and work outward. You re-apply as necessary, and it washes out when you shampoo your hair. They have red, light/medium/dark blonde, light/medium/dark brown, and black. These products do not use peroxide, parabens, ammonia, or permanent dyes.
11. Dr. Remedy Nail Care: I like this line of nail products because they do not contain the ten most harmful ingredients used in most nail polish formulations. Dr. Adam Cirlincione and Dr. William Spielfogel are board certified practicing Podiatric Surgeons based in New York who founded Dr.’s Remedy to address the needs of their patients. I use three products from this line.
Dr. Remedy Hydration Nail Moisture Treatment: This clear coat helps moisturize, strengthen, and protect my nails. Wear alone as a treatment or as a base coat under your favorite shade.
Dr.’s Remedy Therapeutic Caress Cuticle Oil: I use this formula to help with dry, cracked cuticles. It can be used to prevent fungal infections from developing on the toe nails.
Dr. Remedy Total Two-In-One Base And Top Coat Nail Polish: Dr.’s Remedy base and top coat polish combines the nail barrier of a base coat and the wear protection of a topcoat.
12. Gerda Spillman Bio-Fond Foundation: I have used this foundation for over 15 years. The Gerda Spillmann Bio-Fond Foundation is available in 21 shades.
Before applying the foundation, I spray a small amount of Osmosis Mineral Hydrating Mist and pat the mist all over my face. I use my fingers to apply the foundation and touch up with a beauty blender sponge. It takes a little practice to get the technique for the application down, but it creates a flawless finish. I follow-up with Osmosis Finish Press Base or Sorme Believable Finish Powder Foundation for a flawless finish.
I also like Westman Atelier Foundation Sticks. The foundation is available in 21 shades for most skin tones, and I wear shade Atelier 1.
If you would like to sample the Gerda Spillman Bio-Fond Foundation, contact the customer service team here.
Click here to find out more of my favorite beauty products.
What are some of your favorite beauty products?
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