My monthly beauty secrets for November include my top hair styling products, my favorite lipstick, a photo finish concealer, a non-irritating make-up remover, my secret weapon to combat oily skin, a time-saving trick to keep makeup application mess free, my favorite lip balm, a great product to wake-up tired eyes, and a nail product that saves time.
Read on to discover some amazing beauty products I think you will love too!
1. Clear Zit Masque is a magical product that put an end to my oily skin and acne. With continued daily use, my skin has improved dramatically, and my pores are much smaller. I apply the masque before bedtime. It helps reduce inflammation, infection, and promotes healing of the skin while normalizing the production of oil secreted by the sebaceous glands. The product contains manuka and tea tree oils, the two most effective natural antibacterial ingredients available on the market that offer high antiseptic power. These essential oils are non-irritating and non-toxic, and effective in the treatment of acne.
2. Kur Accelerating Drying Oil speeds up nail polish drying time. I have natural nails and do my own manicures. The process of drying nails is time-consuming. Brush this unique oil over freshly painted nails and watch them dry in less than 10 seconds. The product is a 5-free formula, formaldehyde-free, toluene-free, DBP-free, formaldehyde resin-free and camphor free.
3. Shadow Shields keep my makeup mess free. I leave them on while applying eye makeup. When I take them off, no mess, no fallen shadow, no mascara out of place.
4. Oribe Royal Blowout Heat Styling Spray is my favorite hair styling product. The ultra-light mist tames flyways and beats frizz for a smooth, glossy finish and cuts my drying time in half. It also nourishes hair, repairing split ends and leaving locks softer and stronger. Whether your hair is coarse and thick or fine and wispy, it will add volume and shine as you blow dry. I love how the paraben-free formula is safe for color-treated and processed locks too. Spray on damp hair, starting from the middle and working downwards. Blow dry hair section by section, spritzing on more mist as needed.
5. Sorme Brow Lift is a thick pencil that high-lights and looks like it lifts just like Botox! For an instant ”wake-up” use it on the inside crease of your eye.
6. Kevyn Aucoin Sensual Skin Enhancer is my secret weapon for a creating a gorgeous, flawless complexion. It can be used as a spot foundation, concealer, all-over foundation, highlighter (choose a shade lighter than your actual skin tone) or mixed with your moisturizer for a tinted moisturizer effect. It can be applied with the fingers, a brush or a sponge (wet or dry) for any desired finish. If you are using the product to hide a blemish, apply a dot the size of a pin head and using a firm brush push and dab it into the area you want to conceal. It erases the redness out of the blemish instantly making it blend with your skin. For concealing dark circles under the eyes, less is more. A little dab will cover, so don’t over do it. It’s a very rich, creamy texture so it will have a slight dewy radiance to it. If you prefer a matte finish, apply powder to matte it down. It will last about a year. SpaceNK is a great online store with a chat advisor. You can speak with them and get product and colour advice. They are very good at helping you narrow your choice by telling them about your skin and it’s colourings.
7. Two Faced Cosmetics “Country Star” Lip Stick is the perfect peachy nude color created by Carrie Underwood’s makeup artist, Melissa Schleicher. It’s super creamy and lasts for hours. “Country Star” is available online at Parlour 3 or Ulta.
8. Maison Pearson Hair Brush redistributes the oil from my scalp through the shaft of my hair, making my roots less greasy and my ends more moisturized. I can go longer in between washing my hair. It also cuts down drying time and is easy to grip. I use the travel size version. It is expensive but will last a long time if you take care of it.
9. Lucas Papaw Ointment is an Australian product that I always keep in my makeup bag. Papaw ointment helps to repair dry or chapped lips and is often used as a long-lasting, natural lip balm. Apply a little on particularly windy days to prevent your lips from getting chapped. I use it on my lips at bedtime. This multi-tasking salve also works as a local topical application for boils, burns, chafing, cuts, cracked skin, gravel rash, splinters, open wounds, insect bites and rashes.
10. Bioderma is a French product used by makeup artists and models. I use it to clean my skin in the mornings and remove my makeup before bedtime. It doesn’t require rinsing off, it doesn’t make skin raw or sensitive, it doesn’t dry out the skin or leave it tight, and it’s in a clear, flip-top bottle that just needs a quick squeeze to dispense the right amount onto a cotton ball. Liquid eyeliner and waterproof mascara take a little longer to remove, and usually another cotton pad is needed to fully remove everything.