Five Things

Hola amigos! I'm back! I thought I'd tread back lightly by posting some beauty products I've been really enjoying. I must admit, I've been on a skincare/makeup bender lately.  It's a love affair I can't seem to stay away from. As much as I love cooking and running around town in search of the best ingredients and restaurants, I think its important to indulge in beautification once in a while. Ok, all the time. :) I don't want you to worry though. There'll be plenty of (food)yumminess to come. 

This is a miracle in a bottle and the label says it all.  I apply this immediately when I feel a pimple.  You just take a cotton swab and dip into the pink stuff on the bottom and dab directly to the zit. Make sure to NOT shake the bottle. The pink is supposed to be settled in the bottom.  I recommend to leave this on overnight to get the full effect.  This reduces the size greatly.  If your breakouts tend to be more cystic than normal, you may want to use the buffering lotion. It will work better.  This can be purchased at your local Sephora or Ulta. 

First and foremost, I want to thank my girl Mara "Romantonio"!! She  introduced me to this little purple bottle.  I'm hooked! Not only does this primer smooth out your skin, it also evens out your skin tone! I do not like it when I look like a lobster in pictures and this stuff,  is the cure.  The purple tones down the redness greatly. I also have combo skin which means I can get a bit greasy. Eeew right?! This somehow provides a matte finish. I don't wear foundation unless its a special occasion so I wear powder and bronzer on top of this. Fantastic. I hope this never gets discontinued. 

Hands down, The Body Shop is becoming my favorite brand.  I still like Bath and Body but it's got nothin on this UK brand.  Their body butters are amazeballs!! I'm on my third tub right now and trust me, I will go through many more in my lifetime.  I don't want to state the obvious. Yes it smells good and yes it's very moisturizing. Hi. My name is Pia and I don't like to waste. I can be a bit extravagant but never wasteful. I love that I can scoop every product out of this container unlike some lotion bottles.  I don't ever have to cut the bottle in half so I can scrape! Oh please. I know you do it too. :):) Ok ok. This is a bit pricey but I got all my body butters at Marshalls for less than half the cost. I'm sure this can also be found at TJ Maxx. I'm just going to have to make sure to check their website during holiday sales because I've seen it sold for the same price as discount stores and it's with free shipping. 

What have I been doing to my face for all these years? I've been destroying it with toners that strip all the moisture  out and leave me with this dryness that is uncalled for! Ladies and gents, I have found my all time favorite toner. Drugstore toners just don't cut it anymore for me.  When you put this on your cotton pad, it will come off gel-ish but when applied to your skin, it goes on like water.  I'm so impressed when I check out my cotton pad and see all the dirt and leftover makeup left behind by my cleanser. Please please please please try this. I'm so happy to have found this toner, I can cry. Dramatic. That's me. Seriously. Run to a The Body Shop store or Ulta!

I was so desperate to find a new facial moisturizer that I resorted to Facebook.  I had posted a question about favorite facial moisturizers.  A couple of my friends recommended Aveeno and after much research ( yes, I research everything before I purchase, dork is the word) I decided to give it a shot. Boy, am I glad I did!  I have natural redness on my face and some uneven discoloration. I feel this balances it out because of the soy ingredient.  I've used products in the past with soy and it really worked with taking away some acne marks. I figured this would do the same and so far so good.  I love the pump too! You don't have to worry about getting too much product in your hand. It's just the right amount. When it's cold and wintry here in the DC area, I will probably apply two pumps every time just to make sure I'm moisturized for the entire day. 

I know what you're thinking. Yes, I can count! There's just no way I can leave this out. Once again, big ups to my girl Mara! She had gifted me with a couple of these brushes for my birthday last month and now, thanks to her, I might have to purchase the entire set! No, I shall try to control myself. wink wink. They are fabulously soft, great applicators, chic (check out the handles) and will not damage your bank account. Personally, I think some makeup brushes are just way too expensive. Ahem...MAC.  In the past, Eco Tools were my fave but I think these Real Techniques brushes have taken over.  You can purchase these online or at Ulta.

BOOM!   

- Pia