15 Beauty Products I Couldn't Live Without and Why

I thought for this post I'd try something different, something that might grab more viewer attention and seem more relatable to my readers. 

So, here goes... 

15 Beauty Products I Couldn't Live Without (in no particular order) and Why

1. Vivid/wildly colorful lipsticks

• Why? Because there is just something so liberating and beautiful about rocking a hot pink, deep purple, or fire-engine red lip when going out on the town. It gives me confidence, and the splash of color brightens your smile, pulls together a final makeup look, and expresses creativity and artistic spirit.

2. Moisturizer

• Why? Moisturizer is such a biggie for anti-aging. Sure, buying pricey retinoid gels, getting plastic surgery and botox are all options to reverse the effects of aging, but moisturizer is where it all starts! Keeping your face and neck and eye area properly moisturized and nurtured will protect the elasticity, moisture levels, and overall brightness and youth of your face. 

• I, for one, moisturize in the morning with a SPF 30 sunscreen face moisturizer to protect against any potential and/or harmful sun rays. And at night, I double moisturize with a few different products all over my face, neck, and around the eyes.

• If you don't moisturize, then I strongly suggest you start! And don't just take my word for it, look up more information about it and see for yourself if you're unsure.

3. Primer (face & eye)

• Why? If you're like me and have oily skin, then you'll understand why it's so important to find a good face primer. Very few times have I forgotten to apply it  before foundation, but I feel so naked without it. It really helps to control the oil on my t-zone, and the pore-filler type helps to disguise my larger pores. Of course, there are varying types of primers, so don't think you don't need it just because your skin might be less oily than mine! 

• I also have slightly oily lids, but everyone can benefit from eye primer. Looking back to when I first started getting into makeup, I knew nothing about eye primer. It makes a world of a difference in the staying power of eye makeup. Try it! 

4. Mascara

• Why? Because there's nothing like bold lashes to finish off a look. Elongated lashes just give our eyes that extra POP.

5. Highlighting Powder 

• Why? I don't know why, but there's just something so beautiful about glowing skin and a dewy appearance. I'd probably pick highlighting my skin over using blush. Crazy, right? Highlighting my cheekbones and cupid's bow have long since been a part of my everyday routine.

6. Blush

• Why? Alright, alright. Who doesn't love beautiful blushed cheeks to pull off the perfectly finished makeup canvas? I know I love berries and corals and soft pinks. 

7. The right color foundation

• Why? There's just something so satisfying about applying your foundation--which just so happens to be the perfect shade-- and then, taking in the blank canvas that is your face, just knowing that you can now create your art, paint your face, and have it be any way that you want. Makeup is such an art. Foundation is what it's name is in a nutshell: the foundation to a great masterpiece.

8. Setting Powder 

• Why? I absolutely cannot live without setting powder on a daily basis. It sets my foundation and powder into place, which also helps to keep the oil at bay. I know, poor oil. Seems that I am always trying to find some way to diminish it's powers. 

9. Blackhead strips

• Why? Because my skin isn't perfect. And those Biore strips I buy at the drugstore really help in yanking those bad boys out. There are also tons of recipes online for making DIY strips to remove the impurities. 

10. A good chapstick/lip balm

• Why? Because who looks at someone's chapped, dry and peeling lips and finds that attractive?And furthermore, don't you just feel gross when your lips aren't properly hydrated? It makes lipstick application a nuisance and I find myself biting my lip and making it bleed.. It's better to just remain constant friends with a good lip balm. 

11. A cool-toned contour shade 

• Why? I hate red-toned bronzers. Give me a taupe-y brown shade any day and I'll be your b.f.f. I don't know if I could actually live without contouring. I never wear makeup without contouring. I'd contour before I'd apply a face full of makeup. Sometimes I go to the grocery store with only bb cream, mascara, and a light contour. Notice: contouring is a major part of my life these days.

12. Kohl liner

• Why? Because I am absolutely addicted to lining my tight-line and water-lines. I do this daily with makeup application as well. It's perfect if you're going for a more natural, smoky look, and it's also awesome when you're wanting some depth without taking the time to draw on dramatic liner. 

13. Setting spray

• Why? Another holy grail anti-oil product. Need I say more...

14. Retinoid cream

• Why? It prevents and rids of blemishes, gives your skin a much brighter and smoother appearance, evens out redness, minimizes pores, works as an anti-aging agent, and minimizes the appearance of wrinkles. The negative of a retinoid cream is that it is usually a prescription product and can be quite pricey. I'm fortunate my dermatologist prescribes me one and my insurance covers it for acne, but most insurances consider it a cosmetic product and will not pay for it. Luckily, though, there are plenty of over-the-counter products with retinol built into them, so be sure to look into those as well. 

15. Creamy concealer

• Why? Well, aside from concealer being good for acne spots; I don't have much acne these days, so I mostly use it to highlight my under eyes, forehead, chin, nose, and jaw areas. It sounds tedious, I know, but it's so worth it! A good, creamy concealer can be hard to find, but I do cherish the few I have found and love.

Okay, so that's it, friends! My top 15 products I couldn't live without. I wish I could have narrowed it down to a smaller number, but I'm a bit of a makeup fanatic, so it was impossible. I didn't even get into eyeshadow, but obviously my palette collection speaks for itself in saying how much I love shadow. 

If you want suggestions on what my favorite brands for any of these products are, then please feel free to ask! I may end up doing another blog post where I go through all 15 products and tell what my favorite brand/item is to use for each. 

Until next time... 

xx