Hello babes and happy Fridayyy! I really should be packing for our trip tomorrow but I’d rather be here with you all avoiding my life responsibilities and sharing fun stuff. This week’s beauty diary is full of new products I have found that I’m loving, and even new treatments too. Come along and check out what I’ve found!
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F is for facial
I have to start things off with a bang and talk all about my recent facial at The The Esthetics Center in El Dorado Hills, CA. Truly there is nothing that makes me feel more special than a good relaxing and effective facial! Our skin is the largest organ in our body, so why not give it some TLC? The facial consisted of three steps: cleansing, extractions, and application of peel. I had never had a peel before but had always wanted one! My wonderful esthetician Camille used a “sensi” peel on me for sensitive skin and so far I have had minor peeling that should be done with by tomorrow (total of two days very mild peeling). My skin already looks so much more hydrated, tones, and clear! All issues I severely struggle with. The best part about my facial is that The Esthetics Center is offering you all 20% off your own visit just for mentioning me Alyssa at Thrill of Home! Isn’t that so awesome? You can book an appointment by clicking on their website here.
New Tricks and Tips
I also learned three new skin hacks to adress current issues I have been experinecing with my skin:
Oiliness- You guys won’t believe how oily my skin has been lately! When I wake up I have been needing to wash my face immediately. The hack: Stop overusing my exfoliating facial wash. I had been exfoliating every night and yeah apparently that’s a SUPER bad idea because my I have been stripping my skin which is what was causing the overproduction of oil. Tisk, tisk. You only need to exfoliate once or twice a week max. Here is the one that I love and pick up at Target. Super affordable and just as good if not better that the most expensive ones that I have tried!
Dehydration and oiliness- This one is on me. Plain and simple I have not been drinking enough water. Water and coffee are the only things I drink but without tracking my water intake I have still been coming up short! Here is a water bottle I purchased that will help me keep track of how much water I am drinking. It’s prime too!
New cleansing tool- For the longest time I have been using my clarisonic to cleanse with. But I never liked having to pay to replace brush heads AND I always felt horrible wasting the old ones. On top of that I never quite trusted just how “clean the bristles were”. On my appointment Camille used the most amazing cleaning tool ever! It is called the Qyksonic and it is made with medical grade silicine and never needs to be replaced… sing praise! It’s also compact and pink which I love. As soon as we come back from our trip, I am heading back to the Esthetics Center to grab my own. You can check out more about this amazing little tool right here on the Qyksonic website.
Tinted Moisturizer Goodness
I also picked up a new spf tinted mositurizer to try! The brand is called Elta MD and to my surprise I found it at Wal Mart too! I love that it is hydrating and made with hyaluranic acid, is tinted enough to use as light-coverage makeup PLUS has the power of SPF 44 to protect skin. The tint adapts to your own skin’s pigment which means this is for all skin colors and types. It is oil free and goes on so smoothly. I’m excited to add this into my daily routine! You can pick one up for yourself at The Esthetics Center for $24 (I think this is a big score btw! My other tinted moisturizer from NARS I used is $45 and only SPF 15). You can also shop this link, which is a few dollars more but delivered to you for convenience.
Dry Hands No More
In my last beauty diary I expressed my concern over dry hands skin surrounding my nails. I am thrilled to report that I picked up the most luscious hand lotion ever at my local Whole Foods! I was skeptical, because I had never found a hand cream that held it’s weight. But this one really does hold it’s weight! It’s paraban free with argan oil and shea butter and doesn’t leave my hands greasy with just the right amount of scent. It’s also compact enough to fit in purse, but enough of a hefty size to hold me over for a few months. It was around $8 at Whole Foods but I also found it on amazon prime right here.
Dupe vs. Name Brand Battle
I just have to get this one off of my chest because there have been a few beauty “dupes” I have purchased and after some time, I decided to weigh in on the REAL results.
MASCARA: BENEFIT VS LOREAL
I have been a die hard Benefit “They’re Real” mascara for years. to save money I purchased the travel sized tube and tossed it each month. When I heard all of the buzz about Loreal’s Lash Paradise I knew I had to try it! At first, I loved the Loreal mascara, but ultimately it did not hold up like old faithful aka Benefit’s mascara. The volume and ease of layering, plus the way it literally seems to give me false lashes in an instant is still untouched by Loreal’s lash paradise. Link to shop right here:
And speaking of Benefit Cosmetics, they’re Ka-brown gimme brow is still GOLD. If you are wondering how I went from zero to 100 on the eyebrow game, this is the answer right here.
Another dupe vs original was my lash primer. Estee Lauder makes a gorgeous one but it really does break my piggy bank… Luckily Loreal wins this battle with their dupe. Their lash primer is all you need! Just be sure to replace every month. And check out that price, totally love it.
For Lips
Nothing makes me more happy to be celebrating the holidays than a good lip. It is the easiest way to take any makeup look from chap stick queen to glam in seconds! I keep my eye makeup the same throughout seasons, but enjoy seasonal lip colors to update my look. Scroll below to shop my favorites.
This concludes today’s beauty diary. I hope you guys have a great rest of your weekend and thanks for stopping by! Be sure to check my stories and posts frequently on Instagram here because I am giving away lots of goodies this week <3 And if you don’t know, I am truly grateful for you!
X o x o ,
