xoxo

xoxo

Earlier this month I was browsing Instagram and found one of my favorite ladies on there had a post about her skincare. She has dry skin so I was excited to see what she was using. Her makeup always looks so flawless, smooth, and dewy I had to find her secret!

Her name is Jen Hubbard and her Instagram can be found under JENHUB. Look her up! She does amazing work and her color combos are always right up my ally (i.e. gray taupey lips!).

Neutrogena Deep Clean Invigorating Foaming Scrub - Jen says she swears by this and it kind of surprised me since I usually think of the Deep Clean line as something for oily or combination skin types. I had a coupon for CVS so I said what the hell and decided it try it. I have been using it for about 3 days so far (morning and night) and my skin feels so smooth! The tingling feeling does NOT leave my skin dry whatsoever. It feels refreshing like you are giving your skin a cool drink of water. There is no tightness or peeling, none of that. I don't think I will be using it twice a day every single day in the winter (maybe in the summer) just to make sure it doesn't overly exfoliate but I do think I will be using it as my morning cleanser.  I think men would like this too because of how refreshing it is. If my opinion changes I will let you know but as of right now, it has the Jackie O. seal of approval!

L'Oreal Paris Collagen Moisture Filler Day/Night Cream - With a scent of baby powder and a texture that melts into my skin what is not to love? L'Oreal did a great job with this cream. It really does sink into your skin but also leaves moisture behind on the surface to leave you dewy and fresh. It really helps soften and comfort my skin. I've been using it morning and night for about three days. At night I've been putting my Fresh Seaberry Oil on first and then after that absorbs I massage this cream on top. I feel like the combo has really helped my skin hold onto moisture better. This also is a fabulous prep for foundations. I haven't seen my foundation sticking to or creating dry patches which is what my main concern has been lately. 

xoxo

xoxo

xoxo

I think the best way to do this is to list and then talk about each product, so here we go... 

Josie Maran Argan Balm Nourish and Protect - This is a balm that will last forever. I have the 1 oz size and have had that 1 oz for over a year already without even making a dent. It is great as a lip balm and great for dry skin spot treatments like your nose or cheeks. Plus this will heal your skin because it is made with that "liquid gold" ingredient - argan oil.

Josie Maran Argan Infinity Cream Intensive Creamy Oil - Being less solid than the above balm this will be really great to keep because it's more sanitary. You can squeeze out what you need but be aware that it will come out pure oil if it is warm enough. This can be used everywhere... hands, face, hair, feet, lips, and the list goes on.


Aquaphor Healing Ointment Dry, Cracked and Irritated Skin Protectant - I love this product! I was turned onto using this from reading an interview online with Kourtney Kardashian. Her makeup artist Joyce Bonelli swears by it. Kourtney uses it all over her face at night so I was thought if she looks that great it is worth a shot! I tried it and this is a great intense treatment for when your skin is dry and needs smoothing help. I wake up to baby soft skin. I use this on my lips at night and I love this for my eyelashes. It will moisturize them deeply after a hard day under tons of mascara or falsies. Another wonderful thing about this is it can be used as a makeup remover too (think lipstick ladies).

Vaseline 100% Pure Petroleum Jelly - Like the above ointment this is also on the top of my list. I love to smother my face with this after cleansing at night. It soothes my skin when it is burning dry. Of course this is also the best classic (and cheap!) lip balm.

Rosebud Salve - I use this for a lip balm but have also used it on my nails on occasion. I have read you can rub this on rashes or irritated skin but I have yet to test it out. It smells lovely and I love the retro feel of the packaging.


Creme Apricot Fortifying Cream For Nails by Christian Dior - This is a splurge item. I read that Christina Aguilera uses this for her nails and as a lip balm before bed so I had to try it out. The apricot smell is light and is not overpowering at all. It has a thick sticky texture and you only need a small amount. I have a feeling this balm will last me forever since you only need a teeny tiny bit. I like it for my lips too but it wouldn't be my first choice. It is a nice milky peach color. The packaging is the same since the 60's which is the coolest.

Neutrogena Norwegian Formula Hand Cream, Fragrance-Free - I wouldn't call this a cream because it's more like an ointment. I always come back to this in the winter for my hands. I may try other hand lotions etc. but this is what really works for me. You can use this anyway where you have dry skin like your nose or lips. This does not leave my hands feeling greasy but just moisturized and happy.

The Honest Company Healing Balm Soothing Protection & Relief for Sensitive Skin & Diaper Rash - I am new to this product. So far it has a super thick texture that makes me think you only need a small amount. It is all natural and organic. I feel good using it because I know the ingredients are good for me and my skin. One of the ingredients that made me want try it out is coconut oil. I used it on my lips today and the staying power and moisturize are fierce. It does smell a little like herbs which is kind of weird for me but I'm sure I will get used to it.

By Terry Rose Balm (the ultimate splurge!) - a serious splurge here at $60 a jar. This is my glamour girl balm. I feel pretty and feminine when I use it and it reminds me of something that would have been on Marilyn's vanity. I love to use this before lipstick or my favorite way to wear it is with Mac's Stone Lip Liner. I line my lips with the liner and blend a small amount of the balm in the bottom center of my lips.Voila! it turns my lips a beautiful gray taupe color.

I already touched on cleansing oil in my cleansing post so I won't go into that again. But here is the link in case you missed that one...

Cleansing for Dry Skin

As for moisturizing or "treating" your skin, oils can be fantastic (especially in the winter months). I use a body oil everyday in the shower and use an oil on my face every night before bed.

The first oil that I really fell in love with is Josie Maran's argan oil. It is so silky and makes my skin feel wonderful the next morning when I wake up. I use this on my face but you can use it anywhere. The only thing that stops me from using it all over my body would be the price. While it isn't the most expensive oil on the market it is pricey selling at about $50 for 1.7 ounces. This oil is great because I also find that it actually heals my occasional breakouts to eczema rashes. I think a lot of it has to do with the essential fatty acids in it. It is also fragrance free! This product is also a SUPER multitasker! You can use it on your nails, hands, face, hair, eyelashes, etc.

I have tried more affordable argan oils from other brands but nothing treats my skin like Josie's does. I don't know what it is. Josie has other products with argan oil in them that are just as amazing. In my next post about ointments/balms I will touch on those other products.

She also makes a radiance argan oil that is sooooo pretty! It is luminous under foundation and the best oil for summertime (or anytime!) because it has shimmer in it. This one is scented but nothing too strong. Its scent is honey chamomile and lavender, very relaxing in my opinion. I love it and I love me some sparkle!

Josie Maran Argan Oil

Josie Maran Radiance Argan Oil



The second face oil I have been loving is by Boscia. It is a lovely oil encased in a gorgeous bright pink glass bottle. The pink bottle is what called to me at first (glamour girl oil to the max!). I picked this up and hadn't really started using it until this past week. So far it's really nice at smoothing and softening my skin and I would say I do see a sort of "glow" to my skin when I wake up in the morning. I don't think the glow lasts after that but that could also be from me being sick. This is great for moisturizing and smoothing out the skin though. It is recommended for anti aging or to prevent signs of premature aging. So far I still would recommend Josie's oil before Boscia's if you were to ask me which high end oil you should get. It all depends on your skin's needs.

Boscia Tsubaki Beauty Oil




Body oil has become an essential for me. I shower and before I get out I use Neutrogena's Sesame Body Oil on my wet skin. It does not make me feel greasy one bit. My skin doesn't feel tight when I use this which is great in the winter with the indoor heat and hot showers. It is really really wonderful and has solved my dry itchy (like crazy) skin problems. This can be found in the drugstores as well as Harmon's. They also have small travel size bottles if you want to just test it out without buying the $15 full size bottle. It smells lovely and light. The scent actually reminds me of white grape juice, yummy. It doesn't linger though so I can still wear perfume. If you don't like the though of putting it directly on your skin then you can also put it in a bath too.

Neutrogena Sesame Oil



There are a few more oils I plan on trying out in the near future including Tarte's Maracuja Oil and Fresh's Seaberry Moisturizing Face Oil. When I try them I will do another post to let you know how they work!

xoxo

xoxo                               

xoxo