I’m often sent questions from my followers via email, messages and comments about various aspects of my life. From my fitness routine to tips on Disney trips, I feel so tickled that people seek advice from little ole’ me (as I am certainly no expert in any of those topics), but I’m beginning to realize that’s exactly why people are looking for tips from bloggers like myself – we’re all just regular girls faced with the same everyday problems as our readers. So, today I’m starting a new series where I list a round up of advice on a particular topic. Since one of the questions I’m most often asked is related to beauty, today’s post is a list of my top 8 beauty secrets, listed in no particular order. So, here it goes!
PS – I will be doing a list of the actual products I use for those who have similar hair and skin as me soon, so stay tuned for that, but for now, this is a general guide for every gal! 😉
1. Moisturize ALL the Time!
Ever since I can remember, putting lotion on my entire body has been a part of my daily routine. It was something my mother always did (and still does!) every time after she took a shower and did the same for us after we took our baths when we were little. To me, it was something as obvious as washing your body, but once I got older, I began to realize that while many of my friends moisturized their face every day, they didn’t do the same with their bodies. People ask my sister and I how we make our skin soft (especially my sister’s y’all – it’s like as silky and smooth as a baby’s bottom) and the answer is simple – we lather it up in lotion every single day. While I do think splurging a bit on face moisturizer is necessary, especially after the age of 25 (the Tula Hydrating Day & Night Cream is my current favorite!), you don’t have to splurge on body lotion. My go-to’s are the yummy scented lotions from Bath and Body Works or some good ole’ St. Ives or Aveeno from the drug store do the trick perfectly.
2. If The Makeup Isn’t Necessary, Don’t Wear It
People often ask what base, coverup or powder I wear and they’re surprised to hear that I don’t wear any at all. In fact, the only time in my life that I did wear it was in 7th grade after going to a “makeup” party with my friends where I was told that it was just part of every woman’s beauty routine. To think I covered my 12-year-old skin in thick, goopy makeup each day still pains me. I soon realized my face looked much better without it, and just opted for concealer beneath my eyes and to cover up those sneaky pimples and whiteheads, and powder every once in a while for when my skin is oily (this translucent perfecting powder by Mirabella is absolute magic!) and I still do that today. Side note – I actually think the overuse of foundation creates more problems and irritations with skin in the long run. I do realize that base and coverup is absolutely necessary for some girl’s daily routines, but my point is, whether it’s foundation, eyeliner or anything in between, if you don’t need it, don’t wear it! Your makeup routine should help you look like the best version of yourself, not make you unrecognizable when you take it off. PS – on this note, if you’re looking to switch up your coverup for something lighter and more natural, I just received and tried the Phyto-Pigments Illuminating Primer by Juice Beauty (it’s tinted so it still provides coverage!) and it’s absolutely amazing!
3. Decide Where to Splurge and Where to Save
I remember hearing a beauty expert speak in high school and one specific piece of advice she said stuck with me – splurge on your brushes (there’s a good starter kit here by MAC!), and you can save on your shadow. I can tell you this is so true because I’ve tried eyeshadow from super high end brands to drug store brands, and as long as you have good makeup brushes, there’s not much of a difference. In fact, I am always asked what eyeshadow I use directly on the top and bottom of my eyelids and it’s a shade from I get from Walgreens called L’Oreal Paris Infalliable Eye Shadow in Eternal Sunshine (I found it on sale here for under $6!) It is this gorgeous, golden, creamy shade (not actually creamy – just the color of it – it’s powder!) and it is better than any other I’ve found. One more place to splurge – your hair styling tools! The cheap curling irons and straighteners can absolutely ruin your hair, so it’s totally worth it to spend a little more on those. My recommendation for a curling iron is the T3 Twirl 360 Curling Iron (free shipping on it here!) – I recently started using it and not only does it make curling your hair so much easier, but it also gets the perfect curl every time and they last all day!
4. Join a Beauty Subscription Box or Two and Share It!
Navigating the world of beauty can be overwhelming, to say the least, because there are so many products out there. With so many colors, types and textures of hair and skin, every person is completely unique, so you have to find what works for you. I’ve found several of my go-to beauty staples that I otherwise would have never even known existed through subscription boxes. One way to save on these subscription boxes is through sharing one or two with a sister or friends (or at least passing the samples onto each other to try!). I actually found my go-to shampoo and conditioner (it’s Nelson J Argan Oil Non Foaming Shampoo and Conditioner and nothing else works quite like it on my fine, tangle-prone hair!) through sharing my mom’s Birchbox subscription.
5. Switch Up Your Scents!
Our sense of smell is so unique in that it can completely take us back to a particular time or place. For that reason, I recommend switching up your perfumes every now and then rather than sticking to one for year’s upon year’s. I’ve done this my whole life and now there are certain scents that will take me back to a time in my life or a place – like a vacation spot, or whatever it may be, and I absolutely love it. Nostalgia is the best feeling and I embrace it whole-heartedly. Currently, I’m wearing Diptyque Eau des Sens and it’s unlike anything I’ve worn before (and one I know that is so distinct it will take me back to this time in my life eventually).
6. Do It Yourself (when you can!)
In the age of Pinterest and social media, beauty has become much more fun because there are so many tutorials and inspiration just at the tip of your fingers. If you want to try out a new hairstyle, you no longer have to ask your beautician at the salon to do it (I’m talking about hair styling, not coloring – I definitely recommend a professional for that!) For me, the things I’ve always done myself are my nails and my makeup (I didn’t even hire a makeup artist to do it my makeup on my wedding day!) Finding the parts of your beauty routine that you can do for yourself will save you so much time and money in the long run, but more importantly, it inspires you to get creative and have fun with your beauty routine.
7. Adopt a Signature Look
Whether that’s in your hair styling or color or your makeup, as much as you incorporate new things into your beauty routine, try to find something that is your signature, go-to that never changes. For me, that’s my winged eyeliner that I wear every time I put my makeup on, without fail (I always use liquid eyeliner and my go-to drug store finds are this one by Revlon and this one by Almay, both under $10!) I started doing this my junior year of high school, and I still get compliments on the eyeliner and asked how I do it all the time!
8. And the Most Important Part of EVERY Beauty Routine…
…(uhhh ohh here comes the cliche!) Yes you hear it all the time, but it is SO true, a smile is the absolute most beautiful thing you can wear. There’s nothing worse than seeing a beautifully done up face with a scowl (so don’t let that be you!) whereas a smile from a stranger can instantly brighten your day. I promise you this is true – I know my smile lines will be the worst of my wrinkles because I do it so often, but it’s SO worth it (and that’s what those pricier face moisturizers are for!) Fun fact – my nickname in college was “Cheese” because I always “cheesed so hard” (aka smiled).
And that’s a wrap! Phew! I didn’t think I had nearly that much to say on beauty advice. Stay tuned for more non-expert, real-life advice in this new series.
**wedding photo by Matt and Julie Weddings
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Fair-well xx,
