I’ve always been fascinated with beauty products.  But not in a “I like to paint my face a bunch of different colors” kind of way.  When I was younger, I loved to read the descriptions on the back of packaging/containers/bottles/etc.  To this day, I often find myself lingering in the beauty aisle picking up random products and reading about them.  I’m a nerd…what can I say!

Anyway, over the past few years, my focus has shifted to finding products that work for my skin/hair and give me the look I want.  And after a lot of experimenting, I’ve finally found a few solid products that have become a part of my day to day beauty regimen.  And because I know how hard it can be to find good quality products that do what is stated on the packaging, I’m going to share some of my favorites!

This Nivea chapstick is my absolute favorite!  It leaves my lips super smooth and slightly glossy, and it’s not sticky or thick.  And it comes two to a pack and costs less than $3. 

I once read that all mascara formulas are pretty much the same, and that the brush matters more than anything else.  Personally, I love this Maybelline Great Lash mascara because it makes my lashes look naturally full and doesn’t clump.  And the brush is pretty awesome too – as you can see in the picture, the brush works with the shape of your eyes to coat lashes evenly.

I never used to wear bronzer, but when a coworker of mine mentioned how she really liked this Neutrogena Bronzer, I decided to give it a try.  I’ve been using it for over a year now, so I guess you can say that I’m a fan.  It’s lightweight and gives my often dull looking skin a healthy glow.  And I think it’s actually helping to improve my skin (well before the whole ACV incident). 

This Bobbi Brown foundation stick is honestly a life saver for my acne scarred skin.  The coverage is amazing, and it brings an evenness to my skin that has never been there before.  While you can use your fingers to apply, I use a brush to allow for even application.  The only downside to this product is the price tag.  But for me personally, quality > cost.  And yes, the quality is that good!

This Laura Mercier Powder Foundation is unlike anything I’ve ever used.  And trust me, I’ve tried a lot of different powders over the years.  I love the soft matte coverage, which is important for skin that tends to be oily.  When applied with a large powder brush, it blends beautifully.  The combination of this powder and the foundation stick works extremely well to hide most of the imperfections on my face.  And unfortunately, this product is also relatively expensive.  But for what you get, I think it’s worth it – especially if you weren’t blessed with porcelain skin!

And last but certainly not least, you have my new favorite hair product – Garnier Fructis Blow Dry Perfector.  As most of you probably know, Florida isn’t exactly a dry state.  In fact, it’s humid year round.  Extremely humid – like “I don’t want to put in the effort to dry and straighten my hair because it’s going to poof up the minute I step outside.”  And with my coarse, slightly wavy hair type, I have the “do I put in the effort or not” debate every single morning.  So when I first tried this product, I didn’t have high hopes.  You can imagine my surprise when my hair stayed relatively flat and frizz free all day.  And I’m happy to report that my experience since that first use has been just as amazing (and surprising).  Florida humidity has nothing on me!

While it looks like my beauty routine is extremely involved and over the top, I promise it’s not!  Trust me…I’m not one to waste my precious time applying makeup.  And I’ve learned that with good products, you don’t have to. I’m done in five minutes tops!

Are you a beauty product lover?  What are your go to essentials?