Beauty holy grails

I don’t know about you, but I always find myself going back to the same products. Whenever I like something, I simply can’t get enough of it. This goes especially for beauty products in my case. By beauty products I don’t just mean make up though, no I mean ALL beauty products. Especially for skin and hair care, I don’t like changing up my routine. Only when I think a product can really improve my existing routine will I try a different product. Often, when I do try something new, I end up going back to the old thing anyway. And I think this is fairly natural. We all have a few standard items which we always use. That simply work: our beauty holy grails. Here are mine.

Electric toothbrush

What a mundane item to put on such a list, but it’s oh so true. I seriously don’t know how I’d survive without my electric toothbrush. I had braces for quite some time while I was a teenager and so my teeth are quite precious to me. I have sensitive teeth though and they are prone to cavitities and other aches, so making sure they are clean is crucial. This buddy does just that. My dentist said any would do, as long as it’s electric. I’ve had this one by Oral B for some years but it works just fine.

The Body Shop Aloe Vera night cream

I’ve said it before: I’m not big on skincare and I have stuck to the same products for ages. Most of them are from the Aloe Vera line from The Body Shop. I always notice immediately when I forget to put on this cream. My skin feels dry and flaky even if I forget it only once. It’s pretty rich, but not too much. It doesn’t give me any blemishes or zits and it doesn’t take ages for my skin to absorb it either.

The Body Shop Aloe Vera toner

Another TBS Aloe Vera product. Did I mention I love those? The toner is such a great find. It’s very mild, does not leave my skin feeling dry and clean away just that last bit of grime off your face late at night. On days where I’m not using make up and I haven’t done much other than sleep in and go to bed early I’ll still use this to ‘clean’ my face before putting on night cream.

Lush Angels on Bare Skin

Zits were still present on a daily basis until I started to use this. I use this as a gentle exfoliant, 2 – 3 times a week while I’m showering. I wouldn’t use this on a daily basis. It is too harsh for me due to the scrubbing effect it has. It is very soothing due to infused lavender and it gives you that clean feeling without it stripping you of all your skin’s natural defenses. It makes my skin clean and zits are pretty much a thing of the past.

Sephora waterproof eye make up remover

Hail the make up remover of all make up removers! This watery substance will take off any make up you do. Whether it’s a deep smokey eye or just something natural, with a few swipes of a cotton bud your make up will disappear as if it wasn’t even there to begin with. The remover is part oil (the transparent liquid on top), part watery (the blue on the bottom). You shake it before use and just tip some onto a cotton bud and c’est ca.

Fast drying top coats

The only way to make sure your nail polish stays put for as long as possible is to use a fast drying top coat. Here you see Seche Vite and INM Out the Door. Both are great, although I prefer the INM one because it smells the least like paint thinner and is easier to apply. It does take bit longer to dry than the Seche Vite one, but it’s only a few minutes longer. My nail polish definitely wouldn’t last nearly a week without anything like this.

Mousse

Now, I’m no hair care specialist, so I have no clue whether this is even called Mousse in English, but I guess it does. If I didn’t use this, my hair would fall limp against my face and my wavy lengths would be nonexistent. I always use this on damp hair and it give my hair a bit more bounce and definition. I’m still trying the perfect one though. I’m now using this one by Andrelon, but I’m not entirely satisfied with it. I will finish this bottle though, before I’ll try something else.

Lip balm

 No one can live without lip balm and my favorites have to chapstick. But I started to wear some more lipstick lately, so my chapsticks have gotten a bit disused. However, I am still like to apply a thick layer of the gooey goodness before I go to bed. And to that I always use Rosebud Salve. This came to be a few winters ago, when my lips were in need of a bit more than chapstick. I whipped out the Rosebud Salve and my found my lips to be softer than ever the next morning. They haven’t left my nightstand ever since.

Blusher

No matter how bad you feel, how sick you are, or how dreadful you may look: a flush of colors on your cheeks can make all the difference. I’m particularly liking these by Sleek. They are packed with color and will show up on even the darkest of skin tones. Me and my fair skin have to be careful using these as it can quickly lead to something rather clownesque. But with just the right amount these are some of the most gorgeous blush colors on the planet.

Mascara

Who could live without mascara? Well certainly not me. These two, by Maybelline, the One by One and Falsies Flared, are by far my favorites. I like them because they nicely separate my lashes, make them look fuller and make them stand out very nicely. And no need to buy those high end mascaras. In my search for the perfect mascara, I found out that cheaper drug store brand ones are just as good, if not even better.

What are your beauty holy grails?