Tips for Thursday~Best of Beauty

So I was thinking about my best Beauty Tips to share with you and I kind of came up with a lot.  I LOVE products and use a lot of them.  A little random but here we go…

~Exfoliate~

I really believe in exfoliating every part of your body all the time.  I think this is the best way to get glowing soft skin, hair, lips, etc..

Keep a body scrub in your shower.  Use it at least twice a week.  Work the scrub all over your entire body really focusing on those areas that get the most dry.  I really love these products:

Bliss Vanilla and Bergamot Body Buff.  I love the Shea Butter and Oil base with the vanilla scent.  This is what I'm currently using and I just love it!

Everybody loves the St. Ives Apricot Scrub.  Well now they make it for your body.  Can't beat this price of only 4 bucks!

Try keeping a Lip Scrub in your shower.  After I exfoliate my body at least a couple of times a week, I also exfoliate my lips.  I don't know about you but my lips get super dry during the winter months so this is my saving grace.

Sara Happ Lip Scrub in Peppermint.  The Bomb!!

Use a Clarisonic in your shower and with your facewash to deeply exfoliate your face.  It removes 6x more makeup and 2x more dirt and oil.  Now this I do use every single day.  I love how the Clarisonic gets deep down in there and get all the dirt and oil out better than anything else.  It feels so refreshing and good for my skin to do this daily.  If you are not on the Clarisonic bandwagon yet, you've got to get on it!  Life changing.

Clarisonic Mia

I also like to "exfoliate" my hair twice a week.  Okay, it's not really exfoliating my hair but it's removing all the product buildup in your hair and giving you the deepest clean possible which I think is like "exfoliating" your hair.  If your hair tends to be on the oily side, you've got to start trying this.  I love how clean my hair feels afterwards.  My colorist would kill me if she knew I did this :)

Pantene Pro V Ice Shine Shampoo

I'm a big advocate for Retin-A (tretinoin).  It has been the best thing in the world for me to keep me from breaking out. Especially during the hotter months when I produce more oil and am more prone to breakouts.  I like to use a pea size amount of retinol mixed with my moisturizer at night twice a week or more depending on how bad I'm breaking out.  Retinol is nothing more than a high consistency of Vitamin A which acts as an extreme exfoliator for your skin.  After a lot of uses, it breaks down your skin to it's deepest layer revealing your most clear and soft skin.  It's great too for the prevention of wrinkles associated with aging. It does have to be prescribed by your doctor but there are many over the counter options that are great just not as strong like RoC.

Retin-A Micro

RoC Deep Wrinkle Night Cream Retinol~Allure Beauty Award Winner.

~Cleanse~

I must take my makeup off before I workout or I just feel gross and like I'm going to breakout really bad on my face.  I found the easiest way to swipe my makeup off quickly while I'm rushing to the gym is with Makeup Remover Wipes.  These are the ones I like:

Yes to Cucumbers Soothing Facial Towelettes

Neutrogena Deep Clean Cleansing Wipes

I've already shared my new favorite eye makeup remover.  It really is the BEST!  It's so soothing and non irritating or drying for the eyes.  Always remove your eye makeup before you go to sleep.

Neutrogena Eye Makeup Remover Lotion

When I don't have time to "cleanse" my hair, which is quite often these days, I LOVE using Dry Shampoo.  Dry Shampoo comes in a powder form that can either be loose or in an aerosol can and you simply spray it on your oily roots.  It immediately soaks up any oil and gives you workable volume at your roots.  This stuff is ridiculous good when you're in a pinch.  Make sure you get the right "shade" for your hair.  Many of them come in different shades for Blonde or Brunette hair.  The powder for Blonde hair is very white so I'm sure this would not look so great in a Brunettes hair.

Oscar Blandi Dry Shampoo Powder.  My absolute favorite!  Winner of the Allure Reader's Choice Beauty award.  This stuff is best for blondes.  Take a little in your hands, flip your head over and work into those roots.  I then brush it through and style my hair normally.  It smells and works amazing.  

Oscar Blandi Invisible Volumizing Dry Shampoo.  This would be perfect for those brunettes out there.  The invisible factor will keep it from showing up in your roots like the white powder.  

~Deep Condition~

I keep a deep conditioner in my shower and try to use it at least twice a week.  I shampoo like normal then work the deep conditioner throughout my entire head and let it sit.  I will shave, exfoliate,  and do other things while this stuff sits and works it's magic.  You can even leave it in, put your hair up in a bun, and sleep with it in overnight.  Just be sure to lay a towel over your pillow.  You will have super soft hair after your wash it out the next morning (this is what Blake Lively says she does:)  

Moroccan Oil Intense Hydrating Mask.  This is my go to hair mask.  The best smelling and most hydrating product I can find. 

Neutrogena Triple Moisture Deep Recover Hair Mask.  This is another good option from the drugstore for only 6 bucks.

I'm a big fan of having super soft lips.  You saw that I have my own scrub for my lips which is a little crazy.  After exfoliating, you must hydrate your lips to the max.  Every night when I go to bed, I coat my lips heavily with Aquaphor.  It is the most hydrating lip treatment I can find plus you can use it anywhere on your body that is especially dry.  Throughout the day, I continue to hydrate with chapstick before I put any color on top.

Aquaphor-Available at your local drugstore for 4 bucks.

Blistex Five Star Lip Protection.  The best smelling and most hydrating chapstick ever.

~Relax~

I have always been a bit of a night owl so I've tried several techniques to help me slow down and calm down at night so I can go to sleep.  Here are a few of my favorites that seem to work for me:  First, if I'm really sore from my work out, I'll take a hot bath with Lavender Epsom Salt and Bubble Bath.  This helps detox my muscles a bit.  Then I make a cup of caffeine free vanilla tea with chamomile.  This stuff is my favorite!  It's so yummy and perfect at night.  Last, I light a Lavender candle by my bed which helps me relax. These are just a few ideas to get you to sleep mode.  I know it is harder for some of us than others.

Aveeno Active Naturals Foaming Bath, Stress Relief, Lavender and Chamomile.

Dr. Teal's Epsom Salt-Sleep, Lavender

Sleepytime Vanilla Caffeine Free Herbal Tea

Votivo Breath of Lavender Candle

I hope you enjoy my Best of Beauty recommendations.  Please check out my previous posts on Moroccan Oil and my new favorite Body Wash and Body Lotion and add those to the list!

Beaucoup D'Amour, 

Megan