My Top Winter Beauty Products

How was everyone’s weekend? Mine felt like it went by so quickly. I already feel like it should be Friday and it’s MONDAY (oye). Thanks to the Bomb Cyclone and the frigid cold weather, my family locked ourselves inside and started a few home projects this weekend. Lilly even helped paint my office with me. Projects with her take longer, but I love teaching her and allowing her to try new things.

(Lilly’s Outfit: Sweatshirt, Corduroys, Uggs, Hat // My Outfit: Sweatshirt, Corduroys, Uggs, Hat)

Last week, when I was teaching my boot camp class, a few of the class members and I started talking about our favorite on the go beauty products. Despite what my blog pictures might suggest, I only wear make-up two to three times a week.

On the other days, I have found a routine that is quick, efficient and has kept my skin clear of breakouts and safe from the winter air. As we endure another week of cold weather, I thought now is the perfect time to share that routine with you!

Morning Skincare Routine:

The first thing I do when I wake up in the mornings is wash my face with the gentle Cetaphil cleanser. I have tried scrubs and other things in the past that tend to make my face breakout, this has been my tried and true cleanser for years now.
After I wash my face, I add a little bit of the Murad clarifying toner onto a cotton ball and gently dab it over my face.
I finish my skincare routine with the Cetaphil oil control moisturizer. It has an SPF of 50+ which is a great way of protecting and moisturizing your face.

“No Make-Up” Make-up

I am often times running out the door with Lilly in the mornings. Since I work from home, I like to be pretty casual throughout the week. I also teach fitness classes in the evenings, so it is often pointless for me to wear a ton of make-up during the week. However, I have found three products that give me the coverage I need, and give me the look of having a fresh face with little to no makeup on.

Dr. Brandt’s No More Baggage De-Puffing Gel is my life-saver. Any moms out there, you need this product in your life. I literally see my dark circles and puffy tired eyes disappear before me in the mirror when I use it. There are often great deals on this product too, I found it for $12 on Amazon last week, so obviously bought three tubes.
It Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC Cream (I use the light shade) gives me the perfect amount of coverage to even my skin tone, keeps my skin dewy (not oily) and protects it from the winter weather. I once again love that it has an SPF of 50+.
I always feel like adding a tiny bit of color to my lips brightens my whole face. I love the Burt’s Bees tinted lip balms because they moisturize and protect while adding the perfect amount of color to my lips.

Exfoliants

One or two times a week I add a body scrub into my shower routine. I make my own coffee scrub (I will share the recipe soon) that I use religiously, but I also love the Philosophy Fresh Cream olive oil body scrub.
Paula’s Choice Skin Perfecting 2% Bha Liquid can be used daily, but I use it 2-3 times a week! It is a leave-on exfoliant for your face. It removes dead skin cells and helps to keep pores clean! I love that I put this on like a face cream!
I tend to struggle with dry lips during the winter months, so once a week, I use a gentle lip scrub that gets rid of any dead skin. I love the price (and taste) of the Bubblegum Lip Scrub from Ulta! They are also on sale right now: buy one, get two free right now, so RUN to grab these!
Make sure to moisturize after you exfoliate your skin, body, lips, etc.

Other Favorites

Last summer I was on the search for the perfect self-tanner. I have never been particularly skilled at applying self-tanner. I am usually the one who looks blotchy and has one leg that’s orange and the other that is still pale. The Loreal Sublime Bronze towelettes are THE BEST. They are inexpensive and gradually build the perfect golden tan without the blotchy appearance. In the winter I use them once a week just to give my skin a little color.
One of the best tips I can give to growing long, healthy hair is to use Morrocanoil Original Treatment after washing your hair. I add about a dime size of the oil to my hands, rub them together and run my fingers through my wet hair. It protects and adds the prettiest shine to your hair.
Supergoop “Defense Refresh” setting mist has rosemary in it that soothes skin. I keep this in my purse and use it if I am wearing makeup or am outside for long periods of time to keep my skin fresh and add UV protection.
I smile a lot. When I smile I tend to squint my eyes, I have noticed in the last few years that I am starting to get a few smile lines around my eyes (crows feet is the term but I am not ready to admit to wrinkles yet). I love the Murad Vitamin C eye cream for keeping those wrinkles at bay!
I used Bio-Oil religiously when I was pregnant with Lilly. I read a lot of articles that using cocoa butter actually makes your skin more sensitive and can lead to more stretch marks during pregnancy. I can’t confirm if that is true or not, but it scared me enough to find another alternative. Bio-Oil is what I discovered! I loved it so much that I use it still, daily right after getting out of the shower to keep my skin moisturized!