{beauty} necessary objects

I am a creature of habit. I don't usually change my beauty regime often and when I find something good, I usually always stick to it. That being said, I also have been exploring more when it comes to products, mostly skincare for my face and a bold lip. When you are younger, changing the product that you apply above the neck is more harmful than good, but when you age this is something that you actually need to do. And, always being a bit bummed when the first week glow disappears, I am exploring my options.

Since I last shared the goods, I have tried out numerous things, and signed up for Birchbox to be a bit more proactive. One of my favorite products from there so far is a Cynthia Rowley silver eyeliner that works similar to Benefit's Eye Bright, but as my skin can get a bit oily and Eye Bright can sometimes get stuck in my under eye wrinkles, the eyeliner sticks a bit more and lasts longer for me. A brightener like this is the easiest way to make your eyes pop in a 'natural' way.

On the SPF front...what a journey. I used to have an amazing every day SPF that has seemingly vanished from existence, leaving me to experiment. I must have gone through 5 brands and always ended up with either white clumps on my face, a lotion that didn't spread well and a lotion that didn't absorb and made me look like Casper. The Neutrogena Oil-Free Moisture hit the mark on every need, but I need to be clear, the Neutrogena Ultra Sheer line is the one that left white clumps on my face. You need to test. You also need to be open to returning the products when Casper is not your goal [I always made fun of my mother for doing this, but as I'm quickly turning into her, I decided to listen].

I've also started using the sensitive line of Roc products for nighttime. BUT, products like this need to be researched because as I luckily found out from knowledgeable colleagues, you should not use this on days when you go in the sun. The Retinol and the sun can damage your skin in ways you don't want to deal with. So, this becomes a Monday-Thursday nighttime routine, nothing more.

To quickly review the remaining 'tops', e.l.f.'s primer is so, so, so good. And it's under $6. And you can grab it from Target on your weekly run. The texture is perfect. I was also introduced to Buxom's line of lipsticks - matte is something I have usually ran from because of the drying affect, but this... this lipstick I can't get enough of. It has gotten me through HOURS of wear, through sips of a drink, and even through lunch. I still love my custom Bite lip, but I'm slightly obsessed with this new one and can't stop.

Lastly, I have been wearing nail polish since September/October without a break and my nails need some major TLC. Deborah Lippmann's nail care [you know how I adore the colors] are kind of key to having bare nails, but nice looking bare nails. Using the cuticle oil is a necessity always, but the Smooth Operator [any 4-in1 file, really] allows your nails to breath, look good and have a natural shine.

It seems like a lot, but each has a purpose, and each is used when needed. The key is to test it out and find your rhythm, like anything else.

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