First things first: I’m not a Beauty Expert. That said, I am always game to try something I hear someone raving about in hopes it’ll become my new favorite thing. Isn’t it the greatest feeling when you’re mid-container of something new and love it so much you know you’ll get another one. You’ve found a ‘holy grail’ beauty product! Look at you!
In all seriousness, because I’m someone who does like to experiment with new things, the greatest complement I can pay a product or gadget is to purchase it again. There were a couple of things I tried for the first time in 2019 that have become staples in my regimen so I thought I’d share those with you too.
Dickinson’s Witch Hazel
You read that right. One of my favorite finds in 2019 was a simple witch hazel hydrating toner made by Dickinson’s. While we lived in DC, I had the pleasure of meeting Ariel Lewis, a talented makeup artist who serves clients in the Baltimore/DC Metro area. Her Instagram Tuesday tutorials featured this product more than once, and it just so happened that I noticed a bottle of it in the drug store just as I was running out of another toner I’d been using. I grabbed a bottle and never looked back. This is the gold standard of all toners I’ve used. It has some hyularonic acid and moisturizes my skin while it’s picking up the last bits of makeup or dirt left on my skin after cleansing. If you know me, you know I’m a sucker for anything with a rose scent, so I love that element as well. At less than $6 per bottle (16 oz) I dare you to find a better toner for the money. I’m on my 3rd bottle now, and I know I’ll keep going back for more. Thank you to Ariel for this recommendation! You can find this toner at most drug stores or by clicking here for the Amazon listing.
Let’s be honest. I’ve tried a lot of cleansers in my time. Soaps, gels, foaming gels, creams- honestly, I think I’ve even tried a powder cleanser! I grabbed this Lotus Glow Cleansing balm during my sister-in-law’s Beauty Counter party and fell in love with it. (The original balm was reformulated this year, and I love it even more!) I can’t tell you I’m 100% on the ‘clean beauty only” train, although I am trying to pay more attention to the number of chemicals and toxins I put on and in my body. That said, I find I’ve had great success using this balm to remove makeup from my skin without having a dry feeling after. And even though I just talked about my new favorite toner, I find there is less left on my skin when I wash it with this cleansing balm than other cleansers. My one knock on it is that I don’t think there’s a travel size, and anytime I fly I have to take something else with me. (Come on, Beauty Counter! Give us some travel sizes!) I know some folks have an automatic distrust of companies like Beauty Counter who are multi-level marketing platforms, but I am happy when I find a product I truly love that helps a friend or family member earn extra income for whatever reason. If you’re looking for someone who can help you with Beauty Counter, I’m sure there are tons of folks around who are consultants. (I think that’s what they’re referred to as with Beauty Counter.) I’ve ordered from Jennifer Stockton, Chelsi Krause and Katherine White and I know they would all love to help you as well!) This jar of cleansing balm runs $72 and lasted me several months.
When I moved to Myrtle Beach I had to find another hairstylist, and if you’ve ever had to start over with someone then you know how intimidating that can be. I met Danielle at Blush Beauty Bar and was happy to quickly find someone who cut and colored my hair really well. The best part? Every time I leave the salon I want to go somewhere because my hair always looks and feels fabulous. After drying my hair once I noticed she was using a curling iron I’d never seen before, and that’s when she told me about this little baby. This curling iron features a super long barrel, which is something I’d equate to a heated steering wheel in a car. You never think it’s that big of a deal, and definitely not something worth spending the extra money on- but then on a cold day you find yourself driving a car that has one and your life is never the same. Okay- maybe that’s a stretch, but I ordered myself one of these curling irons and absolutely adore it. Even after I chopped my hair off earlier this year, I find the longer barrel helps make the curls less uniform (if that makes any sense) and I don’t have to keep re-winding my hair as I go. It’s a bit of a splurge at $140 on Amazon, but the heat setting options, light weight, and ion heat made it money well spent in my book. If you’re on the market for a new hair tool, I highly recommend this one! You can find the listing for the one I use here on Amazon.
