Breathe Magazine

We all know that inner beauty is what counts. But that doesn’t mean outer beauty isn’t fun to play with. When it comes to beauty products, I have a handful of favorites that I’ve weeded out of the ba-jillions out there. I’m a big fan of good smells, tingles, convenience and miracles (!) and the following represent my favorites.

Hair: Suave For Kids 2-in-1 Smoothe – Cowabunga Coconut

Also known in our house as “Smoothers the Monkey” by Matt. I bought a travel sized bottle of this before I went to Africa and fell in love with its smell. It’s pure coconut beachy bliss. I also like the 2-in-1 combo. While if I had the choice I’d want a little separate conditioner to get the tangles out, the 2-in-1 still leaves my hair silky soft. And the best part? A bottle is less than $2!

Face: Noxzema Moisturizing

I am a little biased when it comes to Noxzema. Both my mom and grandfather are addicted to it and I think a relative of mine took the patent to Canada many years ago. So it’s in my blood to like it. I grew up using it to wash my face. I think my mom was a bit offended when I announced that I liked the Moisturizing blend’s smell better than the Original. It’s softer and less sharp. I took a hiatus from Noxzema in college and purchased a new tub on a whim this year and it’s back on my favorites list. From the smell to the tingly clean feeling it leaves on my face, I remember why it’s a favorite every time I use it.

Face Scrub: Olay Smooth Skin Cream Scrub

I picked up this scrub in Target one day and gave it a sniff. Before I could exhale, it was in my cart. I love anything that smells like sunscreen or the beach, and this scrub is all sunscreen – in the best way. It’s light and refreshing. The gentle scrubber beads were a pleasant surprise. They are small and don’t irritate my skin. I use this Scrub every three days or so.

Make-Up Remover: Neutrogena Pads Extra Gentle Eye Make-up Remover Pads

I find cotton balls extremely annoying. Anything that requires them is not going to fit into my beauty routine. It’s too messy! When I got a new mascara once, I found I really needed a make-up remover to get the black circles out from under my eyes after a shower, so I set out to find a new method that didn’t involve an oily liquid. Normally I am not a fan of one-time-use products that you toss – they are usually more expensive and seem wasteful. But my happiness for these make-up remover pads is that they are so big and moist that I can make them last 5-10 uses before tossing them. Since I’m just removing a little black from my eyes, I can use a small corner of the pad and put it back in the container. 10 uses later, I toss it. I think I go through a jar every 6 months or so, which is fine with me!

Eye Shadow: CoverGirl Eyeshadow in Tapestry Taupe

I used to wear all Clinque eye shadows, mostly because I assumed they were superior to drugstore brands. But then once when I ran out I didn’t feel like spending $15 so I picked up a less-expensive CoverGirl brand instead. Ever since, I’ve been hooked on this color of eye shadow. I feel that it gives my eyes a really nice neutral base with a slight sparkle. In fact, if you asked me what ONE make-up product I wouldn’t want to leave the house without, it would be this eye-shadow. My eye-lids are veiny and it acts as concealer for the eye-lids.

Face: BareMinerals Starter Kit

The most life-changing product I’ve ever come across is BareMinerals. I used to watch the infomercials and wonder what they were like. And then last year at BlogHer, I had the chance to have a makeover done at the conference. Afterwards my skin looked flawless and I was glowing! But I figured I probably just needed new make-up myself and would search for something less expensive. But what sold me was when I woke up the next morning and looked in the mirror, I was still glowing. (I was too tired to wash my face that night). Any make-up that still looked gorgeous at 6:00 in the morning was worth $70. And I bought the starter kit the next day. So did my mom J It really is magical. I get asked all the time about my complexion on KERF and I have no special routine – just BareMinerals’ Warmth. It glows.

Face Moisturizer: Neutrogena Oil Free Moisturizer SPF 15

A few months ago I ran out of my moisturizer and had to hunt for a new bottle. They are so darn expensive!! I spent about 30 minutes comparing ounces per price per SPF per smell and came home with this one. It seemed to be the best all around, and I’ve been nothing but pleased with it since.

On The Go: Kleenex Wipes

Y’all know I do a lot of walking throughout the year. And traveling. When you need to refresh but don’t have time to shower, a once-over with one of these wet wipes works wonders. I started this trend with some fancy Green Tea wipes my mom got me for Christmas, but I ran out of those quickly. They did smell divine. I was ready to buy more when a blog reader sent me some Kleenex brand ones prior to my trip to Africa. They saved the day when I was covered in dust from a bumpy safari ride and after 48 hours of flights. And I use them in the warmer months after a hot walk across campus.

Lips: Burts Bees

I discovered Burts Bees when I was in high school and quickly formed an addiction. But there really is no better chapstick out there. The tingle is unbeatable, and the company is from where I grew up in Durham, North Carolina! I have tubes placed in all of my coats and purses so I will never bee (!) stuck without it.

As for the rest of the categories, I have yet to find a favorite for them!  Please help a girl out. Lips? Eye-liner? Soap? Eye-lash curler? Brushes? I’d love to hear about some of the products that have changed your life!