New Beauty Faves // My latest tried and true beauty products.

New Beauty Faves // April.

Since I’m always testing new products and experimenting with my skincare, beauty, hair & nails routine (I’m a bit of a product junkie!), New Beauty Faves is my way of letting you know what’s been tried & tested and has landed on my radar as a new favorite:

Kristin Ess Signature Finishing Spray: Since my hair chop I’ve switched from using a curling wand to my flat iron for everyday beachy waves and struggled for awhile to figure out the right mix of products to get my curls to last for more than one day. After a few other hairspray flops I finally got my hands on a few of Kristin Ess’ products (sold at Target!) and have been loving her Signature Finishing Spray to set curls without being stiff or crunchy.
Dior Lip Glow in ‘Raspberry’: After hearing rave reviews about this lip balm online forever, I finally grabbed the Raspberry shade as an everyday lip color option and I finally understand the hype. It’s ultra moisturizing and adds just the right amount of subtle color that’s easy to apply, no mirror necessary. The Raspberry shade is a great poppy magenta and I think I need to grab Berry next!
Smashbox Superfan Mascara: I am such a mascara snob and was hooked on this one after first try. The brush coats every lash and lengthens with just one swipe, while making it really easy to be precise and not make a mess while applying. It lasts all day without flaking or smearing, and is one of the only mascaras I’ve tried that doesn’t transfer AT ALL to my oily lids throughout the day.
NARS Velvet Lip Pencil in ‘Mysterious Red’: A red lipstick? I know you’re all shocked ;) I picked up this new NARS option recently as another blue-based red to throw into the mix and love how deep and moody this shade is, while still being daytime wearable. I love NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencils because they’re so quick and easy to apply, and last all. day. long. without drying out your lips.
The Body Shop Matte Clay Concealer: Guys, this concealer is $5 and blends and covers SO well (better than many expensive options I’ve tried!). A little bit goes a long way and it’s perfect for those areas of your face that need a little extra coverage, from red spots to blemishes and under-eyes.
Smashbox Photo Finish Radiance Primer: I immediately grabbed this primer for myself after noticing a coworker’s skin was literally glowing, and she claimed this was the secret. Primers have always been one of Smashbox’s hero products and this one adds just the right amount of glow to make you look like your skin is amazing, without being obvious that you’re wearing highlighter.
Smashbox Stippling Foundation Brush: After a long love affair with the BeautyBlender I’ve switched to a stippling brush for applying my foundation and love how light the coverage is, and how little product you need to use. I feel like I’m able to use half the foundation with a brush vs. sponge and still get the dewy, no makeup makeup coverage I love.
Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion: As mentioned earlier, I have oily eyelids which means eyeshadow tends to fall off my face and any eyeliner immediately transfers to my lid after applying. This eyeshadow primer helps my eye makeup stay in place, with just enough tint to cover any redness on my lids so eyeshadow color is able to really pop and show up as its true shade.
Teeth Whitening Light: As someone who drinks 5 cups of coffee a day AND love red wine, I admittedly do not have the most pearly whites. After doing some research into at home teeth whitening options I stumbled upon this teeth whitening light that can be used with Crest White Strips to amplify their impact and get you whiter teeth, much faster. It’s really easy to use and makes a big difference!
Smashbox Cover Shot Matte Eye Palette: I’m far from a pro when it comes to eye makeup (like, I have no idea how to apply false lashes) but I like wearing a smudge of eyeshadow as part of my everyday makeup look to add a little pop to my eyes. I’ve been obsessed with Smashbox’s Cover Shot palettes since they came out because of how amazing the shade pairings are and the palette’s compact size which is really handy for travel. Their matte eye palette has the best shades for a simple one shade everyday look, or a moody range for a serious smokey eye.
Commodity ‘Book’ Fragrance: If you love Le Labo’s Santal fragrance, you’ll fall madly in love with this scent. I ended up giving it a sniff while at Sephora recently and loved how similar it was to Santal with just the right twist to make it stand out and lighter for everyday wear.