April 2014 Beauty Favorites!

Face Products:
Kat Von D Lock It foundation - one of my all time favorites, very full coverage and long lasting.

The Balm Bahama Mama bronzer - awesome, really dark and pigmented bronzer that works extraordinarily well for contouring.

Elf Complexion Perfection powder - this is only $3 and is the best touch up, mattifying powder I've ever used! Definitely one of my holy grail products.

Nars Gaiety blush - perfect blue toned bubblegum pink blush, it's the only Nars blush I own and it was definitely worth the splurge.

Eye Products:
Maybelline Color Tattoo cream shadows - holy grail product that I literally use every day that I wear eye makeup. I use these as a primer/base for eyeshadow and they are just fantastic and so affordable. I'm especially loving the new limited edition shades that were recently released!

Makeup Forever Smoky Lash Extravagant mascara - I've had two deluxe sized samples of this mascara and I absolutely love it. However I find it works best to layer over top a lengthening mascara, when used on its own it can turn out clumpy looking. I like to apply the Maybelline Illegal Lengths mascara first then apply the mufe mascara after that coat has dried and my lashes look amazing all day!

Skincare:
Lush The Sacred Truth fresh face mask - I've been using Lush face masks for years and during my last trip to Lush my friend who works there recommended I try this one since I never have before. I really love it, definitely a face mask to keep on hand. It's a nice, gentle face mask that leaves my skin feeling so clean and refreshed. It is designed for aging but anyone can use it, I believe it is important to take steps to prevent aging rather than try to reverse it when it's too late!

My Daily Skincare Routine | Winter/Spring

The first time I ever heard of or used Lush cosmetics was when I was about 14 and my mom bought some soaps for me. Now almost 6 years later I'm a full blown Lush junkie and I adore all of the various types of products they offer, but their skincare products are especially exceptional. 

I personally am not a vegan but for those who are, almost all of the products Lush offers are 100% vegan and cruelty free. Lush uses fresh fruits, vegetables, essential oils and safe synthetics to make their products. I have always had difficult skin and no products have worked nearly as well as Lush skincare products do. 

Lush offers a wide variety of cleansers, moisturizers, toners, face masks and more however the ones I use are designed for oily, acne prone skin. 

My all time favorite cleanser that I use daily is Herbalism. Herbalism is designed to balance skin's oil production and is wonderful for acne prone skin. It is made with a kaolin clay base and also contains chamomile, rosemary and nettle and rice bran to clean up excess oil. This cleanser has never failed to clear up a breakout and keeps my face smooth and clear. It is deep cleansing but gentle enough for daily use. The one and only thing I dislike is that it does leave my skin feeling quite dry and tight after using it, but once I apply the Imperialis moisturizer I'm good to go!

After washing my face the Tea Tree Water toner is an absolute must. I love this toner in conjunction with the Herbalism cleanser to help keep my skin clear. All of Lush's toners are alcohol free as alcohol can dry out skin. This toner is designed to help control and clear up breakouts, redness and balance skin tone. 

For the past few months I've been using the Imperialis moisturizer which I love, but I'm not quite sure if I love it enough to spend another $25 on another pot once I run out. Imperialis is designed for combination skin, which is why I decided to purchase this in the winter as my skin tends to get much drier during the cold months, but also still gets oily at times. This moisturizer contains lavender which helps prevent oily skin from overproducing oil. Likewise, it encourages dry skin to produce more natural oils. 

Prices of products may vary depending on your location, these prices are from the lushusa.com website

Herbalism Cleanser - 3.5oz $13.95 | 8.8oz $33.95
Tea Tree Water Toner - 3.3oz $9.95 | 8.4oz $21.95
Imperialis Moisturizer - $24.95
Cupcake Fresh Face Mask - $6.95 (only available in store)

I do use and alternate between other Lush cleansers, toners and fresh face masks however this is just a quick overview of my daily routine and the products I use on a regular basis. I will be doing another post in the near future talking about other Lush skincare products I love and would recommend. 

Also, for those who may be new to Lush do not be intimidated by the prices! I personally find Lush to be skincare very affordable considering how long the products last and therefore do not need to be repurchased frequently. For example, I spent $16.95 on a pot of Herbalism cleanser in store and that will last me a good 6 months if not longer. I probably won't be able to finish it before it expires (since Lush products are made of all fresh ingridients and no preservatives they do have a much shorter shelf life compared to other cosmetics). A small amount of product goes a long way and the quality of their fresh, natural skincare products is just amazing, making it worth every penny, in my opinion.