Sensible Indulgences, otherwise known as a few of my favorite things!
It’s been busy around here, recently I discovered that my soon-to-be three year old poured non-dairy creamer into my Vera Bradley bag (a NICE Christmas gift from my sister), and it had dried and made a big mess. Swim lessons start tomorrow, but when my oldest tried on last year’s bathing suits they were all too small. Two of our dogs had puppies and I found a new bread recipe that I am in love with. It’s been busy around here!
I wanted to give you a list of my favorite beauty products that work and are reasonably priced. Some of these items are new to me as they were recommended by friends or discovered in the oddest places and some of them have been on my bathroom shelves for years. So without further ado and in no particular order here is my list of favorites old and new.
Vitamin E Oil – I always have a bottle of this on hand, it’s great for dry skin, but I also use it every day to remove my eye make-up before washing my face. It helps the skin around my eyes stay moisturized and removes every trace of mascara!
Natural Instincts hair color – I like this color, it enhances my natural color, adds shine and body and leaves no roots behind.
Tresemme Styling Gel – I have used this for years, it’s reliable in any weather and whether my hair is super long or super short it works without making me look like some weird throwback from the 80s.
Suave Extra Hold Hairspray (Non-Aerosol) – Again, I’ve used this for years, it’s in a pretty pink bottle that appeals to my girly side and it works all day without being sticky or stiff. Plus, I really like their ad campaigns aimed at busy moms like me, they appeal to my silly side.
Avon Glazewear Lip gloss – For a long time I didn’t wear lip gloss since it was sticky and it felt like it was sitting on my lips. That was before I discovered this lip gloss. It goes on nicely and doesn’t feel weird or sticky. I like the raisin glaze shade, it’s my everyday color. They usually have good sales too so you can get it for as low as $1.99 or sometimes 2 for $5.00.
Burt’s Bees Lip Shimmers – Sometimes you want to wear lipstick, but your lips are too dry, or you want to wear lip balm, but would like some color too. Problem solved! Burt’s Bee’s lip shimmers are the best of both worlds, lip balm with color! In fact I’m wearing the cocoa color right now because my lips are dry. Note to self: drink more water!
Wet and Wild Ultimate Minerals Foundation – this is a new discovery, mentioned by a friend. I thought I’d give it a try, I’ve been using the Avon mineral foundation for a few years now and it works well too, but for $4.99 I thought it was worth looking in to. Turns out it is a very nice product that offers sheer, buildable coverage and has really good staying power.
Anti Monkey Butt Powder – Funny name, great product! This is a true story – this winter I got really dry skin, I was in my local Tractor Supply buying dog food and I saw this funny can. I had heard about the powder at the hairdresser’s so I thought why not give it a try and it helped my skin in 24 hours. Now we all know that sometimes fashion can cause pain, like that bra that makes your bust line look great, but is constructed like some medieval torture device and chafes. And yes, despite our best efforts, sometimes we get sweaty and hot. Try this product, you will be pleasantly surprised. I liked it so much that I e-mailed the company for permission to include it in this article and they were happy to say yes.
Lubriderm Advanced Therapy Lotion – I buy this in the big bottle and sometimes I can even find it at our local Big Lots store for $5.00. I do feel like it’s a little more expensive than some of the other lotions out there, but it works really well, absorbs quickly and the moisture lasts so it’s well worth it at $6-8 for the big bottle.
Dove Cream Oil Body Wash – This really feels like a little luxury to me. It’s rich and creamy; it smells good, and just feels indulgent. My local grocery store has a clearance bin (which I, of course, dig through regularly) and I recently discovered 5 bottles of the cherry almond scent marked down to $2.99, so of course I bought all of them. As a mom, the shower is a big place for “me” time so adding a little luxury into the mix never hurts.
Colgate Total Toothpaste and my Sonicare Toothbrush are two of my absolute favorite beauty items. Now you might say “really?” But trust me a beautiful smile can make any outfit. The Sonicare might be a little pricey at $75-100, but I had my first one for six years and I just got a new one for Christmas since my other one finally died. AND there is the added bonus of less time in the dental hygienist’s chair because your teeth are so much cleaner!
One-A–Day Women’s Vitamins – I truly believe that looking good on the outside starts with taking care of what’s inside. I try to eat healthy and take my vitamins, I like these because they actually have what they say in them in the correct quantities and nothing else (Consumerlab.com tested vitamins a few years ago and these were at the top of their list, some of the other findings were scary). I also make sure to take extra calcium daily for strong, healthy bones.
Aveeno Skin Brightening Moisturizer – This was a pleasant find, a nice, light moisturizer with SPF that is good for all seasons for $13.99. I don’t know about you, but I haven’t left the house without SPF moisturizer on my face since I was 12. If you don’t use SPF moisturizer daily, you should. I’m 36, but most people tell me that you would never know it by looking at me and they think that I am in my mid-20’s. It really doesn’t get any better than that! I first bought this particular moisturizer after seeing it in magazines and getting a really good coupon and it’s a regular in my routine now.
There you have it! These are a few of my favorite things (don’t worry I’m probably not going to break out in song, but I can’t promise!). Go out and treat yourself with a sensible indulgence. You definitely deserve it!
Post via Liz Smith.
Leave a Reply