Ok hi besties. If you’re a product nerd like us, you’ll love this week’s post. I feel like nowadays, all you see is a constant stream of people telling you what products to buy and how everything is going to work like magic. That’s advertising for ya, everyone is trying to sell you something. I am here to share my honest thoughts with you, on what I have loved using over the years and the products I will continue to buy. Not because someone has sponsored me or given me free product, but because I actually feel these products work for me.
Skincare is very much based on personal preference and finding what works best for you. I can tell you that the products I buy are focused in on healing skin that was once damaged by acne. I have done a lot of work to get my skin to where it is today. So my best beauty buys are all about hydration and repair, you may have different needs. This post is a jumping off point of the brands we’ve come to love and trust over the years. The specific products you buy from these brands, can be tailored to your needs!
Let me take you through my beauty routine with the products I will continue to buy, time & time again.
Skin Care Routine – Best Beauty Buys
Face wash: To be honest, I keep my face wash routine pretty simple. I’ve been using the Cerave Hydrating Facial Cleanser for a long time now and it does the job. If I want something a bit more elevated, I really like the Rocky Mountain Soap Company cream cleanser. If I want an even deeper clean, I love incorporating an oil cleanser in once in a while. I’ve always been a big fan of Province Apothecary and Wildcraft, both Canadian based companies who make clean, high quality products.
Toner: I am not too picky when it comes to toners. I don’t find them to be an essential part of my personal routine, but I do enjoy adding them in when I’ve got them in stock. 😉 The two I’ll always come back to is the Jennifer Joan face mist and the Wildcraft Balance Tone, hydrating mist. Both of these are a nice addition to my skincare routine, soothing redness and locking moisture into my routine.
Serum: I like to rotate my serums, depending on the season. I either have a vitamin c serum in my routine or a hydrating one. My top Vitamin C serum is the Mad Hippie. That being said, there are quite a few I still want to try. Including the Three Ships Dew Drops Mushroom Hyaluronic Acid + Vitamin C Serum and the SkinCeuticals Vitamin C & E serum. That one is just quite pricey, so maybe one day!
In terms of a hydrating serum, I have been using the Clearstem Bounce Back No Botox Serum for over a year and it is truly amazing. I’ve even seen a reduction in my fine lines. I got this one for Christmas, so I didn’t have to spend the higher price tag. Another great brand is Eminence, their Strawberry Rhubarb Hyaluronic Serum, is delightful! I have loved Eminence for many years, I’ll always go back to their products.
Cream: Day cream to me is similar to my opinion on face wash. You don’t need to spend a ton of money to find something simple that still works. I’ve tried many different creams over the years and truly most of them I like! The three that I would recommend that I will repurchase is the: Clearstem the Ren Evercalm Day Cream, the Clearstem Hydraglow Stem Cell Cream, and the Rocky Mountain Soap Company Essential Face Cream.
Oil: Ok so oils are my HOLY GRAIL. I had a breakthrough moment in my 20s when a facialist said that my skin could heal itself with the addition of oil to my routine. And she was right, my skin has never been better than when I started using oil. No, skincare oils will not clog your pores. In fact, your skin drinks it up and helps you produce less oil. You’re moving away from stripping your skin and actually hydrating it. I personally love the Eminence Rosehip Triple C + E Firming Oil and if you want something more budget friendly, I’ve been loving the Wildcraft Regenerate Oil.
I’ll add in a Body Oil as I find this has made a huge difference to my dry winter skin since moving to a much dryer climate! I’ve been on the Jennifer Joan Body Oil train for two winters now and it’s such a treat to put on after a shower. Talk about essential self care.
Micellar Water: I had to add this product in, purely because it’s the most incredible product I’ve ever tried! Bio-Effect is an Iceland based company that uses ingredients from the earth, to shape their skincare products. Their cleansing water will take off every ounce of dirt and makeup on your face, I’ve never tried anything like it before. If you’re looking to splurge on a product that works wonders, definitely try this one.
Hair Care
I’ve tried all sorts of different shampoos over the years. From very clean and natural brands, to customizable shampoos and conditioners specifically for my needs, to salon grade products. There are many I’ve loved! I always enjoy trying new hair care products. My biggest thing when I try a new hair care routine, is that I need the product to not leave any residue in my hair. Because I am a natural blonde with fine hair, I can’t just use anything. My hair is sensitive to some products, if it weighs my hair down, that’s a no go. Right now I am loving Living Proof. My hair dresser has got me on the shampoo, conditioner, hair mask and the styling cream. I love them! The quality is amazing and my hair is left soft and moisturized and very clean. I’ll link the products if you’d like to give them a try! These do link to my Amazon store front, so I may receive a small commission from your purchase. But rest assured, I would not promote a product I didn’t actually love.
Living Proof Perfect Hair Day Shampoo + Living Proof Perfect Hair Day Conditioner + Weightless Hair Mask + Frizz Nourishing Styling Cream.
So, what did you think of our recommendations? You’ll see a lot of repeats from previous blogs we’ve published on skincare. Why? Because we like these products and we know they work. When you find a product or a company you trust, why wouldn’t you come back to it? If you love skincare like us, take a look at our Winter Skincare Routine Blog. We also have one for Summer Skincare!
Would you be interested in seeing our best beauty buys, makeup edition? We’ll get working on that one too! Because trust us, that’s enough for a whole other blog post. Thanks for reading, much love.
xo
Cornelia & Meg
