Summer Shower Essentials

Every season I inevitably change up my shower essentials, because smooth skin is a necessity in my life! I love taking baths and showers I think it's because I love water so much, but most of the time a shower is equal to spa time for me. Actually, I'm weirdly not a huge fan of going to actual spas but I do like a little pampering once in awhile. The word spa is just a tad overwhelming, like that's a thing girly girls do for bachelorette parties in the South and no one I know likes going either so it defiantly out of my comfort zone. 

I take short showers! I've managed to narrow down a typical one to 10 minutes or less on a good day. Sometimes I stay in longer, like if I'm really sleepy or if I'm grumpy when Aunt Flow rears her ugly head, but a very good dermatologist once told me to NEVER shower longer than 10 minutes. I believe that this tip is why I've never had major skin issues in my life except for inherited naturally super rosy cheeks, and I take really, really good care of my skin.

In addition to these products I always lather on SPF before I leave the house, and I like Nivea Smooth Sensation daily lotion for dry skin. I can't live without either of these, and you should stock some too to start taking care of your skin now instead of later!

As you can tell, I'm a huge Nivea fan. My Oma used their tins of body cream when I was kid and she always had the softest skin. When I was younger, too much moisture would break me out but now I need a little extra boost to maintain the elasticity of my skin since in the Summer months I'm outdoors so much more! I love Nivea Touch of Smoothness for this very reason. Unlike typical body washes it doesn't make me feel scaly, or irritate any stray dry patches on my skin. In fact, at the beginning of Summer I had horrible dry patches above both of my elbows from not applying enough SPF when I went for runs to train for a race I participated in, in May. When I switched to these body washes it took care of that really quickly, and I've been a convert ever since.

A lot of people can't use Garnier, because unfortunately the fruit extracts, perfumes, and such can overwhelm sensitive skin. I love 3 way cleansers because they shorten my shower time. (Neutrogena also makes a similar product, that I use in the Fall time as the temperature cools down.)  I alternate using this cleanser in my hands in the shower, or with my Olay Pro-X cleansing brush. I love the smell, and in the Summer I need a little less exfoliation, (even though I'm sweating more), because I'm in so many different environments in the Summer months and different types of water can wreck your skin. This 3 way, is a cleanser, scrub, and a mask. I use the mask about 10 minutes before I shower once a week, and then I get in and scrub it off. 

These next products are things I just discovered, because I like beauty on the cheap! Organix is my favorite line of hair care available in a regular store. Their shampoos, products, and conditioners make my hair happy! This Aqapuhi Ginger Instant Recovery Mask treats my wavy, curly tresses like the queen that she is. I adore this formula, and I sometimes even use this in place of my conditioner on a regular day when I feel like my hair is drying. (More on my hair care later.)

Bath and Body Works has such a lovely line of aromatherapy products for your tub time. This lavender-vanilla sugar scrub was on sale and I picked it up along with some bubble baths I'll mention later. I really like this scrub. It has like a body oil in it that is really nice to my skin. I only use this once a week. Exfoliating too much is also bad for your skin, but on days that I don't dry brush this does the trick. I slough it on my rough patches like knees, ankles, and elbows before a shower after I step in I usually do most of my body with the rest of it. This may not be a product for everyone, but it certainly hooked me and I love this line now because of it!

Lastly these beauties, are what I think Mother Nature intended for stressed out Mom's who need a stay-cation. These bubble baths are insanely delicious smelling, and amazing! Once your pour the bubble bath under hot running water waves of bubbles pool at the surface. I've never had a bubble bath that did that unless I poured a gallon in. Of course, you can tell they are well loved and a little bit does go a long way but they were such a bargain with some of the deals Bath and Body Works has had going on lately. Sleep is my personal favorite, but Stress Relief does relieve my stress! Once your in though, it's like soaking in a pool of cashmere, cotton candy, and soft puppies. I love it!

Hopefully you'll branch out and try some of these, and as always I'm looking for suggestions to add to my repitoire. Leave me a comment with your favorite Summer shower products or tips to take good care of your Summer skin!

xo,

****Ppppssttt... all my ya'll, stay tuned for a post about my hair care!

Also, I'm reshooting my beauty haul because frankly I wasn't happy with it.

It's coming, no worries just trying to make it quality for you all :)

I lurv yer faces!

Beauty: What's In My Bag? (Part 1)

PART 1

Firstly, these are actual things from my makeup bag. That's it right there, that overstuffed blue thing. Some of these products are used, and well loved, and I'm showing you this so you know know I really do use them! I love makeup packaging, and branding. Typography and fonts can really be so beautiful but half of the things I've bought in the past just plain don't do the job for me! That's the funny part though right? That's how they get us. I'm not above buying something that looks pretty only to find out later that it doesn't work at all. For now, this is a little selection of what's in my bag.

I'm lucky in that my skin is pretty easy to handle, but incredibly sensitive and delicate. I can never leave the house without SPF on (neither should you),  and I can't exfoliate too often without turning out like a tomato in the noonday sun. Learn from 16 years of hard lessons, skin care is essential regardless of how much makeup you wear! I cannot stress this enough. Right now my skin care regimen consists of using the Olay Pro-X Cleansing Brush with Garnier's The Ultimate Cleanser, and  Target brand's, Sensitive Skin Moisturizer with SPF 15. I try and do a face masque once a week and my favorites are by the Montagne Jeunesse brand that come in packets. They are usually at Target for less than $3, or if you watch the clearance shelves at Wal-Mart sometimes they're even cheaper! My favorite masque is the Brazillian Mud Fabric Masque. It's like a gigantic Biore strip for your face, and it just feels lovely afterward when you're slathering on moisturizer.

Right now I'm loving the Powder PaletteⓇ Multi- Colored Custom Bronzer for Brunettes from Physician's Formula, as well as the Custom Blush. They are both glittery, but the blush has a much smaller particle of it. In the Summer I like to contour with bronzer, so I use Flower Beauty's, Ready, Set, Glow! (Shade BD1). I love using those two products together, as I feel like they compliment each other so well. Flower Beauty's bronzer has no shimmer in it, but comes with a blush that has a small amount. Obviously my compact is almost out, but if you wanted to wear those two shades alone I can attest that they are the longest lasting that I've ever used. The color literally stayed put all day. I also love their line of cream blushes, and if it's not too hot I opt for Win Some, Rouge Some in shade Pure Petunia. It's like pink and coral colored, and it's so beautiful ... I just can't!

Oh snaps, forgot to mention foundation! Right now I'm trying out Neutrogena's Skin ClearingⓇ oil-free makeup in shade 30 Buff. I break out a little bit in the Summer going from water, to land, and back again. A good foundation that does double duty, is a lifesaver. So far, I've been really pleased with it and the coverage is great! Sometimes I can even get away with wearing no concealer, which is always a plus for the mornings that I'm in a rush. I set all of my makeup with translucent powder, and I have a small compact that I picked up at CVS which I sprinkle a little in for when I'm out. Since it's something I use a lot, I like having a big tin of it and Airspun Original Formula Loose Face Powder (in shade, translucent extra coverage 070-41) is my tried and true essential for every season. It also has a familiar scent that reminds me of getting ready with my Mom when I was a little kid and it holds everything in place.

This year I've planned to expand my horizons to places likes Sephora, Ulta, and MAC, so that I can better understand the art of putting things on your face that I missed out on. No one in my family really liked makeup, or did the minimalist approach to it, so once I was old enough everything I tried to learn came from magazines.  Then came, the beauty bloggers and I adore them! I think they make the planet a happier place, and they've helped grown up Caroline learn how not to look like the crazy bag lady. I can do the basic work, but there's tons more that I want to do. I love makeup! I love trying things, and most importantly, I think every girl, woman, single lady, or Mom should feel beautiful. For the record, no matter where you come from, or what you look like, that should never stop you from having those happy, fluffy cotton candy feelings about yourself! Everyone has low moments. Everyone feels not so pretty sometimes. I'm telling you this now, YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL! You woke up just like you did, acne spots, freckles, and all. Those things matter like sprinkles on cupcakes, let's face it we're just going to eat it anyway! In other words, if it's 100 degrees, with 100% humidity then go get a cupcake and stop worrying about runny eyeliner.


So go play a little, and do it with your makeup.

:)

xoxo,


****Stay tuned for part 2!


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