Amy's Favorite Beauty Things

So anyone who knows me understands how incredibly into beauty items.  I never leave my nails "naked" and always wash makeup off before going to bed.

I just told 3 lies in two lines.  Shame. On. Me.

However, I do have a few beauty products that I LOVE, and for what it's worth, I want to share them with you.

I have to post this product first because after 3 visits to Poulsbo, I finally got it. The first two visits were (by my own mistake) during times the shop wasn't open.  Some time after high school my lips developed a reaction to everything known to man that is made for lips except simple vaseline.  Within 30 minutes of putting on chapstick, lipstick, lip gloss, etc. my lips would slough off and make me look like a leper.  (My apologies to lepers for any disrespect with that comment.)

Okay, this fancy stuff is made with a base of lanolin.  For new moms out there...yes, that's the wonderful product in Lansinoh, your best friend right now.  Also, the stuff is made in the USA!  Wahoo!  I bought mine at a cute boutique called Modern Mercantile in Poulsbo, WA on the main street for those of you in the area.

Visit www.thelanocompany.com for more details!

Because of this lip gloss, I get to feel a little more girly now and have some shimmer on my lips.  Hooray!

My favorite hand lotion:  Vaseline Intensive Care Healthy Hand & Nail

I feel like I don't need to add much to this one. It smells great and doesn't leave my skin greasy. Lasts forever.

Next topic: Face Stuff

Ugh, skin stuff.  Oh my goodness.  I went through some awful stages growing up where my skin rebelled against every single lotion, cleanser, makeup, etc. that I tried.  Not much fun.  However, as an adult I have a regimen of some pretty great stuff.

1.  Benzoyl Peroxide Cleanser
Not glamorous, but awesome.  For a cleanser I go with the powerful Desquam-X which is a benzoyl peroxide wash. I'm not sure if you can get this over-the-counter, but it's worth asking your doc about.  A couple months into pregnancy I ran out and the doctor said, "I don't think you really need to refill this. Your skin looks fine."  Ugh, I know. It's because I use this stuff daily!  I was out of it for about a week and my skin started to break out again.  If there's one thing you don't do to a pregnant woman, it's mess with her clear skin. 

2.  Toner-
Something not all women use, but they should. Toner helps get soap and cleanser residue off skin and preps it for lotion.  I've found that the toners with hazelnut and witchhazel not only smell amazing, but leave my skin feeling great and tingly, but not burning.  There is a fairly inexpensive brand that I really like.  Thayer's Witch Hazel toner, alcohol free of course.

I found it at Amazon.com and the kind I bought has rose petal in it too. Smells lovely.

3.  Finally, a fantastic and nearly perfect face lotion.  Credentials Hydrating Complex Creme
Seriously, I've been using this stuff for years. I love the way it smells, lasts forever, doesn't make my skin greasy.  It's just amazing.  It's sold at high end beauty stores, but I, again, found it on Amazon.

It's about the plainest packaging I've ever seen, but I guess if the product is awesome you don't need a pretty label.

And last but not least....

 4. Vitamin E stick
I use this under my eyes before putting concealer on or at night. It's great in the winter when I get dry red areas around my eyes.  You can buy it many places, but I get it on Amazon.  No, Amazon doesn't pay me.  The kind I've ordered is below.

Reviva Vitamin E Stick- it's the cheapest and works exactly like the higher price kinds I've tried before