Products I (Currently) Love

Cosmetics by la-vie-toni on Polyvore.com

Click for larger image with product information.

I’ve been wanting to do a post on beauty and cosmetic products I like for a while now (check out this recent post at Fabulously Broke to see another good one). Here are some products I feel comfortable recommending.

I didn’t include much makeup, because I just use whatever drugstore brand I feel like at the moment and I don’t really feel that my mascara or foundation is necessarily better than any other. I’ve been happy enough with several items from Physician’s Formula Organic Wear but I’m not sure how they actually compare to other products in terms of toxicity (or whatever). I would also love to try Bare Minerals someday, maybe when I have an income again.

I started using most of the above products in order to cut down on chemicals, buffing my nails instead of painting, going fragrance-free/ sulfate-free/ paraben-free/ as much as possible, etc. I will say I’ve turned a blind eye to the ingredients in my beloved Alpha Hydrox kit because it is so effective and affordable (the image above is not the exact kit I use, and the price Polyvore shows is way too high). And I just love the Benefit Benetint lip and cheek stain because it has kept me from having to wear much other makeup lately; haven’t bothered to look more into it than that. But I believe all of the other products I included are pretty safe and natural and they’ve worked well for me.

For some (thrilling) insight into my routine: I wash my hair pretty rarely and style it with heat and/or styling products even less often, which I think has allowed it to recover from being extremely damaged for several years. I use the SPF30+ by day and generally, the jojoba oil at night. I’m still trying to decide what to use for a body lotion–been using the jojoba oil sometimes, other times cocoa butter, but I remember (after revisiting her post on this subejct!) Rose recommending cold pressed extra virgin coconut oil, which I will definitely give a shot. And that’s about it, other than makeup, which changes daily. I’ve discussed makeup before here.