BEAUTY buys
It's been a bit since my last installment of BEAUTY buys, so I thought I could catch you up on some of the amazing skincare products I recently picked up. Since my birthday was this past month, I was gifted quite a few gift cards - specifically to Sephora (no problems there!) - and man were they burning a hole in my pocket. So of course, the first thing on my list was a new moisturizer for my face (I've been having a serious case of combination skin this summer), and a primer/lotion combo that I can quick put on in the morning after my shower. Well, I found the best of both worlds in TWO totally different products - plus an extra for good measure ;)
Clarins Beauty Flash Balm ($46) - After reading the reviews on this, I was a bit skeptical since I have combination dry/oily skin, and some people said it was NOT for people with any sort of oily skin, but let me tell you, this stuff is awesome. It acts as a super hydrator and primer for your makeup (which I always need since I wear Bare Minerals powder and it basically comes off by 10am if you don't use something below it). You need only a tiny bit (about the size of a pea), and it lasts all day. No dry spots, no oily spots - just nice skin! The price would be hefty if you used more than just a little bit a day, but since it's such a small amount, you can probably get away with having the same bottle for quite a few months (4-6 maybe?)
Perricone MD Intensive Pore Minimizer ($55) - This stuff is magic. Seriously. I use it every-other night after using Clinique Clarifying Lotion/Perricone Firming Facial Toner (see below), and it makes your pores and skin INCREDIBLY smooth and fresh. I've never had a big issue with large pores, but this has certainly decreased the size of even my tiniest ones - which ultimately improves the look and feel of your skin ten-fold. And like the Clarins balm, this bottle will most likely last a few months - if not longer - if you use it on a bi-nightly schedule.
Perricone MD Firming Facial Toner ($39) - So I picked this up on a whim, since it was half off and I loved their Intensive Pore Minimizer so much, and I have to say, as expected, this stuff is ALSO incredible. After I wash my face at night, I used to use my trusty Clinique Clarifying Lotion, then my regular face lotion, but now I've switched to using this facial toner half the time, because it's so fresh feeling, and really makes your skin seem super healthy and tight. I'm THISCLOSE to switching to this all-together, but I figured I should use the rest of my Clinique up first ;)
Hope this post/these products help you out with any future skincare purchases you make!