Top 10 Summer Beauty Buys

Aww Summer, my least favorite season. I do not do well in dry, 90+ degree Los Angeles weather. I get irritable, hot flashes, night sweats - it's like a mini menopause preview every year. And I do not look forward to that at all!

But I have found ways to combat the sweaty, sticky, sun-drenched weather - at least in my beauty regiment. Here are my top 10 summer 2011 Beauty Buys (in no particular order) :

#10. Cover Girl Natureluxe Gloss Balm in Anemone - Is it a lip balm or a gloss? Who cares! This lip treat has the comfort and convenience of a balm, but with the shine and appeal of a lip gloss. It's super lightweight, protects your lips with SPF 15, is made with a moisture rich combination of mango and shea butters, is easy to apply (don't have to bother with lips gloss wands or sticky lip gloss tubes) and the shade anemone is a flattering light ruby red that works with any skin tone and instantly brightens your smile! CVS $7.50

# 9. If you have ever colored your hair at home you know that the after color conditioner that comes included with the hair dye kit is the absolute best conditioner out there! Heck I've even resorted to buying the hair dye simply for the conditioner and throwing the rest of the kit away. Well I don't have to waste at home kits anymore because Nice n' Easy's Color Seal conditioner is now sold separately! (rejoice people!) This conditioner glosses your hair (whether its your natural hair color or not) like no bodies business and moisturizes dry summer locks without weighing it down. How does it do it? All I know is that this condition now sold separately is a beauty godsend! $4.99 Amazon.com

#8. Johnson's Baby Bar - I suffer from extremely dry skin year round. And even the most promising body washes always leave my sensitive skin dry and itchy. Until I found myself at the baby aisle at my local drugstore and stumbled across Johnson's Baby Bar. This soap has a light powdery fragrance, a non irritating lather perfect for sensitive skin, and is gentle and non-drying. And at $1.99 a pop it has become my new bath staple over those ridiculously expensive fancy body washes. $1.99 CVS

#7. I have been realizing lately that expensive beauty products don't necessarily mean better. And after years and years of buying every expensive facial moisturiser on the block, the best moisturiser has been sitting in front of me my whole life on my grandmothers dresser! That's right, that light pink lotion from Oil of Olay your grandma has been using for decades is a classic for a reason! This beauty fluid absorbs quickly, is not greasy or heavy, and does a fantastic job of keeping your skin very soft and very hydrated. Some may complain of the distinctive old-school smell of this moisturiser but to me I find it pleasant and it reminds me of being a little girl and getting into my grandma's beauty products! It's definitely the best bang for your buck! $6.50 Target

#6. Prada Infusion D'Iris - My favorite summer scent! It's clean, fresh, light and very feminine! It's never too overpowering and has a floral scent I adore! It's an elegant and an easy to wear summer fragrance. $65.00 Macy's

# 5. Hope in Tinted Moisturizer - It's like your skin - only better! This miraculous tinted moisturizer evens out skin tone, brightens your complexion, is light weight and protects with SPF 20. I layer it over Clarins UV Plus SPF 40 on those days I don't feel like wearing heavy foundation and need extra SPF protection. My complexion never looked better! $38.00 Sephora

#4. Fairydrops Scandal Queen Mascara - This super glamorous mascara was previously only sold in Japan but is now available at Sephora stores here in the states. This was an impulse buy one day while waiting in line at Sephora for the cashier (placing merchandise in the waiting line is a wonderful marketing idea! Darn you Sephora!)  This mascara is the closet thing I have found to giving me false, doll-like lashes. It gives lashes mega- length, volume and an extreme black shiny look. It's like patent leather for your eyelashes! The formula is water and sweat resistant for muggy summer days but washes out easily with soap and water. This mascara is so good it's patented in Japan!  $24.00 Sephora

#3. Ponds Original All Day Clean Cleansing Wipes - I keep a pack of these in my purse, in my nightstand and in my car. They conveniently clean and refresh - like a portable shower! I use it throughout the day to clean my face, hands, remove make-up, and basically to soothe my skin and cool off from the summer heat. You won't know how you survived previous summers without these cleansing little cloths! $3.99 Walgreens

#2.  Lubriderm Advanced Therapy Lotion SPF 30 -I am a complete SPF junkie! No matter what season it is! For one reason skin-cancer runs in my mother's side of the family so I have a higher percentage of developing skin complications and because wearing SPF everyday no matter what the weather is like outside is the #1 thing you can do for anti-aging results and preventing wrinkles. I figure if I wear SPF now it'll save me from buying expensive anti-aging treatments and possibly health complications further down the road. I have been wearing SPF religiously now for the past 3 years. It becomes easy to add sun protection into your daily routine with double duty products such as this lotion from LubridermWalgreens

#1. Vichy Eau Thermale Spa Water - This product is so fun to use! It sets make-up for a natural dewy finish, is packed with skin nourishing minerals and instantly cools and refreshes skin. Its like AC in a can. I carry a travel size bottle of this in my purse and even T has used it on sweltering days to cool off his face in the heat.  $8.00 Vichy.com

Stay cool my babies!

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5 beauty products I couldn't live without.

Oh I am feeling the Friday drag today. Maybe its because it's the end of the work week, or maybe it's because I just ate 3lbs of fried food, but I am sluggish and need a nap.

I wanted to do something different on today's post so I am making a list and checking it twice. A list of the top 5 beauty products I would bring if I were on a deserted Island. Gotta look good for the Palm Trees you know. Being deserted is no excuse to let your regime down!

#5. Clarins UV Plus SPF 40.

I am freak about wearing sunscreen everyday. No matter if its sunny, rainy, if I'm sitting in an office all day or just leaving the house for a few minutes. I pile sunscreen on my face, neck and ears (with a short haircut you mustn't forget all the sun your ears get) every morning. I have tried many sun screens and either the high SPF formulas are too thick and chalky, or the lightweight formulas have too little SPF (A SPF of at least 30 is recommended for daily wear). Clarins UV Plus formula is a godsend because it's high in SPF, super light weight, doesn't cause me to break out and goes great underneath my make-up. A 1oz size of this magic in a bottle retails at $40.00. Yea, it's totally steep but the bottle lasts months and once you try Clarins, you'll never go back.

#4. Dior Addict Lipglow

I am a fan of all sorts of lip stuff. I love playing with lipstick colors and different formulas. But for most occasions, I go with a very subtle lip color. I like something close to my natural lip color, only better. That's where Dior Addict lipglow comes in. It doesn't leave a super porn star looking high shine, just a very natural "glow" It comes in a tube just like lipstick so you don't have to deal with messy lip gloss wands or lip gloss pots. Dior Lipglow is as moisturizing as chapstick, has sun protection, and best of all, turns a unique shade of pink based off your lips color chemistry. Who knew science could be so much fun!? Dior Addict Lipglow: $28.00 at Sephora

#3. Shu Uemura Eye Lash Curler

 I have been reading beauty magazines since I was knee high to a grasshopper (I don't know if that's a good thing or not) and I cannot tell you how many times I have seen the Shu Uemura eyelash curler mentioned as the best eyelash curler in the history of eye curlers and beyond. Well ladies, BELIEVE THE HYPE! This eyelash curler is AMAZING! I have never had my eyelashes so perfectly curled and stay curled for hours upon hours! Even without mascara, your eyes really open up and look bigger with just a single use of this eyelash curler. I can never go back to my Revlon curler ever again. Sad thing is, Shu Uemura is not sold in stores in the US anymore. Why must I find something I love only to have it so abruptly taken away from me? (Story of my life) But you can still purchase them at www.shuuemura.com $19.00

#2. Fresh Soy Cleaner

Let's rewind to 2 summers ago. My skin was an utter mess! I have very sensitive combo skin and all the cleansers I was trying either dried my skin out too much, or didn't leave me feeling "clean". I was also having a weird eye lid reaction to the cleanser I had been using (gross huh?) because even though it removed all my eye makeup, it was too strong and made my eyes gross and itchy. I went to Sephora (my second home at the time) and was recommended this face wash. It claimed to be extra gentle, non drying, and effective at removing eye makeup. Well it did all that and more! Yes it smells like cucumbers and cut grass (which I don't mind anymore) but the results were amazing! It was the right balance for my combo skin, took off all my makeup without being too harsh, it's soap- free, and has made my eyelashes grow like a zillion times longer. No kidding! I think its all the soy protein (or the Shu Uemura eyelash curler) but my lashes are longer and I have gotten asked if they are fake. Aw, shucks!

$38 at Sephora

#1. Clarisonic Mia Skincare Brush

Bow down to the mother of all skin treatments! The Clarisonic Skincare brush! I had been eyeing this damn brush for months and months and finally justified purchasing it last April as a birthday present from me to me. Now that this brush is in my life, I don't want to live without it. (if loving you is wrong Clarisonic Mia, then I don't want to be right!) After using this for a few months, my skin has never been better! I am less prone to breakouts, my pores are smaller, skin smoother, and facial products seem to absorb better. The Mia retails at $149.00 and I would recommend this more petite, travel version vs. the full size Clarisonic. I love my Mia!

So there you have it. 5 products that I could not live without.

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