Top Shelf: November Natural Glow
Antigua helped inject some of that summer glow back into my skin, but the credit really goes to the small changes I've made to my skin and beauty routine. The last few weeks of October were all about recovering. After my heavy month-long travel schedule, I returned with terrible skin -- the long hours, lack of sleep, and poor diet caught up with me, and it seemed that no amount of makeup or product would ease my skin woes. My problem is always hydration. From my hair and eyebrows to my overall complexion, I'm always looking for new products that will add moisture and give me that bright and natural glow. Aside from adding more greens to my diet and incorporating workouts back into my schedule, here are five things sitting on my top shelf. GLOSSIER 'BOY BROW' GROOMING WAND, $16. I like playing around with my brows a lot. Whether it's filling them in very dark, giving the a higher arch, or drawing them in completely straight, they're the one feature of my face that, when worked with, completely change the shape if my face. My recent discovery of this adorable brow mascara has been life changing. It makes it so much easier to play around with my brows on the daily and something that's quickly made its way into my makeup routine.
L'OREAL REVITALIFT VOLUME FILLER, $24.99. There are a few night creams that I rotate between, currently this one has been helpful in getting rid of some of the fine lines left from the lack of sleep and helped rejuvenate my overall complexion. I apply a little of this over my night serum but primarily concentrate on the problem areas that include the slight eczema that developed on my chin and the area around the nose (which is always dry), letting a thick layer sit before massaging it in.
BUMBLE AND BUMBLE HAIRDRESSER'S INVISIBLE OIL, $39. My hairdresser at Bumble and Bumble introduced this product to me the last time I got my hair done, and it's changed the condition of my hair dramatically. On most days I'm adding waves to my hair and I normally wash my hair 1-2 times a week, leaving it dull and often times dry. Giving my hair a few spritz of this invisible oil after a wash injects the moisture right back in without giving it that greasy feel. It's definitely worth a try if you're trying to revive your dry hair without making your hair look overly glossy.
GIORGIO ARMANI CREMA NUDA, $200. This is where a little goes a very long way. I've been using a bit of this foundation for the past few weeks, dipping the tip of my foundation brush into the pot, then brush it over the key areas before giving it a blend. It's the best thing since their 'Luminous Silk' foundation. It gives the no-makeup look a new making, seamlessly melting into my skin and giving me that weightless feeling.
YOUTH TO THE PEOPLE CLEANSER, $36. For me, having the right cleanser is vital. Taking the day off is so important to preserving healthy skin, and something I wish I had practiced more of when I was in college. I now look forward to taking off the day more than I do putting it on, and there are only a few products I trust to give me that deep cleanse that will still add moisture back into my skin. My go-to is MALIN + GOETZ — it takes every bit of my makeup off including any underlying concealer and waterproof makeup — but along with my recent routine changes, I decided to give this new cleanser from YTTP a try. I'll admit, when I first read the label I wasn't expecting much. In fact, I thought it would be one of those cleansers that would only take off surface level makeup and then require me to use face wipes, makeup remover, and another cleanser as a follow-up. I was wrong.
I tested it out during a heavier makeup day, pumping two drops of this green, beautifully scented cleanser into my hand and lathering it all over. After the first rinse, I could see the my makeup trickle headed down the drain (my favorite part of taking the day off), and knew this one was a keeper. My skin felt refreshed, clean, and most importantly, moisturized.