I have so many beauty products, it’s a little ridiculous. From skin treatments and makeup to hair products and tools, the cabinets in my vanity are full! I think the problem is I’m not married to any one brand of any particular product. I love trying new things and I’m not afraid to stray from tried and true favorites. And, of course, I love to shop. I can spend hours in Ulta and Sephora just browsing the aisles.

This month I am featuring a new hairspray that I just fell in love with a couple days ago, some facial pads that I added to my nightly routine, a foundation, and a lip balm. All four are products I recently tried for the first time, and 3 of them were purchases resulting from using a free sample from Sephora. Those samples really work in getting me to try new products!

OGX Bodifying + Bamboo Fiber Full Big Hair Spray 8 Ounce Bottle(formerly Organix) has introduced some new styles, including the Bodifying + Bamboo Fiber Full line. I have very fine, thin, limp hair and it’s hard to find products that work, but don’t weigh down my hair. A lot of “all day,” “extra hold,” or “humidity resistant” hairsprays are so sticky that they leave a residue all over my bathroom! Not to mention the fact that my hair just can’t hold up to the weight of them. I normally wear my hair straight, but still use a spray to keep it in place, and this product does just that. The other night I went to a party and decided to curl my hair. Normally when I do this, it’s a wasted effort because the curls fall out by the end of the night. But this hairspray managed to keep my curls in place all night! I was shocked. The other thing that bothers me about a lot of hairsprays out there is the scent. As I sit here writing, I cannot even remember what this hairspray smells like! Its scent is that unobtrusive. And finally, you can’t beat the price! I picked up an 8 ounce can for just $8.99 at Ulta, or click the link above to purchase on Amazon.

First Aid Beauty Facial Radiance Pads-60 ct.
First Aid Beauty Facial Radiance Pads

I’m getting older. There’s no denying it and while I am not trying to stop time, I am trying to preserve what I have as I embrace my middle-age years and beyond. That said, I tend to try lots of different skin treatments, moisturizers, creams, and “potions” as my husband calls them. I first came across this particular product as a sample from Sephora, and I was instantly hooked. First, the scent is so pleasant, sort of citrusy, and reminds me of something, but I can’t quite put my finger on it. Second, I love the texture of the pad itself. Combined with the lactic and glycolic acids, the pads provide a gentle exfoliation that stimulates and helps to brighten your skin. This product is also gentle enough to use on sensitive skin and doesn’t irritate mine at all. While it didn’t perform any miracles (I am 47 after all) I did notice that my face appeared brighter after use. I’ve included these in my nightly routine, using them after I wash my face before I go to bed. You can pick up this product at Sephora for $30, or order it directly from First Aid Beauty’s website for the same price. First Aid Beauty currently has a promotion for 15% off your first order for signing up for their emails. Also, they have a Trial Kit for only $15, and a sample of the Facial Radiance Pads are included in the kit so you can try them out first (and a few other products) before purchasing the full size versions.  You can also purchase from Amazon by clicking the link above.

Lingerie De Peau Aqua Nude Water-Infused Perfecting Fluid by Guerlain Another Sephora sample that won me over, this is the foundation I’ve been searching for. Since I now have “signs of aging” with “fine lines and wrinkles” starting to appear, I noticed that my other foundations just weren’t cutting it. I’ve always used full coverage products because I have lots of freckles and some sun spots, but the problem with most full coverage foundations is they have the tendency to settle into those “fine lines.” I’m not even joking! And let me tell you, when your makeup cakes up in your wrinkles, they look worse! The other thing I noticed with full coverage makeup is that by the end of the day (or evening) when I took off my makeup, I felt a sense of relief; it was as if the makeup was smothering me and once I washed my face I felt free. The first thing I noticed when I tried this out was the incredible texture: soft, light, smooth. And while it is not “full coverage” the coverage that it does supply actually looked better on my skin than the full coverage products. There’s something about its weightlessness that helps improve the appearance of your complexion. I don’t know what it is – it’s magic. And being magical, it doesn’t come cheap: $49 for a 1 ounce bottle at Sephora. But I’m telling you, it’s worth it!

Bite Beauty Agave Lip Balm
So, my birthday was earlier this week, and that means that I picked up my Sephora Birthday Gift when I was shopping the other day. And by “shopping” I mean my annual “It’s my birthday and I’ll buy it if I want to” shopping trip (don’t worry, I didn’t go overboard!) This year I chose the Bite Beauty lip sample set. It comes with the Agave Lip Mask and Agave Lip Balm duo, a Matte Crème Lip Crayon mini in Glace, and a sample of Amuse Bouche lipstick in Chai. Both the lip crayon and lipstick are nice nude/pink colors that I’ve been wearing a lot of lately. I’ve used Bite lipstick before, and I do like it, but it was the lip balm that surprised me. It’s a bit thick, but spreads onto your lips smoothly, and stays on for quite a while. I love the way it makes my lips feel – not waxy, not greasy, and it doesn’t have a weird medicinal taste. It really moisturizes your lips, especially during this cold winter weather. I may have to grab two of them next time I’m out and about – one for my purse and one for my vanity. You can pick up a full size of this must-have product at Sephora for just $18.

If you have an “must have” beauty products, let me know.  I’d love to try them!

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