I had the idea for Mother's Day that I would have my mom pick out some of her favorite products to share on the blog, and then I forgot to bring my camera home to get a photo week after week. So, better late than never, right? Here are my mom's most favorite products.
I was honored a few weeks ago when Kelsey asked me if I would like to do a guest post about my favorite beauty products. After the stress of leaving a job I had been with for 15 years and starting a new one (with a boss who is 20 years my junior!), I finally had so time to reflect on what I use every day, regardless of how stressed I may be!
This is my favorite thing – ever! I get up at 5:00 am every weekday to go to a Pure Barre class (side note – seriously look into trying this out if it is offered near you; I have never exercised consistently in my life, but this low impact, total body workout is really addictive). The first thing I do is head for the refrigerator to get my Cooling Water. I apply this under my eyes and then up to and around my brow bone. I also use it on the sides of my mouth in my laugh lines as well as on my neck. Another side note – don’t forget to moisturize your neck! It’s not as talked-about as moisturizing your face, but is SO important. The skin on your neck is so thin, so the loss of collagen as you get older is much more noticeable, so be sure to always moisturize your neck so you don’t end up with the turkey neck! Anyway, the caffeine in Cooling Water really energizes my skin, de-puffs my eyes and makes me feel more awake and ready for class. I use it again after I shower and as the first step in my skin-care regimen, as the seawater in it helps to soothe my skin, which tends to get red and flushed easily.
When I was in my teens and early 20s, I went to the beach. A lot. And the whole point of going to the beach was to lie in the sun and bake. I didn’t use sunscreen, I used baby oil. Seriously. I can’t even remember how many times I burned so badly that I had blisters, even on my face. I shudder when I think of that and how much I damaged my skin. I still go the beach for a week every year, and I still lie in the sun and get a tan (I know, bad), but now I always wear sunscreen. And it is super-important to wear sunscreen every day even if you are not at the beach, or planning on being in the sun. UVA & UVB rays are there every day, even on cloudy days. Even when you are sitting in your car or out biking. And don’t forget about all of the pollution in the air that is invading your skin. Or those harmful free radicals inside your skin just waiting to cause more damage. Using the Invisible Shield SPF 35 Daily Sunscreen + is the solution to all of these issues! The clear water gel formula absorbs into the skin with no greasy residue. The sunscreen is packed with UVA/UVB filters, and the “+” neutralizes free radicals and prevents pollution from getting in, protecting your skin without feeling like anything is on your skin! PSA – I have my nails done every few weeks, which includes having to put them under a UV light to set the gel. This is not good for your skin! If you get your nails done like this, don’t forget sunscreen on your hands. The Invisible Shield SPF 35 Daily Sunscreen + is perfect for your hands, because regular sunscreen can be too thick and can impede the gel from adhering to your nails if it gets on them.
Trader Joe’s – Nourish Shea Butter Hand Cream
I wash my hands more often than I probably need to (thanks to my OCD). While I love how clean they feel, I do not like how dry and tight they feel. So I use a lot of hand lotion. But I can’t stand when the palms of my hands feels all greasy after rubbing lotions in. My daughter Taylor got the Shea Butter Hand Cream as part of a gift basket once and gave it to me and it was the solution to my problem! It has shea butter, cocoa butter and almond oil as moisturizing agents, but is non-greasy and quick-absorbing. It also contains Vitamin E which is a powerful antioxidant. This comes in a 2 ounce, squeezable tube, so it is easy to throw in your bag and take anywhere with you. I do wish they also packaged it in a larger size, because I go through so much of it that I have to buy 10 at a time when I go to Trader Joe’s!
I am a sucker for anything rose-scented. It reminds me of my grandmother, who was my first best friend. She took care of me when I was little, and she was always my rock during a difficult childhood. Anyway, I love this lip balm. Kelsey gave this to me as a gift and I loved it because of the scent, but was blown away by how moisturizing this is. I usually do not like a lip product in a tube with a wand applicator because the formula always seems so thick and sticky, but this one is not like that at all. It also contains anti-aging biotechnological ceramides which is an added bonus.
Water
Perhaps the most important. I drink so much water during the day and I think that is why my skin does not look as bad as it should, considering I didn’t really start taking care of it until a few years ago. Water not only keeps you hydrated, but flushes out toxins in your body that could otherwise cause damage. I find that if I don’t drink enough water during the day, I am more apt to get a headache and to overeat. I am lucky that the city I live in was voted as having the best-tasting drinking water in the nation at the National Rural Water Association Rally in Washington, DC. The city’s water is so pure that it was entered into the competition without any treatment.
Thank you for putting up with my first attempt at writing. I hope that you might have found some of this helpful and perhaps you can look ahead to when you are older to see what you can be doing now to keep your skin looking its best later!