My Ride or Die Beauty Essentials
Keep reading to see my ride or die beauty essentials of the year.
If you haven’t noticed, I’m a makeup/skincare/hair product junkie. Trust me when I say you don’t want to look through my bathroom drawers. As a beauty blogger, I’ve been blessed with the opportunity to try a wide range of beauty products. Every year, I like to summarize my favorites for y’all! Keep reading for a complete rundown of my ride or die beauty essentials! To shop for each item, simply click the product name highlighted in pink!
Beauty Favorites:
Lip Liner: MAC Lip Liner in ‘Spice’To be completely transparent, I don’t wear lip liner often. However, when I do I find myself gravitating towards MAC lip liners. Why? They apply easily and have amazing staying power. I’m a huge fan of Spice – a dusty pink that gives my lips the perfect shot of color. I’m also a huge fan of Whirl and Soar!
Glitter Eyeliner: Urban Decay Heavy Metal Glitter Eyeliner in Midnight Cowboy If you’re a fan of sparkle, you will absolutely adore this glitter eyeliner! This glitter eyeliner provides the perfect amount of shimmer to your eyes without looking tacky. This eyeliner is buildable, so you can wear as little (or as many!) sparkles as you like. There are 12 shades in the collection and I’m obsessed!
Eyeshadow Palette: Morphe Jaclyn Hill Eyeshadow Palette I own more eyeshadow palettes than I’d like to admit, so I’ve been avoiding new releases like the plague. However, when I first locked eyes with Jaclyn Hill’s new eyeshadow palette, I knew I had to have it. I’m not kidding when I say I love every single shade and plan to create a few looks for you guys in the next month! The shadows are extremely pigmented and apply like a dream. I cannot say enough great things about this palette!
Liquid Eyeliner: Makeup Forever Ink Liner This eyeliner has been a favorite of mine for years. I simply cannot find a formula that trumps this product! The products do not budge once applied (I have hooded eyes, so this is extremely important to me!) and applies easily. The applicator is easy to use and perfect for beginners!
Highlighter: Becca Highlighter in ‘Champagne Pop’ I’m a highlighter superfan and still haven’t found a highlighter that provides the punch of shimmer that is Champagne Pop. It’s just so good. The pigmentation of this product is out of this world – I’ve been using the same product for almost 2 years! 100% worth the price tag. Just do it.
Lipstick: MAC Velvet Teddy, Runner Up: MAC Blankety If you’ve followed my blog for a while you’re probably tired of me raving over MAC lipstick. In my opinion, the long-lasting, creamy formula can’t be beaten. I wear a wide range of MAC lipsticks, however, I find myself wearing Velvet Teddy and Blankety most often. Both lipsticks are gorgeous peachy nudes (Velvet Teddy is more of a matte finish while Blankety is more creamy) and go with every makeup look I could ever dream up!
Mascara: L’Oreal Voluminous Lash Paradise Mascara This is the best mascara I’ve ever tried. It blows every high-end mascara I’ve tried out of the water. Y’all, it’s magic. The mascara wand alone is perfection. The fluffy brush applies mascara perfectly even. With two coats, my lashes reach maximum length. As for fallout – what fallout? Absolutely none. The cherry on top is its precious pink packaging. Okay L’Oreal, you can stop showing off.
Mascara Primer: L’Oreal Voluminous Lash Primer If you’re looking to take your lashes one step further, apply this primer. For maximum volume (and drama), I’d suggest applying this primer before the mascara. If you’re looking for a more natural look, skip the primer. If you want to look like you’re wearing falsies, apply this bad boy and thank me later.
Liquid Lipstick: MAC Retro Matte Liquid Lipcolour in ‘Burnt Spice’ Save your money on lip injections and buy this liquid lipstick immediately. With only one coat, this highly pigmented liquid lipstick takes your lips to the next level. This shade is the perfect nude and will make your lips look incredible. This is the lip product I get the most compliments on. The only downside, it’s a little drying – so apply some lip balm beforehand!
Foundation: Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation Thank you, Jesus, I have finally found the perfect foundation for my skin. I have oily skin (and live in Florida) so finding a full coverage foundation that stays put has been an ongoing struggle. It was love at first wear with this foundation – it blended into my skin perfectly and did not budge. If you have medium-oily skin and love full coverage foundation I would highly recommend this product!
Concealer: Urban Decay All Nighter Waterproof Full-Coverage Concealer Last year I was obsessed with Urban Decay’s Naked Skin Concealer. I didn’t think Urban Decay’s concealer game could get any stronger but apparently, I was mistaken. Their new All Nighter Waterproof Concealer is better than ever. It’s more full coverage than it’s Naked Concealer sister, so if you are looking for something more coverage (or waterproof!) this product is for you!
Bronzer: It Cosmetics Confidence In Your Glow For the second year in a row, It Cosmetics’s Confidence In Your Glow takes the cake on best bronzer (and blush!). I adore how this palette is a bronzer, blush and highlighter 3-in-1! My favorite palette is Warm Glow, however, I’m also a huge fan of Natural Glow!
Hair Favorites:
Eye Makeup Remover: Clinique Take The Day Off Makeup Remover If you’re looking for an eye makeup remover – this is it! It instantly removes makeup gently and quickly. It is fragrance-free, so it doesn’t irritate your skin!
Moisturizer: Olay Luminous Whips Face Moisturizer You may recall me raving (ie. obsessing over) this moisturizer – as seen here! Turns out this stuff is the bomb. In a very genuine #nonsponsored way, I adore this stuff. It has a neat whipped velvet finish so it applies like a dream. It also provides an insane amount of hydration without making your skin oily. Trust me when I say – it’s a must try!
Eye Cream: Tula Revitalizing Eye Cream I’ve just recently started using eye cream and now realize how badly my skin needs it! This stuff is gold. It instantly makes my skin feel refreshed and hydrated. If you’re looking for a new eye cream you’ll love this one!
Cleanser: Tula Purifying Cleanser I’ve hopped on the Tula bandwagon. This stuff is all it’s cracked up to be and more. It makes your skin feel refreshed and brand new. Love.
Spot Treatment: Kiehl’s Spot Treatment Whenever I get a spot (thankfully it’s rare these days!) I always grab this spot treatment. It works wonders without drying out your skin. It’s a must try!
Lip Balm: First Aid Beauty Ulta Repair Intensive Lip Balm Your lips will love this stuff. It’s super hydrating and has a neat cooling effect. I always have it on me in my purse- it’s most definitely a ride or die!
Cleansing Wipes: Kleenex Facial Cleansing Wipes Turns out Kleenex has a new line of beauty products and they don’t suck. In fact, they’re kinda amazing. My favorite from their new line is the facial cleaning wipes! They’re super heavy duty – so they won’t break on you. I use these wipes to remove my makeup with the Tula cleanser. My face is always left happy and clear!
Shampoo: Amika Velveteen Dream Smoothing Shampoo So much yes. This shampoo smells like candy and has a thick texture – meaning a little goes a long way! I love how this shampoo doesn’t dry my hair out, yet leaves in squeaky clean!
Conditioner: Amika Velveteen Dream Smoothing Conditioner Yes, the conditioner is just as great. Also smells like candy. Also has a thick texture – so a small amount will tie you over! Super moisturizing – it’s the full package deal!
Hair Spray: Bumble and Bumble Dry Oil Finishing Spray If Bumble and bumble could bottle up this scent and make it into a perfume, that would be great. That’s how amazing it smells. The formula is lightweight, however, it keeps your hairstyle in check. Love this product!
Leave In Conditioner: Caviar Anti-Aging Replenishing Moisture Milk Treatment As a leave-in conditioner junkie, I’ve tried everything on the market. This product is different in that the tiniest bit leaves your hair smelling amazing and silky smooth. It brings my hair back to life after being exposed to the bitter cold (shoutout to my hometown) and leaves it super shiny!
Hair Dryer: T3 Featherweight Luxe 2i I dare you to find me a hairdryer that dries my hair as fast as this one – while leaving it silky smooth! My hair is super long and bleached so I need all the TLC I can get! When I first tried out this hairdryer I noticed an immediate difference on drying time and the final outcome of my hair. I’ve never used a hair dryer that spoils my hair this much. It’s well worth the price tag y’all.
Curling Wand: T3 Whirl Trio Interchangeable Styling Wand Oh T3 Whirl Trio, love of my life. I cannot rave enough about this curling wand. Three days. That’s how long my hair will stay curled without touch up using this curling wand! It’s some kind of magic. I typically use the 1″ straight barrel to create my waves (see them in this post).
Dry Shampoo: Amika Perk Up Dry Shampoo I. LOVE. THIS. STUFF. I use it almost daily to keep my hair fresh and give it some extra volume. As with all Amika products, it smells amazing!
Brush: Wet Brush in Rose Gold My hair is super long so it gets tangled easily. After years of searching for a brush that wouldn’t tug on my locks.. I discovered the Wet Brush! It’s the only brush I’ve ever used that hasn’t hurt while brushing out my stubborn knots. It’s super affordable (under $10) and available in a wide range of colors – including rose gold!
Hair Mask: Amika Nourishing Mask If your hair is fried – you need this hair mask in your life! Not only does it smell like heaven it leaves your hair feeling rejuvenated. Je t’aime!
Miscellaneous:
Necklace: Gorjana Super Star Necklace Hands down my most worn necklace of 2017. I first spotted this starry beauty on Amanda Stanton from the Bachelor. It created so much buzz there was an entire article written about it! I quickly tracked it down (you can shop it here) and have worn it nearly every day. It’s the perfect necklace to wear solo or layer with other necklaces! I even gifted it to a few friends this Christmas! It’s a goodie! See my style this necklace in this post.
Designer Bag: Chloe Faye Medium Leather Shoulder Bag I’m a newbie to the designer bag life. I’ll admit I don’t see the big deal with designer bags. I’d rather drop a couple grand on a trip than a bag, however when I saw the pink Chloe Faye Bag I knew I had to have it! I went back and forth on it for months, but I finally pulled the trigger and I’m so glad I did! It was a total treat yo self moment and I probably wear it more often then a Chloe should be worn! It’s even more gorgeous in person – a great medium size! It has several compartments inside which makes it easy to be organized. Love!
Designer Bag Dupe (under $90): Chloe Faye Small Crossbody Dupe If you’re on a budget (or can’t justify spending 2k+ on a bag – I don’t blame you!) you will love this Chloe Faye Medium designer bag dupe! It comes in grey, cognac and black and is a small fraction of the price! It’s real leather, so it’s great quality for the price. I’m also a huge fan of this
Chloe Faye small bag dupe. It is under $60 and it comes in black, cognac and grey and is also real leather! See how I styled this bag in this post.
