2022 Favorites

 

2022 was my first full year as a working adult and regular Sephora shopper. I was strategic in waiting for sales while also taking the plunge and dropping my dollars at the familiar white counter I spent five years behind. 

This year’s favorites post is a combination of makeup and skincare with a loose categorization. I hope you will enjoy and stay for more in 2023!

Shani Darden Retinol Reform (& Other Things to Know)

Retinol is probably one of the scariest items on the market. It continues to terrify women and put them off from the advantages of using it. But like everything that seems scary at first, women grow to love it and cherish the results it brings to their skin over time. Shani Darden’s is no exception. It may even be the best one I’ve used. 

The Cleansed Review Starter Pack

Every day,  I'm asked what my favorite X, Y, and Z products are. Now, let's think about how anyone can ask me, a girl who loves options, and with a head full of product knowledge, to decide on her ONE favorite product from any category. Making a decision is like picking a favorite child, luckily I have no children and instead fill my heart with skincare (and makeup, duh). So, after Network of Enlightened Women had me as a guest on Instagram Live (see the IGTV here!), I made myself decide on what my favorite products really are. I made my decisions with the perspective of, 'If I didn't work at Sephora, what would I buy independently?' and 'All other products aside, what have I truly loved and can't imagine myself without?' and lastly, 'What has actually WORKED?'

So here you have the results: The Cleansed Review Starter Pack. These carefully selected products are your go to answer for fulfilling holes in your skincare routine or starting from scratch if you're building one for the first time. Not everything made it's way in here because I'd leave you with a twenty step skincare routine, or something ridiculous. But I hope you take this for what it is: my best attempt at cutting down all the other products I own so I can share the ones I truly, truly love and have enjoyed.

Facial Oils

The ones you absolutely need in your life. No questions asked. Thank me later.

However, I also love questions so enjoy reading the following textual Ted Talk about four of my favorite oils of all time that compliment my routine and will be a god send in yours!!

Facial oils are awesome. There's so many skincare benefits inside those little glass bottles like plant oils, nut oils, antioxidants, fatty acids, etc. They're great for all skin types, especially oily skin! Oil can break down excess oil and nourish the skin, resulting in a clearer, less oily complexion. The four I chose are also super makeup friendly, giving you the chance to enjoy them in the AM under your foundation! Go ahead and open up your wallets folks, because you're about to make another purchase.

These oils will probably all seem like the same thing but they're all different. Like in Cheaper by the Dozen, there were 12 kids but they were all different! Those 12 kids shared the same two parents just like all these oils share similar ingredients but their textures and purposes vary.

Go-To Skincare | The Brand You Need In Your Life

One of the best things about working at Sephora is that it's made me a more curious consumer, if you will. I'm also humble enough to say I'm nosey as hell when I come upon something new. This was probably how I came upon Go-To Skincare, which sadly, is no longer carried at Sephora but my loyalty will never die, even if it's now absent from the shelves at Sephora.

First thing to know is that I adore the brand's founder, Zoe Foster Blake. She's hilarious, Australian, and a beauty vet. As a former beauty editor, this woman knows her stuff when it comes to how good skincare should perform and function, while not sacrificing good ingredients too. There's a whole routine of products that she's developed but I've only experienced a handful. However, from that handful, I can tell you it's all legit as can be.

The Masks to Smooth Skin's Texture

Let me introduce you to two of my favorite masks of all time! They may look similar but it's what's on the inside that makes them different (and worth every single penny)! It takes a lot for a mask to make it into the 'greatest of all time' category but the results that I've gotten from these two earned them their spots.