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.

The Concealer Duo Worth Your Money

Until a few years ago, I never wore concealer under my eyes. I'd usually take whatever was left in my sponge or brush from my foundation and blend it under my eyes. Concealer, in my book, was for hiding pesky spots and discolorations. Oh, how I have come so far! Now, I conceal under my eyes as part of my complexion routine and these two concealers from Yves Saint Laurent are definitely two of my favorites. 

You may wonder if you need two concealers? What's the difference between the two? Let me explain, and influence you to open a new tab so you can go to Sephora dot com as you read.

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.

Pat McGrath FetishEyes Mascara

Okay, okay, hear me out, I think I might have found the one. By the one, I mean mascara. I'm in love with everything Pat McGrath does, creates, makes, you name it. Also just listening to her voice is like ASMR in a voice. Wow.

I'd been wanting to try Pat McGrath's mascara for ages and when Sephora put the mini size in the Rewards Bazaar, I snatched up three. I was that committed. After getting real close with my mini size, a full size came into my life and I'm never going back.

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.

Dior Backstage

When I was beginning to navigate the world of high end makeup, Dior wasn't one that jumped out at me. I didn't see the appeal...I also figured that Dior should stick to what they knew...fashion. All I knew at the time was eyeshadows from MAC and foundation from Chanel! At one point I didn't own one lipstick. Can you believe how far I've come? From working at Sephora, my eyes have opened up to the great beyond of everything the mothership has to offer. More recently, Dior launched their Backstage line, a collection of makeup that performs best backstage at fashion shows and on the go. I love the simplicity and versatility, and best of all...the affordability! I've dabbled in all the products but I've come to own some that have also earned their permanent place in my collection.

MilkMakeup Vegan Milk Moisturizer

If you, like me, pay attention to the product releases in the beauty community or frequent the Sephora app like it's your job (...oh wait...it's mine), then you may have noticed an uptake in makeup brands crossing over into the world of skincare, and the same could be true of some skincare brands dabbling in makeup launches too but that's not why we're here! I'm looking at you, Too Faced...you tried. Huda Beauty has started to break the mold with this scrub that's not a scrub. Bobbi Brown and Tarte have been doing both for years...but they've earned their place in my opinion. Milk Makeup decided to enter the ring with their Vegan Milk Moisturizer and soon followed with a cleanser.

March Skincare Routine

I have two hopes for this post: to keep it short and keep it informative. I know the first is one of my downfalls because I love to talk. Other than March being the longest month ever for a very large and obvious reason that's still going on now (a pandemic, in case you're a bear and have been living away in a cave). Both of my routines this past month stayed pretty consistent on the products I've been using routinely. As promised, I'll keep it short and sweet on my AM and PM routines!

The Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Edit

I've never been fussed to own lip liners. When Kylie launched her lip kits, I didn't see the point of a lip liner going with a liquid lipstick. However, I was given Charlotte Tilbury's Lip Cheat in Pillow Talk for my birthday one year and I suddenly understood why this pencil started a movement and a growing collection from Charlotte herself. The Matte Revolution lipstick itself is one of my favorite lipsticks in the world and the matching blush is one I reach for almost daily. There's nothing Charlotte can't do, in my opinion!

Drunk Elephant Slaai Cleansing Balm

So, I originally wrote this post at the beginning of the year with a promise to get women to stop using makeup wipes. Well, it's March and I'm still working on it...maybe on pause at the moment since all of the world isn't allowed to leave their houses. They're still cloth demons that push around makeup, dirt and oil on your skin and further into your pores. They're also still very wasteful because they're being thrown away every day. Someone I know asked me, "Then what's a good wipe for my skin?" To which I replied, "None of them."

The Face and Eye Palette Edit

With my palette drawer running out of room, it only made sense for me to add two more to it...last year. I made my wise (okay, maybe not so wise) investments last year but I'm writing a review now to share how glad I am that I made them. Usually there's a thought process behind my palette investments but sometimes...I just can't resist. 

Foundation Edit: March

Foundation has been the focus for Sephora for the past two years and now there's way more than anyone could have imagined. I'm pretty sure I wear foundation almost every day with usually four to five on rotation at a time. I love a medium-full coverage foundation with a natural or matte finish. I want my skin to look smoother and better....heaven forbid it's "cakey" (pro tip...it's usually not the foundation...it's the user). 

I decided to review the three foundations I've been wearing for the past couple months! I try v hard to follow my "one out, one in," rule especially with foundations because I own a lot. You'll notice the before mentioned theme of coverage and finish in these bottles. 

Facial Mists

You might be wondering why do you need a facial mist? What's a facial mist? Why should you buy another product you think you need? Well, that's why I'm here. You probably don't need one but after reading this post, and hopefully learning more, you may change your tune. Or this post might have you adding on another mist to your already growing collection of mists and other skincare products. As always, you're welcome.

Cleansing: My Favorite Step & Product to Buy

Welcome to my new favorite post about my favorite step of my skincare routine! Some don't enjoy washing their faces, some don't find cleansing all that exciting, and then there's me. I always have three cleansers on regular rotation...I tried to be casual and say a couple but it's three on average. I can't be stopped. Here's a wee novel starring some of my favorite cleansers ever. 

Alex Steinherr said one day on her Instagram that she keeps several cleansers on rotation because her skin tends to need different things on a day to day basis. When I heard that, I found myself agreeing because it's true! If I stopped to think about it, I usually choose a certain cleanser morning and/or night because of a certain reason. It's rarely because of it being the first one my hand touches. Then I heard Kate Somerville, brand founder, say a similar point somewhere in this video. 

So you have two official people from the beauty industry and me, a mere blogger and Sephora employee, stressing the importance of having more than one cleanser (if you can swing it). 

My Favorite ITG Top Shelves

A unranked list of my favorite Top Shelf posts from Into the Gloss that also helped influence my own series of top shelves called On the Counter (see what I did there?).