fave products // the ordinary niacinamide serum & azelaic acid cream

Skincare comes in many price ranges, and just because something is on the cheaper side, does NOT mean that it isn’t just as effective as some of the higher end products out there. Enter The Ordinary. Perhaps you’ve heard of this budget-friendly brand with a serious cult following by now. For whatever reason, I was late to the game in trying them out, but I’m so happy I finally did! I started with two products I’d heard rave reviews about: the Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% Oil Control Serum and the Azelaic Acid 10% Suspension Brightening Cream.

First up, the Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% Oil Control Serum is the perfect serum to reach for if you suffer from acne or blemishes. This high-strength vitamin-and-mineral blemish formula with 10 percent pure niacinamide and one percent zinc PCA is great for targeting pores and oiliness, and really helps keep breakouts at bay. Niacinamide (aka aka vitamin B3) works to reduce the appearance of skin blemishes and signs of congestion, while also visibly brightening skin tone, and zinc PCA: Visibly helps regulate excess sebum activity. For only $6.50 per one fluid ounce bottle, it’s truly worth a try for those with problem skin!

The Azelaic Acid 10% Suspension Brightening Cream is a multifunctional cream that targets numerous skincare concerns, from dullness to texture to acne. Azelaic acid works to brighten the skin tone, improve the evenness of skin texture, reduce the look of blemishes, and even offers impressive antioxidant support. If you suffer from any sort of hyperpigmentation or melasma, I definitely recommend adding this $10 product to your skincare routine! The Ordinary products are free of parabens, formaldehydes, phthalates, mineral oil, oxybenzone, coal tar, and sulfates SLS & SLES. Plus, they’re also vegan, gluten-free, and cruelty-free! I’d say all that plus their appealing price point makes them practically a must-try!

 * This post may contain affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, it won’t cost you a penny more, but I’ll earn a small commission. This allows me to continue to generate content for you, and helps keep the site up and running. Thanks for your support! 

fave products // jan marini skincare bioclear & luminate face lotions

For whatever reason, anti-aging serums and facial oils seem to be abundant in my beauty cabinet, but lately I realized that I’d been lacking in the simple, but effective moisturizer category. As the weather starts to warm up, I began the hunt for some new facial moisturizers, and I’m happy to report that I’ve found a couple real winners by Jan Marini Skincare. If clear, radiant skin is your goal, I definitely recommend checking out the Jan Marini Bioclear Face Lotion. This moisturizer combines glycolic, salicylic and azelaic acid to provide countless benefits for dramatically smoother, clearer, more luminous looking skin. The multifunctional resurfacing lotion works to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, redness, acne scarring, large pores and uneven texture. Yes please! I’ve found the combo of cleansing with the Jan Marini Bioglycolic Cleanser, followed by a generous layer of the Bioclear Face Lotion has really kept my skin glowing on another level.

If brighter skin is what you’re after, please do yourself a favor and try the Jan Marini Luminate Face Lotion. The highly concentrated solution uses turmeric, peptides, licorice, arbuten, retinol and more, all of which work their magic to reduce the appearance of discoloration, fine lines and wrinkles. Plus, there’s no hydroquinone (an effective but irritating ingredient) in the formula, so it’s great even for those with more sensitive skin. If you suffer from melasma, post-blemish hyperpigmentation, or dark spots, you’re definitely going to want to incorporate the Luminate Face Lotion into your routine. For those who might be on the market for a whole skincare routine revamp, the Jan Marini Skincare Management System offers everything you need in one package- from cleanser to serum to moisturizer & face cream to SPF, it’s got you covered from all angles. It’s definitely an investment, but with the high quality level I’ve come to find with all Jan Marini products, I truly think you’ll be happy with your new routine!

 * This post may contain affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, it won’t cost you a penny more, but I’ll earn a small commission. This allows me to continue to generate content for you, and helps keep the site up and running. Thanks for your support! 

fave products // omorovicza skin savior mask & midnight renewal serum

I’ve been an Omorovicza fan for a while now, so I was pumped to try some new (to me) products from their line up recently. If your skin has been acting up, whether that’s in the form of blemishes, clogged pores, or just overall dullness, I highly recommend checking out the Skin Savior Mask. This baby is the perfect targeted treatment for blemish-prone skin thanks to powerhouse ingredients like colloidal silver and niacinamide. Colloidal silver has long been associated with skin health and is known for its antibacterial and healing properties. Combined with niacinamide, it provides a potent blend that combats blemishes and breakouts. Salicylic and glycolic acids are at play here as well, working to unclog pores to reveal clearer, smoother, healthier skin. Yes please! I like using this mask once a week or so to help keep blemishes at bay, or whenever I feel a pesky breakout coming along!

The Midnight Renewal Serum is a nighttime serum designed to help stimulate skin's optimal repair while you sleep, renewing skin's youthful vitality. While some forms of retinol can be irritating for those with sensitive skin, this product is formulated with retinal, an innovative, non-irritating form of vitamin A that helps to smooth your complexion while reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and preventing premature aging. It also utilizes bakuchiol, a natural alternative to retinol, which smoothes and resurfaces skin, so you still get the best benefits of retinol without the irritation! Plus, the skin's self-renewal process is stimulated, which enhances cell DNA repair and counteracts the effects of UV-induced aging.

Omorovicza products harness Hungary's healing waters using a patented process called Hydro Mineral Transference™, which makes for super nourishing products that help leave skin firmer, suppler and more youthful. Plus, they are all cruelty-free as well, so you can feel good about using them on your skin. Some other Omorovicza faves of mine are their cult fave Acid Fix, along with the Balancing Moisturizer, which I highly recommend checking out as well!

 * This post may contain affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, it won’t cost you a penny more, but I’ll earn a small commission. This allows me to continue to generate content for you, and helps keep the site up and running. Thanks for your support! 

fave products // good juju herbal

I mostly talk about facial skincare around here, but taking care of the skin on the rest of your body is super important as well! Plus, pampering yourself and treating your body well can feel like such a self care spa experience, so why wouldn’t you want to partake?? Bonus points for beautiful, handcrafted products that earn a coveted spot on your vanity or in your shower! Enter Good Juju Herbal, a brand that’s built on making lifelong, can’t live without staples. They believe that quality body care should be accessible to all regardless of skin condition, age, and income level, and the product line is intentionally designed to fulfill this purpose. Everything is also 100% natural (made from plants and naturally derived ingredients) with a strong focus on sustainability (they only offer the highest quality ingredients, fair trade partnerships, and value the importance of a healthy natural ecosystem). Not to mention, all Good Juju Herbal products are free from palm oil, parabens, fragrance oils, as well as skin irritating foaming agents like SLS. Yes please!

Now for the products themselves. I’ve been obsessed with the Good Juju Herbal Felted Soap, which is built on the fun idea of combining bar soap with a washcloth. It’s bar soap that is wrapped in a naturally antimicrobial coating of roving. When you wet the soap and start to lather, it will continue lathering through the outside coating. The roving will shrink with the size of the soap inside because when hot water hits the fibers of the roving, this allows it to open up and knit tighter and tighter around the outside of the soap. How neat, and feels so luxurious on the skin! I’m also a fan of the heavenly smelling Eucalyptus & Bergamot Bar Soap to take your shower to the next level. Good Juju makes some lovely scrubs for the body and face as well. Plus, the Whole Body Oil has been the perfect post-shower hydrator, and leaves my skin feeling soft and smooth.

It’s no surprise I love a good face oil, and Good Juju Restorative Face Oil is one of the better ones I’ve tried lately. With nourishing ingredients like blue tansy oil, rosehip, squalane, and jojoba oils, it’s great for all skin types, including sensitive and blemish-prone. The product works to provide the skin with vital vitamins and fatty acids, while also boosting collagen and lipid repair as skin ages over time. After using the oil for only a few weeks, I can already tell it helps to reduce inflammation, regulate oil production, repair the skin barrier, as well as supply lasting, lightweight hydration. Next on my list to try is the Good Juju Essential Salve, which is said to be great for calming irritated or inflamed skin.

As if all that wasn’t enough, they also participate in The Happy Skin Project, which provides free and discounted soap to those currently undergoing radiation or chemotherapy in order to keep their skin as healthy and intact as possible. Good Juju also donates their soap ends to local shelters & community organizations. How wonderful!

 * This post may contain affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, it won’t cost you a penny more, but I’ll earn a small commission. This allows me to continue to generate content for you, and helps keep the site up and running. Thanks for your support! 

fave products // milk + honey exfoliating cleanser & toner

There’s something about finding the perfect balance between products that are gentle yet still exfoliate and thoroughly cleanse the skin. Ya know what I mean? I’ve been a fan of milk + honey products for a while now- I love that their formulas are totally clean without any harsh or irritating ingredients, but are also super effective. I’ve been incorporating their Exfoliating Cleanser & Exfoliating Toner into my routine lately, and I love how quickly I’m noticing a difference in my skin. The cleanser works to revitalize dull & tired skin, and improve the appearance of pores, leaving you with soft, glowing, healthier-looking skin, while the toner uses a blend of powerful clarifying ingredients to gently resurface the skin. Mandelic acid, a gentle type of alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) made from bitter almonds, helps with hyperpigmentation and signs of aging, while black willow bark extract, which contains a natural form of salicylic acid (BHA), helps to promote cellular turnover. Plus, tea tree essential oil helps to reduce inflammation to support clearer, smoother skin. While you may worry that all these clarifying ingredients can cause dryness- fear not. Aloe vera juice and hyaluronic acid help to nourish and hydrate the skin, making this duo quite the one-two punch! If you’re looking to switch up your cleanser and toner, I definitely suggest checking out milk + honey products.

 * This post may contain affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, it won’t cost you a penny more, but I’ll earn a small commission. This allows me to continue to generate content for you, and helps keep the site up and running. Thanks for your support! 

fave products // beautycounter counter+ all bright c serum

Who doesn’t want brighter, my glowy skin? Vitamin C serums are a dime a dozen these days, but not all are created equal. I personally look for a serum that is lightweight & absorbs easily, made of ultra-stable forms of vitamin C, while also lending a quick boost of radiance to my skin. I’m always impressed by vitamin C’s ability to promote an overall more even skin tone, and I’m happy to say a new find from Beautycounter really delivers.

The Counter + All Bright C Serum boasts an impressive and ultra potent 10% blend of two different forms of vitamin C. They work hand in hand to brighten skin tone and diminish the appearance of dark spots, while antioxidant super heroes turmeric and camu camu help prevent the appearance of new ones as well. I’ve been using the All Bright C Serum for several weeks now, and my skin just looks brighter, and even some of my hyperpigmentation spots are less visible! For an extra boost of radiance, I’ve been using the Beautycounter Glow First Priming Serum, which is goes on smooth and glowy, and combines the best of both skincare and makeup!

An added bonus is that Beautycounter products are vegan, cruelty-free, and EWG-verified, so you can feel good about applying them to your skin. A more youthful, glowing complexion is yours to be had- now, what are you waiting for?!

 * This post may contain affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, it won’t cost you a penny more, but I’ll earn a small commission. This allows me to continue to generate content for you, and helps keep the site up and running. Thanks for your support!