The vibe for my wedding makeup was natural-ish with a BIG focus on the skin. Like, lots of highlighting, contouring, bronzing, and shimmer pops going on. I wore very little eyeshadow and a very simple lip. Why so NATURAL? Well, I’m not really a ‘natural’ kind of person in a lot of ways, but I like for my skin to look its very best…and that means no cake face. Plus I am personally not a huge fan of a lot of eyeshadow in my everyday life, so I did my wedding makeup based off what I look like everyday. I just added some pops of glam, like subtle shimmer on the lids, bold lashes, and accentuated my eyes with contouring.
There’s nothing better than finding a drugstore gem of a beauty product! Generally, drugstore beauty products are less expensive than department store products, and when they really work well, there’s no need to spend extra money on their counterparts.
These are some items that are tried and true for me from the drugstore, from makeup to eye drops. PLUS they’re all cruelty free items.
I’d love to hear any of your favorites because I LOVE a good drugstore buy.
Let’s just cut to the chase: we all want to look good nude. Amiright?
It’s so cliché, but when you look good, you feel good. I didn’t make it up, but it’s just true. And yeah, working out and eating clean are huge parts of feeling and looking your best, but today I’m talking about specific things that I do to look and feel smoother, tanner, tighter…you get the drift.
Keep scrolling to check out what my tips to look better naked are:
Dry Brush
I’ve been dry brushing for years and it has done amazing things for my skin (and my lymphatic system). When you dry brush, make sure you use long strokes and direct the brush towards your heart, not away. It hurts in the best way possible, and it will leave your skin feeling incredibly smooth because it is quite literally the best exfoliating method there is. Hot tip: you can add oil to the brush (love this one from Diptyque) and then shower immediately after so that your skin can absorb the oil in the steamy shower.
So, do you have any tips for looking better naked you want to share with me? Leave your tips in the comments down below and let me know!
Wear your sunscreen!
Am I telling you to wear sunscreen again? Yep! It doesn’t matter if it’s raining, cloudy, or sunny and hot, you MUST wear sunscreen everywhere, everyday. My absolute favorite is Elta MD’s line. I use the UV Facial Broad Spectrum Sunscreen on my face and the UV Shield Broad Spectrum Sunscreen on my body. I love Elta MD’s sunscreens because they are not chemical sunscreens – meaning shitty chemicals are not going to be absorbed into your bloodstream. Instead, Zinc Oxide sits on the skin to protect it from harmful rays. I love this stuff because it’s not only good for you, but it’s easy to apply makeup on top of and it does not ever break me out. Hot tip: don’t forget your eyelids, under your eyes, and ears!
Niacinamide Serum
Niacinamide is insane for combating BACNE and BUTTNE AKA back acne and butt acne. If you have ANY acne, anywhere on your body. Niacinamide is your secret weapon. I am really shocked that this is really never talked about. I use Niacinamide on my arms to help smooth my keratosis pilaris and on my butt to smooth it out. A little more info on the magical potion: Niacinamide’s anti-inflammatory properties make it an attractive treatment for skin conditions marked by inflammation, like acne. In fact, in two double-blind studies—one published in 2013 and the other published in 1995, both in the International Journal of Dermatology—a topical preparation of 4 percent niacinamide treated moderate acne just as well as 1 percent clindamycin (a topical antibiotic commonly prescribed to acne patients) when applied twice daily for eight weeks. {source}
Well, look what we have here! Another skincare post! You guys love all things skincare just as much as I do, but I’m not surprised. This one is a good one because literally everyone can benefit from this magical oil.
Yes, there are like 993,457 oils available for the skin and it can be so confusing WTF kind of oils are best. Safe advice: start with Herbivore’s Lapis Oil if you are new to using oils.
When I saw that Herbivore had this blue oil available AND it is listed as being anti-inflammatory, clarifying, antibacterial, AND plant-based, I HAD to have it.
Back up, let’s talk about what Lapis is:
Lapis Lazuli, a favorite stone of ancient Egypt, is known for its gorgeous deep blue color. Lapis Facial Oil is named for the precious blue oil it contains, Blue Tansy. This oil holds a component called Azulene which aids in soothing dry irritated skin, reducing the appearance of redness and balancing skin. Formulated for combination, oily, and blemish-prone skin types or any skin in need of balancing hydration. {Source}
Within a two days of using the Lapis oil, I could tell that it lived up to its promises. A little sidenote: I have rosacea, and this oil neutralizes my redness amazingly well. I was and still am pretty shocked. It makes your skin very soft, too. I noticed that within 24 hours.
What’s even more cool about this oil? You can use it in the morning and/or at night. Many oils are too oily for daytime use, even for me — the dryest person on the planet, but I LOVE that the Lapis oil is so universal. It’s so light, soaks into the skin the dreamiest way, and sits well under foundation.
Little tip: If you are super dry like I am, try mixing the oil into your foundation (I use Lawless Woke Up Like This) and you will have the most insane NON-GREASY glow.
If you’re worried about breaking out or looking greasy if you struggle with acne or oily skin, don’t worry. The base of Lapis is jojoba oil, which mimics the skin’s natural sebum production. It naturally helps reduce acne scarring and discoloration, is anti-aging, and increases the skins elasticity. I love it as someone who has dry skin, but I think that someone with oily skin would love it just as much, if not more because it’s just so damn hard to find an oil for that skin type.
Now let’s talk about the smell. I don’t love it. That is the ONE downside. HOWEVER: I seem to be the minority here because everyone else I know who uses it loves the smell. Lapis has no added or artificial fragrance, but the jasmine-sambac in the oil gives it a floral scent. I love me some floral scents, but this one is just…different. Not bad. But it’s not as offensive to me now after using it for awhile.
So there you have it: the oil that works for just about everyone.
Let me know if you’ve tried this oil. Do you love it? Hate it?
Looking like a radiant bride on your wedding day is a must…and it all starts with skincare. You guys know I am a self-professed skincare psycho, so I had been researching and testing products LONG before my wedding day.
PRO TIP: If you are a soon-to-be bride, please test out products at least 6 months in advance of your wedding day to make sure that they will work for your skin.
In today’s video, I’m sharing everything I used on my face as far as skin products go on my wedding day, and HOW to use them in order to get glowy, radiant skin.
