Current Beauty OBSESSIONS

A lot of products come my way - some are great, some are not. Below are a collection of things I have been using and loving!

The Zoya lipstick in Addie is my new everyday color. It's the most gorgeous pink/mauve/nude and it had great lasting power. If I want to pump up the color I line my lips and fill them in entirely with Chocolate glimmerstick by Avon. I also love this liner with another lip favorite, Clay Crush by Maybelline.

The L'Oreal mask was actually sent to me from Influenster (such a fun concept!! Sign up HERE if you haven't yet. Free products in exchange for honest reviews!) Anyways, I was sent the "Clear & Comfort" version of this mask, and I really enjoyed it! My skin felt super smooth and soft after I used it, and it helped to dry out a pimple I had, without drying out my skin. I will definitely buy a new tub of this when I run out! The Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask is something I should have told you guys about loooooong ago! I've been using it for over two years, and only recently bought a second jar. You put a tiny dab on your lips right before bed, and wake up with beautifully hydrated lips. We are coming to the time of year where it's getting colder and drier, so I tend to add a bit more at night during the chilly months.

Native deodorant. So, I did an Instagram story mentioning that I was going to make the switch over to natural deodorant, and I've never had so many direct messages in my life, lol! Anyways, I have successfully made the switch and am really loving Native brand! The scent I'm using and loving is Apricot & White Peach. If you've been thinking of making the switch to natural deodorants, I highly recommend it. I switched Tony over too, and he's been really happy as well.

Makeup Forever's nourishing primer was sent to me a while ago, and I finally picked it up recently, and have been thrilled. My skin is super sensitive and for most of my life has been oily. Since I've gotten older it's moved onto combination, and quite recently it's been feeling dry. I switched over to this hydrating primer and am in love! It makes my skin feel great, and holds my makeup on all day.

The Urban Decay Troublemaker is bomb dot com!!! It goes on so beautifully, doesn't flake off and is super black! My one criticism is that it's a bit harder to remove than other mascaras, but I can handle it, for the look it gives off. Also, the packaging is super pretty ;)

What are YOUR current beauty obsessions?! What should I try next??!

Current Beauty Obsessions

This post contains affiliate links, and/or press samples. As always, all opinions are my own, and cannot be bought.

This edition of Current Beauty Obsessions is a bit of a hodge podge, but some great things I've been digging lately!

I love a good body scrub, and this Rose Cardamom one by Bambu Earth is fantastic! I like it because it's not an overly oily body scrub, just an awesome, easy to use and great smelling exfoliator!

I have mentioned my love of ColorScience brush-on sunscreen, and now they have this incredible bronzing primer with SPF 20. YOU GUYS!! It is SO good! It comes out as this lightweight, bronze mousse and smooths beautifully on skin. It doesn't give coverage, but it definitely evens out your skintone. It works great as a super quick way to give yourself a little bronze boost, but it is also a fantastic makeup primer. I tested it out under Bare Minerals foundation, which completely wears off on me without a good primer, and it helped my makeup stay all day, and I loved the hint of color, and sun protection that it gave me!

Buxom lip gloss in Peach Daiquiri is a new favorite! I used to not be a fan of the Buxom brand glosses - the tingle was something I didn't care for. But now? I love it! It's this funny, tingling sensation that I've grown to enjoy and I notice it slightly plumps my lips too. This peach daiquiri shade is the perfect hint of color on it's own, but also looks great over so many different lipsticks. It is super shiny, which I love too!

The Shampure Dry Shampoo by Aveda is bomb.com! I worked for Aveda years ago (and got the best discount ever. Ugh, I miss that discount!) but the products are so great that I've never stopped using them. They came out with a dry shampoo not too long ago, and it is awesome! You hold the bottle near your roots and squeeze, and a little poof of powder comes out. Gently massage it into your greasy roots, and voila! Clean and fresh. It is seriously great!

The limited edition Go Naked perfume by Urban Decay is so good! The main scent notes are Italian Bergamot, Orange Blossom and Lavender, but I think it is best described as "Vacation in a bottle." Truly, the first time I opened it up and smelled it I was instantly transported to sipping mai tai's at Duke's.  The scent is all the best parts of a tropical vacation, and needs to be smelled to be truly appreciated. I love that it's in a rollerball that I can easily pop in my purse, and carry around. You'd better believe I will be rocking this scent all summer!

The entire California Dreaming collection by OPI is incredibly gorgeous, but "Time For A Napa" is just the most perfect bright coral creme I've ever seen. As I'm typing I've had it on for six days, and there isn't a single chip. My obsession with the Infinite Shine line is real!

The Aquis Luxe waffle knit hair turban. Kind of a random beauty favorite, but let me tell you why it made the cut: It legitimately dries my hair in half the time!! I am a big fan of air-drying my hair, and this towel absorbs SO much of the moisture. It is crazy. I was sent this as a press sample, and didn't get my hopes up. I've used hair turbans similar to this for years, and they've never absorbed moisture. This one is insane. I don't know if it's the waffle knit, or the type of cotton they use, or what, but I don't need to know why it works. All I know is that it does!

No beauty fails this time - maybe I didn't try that many new things, lol! What are your current beauty obsessions?! What about beauty fails?!

Current Beauty Obsessions....and a FAIL!

The best beauty products I've tried in a loooooong while!

First up is the mascara that everyone keeps asking me about....literally, I've been asked if I'm wearing false lashes or have extensions when I'm wearing Maybelline's "The Falsies Push Up Angel" mascara. Seriously, what is up with these long names? One of my most popular blog posts is my MASCARA SMACKDOWN, so it's known that I love me some Maybelline mascara. I believe this is one of their newest formulas, and I can't recommend it enough!

Evan Healy Wild Carrot Eye Balm. This brand is brand new to me, but I've been using this EVERYTHING balm since I got it from Whole Foods a few weeks ago. It is super rich and super hydrating, and great for anywhere you're feeling dry. I use a small dab under each eye (remember to gently pat things on your under eye area, never rub as you could cause skin damage.) I put it on at night, and let it really soak in. I also love it on my cuticles.

Trade Joe's coffee body scrub. Oh my goodness, this stuff is heavenly! It has a great texture to really exfoliate and give you THE smoothest skin! It smells like freshly ground coffee, with the slightest hint of coconut. It is the bomb dot com! Only downside is it makes a bit of a mess in your shower, but that's not the product's fault, now is it? Try it - it's only five bucks and soooooooo good!

BECCA Soft Light Blurring Powder. This is a really beautiful, finely-milled setting powder that has the *tiniest* bit of shimmer. It sets your makeup all day, and that tiny bit of shimmer adds a really pretty radiance. The powder alone is $38, bt if you buy it HERE it's less than $35 for the powder, and the brush!

Infallible Foundations by L'Oreal. Holy crap, you guys. L'Oreal got it so, SO right with both their Glow-Pro and Pro Matte formulas. Both wear beautifully all day, without creasing. My suggestion to you is to look at these swatches (GLOW PRO SWATCHES // PRO MATTE SWATCHES) and then order two you think might work for you, and send the other back. For reference I'm a 204 (or 104 in the matte) I kept the 103 in the matte, because it works when I add just a touch of bronzer. They've got a pretty decent range of colors, and even my olive-skinned mom has found a great shade. I find them to be about $5 cheaper on Amazon than any drugstore, and if you send one back no one is going to hastle you ;)

L'Oreal Colour Riche lipstick in EVERBLOOM. Run to amazon to grab this right now, because there's a $1 coupon, making it under five bucks! I like this lipstick line because it is super hydrating, and has great staying power. This is the perfect corally-rose color, and is so flattering!

And for my beauty FAIL. Ugh. I don't know if I got a bad batch, or what but I absolutely hated the new eye primers by Physician's Formula. Someone on my Instagram was raving about how much she loved them, so naturally I had to try. They were so bad for me. I used them the way I use my normal primer, and I swear this stuff made my eye makeup crease and flake worse than it ever has, even without primer. Not worth it.

Beauty items I'd like to try: CC Cream by It, Confidence in an Eye Cream (also by IT) and BECCA First Light Primer. What are some things you are wanting to try?? And what are YOUR current beauty obsessions?!

Current Beauty Obsessions - January 2017

Makeup Forever Ultra HD Foundation. I've actually had this sitting around for a while now, but due to my extreme love of Bare Minerals I hadn't tried it until recently. Wowzers, it is gooooood! The formula feels like nothing on, but covers flawlessly, without looking like you're wearing foundation. It's basically your skin but better. Coverage is buildable, and they have a huge range of colors (I wear color 140, for reference.)

Dead Sea Mud mask by Bambu Earth. Another awesome product! My skin tends to get greasy, and breakout but also dry at the same time. SO irritating! This mask soaks up excess oil, but doesn't dry me out AT ALL! I also really like using it as a spot treatment overnight, on those lovely pimples that still continue to pop up.

All of Bambu Earth's products are formulated without nasty chemicals, and you can save 20% on this awesome mud with code HEATHERGIUSTINO

L'Oreal  Extraordinary Clay pre-shampoo treatment mask. If you have oily hair this is a dream product! I know you're not supposed to wash your hair everyday, so I do it every other day but my hair gets OILY! Enter this amazing new product. You put it on your roots (I also put it on the roots near my ears where I tend to get oily) for at least five minutes before your shower. Then rinse and shampoo/condition as normal. I was skeptical about this, but it truly does work! I saw a huge reduction in oil in my hair the day I washed it, and the day after as well. As someone who typically shies away from drugstore hair products I am incredibly impressed!

Last, but certainly not least is this incredible, little powerhouse. The #InstaReady full coverage concealer by Physician's Formula is quite possibly *the* best concealer I've ever tried. It's full, full coverage, lasts all day long and doesn't crease. You only need the tiniest amount (I learned that the hard way) and it comes with it's own tiny, adorable blender that is perfect for under eyes. Try this bad boy, I promise you won't be disappointed!

What are YOUR current beauty obsessions?! Let me know what I should try out next!

Current Beauty Obsessions - October 2016

 So I know I haven't done a Current Beauty Obsessions post for a while, and it's with good reason. Nothing has stood out until now. I only ever want to recommend products I use and truly love, and didn't want to slap out a post with products that were just ok. I hope you love my Current Beauty Obsessions as much as I do, and understand the reasoning behind there not being one the last two months.

Without further adieu:

I have tried *so* many different foundations, and I always, always come back to Bare Minerals. All of their different formulas and variations are gentle on my skin, don't look caked on, and give nice, buildable coverage. I am currently loving their newest foundation, the Bare Pro pressed powder foundation. (I'm color #12 - Warm Natural for reference.) The foundation is truly buildable, and looks great on. I definitely prefer using it with the Core Coverage Brush, and my latest favorite primer is (also Bare Minerals) Prep Step, with SPF 50. It feels like absolutely nothing, but gives your makeup incredible staying power, and I'm loving the built-in sun protection.

Pumpkin Pie lip sugar by Bambu Earth. WOWZA - you guys!!! This is a really gentle exfoliator that packs a punch. You rub a pea-sized amount all over your lips to slough off the dead skin, and wipe (or lick!) off. It truly tastes like pumpkin pie, and gets your lips perfectly ready for lipstick. I like to use it a few nights a week before bed, and then put coconut oil on my lips, so they can soak in the hydration over night. I have heard so many great things about Bambu Earth (they're an eco-friendly company, and their products are free of all the nasties!) and their dry shampoo is next on my wishlist.

I'm Not Really A Waitress by OPI from the Infnite Shine line. A month or two back OPI released thirty of it's most iconic shades into their Infinite Shine line, and I was beyond thrilled when they added one of my very favorite colors ever, I'm Not Really A Waitress. The color is gorgeous, and it lasts a week + without chips. Can't be beat!

Jergens Wet Skin Moisturizer. This might be the coolest product I've tried in a while. You might be thinking this is just a humble, little moisturizer, but it is so much more. You put it on in the shower, while you're still wet. You then dry yourself off as usual, but the moisture is locked in all day long. My skin is on the dryer side, and sometimes (especially right after I shave my legs) my skin will start to feel dry and itchy until I can put on some lotion, but this completely eliminates that problem, and the moisture in my skin lasts longer. It's really impressive! I've used the Monoi Oil scent, and the Cherry Almond and the cherry almond wins in my book. Definitely give this bad boy a try!

Tarteist mascara by Tarte. I've blogged about mascara before, and for the longest time was a strictly drugstore mascara chick. But then I got this mascara as a free gift with purchase, and it is incredible!! It is the darkest, black I've ever seen and gives my lashes great volume and length. I love it. Not sure if I'll buy a new tube when this one runs out, or stick to my drugstore ways, but for now I am obsessed!

What are some of YOUR current beauty obsessionss?? Please let me know!

Current Beauty Obsessions - July 2016

This month, in honor of America's birthday I'm featuring nothing but products made in the USA!

First up - Oribe Apres Beach Spray. With a name like Oribe, I was kind of expecting it to be made in Europe, but nope - made here! This is one of my favorite, favorite, favorite products EVER. It is expensive, but worth every penny and as soon as my can starts to feel a bit light I run out and grab another. My hair is super fine, and the bottom half is wavy and textured while the top half is stick straight. I like to spray a bit of this on my hair when it's damp (like two small sprays) and then work it in and let it air dry. I then go over my hair with my curling iron to give some texture and curl to the pieces up front and on top that dry straight, and then I set everything with the spray. It holds the texture and style for days and the smell is insanely delicious. I buy it at my salon, but you can get it on Amazon if you aren't local to me.

Honest Company Healing Balm. This stuff is pretty awesome. I've been using it on my cuticles and lips as just a deeply hydrating moisturizer, but Tony had a bad burn on his hand, and we put the balm on and it took care of it in no time. Even he was impressed, and he's a hard sell on everything! This is a really great product to have around for all sorts of things, and I am loving it!

Julep's new hydrating lip color in Primrose. It looks like it's not available on their site yet (I got it on my Maven box this month) but I'm assuming it will be out soon. The color is so gorgeous and it stays on for hours without drying out my lips. If you aren't a Julep Maven yet you can sign up here

Jergens Natural Glow lotion. I generally avoid anything that will show my legs like the plague. I'm also half Spanish, so I tan super easily. The result of having my legs constantly hidden + getting dark everywhere else (no matter how much sunscreen I use!) makes for an interesting look. Well, I had a shortish dress to wear to my cousin's wedding and my legs were ghostly white, but my feet were super dark. This lotion to the rescue! I put it on my legs first thing in the morning, and at night everyday for about three days and the result was naturally looking tan legs. I am now a fan for life!

not bad for a lotion, right?

These nail polishes are just awesome! Free of all the nasty chemicals that are unfortunately in so many brands, and they have great wearability. They last a long time without chips and I'm a huge fan. The blushing crystal I showed you here and will take pictures next time I'm wearing the others. the other colors are: Lagoon, Tahitian Pearl, Blue Nile and Confetti. I buy them at my local Whole Foods, but Amazon has a great selection online.

ColorScience mineral sunscreen. This is one of those products I wonder how I ever lived without. I am crazy about sunscreen, and am diligent in applying it to myself, my girls and Tony. I like to touch up throughout the day but when I've got a face full of makeup it's not ideal to swipe on more sunscreen. Enter this lifesaver - I just open up the cap and sweep the brush all over my face. It doesn't disrupt my makeup, and gives me the sun protection I need. SPF 50 for the win!! I keep it in my purse.

What are YOUR current must-have beauty products?? Let me know so I can check them out!

Current Beauty Obsessions - June 2016

Summer is finally officially here - yay!!! My beauty routine definitely becomes more streamlined and minimal during the hot months, and here are the products I just cannot live without.

1. Bronze Goddess Soleil perfume by Estee Lauder. Sorry to do this to you guys, but this particular version is long gone. Every year Estee Lauder comes out with a new Bronze Goddess perfume and this year's is still pretty incredible. Perfect when you want a scent, but nothing overpowering. It reminds me of the beach!

2. Hawaiian Tropic silk hydration spf 30 for face, This is moisturizing, but light and doesn't clog my pores. It also has a really great smell. I use it in addition to my regular face moisturizer.

3. Sun Bum SPF 50 for body. I'm a total sunscreen junkie. This is my absolute favorite for the body - it goes on nicely without a weird sunscreen feel. It's a bit pricier than typical drugstore sunscreens, but worth every penny in my opinion.

4.  Derma-E purifying daily scrub. This is gentle enough to be used everyday, but I use it about every other day. It's made with marine algae and activated charcoal, and is a super gentle scrub that leaves my face feeling smooth and clean after being in the heat.

5. Bare Minerals Sheer Sun Bronzer and brush. You guys, I'm obsessed!! Sometimes I'll use this in place of any foundation at all, other times I will use it on top of my foundation. (Still loving the one I told you guys about last month!) It gives me an incredibly natural sun kissed glow and I can't recommend it enough!

6. I am new to Glossier, but after hearing countless raves I went ahead and ordered some of their cult classic Balm dot Calms. They are worth the hype. It's a multi-purpose skin salve that I especially love using on my lips, and the coconut is my favorite. (Although rose is a close second!) You can use this link for 20% off of your first purchase.

Those are the things I can't live without right now. What about you??