May 2013 Favorites!

It's time for another favorites post, and I really can't believe how fast the year is going by! I know everyone says that but seriously, we're already almost half way through the year! Plus, there's only four more months until I'm married. Eeekk! Anyways, enough of my ramblings, and onto my favorites!

My first favorite this past month has been the Clean & Clear Morning Burst Shine Control Facial Cleanser. I've been using this in the morning, obviously, and I like how it actually seems to be controlling the oiliness I get throughout my day. It's not a miracle cleanser by any means, but it makes my skin feel clean and shine free, but not dried out.

My next favorite has been my Sigma P88 Precision Flat Angled Brush. I feel like I've raved about this too much already and I did a full review here if you wanted to read it. Since I already did a review on it, I won't go into much detail here as it may take up this whole post!

Next up is the Aussie Split-End Protector. I've been using this as a leave-in conditioner just on the last 4 to 5 inches of my hair. I did recently get a haircut and I colored it myself, so I'm trying to take care of it the best I can. I hate split ends and as my hair gets longer, it always gets worse whether I get a haircut or not. I've only been using this for about two weeks now and so far it's been awesome! I love how it smells and it makes my hair alot easier to comb and brush through.

Inked in Pink (top) Seashore Frosts (bottom)

My next two favorites have been Maybelline Color Tattoos in the colors Inked in Pink and the coveted Seashore Frosts. I love Inked in Pink when I don't want to put alot of fuss into my look, but still want a nice wash of color on my lids. This color is great underneath a shimmery, champagne colored shadow as well. 

Seashore Frosts. Oh boy have I heard some amazing things about this Color Tattoo! When I read a bunch of rave reviews on this, I knew I had to have it. I went to three different stores looking for it and finally found the last two of this color at Rite Aid mixed in with the regular line. This color for some reason wasn't in the limited edition display. When I saw two of these bad boys hiding, I grabbed them so quick and squealed a little, that's how excited I was. My fiance looked at me like I was nuts, and I probably am! Like I said, I bought the last two they had and I'm not sure what I'll do with the unopened one I have yet.

This next favorite I'm a little happy/sad about. I'm happy I found the Covergirl & Olay Simply Ageless Eye Concealer because it's truly an amazing concealer for the dark circles I have under my eyes. I'm sad because I've heard too many times that this is getting discontinued. I should've known when I saw that this was discounted at 50% off at Walgreen's. I heard alot of amazing things about this concealer through Youtube and figured I'd give it a try. I found the last one of the lightest shade and it's perfect for me.

Color Whisper (left) Lip Butter (right)

My last two favorites are lip products. The first one is the Maybelline Color Whisper in the color Cherry on Top, and the second is a Revlon Lip Butter in the color Sorbet. I love pink lip products whether they be glosses or balms. I'm not the biggest fan of lipsticks, which is why I love these. Both are very moisturizing and have a balmy texture to them. The colors look very similar but Sorbet is a bit deeper. I also love how you can wear these sheer or layer them on your lips to make the color pop more.

NOTD: China Glaze Love's A Beach & Nailtini Millionaire

It's been ages since I've done a Nail of the Day post, and I'm pretty sure I only have one other post showing off my nail polish! I figured I'd do another one because I actually like how my nails turned out this time. I think I'm rubbish at painting my nails but usually after a couple days, it starts looking nice. 

I first put down a base coat, then used two coats of China Glaze's Love's A Beach, which is a beautiful neon pink color with a hint of coral to it. When I put on the first coat, I was pretty shocked when it turned out matte. I looked up other reviews online as well, and for some reason the color here looks nothing like the other reviews, so I don't know what's up with that. Anyways, I love how fast this dried. Right after I put on the first coat, it was completely dry. Amazing! I purchased this at Sally Beauty when there was a sale on their nail polishes for buy 2, get one free. 

I felt like doing a little something extra with my nails and added Nailtini's Millionaire on my ring finger as an accent. I got this glittery nail polish in a previous Ipsy bag and I actually really like it! I love all the gold, green and blue glitter pieces in it and I feel that it makes this look pop a bit. I'm not used to doing much with my nails, so this was a bit out of my comfort zone, but I really ended up liking it. Since I wasn't a fan of the matte look with the China Glaze polish, I did use a shiny top coat afterwards that helped a little bit, but my nails do still look matte. 

Hope you guys like this look!

Review: Sigma P88 Precision Flat Angled Brush

Hey everyone! So when I posted my April Favorites, my first favorite was this brush, and for good reason! I'm very excited to be doing this review, now that I've had a chance to really test it out. So lets get started!

The description I got from the Sigma website says:

Unique Feature: Small, dense and flat angled head
Function: Precise contouring
Recommended Use: Use for precise application of concealer products anywhere on the face. Works particularly well around the eyes and nose
Bristle Type: Synthetic Sigmax

This brush costs $16, but you can usually find a 10% off code on a beauty guru's Youtube channel who's affiliated with Sigma. Also, it says USA on the handle, which I had assumed it was made in the USA, when really it's not. I've read that they're designed in the US, manufactured in China, then distributed by Sigma. Sigma is based in the US. It's not too big of a deal, but they shouldn't put USA on the handle when they're not made here. 

I have to say that I'm in love with this brush! I love that it's angled and that I can get into the corners of my eyes really well. It's also one of the softest brushes I own which is especially nice for use around the eyes. Once in a while if I used a little too much concealer around my eyes, I'll take a little bit around my nose and have no issues with blending. I do wash this brush with baby shampoo after every use since I don't want bacteria getting in my eyeballs or anything. I haven't noticed any shedding or bleeding of color from the bristles either. If you enlarge the picture, you can see there's a little stray bristle at the back of the brush, which I may cut off, but it doesn't bother application. 

I really do love this brush so much. I'm actually thinking of buying a backup of this just to have, but I'm not sure yet. I did buy two other Sigma brushes that I also love, and if you want a review on them, let me know. This is definitely my favorite brush out of the three I bought. 

Have any of you tried Sigma Brushes?

Sunday Social

 

 Today's Sunday Social is all about Summer!

1. Best Summer memory as a kid?
I always liked when my great-grandparents took my younger brother and I to the beach. We usually went to Rehoboth Beach in Delaware. I remember one time when we were on the boardwalk getting these frozen slushie treats and I looked out into the ocean and I saw a bunch of dolphins jumping. It was pretty cool to see as a kid.

2. Favorite Summer drink?
Probably a pina colada or a strawberry daiquiri :)

3. Favorite Summer TV show?
I don't have one. I don't watch much TV anymore.

4. Best outdoor Summer activity?
I'm gonna go with going to the shore. I don't get many weekends off from work, but if I do have a weekend off, hopefully I can go for a day!

5. Summer vacation essentials?
Definitely lots of sunblock! I can't really think of anything else right now. I usually make a list of what I'll need depending on where I'm going.

My First and Last Experience With Hautelook

I have a rant today guys. I placed my very first order with Hautelook on May 3rd, and my package just came today. I had ordered this Nude'tude Eyeshadow palette from theBalm, which I was really excited for. I also ordered a blush from theBalm in the color Downboy, which I was also very excited to try. Like I said, my package just came today, so I've been waiting for quite a while. I open up the box all happy and whatnot, and they never sent the blush! I got pretty upset about that and thought maybe I got an email or something saying they had too many orders and I wasn't getting one and would get a refund. That would be all fine and dandy but I got no email, no nothing and my credit card was charged for the full amount. 

After getting upset about not receiving my blush, I open up the palette because I had heard so many amazing things about this. After I open it up, I notice little prints of something on most of the colors. I'm not sure if you can tell from the picture, but in person the colors Sassy, Selfish, Sophisticated, Sexy, Serious, Sultry, Seductive, Silly and Sleek all look tampered with. I don't know if it's finger prints or what, but I'm not a happy camper right now. 

I would call customer service, but they're not available on weekends, so I sent an email hoping to get things straightened out. I know I probably won't get an answer til at least Monday, but I'm hoping they'll at least refund me for the blush. My receipt says final sale and that everything is non-returnable, which I understand, but it's a bit upsetting because I was so excited to try both items, when one never came, and the other looks used. It's pretty safe to say I won't be ordering anything from Hautelook again. Ever.

Have you had any good or bad experiences with Hautelook? 

Review: Yes to Tomatoes Acne Daily Pore Scrub

Hey guys! Today I'm going to be reviewing a face scrub that I've been testing out, and it's the Yes to Tomatoes Acne Daily Pore Scrub. I've been trying to be really good about exfoliating my skin because it's getting way warmer here and I'm turning into a big greaseball, which means I tend to break out more. I always have to make sure my pores are as clear as possible so I don't break out, which is why I like scrubs like these!

My first gripe about this is that it says it's a DAILY pore scrub, but I find it way too harsh to be used everyday! Seriously, this contains little bits of bamboo stem as the exfoliator which to my skin it pretty harsh. I've only been able to use this once or twice a week at most. My second and last gripe about this is that it's a bit hard to rinse off. It leaves a bit of a film on your skin if you don't rinse it off very well, but I always follow up with a toner after using this, and that helps quite a bit. 

Now onto some positives! This contains 2% salicylic acid, which helps to clear your pores and fight acne. Also, there is tomato extract in it, and the lycopene in the tomatoes helps block pore clogging impurities, which is a big plus! I've read reviews that people don't like the smell, and I'm no different. Come on though, it's made of tomatoes. Tomatoes smell awful in their normal form! I can't stand how they taste either, but that's beside the point. Overall, it just doesn't smell great. 

Has this product helped my skin? In all honesty, no. I'm still very oily, I'm actually going through a few nasty breakouts right now and I don't really notice this clearing out my pores. I do, however, notice that my skin feels a bit softer after I use this, but that's about it. I don't really like that it leaves a film on my skin either. I'm not super sad about this not working because I bought it at Walmart and I had a $2 off coupon for it, so it only cost me a little under $5. No big deal. I'd love to try out more products from the Yes to line, but I definitely won't be repurchasing this scrub.

Have you tried this scrub before?

Seven Deadly Sins Beauty Tag!

Hey guys! So the lovely Meesha over at Strawberry Hearts Chocolate Darts tagged me to do this! I've been seeing it go around the Youtube beauty community and now it's taking over the beauty blogging world. So here are the questions and my answers!

-GREED: What is your most expensive beauty item?
Probably my Clarisonic. My mom actually bought it for me as a birthday gift a few years ago from QVC and it came with a bunch of other things as well like cleansers and replacement brush heads for it. I'm not really sure how much it cost, but I'm sure it wasn't cheap!

-WRATH: Which beauty item do you have a love-hate relationship with?
Foundation for sure! I love when I first apply it because it looks nice and even and my skin isn't shiny. As my day goes on, my skin gets oily and it basically looks like I have a mask on my face. I try everything I can to make my skin less shiny.

-GLUTTONY: What brand takes up the biggest chunk of your makeup collection?
It's probably a tie between Bare Escentuals and Urban Decay. I've been a bareMinerals girl since I was a teenager and barely into makeup, but I have about a million and one eyeshadows from them, I'm obsessed with their Flawless Definition Mascara and I have a few brushes as well. Urban Decay came later on in life for me as I got more into makeup. I have so many of their eyeshadow palettes, it's a bit ridiculous. I also bought a ton of their single eyeshadows when they went on clearance before they released the new formula of them. Their Eyeshadow Primer Potion is probably my all-time favorite eye primer (but it's expensive!). 

-SLOTH: What product do you neglect to use due to laziness?
Usually eyeliner. For some reason I just don't like how it looks on me but I do try to put it on once in a while. I also don't necessarily think it's due to laziness, but I'm not very good at eyeliner either, which is why I usually skip it.

-PRIDE: Which beauty product gives you the most confidence?
Eyeshadow or lip gloss. I love doing different looks with my eyes, and I have nice, full lips so I love using lip gloss to accentuate them.

-LUST: Which item is at the top of your beauty wishlist?
I honestly don't really have one at the moment. I usually like something for a little bit, but if I end up not buying it, it doesn't really bother me. As I'm out doing errands, if I see something I want I typically just buy it if it's not too expensive. I've been getting more into drugstore makeup lately which is probably why I don't want anything right now.

-ENVY: Which makeup product or look looks great on others, but not yourself?
I'm going with my answer to Sloth and saying eyeliner. So many people make eyeliner look so nice. I see people do the cat eye looks and they do straight lines perfectly and I just suck at it. I probably just need to practice more, but really, I suck.

People I'm tagging
-Beauty and Fashion on a College Budget
-Beauty Guide 101
-Blushing Antics
-Mandy Jean Chic
-MishMreow
-Natalie Loves Beauty
-RosyChicc

May 2013 Ipsy Bag

Hello everyone! It feels like ages since I've written something here. Life has been a little weird. I got sick for a few days, my work schedule is pretty crazy and on days off all I really want to do is rest and do nothing. I'm back today though with what I got in my Ipsy bag! I'm pretty happy with what I got so lets get into it!

All of the products came in a cute teal and orange bag. I love teal, but orange not so much. I have so many of these Ipsy bags just laying around because honestly, I don't have much use for them. I'm actually thinking of going through all the ones I have and getting rid of some since they're not being put to use. This month's bag was customized from our IpsyMatch quiz, which I think was a pretty cool concept.

Anyways, the first product I received is the St. Tropez Instant Glow Body Lotion. I'll be honest, I'm not a fan of bronzing lotions, or bronzing products in general. I'm not sure how Ipsy figured to put this in my bag, but I'm about 99% sure I won't use this. I embrace my paleness and don't feel the need to change it. 

The next product I received is a concealer from Yaby in the color Buff. This is nowhere near my shade. It's way too dark and looks orange in the pan. I might try it and see if I can work with it, but I'm not sure how it's gonna go. 

Next, I received the Mirabella Perfecting Powder, which is just a loose face powder. I'm actually pretty excited to try this because I usually love trying out different face powders, whether they're pressed or loose. Hopefully this one is nice.

Then I got a lip gloss by Juice Beauty in the color Pink. To me, this is not pink. It's more of a berry color, which is fine because I love berry colored glosses. This stuff smells so good too! It's like a mix of citrus and fruit loops, if that makes sense. I've tried this already and I love how it feels on the lips as well. It's not sticky at all. A+ on this product!

Finally, the last product I received is a beautiful Zoya nail polish in the color Julie, which is such a lovely light lavender color with shimmer in it. I'm so excited for this because I wanted either this color or the pink, so I'm happy! I haven't used this yet, but it's gonna be what I use next.

That's everything! I'm pretty pleased with what I received this month, except for the bronzing lotion. This bag was definitely worth the $10 this month, so I'm happy.

What did you get in your Ipsy bag?

Sunday Social

 

 Hey guys! I know I don't participate too much in Sunday Social, but I like the questions this week so here they are!

1. What is your favorite kind of surprise?
Honestly, I'm not much of a surprise liking person but once in a while my fiance will do something small that makes me feel all happy because he surprised me with it. (Trust me, the cute little things he does is rare, so when he does them it's quite a nice surprise!)

2. Flowers or chocolate? 
Chocolate, definitely! I'm allergic to flowers.

3. What is your favorite Summertime activity? 
This is a bit of a hard question. I work in retail, so I work alot of weekends and hours are crazy, but if I get a rare weekend off, I like going to the shore for a day, or just hanging out with my fiance and friends. Nothing too fancy.

4. Do you have any vacations planned this Summer?
Not really. Like I said above, with my job it makes it hard to plan vacations, but I'm getting married mid-September so I'm hoping to maybe take a weekend trip as a little honeymoon.

5. Favorite Summer Holiday?
I don't have one

6. Dream vacation? 
Oh this is tough! One of my dreams is to travel the world, but I'd love to go to Italy one day.

Those are the questions this week! Hopefully I can participate next week :)

Review: Philosophy Purity Made Simple One-Step Facial Cleansing Cloths

Today I'm going to be doing a review of these Philosophy Purity Made Simple One-Step Facial Cleansing Cloths. That is quite a long name for this product! I've already used up about half of the package so I feel like it's time to share my thoughts on these wipes.

This is old packaging with 45 wipes and I bought these at Sephora. The new packaging has only 30 wipes and is $15. Not the best deal in my opinion, but I've had my package for ages so I honestly can't remember how much I paid for them. I will say, even though I've had this package for a long time, the wipes are still very wet, which is pretty amazing. I do make sure to tightly seal up the package and I store it upside down so the wipe I pull out next is still wet.

So these are basically just your normal makeup remover wipe that you use at night, or you can swipe it over your face for regular cleansing. It says these are good for all skin types and they're very gentle on the skin. These do remove my face makeup nicely, but not my eye makeup. It actually burn my eyes a bit, so I have to use an eye makeup remover first, then when I use the wipe, lightly go over my eyes to remove any excess eye makeup. Other than burning my eyes a bit, these are pretty gentle on the skin. They also feel a bit exfoliating as well, which to me helps to remove makeup a bit better.

After I use these wipes, my skin feels soft and clean, but I still always do my skincare routine of cleansing, toning, moisturizing, etc. Once in a rare while when I feel really lazy, I'll just use one of these and go to bed and I still feel like my face is clean, but I do notice the next morning that I have a little bit of makeup left on my skin, which isn't good! This is why I'm going to say this isn't the best makeup remover wipe to use by itself. I'd recommend doing your whole skincare routine afterwards.

I am happy with these wipes as a whole, but I might not repurchase these because there are so many options in the drugstore to choose from that are probably better at removing makeup, at a fraction of the price. I'm still a big fan of Philosophy products, though! You know how much I love those awesome shower gels, and their other skincare is amazing as well! 

What are some of your favorite makeup wipes?

E.L.F. Haul!

Hey guys! When I made my ridiculously large hauls posts, I got a little excited and forgot to include what I purchased from E.L.F. cosmetics! It's not a whole lot and probably doesn't deserve its own post, but hey, I still wanna show you all what I got anyways.

I bet you can't tell that I love eyeshadows, right?! Ha, seriously though, it's an obsession. I'm so in love with eyeshadows and I feel like I have to have every single one ever made! Well, maybe not ever made, but I do love me some eyeshadow! Anyways, the first product I purchased is the 144 Piece Neutral Eyeshadow Palette. I saw this palette on sale on their website and was so flipping excited for it, and decided it was mine! There are so many different neutral colors to choose from, it's almost like this would be the only eyeshadow palette you'd ever need (emphasis on the almost!).

The next thing I picked up is another eyeshadow palette (shocker!) and it's the 48 Piece Eyeshadow Book- Day. Another neutral palette as well, but there are some lovely colors and this little guy is really nice for travel since it's alot smaller. I don't think anyone can pull off bringing the massive palette on a trip.

The next product I picked up is an Eye Crease Brush. I love how small this is compared to a regular fluffy crease brush. I have really hooded eyelids, and big crease brushes tend to be a bit big for my eyes, so this brush is perfect for placing color into my crease, then I'll use a fluffy brush to help with blending. I find that works so much better for me.

Then I purchased a trio set of their Hypershine Glosses, which I've fallen in love with! I've already used the lightest color called Cherry Fizz, and it's incredibly gorgeous and not sticky at all. I had never tried these before, so I was a little nervous they'd be sticky and goopy, but they feel wonderful on the lips.

Now the last two products I didn't pay for. How did that happen you ask? Beats me honestly! They were in my box when it arrived and it did confuse me a bit, because they weren't on the order sheet and I wasn't charged for them. I'm pretty sure I don't have any use for the liquid eyeliners, so I'm not entirely sure what I'll do with them. I may try the lipstick as it looks like a complimentary color to my skintone. 

That's my little haul for you guys! Do any of these products seem interesting to you?

April 2013 Empties!

Hey everyone! This is going to be a short post for this month's empties because I don't have nearly as many as I did last month! I still figured I 'd show you all what little bit I used up though, so here they are!

The first products I used up are The Body Shop Rainforest Shine Shampoo and Conditioner. I don't have much to say about these honestly. I love The Body Shop products, but their shampoos and conditioners aren't that great. They don't particularly clean my hair very well and the conditioner doesn't hydrate very well either. The only decent thing going for these products are they smell amazing! I think I still have one more shampoo and conditioner to use up from The Body Shop.

The next product I've had for ages and it's the Philosophy Handmade Hand Cream. I swear, this has just been sitting in my handbag for so long, and finally it's gone. I don't have much to say about this either, except for the amazing smell. It smells like a lemon custard cake! This product doesn't moisturize very well and doesn't last through hand washings either. I honestly don't know if Philosophy still carries this hand cream. Either way, I wouldn't repurchase.

My next product is another dud for me! I'm not sure what it is about this empties post, but I dislike everything so far (until my last product!). Benefit's The POREfessional, to me, should not be as hyped up as it's been. Seriously, this primer did absolutely nothing for my skin, and I have ginormous pores. I always hear amazing things about this primer, but it just did not work for me. This is just a little sample sized bottle and I may have more in my sample shoebox. To me, this is not worth the $30 price tag for the full sized bottle.

Now for my last empty, which is The Body Shop Cocoa Butter Body Butter. I can't get enough of these body butters! These have to be my favorite body butters of all time, no lie! Even their regular body lotion that comes in a pump bottle is amazing, and that's what I usually switch to when the weather gets warmer. Anyways, I know I've mentioned numerous times how much I love these; they're hydrating, they smell good and they have community trade ingredients in every product they make, which is amazing. You all know I'll be repurchasing these!

Well that's everything! I know this wasn't a very happy post with how I liked everything, but I'm sure May has some much better products! I should have way more empties than I did for April!

What did everyone else use up?

April 2013 Favorites!

Hey everyone! April is over which means it's time for another monthly favorites post! As you can tell from my hauls this past month, I got a chance to try out some new things that I've been loving so I want to share them with you!

The first product I want to talk about is the Sigma P88 Precision Flat Angled Brush. Now I only got my Sigma order in the mail probably a week and a half ago, but I am so in love with this brush! Seriously, this is probably one of the best brushes I've ever tried in my life. The bristles are incredibly soft yet it blends concealer around my eyes like a dream and doesn't leave any streaks or splotches. Best $16 I've ever spent. I'm definitely going to be doing a full review post for you guys just on this brush alone!

My next favorite is the Covergirl Outlast Stay Fabulous 3 in 1 Foundation in the color Ivory. I received a coupon from BzzAgent for a free foundation from this line in my shade choice. I was so excited to get that coupon because I've been wanting to try this foundation since it came out, despite the fact that I'm not much of a liquid foundation girl. I'm pretty impressed with this to be honest. It evens out my skin tone, and for me, it's a light coverage foundation. I'm currently uploading a video reviewing this foundation as I write this, but I'm having issues with my internet, so it may take a while. 

The next product I've been loving is the Own Skin Health Firming Silk Concentrate, which I received from iFabbo. This product is basically a serum that you use after cleansing and toning, but before moisturizing. I'm so in love with how this makes my skin feel! I like using this serum after I've either exfoliated or used a mask because it helps to put back some moisture into my skin. I've only used it at night as it can make my skin a little greasy, but I don't mind that at night because when I wake up in the morning, my face is all glowy and soft.

I only have one complaint about my next favorite, the Covergirl Lip Perfection Jumbo Gloss Balm, and that is it doesn't have the name on the tube! I have to look up the names all the time, and the one pictured is 215 Watermelon Twist. This is such a beautiful pink color that has a hint of coral to it, at least on my lips. It's very moisturizing, but I still like to put a gloss on top sometimes for some extra hydration. 

My next favorite doesn't have a name to it, but I just call it my Pinkie Pie Nail Polish. I guess this was from a My Little Pony collection because at Hot Topic where I got this, there were other colors with the ponies on the bottle. I bought this on clearance for $3.50 but I honestly am loving this! I was so surprised with how opaque it went on in one coat, but I still did two coats. I absolutely love the color of it as well, pink is my all-time favorite color! Any shade of pink will do, but the bright pinks like this get me all the time.

My last favorite is a surprise favorite, and it's the Urban Decay Naked Basics Palette. I remember when I did my haul post saying that I didn't need or want this palette but when I saw it, I fell in love! I am truly amazed at how much I reach for this little guy. Naked 2 and Faint are my favorite colors in this palette. I can do a full review of this if you want, but I know there are about a million other reviews on it. 

That's it for my favorites this past month! I know this wasn't a long post with many favorites, but these were the products I reached for the most and I'm super excited I got to try some new things! (Especially the Sigma brush!)

What were your favorites for April?

Preparing Your Skin For Spring!

Hey everyone! So far, Spring here in good ole eastern Pennsylvania has been odd. I mean, one day it's sunny and in the 70s and the next day it drops 20 degrees. Anyways, I have a few tips that I like to use once the weather starts getting warmer, because if you're like me, your body goes into hibernation mode in the winter! Now it's time to get soft, smooth skin that's ready to be shown in cute dresses and sleeveless tops! (Once the weather starts cooperating, of course!)

The first thing I do with my skin once the weather starts getting nice is exfoliate! And I mean I exfoliate everything from my chest down! I use my facial exfoliator regularly, but the skin on my body tends to get neglected in the winter. Now I don't exfoliate my whole body in one shower. I did that before and it made my hands raw! I usually exfoliate my chest, arms and torso one night, then the next night I'll do my legs and butt (yep, I said butt! Everyone wants a soft rear end, right?). 

Anyways, I love using a body scrub that's either sugar or salt based because it gets the job done, but it's still gentle enough and doesn't cause irritation. Since the scrubs I like are sugar or salt based, that means I also like them to be very moisturizing which is why I prefer to use one that's also oil based. One of the scrubs I enjoy using is The Body Shop Sweet Lemon Body Scrub. The smell of this is so amazing! I sometimes have issues with products that smell like lemon because they can smell like chemicals, but this smells like straight up lemonade to me. I absolutely love it! This product is made with lemon peel and organic sugar which helps with exfoliation, and lemon seed oil and soya oil, which has the moisturizing effects. Because this is oil based, it will leave a film on your skin, but I personally don't mind that as it helps with moisturizing my skin.

Once I'm all exfoliated and moisturized, the following day I'll shave my legs and anything else that need shaving. I just use a razor that you can use a few times then toss in the trash, and shave cream that's on sale. There's nothing fancy I use at all for shaving, so use what you like. Also, I don't do all the exfoliation and shaving in one day because 1- it uses up so much water and 2- the warm water for my shower doesn't last very long and I hate cold showers, so I can't be in there for an hour. 

After all the exfoliation and shaving, I use a very hydrating body butter and this one from The Body Shop is interesting. It's a Body Butter Duo in a vanilla scent. 

What's really cool about this product is that the left side is for if your skin is normal, and the right side is for dry skin areas. On my body, my legs are usually pretty dry, and after this exfoliation and shaving routine, I want to lock in all the moisture I can, so I use the dry skin side for my legs, and the normal side for the rest of my body. I haven't used this particular jar yet, but I've used one in the past and I love it. I will say though, this doesn't have a very strong vanilla scent. To me, I smell more shea butter than vanilla but that could be because shea butter is the second ingredient in this product. 

So that's my little routine I do every year once spring hits and it starts getting warmer outside! You don't have to use these exact products to get the same effect, any scrub and moisturizer will do. I just personally love how I do my routine, and I felt like sharing! 

What's your routine when spring arrives?