i’ve done a beauty type post before, but never really delved into what i actually use in my daily routine. confession: i am a beauty product hoarder. the other day i discovered a box of half empty beauty products from years ago and for a moment i thought – maybe i should keep them, you never know? it’s pretty bad. my overflowing bathroom countertop can attest to this.
but these are the products that have stuck and that i personally love. i’ve also given them an easy emoji rating! almost like we’re friends gabbing over texts. almost.
my hair care “routine” is low maintenance. i like using natural shampoos, and this one from Nature’s Gate is cheap and perfect. also my hair is straight as an arrow, and as i’ve gotten older it’s become limp. so i need volume – which is why i bought this embarrassingly expensive Volumising shampoo from Aesop. such a splurge that i almost took it back. BUT! it is amazing. i only use one pump and seven months later the bottle is not even half empty.
for cheaper big hair i also enjoy BIG by Lush, which has actual sea salt in it, so it’s pretty weird to use but it leaves your hair so fresh and nice smelling. i don’t use it daily, though. for an extra post-wash spritz the Sea Salt Texturising Spray by Toni & Guy is great.
i flip flop between cleansing balms and regular gel cleanser. i use Aesop Parsley Seed Cleanser in the shower in the morning (it is doesn’t irritate my sensitive skin). at night it’s either The Body Shop Camomile Sumptuous Cleansing Butter or the pricier No.1 Purity Cleansing Balm by REN. they are both GREAT – but the Body Shop version makes more sense for the budget, and it actually feels nicer. kinda… sumptuous?
if i have make-up to take off then i use Bioderma Sensibio H20 which is some kind of high tech Micelle (?) solution. whatever, it works and it’s not harsh.
i actually got given Gorgeous by Lush for my birthday and it’s LOVELY but reeeeeeeally expensive. it was apparently formulated for Princess Diana, and if it was good enough for her… well then this Diana is gonna use it. the Charcoal & Black Sugar Polishing Mask by Freeman is THE BEST exfoliator slash mask i have ever used.
if i feel like my skin needs it i’ll put on some Aesop Fabulous Face Oil before bed.
Tamanu Oil is easily the weirdest thing that i have ever asked Anton to bring back for me from overseas (it’s widely available on Amazon but they don’t ship it to South Africa). it’s a tropical nut oil, either of Madagascan or Tahitian origin, that has amazing anti-oxidant properties and works wonders to heal skin conditions like acne, dryness and even scarring. it smells kinda weird, and the Madagascan one is particularly thick, gloopy and pungent. this one that i got from Beauty Oils is nice, but it could use a dropper or some kind of pump as you don’t want to waste any of the oil.
my general make-up aim is to just have a “nice face”. not look TOO done – but also not like i’ve been living in the wild for ten years. foundation is key here, and after years and years of searching i finally found Smashbox Liquid Halo which is THE BEST foundation i have ever used.
i have always been told that i have “deep set eyes” which is really just code for “you look like you could use some sleep”. the Corrector by Bobbi Brown is really good for neutralising dark under-eye rings, and Photo Op by Smashbox is a nice little under eye brightener that doesn’t cake into fine lines like others that i’ve used.
i like creamy blushers and really simple lip colour, which is why Convertible Colour by Stila is perfect – you can use it on your lips and cheeks. same goes for O-Glow (cheeks) and O-Gloss (lips) – intuitive colour by Smashbox. lastly, i only use mascara on my eyes and Falsh Lash Effect by MaxFactor is a nice little drugstore buy that’s also super effective.
where to buy the products depending on your location:
| Product | USA | UK | SOUTH AFRICA |
| Lush Big Shampoo | Lush USA | Lush UK | Lush SA |
| Aesop Volumising Shampoo | Aesop | Aesop | Loading Bay |
| Nature’s Gate Volumising Shampoo | Nature’s Gate | Amazon UK | Dischem |
| Toni & Guy Sea Salt Spray | Amazon | Boots | Clicks |
| The Body Shop Cleansing Butter | The Body Shop USA | The Body Shop UK | The Body Shop |
| REN Rosa Centifolia Cleansing Balm | Sephora | REN | Woolworths |
| Aesop Parsley Seed Cleanser | Aesop | Aesop | Loading Bay |
| Bioderma Sensibio H20 | Amazon | Escentual | Dischem |
| Lush Gorgeous | Lush USA | Lush UK | Lush SA |
| Freemans Black Sugar & Charcoal Mask | Freeman | Amazon UK | Dischem |
| Aesop Fabulous Face Oil | Aesop | Aesop | Loading Bay |
| Tamanu Oil | Amazon | Amazon UK | – |
| Smashbox Photo Op | Sephora | Smashbox | Woolworths |
| Bobbi Brown Corrector | Sephora | Bobbi Brown | Edgars |
| Smashbox Liquid Halo | Sephora | Smashbox | Woolworths |
| Stila Convertible Colour | Sephora | Stila | Woolworths |
| Smashbox O-Gloss | Sephora | Smashbox | Woolworths |
| Smashbox O-Glow | Sephora | Smashbox | Woolworths |
| MaxFactor Mascara | Amazon | Boots | Clicks |
