Winter Skin Saviors, Part 2: First Aid Beauty

Winter is not my friend. My body tends to get pretty dry, especially my legs. In the winter, they get pretty itchy, and depending on how poorly I am taking care of myself, sometimes scaly too! I suppose I suffer from a lifelong habit of not really liking body lotion. Often, they are so strongly scented and so heavy, that they're a pain to put on. I feel like i have to wash my hands and let the lotion soak in before I move on with my morning routine... and if you know me, my morning routine needs to be the quickest possible thing on the planet. LOL. (If I can barely manage to brush my hair in the car, do you think I have time for body lotion?)

Enter First Aid Beauty. Thank God I discovered the Ultra Repair Cream two years ago, during a particularly harsh Chicago winter. I was so itchy and dry, and my boyfriend was experiencing persistent eczema flare ups. Regular use of this  cleared up his eczema brilliantly, and it only took a few weeks. My legs and body were itch free all winter! Woohoo.

Now what I love about the Ultra Repair Cream is it's relatively fragrance free, fluffy formula. I suppose by fluffy I mean whipped, as it is almost like a heavy mousse in texture. I find that brilliant, as it is light on your hands and absorbs quickly. Yay!

A few weeks ago, I finally bit the bullet and picked up the Ultra Repair Concentrate. I had been curious about it since it came out, and I suddenly realized that this balm was exactly what we both needed. While it does take a bit longer to absorb, this miracle balm cleared my dry, veering on scaly skin on my hands and legs just in the first day. And, it hasn't been back! My boyfriend and I both find this balm to be a nice barrier against harsh conditions too, so if you live somewhere cold and windy, it is definitely worth a try!

If you're interested in either of these products, Sephora has some great value sets to try. The Ultra Repair Cream also comes in not so massive sizes (2 oz and 6 oz) and overall, both of these products are extremely affordable!

What do you think of these 2 products from First Aid Beauty? Are you hankering to give them a try? What about products that you love for your skin in winter? I'd love to know! :)

Winter Skin Saviors, Part 1

Earlier this week, we experienced exceptionally warm weather for a Chicago winter, but we were back to cold, cold weather today. I thought it would be timely to share some of my winter skincare favorites. Origins Make a Difference Plus+ Rejuvenating Moisturizer is a product I picked up during the Sephora VIB sale. I have to say that this moisturizer is really keeping my skin hydrated - not just on the surface, but it just feels GOOD.

I discovered La Mer the Lip Balm towards the tail end of last winter, and let me tell you, it continues to be a HUGE part of my life. I'm obsessed. My perpetually flaky dry lips feel plump and normal and even have better color. As long as I use this regularly, my lips are in good shape. They aren't pretty when I forget to use this for a day or two!

Everyone needs a good hand cream in the winter as well, and this year I dug up this cheerful cream from Bath & Body Works. It's the Look Ma, New Hands! cream from there True Blue Spa line, and it has gotten my hands through many a winter since high school. While I've branched out and purchased Kiehl's Ultimate Strength Hand Salve, which from my limited experience of it is quite wonderful, I still like this cheerfully packaged, lightly citrus scented hand cream.

In the next installment, I'll be sure to show you the two products that are keeping my boyfriend and I eczema and itch-free each winter - a few favorites from First Aid Beauty! What are your must have winter skin items? I'd love to know! I'm always on the lookout for something that makes winter a little easier to bear! :) 

October 2012 Favorites: Becca, Brushes, & Burberry

I'm a few days late, but I really wanted to share my October favorites. It is always hard to pick favorites, as I usually prefer to sleep than apply makeup anyway, but this month, I had clear winners! I was hoping to do a video, but I just haven't been able to figure out a good setup... So until I figure that out, I'll just have to stick to regular posts! :)This month, I really fell in love with everything Burberry, but I made myself choose...

The standouts of the Burberry lineup for me so far are the eyeshadows and Lip Covers. The eyeshadows are divine - there's a natural, skin-like quality to them that just amazes me! Dark Sable just gives me beautiful definition, and Antique Rose surprised me with how easy it was to wear a slightly pink eyeshadow. I'm dying for more shadows, and Pale Barley, Almond, and Midnight Brown are at the top of the list. I can't wait, because these are exactly what I want in an eyeshadow these days!

I am also wowed by the Lip Cover formula. My lips are always quite dry, and they get worse and worse in the course of a cold day. Burberry Lip Cover actually helps my lips retain their moisture, so after I apply, I still maintain the same level moisture. Even the bright shades I chose feel and look natural, as if I wasn't wearing any makeup at all. I'm in LOVE.

On the Becca front, I've hardly had the chance to use these Eye and Beach Tints. But so far, the shades (Baroque and Grapefruit) are quite natural and gorgeous for everyday wear. (Woohoo!) Baroque has been great for contour/crease definition and Grapefruit is just a pretty, pretty pink. YAY! :)This month, I also enjoyed Real Techniques brushes. So many great shapes, and so affordable too! I'm liking the Core Collection, wanting to keep the Starter Kit, and still enjoying the others I've had from the line.

As a long time eyeshadow fiend, I always enjoy a good eyeshadow brush. The Ecotools 1203 eyeshadow brush is seriously a drugstore standout. This densely packed brush picks up all shadows so easily and really packs a punch. I also love the quality of the Too Faced Essential 3 Piece Set - the fluffy brush makes any shadow a beautifully natural highlight, and the mini one is my go to brush for lining and smudging my eyes. I wish this was available to purchase on its own!

So there you have it! What do you think of this month's picks? Have you tried any of these, or any related recommendations? What were your October favorites? :)

My Summer Favorites

I've been meaning to share my current summer favorites for quite some time, but I really procrastinated because it was so hard to choose! In the end, I didn't include any bronzers because it is just too hard to choose, but perhaps I can share that in a separate post if you guys are interested! So here are my most used products this summer - Nars Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer- This is one of my favorite products of all time. I don't think it works as well for people with oily skin, so I'm sorry if that is your skin type! It is just so easy to use, has great coverage if applied properly, and often tames minor redness.

YSL Creme de Blush #4 Bright Coral - I purchased this blush earlier this summer, when I suddenly realized bright cream blushes could be quite pretty and actually not scary or hard to use. I love this - it has such a great glow that is perfect for my skin tone, and almost provides a bit of contour. Review will come soon!

Revlon PhotoReady Cream Blush in Flushed - This was another one of my purchases when I got into this cream blush phase. This color is also quite wearable and fits my skin tone quite well. Like the YSL, it provides a bit of contour, and is a fraction of the price! Will post a closer look at this blush in the near future as well.

La Roche Posay Anthelios 50 Daily Anti-Aging Primer - I really wanted to try this, and I believe it was one of the brand's new products this summer. It works great, and most importantly, protects my skin! Review also coming soon.

Nars Smudgeproof Eyeshadow Base - Seriously, this stuff is my favorite. It works wonders on eye makeup, it really does!

Givenchy Mister Light Instant Light Corrective Pen in Mister Toast - An awesome "light reflective pen" for the shadowy bits of my face. Cheaper than YSL's Touche Eclat, and more blendable. I like this shade best for me right now too.

Sephora Professional Heated Eyelash Curler - I'm nearly incapable of curling my lashes with a regular curler, so this has been a staple for years. (Dare I say 5 years, since the beginning of my makeup craze?) I've had a few, as the part where you put in the battery seems to stop fitting with the rest of it over time... I guess it is not well made, but at least it's affordable! (Any heated eyelash curler suggestions are welcome!)

Benefit Eye Bright - Saw this in a Lisa Eldridge video sometime last year, and it just provides the most amazing lift to the outer corners of your eyes. If you have that downturn in the outside corners of your eyes, you must try this!

Diorshow Maximizer + Maybelline Falsies Flared - I've already talked about how amazing this combination is on me, but I really must reiterate: you absolutely need to try Diorshow Maximizer ASAP!

I'd love to hear if you've tried any of these products or have any recommendations for me! What are your summer favorites? Also, how do you feel about this style of photo? I'd like to do more like these!