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**UPDATE–I now have an Amazon storefront that lists all of my Amazon favorite products along with new products that I have found since this post. So if you want to check that out, you can find my Amazon Page here**
1. Dry, scaly skin savior: Twinlab Na-PCA Spray
@prettyandpaintedkat told me about this mist when I was telling her that I was dry and scaly that I was unknowingly scratching myself until I bled at night. She said that she bought this and sprays it all over when she gets out of the shower, before drying off, and then puts lotion on top.
Let me just tell you that this product is perhaps my FAVORITE amazon find. Ever. It is so effective and affordable.
I use it the same way that Kat does (misting it on my skin when I get out of the shower), or I will just spray it on my skin at any point in the day. I almost always layer a lotion on top, but even if I don’t do that step, this still helps to lock in moisture. Also, I try to spray this on my elbows and/or knees more than once a day to really help soften the dry skin. Almost immediately after using this I noticed that my skin didn’t have the noticeable scales and within a couple days it was baby soft. Also, I have used this on my face and never experienced a breakout. I am going to buy the Aloe version next, just to see how I like that one.
Na-PCA (sodium PCA) is the second ingredient (after water) and is a “skin-identical” ingredient and a great natural moisturizer that helps skin hold onto water and stay hydrated. You skin makes less Na-PCA as you age, which is why more mature skin is drier. I have recommended this to anyone that will listen and will continue to repurchase.
2. Mini glass bottles for decanting products
I went on a hunt for these after having one too many decanted products spill in packages that I sent to people. I also wanted to bring skincare that I was using on vacation with me because when I just use random travel size products of things that I don’t normally use, my skin can act up. So to keep things consistent I want to use my same products but not have to bring the full-size bottles. I chose the 3mL size because I didn’t want them to be too big to where I overfilled them for vacation and didn’t use up all the product. I am also going to buy some 5mL ones because I think that size could also work. You get 12 little glass bottles that have a squeeze dropper.
VNDEFUL 12Pcs 3ml Refillable Mini Amber Glass
$5.99 for 12 3mL bottles
Or the slightly larger 5mL ones are $13.99 (another reason I went with the 3mL)
TOPWEL 5ml 12pcs Amber Glass Essential Oil Bottles and Eyed Dropper Caps
$13.99 for 12 5mL bottles
3. Best hands-free way to film IG stories or videos
4. Alligator Hair Clips
I used to have a hodge-podge of different claw clips that I never really liked. Finally, I saw some alligator clips in Nordstrom and then went home and did an Amazon search and found them for a better deal. These are great up holding up thick hair. I love these for when I am using a curling iron to do a barrel wave or when I am using a hair mask and I need to make sure my hair doesn’t slide out of the clip.
xtava Styling Hair Clips for Women – Set of 12
12 clips for $8.99
5. GroVia Reusable Baby Cloth Diaper Wipes, 12 Count
I can’t remember who I found out about these from, but I am happy I found them. The reason I really like them is that if you squeeze them out, they dry really quickly which means I can throw them in my hamper and not have to worry about them staying super wet and getting that mildew smell. These are softer than our regular wash cloths and then means less irritation on my skin. People like a larger wash cloth for their face, won’t like these as they are smaller. But I really like these and they are affordable at $10.95 for 12.
6. Honeywell HCM350B Germ Free Cool Mist Humidifier
Our new condo is DRY. My husband jokes that we are both becoming mummies since our condo sucks every ounce of moisture out of the air. The person that lived in our condo before us had two of these humidifiers so we decided to buy the same thing.
When it is on the highest setting (there are 3 settings) it isn’t perfectly quiet, but it isn’t annoyingly loud (to us at least). We have this in our bedroom right next to our bed and it sort of just acts like white noise. We have to fill up the container before going to bed and in the morning there is still some water left. Then, in the daytime we put it on the lowest setting and it makes it through the day without needing a refill. You need to buy replacement filters (we replace them about 2 months), but I like this because I heard that some grow mold pretty quickly, but people that have owned this for awhile said that this doesn’t have that issue. (We bought this 6 months ago and haven’t had an issue). Something to note is that this is an invisible cool mist humidifier. So you aren’t going to see the steady stream of mist (which I kind of miss, to be honest). Tip: Make sure the filter always stays completely wet. When you change the water, get the filter wet again and flip it over.
$64.99 for the black one and $57.89 for the white one
7. Barrier Cream for Eyebrows and Harsh Weather Conditions
After I got my eyebrows microbladed (a form of tattooing), I was told to put Aquaphor on my eyebrows to keep them moist while healing. The problem is that Aquaphor is SUPER shiny (and greasy looking eyebrows aren’t cute) and it also caused congestion around my brows (and I couldn’t use any BHA products to treat the breakout because that could fade the pigment). @honeyanddewskin recommended I try this barrier cream because she had used it for her brows and loved it. It doesn’t look shiny and it didn’t cause any breakouts. AND when I went snowboarding out in Colorado I used this on top of my skincare and SPF to seal in everything and it works like a charm. I had also heard people tell me to use Aquaphor all over to help prevent my skin from drying out while snowboarding, but I didn’t want a totally shiny face, so I was really glad I had this on hand.
3M Cavilon Durable Barrier Cream 3355, 3.25oz
8. Sterile Airless Pump Bottle 1oz
This is a shockproof (i.e., I won’t drop it and break it) airless pump bottle that I adore. I have the L’Oreal Pro Glow foundation that I love but it is SO messy because it pours out of the squeeze tube whenever I open it. I was finally fed up with the mess and I bought this bottle. Then I decided I would buy another for skincare products that I would prefer to have in a airtight pump rather than a dropper in an effort to keep them fresher for longer. I do wish this was an opaque or dark bottle to help keep light out, but those tended to be more expensive. There are also some good options that come in a variety of sizes rather than just the 1 oz size (here is a 3-piece set for $9.88, but it didn’t look as sturdy to me) . Best as Makeup Foundations and Serums – Lightweight Leak Proof & Shockproof Container. BPA Free
9. Powder Jars (with sifter)
When I bought the RCMA no color powder I also immediately bought these jars because the RCMA powder comes in terrible packaging. You get two for $7.50 and it is WELL worth the price. What I have done recently is I have started to mix together some of my travel size loose powders to form a blend of my own concoction which gets rid of the multiple powder jars I had laying around and allowed me to mix some more illuminating powders with more matte powders to get a custom blend 🙂
This is also great for the dry deodorant that you can get at Lush, but is easier to apply with a powder puff.
10. KOSE Clear Turn Moist Charge Eye Zone Mask
I found out about these from @meaghan.rae and I LOVE them. They are so cheap and they really do a great job of quick hydration and tightening. Just make sure to remove them before the strip is completely dry. I also recommend keeping these in the fridge because the cooling sensation is amazing. They really are the best deal at 39 cents PER use.
11. pH Meter
This meter has been my reliable sidekick for all of my pH tests (you can follow #gtggphtest to see what I have tested. I also provide the pH of different cleansers in this database and different AHA products in this database). I have an entire blog post talking about why I chose this Apera pH probe as well as some other options that are available. (I also talk about two products that I ended up returning because they were terrible.)
$37.66 (but the price always seems to fluctuate)
12. The Spatty Spatula Tool, 6 Inches
$7.99
Buying this little spatula has really come in handy because there are so many skincare and makeup products that have a lot left in them after the pump is no longer pumping out product. Considering how much different serums are per ounce, this has paid for itself.
13. Aztec Secret – Indian Healing Clay
I picked this up after Jay (@honestlyskin) raved about it. He has a recipe on his blog (here) that using this clay mask, manuka honey, aloe and matcha powder that is Amazing! You can mix this mask with so many different products. It’s a truly stellar product.
14. SNP Diamond Brightening Ampoule Mask
This is another purchase totally influenced by @honestlyskin. He sent me one of these masks and I loved it. The second ingredient is glycerin and the third is sodium hyaluronate so it is no surprise that it is highly moisturizing. Right after that is niacinamide to help with brightening. Jay told me that this would give me a “Twilight vampire type of glow” and he wasn’t lying. That is thanks to the diamond powder in the mask that has no skincare benefits to my knowledge, but it shouldn’t be bad for the skin either. If you are sensitive to alcohol you will want to avoid this.
15. Dr. Jart Vital Hydra Solution Deep Hydration
I bought these because @lizalaskabeauty raves about them as being super hydrating. She and I both don’t like wearing a sheet mask, so if we are going to use them, they need to have noticeable results and not feel suffocating. This checks both of those boxes (and its way cheaper than buying them at Sephora).
16. Intrinsics Petite Silken Wipes – 2″x2″, 4-ply Blend of Soft Fibers
Another product I purchased because of @lizalaskabeauty were these Silken Wipes. This is a category of products that I didn’t know I needed until I tried it. Before this I thought regular old cotton pads were just fine. Boy was I wrong.
In the past, I have bought the Shiseido Facial Cottons and loved them (and I still do love them) but Liz said that these were extremely gentle and non-irritating and she was right! They are also more affordable than the Shiseido at 200 for $11.99 rather than 100 for $11.00.
The 4×4 version is also a great alternative for wash clothes if you are going on vacation. (Liz gave me that tip and it was a game changer! Wash clothes at hotels can be WAY too harsh for my skin. These keep my skin happy)
I use these to apply my acids (like BR P50) and I like that these are super gentle so as to not introduce any additional exfoliation.
17. Silicone Face Mask Brush
Applying a mask with a brush is just a much more enjoyable experience for me. It is also less messy. These silicone brushes are great because they don’t hold on to the product like brushes with hair will. And they are super easy to clean.
$5.25 for two
18. byAlegory Tiered Compact Blush, Bronzer, Highlighter Makeup Organizer
$16.89
When we moved into our new condo I was on a mission to get organized with my makeup and skincare. I love these clear organization systems because they help me organize things AND they help stop me from buying things I don’t need. For example, unless a space is open for a blush, I don’t buy a new one. Having 9 spots is perfect for me. One downside is that my Marc Jacobs Coconut Bronzer doesn’t fit in this.
The blush/bronzer highligher one is $16.89, but there are so many other systems that I want to pick up. There is one for lip liners and eye pencils ($14.49), a palette organizer (for $24.23), and more.
19. EO Botanical Bubble Bath, Be Well, Eucalyptus & Arnica
I love taking baths at the end of the day, and that is usually after I have gone to the gym. I really like this product because it has Arnica, which is great to prevent bruising and for sore muscles. I usually use 2 or sometimes 3 capfuls of the product and that is enough for the entire bath.
20. Joico Color Infuse Shampoo, Copper
I have natural auburn hair, but as I get older, the color has started to fade a bit. To keep my hair vibrant, without resorting to coloring it, I use this shampoo 2 to 3 times a week. I tried a couple different color-depositing shampoos for red hair, and this one (in the color Copper) has been my favorite.
BONUS. Swimline T-Rex Giant Ride On
This last one isn’t skincare related, but it makes for a pretty AMAZING pool float. I used it for a pool party with my friends and then passed it on to my nieces who loved it as well.
