5 Life-Enhancing Beauty Steps

I’m absolutely beauty product obsessed – which works out pretty well being a beauty writer! As someone who’s constantly trying out new beauty items and updating my beauty regime, here are some of the best beauty discoveries I’ve made so far. Soon you want have to hide those tired eyes behind you beautiful Tom Ford sunglasses, you’ll have them out for everyone to see!

5 Life-Enhancing Beauty Steps

Moisturize with Coconut Oil

Guys. I cannot express how life-changing this has been. My skin tends to be drier in the colder seasons and I was finding that even lotions made for dry skin weren’t doing the trick. I decided to try moisturizing with coconut oil instead and it’s been amazing. I use it on my body after towelling off fresh from the shower and I basically feel like a glowing (moisturized!) goddess. I was worried it would feel greasy, but the absorbs extremely quickly and keeps my skin soft and silky all day long. Keep in mind, a little goes a long way. I can’t see myself ever going back to lotions!

Try: Bodyshop’s Coconut Beautifying Oil

Add a Serum In Between Toning and Moisturizing

My daily beauty routine for my face is pretty regimented, mainly because I have acne-prone and sensitive skin. I’m usually hesitant to make any changes to it because when I find something that works, I stick with it. However, after keeping my face routine the same for years, I was finding my skin was breaking out during the summer and wanted to finally switch up my regimen! I had tried a few serums here and there, but never on a regular basis. My serum of choice? Benton’s Snail Bee High Content Essence Serum. The K-beauty skincare line is known for their unusual natural ingredients and I read rave reviews online about this one. Snail mucus and bee venom have regenerative qualities that help skin heal faster from acne, so I was eager to see how it would help. Out of all the acne treatments I’ve tried since I was a teen, this is the only one that’s worked for me. After a few months of using it daily, my skin has totally cleared up! Serums are much more concentrated than lotions, so apply them after toning and before moisturizing and allow them to sink in for 10 minutes.

Try: Benton Snail Bee High Content Essence

Use a Color-Specific Shampoo

Perhaps not the most insightful way of doing it, but I’ve always chosen shampoo based on smell and smell alone. I literally just flip open the tops of them and buy whatever scent I like best. (Lately it’s been a lavender eucalyptus one from Whole Foods) I told my hairdresser this in the midst of her bleaching my hair and she gave me an understandably horrified look. After having long natural dark hair my whole life, I decided to chop off half of it and go platinum blonde this week and ever since then, my laissez-faire shampoo-picking ways have gone out the window! For dyed hair, she advised I use a blue/purple hued shampoo which would combat the brassiness of dyed blonde hair. It’s definitely helped keep my hair tone looking high fashion instead of cheap blonde.

Try: L’Oreal EverPure Blonde Brass Banisher Shampoo

Use A Sleep Serum Overnight

The only product I use on my face before sleeping is one with a salicyclic acid to prevent breakouts. But apparently overnight is time best spent beautifying in every way possible – and one of the easiest. I tend to be pretty lazy in my leisure time so any product I could use and reap benefits from while basically being unconscious, I am totally down for. I wanted to minimize the bags under my eyes and chose a hydrating and energy boosting serum to combat them. I simply dab the serum under my eyes before climbing into bed and let it work its magic. And since it’s only under my eyes, I can still use the salicyclic acid on the rest of my face. Win, win. It’s been about two months of using the sleep serum and I’ve noticed decrease in bags and that my eye area overall looks brighter and plumper. Love it!