It's time for my annual yearly favorites round up and I'm so excited to talk about everything I loved this year. 2023 was a big transitional period for me; my mental health was up & down, I had new experiences and stepped outside my comfort zone a bit, and I moved into my first big girl apartment. 

2023 felt like a rebirth of some sorts; I realized the person I want to be, recognized the goals I want to accomplish, and did some soul searching to figure out what I really want out of my life. 

I don't want this to turn into a 2023 recap, that's coming next week so enough of the babble... let's get into the good stuff.

My shopping was toned down in 2023 but beauty still remained supreme in my interests. I think 2023 was the year of finding my groove with the beauty industry again. If you read and follow me, you know that I've been in the beauty industry as my day job for the past 8 years; I used to think I wanted to get out of the industry but this year really reaffirmed for me how much I love it and it really is my passion, and where I belong. 

Both as a professional and a consumer I think this year was good for me. I learned a lot, started to pay more attention to colors, textures, and formulas I love and was a little more intentional with my purchases. 

As I said before, my shopping was toned down in terms of impulse spending but I still achieved VIB Rouge status at Sephora so how good could I have been? I also explored a lot of new to me products from the brands that Estee Lauder Companies own, and that I get a discount on so that was exciting. 

That being said, these are my favorite beauty products of 2023

I've received a lot of PR over the years, especially in recent years where I've gotten the chance to try out products from more relevant, bigger brands that I use and love in my everyday life. Spoiler alert: some products and brands I receive I actually don't like and usually give away, but I would say most stuff I receive is stuff I've requested or opted in to so it makes everything feel less wasteful.

It's been a dream to receive so many incredible products in so many categories, most of which I highlight on social media and don't give enough love on the blog, which brings us to today. 

These are my current favorite products I've received in PR; I've repurchased a few of them since receiving and they have all become staples in my daily life. 

I've been dealing with a fussy scalp since I was a teenager. For years, I struggled with dandruff, itchy scalp, and just an all over uncomfortable feeling. I've tried tons of products, both medicated and over the counter... and nothing really helps. 

There are a few products that I use to keep my scalp healthy, that are tried and true, so I'll do a post dedicated to that hair routine but this post is all about one miracle product that relieves the itchiness between washes.

That was a major issue for me -- no matter how clean my hair was or how healthy my scalp was, the itchiness was there. I would scratch my head until it bled... I couldn't get it under control.

Enter Mizani.

I've been holding off on purchasing a lot of new beauty products and have been shopping my stash a lot. I've been trying to rediscover old favorites, use what I have and not have so much excess in my makeup collection. We'll see how long that lasts but for now, I've been doing pretty well.

I will admit, all of these are new to my stash but I've had them for at least 3+ months. One of them I even won in a giveaway! I've realized these are the products I've constantly been reaching for, on a daily basis most of the time, and they've elevated both my skincare and makeup routine.

The best part? All of them are under $40!

Botanics Organic Restoring Night Oil: $17.99

I've been on the hunt for a really great night oil. I wanted something hydrating and healing; I didn't need something overly fancy, just an oil to make my skin feel good. Enter Botanics. I've been obsessed with this brand lately; quality organic skincare at a drugstore price? What more could you want?! I got ahold of their Restoring Night Oil recently and have been using it nightly. It's infused with essential oils such as lavender, chamomile, and geranium to relax your skin (and your mind). The oil is supposed to restore and nourish the skin while you sleep, working with the skin's natural overnight healing process. I've been using it every night for the past few weeks and I love it! It really hydrates my skin but also makes my face look flawless when I wake up. I don't have too many skin issues (knock on wood) but this really enhances all the good things about my skin.

Kylie Cosmetics Skin Concealer: $20.00

Ever since my Queen released these concealers I've been dying to get my hands on one. I kept going back and forth whenever I placed a Kylie Cosmetics order because I was unsure of what the concealer felt like/looked like/what shade I would be. I'm not usually hesitant about buying complexion products online but something was holding me back. However, when they were released in Ulta, I jumped at it. I was finally able to see them in stores over the summer, picked my shade and liked the formula. It's now become one of my everyday concealers. It is medium coverage, blends out really easily, and is pretty long-lasting (in my opinion). I don't notice a ton of creasing and it lays really beautifully on the skin. It's a gorgeous formula and I highly recommend!

Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipstick in Super Cindy: $34

Charlotte Tilbury strikes again! I've made no secret of it-- Charlotte Tilbury makes my favorite lipsticks of all time! I need/want every single shade of every single line she has. CT was having a sale sometime in July and she had a 'nude lipstick bundle' that had Hepburn Honey and Super Cindy for a discounted price. They were full-size lipsticks for the price of one and a half lipsticks so I jumped at the deal. I've been wanting both shades for a while so it was the perfect storm. I've been dying over Super Cindy! It's a true nude shade with more brown than peach/pink so it's darker than Pillowtalk, which makes it ideal for the chillier months. It looks so good on and has become the lipstick I wear when I'm not sure what to wear.

Clinique Moisture Surge Moisturizer: $21.50

When I think of peppermint I always think of Christmas and naturally, I think of winter. Peppermint and mint, in general, is a very specific taste and has a specific audience. However, I really love it (at times) especially when mixed with hot chocolate.

I also really love peppermint in my beauty products. I love the tingly sensation that makes me believe that a product is really working.



I started to notice a trend in my collection and figured I'd share my favorite beauty products that have that minty feeling! None of these are really 'makeup' products but more of a beauty focus in general!

Becca is a newer brand on the beauty scene.. if 2001 is newer to you, but it really flourished back in 2014/2015 if I do say so myself.

It was a brand that was known for their highlighters, most noteworthy Opal. They've since branched out with other products but in their heart of hearts, I think they always stay true to their heritage as a highlight brand. They are always releasing new highlighters in limited edition colors and designs, and combining different highlighter colors to make a new one.

What I'm saying is that Becca Cosmetics has a lot of highlighters and pretty much have something for everyone, but they do have other great non highlighter products too.

I've been using Becca since 2015 and have used a lot of their products so I figured it was time for a Brand Buzz and time to give you my favorite products.



1. Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed in Champagne Pop: Opal is no longer the most famous highlighter in the universe; it was overtaken when Jaclyn Hill teamed up with Becca and released this gorgeous golden Champagne highlighter. It is by far my favorite highlighter and I have it in 4 separate forms (the original compact, the Jaclyn Hill Face Palette, the poured version, and the Slimlight. It is a gorgeous champagne gold that looks good on everyone. The formula is creamy and smooth but applies really nicely. It's just a great shade and I recommend everyone buying it.

2. Shimmering Skin Perfector Poured in Champagne Pop: I love cream products so when my favorite Becca shade was released in their cream formula, I jumped on it. It's the best cream highlighter formula I've ever tried because it's not too powerful in pigment but still packs a punch. It's also very easy to apply whether with a duo-fiber brush or your fingers. I love, love, LOVE this shade in the cream highlighter version.

3. Mineral Blush in Wild Honey: I love nothing more than a warm, neutral blush and Wild Honey is THAT perfect color. The formula is super soft, pigmented but not too pigmented so it doesn't get messy. It applies perfectly and smoothly on the skin and blends out really well too. This is a blush that I go with whenever I don't know which blush to wear and it always comes through.

4. Aqua Luminous Foundation: This is the only foundation I've ever really finished and I was just reminded at how much I loved it when I sat down to write this post. It's a very watery, liquid based foundation so it feels so good and light on the skin. From what I remember it's a medium coverage and blended out really well with a beautyblender. I also liked that it was a luminous foundation because my dry skin responded very well to it.

5. First Light Priming Filter: I don't know if I've ever loved a primer this much. I used it a lot when I first got it but then like most of us, I got bored but rediscovered it recently. I've been religiously using it for the past month and my goodness, I forgot why I loved it so much. It is one of the few primers that makes my makeup look really good all day long. Everything blends out really smoothly and evenly over it and I just LOVE IT. I highly recommend getting this over the original primer and Sephora has it in a mini size.




Honorable Mention: I LOVE my Jaclyn Hill face palette & eyeshadow palette (I was one of the few that had a good batch of shadow palettes and opted to keep it) but you can't get either of them anymore but I wanted to mention!




Also, I've been loving the Apres Ski Glow palette they just released for the holidays! I highly recommend getting this palette this season.

Below are the items on my Becca wishlist!






What do you love from Becca Cosmetics? 
xoxo
B

I have never been a huge lip lover. I'm not drawn to lipsticks as I am other beauty products, like concealers. Lipsticks, glosses, none of it used to intrigue me.

And then, all of a sudden, one day I woke up with 100 different lip products (not actually 100) ranging from lip scrubs to liquid lipsticks and everything in between.

I love them all, pretty much equally. There are some lipstick formulas I prefer over others, some lip balms I love to death, and there are certain brands of liquid lipsticks that I will only purchase.

However, I switch them up on the daily. Some days I'm feeling a tinted lip balm and the next day I am Kylie Jenner with my matte liquid lips. I do not discriminate... until now.

I have found a lip product so incredible that it deserved it own blog post. YUP-- I don't think I've ever done this before.

I've developed a love affair with Smith & Cult as a brand, but that is no secret from my many Manicure Mondays including their nail polishes. Last year I realized that the brand also made lip glosses, which I enjoyed enough to wear continually.

A few months ago I saw on their Instagram page that they had two different color lip stains. Lip stains seem like an old school idea, especially this day in age where there are liquid lipsticks, transforming glosses and lip oils. I was intrigued and looked for them online-- the only place I could find them were Neiman Marcus, a retailer I have never shopped before.




I put off the purchase for weeks and weeks, until recently where I had the sudden urge to try something new. I took the plunge, ordered Linger Sigh, and the rest is history.

I don't really know what I was expecting but it was love at first sight. The stain is not sticky like a gloss, feels like a balm, and has a slight tingly sensation. It has the ever slightest hint of color that actually does stain your lips, but not in the "get this stuff off of me, I look like a clown" kind of way.

It is a very unique product, something I have never seen on the market before.



Linger Sigh is supposed to be the nude shade, wile Sweet Suite is the more pinkish color of the two shades. Maybe someone mixed up the labels, because you can clearly see, it is pink.

I think this is the perfect everyday lip color/product, especially on those days when you don't want to think about what to put on. If you're having a true no makeup makeup day, but want something on your lips, this is your product. Sometimes I feel like wearing a slight lip color but feel silly slapping on a bright pink matte lip when my face is bare.

This solves that problem in one swipe.

I am truly obsessed and addicted and will never be without this product. At some point, I will buy the 2nd shade and I pray that Smith & Cult releases more shades!

What is your new favorite lip product?

I've been on an avid self tanning kick. I swore off tanning beds for the past 2 years and I'm getting better at not sitting in the sun. I talked about most of this two weeks ago in my "Your Skin Is In" post and I couldn't wait to write THIS post.

While I've since been into self tanning, this didn't come without some doubts. I saw that self tanning was a major trend in the beauty industry amongst my favorite bloggers but I was always really skeptical that I wouldn't be able to do it. I was afraid of turning orange or having it come out really streaky or getting it all over my clothes.

I stopped myself more than once from experimenting with this foreign trend but when Vita Liberata sent me their pHenomenal 2-3 Week Tan Mouuse last summer. After one use, I was completely hooked. It wasn't streaky, it didn't smell bad, it applied evenly and smooth, and the tan was not orange. It didn't rub off on my clothes either.

It was basically full proof and it was the tanning product I used all summer--I was self tanned more than naturally tan and I didn't hate it.

A few weeks ago, Vita Liberata invited me to a blogger event to introduce us to their Spring 2016 line. I was so excited to be there and I immediately wanted to tell everyone about it but it was very hush hush until the products were released!




They walked us through the 3 new releases, along with their other existing products and it was really interesting to hear from the founder of the company, Alyson Hogg, all about why they created the products they did, and how they compare to existing brands.





Vita Liberata was founded in 2003 and since then they have created countless self tanning products that center around the brand's main values: natural, odorless, pure formulations that give flawlessly perfect results!



Vita Liberata is just one brand in the tanning industry but they have their own unique niche. They use a moisture locking system that ensures soft skin and a natural fade (no one likes a tan that fades off in ugly patches). They use organic anti age and all non toxic ingredients -- I'm not huge into all natural beauty but if something I really enjoy is safe for me, I'm more prone to use it!

Probably my most favorite part of the Vita Liberata brand--quick drying application! I was really weary of the fact that I'd have to walk around naked in my house for an hour to let the tan settle but all the products dry instantly.

We were able to try out all of the products as well as get a free spray tan. I got a spray tan and oh my goodness, it was the best spray tan ever. I've only gotten a spray tan once in my life and it was a miserable experience but this one by Vita Liberata was insane. It smelled good, felt good on the skin, was totally even, and didn't smudge. It dried instantly and I was totally sold.




All the bloggers went home with goodie bags to try the the new items and of course that was my favorite part! The three new products introduced are Self Tan Dry Oil SPF 50, Self Tanning Anti Aging Serum, and the Body Blur Instant HD Skin Finish.

I haven't tried the Body Blur yet but I saw it in action (below) and the results are astounding.



I use the Self Tan Dry Oil (which is such a cool product) and the Anti Aging Serum (OMG) and they are hands down, two of my current favorite beauty products. The Self Tan Dry Oil is exactly what it sounds like; it's a dry oil that contains SPF 50, which helps to moisturize and protect the skin. The oil has all the benefits of a Vita Liberata self tanner. It also has technology that allows you to build up the color gradually without being too harsh or dark. I have been using this in place of my original pHenomal Self Tanning Mousse.

The Anti Aging Serum is something I didn't know if I'd enjoy but I had really been wanting to incorporate serums into my beauty routine. I'm glad I proved myself wrong because this is amazing. It really does self tan your face, in a very gradual way. I add around 2 drops to my fingers and apply evenly after my face is throughly cleansed. It contains cucumber extracts, rosehip oil, and other essential ingredients to help with hydration, reduction of fine lines, and wrinkles.



The Body Blur is supposed to perfect skin and mash blemishes, while fighting sings of aging. It has photo reflective particles that give you a photo ready finish, all while providing you the benefits of all Vita Liberata products. I think this would be perfect to apply to your legs before a big night out when you're wearing a skirt or dress!

All in all, these self tanning products are incredible. They self tan you to your desire while providing incredible skin care benefits. It's the best of both worlds!

Shop some other Vita Liberata products below!



Have you tried any self tanning products?

I've tried a lot of beauty products. Like A LOT. It's actually pretty alarming how many products I've tried, probably more than the average person.

I rarely don't like a beauty product. There is rarely an item that doesn't work for me, or an item I can't get too work.

That's why, when items don't work, or I have an adverse reaction to them, it's a big deal. I feel shocked, and sad that I wasted this money on something that didn't wind up working.

I'm also very weary about returning beauty products. I know every store & website has their own return policy but I just feel like returning beauty products is weird.

"Oh here's a lipstick I hated, please take it back." I know that Sephora takes back used items because they use them as testers, which is good to know (or so I've heard) but yeah, I never return items so they just collect dust in my drawers.

Like I said, not too many items have failed me but here's what has:



//Tarte Maracuja Oil: This is probably the biggest blunder of them all. I have two mini sizes of this from Tarte value sets and when I first tried this back in December, I thought my skin was just reacting badly to it because of all the issues I was having. I waited a few more months, till my skin was clear, but after two or three nights of using this, my skin dried up like a prune. I tried a few more times and it just was no use. I thought this holy grail oil would work for me, but it just goes to show that if something works for a lot of people, it still may not work for you. Beauty is unique to everyone.

//First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Eye Cream: I raved about this stuff back in the winter, because it really did clear up my eye issues within a few days. Then, as skincare does sometimes, it started revolting against me. Within a month, the cream stopped working and caused my eyes to dry up. I find it odd since all other First Aid Beauty products have done wonders for me. I feel such a betrayal when a product works, and then doesn't. SMH (This product has been discontinued it looks like, since I can't find a link anywhere and I got it on sale back in December)

//NYX Butter Lip Gloss in Red Velvet: The Butter Glosses from NYX have caused a love of lip gloss to reappear in my life. These glosses aren't sticky, and add just the right amount of color and shine to your lips. I have Tiramseu & Creme Brulee. They smell like vanilla cake and are so amazing. I figured for the fall, last year, I'd buy a darker color. I went with "Red Velvet", a dark red shade, and was deeply disappointed. It was a little patchy, a little stickier than my other glosses, and looked horrific over red lipstick. It's too patchy to wear on it's own, and I was highly upset over this. I haven't thrown it away yet, it's still sitting in my collection so maybe I'll try applying it over a red lip liner, for a simple red lip.

//NYX Green Concealer: The NYX HD Concealer is a definite top 5 favorites for me, so I figured I'd try out there colored, color correcting ones. I have heavy under eye bags, and I noticed a lot of redness appearing. I know that green concealer cancels out red, so why not try the NYX HD Green Concealer. I'm pretty sure I threw this out already, because it was that bad. It was so patchy, didn't blend at all, and the green tint never went away. It was a disaster.

//Micro Beauty Blenders: The beautyblender changed the game for me last August when I bought my first one. It's when I started using foundation on a daily basis and my make-up routine just got so much better afterwards. I've since bought another one in conjunction with my original one (time to probably throw the first one out, a year's use seems good enough). When the mini beauty blenders were released, I knew I needed them. Some days when I don't wear foundation, or just wear powder foundation, I still apply a liquid or cream concealer. Therefore I still need to use a beauty blender. I justified it as not wanting to wet an entire beauty blender when just applying concealer so I figured these mini ones would get the job done. They were good for a while, until they started to get on my nerves. They are just too small to hold in my hands and it's much easier to just use a regular one. I still have them in my collection, trying to figure out how to use them but who knows.

What beauty products have you tried and they were #epicfails? Let me know in the comments!

I've been trying to buy less and spend less money on make-up but it doesn't seem to be working. I've definitely cut back, but I still like to treat myself to something new every so often.

These items have been collected over the course of two months and I've been loving & using all of them religiously.

There's always new things at the drugstore, and obviously those are more affordable but I do love myself a good high end make-up splurge!




Here are some of the beauty items I've been LOVING lately.

//Maybelline Dream Wonder Fluid Touch Foundation: I've been lusting after this drugstore foundation since it came out last year. It's definitely on the pricey side of the drugstore, rounding out anywhere from $10-$13. I finally splurged on it and it's been life changing. It's a very liquid, water like foundation that has medium-full(ish) coverage. I apply it with a Beauty Blender and it gives me the most beautiful demi matte, powder finish. It wears pretty well throughout the day and I've been wearing it almost everyday. It's well worth the price.




//Maybelline Lip Studio Color Blur: I have been obsessed with lip products lately and I cannot get enough. When I saw that Maybelline released a new line of matte lip colors, I went searching for them and couldn't find them for weeks at my local CVS or Duane Reade. I finally went to Rite Aid in my neighborhood and they had ALL the new beauty products. I picked up this one in "I Like to Mauve It" and love it! It's a little on the pinker side of mauve but it's a great "Kylie Jenner" type of color. It's really comfortable on the lips and the perfect everyday color.

//Loreal Colour Riche Le Matte Lipcolour Stick: In the same breath, L'Oreal released their own line of matte lip colors. They also had ones called "Le Lacquer" and I may want to try those too. I got one in the shade "She's So Matte" and it's a little darker than the Maybelline one. Still, it's very comfortable and a little more matte than the Maybelline. Once again, a perfect every day color!



//Too Faced Sole Mates Blushing Bronzer: These are $34 and 'limited edition' and were released around Valentine's Day. There's only two shades, named after two of the best TV couples ever "Carrie & Big" and "Rachel and Ross." I wasn't going to spend $34 on it so I never got it. That was, until I was in my local Nordstrom Rack and they had a whole bin full of both shades, for $8!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I picked up "Carrie & Big" immediately and haven't used another bronzer since. It's really hard to use the bronzer and blush separately, so I just take a kabuki brush and swirl them together for a luminous, bronzy glow. Ugh, I cannot get enough!





//Too Faced Love Flush Blush in Love Hangover: When I saw that Too Faced was releasing new blushes, I knew I needed one. I didn't know when they were being released, until I woke up one morning and saw that they were up for grabs on Home Shopping Network. I immediately ordered it while I was walking to the train station (I have an addiction) and within a week, this adorable little blush was at my door. It's the perfect everyday, warm pink color that looks very natural on the cheeks. They are 16 hour blushes and honestly, they are very long wearing. They're smooth and perfect and I want more!





//Becca Cosmetics + Jaclyn Hill Shimmering Skin Perfector: I watch a lot of Youtube videos, and love a lot of Youtube v-loggers. All of them talk about Becca's highlighters, and all of them love Jaclyn Hill. With good reason too, as she is one of the OG's of Youtube Beauty Blogging and she is funny, beautiful, down to earth, and relatable. I want to be her! Anyways, Becca & Jaclyn collaborated on a new highlighter called "Champagne Pop". It's $38 but I needed it because it's limited edition and I was in need of a new powder highlight. It was worth it because it's the most intense, beautiful highlight. I've been wearing it every day and I can't stop. You can build up the intensity as much as you want and it looks good on pretty much everyone. I'm obsessed and may never wear another highlight again.

What beauty products have you picked up lately? Tell me in the comments!




Shop my picks below!

This post is sponsored by InstaNatural and Brandbacker. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

A few months ago, I received some products from InstaNatural and have been testing them out since then. I have a lot of hair and skincare products so I'm always alternating between them, hence the reason this review is super late.

Also, because my skin was acting up, I had to stop using one of the serums I received, just to see if it was irritating my skin (it wasn't)

InstaNatural is an all organic skincare brand that has everything from mud masks to face serums to essential oils. I've been obsessed with skincare lately so I thought it'd be cool to try out some organic, natural products. I am always a little weary of trying brands I've never used but so far so good.

The products I received were an Argan Oil Hair Mask, Argan Oil, and a Vitamin C Serum.



I've heard so many incredible things about what Argan Oil does for your hair and skin so I knew I wanted to try it. I had a small sample bottle of Argan Oil from a Birchbox and I used it to nourish my cuticles so I was really excited to have a huge bottle to use for different things.

I've been using the Argan Oil from InstaNatural really only on my cuticles because I forget to use it for other things (#bloggerfail) and it does an incredible job. I will say that my mom has been using this religiously and has gone through half the bottle. She's obsessed and uses it for everything. She uses it to shave her legs and slathers it on as an in shower moisturizer. It really is an all in one product.

The Vitamin C Serum I have been using sparingly. This is supposed to brighten your skin, even out your skin tone, and fight the signs of aging. It's combined with other oils such as Argan, Rosehip, Sea Buckthorn, and many more. It's very light in texture and melts into your skin. I use this every so often (mostly because I'm afraid of adding anything else into my skincare routine) but I never notice an irritation. I do however, notice that my skin does look more even and bright after a few days of using this. A Vitamin C serum is a definite A+ in my book and should be incorporated as best as possible.

Now for the Argan Oil Hair Mask... this I was not too pleased with (my mother is though). It made my hair feel goopy, dry, and brittle. It didn't leave my hair soft and honestly made my hair feel dirty. I used it once and that's it but my mom started using it and loves it. She says it makes her hair easier to brush and a lot softer. That goes to show you that different products affect everyone differently.

Conclusion... InstaNatural has some amazing products and I think I'll be trying out some more soon. All organic products are really great and oils do wonders for your skin!

What are your favorite all natural beauty products? Tell me in the comments!

Let's be real for a second...

I feel like I keep a pretty clean persona on here. Aside from my Hpnotiq Sparkle post series, I never talk about alcohol or partying or anything that I don't think is apprioprate. I don't want to advertise anything that may put me in a poor light.

But like I said, let's be real. I'm a 22 year old post college girl. I've had my fair share of drinks on a night out, I've partied with the best of them, and I've had a decent amount of hangovers (okay more than a decent amount.

So now that we're all being real, let's get to what this post is really about...curing your hangover with beauty products. Yup, you heard me.

A few months ago, I came across an article in Cosmopolitan called "Stay Sexy at a Tailgate." It was all about how to daydrink and still look like a rockstar, using specific beauty products.

You know how obsessed I am with beauty products and I'm all for using them any way I can. I loved the article so much I ripped it out of the magazine and keep it in my drawer. I don't know why, I know I'm weird, it's just me.

Since then, I started seeing more and more articles with "Hangover Beauty" in the title. What you should do for your face and skin when you have a hangover...that's actually kind of brilliant and I knew I wanted to put my own spin on it.

I then realized as much as I hated a "morning routine" on a Sunday morning after a long night, I did do some stuff to make me look semi-presentable as I trekked to get a BEC and iced coffee across campus.

I don't drink as often now (#postgradproblems) but when I do, the hangovers are far worst. I've been playing with these "remedies" for a while and I'll pretty much swear by them. I also like any excuse to do a good product post.

Enough rambling, Briana, let's get into it!



Visine Eye-drops: Before you do anything, get rid of the redness in your eyes. No one needs to know you had 5 Tequila Sunrises just by staring into your eyes. Moisten your pupils with your favorite kind of eye drops and be on your merry way.

Hangover RX Primer: Too Faced released this primer last year and I just bought it (after lusting for months) and I'm kind of obsessed with the idea. It's a little gimmicky but this silicone free primer moisturizers your skin with electrolytes, probiotics, and coconut water--everything your body (and skin) needs when it's dehydrated. I notice that the redness in my face is almost completely gone when I apply this primer and I naturally look more awake. This will definitely help brighten your complexion so no one knows you were almost kicked out of the bar for dancing on a booth (may or may have not ever happened to me)

Green Concealer: In addition to the regular concealer you apply in dire situations, add a green concealer to the mix. I like the NYX HD Green Concealer and I just dab a little under my eyes or wherever need be. Green cancels out redness so this is essential to making your skin look even.

NYX Wonder Pencil: This is a universal pencil that I've formed a love affair with. You can use it as a lip liner or on your waterline. I use it on my waterline to brighten and widen my eyes when I feel extra sleepy or sick (or hungover, duh). It's the perfect nude, almost invisible liner that instantly makes your eyes appear larger. One quick swipe and you don't need sunglasses to shield your small, raccoon eyes.

Eyeshadow: If you really have to go somewhere the morning after, stick to bright eye shadows all over your lid. I find that pink, white or gold, shimmery shades really make your eyes pop (especially after you use your eye drops) so you'll be able to conceal the fact that you were out till 2 A.M. Don't go crazy with the shadow, just all over the lid to give you a little shimmer. Add some mascara into the mix to really open your eyes and you're all set!

If you don't have time or energy for ANY of this, which I wouldn't blame you and more props to you if you get to spend your hangover in bed, there are still some things you can do to help your skin.

Hydrating Facial Mask: If you're plans consist of Netflix, Gatorade, and your couch, then slap on a really great hydrating face mask. It'll fill your skin with the nutrients that were loss on your vodka binge. I really love the Freeman Anti-Stress mask, it's not advertised as a hydrating mask but the blue color and light texture really wakes up my skin. I also want to try the Sephora sheet masks; I'm most intrigued by the Pomegranate mask which is an anti-fatigue sheet.

Cooling Eye Products: My eyes give me away, all the time. If I've been crying, haven't gotten enough sleep, or took that extra shot, my eyes will surely be able to tell you that. They get puffy, red, and dry--it's not a pretty sight. I swear by my eye products and cooling, hydrating eye products are even better. I love these Sephora Depuffing Eye Masks; they feel really hydrating and cooling under the eyes. Also, throw an eye cream or cooling roller in the fridge the night before and apply that in the morning as well.

I hope this all made sense! Hangovers are the devil's doing and if you can't feel good, the least you could do is look good!

What is your morning after beauty tips?

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