I've always been a sucker for the finer things in life and when it comes to beauty, luxury and higher end have always been my favorite. When I was first getting into the beauty space, I coveted everything I purchased from Sephora and when I shopped there, I was truly the happiest.

I had drugstore makeup that I liked, even loved but if you look at the prices of drugstore makeup now, it's not as cheap as one would think. When I realized that, I didn't see the point in buying makeup I didn't want just because it was a few dollars cheaper than what I really wanted in Sephora or Nordstrom.

*Obviously some drugstore makeup is just as great quality as the higher end but it's just my preference. 

Years later, I now have the ~luxury~ of being able to afford some really luxurious products and while some of these aren't super high end, they can still be considered luxury for the price point (in my opinion).

I've tried so many products over the years and by far, these are my favorite luxury (or higher end) products and items I would pretty much never be without, despite the high price tag.

Cle de Peau Beaute Concealer - $70

I bought this heavy duty, well talked about and expensive concealer as a birthday gift for myself years ago and I don't think I will ever be without it. It is a secret weapon of mine, covers all of my dark circles, blemishes and spots but doesn't end up cakey on your skin. I love the fact that it's a cream stick concealer instead of a liquid and I think that contributes to the ease of use and high coverage. It is travel-friendly (I bring it everywhere with me, seriously) and has SPF so it's a great addition to your beach bag.

If you are a concealer junkie or someone who has a lot of trouble with dark spots, circles, and blemishes, you need this concealer. It is worth $70 and I will repurchase for the rest of my life.

Tatcha Violet -C Radiance Mask - $68

I received a foil sample of this Tatcha mask, used it, saw instant results and immediately purchased the full size. This mask instantly brightens your skin thanks to the two types of Vitamin Cs infused in the violet mask; it has AHAs from Japanese fruits that help with anti-aging and is made for everyone, despite your skin type. Whenever I feel like my skin is dull and not looking its best, this mask truly brings it back to life without drying it out. It's the only mask that I've used that really makes a difference in how my skin looks. I love this mask so much, I've been highly considering purchasing the matching serum.

Tom Ford Lip Color in Sable Smoke - $55

Shiseido Facial Cotton - $12

What are some of your favorite luxury beauty items?

My skin has not been in the best shape the past few weeks. I've been super dry and had some weird allergic reactions to a few things (I think a Charlotte Tilbury eye cream was to blame) so I've been really trying to get everything back to normal.

About a month ago I noticed that I felt super dry, everywhere. My mouth, nose, hands, cuticles, face, and body were just completely parched. I drink my weight in water each other (it's the only thing I drink) so something had to be done.

I've been in a huge beauty funk; I wasn't really taking care of my skin and I wasn't feeling any of my makeup and I was just over it. Within the past 2-3 weeks, I've hit a reset button and makeup/beauty is all I want to do.



It worked out well because I've kind of amped up my skincare routine, or at least started using some products a little more strategically.



1. Neutrogena Skincare: About a month ago I did a sponsored post on Instagram with Neutrogena. They sent me their Hydroboost line and holy hell, I've been obsessed. I've been out of the drugstore game for a while but this pulled me in. My three favorite products have been the Cleansing Lotion, Exfoliating Cleanser, and Multi-Vitamin Booster.

I love a good cleansing oil but this cleansing lotion is not as emollient as a cleansing oil and has a much better consistency in my opinion. It's gentle but removes all my makeup like a dream.

The Exfoliating Cleanser is also super gentle but it doesn't dry out my skin like some exfoliators can; it has tiny beads that aren't too rough and also has a great gel-like consistency. It deep cleans my skin and leaves it feeling fresh and hydrated.

Finally, the multi-vitamin booster serum has been great to lather on at night when my skin needs an extra boost. I haven't noticed a huge difference when I use it but I like to incorporate some kind of serum into the routine and this has been a great addition.

2. Tatcha Violet C Radiance Mask: I don't think this can really count since I used it once, and it was a foil packet sample but holy crap, I'm buying the full size. My skin was feeling very discolored, uneven, and blotchy last weekend and I was fed up with it. I knew this mask had amazing reviews and I knew I had a sample of it. I slathered the violet mask on, left it on for 15 minutes and was stunned at the results. My skin looked totally different; a lot of the spots were gone and my skin looked brighter. The results have lasted almost a week later. I am stunned at the magic that is in this mask and I need more of it. I have never seen a skincare item act so fast and so well.



3. Summer Fridays Jet Lag Mask: If you have seen my Instagram post, you know I've fallen in love with the latest social media beauty craze. Star influencer Mariann Hewitt launched her brand Summer Fridays a few weeks ago and the first product is this Jet Lag Mask. It's very aesthetically pleasing in terms of packaging and is perfect in the formula. It's made to be a mask that will hydrate your parched and ragged skin, two things that happen to your skin when you're constantly flying and feeling jet lagged (get the name?). A special thing about this mask is that it is a white cream but doesn't look like a regular face mask when applied on your skin. It's basically clear or looks like a regular moisturizer. Since receiving it a few weeks ago from Sephora, I haven't used it as a mask. I use this nightly as a night cream, after my Sunday Riley Luna Sleeping Night Oil or the Neutrogena Serum. I wake up and my skin looks healthier, plumper, and just better all around. I never, ever want to be without this mask.

4. Drunk Elephant Baby Facial: I might've mentioned this once before, either in a video or in an old blog post but I've been thoroughly enjoying this mask lately. It's like a reset button for my face and I put it on whenever I feel like I need to even my face out, or when I just need to get rid of dead skin cells. There is a reason it's so popular and it's because it really works. Similar to the Tatcha mask, I see immediate results, like I actually went and got a facial, after I use it. It's expensive AF but if you could get the mini size like I did, I recommend it!


What are your current favorite skincare products?
xoxo
B

Skincare has become a major thing for me in the past year. I was never one to have skin problems but last winter my skin changed and rebelled against me. I learned that I had super dry skin and I learned how to treat it and help it.

I learned how to clear blackheads and whiteheads and my Clarisonic changed my life.

Skincare is something I've fallen in love with and I cannot get enough. I always want to try new skincare and see what new things are on the market--that is exactly what this post is about.

I'm a firm believer that you can shop your skincare in the drugstore and be totally fine. A lot of my skincare is in the drugstore and I won't spend money on certain items--like makeup wipes. I do, however, like to try out different brands and products, both high end and low end.

Japanese and Korean skincare has been a huge trend in the past year and with good reason; they know what they're doing when it comes to skincare. Between sheet masks and powder exfoliates and everything in-between, the skincare industry has been completely changed.

There has been one brand I've been wanting to try for a while--Tatcha. Her skincare is based in Japanese ritual and is definitely on the pricey side.

She seems to be known for two products, well these are the two products I heard of; the Luminous Dewy Skin Mist and the Rice Enzyme Powder. The Dewy Skin Mist was made famous by Kim Kardashian and her makeup artist Mario, as well as resident queen of Youtube, Jaclyn Hill. It has a hefty price tag of $48 but everyone swears it's worth it.

The Exfoliating Rice Enzyme Powder is a strange but intriguing product. It's a powder that once you wet it, it foams up and you use it as an exfoliating cleanser. It's supposed to "release debris from skin" and leave your skin "baby soft."

As someone who loves both skin mists and exfoliating products, I knew I wanted and needed these in my skincare routine but I wasn't too keen on spending the hefty amount of money on it.

That is, until I saw Tatcha having their Friends & Family sale during Cyber Week. Another added bonus? They have travel sizes of a lot of their products. I can appreciate a good travel size because they're always cheaper and I never go through full sizes of anything anymore because I have so much!


I bought both the mist and the enzyme powder and my goodness, OH MY GOD. I can't tell you how good these both are. First off, let me say, I felt so luxurious opening the package. From the tissue paper to the boxes to the actual packaging, you could feel how expensive these products are and I felt so awesome because I don't have anything like these products/brand.



As for the products, I only used the mist once--I want to preserve it but it felt really great on my skin and gave the most incredible, glowing finish to my skin. I'll definitely be trying this out more down the road.




My favorite however has been the Rice Enzyme Powder. I've used it twice and the difference I see within those two uses is unlike anything before. My skin is brighter, clearer, and smoother. I have a lot of texture on my cheeks and jawline and this has basically cleared it all up. It's very interesting, using a powder to clean your face and I thought there would be more of a learning curve with it but that is certainly not the case. It is really easy to use if you just follow the instructions.

I don't see myself going through the powder that quickly but I'd definitely buy the travel size again. This is holy grail status for me!

What are some skincare products you are dying to try? Recommendations are always welcome ;)