Best Beauty Purchases of 2019

From L-R: Dr Nassif Peel Pads | PTR Pore Treatment | EltaMD Foaming Cleanser | Drunk Elephant Sunshine Drops | Skinmedica Lytera 2.0 | Tula Face Filter Primer | Skinmedica TNS Serum | RoC Eye Cream | Tula Pro-Glycolic Gel | Neocutis Microeyes | Tula Glow and Get it Eye Balm

I tried to take a picture of all of my favorite products from the last year, but I quickly realized that I have too many and they wouldn’t all fit in this picture 😛 After trying to stage a picture I gave up and decided to just post a picture of some and the rest will go in a collage.  I’ve always hoarded beauty products and I feel like I’ve tried just about everything out there.  I can’t pass up any product with good reviews and I will sometimes order things just based on the reviews to try it for myself.  I am also a huge skeptic so when I see a herd of influencers talking about the same product I feel like I need to test it out to see if it’s really as good as the hype.  Here are the products that I have enjoyed using the past year and several have been repurchased.

NassifMD Peel Pads: I admit I did not have big expectations for these pads when I got them in a FabFitFun box earlier this year because I immediately saw Dr. Nassif and kind of laughed since he was a husband on RHOBH.  Even though I knew he was a plastic surgeon I still had my doubts.  I was blow away with these pads and so were you all! I have never gotten more DMs about something skincare related than the amount I received about this product! The thing I like about these pads is that they are gentle enough to use every single night but they are effective and give your skin a good glow.  They also smell amazing and the pads are huge so you don’t feel like you need to use more than one to get enough product on your face. 

Peter Thomas Roth Lactic Pore Treatment: I purchased this during a Sephora sale and was fully expecting it to sting and cause my face to burn (which I like, don’t get me wrong), but it really doesn’t do either of those things and I was pleasantly surprised.  It does contain lactic acid so it is  for sure powerful, but it doesn’t sting or cause irritation.  For me this peel gives me a good glow and reduces the size of my pores significantly with one use. 

EltaMD Foaming Cleanser: I know that a lot of people don’t really care about cleansers and just use whatever, but I am really picky about cleansers and have to have something that foams.  I have tried oil cleansing in the past and while I do like to use them if I am double cleansing, generally speaking I prefer a good foaming cleanser.  The EltaMD foaming cleanser is one of my favorites and leaves my face feeling very clean. 

Drunk Elephant Sunshine Drops: these are a recent-ish discovery for me and I have to say they are one of my favorite beauty finds of 2019! Do you ever feel too lazy to get a spray tan or apply sunless tanner to yourself? For me, I really hate the smell of most sunless tanners and despite how easy some are to use I still hate using them (even though I force myself sometimes).  The Drunk Elephant Sunshine Drops are like a single use spray tan in a creamy foundation-like formula, if that makes sense.  I wouldn’t say they are a bronzer because the drops are much darker than bronzers and a little goes a long way.  I like to mix these in with my makeup primer before applying foundation. 

Skinmedica Lytera 2.0: There are a lot of skincare ingredients that claim to lighten hyperpigmentation but the main one is hydroquinone (you’ll see this mentioned later in another product on my list).  I do love using hydroquinone products, but most dermatologists recommend to only use them for a 3 month period at a time.  This is where Lytera 2.0 enters into my skincare regime because it helps to lighten hyperpigmentation without using hydroquinone as an ingredient.  Lytera 2.0 uses licorice root extract to brighten skin and fade hyperpigmentation.  I personally think hydroquinone based products work quick and better, but like I said I don’t want to use them for too long at one time so I like to keep the Lytera 2.0 on hand. 

Tula Face Filter Primer: I’ve been through a lot of makeup primers in my time and this one from Tula is one of my all time favorites.  I love the consistency and how it seems to melt into my skin when applied.  I feel like this product coupled with the Estee Lauder Doublewear foundation is a winning combo for my skin. 

Skinmedica TNS Serum: I recommend the TNS Essential Serum if you are looking to invest in one expensive skincare item that will give you the most bang for your buck.  This product contains peptides, antioxidants, and a tissue nutrient solution that is derived from cells of foreskin (yes, you read that right).  I have personally seen improvements in skin texture, fine lines and skin tone since using the TNS Serum (I’ve used it on and off for around 6 years). 

RoC Retinol Eye Cream: this is my favorite drug store eye cream and I always recommend this product to people looking for something effective and inexpensive.  Retinoids are essential for cell turnover of our skin and the undereye area shouldn’t be ignored.  I like using the RoC retinol eye cream because it’s not irritating like other retinol creams and is formulated specifically for the thin and delicate undereye skin. 

Tula Pro-Glycolic Serum: I’m sure you’ve noticed a trend of acids with my favorite products – I really think you should be exfoliating every week or more, and one easy way to do that is incorporating a glycolic acid into your skincare routine.  I like this Tula Pro Glycolic Serum because I can layer it with my 500 other skincare products and it’s not sticky or too heavy.  It has a very lightweight consistency while still getting the job done. 

Neocutis Microeyes Riche: this product is my favorite eye cream for nourishing the delicate undereye area and making your eyes look more awake.  It contains hyaluronic acid, caffeine, and a protein complex in a lightweight cream form.  I know I am not normal, but sometimes I will layer this, the RoC product, and the Tula Eye balm all at one time 😛

Tula Glow & Get It Eye Balm: there is definitely a reason that this cult favorite eye balm is always sold out and for me that reason is the cooling feeling/sensation when applying to my undereye area.  I wouldn’t necessarily say that this product is like an eye cream, but more like a supplemental product that you can apply over or under eye cream or over makeup. 

Admire My Skin | Anastasia Brow Pencil | Beauty Blender | Zaditor Eye Drops | Slip Silk Pillowcases | Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation | Perfect Image Peel Pads | Eyelash Wands | Facial Scrapper | Silk Scrunchies | Cartier Perfume | Migraine Stick | Tongue Brush | Klorane Dry Shampoo | Loving Tan Foam | Simply Saline | First Aid Beauty Lip Balm | Plackers Double Line Dental Floss | Simply Summer’s Eve Wipes | Ice Roller

Admire My Skin Ultra Potent Brightening Serum: back to skin lightening and hydroquinone – this is the miracle serum from Amazon that went viral after being on several morning shows and news articles.  It contains a powerful blend of hydroquinone, vitamin C, lactic acid, salicylic acid, kojic acid, and azalaic acid.  It has over 6,000 4 star reviews and at under $20, you cannot beat the price!

Anastasia Brow Wiz Pencil: I used to be a loyal user of the Anastasia brow pomades, but over the past 6 months I’ve been using the brow wiz pencil and prefer it now to the pomade.  It’s easy to use and I like how it has a brow brush tip on the other end. Think of it like a little mechanical pencil (remember those) for your eyebrows.  I do have my eyebrows micro bladed and most days I go without the extra step of filling in my brows, however, when we take photos I like for my brows to stand out. 

The Beauty Blender: I know you all are probably sick of me talking about a beauty blender in every beauty post that I do, but truly, if you want dewy and airbrushed looking foundation you’ve got to start using a damp beauty blender to apply your foundation.  A lot of people claim to have found dupes or inexpensive options that they think work just as well as the original branded beauty blender.  However, I will stand by my claim that nothing works like the original pink beauty blender that is $20 for a piece of spongey material. 

Zaditor Allergy Eye Drops: If I were stranded on a desert island and could have two things I would take these eye drops and ice roller … well, wait, I’d need my sinus rinse too.  I guess I’d take three things.  But really, these eye drops are my favorite for itchy allergy eyes.  They are expensive but worth it since most days I feel like clawing my eyeballs out from allergies. 

SLIP Silk Pillowcase: girls, it’s 2020 … time to get a silk pillowcase if you haven’t already.  I am so addicted to mine that I now take an extra one when we travel because I can’t sleep as well with a regular cotton pillowcase.  In addition to just feeling better, a silk pillowcase also has a multitude of beauty benefits like helping avoid hair breakage and minimizing facial wrinkles. 

Estee Lauder Doublewear Foundation: this is one of those products that I kept hearing people talk about which caused me to order it out of curiosity.  I was not expecting to like this foundation because I mostly associated Estee Lauder with an older crowd.  I am now on my third or fourth bottle and would honestly put it on auto-ship if that were an option.  This foundation is medium coverage and makes my skin tone even while erasing pores.

Perfect Image Peel Pads: we’ve talked about a lot of peel pads in this list and none mentioned before will actually make your skin peel off.  Enter the Perfect Image Peel Pads – these pads contain some usual suspects like glycolic and mandelic acid, but the kicker comes with the addition of 15% TCA.  These ingredients work together to remove dead skin cells (by making you peel) and stimulating new skin cell growth.  Ladies, these peel pads made me peel for two weeks! It was a good kind of peel where it’s just surface level skin flakes, so I could still wear makeup and go on with my daily functions.

Eyelash Wands: if you have eyelash extensions like me you have to get yourself a set of these cheap disposable eyelash wands on Amazon.  I can’t tell you how many times dog fur or some random fur from a sweater will get caught in my eyelashes and I have to go fishing for it.  These make it so easy to do a couple of swoops and get any debris or hair out of our fake lashes. 

Facial Scrapper: this small and unassuming device packs a big punch by using sonic waves to pulsate blackheads and dead skin off of your face.  Think of this like a derma blade without the sharp edge and with added sonic waves.  I like to take the scrapper right along the ridges of my nose and get the blackheads out.  I also love it for my lower cheek area and chin which also seem to collect stubborn blackheads.

Silk Scrunchies: along the same lines of silk pillowcases, silk scrunchies work in a similar fashion making it harder for breakage to happen with your hair.  They also don’t leave any creases or annoying ponytail lines and to me they are just way more comfortable than a traditional hair rubber-band.  I am pretty particular about the silk pillowcases, however, I have tried a lot of the silk scrunchies and to me they are pretty much all the same. 

Cartier Baser Vole Perfume: you may have caught this story on my instastories, but basically when I was in Maine I got to meet one of my oldest internet friends, MrsCocoWyse, for coffee and shopping.  As soon as I gave her a hug I immediately smelled her perfume and asked her what she was wearing.  She proceeded to show me this clear Cartier bottle and she said it had been her signature scent for years and that everyone always asks her what perfume it is.  I immediately got back to my hotel and placed my order and haven’t looked back sense.  This perfume is the bomb and I am now getting compliments on it as well.  Just trust me on this one!

Migraine Stick: how many times have you all heard me talking about the migraine stick? seriously, if you get tension headaches, migraines, headaches or just shoulder and neck tension, you need to order the migraine stick ASAP.  The blend of oils in this rollerball will soothe your muscles as well as provide a cooling sensation.  I apply this to my temples, forehead, back of the neck and even my wrists and arms when I have tension from typing. 

Orabrush Tongue Brush: listen, this might be gross but did you know that most of the mouth’s nasty bacteria is chillin’ out right on your tongue.  Not only should we clean our tongues for sanitary reasons, but it also helps with bad breath and getting that nasty gunk off of your tongue after eating.  There are a couple of different kinds of tongue scrapers out there, but I much prefer this little brush device and have used the Orabrush for about 6 years. 

Klorane Dry Shampoo: I’m kind of a dry shampoo snob … I’ll admit it.  I am very picky about my dry shampoos and the consistency, smell, texture, and color.  I don’t like ones that come out too powdery because I think it makes my hair look grey.  I also hate dry shampoos that are too fragrant and I swear I have donated or thrown so many away just on smell alone.  I have found my holy grail of dry shampoos and that is the Klorane Dry Shampoo with the green top which contains nettle to absorb oil in just 25 seconds.  It doesn’t leave my hair feeling icky, sticky, or powdery.

Loving Tan 2hr Express Foam: I feel like I have so many spray tan situations in my life depending on my mood, how far I want to drive, how much time I have, what kind of color I want, etc. I guess it’s good to have options.  When I am just too lazy to even leave my house to go get a spray tan, I like to use the Loving Tan 2hr Express Foam (color medium) to get my skin looking like I just got a spray tan.  I have been really impressed with this Loving Tan foam and as long as you apply it with a mitt and be careful around your hands and feet you will be looking like you just stepped off the beach!

Simply Saline Sinus Rinse: I feel like I should bust into song for this one, “HOW DO I LIVE WITHOUT YOU, I WANT TO KNOW … HOW DO I BREATH WITOUT YOUUUUU”, but really though, I probably wouldn’t be able to breath if it weren’t for the Simply Saline Sinus Rinse that I use every single day and hoard in my house for fear they will ever stop making it.  I’ve had bad allergies and sinuses ever since I can remember.  I am actually supposed to get that sinus surgery at some point but keep putting it off.  I am literally congested with sinus pressure almost every single day and when I first learned about nasal irrigation I was all in with the netti pot.  I soon learned that using tap water was no bueno and that you had to either boil your water or use bottled water.  It just seemed too messy and complicated to me and that’s when I found the prepackaged and sterile Simply Saline Nasal Spray.  Don’t be fooled by the name “nasal mist” or “nasal spray”, this is a full on nasal irrigation spray where you need to tilt your head to the side, stick the nozzle in one nostril and spray until the water goes up your nose and out your other nostril, then repeat. If you did the process correctly you will feel an immense relief in sinus pressure and you’ll be able to breath again through both nostrils. 

First Aid Beauty Lip Balm: I’m also very picky about my lip balm and actually put up a story the other day saying that I didn’t get the hype around the Laniege Lip Mask and you would have thought I called someones child ugly.  I got so many messages defending the Laniege Lip Mask and I was just like ummmm ok? My personal favorite lip balm is this First Aid Beauty Advanced Lip Balm and I’ve already gone through at least 5 containers of it this last year alone.  I have really dry lips and this and my Carmex are the only products that help. 

Plackers Double Line Dental Floss: I once did a poll on instastories asking people if they flossed their teeth and the results were honestly disturbing with more than HALF of the voters saying no they don’t floss their teeth.  I honestly couldn’t believe it since I am one of those weird OCD people that has to floss after every single meal.  If you fall into the “I don’t floss” category, do me a favor and order some of these dental floss placker sticks.  Put some in your purse and the rest in your bathroom.  They are so easy to use and get everything out of your teeth prior to brushing. 

Simply Summer’s Eve Wipes: listen, it gets hot, we sweat, that sweat collects in certain body areas and it results in unpleasant smells.  Maybe I’m just paranoid, but I always like to keep these Summer’s Eve Simply Wipes in my purse and at home because you just never know when you might need a quick freshen up, you know what I mean? They come in all kinds of scents and I personally prefer the coconut as it’s light, fresh, and not too overpowering. 

Ice Roller: I shouldn’t even have to type anything about the ice roller since I’m pretty sure that I’ve single handedly kept the manufacturer in business with all of my IG story peeps, but there may be some people reading this that aren’t on Instagram or maybe they don’t watch my stories, so let me give you the 411 on the ice roller.  Basically it’s going to be the best $11 that you’ve ever spent.  Yes, this is just what it sounds like, a roller that has a huge ice pack like rolling pin that you put in the freezer, let it freeze and then roll it all over your face.  I roll my face in the morning and at night and I’ll even do it several times a night if I have a bad headache or migraine.  Ice rolling has many benefits but my favorites are undereye inflammation, puffiness of the face, decreasing pore size, and helping eradicate acne.