Every girl has their go-to’s when it comes to their beauty regimen. Whether it’s your hair, skin, or nails – you tried something once and have been hooked ever since. And girl, I don’t blame you! So today, I’m going to share with you some of my favorite beauty products that have enhanced my life in one way or another. Let’s dive in.

SKIN

Self-tanner

Self-tanners can be tricky. They can turn you into a cheeto, become streaky like a tiger, and sometimes even turn out green! Ever since I had Owen and started cutting out tanning beds to really care for my skin, I’ve had to do my due diligence in researching self-tanners. Luckily for me and you, there’s a bunch of influencers on Instagram that love the fake bake look and love to talk about what beauty products they use. (*cough cough* Oh wait, that’s me). So with that said, my go-to self-tanner is Isle of Paradise Self Tanning Drops.

I could honestly probably do a whole blog post on how I use it, what not to do, etc. BUT I’ll keep things short and sweet for the brevity of this post. I love these self tanning drops because all you do is add the drops to your lotion and apply after you shower. I typically don’t exfoliate (other than well, washing my body in the shower) and because you add the drops to your lotion, it’s incredibly hydrating for your skin.

Cannabis Sativa Seed Oil Herbal Concentrate

I know what you’re thinking, “Mallory uses cannabis?!” No, mom. Chill… Okay well, sort of? Kiehl’s Cannabis Sativa Seed Oil Herbal Concentrate is apart of my nightly skin routine. It’s great for reducing redness and acne. Or as Kiehl’s would say, it calms stressed skin. And let me just say, that as a 20-something new mom and entrepreneur, your girl is typically stressed 24/7.

However, since incorporating this oil into my routine at night after I wash my face, I have noticed a huge difference in my skin. I still have breakouts from time-to-time because I’m human and hormones are real. But be that as it may, this has made those breakouts less noticeable. If you’re interested in learning more about my skin care regimen and skin beauty products I use, I highly suggest you read my blog post 5 Tips for Clear Skin.

HAIR

Shampoo & Conditioner

If you’ve been following my blog for a while, it should be pretty obvious that I’m a fan of Kiehl’s products. (And no this isn’t a sponsored beauty post; however, if you know anyone on their marketing team, feel free to help a sister out!). Just to be real with you, I used to only use Redken and Purology products. However, after falling in love with Kiehl’s skincare line, I thought “What the hey” and gave their shampoo and conditioner a try.

Let me just say, that my hair must be SO glad I tried their Amino Acid Shampoo and Conditioner. My hair has never been this long and has never been this healthy. Truth be told, this is the first time in years that I am not wearing extensions to thicken my hair and give it length. If you’re hesitant to switch over, they have travel sizes you can start out with (just another great thing about Kiehl’s).

Purple Toning Masque

Where are my blonde sisters at?! If you’re like me, you know the struggle of being blonde and staying blonde. Not because you have to get highlights every six weeks to tame those roots though. The struggle to stay blonde is really about the battle against brass.

Pravana’s The Perfect Blonde Purple Toning Masque should be in your shower yesterday. Just trust me on this. My hair tends to want to pull more warmer and brasser tones so keeping it cool is hard work! I put this masque on and let it sit while I shave. I bought this bottle back in December of 2018 and am just now needing to buy a new one since I only use it once a week. So worth the price, IMO.

Brush

You’ve heard of paddle brushes and you might have even heard of boar bristle brushes (which I still highly recommend if you round brush your hair). But have you heard of the Wet Brush? Probably. I almost did not even add this into the beauty post because it’s not a new product, but I’m including it because it’s done wonders for my hair.

My hair is like the texture of cotton. I don’t mean your cotton shirt either, I’m talking like cotton balls when you pull them apart. Not even kidding. It’s really evident whenever I get out of the shower, brush my hair, and start to blow dry it. The Wet Brush is used when your hair is wet to help detangle hair and minimize damage. Again, such a low price point and so worth it considering the health of my hair ever since I made the switch.

Hair Towel

Can I be real for a second? I used to think women who had towels specifically for their hair were high maintenance. Now I’m the woman who travels with her hair towel because I’m not kidding when I say it’s that good.

The Turban Microfiber Drying Hair Towel was actually gifted to me, but now that I know what this beauty product is like, I would 10/10 buy it. After I shower and brush my hair, I put the towel on and then typically start to do my makeup. By the time I finish my makeup and take off the towel, my hair is 70-80% dry. Yes sister, 70-80% dry. It makes blow drying my hair so much easier and faster. No more sore arms over here!

Blow dryer

Okay, let me just preface with the fact that I had the same conair blow dryer since high school. It was cheap and it did the job… just not very efficiently. In my defense, I used to rarely blow dry my hair. Now that I’m an “adult” though, it’s a different story.

Which is why I made the big girl purchase and bought what my hairstylist uses on my hair – the Sam Villa Blow Dryer. Yes, I know it’s a pretty penny. Even my husband thought it was absurd that I bought this blow dryer… until he used it. Now he uses it more than I do because it takes half the time as a standard blow dryer to dry your hair. I also noticed that it doesn’t leave my hair frizzy like other dryers because of how the coils work with the heat. If you buy this beauty product, be sure to leave a comment thanking me (;

Hair ties

If you’re still using traditional hair ties, I need you to stop where you are and let your hair down or take them off your wrist now. Okay, that’s a bit dramatic, BUT seriously stop using them! The elastic is so bad for your hair and causes breakage. Especially if you’re a fan of the high pony, like me.

I started using Spiral Hair Ties by accident one day when I forgot my hair tie and had to borrow a friends. Best accident ever for my hair. These hair ties are so much better for your hair and truthfully, they actually give me a better high pony. So it’s a win win in my book.

MISC

teeth whitener

Nothing says “beauty” like a white smile. You could photoshop every picture to have a white smile, spend hundreds of dollars getting them professionally whitened, or use what I use that has been tried and true. Since high school I have been whitening my teeth at home because it’s so much more convenient and cost saving.

I whiten my teeth while I’m getting ready for the day with Crest White Strips. They’re so easy to put on and forget about them while I do my makeup or my hair. Then by the time I’m finished getting ready, it’s done! I typically get them at my local grocery store; however, for your convenience, I’m linking them to this post for you!

Press-On Nails

Before Owen was Earth-side, I was getting my nails done at least once a month. It was my “me” time to relax and get pampered. Now that I have a sidekick that goes everywhere with me though, mommas singing a different tune. Yes, I could take him to the nail salon with me, but I don’t want him breathing in those fumes!

I tried to paint my nails at home, but they typically chip after the second day. Then it hit me – why not just use fake nails? Nail glue is harmful for your nails (and have you ever had one rip off? OUCH.) So I tired Impress Nails, which actually just uses a special adhesive and are SO easy to apply. Best part? I don’t have to sit around to wait for them to dry. They’re perfect for a special occasion, if you don’t have time to go get your nails done too.

Get Your Beauty On!

If you’re looking for something new to try, I hope this article was helpful! If you’d like to know more about what I use for something specific that I didn’t cover today, feel free to reach out by dropping a comment below. <3