To Buy Or Not to Buy
Unfortunately for me in 2021, I developed a shopping addiction that drained my bank account. Fortunately for you guys, that means I get to tell you the best products to buy so you don’t have to waste your money.
I am obsessed with self-care products and finding brands that are cruelty-free and clean. This means that there is no testing on animals to make the product and that the product is free from parabens and preservatives. Throughout this past year, I found many products from shampoo to serums that have made my daily routines so much better. I am going to turn you guys onto some of the best brands I have stumbled upon during my unnecessary Target and Ulta runs. Before I start I wanted to let you all know these are not ranked though I will be rating each product and I am not sponsored by any of these brands (yet...).
Hair Products
Kristin Ess “The One” Signature Shampoo and Conditioner
Before I discovered this brand at Ulta Beauty I had never heard of it before. Though, once I tried it I immediately fell in love. This set left my hair so soft and shiny and it's been one of the few shampoo and conditioners that don’t make my hair greasy. I have an interesting hair type it’s not super curly but it's not super straight it's just wavy. So curly and straight hair products don’t usually work for me. Curly hair products are too thick and leave my hair with a film while straight hair products are too light and leave my hair frizzy. This set is labeled “For all hair types” which I honestly believe to be true. It is also not the most expensive shampoo on the market. The 10 oz bottle is 10.00 which goes a long way because you don’t need to use a lot of product. As I noted before I love cruelty-free and clean products and these products check all those boxes. “The One” is Cruelty-free, Vegan, sulfate, paraben, and phthalate-free. I will continue to use these products and I give this set a 9/10.
Kristin Ess Instant Exfoliating Scalp Scrub
Another Kristin Ess product because they are absolutely amazing. This one is for the scalp because I tend to get built up causing my hair to get greasy easily. This scrub is gentle but also gets all the build-up in my scalp leaving my hair the softest it’s been in such a long time. Pairing this scrub with “The One” shampoo and conditioner set and my scrub brush works wonders on my hair. I actually got this on clearance at target for 7.00 which was a total steal for how well it works. Same as the shampoo and conditioner it is cruelty-free, vegan, sulfate, paraben, and phthalate-free. Though this one has an extra one being silicon-free. This scrub is great. I give it an 8.5/10.
Hask Argan Oil
This stuff can be found anywhere from Walmart to Ulta and is amazing. At first glance, the packaging is a little generic and not eye-catching but the product inside the bottle does wonders for your hair. I use this after a shower and use just a pea-sized drop and run it through the ends of my hair. It helps with frizz and makes your hair super shiny. This formula is organic as well and yes, another clean and cruelty-free beauty product. Another pro of this product is the price which is 5.99. Most of Hask’s brand is reasonably priced though I was not a huge fan of their shampoo and conditioner. The formula is just too thick for my hair, it may be different for other hair types. This is a great product that lasts a long time and is not too pricy. I give this product an 8/10.
It’s a 10 Leave-In Product
Before buying this product I had heard mixed reviews. Many people with curly hair did not like the product because the formula was not thick enough. I personally enjoy it with my wavy hair because it gives my hair some extra curl other products do not. It is a spray-on product so it is easy to apply but also I never feel like I'm putting enough on. In reality, I put too much on, and then it creates build-up in my hair. I honestly do not have too much more to say about this product other than the price. It is WAY too expensive. This thing does not create world peace so why is it twenty dollars? I can get this maybe once every month and a half. I don’t like spending that much on one singular product so I’ll wait until it goes on sale at Ulta or Target. I would not say this product “is a ten” as they claim I would give it a 7/10.
Truly Hair Star Fruit and Shine Hair Mask
This entire brand makes me want to hand them my wallet and buy everything on site. I am absolutely obsessed. First of all the smell is absolutely amazing. I want a candle made out of it. Not only that but it makes your hair so soft and shiny. You put it on after you shampoo and condition your hair and let it sit for around 10 minutes. I am such a fan of this stuff it's unreal. Don’t even get me started on the price, it's only 5.00 dollars, WHAT? When I saw the price I was like that’s for a girl on a budget you are coming home with me. It is very dangerous when I enter their section in Ulta because their body butter and bum creams are there and I want to try them so bad. I am currently trying to become a brand ambassador so blow this post up so I can try some body butter. This product is one hundred percent a 10/10 no question.
Alright, now that we got hair products out of the way let’s talk about skincare (my favorite). My mom and I are OBSESSED with skincare and keeping our skin healthy and young. So we tend to spend a bit of money (I mean a lot) when it comes to our skincare products. Though when I look 20 when I'm 60 and people using St.Ives look 200 I will thank myself. So without further ado here are the absolute best skin products from my 2021.
Skin Care Products
Curology Personalized Skin Care
I could go on and on about how amazing this brand is and how it changed my skin dramatically in just a year. When I began using this product I had horrible textured acne on my forehead and cheeks and now my skin is completely clear. I’ll drop my before and after picture to show just how amazing the transformation is. I don't want to be like the proactive commercial and say “this will change your life” because what do I know. Though, I would recommend this to every person dealing with acne. It is not a product you get on the shelf, it is created specifically for you and your skin type. When I first started I sent pictures of my skin and answered questions about my skin type. They then created a formula just for me that I use every night. They ship every month and you can choose what comes in your box. I recently added their pimple patches and they work amazing as well. The basic set comes with face wash, moisturizer, and personal formula. Using them all together nothing else changed my skin in just six months. Since then I have added other products to my routine but I am still using Curology to this day. I will back this brand with all I have AND they are cruelty-free. This is a monthly subscription and they are very pricey at 60.00 a month but again if you are going to splurge on anything make it skin care. I give Curology a 10/10.
Pacifica Booster Serum
I have been using a gua sha recently which is used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat pain and help the skin. I needed a serum to use it with. I found this at Target and fell in love. It smells so good and really lights up your skin as it says it does. It is also just so aesthetic and I love just looking at it on my shelf. This brand is great. They are one hundred percent vegan and cruelty-free and they say that with pride. I use this product at night and put three drops on my face. I wake up with my skin feeling hydrated and smooth which is great. It is on the pricier side at 16.00 but it is so worth it. I give this product a 9.5/10.
Alba Botanica Pimple Patches
These pimple patches are incredible. I have no bad things to say about them. The brand is cruelty-free, plant-based, has no artificial colors, sulfate-free, paraben and phthalate-free, and synthetic fragrance-free. That is a mouth full but it is honestly something all brands should be doing. Unlike other pimple patches like the star-shaped ones, these ones are priced so reasonably at 7.99. I really don’t need stars to get rid of my pimples. I need cheap and effective patches. I use these when a stubborn pimple arises or on blackheads that won’t vacate my nose. It is so satisfying seeing my pimples gone in the morning and it makes my life so much easier. Another great thing is I can find these at Tjmaxx and they are usually only 3.99 which is even better. I adore these patches and I give them a 9/10.
So as you can see I tend to splurge on skincare so I can have healthy and glowing skin. Though sometimes I need to make myself feel good which is why I have a few makeup products. I do not wear makeup very often other than mascara every day just because I am lazy and do not get up early enough. I admire those who are AMAZING at makeup, they are true artists. I have my go-to makeup products I use literally every day so let me show you.
Makeup Products
Benefit They’re Real Mascara
I only use two makeup products in my daily routine and they are both from Benefit because that brand knows what they are doing. I don't know who makes their formula but I want to give them a kiss because they create amazing products. I have tried probably every mascara you can find in Ulta and Sephora but my itty bitty lashes did not take to them very well. I have also tried other mascaras from Benefit but nothing compared to this one. I have seen Tik Toks of people saying this mascara sucks and I am not sure what they are doing wrong but this stuff is the bomb. It gives my lashes so much length and volume that they never have. I am currently running out so I have to go buy some more which is troubling because it is 27.00 and I have no money. Fortunately, I have had the same tube for several months now so it’s an investment. I would so recommend this product I give this a 10/10.
Benefit Benetint Lip and Cheek Stain
I recently became obsessed with blush and so I wanted one that was subtle. This product works on your lips and cheeks and it is so cute. I tried finding the shade I bought on their website and it doesn't look like they sell it anymore. I do think you have to play around with each shade and find the best fit for your skin tone. I love using this for every day out and about even though you can not see my cheeks when I am wearing a mask. The only problem with this product is that it costs 30.00 and it is a very small bottle. You do not have to use it a lot when applying but since I use it every day it runs out fast. This has been the only blush I have liked so I will give it a 7/10.
Self-love and care is something I want to focus on in 2022, so I wanted to share the things I use to treat myself so you could too! I do so much research on my skincare and I did come across that Benefit is not Vegan and is rumored to test on animals. I have to do some more research on that but the rest of the products I spoke about are all cruelty-free, vegan, and clean. I hope you find at least one product that interests you to start off the new year with. If I find some more awesome products this year you all will be the first to know. Thank you for spending some time with me today, don’t forget you are enough.
Lot’s of Love,
Em
Cover photo by Viva Luna Studios
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