Makeup Break

[if I could only pick one product to use it would be this]

Hello, my name is Christine and sometimes I go to Ulta or Sephora and spend a lot of money. I know. It's shameful. But the older I get the more interested in I am in finding high-quality products that last, have some sort of benefits for my skin, and look natural. Hence my snowballing "bad" (but is it, really?) habit. I've found some great products over the past few months that I love so very much and thought I'd share. For some reason my husband and toddler don't really enjoy talking about beauty products, and when I'm with my friends we're either corralling kids or talking about things slightly more important.

Don't worry, I'm still reading books, but here are a few things I'm loving a lot lately: 

Giorgio Armani Designer Lift Foundation- I read rave reviews of the Luminous Silk line, but after going in and talking with the girl at the counter I ended up with this one. I have been searching for a fabulous foundation for years, and I think I've finally found it (although I might try the Silk one out of curiosity). It evens things out, applies easily with a brush, is full-coverage but has a really light texture, lasts all day, and looks fine layered. It's worth every penny if you're into foundation (unfortunately I had to go to Nordstrom to get it).

Nars Illuminator (Hot Sands)- Oh, how I love this stuff. I mix a tiny bit with my foundation and use it to add a subtle glow. I read somewhere that it's a limited edition product only, so I should probably order another.

Ulta Mineral Blush (Peony)- The Ulta line of blush is great and this color is so perfect for a light summer flush.

Pur 4-in-1 Tinted Moisturizer- This is basically a BB cream with SPF and a slight shimmer. If I'm just running to get coffee or to the store I use it alone, instead of doing a full face of foundation, or, if I really need to do my makeup I use it as a primer and it works really well in conjunction with the Armani stuff.

Beauty Blender- I know I'm way behind on this one, but I use a generic one from Target to blend everything a few times during the application process.

Smashbox BB Cream Eyes- I naturally have dark circles under my eyes, it's the Italian in me. But the extreme exhaustion from the past year has made the situation much, much worse, so I finally went on the hunt for a good under-eye concealer and found it here. I don't love the applicator, but that's a small price to pay to look slightly more rested.

3D Crest Whitestrips Luxe- Because I drink so many caffeinated beverages (ie coffee and Diet Coke) I have to make sure to keep up with my teeth. I use a straw, for the most part, but that only gets you so far... These strips are the best at-home product I've ever tried. The grip is pretty powerful so they stay in place for the full thirty minutes.

Eucerin Original Healing Rich Cream- This stuff has been around for forever and ever and I've been using it on Sawyer's super dry skin. I stole some for my hobbit feet and it works better than anything I have ever used.

Dermalogica Clearing Skin Wash- I have okay skin, break-out wise, as long as I am really consistent about things. This cleanser along with my Clarisonic has been pretty great in keeping things clear.