Beach Must Haves

After writing up my June favorites (sadly I shortened that list and it was still so long!) I realized summer products aside, everyone needs different products for the beach! I mean, there's no fun in going to the beach without looking fabulous, right?

I just went to the beach last week, and here's what I did:
Prep: Yes, unfortunately unlike the shows Laguna Beach and The O.C, I cannot just frolic down to the beach without a second thought. (although, I WISH I could!)
-Hair removal. I personally get waxed (legs, bikini, etc.) which requires a bit more time (since I need to get an appt and whatnot) in comparison to shaving or using nair, veet, etc. There's always the at-home waxing kits which I resort to when needed! Whatever your poison of choice, some hair needs to be removed  before baring that bikini!
-Deodrant. A must have before the beach, I even pack one with me in my bag--I'm a huge fan of Dove.
-SPF. Sunscreen is a MUST, I apply before (30 mins prior to sun exposure) and reapply as needed while I'm at the beach. I use Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunblock SPF 100+ before and use Stella SPF 30+ Sunscreen Towelette by Tocca for touch ups at the beach. So handy to keep in my bag because each wipe is wrapped individually! 
Face: no one wants to cake on foundation, concealer, etc. before going to the beach! Beach makeup is all about the bare minimum while still looking fabulous!
After SPF application, I use Laura Mercier's foundation primer and then even out my skin with Laura Mercier's Tinted Moisturizer, oil-free, SPF 20. I use my fingers to apply so the product can really warm up to my skin, and I always remind myself to take my tinted moisturizer down to my neck! I curl my eyelashes with the Shu Uemura eyelash curler (my absolute favorite) and use my Bobbi Brown lip gloss (which I believe is discontinued) in Rose Tea, love it because it has SPF 15 (lip balm/lip gloss with SPF is a must for the beach!). You can always add a waterproof mascara or a creme eyeshadow, but I prefer not to.
Now, off to the beach!
xoxo

June Favorites

I'll keep it short and sweet: here are my absolute favorite, tried and true products for the month of June! (actually probably a little longer than just June..)

Photo Finish Foundation Primer, original/colorless--Smashbox ($36) *I finally gave into the hype, and I must say this helps my skin look flawless for proper foundation application!
High Definition Healthy FX Foundation SPF 15--Smashbox ($38) *light enough to wear in the day time, plus it has SPF, and vitamins?! This foundation actually benefits skin!
High Definition Concealer-- Smashbox ($18) *paired with powerflage (see below), under eye circles have met their match.
Powderflage Set--Benefit ($28) *personally, I hate the brush it comes with--I use a crease brush! Setting my under eye concealer with this=no creases the whole day. LOVE.
Stella SPF 30+ Sunscreen Towelette-- Tocca ($28) *one towelette takes care of my SPF needs, head to toe.
Chloé Eau de Parfum Spray-- Chloé ($60) *smells AMAZING. Enough said. I'll definitely use it throughout the year.

Pop-Up Travel Brush - Signature Black & Red--Sephora Collection ($8) *I've needed something to tame the tangles that summer weather brings to my hair and this is perfect! The added mirror and compact design is a total plus--there's different designs as well!
No 'Zit' Sherlock Complete Acne System-- bliss ($32) *with probiotics and gentle on my skin while taming breakouts? Say no more.

Scorcher Nail Lacquer-- MAC, Back to the Beach Collection ($12) *Love the bright color for summer days and nights! It's wearable on hands and feet, I love.
Marine Life highlight Powder-- MAC, Back to the Beach Collection (sold out on maccosmetics.com) *yes, I admit the seahorse design dragged me in, but it is a perfect summer blush!

Mia™ Skin Cleansing System - Pink--Clarasonic ($149) *see post below, this is a lifetime favorite!

 

 

 

 

 

Clearer skin, here I come! (thanks to my Clarasonic Mia!)

I've never been incredibly tech savvy...but I can maneuver my way around the basics. I love, love, love my iPhone 3GS, my macbook, and iPod touch (wow, apple ad much?! haha). However, as times are changing, technology has made it's way into the beauty world--and I am LOVING it.
Enter my new tech-beauty love, the Clarasonic Mia:

For $149 (at Sephora) you receive a Clarisonic Mia One Speed Brush, international pLink™ charger for worldwide use, sensitive Brush Head, and 1.0 oz Gentle Hydro Cleanser. At this point in the game, Clarasonic has a loyal following so we've all heard the basics about this product, just in case you missed out here's what a Clarasonic Mia is--From the creators of the Sonicare® toothbrush comes the Clarisonic® Mia set, featuring the handy to-go sized version of the original, groundbreaking Clarisonic Brush. Sonic technology first changed the way we clean our teeth, now it's changing how we cleanse our skin. The sonic frequency moves Clarisonic's soft, gentle brush back and forth at more than 300 times per second, thoroughly clearing pores and skin surface.--via Sephora online

I purchased my Clarasonic Mia in pink (to support the Breast Cancer Foundation) from Sephora in late May and I have to admit, cleansing my face hasn't been the same since. Yes, $149 is a pretty steep price to pay (I definitely debated on this purchase for a while) so let's get down to the nitty-gritty to see if it's actually worth it.
Here are the promises:
-Removes makeup six times better than traditional methods.
-Clears pores and reduces the appearance of pore size.
-Cleanses so thoroughly that skincare products absorb better.
-Creates noticeably healthier looking skin.
Yes, yes, yes, and YES! The Clarasonic Mia is wonderful at removing makeup, it deep cleans thus making my pores less visible (which I love!), I have noticed that my cleanser/moisturizer feel better on my skin, and lastly it just leaves a more smooth, radiant texture--resulting in a healthier complexion. Honestly, looking back I have no idea how I cleaned my face before! Even my bff, who loves the Clarasonic Mia as well, left it back home for a week and she noticed that her face did not feel nearly as clean.
Bottom line: I definitely think the Clarasonic Mia is worth every penny. I use the sensitive brush head, but there is a normal one available as well. There are different types of Clarasonics, the Mia being the most affordable and the smallest one of the bunch. There is only one speed (those who have the other Clarasonics claim that this one speed is enough), there is no timer that beeps/vibrates to let you know to move on to the next part of your face, and the Mia automatically stops after 60 seconds. I think the normal Clarasonic or Pro models are definitely a luxury--but I find my Mia to be perfect! I can throw it my bag for sleepovers at the bf's place/going to the gym with no problems.
The Clarasonic Mia is available at Sephora and the Mia as well as other models are available at Nordstrom.
Visit www.clarasonic.com to learn more about all the Clarasonic products and which one will suit your lifestyle the best!
Happy cleansing!
xoxo