October 30, 2020
Bedazzled makeup brushes that bling-out your vanity, the latest Glossier goodies, Halloween is coming in hot and the electric toothbrush you need right now.
Add a little sparkle to your makeup routine
After almost a week of non-stop rain (and feeling major 2020 fatigue), I’ve been in a better mood. The fact that it’s Friday barely registers or lifts my spirits because I don’t have all that much to look forward to this weekend. BUT I attempted to get my day off on the right foot by taking a shower, putting on “normal” clothes and even a bit of makeup—and I’d like to think that helped improve my mindset a bit.
You know what would make me smile? A bedazzled makeup brush, like one of these three new Swarovski crystal-embellished beauties from Artis. Just in time for the holidays, they’ve given the already-amazing Oval 7 brush a little extra oomph—and this makes me want to bust out the glue gun to upgrade the one I already have.
Crystals or not, I’m here to tell you this is one of my most-used brushes. The epitome of versatility, I use it for foundation, highlighter, bronzer, blending concealer—and it’s designed to work with all types of product formulations, including powder, cream and liquid. The densely-packed, super-soft bristles are a dream (my son is taking a test about metaphors right now so this is a particularly appropriate description) and I couldn’t imagine my makeup routine without this brush.
So if you (or someone you really like a lot) needs a little extra razzle-dazzle in their life, this brush gets my vote. And FYI, the green version is my favorite in case any of you are wondering (or shopping for me).
Even more Glossier goodies to love
I think I’ve tried something from just about every Glossier category (makeup, skincare, fragrance) but I never delved into the Body Hero line. The body wash or body cream never really spoke to me—but that all changed when two new products were added to the lineup last week. I’ve been on a body oil kick lately (because I feel like it saves time by letting me slap it on before I even get out of the shower), and the exfoliating body bar looked like a great alternative to the shower gel and exfoliating mitt I usually use.
When the Body Hero Exfoliating Bar and Dry-Touch Oil Mist arrived earlier this week, I couldn’t wait to hop in the shower—and this dynamic duo definitely elevated my bathing experience. Basically a body scrub in a less messy form, the signature pink bar serves up moisture, suds and gentle exfoliation with bamboo powder in one fell swoop. The best part is that I can get soft, smooth, supple skin from head to toe without having to clean the shower floor afterwards.
The oil has a well-designed spray top that allows you to mist the oil directly on your body (as opposed to into your hand) and the subtle neroli-driven scent is divine. The ultra-light blend of sunflower seed, grapeseed and oat oils (who when there was such a thing?) absorbs quickly and leaves skin glistening, and there’s no need to wait even a second before getting dressed.
This product combo has quickly become a highlight of my day, and I totally notice a difference in the look and feel of my skin. I’m also happy to report that the oil does not leave even a trace of greasiness where my forearms lie on my desk while typing, which is essentially how I judge body oils at this point (since I don’t need another mess to clean up).
Halloween is coming, like it or not
Even in a “normal” year, Halloween is probably my least favorite holiday. Between my disdain for getting dressed up, decorating the front of the house and sitting on the porch for hours with my insane dog—and the candy that lingers for what seems like months—I just don’t derive any joy from it at all. This Halloween is causing me more angst than usual for a few reasons, and my first inclination was to “go dark” (i.e. not participate) this year. First, our neighborhood decided to go with socially-distant trick-or-treating, which means I have to individually bag the candy I’d hand out to each kid and leave it on a table at the end of the driveway. This also means my husband or I have to sit outside to make sure one a**hole kid doesn’t take it all (but at least the dog will be able to stay inside since we won’t be dealing with the doorbell).
Notice that I haven’t mentioned my son until now… He apparently takes after me and would be totally fine if Halloween was cancelled. His idea of partaking in the holiday is putting on a jersey (he’s been a basketball player for the past three years, I think), getting enough candy to sustain him for a few weeks and coming home to take advantage of a later bedtime by playing more video games. (This last part usually happens with friends, but obviously not this year.)
All of this may make me seem like the Ebenezer Scrooge of Old Hallows Eve, but I wouldn’t mind celebrating with these fun finds!
I haven’t had a blacklight since I was in college, but EOS’s super-limited-edition 100% That Witch lip balm makes me want one again. (And I’m sure if I got one my son would steal it in four or five years.) Your lips get all the moisture they need courtesy of natural, sustainably-sourced oils and butters and an otherworldly pop of color when you use the little blacklight pen the balm comes with! Note: This balm launches on Friday, so mark your calendars!
In other Halloween personal-care fun, how does a glow-in-the-dark bath bomb sound? It sounds pretty good to me considering my bathtub is cleaner than ever. Combining the relaxation of 200mg of CBD along with skin-nourishing essential oils and an intoxicating scent, Kush Queen’s Glow CBD Bath Bomb certainly sets the stage for a ghoulishly grown-up bath time.
I found nirvana in a toothbrush
I know I have a tendency to be a bit overenthusiastic about beauty and personal-care products from time to time, and my zealousness is more likely to come out when I find something awesome in the oral-care department. After reading a glowing review about the Burst sonic toothbrush on Refinery29 last week that pretty much had me sold, then I discovered it was $20 off for Prime Day so you know what happened next.
The Burst arrived yesterday and I started charging it immediately so it would be ready to rock by bedtime. (One full charge will last you for a month.) In the meantime, I brushed up on the features (sorry, couldn’t help myself), and discovered it has whitening mode, sensitive and massaging modes—and a pressure sensor that slows the brush down if you happen to get too aggressive. (It happens.) The replaceable head’s bristles are infused with charcoal for an extra deep-down clean, and it helps make sure you brush long enough by pausing every 30 seconds so you can move on to the next quadrant of your mouth before automatically shutting off after two minutes.
I was in sheer awe the first time I used it. It was so quiet and so gentle—but my teeth felt like I had just walked out of a professional cleaning. My teeth even felt freshly flossed although I hadn’t gotten to that step yet. I was so impressed I threw all of my hygiene rules out the window and told my husband to try it (and that I’d get him one if he loved it, too—although he hasn’t taken me up on my offer as of yet). I already activated auto-delivery so I get a fresh head every three months, although I’m curious to see how the bristles hold off and if I find myself needing a new head sooner. The only downside: It’s a bit too tall to fit into my medicine cabinet but I’ll deal.
What’s odd is that I always thought my teeth felt clean after brushing—but I only experience this level of clean three times a year when I go to the dentist. Honestly, it’s 1:30 in the afternoon and I find myself looking forward to this evening when I can enjoy the sonic sensation again. In fact, I just might treat myself to an extra brushing after lunch because it’s that enjoyable.