Now that I’ve been a resident of Washington, DC for over 1 year, I am excited to launch a new series on my blog featuring my local DC recommendations from everything under the sun to salons, to gyms, to restaurants.
First up on the list is obviously a high priority for any (blonde) blogger: Ferro Salon.
Located right in the heart of Dupont Circle, Ferro is in an amazing central location. The services at Ferro not only include hair care, but also nails, waxing, facials and massages so it’s your one stop shop for all things beauty.
Before & After
Meet Sammie
Sammie is not only the bomb when it comes to hair styling, but she’s also a really fun and bubbly person to spend your day with at the Salon. She truly cares for her clients and she will laugh with you, cry with you, or leave you alone if that’s what you want too.
New clients who book with Sammie through August 31st will score 30% any styling services if you mention the code “DC Bloggers” at checkout.
Happy Monday! The Sephora Beauty Insider 2019 Summer Bonus is finally here and I wanted to share 15 of my holy grail beauty products that are worth the splurge when you can save 15-20% off now through August 27.
Almost all of the products in this post I’ve continued to repurchase over the years unless they are newer products that I’ve quickly grown to love. I also need to give credit where it is deserved to my favorite beauty gurus Stephanie Ledda and Emily Gemma for their recommendations and online tutorials, so I’ve linked their respective pages for you to check out!
MAKEUP + BRUSHES
#1 ILIA SOFT FOCUS FINISHING POWER — This translucent powder is 100% natural, vegan, cruelty-free, gluten-free, and 50% organic. I use this power my foundation and concealer and it keeps everything in place and shine free.
#2 LAURA MERCIER MATTE RADIANCE BAKED POWDER — I use this product as bronzer, eye shadow and contour in shade Bronze 03. I purchased this last year at the fall sale and a little goes a long way as my brush hasn’t even hit the pan yet.
#3 TATCHA SILK CANVAS PROTECTIVE PRIMER — It’s true, this really is one of the best primers on the market. I actually purchased the $22 mini size back in January and I’ve been using this little container all year.
#4 ANASTASIA BEVERLY HILLS SOFT GLAM EYESHADOW PALETTE — This was the first ABS pallet I ever purchased and it’s by far my favorite for everyday make up. Stephanie Ledda basically turned me into an amateur makeup artist in her youtube tutorials of this pallet here.
#5 HUDA BEAUTY LIQUID MATTE LIPSTICK (MEDUSA) — If I could never wear another lip color again I would die happy – but really. This liquid lipstick is insanely good and I’m so happy my make up artist at the Sephora in Las Vegas introduced me to this product on my bachelorette weekend.
#6 DIORSHOW WATERPROOF MASCARA — Another oldie but a goodie. None of the other mascaras that I try are as amazing as this one.
#8 HOURGLASS VEIL™ POWDER BRUSH — This is by far one of my favorite make up brushes as you can utilizes both ends for so many uses. I originally purchased this brush along with the Hourglass Veil™ Translucent Setting Powder in which I didn’t love, but this brush is so soft and easy to clean and I would highly recommend.
SKIN + HAIR
#9 DR. DENNIS GROSS CLINICAL GRADE IPL DARK SPOT CORRECTING SERUM — As I’m getting closer to 30 I’ve finally figured out what “dark spots” were and that I also needed a way to get rid of them. This clinical grade serum fights discoloration by removing over-pigmented surface cells while brightening the skin tone. Definitely a splurge but a little goes a long way!
#10 DR. DENNIS GROSS ALPHA BETA EXTRA STRENGTH DAILY PEEL — These alpha beta peels are so perfect for traveling as they are all individually packaged. I use the extra strength version every 1-2 weeks to make the set last longer to help with dullness and uneven texture, fine lines, and clogged pores.
#11 FRESH SUGAR ADVANCED LIP THERAPY TREATMENT — I’ve been using this Sugar lip therapy for years and don’t think I’ll ever be able to go back to regular chapstick. This lip balm hydrates for 24 hours and smooths the look of wrinkles for visibly fuller lips.
#12 DRUNK ELEPHANT T.L.C. SUKARI BABYFACIAL™ 25% AHA + 2% BHA MASK — This purchase was another in which I waited for a sale and it was so worth the splurge. This mask resurfaces skin to reveal greater clarity, improved skin texture and tone, resulting in a more youthful-looking appearance.
#13 LANEIGE LIP SLEEPING MASK — This is another product that lasts forever and I don’t even want to admit how long I’ve had this one. It keeps your lips super moisturized all night and works wonders for chapped lips.
#14 LIVING PROOF PERFECT HAIR DAY DRY SHAMPOO — This has to be my most purchased product ever from Sephora as I’ve yet to find any dry shampoo this good. It gives your hair a much cleaner feeling than drug store dry shampoos and I love the smell too – totally worth the splurge!
#15 ST. TROPEZ GRADUAL TAN WATERMELON INFUSION BODY LOTION — This new product from St. Tropez is making it’s way onto the list of frequent purchases because it’s now my new favorite self tanner! The pigment is strong enough to only have to use this a couple of times a week and it doesn’t rub off or streak – highly recommend!
As I’m growing closer to the age of 30 by the minute, I’ve been aiming to be extra careful with all of the products that I’m using on my face daily. As a self-proclaimed Sephora Queen, I’ve tested out a good amount of high-end cleansers, serums and eye creams over the years and I’ve still never found a set of products that I would consider my “holy grail” items.
I recently received a complimentary beauty box from influenster which contained the newest product line from Giuliana Rancic’s Fountain of Truth Beauty. I have been testing these clean beauty products out for a few weeks now for my honest review, and I am super excited to share my thoughts and results with you.
At first glance, the rose gold packaging definitely caught my eye and I also appreciate how lightweight and easy to pack everything since I travel quite often. I’m also used to a very extensive skin care regimen at morning and night, therefore the three products I received already fit right in to my routine. All of the Fountain of Truth™ product formulas contain a Super Bio-Ferment technology of clean, safe, gentle, and highly effective, fermented, skin-loving botanical ingredients.
I’ll start with the product that impressed me the most, and is also the cheapest at $36: the Fresh Face Foaming Cleanser. I don’t wear make-up more than 2-3 days a week at most, but when I do, I go allllll out. I typically have to use a cleanser and a separate micellar water on a cotton pad to remove everything, and I was literally blown away how effective this product works. This cleanser is also very gentle on my sensitive eyes and gives your entire face a super clean feeling. I will say though, you must moisturize right after using as it is drying, which I don’t mind as I have naturally oily skin.
The next product that I’ve been using right after cleansing is the Skin Nutrition Booster Kit which contains three different facial serums that can be worn alone or mixed with your daily moisturizer. These serums all serve different purposes for brightness, hydrating and calming any irritation or redness. In the morning I mix together B: Bright and B: Hydrated, then load up on B: Calm at night. As I mentioned above my skin is naturally oily, and these serums actually work to counteract the oil and give me the most amazing glow with or without make-up on.
The final product which is absolute game changer for eye cream is the Magic Wand Sculpting Eye Roller. Since moving to Washington, D.C. this summer, I’ve been having some of the worst sleep of my life adjusting to living on a busy street in the city. My dark circles are no joke these days and this eye roller works so quickly to plump up my under-eye area with the help of ingredients such as green tea and caffeine extract. The unique package includes a stainless steel double ball applicator that has a cooling effect while applying.
I’m definitely interesting in trying more of the Fountain of Truth Beauty line, especially the Overnight Repair Mask and Hydrating Moisturizer with SPF. If you have any questions or recommendations regarding Giuliana’s clean skin care line, feel free to leave me a comment below!
Traveling is fun, but packing a suitcase is not. I’ve been traveling consistently all through my 20’s, typically 2-3 times a month for either work or pleasure. Since I just returned home today from 4 days of work travel, I wanted to share some of my recommendations for my favorite travel beauty products perfect for carry-on sized luggage.
HAIR CARE
Air travel wrecks havoc on my hair, but these 5 products are amazing for keeping my hair fresh after a long flight.
Living Proof has some of THE best hair products out there and I cannot live without their Perfect hair Day dry shampoo and shampoo. Living Proof has completely transformed my damaged hair after I didn’t take care of it in college, and I would highly recommend to anyone. The brand has tons of travel-sized individual products and sets online, and the sizes are large enough to last me several weeks.
Briogeo also has incredible hair care products, and one of my favorites is the leave-in conditioning spray. I actually have the full size bottle at home and this travel version is easy to refill, so I can just add more product when I need it.
It’s no secret that flying does horrid things to your skin, so I pack my suitcase with all of the essentials. Many of these products I received through purchasing a deluxe sample set from the Sephora Favorites collection, which I highly recommend if you would like to try luxury items in a mini size before taking the plunge on a full size.
My favorite skin care product for years has been the IT Cosmetics Miracle Water. This anti-aging micellar cleansing water helps get rid of every ounce of make up, and also boosts radiance and brightens skin.
Additional skin care products that I would not leave at home include an eye cream, everyday moisturizer, lip balm, face wash, charcoal mask, and facial peel. The best part about having all of these items in travel size is that I’m able to store them in my suitcase for when I need them for my next trip and it saves SO much time during packing.
TRAVEL CASES
If you haven’t heard of Cuyana, run don’t walk to their website for the best monogram leather travel accessories out there. I accidentally asked both my husband and mother-in-law for the same blush colored travel set for Christmas, and I ended up with 2! It actually works out perfectly because the rectangle shape makes them very easy to pack in my carry-on, as they fit right next to each other. I would also highly recommend the leather jewelry case, passport case, and classic structured tote as well.
