My Top 5 Drugstore Products

I know I said that I'm not trusting of drugstore products, but that doesn't mean that there aren't some gems to be found there. Here are my top 5 picks.

1. EcoTools Brushes

These have to be the softest brushes you will ever use. Bonus: They are cheap and vegan. The brushes have bamboo handles, recycled aluminum ferrules, and cruelty-free taklon bristles. You can buy them individually (around $4-5) and as a set (around $15) as well. I have seen them sold at Walgreens, Target, and Ulta. My favorites are the Bamboo Bronzer Brush and the Large Eye Brush.

2. Olive Oil

Many people are afraid of putting oil anywhere near their face, but this stuff will take off any makeup in a matter of seconds. If you are afraid of using it all over your face, just use it around your eye to get everything off without tugging at your delicate eye area. An extra plus is it will also condition your lashes.

3. Burt's Bees Lip Balm

This lip balm is 100% natural and does the job. They even sell tinted ones, but the packaging is a little bit chunkier so I usually opt for one of the non-tinted, slimmer ones.

4. E.L.F. High Definition Powder

This product is very similar to Make Up For Ever's HD powder. This finishing powder retails for $6 in comparison to MUFE's HD powder which costs about $34. Be careful to use this product sparingly though. The light-reflecting properties of the product can show up as a white-cast in flash photography. Don't believe me? Just do a quick search, and you will find photos of some unfortunate celebs who were subject to a heavy-handed application. Use this finishing powder to set your concealer or in areas that you want to control oil.

5. Burt's Bees Almond Milk Beeswax Hand Creme

Now that it's winter, my hands are drier than the Sahara Desert. I keep a jar of this creme next to the sink. Why there? Because I want to use it right after I wash my hands. I don't want to introduce bacteria into the container by sticking dirty fingers into it. Bacteria loves moist environments, so do yourself a favor and keep your grimy fingers out long enough to wash them. :P

I decided to start a blog...

Why?? Because my sister told me to...really...

She says I have too much information about beauty and makeup to only share it with a select few...But I feel that before I can officially kick-off the start of this blog, I must first preface it by giving you my perspective on the beauty industry.

I feel just like in any big industry, there is a lot of corruption. It feeds off women’s insecurities and tries to convince us that this new product will make us feel happier, prettier, and solve all the world's woes. The idea that some women, especially young women, walk around feeling ugly and undervalued because they do not fit the norm of what being “pretty” is breaks my heart. I in no way want to perpetuate this idea that a woman's only worth is through some market executives' definition of beauty; however, I do wish to spread the message that every person has the right to feel beautiful in whatever way they wish to express it.

I also feel that the industry is full of false-claims. How many times have you shelled out the money for some product that claimed to erase your wrinkles or clear your skin, just to find out that it did nothing, or even worse, you ended up having a bad reaction to it? Have you ever given any thought to what ingredients are used in your beauty regimen? If you haven't, check out this article: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/beauty/article-1229275/Revealed--515-chemicals-women-bodies-day.html

Maybe you decided that instead you will use products that are supposed to be good for you, because they are labeled "organic" or "natural" just like the food you buy. Only problem is that the FDA does not regulate the beauty industry like it does food and drugs. If you want some really interesting reading about exactly who is regulating your cosmetics, check out this page found on the website for The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics. Products can tout being “organic” or “natural” but in actuality it may contain ingredients that are hazardous to your health--even carcinogenic. It is so important to be informed about what you are buying.

I would suggest that everyone take the time to read Not Just a Pretty Face by Stacy Malkan (http://notjustaprettyface.org/). It is loaded with research and anecdotes about how beauty products can make you and your family sick. After doing all this research and reading, I cannot just ignore the claims others have made. This does mean that I sometimes come off as being a beauty product snob...I’m weary of drugstore products, and I always check the ingredient list on new products. I think people forget that their skin is an organ, and what you put on it should be given the same thought and care as what you put in it.

Does this mean that I have been able to convert totally over to natural, organic products?? No, but I am headed in that direction. Over the past two years, I have managed to greatly reduce the number of chemicals and toxins I expose myself to. A good place to start educating yourself about the products you are using is the Environmental Working Group database known as Skin Deep, which rates the safety of beauty products on a scale of 1-10.

Through this blog, I would love to share with you what I have learned and what new products I have found that are a safer and healthier alternative for your body.