Friday Faves: beauty products!

I have a myriad of beauty products (thanks in part to my monthly BirchBox) but I have a select few that I'm fairly certain I couldn't live without. And if I had to, I probably wouldn't leave the house.

My morning 'laboratory'. 

I think most women have heard the question..."if you had to choose just one beauty product to have with you on a deserted island"... I could never choose just one. Why put yourself in such a cruel dilemma? But I will tell you which five are my most crucial.


     1. Moisturizer. You absolutely cannot afford to skip this step if you're 25 or older. It's just life. This is the product I spend the most money on because for me it makes the biggest impact.

Vichy is hands down the best moisturizer you will ever use. The LiftActive Night is literally youth in a jar.

Kiehl's is also a great option.

2. Concealer. This evens out skin tone in the worst areas (under the eyes, around the nose), and really, it makes me look less scary.  I swear by the brand below and will never use anything else. It's full of vitamins to improve your skin, so it doubles as a treatment.

Miracle Skin Transformer. The name is accurate. 

     3. Blush. Simply put, blush makes you look alive. I'll use anything for blush- lipstick, lip cream, cream blush, rosy eye shadow. Anything works as long as it gives your face color.

Right now I'm using Physicians Formula 'shimmer strips'. 

    4. Eyeliner. Eye liner automatically takes you from 12 to 21. Or 27 in my case, but who's counting? The point is, without it, I look like I'm in middle school. I don't go crazy with it for an everyday-look, but a thin line on the top lash line and a tiny bit on the bottom does the trick.

I don't splurge on liner- a drugstore buy works great. Right now I'm using Prestige Soft Blend Kohl Pencil in Black. 

    5. Mascara. Everyone knows that mascara opens up your eyes and makes you look awake. In my opinion it's more about the brush than the actual formula, but it's different for everyone. This one works best for me...

Clinique High Impact Mascara in black is my fave!

....there you have it. If I absolutely had to live with a select few, this would be it! What are your must-haves?