Thanksgiving is over. I hope everyone had a wonderful, thankful, blessed holiday. Nowadays thanksgiving is the kick-off for christmas. Black Friday shopping now starts the evening of Thanksgiving, slightly irritating to me. I just hate to feel like we are skipping Thanksgiving because it is one of my favorite holidays! I do love this holiday season. It’s a time of year when everyone slows down a little bit and spends time with each other. I mean even Wal-Mart closes on Christmas. At this stage of my life I no longer see my childhood friends on a daily basis. Most of us have moved away due to work, school, husbands or whatever. During the holidays though, we are all back home in Fayetteville and always find a little time to reconnect. It’s so nice to see those friends that even if you don’t see each other outside of weddings, funerals and holidays the minute you say hello it’s like you were never apart. It’s one of the best parts of the holidays, extended time with family and friends. True friends share their secrets and tricks of the trade. A hairdresser friend will give updates on new must-have products. Friends with kids give advice to friends without. Traveling friends give advice to the less traveled. You get the point. So this post is to let you in on the skin holiday “must haves” I recommend to all my closest friends. After you read my top five holiday “must haves” don’t feel embarrassed that you need them now and can’t wait to make them stocking stuffers (I couldn’t either)!
1. A perfect holiday red lipstick. If you don’t think you can rock red lipstick then you must try during the holiday. Everyone call pull off a good red in the spirit of the season! I’m obsessing right now over Jane Iredale lipstick in Margi. It is the perfect hottie red lips. Not sticky, doesn’t catch on your teeth, smooth, not too bright, not too dark, perfection of red lipsticks!
2. Clairisonic Satin Precision Brush Head- Have you tried this brush head? For those of you that use a clairisonic brush this is my favorite brush head ever! It is so gentle and luxurious! They advertise it as made for gentle areas like the eyes but I use it all over. Skipping the facial to save during the holidays this month? Promise this is the next best thing!
3. A good mineral based powder. Holidays, otherwise known as the time of the year where you will inevitably have your picture taken more times then the entire year combined. Not to mention half of those will likely show up on social media. You need something to cover that occasional pimple pop-up. I use Colorescience pressed mineral foundation. It covers-up really well and won’t cause break-out but also is so light and airy. As a matter of fact a student asked me last week if we were allowed to wear make-up at work! Which I took as a complement, we at JD just take care of our skin and wear make-up that brings out our NATURAL beauty.
4. Eye make-up remover trick- Okay so you know after you wash your face you have that stingy bit of mascara around your lids that you probably are using an eye make-up remover pad to remove? Well save some bucks and hydrate that skin around your eyes simultaneously by trading your eye make-up remover pads for this trick. Take your favorite light weight moisturizer and put a thin layer on a Q-tip or cotton pad then use that as your make-up remover. It isn’t alcohol based so you won’t burn your eyes nor dry out your skin! The moisturizer will wipe away all that excess make-up without batting an eye (see what I did there?)!
5. Step up your sun protection game- Just because it’s so cold outside doesn’t mean the sun isn’t there. If you see light, UV rays see you! Wide brim felt hats are so in right now and so sun protective. If you see me on the weekends this month you will see me in mine! I use the BOB for sunscreen during most of the year but this time of year all that outside cold wind and temperature changes dry out my skin so I change to Elta MD UV clear broad-spectrum SPF 46. It is made for acne prone skin so it isn’t greasy but it gives me that extra moisture my skin craves this time of year!
Hope your holidays are full of joy, laughter and fun! But most of all I hope they are skintastic!
Roasting chestnuts on an open fire, drinking egg-nog, hanging ornaments and wrapping presents, Nina
