Beauty Hit List: Must Have Beauty Products

In my Confessions of a Beauty Addict: Part I post, I shared with you how I purged my beauty product collection and in Part II I shared some tips and tricks that I’ve employed ever since to help me ensure that I only keep products in my stash that are truly useful to me. In the next couple of posts I’ll be sharing with you those products that made the cut for me. The ones that I absolutely cannot live without! Ok, maybe that’s a tad bit dramatic, but you get the picture.

While I’m at it I’ll also tell you what it is about each product that keeps me repurchasing it time and time again. A few of these things are new finds from 2018, others have been with me for years now. And while I can’t predict the future, something tells me they will around for a while to come.

Hair Care

When it comes to hair care my motto is keep it simple. Women often ask me what my “hair care secret” is. They want to know what it is that I do to or put on my hair. My first response to this question is usually to shrug and say, “I don’t know.” Because the truth is the only thing I really do to my hair is wash it. So I guess my only hair secret is the product I use to wash my hair. If you know me then its really no secret at all that for the past seven years that product has been WEN.

I am a tried and true, die-hard WEN girl. When it comes to my hair, I do not play! I am very particular (read picky) about who touches it and what goes on it. A few times a year, whenever I want a haircut, color, or any type of chemicals I see my stylist. Otherwise, I care for my hair myself at home.  Because I am also a huge skeptic, I watched presentations for WEN on QVC for years before I finally decided to take the plunge and give it a try. After my first use I thought it was nice, but I wasn’t ready to throw out all my other products.

There was definitely a bit of a learning curve and a period of adjustment as this product does not lather like traditional shampoo. I worried that my hair wasn’t getting clean. After using up the original bottle I went back to my regular shampoo, and that’s when I realized that difference that WEN makes for my hair. After one post WEN shampoo I ran to re-up my supply and I haven’t been without it since.

So what makes WEN so great you say? It makes the comb-out and de-tangling process super easy, which in turn makes drying and styling a breeze. Because there is no lather my hair and scalp are not stripped of their natural moisture. This means I don’t have to spend time and money trying to re-hydrate them, and frizzy, swollen hair is a thing of the past. But that’s not all. Split ends, what are those? I haven’t had to have my hair trimmed because of split ends in 6 years or more. Now when I get my hair cut or trimmed it’s because I want to, not because I have to.

Occasionally I long for a little lather on my scalp. What can I say? Old habits die hard. When I do I reach for Head and Shoulders and I’m sure to keep the lather confined to my scalp versus shampooing the entire length of my hair as well. From time to time I reach for a shine serum or styling product, but when it comes to my weekly hair care routine, WEN is it. My personal favorite “flavors” are Sweet Almond Mint and Pomegranate.

Skincare (Body)

Moisturizer: It seems to me that the older I get the more sensitive and reactive my skin becomes. I suffer from allergies and eczema, so in an effort to not poke the bear and keep my skin from becoming angry with me I have one body skin care product that I simply will not be without. Again, I thank QVC for this discovery. A few years back I caught a presentation for a product called Ultra Repair Cream from First Aid Beauty. The products that I was using on my skin at the time were either too heavy or not moisturizing enough and I still needed creams and lotions to help soothe my itchy, irritated skin.

Ultra Repair Cream promised to solve all of that and it delivered. This light weight cream absorbs quickly and keeps my skin hydrated throughout the day. When my eczema and allergies flare up I slather myself in this cream to help ease the irritation. Another major bonus for me is that this cream contains no fragrance.

Skincare (Face)

Makeup Remover: For years I have battled with acne and oily skin. As I entered my thirties a new issue, large pores, reared its ugly head. Now I’m happy to say that after years of research and trial and error I have finally settled upon a skincare routine that works! My skin looks and feels better than it has in years and the best part is that it continues to improve.

A good skin care routine starts with clean skin and if you’re a makeup wearer like myself simply cleansing your skin is not enough. You must start by removing your makeup. I have tried a few different make up removing balms and the one that I’ve been using for the past year and a half is Clinique’s Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm. This product transforms from a balm to a light weight oil as it is massaged into the skin. I love that it removes all of my makeup, including eye makeup and liquid lipstick quickly and easily and without irritation.

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Cleanser: The next step is a cleanser. Because lather does for my skin the same that it does for my hair, I prefer to do without. Over the last two years I’ve taken a particular liking to clay cleansers. I’ve found them to be gentle on my skin while also helping to keep my pores clear. My current love is Neogen Dermalogy’s Canadian Clay Pore Cleanser. This cleanser contains little bubbles and transforms into a very light foam which effectively removes any remaining traces of makeup as well as any other dirt, oil and impurities.

Night Time Treatment & Moisturizer: Once the skin is cleansed, it’s time to treat and moisturize. Recently, I have been relying on products from The Ordinary. At night, I begin with their Granactive Retinoid 2% Emulsion. This retinoid helps to improve the signs of aging and treats acne prone-skin. Moisturizers have been a long time struggle for me, so my next step is to apply a layer of Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 to help keep my skin hydrated and balanced.

Day Time Treatment & Moisturizer: In the mornings I begin my routine by applying a layer of Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% Vitamin and Mineral Blemish Formula. As a result of using this product my breakouts have been greatly reduced. For the first time in years I feel like my acne is under control and I don’t need any harsh, drying products that only further irritate my skin to do it. The next step in my morning routine is more Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5.  

Sunscreen: To finish things off and prepare my skin for makeup application I apply sunscreen. Yes, you read that correctly. Sunscreen. As women of color, we’ve often been mislead into believing that sun protection is not necessary for us, but sun damage is real and even the most melanin rich skin is susceptible. I don’t know about you, but sis is trying to keep her melanin poppin’ for many years to come. Even on days when I’m feeling lazy, if I’m leaving the house, with or without makeup, there is sunscreen on my face. The Murad Age Reform Perfecting Day Cream Broad Spectrum SPF 30 is my one true love.

I’ve tried my share of sunscreens over the years, both high end and drug store and this is the first that I have found that checks all the boxes for me. This formulation is not greasy, does not smell awful, does not break me out or turn my face into an itchy, irritated grease ball by 12pm. It is simply… perfection. And its 100% brown girl friendly, as it does not leave a gray cast on the skin. It is a tad bit pricey, but you get what you pay for. Besides, I consider it a small price to pay to ensure that all the effort I’ve put into improving my skin isn’t undone by the sun.

Lip Care: No long explanation needed here. You gotta have a lip balm. I begin and end each day with one of the following products.

Smith’s Minted Rose Lip Balm or Vaseline Rosy Lips. I don’t know what it is about roses that my lips love, but I have to have these products. Regular old Vaseline or any other variety of Rosebud Salve will NOT do.

Weekly Peel or Treatment: Rounding out my skincare routine is another product from the Ordinary. Once a week I use their AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution. This exfoliating facial peel only takes ten minutes out of your week and the results are surprising.

After hearing several of my favorite beauty Youtubers wax poetic about this product I decided to give it a try. At first I was anything but impressed, but after continued and regular use I can say that I too have seen major improvements in my skin tone and texture. My loved ones have noticed too! I’ve even been known to leave the house sans makeup to run errands, something that a year ago only happened in the event of an emergency.

Honorable Mention

Toner: This last product has only recently been added to my skin care stash, so while it has yet to achieve Must Have Status, it is well on its way. That product is Pixi skintreats Glow Tonic. I’ve been using this product off and on for a couple of months now and I have truly enjoyed using it.

I don’t have anything bad to say about the product, I’m just not completely convinced that a toner is a step that I must have in my routine. Plus I’m lazy and some nights I just don’t feel like it. That being said, if you are a toner kind of gal, definitely give this one a shot. I think you’ll like it.  

So there you have it! If I had to refill my beauty cabinet from scratch today these are the products I’d buy. Let me know in the comments what you must have beauty products are. We’d love to hear your recommendations. In the meantime, stay beautiful!

V. Richelle

In case you missed my Confessions of a Beauty Addict Series

• Confessions of a Beauty Addict Part I: Breaking Free from the Clutter
• Confessions of a Beauty Addict Part II: Maintaining the Beauty Stash

Where I Shop for Beauty

• Ulta
• Sephora
• The SkinStore
• Target