EASY SPRING ENTERTAINING CHECKLIST

Treat – Yo – Self for the Holidays

2020 has been stressful enough! I am here to perk up your holiday season by recommending 5 things that you can treat yourself too. Though if you are feeling extra charitable this year these are all great things to also share with your bestie!

1. Babyliss Curling Iron

I know what you’re thinking…Carly what about the T3 curling iron!?!? Hear me out ok… The T3 is great, I have one in my kit, it works amazingly well and I have had no problems. HOWEVER, after using it I honestly don’t think it is worth the money ($160.00 OUCH!!!) The Babyliss curling will give you the EXACT. SAME. RESULTS. for less money. I’ve used a multitude of tools from Babyliss including this iron once upon a time and have never had any issues. The curls were always smooth, shiny and stayed very well (given you prepped the hair correctly). The iron is easy to use with the clamp and heats up fairly quick. All in all this is a great option for those seeking a new curling iron for themselves or a friend that keeps talking about buying one but never does (cough cough Jillian). I’ve linked the iron from Amazon so you can purchase it and read up on it if you want! You can access the link by clicking the title of this paragraph (1. Babyliss Curling Iron) or the photo of the iron itself.

P.S Jillian is my best friend who talks about this curling iron all the time so I put this up here for her to buy for herself for Christmas

2. Eyeshadow or All in One Palette

If you follow along with me you know I LOVE a good multi-use palette or a an eyeshadow palette with a lot of variety. Which is why I have not 1 but 3 awesome recommendations that I think are big bang for your buck.

First up is the Smashbox Cali Contour Palette. You’ve heard me talk about it before, and you will keep hearing it because that is how much I love this palette! It’s main use is for blush, contour, and highlight but, I like to use it as an eye palette as well. I use this palette the most in my personal and professional life. I find it looks beautiful on almost every skin tone. It is great for the summer when you want that California Beach monochromatic makeup look or in the winter when you tan is gone and need some faux sun to avoid looking like a vampire! This is also the only palette I take with me when I travel because I like to pack as light as possible. It has been able to fit in any makeup bag I have packed it in so far. I have linked this palette to the picture above to take you straight to Ulta to purchase it if you’d like.

Second is the Morphe x Jacklyn Hill Eyeshadow Palette. I have been using this palette in my professional kit for about 6 months now and I have to say I really like it. It has a great variety of neutral colors from cool to warm along with being accompanied by some fun shades to play with. The eyeshadow quality is also great, it has good color payoff and blends really nicely. I create most of my makeup looks with this palette and I feel like I can create something different each time. If you are looking for a good eyeshadow palette that has a lot of colors because you don’t want your life to be taken over by 1002 eyeshadow palettes, I would give this a serious try. You won’t be disappointed. I have linked this as well to take you straight to Ulta, just click the picture!

Last but not least is another palette I own in my personal collection. I want to add it to my kit but I need to make it through some other products first! This palette is a true all in one containing eyeshadow, bronzer, blush and highlight. The only thing missing is contour which depending on the look you are going for you could live without it. The eyeshadow colors are beautiful neutrals with soft tans and pinks in both shimmer and matte shades, the bronzer and blush are matte and the highlight is a stunning champagne gold. You can create a lot of pretty soft makeup looks with this palette. It is perfect for traveling or everyday wear. I rotate between this palette and the Smashbox one above when I travel. It just depends on which makeup bag I grab out of my closet to pack up. I have also linked this to Ulta, click the pic!

3. A Makeup Brush Set

A good makeup brush set with almost all the brushes you need for a decent price is sometimes hard to find. Luckily for the holidays a lot of brush companies make mostly complete sets for a good price. Enter the BH Cosmetics 11 Piece brush set with storage bag! This brush set has everything you need for your basic makeup application and to get an introduction to brushes. Now for you girls reading this that are Jacklyn Hill level makeup gurus, you probably already have this and then some. BUT, if you are new to the brush game or have a friend that always is wondering what to buy, this is the starter kit for you/them. These are great brushes, very soft and workable and will allow you to create a beautiful makeup look. I have linked this kit to the picture and the title of this paragraph as well.

4. A Great Face Mask…or 2

If you are having issues with your skin looking dull, tired, or have some breakouts you can’t get rid of, a great face mask is what you may be missing from your routine. Now I say a great face mask because face masks (and really any other skin care products) are something I definitely think should be invested in. The $5.00 charcoal mask from Wal-Mart won’t do anything for you so put it back on the shelf, return it or throw it out. All the money spent on face masks and skin care that aren’t giving you the results you want because it is cheap and made with not the best ingredients could be going toward skin care/face masks that work and get you results. People always ask me why my skin looks so good and why I never seem to have break outs, I will tell you it is because I majorly invest in my skin care. I know that may sound a bit harsh.. but it is also true. Don’t get me wrong I get break outs (periods right?), my skin looks tired and dull sometimes too, and that is when I bust out my masks and add it to my already curated skin care routine. The 2 masks I am going to talk about are my favorite masks in the entire world and I will talk a little about each. Each has a link that can be found by clicking their pictures.

The first is the Triple Berry Smoothing Mask from Renee Rouleau. Renee is a world renowned esthetician with a skin care system that revolves around 9 different skin types. You can take a quiz on her website to see what type you are and the product recommendations to go with it. Once I found and tried her products, my skin completely changed and has never looked better. I use the Triple Berry Smoothing Mask for an at home “chemical peel” if you will. The intention of this mask is to smooth damaged skin, lift sun or brown spots and clear clogged pores. It is designed to help clear your skin while also smoothing the skins texture caused from wrinkles, sun damage, breakout marks and large pores. It is very easy to use simple apply it to clean damp skin with a brush and leave on for 15-20 minutes. It has a slight tingle to it and comes off easily in the shower. Now I should add this is not pregnancy safe due to the salicylic acid in it. I use this mask once a week to every other week depending on how I feel my skin is looking.

Second is the Eminence Strawberry Rhubarb Dermafoliant Mask with Lactic acid. My facialist suggested this to me and HOLY MOLY I use it all the time!! I absolutley love this mask, I’m not sure what I was doing before this mask. This mask is designed to help with your complexion by brightening and firming your skin. The lactic and salicylic acid remove dead skin cells from the surface while softening and brightening your skin. I use this mask twice a week and it is super easy to use as well. Simply shake the powder into your hand and mix with a bit of water to create a paste and leave it on your face while you finish the rest of your shower and wash it off at the very end followed by washing your face with your normal cleansing wash. Your face will feel as smooth as a baby’s butt! This is also not pregnancy safe due to the salicylic acid. I linked this to be purchased through the spa I visit and is conveniently listed as number 5!

5. An Amazing Facial at Toccare Day Spa

An amazing facial can literally change your life! Stressed out.. get a facial, got a promotion at work… awesome, get a facial, just got engaged..congrats, get a facial! You get the idea, to me this is the ultimate treat to get yourself not just during the holidays but a few times a year. Whenever I am having issues with my skin, I don’t run to a dermatologist, I run to Meshelle (Michelle) at Toccare Day Spa. She is my skin care fairy guru and she should be yours too! Meshelle and all the other fabulous estheticians at Toccare are usually the end all be all of skin care advice. The spa is a small, peaceful and very relationship driven hidden oasis in Charlotte NC. If you treat yourself or a friend to anything this holiday season let it be a facial from Meshelle or the other 2 estheticians on staff Alessandra or Fran. They are all amazing! I have linked their website you can get to it by clicking the picture!

Thanks for taking the time to ready my little holiday gift idea segment. Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions!!

 

Love

Carly

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