Hello friends!

I kept internally laughing at myself while making this post because I’m so not a beauty blogger, haha. Still, I wanted to share my favorite products for a simple winter “beauty routine” that’s actually attainable. When I say these are my top 5 beauty products, I mean these are basically the only products I use on a daily or weekly basis. Very, very minimal. 

If you don’t have the patience (or pocketbook) for a cabinet full of fancy products, I hope this post will be helpful to you!

We’ll start with the three skincare products: a face moisturizer, lip moisturizer, and liquid concealer. I’ll add affiliate links to each product so you can find them on Amazon if you want.

Neutrogena Hydro Boost

Overview: I love this Neutrogena moisturizer so much! It’s a water gel with absolutely no greasy residue like you get with lotion, but it’s still “creamy” enough to perfectly, lightly moisturize. Perfect for daily application in winter when dry air is extra hard on your skin.

Application: I spread a thin layer (a little goes a long way!) over my face after showering to lock in the moisture. It’s hard to describe the amazing way this gel melts into your skin and just disappears. I can see and feel the results after each use. 

Scent: A delightful, mild scent kinda like fresh linen or something? Barely there but very nice.

Aquaphor Healing Ointment

Overview: I’ve had terribly dry, chapped lips my entire life for some reason, even when I drink plenty of water. Even daily chapstick application didn’t hold up for long, especially in winter. I got this salve from my mom recently and it works SO well! I still have to apply it daily, but it keeps my lips much softer.

Application: You only need a tiny bit of this stuff since it’s super thick. It’s very similar to Vaseline in consistency. Just spread it over your lips (or other dry skin) with your fingers and you’re good to go.

Scent: Doesn’t really have a scent. 

tartE shape tape contour concealer

Overview: Not exactly a skincare product, but since it’s one of the only beauty products I use on the regular I thought I’d include it. It’s also by far my favorite concealer I’ve ever tried. It melts into your skin seamlessly but still covers well. I believe I have the “light beige” color. 

Application: Yet again, you only need the tiniest dab of if you’re using it as spot concealer. I usually tap the applicator brush on my fingertip and dab that on my skin. I bought this tube in May 2022 for my wedding and still haven’t finished it even though I often use it multiple times a week.

Scent: This actually has a slight, honey-like scent which is really nice.

Okay, now for my favorite hair care products! This is pretty boring since I literally just use shampoo and conditioner most of the time – my wavy/curly hair is easily weighed down by extra products so I just stick with the basics.

PURA D’OR SCALP THERAPY SHAMPOO

Overview: I recommend this shampoo to anyone and everyone! I haven’t had a single problem with dandruff since I started using this several years ago, plus it makes my hair so shiny and clean. Cheap drugstore shampoos are hard on your hair and their buildup/residue contributes to grease and dullness. This cleans my scalp thoroughly enough that I only have shampoo a couple times a week. 

Application: I squirt 1-2 pumps of shampoo into my palm and massage it into my scalp with my fingertips, making sure to get it all the way down to the skin and not just rub it on the surface of my hair. Let it rest for two minutes and then rinse thoroughly. If your hair is extremely greasy or has lots of buildup, you may want to wash it twice. 

Scent: It took me a bit to get used to the fairly strong scent, which is like a combination of tea tree and peppermint. It rinses out fine though and now I find it refreshing.

PURA D’OR deep moisturizing Conditioner

Overview: For a long time I mixed the Pura D’or shampoo with a drugstore conditioner, but I finally got the good stuff and… yeah, it’s just better. Very slippery which makes it great for detangling as well, and it rinses out without leaving buildup or residue. 

Application: I coat just the loose ends (not scalp) of my soaking wet hair with conditioner, gently raking my fingers through to detangle. I then use a wet comb to further detangle and distribute the conditioner. If needed, I add a bit more conditioner so my hair is nice and squelchy, and then cup the ends in my palms and scrunch it several times under the shower stream to rinse. This encourages curl pattern. 

Scent: A strong scent which reminds me of Thieves throat spray if you know what that is, haha. Smells like a blend of spices, maybe cinnamon and rosemary…? Once again, though, it rinses out well and doesn’t leave your hair strongly scented.

And that’s it! Now you know my super secret and complicated beauty routine, hehe. Here are all the products together as a review.

I absolutely love and recommend all these products, so I hope this post was helpful, even if simple! And honestly these products can be used for girls and guys (well maybe excepting the makeup). 

What are your favorite beauty products?

Thanks so much for reading, my friends, and have a lovely day!

***Allison***

P. S. Photos taken with my Nikon D7200 and a 50mm lens. Edited with Lightroom.