5 OF MY FAVORITE COMMON & UNCOMMON BEAUTY PRODUCTS

Happy Monday!! I have to first say that ya'll are so sweet. So many of you sent me e-mails about Friday's post and a few of you even shared the post on your own blogs. I really, really appreciate it. Being thankful for the small things always turns my attitude around. And I do think about the future of this blog more often than I used to, but I haven't made any decisions yet. When I do, I will certainly let you know! But I'm here today and today I would like to share a few beauty products that I'm loving at the moment. Some of these products are commonly known as a beauty product - and some may not be. Either way, they have really made a difference for me, so I wanted to share them... 

NeilMed Sinus Rinse: Allergies - This is a product that might not really be thought of as a beauty product, but it certainly is for me! Allergy season is in full swing here, so this version of a Neti Pot is something that I've been using daily as of late. When my allergies flare up, my nose constantly runs, my eyes are puffy and red, and I sneeze quite a lot. The pressure in my sinuses from the allergies also triggers migraines. But when I use this, the side effects of my allergies are very minimal. Each night before bed, I fill the bottle up with luke warm bottled water, add the contents of the packet that comes with the bottle, and I squirt half of the liquid in the bottle up each nostril. I'm am always baffled at what comes out of my nose. That may be TMI, but you would honestly be surprised at all of the junk that lives in your nose and sinuses each day. After blowing my nose a few times after the process, I always notice how much easier it is to breath - even when I thought I was breathing comfortably before the process. I typically wake up the next morning breathing clearly - which is totally not the case when I go a few days without using the rinse. When you feel good, you look good in my opinion, so that is a beauty product that I'll be using for quite some time...

Organic Apple Cider Vinegar: Hair - This is another uncommon beauty product that I use and really love. When I was 13, my scalp was badly burned by a perm (the kind that straightens the hair). Dandruff has been a huge problem for me since that day. Last year, I finally found something that combats the flakes! I get my hair washed every week and a half (washing it daily would dry it out). My hair stylist had this genius idea to use organic apple cider vinegar to try and tame the dandruff. She first shampoos my hair with a sulfate-free shampoo. Then she dilutes the vinegar with a little water and sprays it on my scalp using a little spray bottle. She massages it in and lets it sit on my scalp for about 10 minutes. She then rinses it out and shampoos my hair again. The antibacterial and anti-fungal elements of the vinegar have significantly reduced the amount of dandruff that I used to have. My scalp is certainly not as itchy as it used to be either. Apple cider vinegar is also a type of conditioner, so my hair is really shiny after I get it done. After 20 years of dealing with dandruff, I'll forever be grateful to this stuff - and to my amazing stylist who thought to use it... :)

NOW Eve Daily Multivitamin: Body - I mentioned here that I started taking this multivitamin. That was over a month ago, so I now feel qualified to give you some feedback. At the end of last year, I noticed this deep, horizontal ridges in my fingernails. I'd never gotten them before, so I did some Googling (not the best thing to do, but I had to know!), and saw that they could signal a disease or a lack of a certain vitamin. So I looked on the bright side and assumed my body was lacking a vitamin. I researched some vitamins and landed on this one. NOW is the brand that makes my migraine supplement (that really works), so I was a little partial to this vitamin. It's a softgel pill, which makes it easier to swallow and for the body to absorb, is formulated for women, and contains a little green tea and evening primrose oil in addition to more than the daily recommended doses of the essential vitamins like vitamins A, C, and D. My doctor approved it and almost two months later, the ridges in my fingernails are gone, I have a little more energy (it has lots of B-12), my skin is softer, and I think my hair and nails are growing faster! Like I said, when you feel good, you look good - no matter what. That is beauty to me. Oh and I only take one of these a day as opposed to taking the recommended three a day. I was taking this before bed and had a hard time sleeping, so one in the morning it is!

ESPA 24-hr Replenishing Eye Moisturizer: Eyes - Alright friends - I have been at war with these dark circles that are REALLY trying to make a home on my face these days. No matter how much I sleep or how well I eat, they are still there! Sometimes heredity is a bummer... You may remember me mentioning a product in this post that I planned to try. Well after two months of application - no change. So a few weeks ago, my aesthetician recommended this eye moisturizer. I use a serum by ESPA. Even though it works well, I honestly didn't plan on buying any other facial products that cost over $50. I'm a drug store girl at heart, but the older I get, the more I'm realizing that using good quality products is important - and sometimes expensive! This eye cream is $75 bucks and I can honestly say it is WORTH IT! I bought this two weeks ago, have used it twice a day, and my circles have lightened up a bit in just those two weeks. The cream is really light and hydrating. A tiny bit goes a long way. It smells good too. Boy I'm thankful for this stuff and am hoping that it keeps working!

Neutrogena Naturals Multi-Vitamin Night Cream: Face- As I mentioned, I like to buy products that I can ordinarily buy at the drug store or Target. However, I'm realizing that I need to focus more on better quality products. Before I totally leave the drug store, I wanted to try Neutrogena's Naturals line. I've always loved Neutrogena. I currently use their cream cleanser and moisturizer. I'm trying one product at a time and it was easiest to start with their night cream since they recently discontinued the night cream I was previously using. So far, so good! It's rich, but not too thick, hydrating, and very moisturizing - and a little goes a long way with this, too. It also smells great. I love products that smell great without tons of chemicals.

Are there beauty products - common or uncommon - that you are loving lately? Please share!

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