Beauty Bar – Page 3 – The Sol Compass

Moisturize

Winter is always impossibly hard on our skin, and I’ve been noticing the palpable dryness more than ever in the past week. Obviously, the first solution for this should be to drink more water, a habit I am constantly trying to pick up (I fill up my S’well bottle all day long), but the right products can make a world of difference.

I’ve never been one to use a separate night cream, but when I was experimenting with various Yes To products last winter for this post, I tried the calming cucumber night cream, and was amazed at the results I saw after the very first night. My skin had never felt so soft, hydrated, and calm during the middle of winter, and I was instantly hooked.

I’ve used all sorts of lotions, from Bath and Body Works, to Aveeno, to the LaMer samples from Sephora (you guys rock xo)- and this L’Occitane shea butter body lotion is by far the best for its price. I use it for everything, and it does a fantastic job moisturizing without an overpowering scent.

For specific body lotions, Burt’s Bees does not disappoint (as usual). I love this coconut foot creme and the almond milk beeswax hand creme. They are both stronger than a regular body lotion, and do wonders for renewing and moisturizing those extra dry parts. The best part: you can find both of them at Target for under $10- which is a dealmaker if you go through lotions as fast as I do!

This Rosebud Salve is the greatest and most hydrating lip balm ever. Hands down. You all know how much I love my Burt’s Bees lip balm, but this gives a bit extra kick and is extra soothing. I usually only keep them at my desk, since it’s not always appropriate to apply a lip balm with your finger, but it’s always a relief when I get to apply the soothing balm on my chapped winter lips.

What are your favorite hydrating products to use during the winter? I’m always looking to try new ones, so sound off in the comments below!

xo, C

Sonia Kashuk

As I mentioned in a recent post, Target is my ultimate weakness. I love that I can find clothing, groceries, food, and office supplies all in the same place. I’ve recently begun to find more and more products in the beauty department that I love as well- and many of them work just as well (if not better) than their expensive counterparts.

My introduction to Sonia Kashuk’s affordable beauty line began last Christmas when my sister gave me this dreamy Gatsby-inspired brush set. I totally fell in love with it, not only because it’s visually appealing, but also because the brushes are so soft and effective. This particular one is sold out, but I love this year’s gold holiday set, the Istanbul-inspired Grand Bazaar set and this travel brush set. You can also shop all the Sonia Kashuk brushes a la carte here– I love the black and white ones!

After having so much success with the brush set, I started to experiment with more of Sonia Kashuk’s tools. As a sucker for pretty packaging, I love the pretty pink detail of the Breast Cancer eyelash kit I bought. Sadly it has since become unavailable online, but the good news is that the world class eyelash curler and tweezers are still available!

I love the quality of all my Sonia Kashuk tools, and the best part is that none of them break the bank, while feeling like a total indulgence. True to the brand’s motto, luxury doesn’t have to be a guilty pleasure!

These beautifully attentive and detailed brush sets make a perfect gift for yourself or any beauty lover this holiday season- and there really is a set for everyone! The gold ones are festive and glamorous year round, plaid makes a perfect preppy present, pink is always a feminine favorite, and the ombré is totally on trend for your favorite fashionista!

What are your favorite makeup brushes? Have you ever tried any of Sonia Kashuk’s before? Sound off in the comments below!

xo, Caitlin

Quarter Life Skin Crisis

Quarter Life Crises are all too real among millennials (sorry for using so many buzzwords in such a short sentence). With so many factors stressing us out from every direction, silly things like ‘sleep’ tend to get pushed to the back burner. Luckily for us, Origins realized that the twenty-somethings needed a skincare line directed specifically towards our stressed out, tired, and dull skin.

I’m not easily persuaded away from my bareMinerals cleanser and moisturizer duo, so I chose to try out two products that I wasn’t using at all: the United State balancing tonic and the Original Skin renewal serum.

I never thought I needed a balancing tonic until this summer, when being outside and active for long periods of time started to clog up my pores. This balancing tonic really helped clear up my face and reduce some of the shine, while removing the oils and dirt that back up throughout the day. I anticipate it will dry out my combination skin a bit too much during the colder months, but it has worked fantastically for me so far this summer!

The renewal serum is such a game changer for tired skin. It really brings the glow right back to stressed out skin. I found that, even on weeks where I had no sleep, my skin was bright and fresh. My pores have been smaller and my skin has been firmer ever since I started implementing this serum into my ritual. My initial reaction was that $40 was too much to spend on a product I didn’t really need, but I’m so glad I did. The serum lasts for a while (I haven’t run out yet!) and really does bring my skin to a whole new level.
The last product I was able to try was the GinZing eye cream, thanks to a free sample that came with my order! My tired eyes came right back to life after using it, the dark circles faded and the puffiness visibly decreased. While definitely effective, the GinZing eye cream was a little bit thicker than some others I’ve tried, which makes me a little hesitant to go out and purchase it again, because I wasn’t crazy about the feeling of heavy cream on my eyelids as I was trying to unwind and get ready for bed. On the other hand, it was unquestionably effective and if you have less tactile issues than I do I would certainly recommend trying it out!

Since I had so much success with Origins Quarter Life Skin Crisis products, I have been eyeing some others to try in the future! This cooling roll on, face mask, and night oil are high on my wishlist right now!

Have any of you used Origins before? I would love to hear your experience in the comments below!

Thanks for reading!
xo, Caitlin

Summer Palettes

Today I want to talk about my two favorite new products this summer- the Bare Minerals California Bronze Palette and the Naked3 Eyeshadow Palette.

The Naked3 may not be a new release, but after lusting after it for ages, my friend Alicia just gave me one a month ago (#greatestfriendaward) and I truly believe my makeup routine will never be the same. I have cool undertones and I tend to go subtle with my eye makeup, so these rose-hued neutrals were absolutely perfect for me, though they are probably be a bit harder to make them work if your skin has pink undertones. I really love that most of the shades are light and rosy for every day use, but there are still four darker shades that I can use for nighttime looks. I also love the variation of matte and metallic finishes so that you can make layered and textured looks or simply spice it up from day to day.

California Bronze is taking my bronzer game to a whole new level. As I’ve mentioned I’m an avid Bare Minerals fan, and I’ve used their bronzer in the past; but nothing to the extent of which I’ve used this palette. The two bronzers and highlighter combine to make a really great, dimensional look. It’s definitely worked great with what little of a tan I’ve developed this summer, so I’m really interested to see how it looks when the tan starts to fade and my skin stars looking ghostly again. *tear*

I guess the moral of this story is that palettes, and their plethora of different combinations, have been working out really well for me this summer. I consider myself to be a makeup newbie, so having so many options in just one product is giving me a lot of opportunity to learn and experiment!

What are your must-have palettes?

xo, Caitlin

Beauty Routine: Cleanse

Over the years I’ve gone through the struggle of trying countless beauty products and being disappointed in them over and over again. However, in this search I have been able to find a fair amount of products that I love and truly believe in- and I think it’s only fair to share these products with you! My first selection is the beauty basics, the every day products that no one should ever settle with.

I have been using bareMinerals’ Exfoliating Treatment Cleanser and Purely Nourishing Moisturizer for about five years now, and I cannot say enough good things about them. It shouldn’t really be such an excitement that an exfoliating cleanser actually exfoliates AND cleanses, but it is. I have a hard time recounting exactly the differences I noticed when I first started using it since it was so long ago, but I do know that my pores shrunk and my skin evened out quite noticeably in the first few weeks that I started using it. I only use it once a day because my skin would dry out way too much if I used an exfoliating cleanser twice a day, but I know a lot of people do have success with using it every morning and night.

I recently read somewhere that the skin under your eyes ages exponentially faster than the rest of your skin. I had never used an eye cream at that point, so naturally I panicked and ran out and bought three different eye creams at Ulta that very week. I used the fact that I’m only 23 to justify the fact that I only bought eye creams that were under $20 (because it’s a bonus that I’m using any at all, right?!), but in reality I knew I couldn’t shell out $60+ dollars for eye cream on a regular basis. Luckily for me, this Burt’s Bees Renewal eye cream fit the bill perfectly without, well, a hefty bill. The skin under my eyes has been firmer ever since I started using it and the dark circles and bags I chronically have from sleep deprivation are less visible than they have ever been before. At under $20, this one is a definite keeper, my friends.

Burt’s Bees lip balm is hands down my number one beauty product must have. I have one in my purse, car, desk, and vanity at all times. It’s the most soothing and refreshing lip balm I have ever used and I can’t say a single bad thing about it. The traditional peppermint is my personal favorite, but the superfruit pack is pretty great as well!

I have never found a makeup remover wipe that I liked until tarte’s fresh eyes waterproof makeup remover wipes. For starters, they smell great, which is the opposite of most makeup removing products I’ve tried. But they also manage to take off makeup really easily, without any vicious scrubbing, and they never agitate my skin- but actually soothe it while removing even the heaviest of eye makeup! Nothing about these is not great, and the fact that they have converted me into a makeup remover believer after 8 years of resistance is really saying something!

Stay tuned for more of my favorite beauty products, coming soon!

Thanks for reading, and have a great week!

xo, Caitlin

Cinderella

Cinderella has been on my mind consistently lately with the new live-action movie just released this weekend! My younger brother was in Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella this past weekend, and I went to see the Disney movie for a fun girls’ night last night with my mom and sister! The entire movie was absolutely transcendent, from the set and screenplay to casting and acting, but I had a particular soft spot for the breathtaking costumes and majestic makeup! With so much Cinderella on my brain, I’ve been noticing shades of pale blue everywhere I go! It’s definitely been popping up a lot this spring, so I felt inspired to whip out this peasant blouse from Francesca’s that I’ve had for about two years now! The color is right on trend with pastels for this spring, and perfect to wear to the movie tonight!

Outfit Details- Blouse: Francesca’s | Jeans: Lucky Brand | Earrings: Bauble Bar | Purse: Urban Outfitters | Boots: Urban Outfitters

I also love this bucket bag, bauble necklace, striped skirt, scalloped dress, pleated skirt, lace top, leather pencil skirt, and lace sheath dress!

As a certifiable Lauren Conrad fanatic, I’m personally obligated to tell you how much I adore her Cinderella collection for Kohl’s. The tulle skirt and feminine dresses (in pale blue hues, of course!) are just to die for.

In other Cinderella-related news, you are probably all too aware of the fact that MAC released their own take on “the most iconic Disney princess of all”- a limited edition Cinderella colour collection! It comes in the prettiest pearlized lavender blue packaging and gold lined boxes! The magical and sparkling collection has sold out pretty much everywhere- I called about a dozen MAC/Macy’s stores trying to hunt down the “Royal Ball” lipstick with no success. However I was able to snag the other lipstick “Free as a Butterfly“, a lipglass “Happily Ever After“, and a gel liner “Little Black Bow“. I walked into the store not even thinking about the liner, as I had my mind dead set on the lipstick, but the saleswoman convinced me to try it on and I fell in love with it on the spot! I have always shied away from liquid and gel liners in the past, but this one has convinced me to give more of them a try in the future! MAC’s “Fluidline” can even double as an eyeshadow just by switching up your brush, which creates a really cool monochrome look. The “Free as a Butterfly” lipstick was much lighter than I’m used to wearing, but with some persuasion (and a strategic lip liner pencil) I think we managed to create a really cool look with just the right amount of princess shimmer on top!

Have a wonderful weekend!

xo, Caitlin

Inspiration

Images: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10

Lately I have been inspired by any and everything soft and romantic. For starters, I’ve been listening to Love Me Like You Do by Ellie Goulding for about two straight weeks and can’t get enough of it (definitely check out the full Fifty Shades of Grey Soundtrack if you have a spare minute!)

In my quest for hair inspiration, I fell in love with Cara Delevingne’s elegant low french twist and Emma Watson’s chic ponytail, both of which would look perfectly romantic paired with the Naked3 Palette.

I’ve been binge-watching Scandal lately, and feeling so inspired by Olivia Pope’s flawless professional wardrobe. When it comes to workwear, I always gravitate towards skirts and dresses, which are just not practical below thirty degrees. Olivia’s detailed jackets and textured layers in delicate fabrics and silhouettes make wearing work pants as feminine and powerful as possible.

Wanderlust stricken as I am at the moment, I am completely enamored with the gorgeous canals of Venice and Julia’s Tuscany post. They both look like the perfect backdrop for any and everything soft, romantic, and feminine; and hopefully future vacation spots for me!

What has been inspiring you lately? Please share them with me in the comments!

xo, C

Bargain Beauty Buys

It is so easy to overspend on beauty and wellness products. Once I find something that works, I can be hesitant (nay, petrified) to try something new- especially if that something doesn’t come from a highly esteemed company. Little by little, through some brave trial moments and lots of references through friends, I have been able to replace a large amount of my overpriced designer products for drugstore equivalents, which has been such a relief on my wallet and hasn’t had any negative effects on my hair or skin yet!

My number one money saver is definitely my shampoo and conditioner. I have a lot of very long hair, so I go through hair products at an alarming rate. I always get my Pantene shampoo and conditioner at Target. I adore the way it makes my hair look, feel, and smell! They have a great selection of hair types and treatments, I personally use the Smooth + Sleek line!

If you haven’t heard of YES TO yet, then you are missing out big time. YES TO is a remarkable beauty product line for an abundance of reasons. 1) They don’t use any harsh chemicals in their products. 2) All of their products are cruelty free. 3) They consistently give back, donating a portion of every sale towards meals for kids around the globe. 4) They are all affordable! Yipee! 5) They also have a line of products for every different skin type. Or, if you’re like me, a line of products for every need. Because why not?

My personal picks: Coconut Protecting Hand and Cuticle Cream (my hands get so dry and cracked during the winter, this is a lifesaver!) Cucumbers Calming Night Cream (the best feeling is waking up and feeling my face after putting this on- so calm and soft!) And the Tomatoes Roller Ball Spot Stick (I don’t have as many full-face breakouts anymore (hooray for turning 23!), but when a pesky zit appears I always zap it with this right away!) Of course, different products work for different people and their various needs, so definitely check out the full line online here or the next time you’re in a Target store!

I know everyone is familiar with Essie, but you may not be as familiar with their Apricot Cuticle Oil. It’s 100% a must have. It keeps your cuticles soft, strong, and under control without ever having to set foot in a nail salon! Seriously. If you’ve ever worried about your cuticles before, pick this up.

I have a bottle of this Neutrogena hand cream in my purse at all times. All times! It is a miracle wrapped in a $4 bottle and I’m not even exaggerating. I never thought I would love a Neutrogena product this much, but I really do. (Only available in Target stores, but you can buy it online here).

Makeup brushes can be really ridiculously expensive at conventional makeup stores. Lucky for us, there is Sonia Kashuk’s brilliant line of affordable brushes at Target! My amazing sister got me this super jazzy collection for Christmas (sold out online, but I’ve seen them in stores recently!) Her brushes are so fun and effective that I never feel like I’m using a “bargain brush”. She also makes great makeup bags, if you’re in the market!

At any given time, I have about five tubes of Burt’s Bees lip balm in use. One in my purse, one in my car, one at my desk, one next to my bed, and one in my pocket (which has made for some messy laundry loads, for sure!) Lip balm application is definitely an addiction for me, but I can never stop and Burt’s Bees is by far my favorite every day product.

This last one is a little bit of a cheat, since it’s only 50% a “drugstore” buy, but the two items I use go hand in hand so I feel it would be wrong not to include both of them. On my nightstand, I have two bottles of lotion. One of them is Aveeno’s Energizing Body Lotion, and the other is Bath and Body Works Aromatherapy Sleep Body Lotion. I’m very sensitive to scents, so I usually veer away from scented lotions during the day, as they can mix horribly with natural scents that surround me, but I adore these two products. I use the Aveeno lotion in the morning to feel energized by the grapefruit and pomegranate scents, and the Bath and Body Works one at night, when the lavender and vanilla lure me into the sweetest and calmest of sleeps. Admittedly, this is one of my sillier habits; but I stand by its effectiveness and definitely won’t be stopping anytime soon!

With the exception of the Bath and Body Works lotion, I have bought all of these at Target, but most of them are available at a majority of drugstores and grocery stores! All images are linked back to where I got them from.

Do you have any reliable drugstore beauty products? Let me know! I’m always looking for new ones that come highly recommended!

xo, C