beauty products – The Sol Compass

My Old Skincare Routine

Hi everyone, welcome back! For the better part of 2017, I really dedicated myself to trying different skincare products and finding the ones that have that “wow” factor. I’m currently working on a post about my new skincare routines and other products and brands I’ve really fallen in love with, but if you read about my old one skincare post back in the day, you may be wondering why I’m changing it up. I absolutely loved bareMinerals’ Exfoliating Cleanser, and I used it for probably four years. However they discontinued that product, and the ones that replaced it were never quite as good without that gentle exfoliating factor. It made me realize that I’m just looking for a little more out of my skincare.

If you’re looking for a basic cleanser that does a good job and a buttery soft moisturizer, these are really quite good. My skin is dry and can be sensitive at times, but bareMinerals products (both skincare and makeup) have never given me a reaction. The main reason I have changed up my skincare regimen, is that I realized that I really want daily skincare that is exfoliating, or brightened and hydrated my skin with an extra bang.

One of the bareMinerals products that I absolutely will keep on rotation is the Brilliant Future Age Defense & Renew Serum. As advertised, it does a great job reducing wrinkles and fine lines, but the big surprise to me was that it’s actually super hydrating as well. I love using this as an anti-aging component of my routine all year, but it’s especially nice during the winter when my skin is really dry. Over the last week, every square inch of my skin has been dry, except my face, and I swear this is a big part of the reason why.

L’Oreal Advanced RevitaLift Face & Neck Day Cream. To be honest, I’m continuing on with this one for now, but I am going to keep looking for neck treatments. I definitely have seen good results with this one, I’m just not blown away by them. So if you have a holy grail neck oil, cream, etc. let me know about it for sure!

Thanks for stopping by! I’d love to hear your story of skincare evolution if you have one, so definitely leave me a comment or send an email to TheSolCompass@gmail.com! I could talk about skincare for hours, and I love hearing about other people’s experiences as well!

xo, C

Tuesday Ten: Influenster Product Reviews

Hello everyone, welcome back! Today’s post is going to be a beauty product review. From time to time, Influenster sends me complementary products to review and over the past few months I haven’t shared most of them on the blog! With Sephora’s VIB Coupons rolling in (20% off for members starts on Friday!) it’s the perfect time to test out some new things at a lower price!

Laura Mercier Flawless Fusion Ultra-Longwear Foundation. I’m always excited to try a new foundation out, but I never knew how much I would love a foundation until now. I have zero complaints about this one, even the price tag is worth it (though I certainly wouldn’t complain if it dropped in price a little bit…) I only need two pumps to cover my entire face, and it gives amazing full coverage while feeling super lightweight on my face. The formula blends out like an absolute dream, and the matte finish lasts all.day.long. This would be my number one recommendation to buy during the holiday sale, I plan on buying another in my winter shade!
Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder. I had been a fan of this before I received it for free from Influenster, so I was beyond giddy when I saw the full size sitting in my box! This cult-favorite really locks in your makeup for the whole day, without adding on any heaviness or settling into any fine lines. I find it really minimizes the appearances of my pores as well, which is such an added bonus since I first purchased it only expecting it to set my makeup!
Amika Undone Texture Spray. As a lover of Amika products (you can see my post here to see what other products I love), I was stoked to see more Amika products come through the mail. This spray is great whether you’re looking to lock your curls into place, or just hold on to that messy tousled look that you woke up with. I hate the smell of conventional hair sprays, so this is a super replacement which actually adds volume, instead of just keeping what you already have in place. As with all Amika products, it uses rice starch instead of aluminum which I absolutely *love* – that alone would place them leaps and bounds above every other hair care company in my book!
Amika Nourishing Mask Mini. You all know I love a good mask, and I think hair masks don’t get nearly enough play. This one may be the best one I’ve tried yet. The first time you use it, you won’t even believe how smooth and shiny your hair is! I know 20 minutes is a long time to leave something in your hair, but if you can swing it you’ll thank me. You can also buy it in an 8.5 oz tub, to save a little bit of money in the long run!
Aquis Lisse Luxe Hair Towel. I try to avoid using heat on my hair as much as possible (I probably only use a hair dryer or straightener twice a week), so this fast drying towel is an absolute life saver for me. The texture of the towel dries your hair so much faster than a bath towel would, with the added benefit of not being as heavy and hard on your neck!
GrandeLIPS Hydrating Lip Plumper. I have extremely thin lips, so the thought of a lip plumper that’s also hydrating is extremely inciting to me. Unfortunately, I’m not totally sure this is the one to do that. I didn’t notice many results from using it for a week straight. It has almost four stars at Sephora, so some people have definitely had more success with it than I did. If you do choose to give it a try, I would recommend going with a color and not the clear. I received the clear and the shimmery finish gave me terrible 90s flashbacks!
Dr Brandt No More Baggage Eye De-puffing Gel. This product is amazing for under eye bags. It gets the puffiness down in hardly any time. I love using it especially on days when I’m heading out to shoot! That being said, it doesn’t do anything for eye wrinkles, which is what I really look for in an eye cream. If you have puffy eyes, I’d definitely recommend it, but you might have to still use a conventionaly wrinkle-combatting eye cream at night.
These next three didn’t work great on my very dry skin, but B loved them so much that he has since ordered a replacement trio, so I’m letting him do the honors of describing them to you!
Ole Henriksen Find Your Balance Oil Control Cleanser. I’ve used a lot of different face washes and this is the only one that noticeably removes oils from my face. I like that you can use a very small amount to spread on your entire face (it comes out really thick). It gets rid of oils without making my skin dry and tight like other cleansers, and doesn’t leave bleach marks on my towels like benzoyl peroxide does, as an added bonus. I don’t love the smell of it, but it’s not too strong and once you wash it off the smell is gone, but that’s the only negative of it.
Ole Henriksen Balancing Force Oil Control Toner. Toner is the toughest one for me to describe because I had no idea what it was until Caitlin told me it was the extra step in between cleanser and moisturizer. It’s gotten rid of nearly all of my clogged pores, and is a great extra step to get rid of dirt and oils in my skin.
Ole Henriksen Counter Balance Oil Control Hyrdator. I really like the moisturizer, I wish they made the bottle twice as big since it doesn’t last as long as the cleanser does for me. I use it all the way down my neck so it does great work on razor irritation, for any guys who want to use it. It’s very lightweight, and easy to not put on too much. This one smells great, it’s very subtle so you wouldn’t really notice it if you weren’t putting it on your face, and the smell doesn’t last very long. It doesn’t leave any residue behind, and doesn’t add shine to my oily forehead, which is nice and hard to come by in a moisturizer for oily skin (from what I’ve found).

Have you tried any of these products? Let me know what you think of them in the comments!

xo, C

7 Summer Beauty Must Haves

Hello everyone, welcome back! Today I’m going to be sharing my seven must have beauty products for summer! Let’s jump right into it, shall we?

Lush Silky Underwear. This dusting powder has an amazing smell and infinite uses. It’s a bit pricey but totally worth it once you start realizing everything it does! You can use it to help with thigh chafe, as an underarm deodorant, to help with boob sweat, and to get rid of stickiness after applying hand cream! It’s a pretty good replacement for Body Glide (my fellow runners) and you can sprinkle some in your bed sheets during the summer to keep them soft and dry

Miracle Heel Stick. I am always self conscious about my feet during the summer because of all the sandals I wear. This little stick restores any cracked, dry, rough heels with a mix of aloe, shea and cocoa butters!

Supergoop Sunscreen Mist. Supergoop! is my favorite sunscreen (last mentioned in my Anniversary Sale guide) and this mist is no exception. I always keep a spray on hand during the summer, since B and I tend to spend lots of time outside and it’s so quick and easy to apply. I linked to the single one above, but you can save $19 on a pack of three during the Anniversary Sale, which translates to getting one for free!

Not Your Mother’s Sea Salt Spray. This super affordable beach spray is a life saver if you want a quick and easy curly look with minimal effort. As an added bonus, it smells amazing!

Tangle Teezer. I first mentioned my Tangle Teezer in my hair care post, and it is still my go to wet hair brush. After the beach it’s great for working through wet hair without ripping or tearing.

bareMinerals Complexion Rescue. A tinted moisturizer with SPF 30 is really all you need in the summertime. As an added bonus, this one is super hydrating and lightweight, which is perfect for the hot summer months!

Too Cool For School Blotting Papers. I keep these in my bag at all times during the summer. They are great for dabbing sweat off your face while keeping your makeup intact.

What are your favorite summer products? Share them in the comment section below!

xo, C

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July Beauty Haul

Hi everyone! Welcome back. I feel like I haven’t blogged in so long, when in reality it’s only been a week since my last post. Unfortunately my laptop hasn’t been working, so my outfit photos are MIA this week-but I’m praying to the Apple Geniuses that they’re able to fix it when I bring it in tonight!

In the interim, I thought I would take this opportunity to share some of my recent beauty purchases. My sister Michaela will attest to the fact that I am definitely not the first to jump on indie beauty brands or celebrity trends-in fact, I am usually the last. Most of this has to do with the fact that I like products to be tested by pretty much everyone under the sun before I’m willing to put it on my face. With that, I usually do an extensive amount of research before buying beauty products and am reasonably confident that I will like them before I even try them, and so far these ones have not disappointed.

These amazing sticks are the only item in this haul that you can’t find at Sephora. If you live in Boston you can find W3ll People at the amazing and reliable Follain, and if you don’t you can find them online and at Target! I first heard about W3ll People from one of my favorite bloggers, Grace Atwood, whose opinion on beauty products I always trust (I may be biased because we went to the same college, but alas). I had kept them on my radar for a while before I finally pulled the trigger but oh my goodness. I can’t believe I didn’t have these in my life earlier. The sticks are so fun and easy to use, they make contouring and concealing an absolute breeze. This all natural brand’s motto is “Hippie Tested, Diva Approved” and there may be no greater beauty sentence ever said.

The reason I went to Sephora in the first place was to pick up the coveted Becca x Jaclyn Hill Champagne Collection Face Palette. It’s true that I’m a sucker for a good limited edition (hello, Gwen Stefani and Ellie Goulding collabs), but this one is definitely worth the hype. The colors are just unbelievably versatile, the packaging is so glamorous, and you really can’t argue with getting two highlighters and three blushes for only $52. To get such beautiful shades created by Jaclyn Hill combined with the luxurious Becca formulas is totally worth it. (The palette is sold out online, but you can use the store locator to find one near you!)

As I mentioned in my lip products post, I am always on the hunt for new lipsticks and glosses to try. I don’t really change much in my makeup routine on a daily basis, so different lip products are sort of my way of experimenting and changing up a look. Since Anastasia Beverly Hills has been having so much success and hype amongst experts, aficionados, and newbies alike; I figured I couldn’t go wrong with one of these lip glosses. My shade of choice was Dainty-a soft peach hue that is just beautiful paired with tan summer skin. Urban Decay never lets me down, so I also picked up two pretty pink lipsticks from their new Vice collection. These shades are ‘Native’ and ‘Weirdo’, and it’s actually kind of embarrassing how similar they are. But when they make such a smooth and creamy lipstick, what else do you expect me to do?!

Korean cosmetic brands are receiving their fair share of hype these days, so when I stumbled across one that had two products I desperately needed I didn’t think twice. Too Cool For School is a self processed “rule breaking” beauty brand full of fun and artistic packaging of makeup and skincare products. During the summer I desperately need transportable blotting papers that leave my makeup intact after running to catch a subway or getting into my hotbox of a car when it’s 95 degrees outside. This adorable Dinoplatz case fit the bill perfectly and so far has not disappointed my skin, my makeup, or my wallet. Next up, I have been dying to get my hands on some makeup-remover-infused-cotton swabs to touch up pesky mascara that forces its way onto my carefully blended eye shadow, and this ready-to-travel case is the perfect answer to my prayers.

Thank you all so much for stopping by! I hope you all have a fantastic weekend!

xo, C

Real Techniques

I’ve been hearing a fair amount of hype from beauty vloggers and friends about Real Techniques, so when I decided I needed to purchase some more eye makeup brushes (after expanding my use of eyeshadow that I mentioned here), I decided to give them a go. For starters, this sponge is a total miracle dupe. I’ve never been able to justify spending $20 on a sponge a la beauty blender, so I was amped to find this $6 dupe and it definitely did not disappoint!

The eye brushes (purple) were what I needed most so they were the first items I added to my cart. I was not expecting any set of brushes under $20 to pick up eye shadow as well as they did, and as a result I put WAY too much on the first time I used them! They’re super soft and apply makeup so easily. I’ve heard some people that were less than thrilled with the results, but for the price I can’t imagine finding a more effective brush set! Also, how can you argue with them when they come with their own travel case and stand?!

Because I was just so in love with the vibrant pink, I decided to scoop up this cheek and lip brush set as well. Again I loved how soft and gentle the brushes were, and how well they picked up and held my powder makeup.

Product Details – Miracle Complexion Sponge | Starter Brush Makeup Set | Cheek & Lip Brush Set

(For a full list of Real Techniques retailers, click here)

Thanks for reading! Happy Hump Day!

xo, C

Eye Makeup Routine

You may remember I recently shared my favorite lip products, so today I thought I would share my every day eye makeup routine. I am not someone who’s willing to spend a lot of time on my makeup, so fancy things like contouring tend to get skipped with me. My eye makeup routine is like a well oiled machine and I can whip through it even when I’m half asleep and/or squished in front of a gym mirror with a dozen other women.

The cornerstone for my makeup routine for the past five years has been bareMinerals’ mascara and eyeliner. I’ve tried so many other mascaras and almost all of them irritate my eyes or clump or are just frustrating to apply evenly. These two gems are perfect for a natural makeup look and for someone who just wants to swipe on makeup and get on with their day.

In my Pixi by Petra post I included these two gems, but they have become so essential to my makeup routine I couldn’t imagine leaving them out today. This eye bright liner and eye zone brightener are crucial to making tired eyes look bright and fresh no matter how little sleep I got the night before.

I never used eye shadow for day to day makeup until I was gifted these Urban Decay palettes by my kind and beautiful friends and generously taught how to use them by my patient and talented sister. If a makeup amateur like I can figure out how to mix shades, then it’s not nearly as difficult as it seems. The Naked Palettes 100% live up to their hype. They are super easy to apply and definitely worth the price tag once you realize how many options you have. Plus an eyeshadow that stays put all day and doesn’t crease cannot be passed up. I love the colors in this Vice palette my friend Kelsey gave me, and I’ve slowly been starting to learn how to incorporate the brighter and bolder hues without scaring people off/getting confused for a ten year old on her way to a ballet recital.

Lately I’ve been lusting after the UD x Gwen Stefani Eyeshadow Palette-it’s an insanely versatile palette, with a perfect mix of neutrals and jewel tones to complete any look, day or night! I know I’ll love the formula as I do with my current Urban Decay eyeshadows and it’s just a matter of time before I’m able to convince myself that yes, of course I need more eyeshadows! 😉

Urban Decay Vice Palette (old, new version here) | Urban Decay Naked3 Palette | Urban Decay Shadow Box (old, new version here)

The newest additions to my routine are Urban Decay’s Subversion Lash Primer and Anastasia Beverly Hills’ Clear Brow Gel. Lash primer is definitely not an every day product for me, but it sure is a game changer. I generally only use it for blog posts, date nights, or other special occasions. I am a HUGE fan of this clear brow gel. It’s super easy to put on, it keeps my eyebrows in place all day long, and tames any rogue strays; without the terrifying factor of me with bold eyebrows. For those lucky souls who can pull off the thick eyebrow trend, I’m sure the tinted brow gel from ABH is equally as amazing because the formula is 100% effective.

Thanks for stopping by! Do any of you have any must haves that I need to start incorporating into my routine? Sound off in the comments! Have a wonderful weekend!

xo, C

Acure

I’m always trying to find new drugstore products that I love, and Target has been making this quest so much easier on me with all their newly introduced natural beauty brands! One of my new favorites is Acure. My friends are always mentioning how young my parents look for their age, and at some point I had no choice but to accept that they must be making some great lifestyle choices- including diet, exercise, and skincare. I had been picking my parent’s brains for new products to try, and my dad recently picked up some Acure Organics Day Cream at Whole Foods, when I stumbled upon the same product line at Target! Not to discredit skincare selections at Whole Foods (they carry some of my all-time favorite products lines), but I tend to be more in and out ASAP there and more leisurely at Target, with the bigger aisles and a chance to peruse and examine products more carefully. I was in the market for a new body wash and am always looking for new lotions to try, so I decided on picking up these two along with these cleansing towelettes, and I cannot stress how happy I have been with the results! It can be frustratingly difficult to find skincare products that are natural and also effective, but these Acure products definitely did not disappoint. Finding organic products that smell nice and are reasonably priced can be so hard to find but I’ve been so impressed with the results so far!

Thanks for stopping by! Enjoy the rest of your week!
xo, C

Pixi by Petra

While shopping one of my favorite Target beauty lines, Sonia Kashuk, I turned around in the aisle and found myself facing a wall of light and bright products in the Pixi line. I was intrigued to say the least, especially when I saw the series of brightening products at extremely reasonable prices. A quick Google search told me all I needed to hear- that the line I was looking at was designed to make tired and busy skin look bright and healthy, using natural ingredients. I 100% lean towards the natural beauty look, and a line of products designed to enhance natural beauty instead of covering it up sounded perfect to me. Pixi products do exactly that- liven up tired skin quickly and efficiently to help busy women looking their best.

Since I am a terrible creature of habit and sometimes have a hard time parting with the items I already love, I opted for three products that I don’t have a stand by for; the makeup fixing mist, eye zone brightener, and eye bright liner. They are all hands down must haves for everyone’s makeup case. I don’t like to wear a lot of makeup, but these are all perfect for those mornings when I haven’t gotten a lot of sleep and my skin needs a little pick me up. The quick extra steps are so worth the drastic results of brighter, glowing skin.

In somewhat related news, I am unbelievably excited to tell you all that I have five giveaways of some of my favorite products planned out for (hopefully) March! I plan to roll them out as a celebration when I reach 500 followers on Instagram, so I need your help! Follow along here and help me reach my goal soon, so we can get the giveaways rolling!

Thanks you all from the very bottom of my heart for supporting The Sol Compass. It is truly a dream come true to know that at least one person besides my mom is reading the things I blog passionately about. This site is a major labor of love and it means so much to me to think that just one person might get just one recommendation out of reading it. Happy Hump Day!

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

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