I wasn’t sure where to purchase ELF products here, as I’m new to the LA area. After a bit of searching using their shop locator, I finally found a place that had them in stock! I suppose I could have ordered them online, but I don’t recommend it unless you don’t’ have any suppliers in your area — shipping is almost $7! For such dirt cheap products, I feel they charge a bit much for their fixed shipping price.

In this case I only needed three items. I was pretty impressed with this mini haul of ELF products. ELF usually tends to be a hit and miss with me, as I described in my ELF haul from this past May.

ELF Tinted Moisturizer

[rating=3] 

Pros: I like the packaging because it’s sleek and you can see how much you have left, as well as the actual color of the product. Glides on smoothly.
Cons: I only saw three shades available. It seems a bit watery, so I’d say coverage is light. The biggest fault — not much is in the bottle!
Overall: I needed a cheap alternative to my favorite tinted moisturizer by Tarte. At $3 compared to the usual $36 I pay for Tarte…This was a steal. Don’t get me wrong, because it doesn’t even compare to Tarte’s formula! However, I do like the light coverage because my skin is in good shape and Tarte’s was a bit too heavy for me. It’s an average product at a great price, but that’s good enough for me because I don’t need much. I’ll likely continue to use this one!

ELF Brow Shader and Highlighter

[rating=4] 

Pros: Very soft product, unlike many other pencil brow shaders you have to be careful with your pressure. Blends beautifully!
Cons: I like the style of the packaging but this is another one of ELF’s “looks good but works badly” designs. Each end has a cap, and both of my caps are loose and fall off easily.
Overall: Natural color, blends well. Aside from the caps constantly falling off, I like it. I would purchase this again.

ELF Tinted Lip Balm

[rating=5] 

Pros: Lovely color, smooth application, classy design.
Cons: Fades.
Overall: My only apprehension with this product is that it doesn’t stay as long as I’d like it to, but I can’t take off for that because it’s not a lipstick — it’s a tinted balm that’s bound to fade. The color is wonderful and it moisturizes well. I may see if they have a similar shade in a lipstick, but my area doesn’t carry ELF lipsticks… Which is ironic because they’re my favorite product option from ELF!

I won’t be having a medicine cabinet in my bathroom for much longer, because I’m moving out of my parents’ house after graduation. I figured I would take the opportunity to show you a few things in the cabinet I use on a daily basis!

From bottom to top, left to right:

• Giovanni Hair Styling Foam – A natural product that I use for up-do’s, when my hair just isn’t staying in place. I also use it on my tips after straightening to keep the hold, otherwise my hair tends to flip outwards.
• Sensaria Sea Silk Mask - A natural mask that replenishes instead of stripping away and tightens. I use it a few times a week when my skin is looking rough.
• Alba Botanica Sea Kelp Facial Toner – This is everything I want in a toner — it’s natural, doesn’t burn, hydrates, and gets rid of oil and extra make-up your wash may have left behind. It doesn’t leave that desert-dry feeling most toners give you after use. Plus, it’s cheap. What’s not to love?
• Alba Botanica Sea Mineral Cleansing Gel - Face wash — love that it comes in a pump and lathers well. It’s also a natural product and leaves my face squeaky clean. I’ve been using it for almost a year now.
• Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Sun Block SPF 70 - I put this on Mondays and Fridays, when my fifth graders go out for their 30 minute recess. I have to stand in the sun and watch them, so this keeps my skin from frying in the Florida sun. Also perfect for the beach! Doesn’t make you feel sticky, and you can only smell it if you put your skin to your nose and smell.
• It’s A 10 Miracle Leave In Product - This stuff is supposed to do 10 different things to your hair. What I use it for is a heat protectant. My natural oil wasn’t doing the job (I actually got split ends… Panic!) so I switched to this and my ends have stayed healthy ever since. A bummer that it isn’t a natural product, but I’ll live with it until I find an alternative. Suggestions?
• Eminence Tropical Vanilla Sun Cream SPF 32 – My mom gifted this to me last year, and I’m using it now. A natural daily facial moisturizer, perfect for the Florida spring/summer season. It’s the most expensive body care product I own, after L’Occitane. The only thing I don’t like is the sticky feeling it leaves after I first put it on, that eventually subsides. My skin has been rough lately because of medication, so I can’t really tell if this product is doing anything. For the price it’s worth, I should probably expect to see something anyway. Maybe I’ll give it more time.
• L’Occitane Amande & Pomme Compote Exfoliante Sweet Peel – This is a trial size facial exfoliator. The consistency is strange, kind of like jelly. The beads are crushed almond shells, which I don’t like because that’s too harsh for facial care. Feels great after use, so I’ll use this up and stick to a gentler exfoliation.
• Alba Botanica Skin Plus Renewal Cream – I’ve been using this as a night cream for months. It’s wonderful for combination or dry skin, because it’s a heavy cream that will soak in overnight and leave you refreshed in the morning. Also, it’s natural and won’t hurt your wallet. Love Alba Botanica. :)
• Rohto V Eye Drops in Cool - If I’m tired, stressed, overworked, or went to bed late the night before my eyes will be bloodshot. It got so bad (people asking me why I was crying…) that I had to go out and buy this. If I wake up with red eyes, I put this in and within one minute there’s no redness at all and my eyes look great. I also use it if I come home from work after a long day and my eyes are sore. I highly recommend, but be advised this stuff burns like crazy and you have to get used to it. Also, don’t use it daily. Moderation is key!
• The top row: Nothing important here. Scar gel to heal after my surgery last summer (doesn’t work, to my dismay), Benzoyl Peroxide to control acne, baby oil and psoriasis gel to control my sensitive skin problems, Giovanni Frizz Be Gone for damp hair (I don’t recommend, there are better products that do anti-frizz), and my trusty stash of bobby pins.

Now I need to ask myself how I’m going to survive without a medicine cabinet. A clutter of products on the counter? Everything thrown into a drawer? Over my dead body! Time to get creative.

While I don’t have specific brands that come to mind for an enjoyable winter, my winter has its staples. Here are five things I look forward to every time the weather beings to change. I find this list to be pretty universal. Is there anything you can’t see yourself going through winter without?

1. Cozy Slippers

These are a huge must have for me! I recently grabbed these from Payless. It’s hard to get up on a cold morning, but it’s even harder to get up and walk around on a wood floor that feels like ice. I usually throw on a pair of socks, but I’d been wanting some cozy slippers for a while and decided to get a good pair I could wear around the house.

2. Warm Drinks

There simply isn’t a better time for coffee and tea. It’s sometimes the only thing that gets me out of bed! I’m a sucker for a Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte this time of year. It’s a seasonal coffee, and my favorite coffee of all time. I hate that it only comes around every so often. I’ve also taken a liking to McDonald’s Vanilla Latte. Cheaper, and just as good!

3. Hoodies

I’m a sucker for hoodies. They’re not exactly fashionable, they don’t exactly show off the highlights of your body, and they’re a pain to take on and off. But for some reason, I love that perfect weather and throwing one of these on before running off to class. However, I do think it’s easy to over-do the hoodie. It shouldn’t be in every outfit you wear!

4. Creams

I have dry skin from head to toe. When Florida’s 100% humidity drops down to 30% or less, my skin breaks. I switch to a heavier face cream for day and night, Alba being my favorite, and then remind myself to use a good body cream every night as well. Body butters are great for this, and use a special cream for feet to protect them too.

5. Books

There’s never a bad season to curl up with a good book; or in this day and age, an e-reader. Getting cozy with all of the above and sitting down with my iPad, ready to browse through a book I’d like to read next, has become one of my favorite parts of winter. On a side note, I’d like to update The Third Chapter… It’s not dead, just neglected until winter break!

(Credit goes to Cassia for this entry’s featured image. She’s truly talented in photography!)

I’ve seen a few bloggers do a monthly favorites post, where they feature a few products they have been loving for the past month. I wanted to go ahead and do something similar. So here are a few things I have been loving for this summer season! Be sure to leave a comment if you have suggestions of your own summer favorites.

Deep Aqua Cooling Mist – Bath and Body Works
I just thought this concept was pretty cool. If you’re in the sun for too long and you get that burning, dry feeling on your skin, you can spray this cooling mist on yourself and it feels amazing. It has aloe in it and will not burn your skin if you have a sunburn. You can put it in your fridge and take it with you when you go to the pool or beach, helps your skin after being in the sun all day and gives a soft feel without being moist. This thing is following me around all summer!

Aluminum water bottle — Walmart
During the winter I’m all about my Starbucks coffee mug, but when it gets this hot I replace my daily liquid intake with ice cold water, iced tea, or my favorite lemonade. Using one of these bottles is not only completely versatile, but you’re likely helping out the environment and your body. Did you know that drinking out of plastic bottles is bad for you if you do it too often? Bring water in this aluminum bottle and it’ll stay nice and cold for a good while. I got this one on sale at Walmart for only $4.

SPF Lotion — Neutrogena
I admit that until this year, I didn’t care about protecting my skin from the sun. However, with all the biggest companies releasing great SPF lotions, I realized it was time to find one for me. Finding an SPF lotion that doesn’t make you look like a greasy, stinky ghost is hard! I find that Neutrogena has a wonderful SPF 30 for the face that doesn’t clog pores and goes on dry. (The white even fades.) The sweatproof body spray sunblock is also effective with minimal greasy feel, and smells amazing. I highly recommend Neutrogena for SPF protection this summer if you have sensitive skin or break out easily!

Coconut Milk Extra-Rich Hair Wash — Alba
I’ve been switching to cruelty-free, natural brands and hair care is my first group to endure the switch! The weird thing is this shampoo is not only a wonderful shampoo, but is also specifically great for the summer. For those of you who have easy access to the beach and pool all summer long like me, this hair wash will be extra gentle on your hair. It will not dry your hair out or stress it out even more after its been in the sun and chlorine all day. Plus, it smells like fresh coconut and is under $10. What’s not to love? The conditioner is just as wonderful!