TOP 7 :: Non Makeup Beauty Items

TOP 7 :: favorite non-makeup beauty items.

Cause makeup can't solve everything!

Sephora's Wide-Tooth Comb

1. Hair clips. Hairbands rip and tear your hair, leaving it damaged and frizzy. I always use a clip when possible to throw my hair up – it keeps my hair healthy and shiny. Bonus: you’ll have wavy hair when you take it down instead of the dreaded ponytail bump. Score.
2. Smooth wide-tooth comb. Another secret to shiny hair. Your hair is weak and more susceptible to damage when wet. Using a regular brush after a shower pulls, causes breakage, and creates a split end breeding ground. Instead, use a smooth wide tooth comb on wet hair, and work from the bottom.  If you regularly practice #1&2, I guarantee you’ll see the quality of your hair improve. These two practices keep my hair more soft and healthy than any other product. Lots of girls think that shiny healthy hair is all about the styling/ cleansing products you use. That can be true, but what really makes the difference is how you treat your hair when NOT styling/cleaning it – which is 90% of the time.
3. Moisturizer + sunscreen. Start sunscreen in your teens and 20s to keep your skin as healthy as possible. Moisturize right after the shower – all your pores are open from the heat and ready to drink it in. My favorite. 

Smith's Rosebud Strawberry Lip Balm

4. Lip balm. It seems like either people use this a million times a day or never at all. I’m a hardcore user and can’t live without moisturizing lip balm. Give me lip balm and some gloss, and I’m a happy girl. (My favorites are this, this, and this.)  No mystery as to why I love it – it’s like sweatpants for your lips: so nice and soft, and feels amazing. 
5. YOUTUBE! Kind of a funny no.5, but it’s true. If there’s anything you want to learn about cosmetics or hair, you’re never more than a youtube search away. Youtube’s taught me everything from makeup tips, to formal hairstyles, and even cutting my own hair.
6. Cleansing facial wipes. Confession:  I never wash my makeup off at night. To compensate, I rely on these exfoliating Equate wipes. These do a great job of quickly removing stubborn eye makeup without irritating skin or eyes. I’ve tried several other (pricier) brands, but these are so gentle and powerful that I’ve stopped exploring. 

best beauty tip - just be happy!

7. Positive attitude. Okay, I know this is cheesy, but it’s true. A smile and positive attitude is what really makes you stand out. Now I’m by no means a master at this – but I try to make a point every day to make others laugh and smile. This usually calls for the “fake it till you make it” technique – there’s few people in the world who naturally exude pure happiness. The easiest and fastest way to build a positive attitude isn’t about focusing inward – but instead focusing outward. Compliment others. Help them accomplish a goal. Be excited for others’ success. Don’t be jealous and self-deprecating. Jealousy is the biggest symptom of low self-confidence, so just get over it! Additionally; if someone is acting jealous towards you, take it for what it is: they are sad. So cheer them up, or just feel bad for them. Don’t let it bring you down too! Try it for a day; you’ll love the infection of smiles you’re spreading, and you’ll start to see a deeper beauty in the mirror. 

take a hit of these beauties

Want a crash course in makeup? Each of the bloggers/youtube personalities make a living from helping people learn techniques that you would normally have to attend school to learn. We are so lucky to live in an age where we can learn infinitely from the comfort of our own living room. In the beauty community, these are some of the people you need to know.  They have each taught me so much about make, beauty, and life; and I’m excited to introduce you. I've linked this post like crazy, so go hog wild!

Kandee Johnson

Kandee is THE makeup titan. She is the end-all be-all of the youtube/beauty guru/blogger community. Celebrity make-up artist Kandee Johnson’s appeal goes much deeper than her amazing celebrity makeup tips and tutorials – she also writes about life lessons, and even took her followers through the process of grieving her late father. Kandee embodies everything a role model should be, and can cheer the sourest of moods. Aside from Kandee’s exceptional attitude, she’s got beastly talent. Her costume tutorials will have you doing double takes while she transforms herself into your favorite Hollywood characters in 10 minutes or less.  If you enjoy beauty, makeup, costumes, and people who have a light shining from within, check out Kandee’s youtube channels and blog (she posts every day!). Join me in my Kandee addiction!

Gossmakeupartist

Goss translates his professional makeup experience into understandable and thoughtful short videos that make learning a piece of cake. He often features his own friends, who are not professional models, as his clients. Goss’s stays frank and honest with his viewers – he will tell you the pros and cons to a product or technique and you never have to worry that he’s being paid for his comments. I’ve learned so many techniques from him that have transformed my everyday makeup routine; my most favorite being his brush techniques for a flawless face. Goss regularly taps into celebrity pop culture – he often features top celebrities as a teaching subject for new skills and techniques. Check out Goss’s youtube channel for light-hearted yet informative videos that make you feel like you’re chatting with your bff.

JLovesMac1

No matter HOW BAD of a day I’m having, I can always count on Jermaine’s videos to make me laugh and remind me life should be fun. When work, family, finances, car problems, student loans, difficult people, low on gas, blah blah BLAH add up and make you want to crawl into bed and never come out – watch some JLOVESMAC1 and she will have you smiling ear to ear, maybe even lol-ing a bit, in no time. She’s a prime example of how to make your own happiness by diving into your passion. She also has the most adorable dogs that make frequent appearances.

SMLXO

I’ve been following SMLXO since before she became a big youtube sensation. She’s a gorgeous girl who seems very down to earth and represents the girls who love learning and developing makeup skills. She is going through the same learning process that many makeup lovers go through. Go through her videos and you can watch her blossom from the amateur we all were at one point to someone who has developed a great skillset. Check her out on her youtube channel here.

Who are YOUR favorite beauty gurus?