My Recent Beauty Finds

So a new Sephora opened up in Hoboken and, well, I guess I kind of turned into a beauty guru. Just kidding. But it was pretty exciting. It’s a “studio” store, which pretty much means it has a smaller but more curated selection of brands and items. When I moved to Hoboken, I was surprised that there wasn’t a makeup store (or a J. Crew for that matter). I thought it’d be the perfect spot for a Sephora or even a Blue Mercury. When I heard rumors about a Sephora opening up, I was pretty excited! (We’re also getting a DryBar soon too!)

Anyway, here are some of the beauty finds I’ve recently tried and LOVED.

ONE // Living Proof Dry Shampoo

I decided to buy this during the beauty insider event going on a couple of weeks ago. I have been a huge fan of the DryBar dry shampoo (still love it, FYI) and recently started using Batiste for an inexpensive alternative. A few of my friends swear by Living Proof’s dry shampoo, and it totally lived up to the hype. First of all, it smells great!!! All of Living Proof’s scents are amazing– my hairdresser uses it exclusively! It also works ridiculously well. Sometimes I wonder if it’s doing anything because it doesn’t have as much of a white spray when I first use it, and then after letting it dry and running my fingers through my hair, bam! Perfect hair. No joke, I’ve been able to make my (at-home) blowouts last for three days. Usually, I’m lucky if I can get to two. It does an exceptional job post-workouts too. If you’re doing a sweaty spin class, you might need to wash your hair, but a regular/light sweat is manageable with this dry shampoo.

TWO // Ouai Wave Spray

While I was in Sephora during opening weekend, I overheard two customers raving about how much they loved this wave spray. I am always looking for a good product to tame my hair. It’s a seemingly never ending battle. I didn’t want to invest in the full bottle, so I went with the travel size to test it first. Let’s just say, I might invest in a lifetime supply.

The above picture is AIR DRIED HAIR. Air dried curls with no frizz!!! This product is definitely not for every hair type. I think you have to have some kind of natural curl or wave to work with and I wouldn’t use it on fine hair. The hair needs to be coarse enough to stand up to the product and the product needs enough natural curl to work with. If you have fine straight hair and use it, I would imagine your hair would have a post-pool straw feeling.

It’s kind of like hairspray and sea salt texturizer in one bottle. I don’t love the way my hair feels with it; it’s not sticky but it definitely has a very slight residue. But man, the look is worth it. It’d be great to use if you’re into styling your hair in braids or updos too to give you that extra hold or stick.

THREE // Jade Roller

I’ve seen these jade facial rollers everywhere lately and honestly don’t completely understand the benefits. That said, I received one in a press mailing (I’m 95% sure it was gifted from Garnier, but I had a bunch of boxes to open one day and I can’t remember!) and was intrigued enough to try. Again, no idea if it really “works,” but I do know that I freaking loved how it felt! I don’t believe in the whole crystal movement (but you do you if it works). The jade roller is very cool to the touch and felt amazing on my skin. My first time using it, I did my nightly routine complete with serum + moisturizer and sat in bed reading while I rolled my face. It feels part ridiculous and part luxurious. My sinuses have been a little swollen, probably from seasonal allergies, and the jade roller brought a little relief. I don’t know if I’d buy one for myself, but I think it might become my go-to gift for friends this year!!

FOUR // Bobbi Brown Foundation

I ran out of foundation two weeks ago and spent a few too many mornings trying to squeeze out every last drop from various bottles. I finally went to the new Sephora and walked out with two new foundations. The first didn’t work for me, but the second, this Bobbi Brown foundation was perfect. I’m super picky because I don’t wear a ton of makeup and think foundations can get “clownish” very quickly. The Bobbi Brown formula goes on so nicely– I use a beauty blender– and stays put all day long. Love that it has SPF, and it’s “buildable” so I can put a little more on a problem area or go extra light when I just want a little coverage.