Self-care has become a big trend over the past few years as we have realized how important it actually is to our well-being. However, as college students, we have limited time and money for spending on self-care. I’ve had to learn how to set aside time for this and figure out what products make me feel good and are worth the money. In this context, I’m including makeup and beauty products into the self-care umbrella. I have found that having a beauty product that makes me feel and look good is a part of self-care. I’m not saying you have to wear makeup to feel good, but that these are the beauty products that I enjoy.
Note: These are not in any particular order of how much I love them, but rather in the order I apply them.
1. Lancôme Idôle Perfume
For most of my life, I’ve used those body sprays from Bath and Body Works as perfume. Which often smells pretty good. However, it’s nice to spend a little more on real perfume. Once I started wearing this, people started to comment on how good I smelled. The scent isn’t overwhelming or super sweet, but rather floral and fresh. One spritz will last you the whole day, so it’ll last you a while as well. This perfume is worth the money, and the small rollerball version is a reasonable price. You can find it here.
2. Dream Cream Body Lotion from Lush
We all love Lush. Everything smells good, they give you lots of free samples, and the employees are all super nice. They recommended this lotion to me to help with my dry skin (which is especially bad this time of the year). This lotion truly works great. It keeps my hands moisturized all day without being oily and it doesn’t have a strong scent. I’d recommend getting the smallest size because it’s cheaper and still lasts a long time. Check it out here.
3. Too Faced Born This Way Super Coverage Multi-Use Sculpting Concealer
Finding a good concealer is something I have struggled with up until a few months ago when I found this. Usually, concealer is too drying or settles into the lines in my face (which is the opposite of its purpose). This one doesn’t do that. It’s super full coverage, meaning that it covers up those dark circles from studying all night and lasts all day. The bottle is also a great size and a little goes a long way (again, I’m all about long-lasting products). You can get it here.
4. NudeStix Magnetic Matte Eye Color (Shade Taupe)
You know those days where you want to wear eyeshadow but don’t have the energy to blend multiple shades together with a couple of different brushes? This product solves that issue. It’s an eyeshadow crayon that goes on super smooth and can just be blended quickly with your finger. My favorite shade is taupe, which is a simple, neutral brown. It is pricey for one crayon/stick, but these things last forever. I’ve probably owned mine for longer than I’m supposed to, but it still works great. You can even sharpen them like eyeliner as you go (it comes with the sharpener). You can buy it here.
5. Urban Decay Perversion Mascara
I’ve probably tried about 20 different kinds of mascara, and this one is my favorite. It lengthens my lashes really well. It isn’t thick and clumpy. This mascara is all about length, not thickness or fullness. If you’re like me and can’t commit to one mascara, the travel size version is great. All I can say is that this is a great mascara for lengthening those lashes and completing your look. Try it out!
When it comes to beauty products, I look for quality and long life. If I’m going to go and spend a lot of money at Sephora, I want it to be worth it. For me, all of the above products are worth it. I hope this helps you navigate the ever-growing world of beauty products so that you can find things that make you feel good.