These are my go-to beauty basics... a few little make-up essentials that I keep on coming back to. With the exception of the Clinique blush, all of them are drugstore products and generally easy to find.
Covergirl LashBlast Length Water Resistant Mascara in Very Black
I've read mixed reviews on this product, but personally I have had a lot of success with it. I have not had problems with it clumping whatsoever and have been using this product for the past few years.
Price: $7.79
Covergirl Fresh Complexion Under-Eye Concealer in Classic Ivory
I really like this concealer. It is fairly thin but covers and blends well.
Price: $5.29 for .37 fl oz
Physcians Formula Organic Wear 100% Natural Origin Tinted Moisturizer in Ivory to Fair
I do not like to wear a lot of foundation... So this is generally all I wear day to day. It provides some coverage and has SPF 15. Before buying there are a couple things you should know... (1) They have four different shades of this, but most stores only sell two for some reason. So you may need to shop around or order online to get the best color for you. (2) The SPF smell is very strong when you're applying it, but that smell fades as soon as it dries.
Price: $10.99 for 1.5 fl oz
Physicians Formula Mineral Glow Pearls Powder Palette in Translucent Pearl
I use this on top of the upper part of my cheeks to brighten up my skin a little. It shimmers in the light but not in a sparkly-vampire kind of way...
Price: $13.95
Clinique Soft-Pressed Powder Blusher in New Clover
This is another product I have used for YEARS. My mom bought this for me when I was in high school, and I've used it ever since. Good product. Lasts all day.
Price: $21.00
Where to Buy:
http://www.clinique.com/
http://www.drugstore.com/
WOOHOO!!!! DISH SOAP!!
Alright, this isn't the most exciting thing to write about, but I am loving Seventh Generation products right now. I'm generally a little afraid of cleaning products and love the fact that SG is striving to make products that are safe and nontoxic for the people that use them and the environment. Thanks SG! ;) Their products generally smell pretty wonderful, considering they don't use artificial fragrances, and everything I've used from them has been very effective.
This dish liquid smells like yummy yummy clementines. It is not overpowering, but leaves a nice little hint of clean in the air while you do the dishes. I was using the fragrance-free version for a while, but am loving the smell of this one! I am very sensitive to smells... Nothing is worse than gagging through cleaning because of the fumes from the cleaner. Not here, my friend, not here...
Price: Runs around $3, sometimes more... $2.95 on drugstore.com right now
Where to buy: Your local grocery or http://www.drugstore.com/
Things to know: They often have coupons in the paper for SG products.
These onesies came in so handy when my daughter was first born! I had bought the little baby mittens to cover her little hands, but they were just too loose on her and kept on slipping off. These onesies were such a wonderful alternative to keeping her hands covered. They only have the two snaps on the bottom and are just super easy.
In Summary:
Price: $8.84 for a 3 pack on Amazon
Where you can buy them: http://www.amazon.com/
Aveeno baby lotion has turned into our go-to lotion, not just for the baby but for me as well. Most lotions I've tried have turned out to be basically worthless in healing my skin. Aveeno baby products have yet to disappoint me. I use their baby eczema therapy moisturizing cream on my face before bed. During the winter months my skin likes to start acting up. This lotion really soothes and keeps all the redness and dryness at bay. I also use their daily moisture lotion and have found that it works very well. Both are very creamy, long lasting, and easily soak into the skin.
In Summary:
Would I repurchase this? Yes
Price: $7.99 for 5 oz (Aveeno Baby Eczema Therapy Moisturizing Cream)
$5.29 for 8 oz (Aveeno Baby Daily Moisture Lotion)
Things to know: I have not been using the daily moisture lotion on my face... so I can not vouch that it will work well as a face cream. I have used it on my daughter's face and it has worked fairly well but is not as soothing as the aforementioned Mustela Hydra-stick.
I've used these as burp cloths. They aren't the prettiest things around, but they do the BEST job of any other ones I've tried. They are super absorbent and you comparatively get a lot for your money. I can not give you a review on how great they are at their original intended purpose of diapering, but they are great for lots of other things and have come in handy!
In Summary:
Price: The price of these can really vary. One of the best prices I've found for these is at Buy Buy Baby where they have the pack of 10 for $13.99.
Where you can buy them:
http://www.buybuybaby.com/
This is a purchase that I almost didn't make because of the initial price. The blankets come to $8.75 a piece but are generally sold in packs of four. So the initial purchase price is around $35. It's not a completely absurd price, but when you're comparing them to packs of flannel receiving blankets, it seems like a lot. However, if I could have a redo on things I purchased when my daughter was born, I probably would not have purchased any other blankets than these. I've used the flannel blankets once or twice, but I've used the muslin blankets more times than I could possibly count.
They are so multifunctional!
* Substantial size for swaddling (I had a tough time swaddling with other blankets)
* Easy nursing covers (just knot two of the sides together and there you go)
* Great for shielding baby from the sun while in the carseat or stroller
* Breathable for summer and great as a car blanket in the winter
* Great to lay on during "tummy time"
In Summary:
Price: $35 for a pack of 4. BUT they can be more if you are ordering them directly from the company! I've bought mine at Target and also ordered a pack off of Amazon.
Things to Know: These a great quality blankets. The directions say something along the lines of wash them gently (or maybe it's separately) in cold water... and to be honest, I've just thrown them in with whatever I'm washing at the time and they've worn so well! They look just as great as the day I bought them.
Where you can buy them:
http://www.target.com/
http://www.adenandanais.com
http://www.amazon.com/
ALDI is a discount grocery store that I've stumbled across while researching which grocery stores give you the most for your money. After reading online that you can save a lot more money at ALDI than at Costco and Walmart, I figured I'd give them a try. Upon arrival I realized there were a lot of similarities to the grocery stores in Europe: you have to use a quarter to use the grocery carts, there is a limited variety of each type of food, and you bag your own groceries. They have a limited amount of common national brand products, but carry very similar items in their own store brands. Their produce is always at a great price on top of which they often run weekly sales. There is no way I would be able to only shop at ALDI, but it has turned into my first stop when I buy groceries. I try to get as much on my grocery list as possible and then finish my shopping elsewhere, but by doing so I am able to generally save about $10-20 each trip.
