Hair and Beauty Tips (From A Redhead)

By no means am I a beauty guru, but here are a few things that I love and make life a little easier.

(I have not been compensated by any of these brands. Just an FYI.)

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Apple Cider Vinegar is a wonderful tool if you have a dry scalp like I do. Before I shampoo, I soak about 2 or 3 tablespoons on my scalp and massage it in. I let it hang out for a few minutes. Rinse. Then shampoo. Yes, the smell is strong but it washes out well. You won't be walking around all day with hair smelling like vinegar.

I definitely do not do makeup everyday. I have fun when I am in girly girl mode and get to spend a lot of time making myself up, but most days I keep it super easy. If you are short on time but need a little boost, just keep it simple with mascara, blush, and a punch of pink lip gloss. Super quick but these three things will wake up your cute face so you can get on with your day, even if that consists of tea parties with your little one.

One of my favorite brands of all time is Bare Escentuals.

I am in love with everything from them. And bonus? I met Leslie Blodgett (the CEO of the company) a few years ago and she was a delight!

Two of my favorite products:

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Their foundation is brilliant! I like a little bit of coverage, but am actually quite proud of my freckles so I don't like to completely hide them. What I love about their foundation is that it is light, you don't feel like you are wearing a mask. If you want a bit more coverage, you can do that too. The level of how much you want to cover is completely up to you, but it allows your natural beauty to shine through as well.

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The 100% natural lip gloss is to die for. I go ga ga over this stuff! (But not so much that I would wear a meat dress. Ha!) They offer a wide variety of colors from nudes and browns to mauve and pinks. It isn't sticky, but very moisturizing and that is a difficult combination to pull off in the world of lip gloss.

 Occasionally, Sookie has to give Momma make up lessons.

{She is a big fan of their brushes!}

Another one of my favorite brands is Philosophy.

Their 3-in-1 bubble bath, shampoo, and shower gel is revolutionary! I love so many of the different smells and it is great for busy moms because it can be used for body wash and shampoo. They come in so many scents, you are only limited by your imagination, seriously. My go to is the pure grace option. It is a very clean fresh vibe. Think your favorite white t-shirt on a crisp spring day. (That's how I think of it anyway, even though I'm a ghostly pale redhead and never wear white, but you know what I mean.) I also love the squishy red fishy that, yes you guessed it, smells like swedish fish candy. I never knew I needed that particular flavor of body wash until I tried it. Their holiday scents are so fun too; this past Christmas season I tried candy cane and gingerbread girl and fell in deep lust with both.

Another staple from Philosophy is the infamous hope in a jar moisturizer. Yes, it deserves the hype. It really is like "giving your skin a drink of water", just as Oprah said. This stuff is so fabulous, my dad even uses it.


I also enjoy, Burt's Bees lip balm with honey. My hair looks better and holds curls in a much more artistic way, when it is dirty. My hair is naturally wavy and lately I have just been shampooing in the shower and then putting leave in conditioner in afterward. I'm not sure if it makes my hair look better because I'm experiencing the oh so fashionable look of baby bangs right now. It is frustrating and kind of funny at the same time.

Go Smile Touch Ups:

 These little things are awesome! They are perfect to toss in your purse when you are out and about and your mouth gets that dead hamster feeling. (What, you never have dead hamster breath? Okay, moving on...) They are nice for a quick fresh breath buzz after a meal too.

 Ponds Make Up Remover Cloths are one of my staples. My eyes are extremely sensitive because of the cystine crystals in them. If I fall asleep with mascara left on, it intensifies the feeling there are tiny grains of sand in my eyes, so I'm very adamant about washing my face each night. (Yes, I could simply stop wearing make up, but what fun would that be?) I've tried many different brands over the years and for me, these are the best. They don't burn my eyes and they take off the rest of my makeup really well without much fuss.

DiorShow Maximizer Lash Plumping Serum; this stuff works! My eyelashes are sad and short. This stuff makes them so long and luscious, I can't help but bat them flirtatiously.

Benefit Blush in Coralista is the perfect shade for redheads! It is described on Sephora as a warm coral-pink powder that warms up your complexion. I only recently started realizing how empowering a little dab of blush on the cheeks can be, but wow is it ever.

Benefit's "That Gal" Brightening Face Primer is top in my makeup bag as well. It is so perfect for that little hint of glow, in case you don't have that from pregnancy. Benefit is my other favorite brand besides Bare Escentuals and Philosophy. Once I start talking about how yummy their products are, I keep remembering more and more of them I love! 

Two perfumes I have lost my mind over lately:

Flowerbomb

Twirl by Kate Spade

I am incredibly persnickety when it comes to perfume. I have had my favorites over the years and I have stuck with them. It takes something bigger than big and a scent that inspires epiphanies in my heart for me to even think about switching to something new. These two make me feel like a teenager in googly eyed, over the moon love. (As does R of course, especially when watching him love our daughter.)

 Thanks so much for reading! I hope this has given you new ideas, fresh products to try or motivation to attempt something different and out of your comfort zone. I have to say though, as cliche as it sounds, when you are living a life you want to live, when you are grateful for what you have, when you celebrate every minute you get to frolic on this earth, the happiness becomes such a powerful force, it has no choice but to radiate and burst through to your outer appearance.

That kind of sparkle and whimsy for life cannot be found in a bottle my dears.

Have a glorious weekend and do something that makes you smile.

P.S. - Two one ten now has a Facebook page.