American Beauty: Products Worth Bringing Home
American beauty products, I had no idea it was an area of special interest of mine until I found myself in Target the day before I was due to fly home from my honeymoon buying a suitcase to fill up with my ‘souvenirs’ I had collected along the way. Believe it or not, more than one person has asked to know what I brought back with me, and I need absolutely no encouragement when it comes to a show and tell, here is the low down on what I picked up.
Megababe
1st things first, MEGABABE. I am absolutely obsessed with this brand, their thigh chafing balm is my number one desert island product. People have tried to tell me other products are made equal, but I won’t hear of it. This product honestly changed my summer for the better last year, after J Crew accidentally allowed it to be available on their UK site for a few days (Goop also sell it for delivery in the UK, but my goodness they know how to charge). When my delivery arrived of the chafing stick and bust dust arrived, my anxiety around summer dissolved because I no longer had to worry about whether my thighs would rub together on a hot summer’s day. If any of you have been there, you’ll know it can get painful and whilst there’s a lot of short options you can wear under your dress when the temperature reaches over 30 degrees I want to be wearing as little as possible. I ran to Target, where they were actually out of stock but I found their Bust Dust there and their Daily Deodorant, which is aluminium free. I know again there’s other aluminium free deodorants out there but I trust Katie Sturino (if you don’t follow her or her #MakeMySize campaign over on Instagram you’re missing out) and she knows how to develop a hard working product - this deodorant works. Hopefully Megababe will be available in the UK, but for now if you find yourself stateside pick it up in Target or Ulta, which is where I found alllllllll the Thigh Rescue.
Sun Bum
I’d seen this a lot on Instagram and thought people were just in love with the packaging, but it’s not a case of style over substance with Sun Bum at all. All the hotels we stayed at had a MASSIVE wooden box with a pump on, so everyone could use this suncream, and you can bet your bottom dollar I lathered myself up in free sunscreen all day long. I didn’t actually take any home with me as I won’t be seeing the sun again for quite some time and didn’t want it to expire. But I have quite sensitive skin, and suffer from prickly heat and this didn’t seem to aggravate it at all. Although I know one size fits all is not the case when it comes to prickly heat and suncream so always try it for yourself. One product I did bring home with me and am having to hide from Jack because he LOVES it and we should’ve bought more, is their 3 in 1 Leave In. Oddly we have quite a similar hair texture, any kind of moisture in the air and it sucks it all up and goes fluffy and frizzy, and any kind of dry heat aka the entirety of Palm Springs and it becomes dry like straw. It always needs some kind of extra conditioner, and this after shower leave in is perfect, it feels so silky and smells like actual heaven, stock UP.
Kristen Ess
I had bought Kristen’s haircare range online from Boots, but I find ordering online from Boots always a bit of a pain, not everything I order turns up and I’m always a bit disappointed. Whilst I am in London a lot, I always forget to pick something from her hair care range up, so Target in Santa Monica was an easier option than Oxford Street for me. I like the shampoo and conditioner which I have tried before, but my hair doesn’t love them, it can get clogged up with product easily and I have to wash it more often than I’d like. I picked up this Reconstructive Moisture Mask after a week of sea and sun in my hair, it was feeling very much in need of a moisturising mask. This felt so good, during and after washing, will definitely be picking up some more when I run out and also trying her Leave in Conditioner too.
Glossier
You can get Glossier delivered in the UK, but what you can’t do is actually try all the different products before you buy. Well at least you couldn’t last week, Glossier are very excitingly hosting a pop up in Floral Street in London until February! This was the perfect chance for me to try new products I’d seen, and test out products with mixed reviews. We arrived at the LA store at 10:15am on a Saturday, 15 minutes after it had opened, it was moderately busy but I am told nothing as busy as it can get. It was millennial pink paradise, and wonderful chance to ask their experts on what they loved, and really get a feel for one of the brands who takes up the majority of my make up bag. I left with the zit stick, which you couldn’t get in the UK, and totally blitzes any breakouts but ensure you apply it just to the spot as it is very drying. I also got their new Futuredew and learned how to apply it, the rich moisturiser made it home with me, as did a new concealer as I haven’t been able to colour match properly since they introduced new shades and changed their names. I also got two more lip balms, a boy brow and SPF, which were all top ups for products I have used, loved and ran out of. All in all a lot of fun, Jack left me to my own devices for half an hour, and it’s unconfirmed whether or not he saw an Olsen twin.
NYX Make Up
Yes I know they sell it in the UK, but I never have an hour to myself to walk around Boots trying everything out, plus it just looks more exciting in CVS ok?! Jack and I were in there for well over an hour, he likes a CVS trip as much as me, and managed to get 66% of June’s presents in there (a unicorn lip balm and a Minnie Mouse wrist watch). Maybe it’s because we are coming up to Christmas but a little glitter liner or eyeshadow was the only thing on my mind. The NYX Glitter brilliance is what you need to get hold of if you want a solid glitter anything, not just a subtle nod. You need to buy the tube of primer separately to the pot of glitter, but this is to make sure that glitter is really going to stick, I have visions of applying it like a liner, but actually haven’t tried it like that yet. After two hours getting ready one night, it’s amazing how a couple of glasses of champagne extend the getting ready process, I applied 08 to my entire eyelid and was thrilled with the result. It came off quite easily with a hot cloth cleanse but still woke up a bit glittery the next day, Liz Earle is not a miracle worker. The second eyeshadow I bought was a shimmery liquid eyeshadow in ‘Polished Pin Up’, much quicker to apply if you don’t have a leisurely two hour getting ready window and more like 20 minutes. A quick spread, dab and go and you are ready for the festive season.
