My Favorite Beauty Buys Under $20

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Well, hello there!  I hope your Thursday is off to a productive start.  We are finally experiencing summer-like weather here in New York and I am beyond thrilled.   I plan on getting out for a long walk today and dusting off my deck furniture.  I cannot wait to eat outdoors again. Plus, Southern Charm is on tonight which just might be my favorite Bravo show (now that RHOBH is over).  By the way, if you’re in search of a light-hearted and entertaining podcast, subscribe to Juicy by Heather McDonald.  She dishes on celeb gossip and reality tv in the most hilarious fashion.  I laugh out loud whenever she does one of her Housewives impressions.

Moving on, today I’m sharing my favorite beauty buys under $20. I realized as I was getting ready the other day that so many of my recent go-to products are refreshingly affordable so of course I had to tell you about them!  So, here’s my take on each of them:

1. Kristin Ess Purple Shampoo:  For those of you who are not familiar with Kristin Ess, she is a celebrity hairstylist who is responsible for Lucy Hale’s and Lauren Conrads’s enviable tresses.  This past January, she collaborated with Target to create a lower priced collection that doesn’t skimp on quality.  I’ve been trying out a few products such as the leave-in conditioner, the hair serum, and the signature conditioner.  However, the product that left the biggest impression on me was this purple shampoo.  I recently lightened my hair for spring and I was slightly unhappy with how bright it turned out.  So, after reading a review, I decided to give this shampoo a try and I’m telling you, it works with one wash.  It immediately toned down the brassiness.  I wouldn’t recommend using this product every day unless you’re going for that ashy look.  I’d use it 2-3 times a week to maintain a more subtle, blonde shade.
2. Pixie Bronzer:  This bronzer from Pixie comes in two shades, Summertime and Subtly Suntouched.  Since I’m naturally fair, I use the latter for a little extra glow.  I love the fact that it comes with a Kabuki brush which is the perfect size to fit into my mini cosmetic bag for on-the-go touch ups.  I also use their translucent finishing powder after I apply this tinted moisturizer.
3. It’s a 10 Miracle Leave-In:  I’m always on the hunt for hair products that will allow me to air dry my hair without looking like a hot mess.  So, when I spotted this leave-in hair conditioner at Target, I decided to try it out since it’s half the price of this serum I normally use (which I swear by but it’s pricey).  After washing and conditioning my hair, I spritzed it in and that’s it.  The result was loose waves minus the frizz.  I’ve also partially air dried my hair after applying this and then later in the day, I’ll blow it for about five minutes and I don’t need a straightening iron which is awesome!
4. Honest Conditioner:  This conditioner is super lightweight so it never leaves you with that heavy, weighed down feeling.  Instead, it leaves your hair so soft and silky.  I also buy this shampoo/bodywash the for my kids (plus I  love the bubble bath version ).  I pretty much use this conditioner whenever I wash my hair.  I prefer the orange vanilla scent but it also comes in lavender and apricot.
5. Honest Sea Salt Spray:  This stuff smells soooo good!  I bought it as part of a trial set so it also came with a leave-in conditioner which smells heavenly as well.  In fact, I would recommend the Honest leave-in conditioner over any I have tried.  Usually, I’m wary to try out new sea salt sprays because most of them leave my hair feeling crunchy but this one didn’t.  Having said that, don’t go overboard when applying sea salt spray.  I’ve learned that a little goes a long way. This Fekkai spray is probably still my favorite one but I do like the Honest one because their version is free of all this: sulfates, silicones, parabens, PEGs, polyquaterniums, butylene glycol, propylene glycol, mineral oil, paraffins, DEA/MEA/TEA, steareth-n, formaldehyde carriers, synthetic fragrances or dyes. I can’t even pronounce some of these words, can you?
6. St. Ives Green Tea Scrub:  I have very little patience so the idea of applying one of those charcoal masks and sitting there for twenty minutes is just not my thing.  But, I can get behind a scrub that both exfoliates and helps to clear up clogged pores.  This stuff works (my daughter loves it too) and for under $5, it’s a no-brainer.  I would use this scrub three times a week for optimal results and alternate with your go-to everyday facial wash.  I use this one which is ideal for sensitive skin.

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