Skin Cream – The Bouncy Kitty

Summer is coming, and I couldn’t be more excited – endless sunshine, late nights, and tanlines; but what I’m not ready for – the amount of hydration that I actually need to quench my skin’s thirst.

Let’s be real though – there’s Summer skin care to treat the heat and UVA / UVB rays, and there’s Winter skin care to treat cold temperatures and dry skin; but there’s also just those simple products that are damn good no matter what type of year you’re in.

Last time, I brought you some of my favorite beauty products – but what I forgot to mention, is that the first step to beauty is skin; and the first thing about skin, is that you need to hydrate it. From this meaning well, mistress of moderate melanin: please believe me when I say that your skin is the one thing you wear for the rest of your life, so you should treat it right!

Here’s my top five picks to help your skin maintain its glow from hips to lips and head to toe all year long.

Neutrogena Oil Free Eye Makeup Remover – $7.99 at Target

I’ve always heard that a good defense starts with a good offense, to have great skin – sometimes it just helps to take it all off and start the day with a fresh face. I recently tried using Micellar Water recently, but discovered too many articles about the potentially harmful effects of PHMB, including toxicity, carcinogenic and mutagenic qualities. My mom always told me, not to mess with a good thing, and that’s why I’m now back to using the same makeup remover that I did in high school.

Curél Ultra Healing Intensive Lotion – $7.49 on Amazon

Back to the last point above: don’t mess with a good thing. This lotion from Curél is literally just what the doctor ordered for dry skin; and I’m not kidding, my doctors have actually prescribed this lotion in the past for clinically dry skin. My husband swears up and down that it’s the only thing that takes the Winter sting out of his hands, and in the Summer it keeps my entire body feeling silky, smooth and fantastic. It’s lightweight, not greasy and long-lasting – might I say, basically the perfect product at a prime price.

CeraVe SA Cream for Rough and Bumpy Skin – $19.99 at Target

My skin has been notoriously bumpy and dry for oh, let’s go with my whole life. Winter, Summer, Spring, Fall; it doesn’t matter, my skin just doesn’t want to hold moisture – so I go out of my way to soak it in.

I specifically use this on my elbows, hips and thighs, in addition to using the Curel Healing Lotion on the rest of my body – but really, it’s great to use anywhere!

Tatcha Dewy Skin Cream – $68 for Full / $20 for Mini Size @ Sephora

Tatcha - The Dewy Skin Cream 1.7 oz/ 50 mL Clean at Sephora Clean at Sephora

Honorable Mention to Neutrogena Hydro Boost Gel Cream for Extra Dry Skin as the best bang for your buck option, coming in at a favorable price of $16.49 and available pretty much at every department store and online retailer.

It was an old favorite until this one popped up in my IPSY bag last month, and now I’m hooked. The trial size isn’t shabby, either – it’s a fifth of the size (.34 oz), and about a third of the cost of the full size if you’d prefer to take it for a spin before you dive on in.

BeauteHacks Moisture Sleeping Lip Mask – $10.97 on Amazon

Last, but most definitely not least – my new best friend forever, this deliciously delectable peach lip mask from the beauty gurus over at BeauteHacks.

Yes, okay I admit – once again I am balling on a budget thanks to a Buzzfeed post, and I am not ashamed to admit it. My lips have gone from cracked and unhappy to feeling silky and smooth. Sure, it’s a ‘lip mask’ to use at night – but I definitely use it 24 hours a day and am not ashamed to admit it.

To snag any of these fantastic goodies immediately, head over to my Hydration Station item master over on Amazon!

How do you love the skin your in and keep it hydrated? Let me know in the comments below!

The air has resolved into a crisp, blustery whisper, the coldness of the night has slowly crept its way into the nooks and crannies of my apartment and between the cracks, some days it becomes increasingly more difficult to decipher whether my skin more resembles a leaf or vice versa. Ah, yes – Winter in Los Angeles; it’s not for the faint of heart, nor for those who aren’t as versed with skin care remedies. Between the sun, the smog and the cold, your skin needs to be prepared to combat all the elements – so I think it’s about time you were covered, both literally and figuratively.

Though there are definitely products that In life, there are a whole lot of things that I don’t mind in knock off form, but unless it’s a great deal or a stellar sale – skincare and hair care are two of the few corners in life that I refuse to cut. Abraham Lincoln once joked ‘If I was two faced, would he really be wearing this one?’ Well the truth of it is, we really do only have one face and unless you’re in the business of Botox or more extreme treatments, you better be taking care of yourself. As the largest organ that your body has, your skin deserves to have you treat yo’self. And even though you can go all high end, your local CVS and Walgreens also have a whole host of products that are simply great for you, like Cetaphil, Clearasil, Dove and Vasoline brand. Balling on a budget, definitely; feeling good and looking great in my natural skin – bitch, I might be.

For the Face

As a little pre-moisturizer ritual, I give my face, neck and chest a little dose of Murad’s Intensive Vitamin C Face Mask. You leave it on for ten minutes and let the glycolic acid do the work – exfoliating your skin while leaving it feeling fresh and smooth.

Murad: $55

Also available through Sephora for the same price

For the best 24 hour moisturizer, I turn to Korres Wild Rose 24 Hour Moisturising and Brightening Cream. For the better part of the last decade, it’s been part of my morning ritual and I can’t for the life of me see myself deviating from that anytime soon.

Korres Wild Rose Cream: $38

Since the time I was just a wee little girl my mother always told me the only face cleaning product I ever really needed was Cetaphil. And now, almost 30 years later – I want to let you know: lady was right. Great for a simple face cleansing, and works effectively to take off makeup – not to mention, you can find it at your local drug store. Win.

Cetaphil: $7.99

For the Lips

When I found out that my favorite line of chapstick was discontinued, I sunk into a pseudo depression. Trust me, though I wasn’t full on sad the idea that I’d no longer be able to find a Pink Lemonade or Mango flavored Bonne Bel was more than I could handle for a period of time. Yes, you read that right – 2015 was a monumental year….a year where Twinkies came back and Lip Smackers were discontinued. But thanks to the Evolution of Smooth (EOS), I’ve been having a ball with my lips and have barely looked back. Snag them at any of your local drugstores, or just load up online – my favorite flavors are Summer Fruit and Strawberry Sorbet.

EOS: $3.29

For the Body

I have loads of tips and tricks up my sleeve when it comes to buying beauty products (like I said, balling on a budget) – but one of the best is that you don’t need a fancy lotion to lavish over, what you need is tried and true. And that means you go with Vaseline brand. With my skin as succeptable as it is to the dull, dry months – I always go with the Intensive Care Total Moisture – and the Cocoa butter smell definitely helps!

Vaseline with Cocoa Butter: $4.19

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For the Hands

Last, but most definitely not least – those ten little digits that rub on all that lotion could use a bit of love themselves. Enter Bliss’ High Intensity Hand Cream. With it’s tantalizing mix of macadamia oil and grapeseed extract, the lotion sinks deep into the skin – nourishing it from the base to the top, providing extra comfort in the dead of winter to dry, brittle skin.

Bliss Hand Cream: $9