If you've been reading my submissions to this blog, or even more so if you come here by way of my personal blog, then you know: I am addicted to trying new products. Along the way, there are always some product flops, but there are many product loves as well. So here's to you, favorite new product discoveries of 2008! You join an elite lineage of previously discovered products!
Natura Bisse Glyco Peeling 50% Concentration- Yes, it IS expensive. Yes, it IS worth every penny. If you have one splurge you can afford to make, then use your splurge on this product. It gives you new skin. Your face will be smoother. Your blemishes will diminish. Your pores will tighten. You will love it. $170.00 at Neiman Marcus.
Maybelline Dream Matte Pressed Powder- After a 14 year long dedication to Clinique Stay Matte Pressed Powder, it was going to be nearly impossible for another product to come into my heart (and on my skin). This impulse buy has done it! Perfect light finish, great for oily skin. $5.75 at drugstores.
Chantecaille Rice and Geranium Foaming Cleanser- A must for oily skin. This is the first face wash I have tried in many years that I have purchased more than once. After hunting my entire life, I have found the perfect cleanser- keeps your face oil free and smooth, has an amazing light scent. Recently, I ran out and used another cleanser for a week. What happened during that week reminded me why I this is my favorite product, possibly ever. $50 at Neiman Marcus.
Goody Ceramic Quick Dry Rollers- The best for adding volume to your fine or thin hair. They stick to your hair without bobby pins, which is fantastic for the eternally lazy like myself. I put them in before I start applying my makeup and take them out once I finish. Under $10 at drugstores.
Chanel Large Powder Brush- Gives your skin the perfect finish. I use this brush to apply the Maybelline Powder. It blends the powder perfectly into your skin. SO MUCH better than the Sephora brush line. They are not even in the same league. $52 at Saks Fifth Avenue.
Bobbi Brown Beach Fragrance- Great for perfume-phobes. A light, fresh scent that truly does remind one of the beach. $52 at BobbiBrown.com.
Jason Thick to Thin Conditioner- Another great fine hair find. Conditions and moisturizes without weighing hair down, which also makes it the perfect conditioner for ANY hair type. $8.73 at Jason Natural Online Store, or at Whole Foods.
Benefit Dr. Feelgood- I've tried every primer under the sun, and this is by far the best. Prevents shine without drying out your skin. Gives makeup the perfect finish. Lasts FOREVER. $28 at Sephora.com.
Clarisonic Skin Care Brush- Read my full review here. $195 at Clarisonic.com.
Avalon Organics Rosemary Volumizing Shampoo- A volumizing shampoo that ACTUALLY VOLUMIZES? Yes! They do exist! Smells great too! $8.95 at Avalon Organics.
Those are my favorite beauty product finds for 2008. Who knows what 2009 will hold? If you want to read even more, I have an all-time favorite product list up on my personal blog!
Slynnro is the author of Slynnro, a personal blog chronicling travel escapades, fashion and skincare obsessions, and various amusing anecdotes about marriage. She also reviews skin care products and much more at her review blog, What is in my…..
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I thank you for your recommendations that are in my price point. I am especially excited to find some of the Goody Quick Dry Rollers.
I would love to see some more of your recommendations for drugstore priced items that are the best for that budget.
Unrelated, I visited your personal blog, and I am very happy to see an Obama girl posting on Blissfully Domestic.
Over the years, I've operated in every budget imaginable (too broke for drugstore and up through the spectrum). And during that time, I've found you largely get what you pay for, which is why many of my favorite products are more expensive than drugstore. That said, half of these products are $10 or less, which is fairly affordable.
I agree, most of the time you get what you pay for. And, it makes sense that if you have a budget that allows for the best of the best, high end product that those products would populate your personal favorites list. What I would love to see in the future, if you were so inclined, is a best of what is available for $10 or less. Of course, they wouldn't be your favorites, and that is understandable. During the time you operated on a smaller budget did you find that some brands and products were better than others? If that was indeed the case, I would love it if you shared your findings. Maybe you couldn't see much discernible difference at that price point, and that would be great to know as well.
Thank you for taking the time to respond.
I just write about what I use on a day to day basis. The products I write about here, I pay for with my own money so I don't have money to use for experimenting on products just for this site. I have problem skin, so I am reticent to try brands that haven't worked for me in the past because it has taken me so long to get my skin in the shape it is today. I understand that not everyone can afford to spend more on skin care, but because of my problematic skin and my past negative experiences with drugstore products no working well for my face I tend to splurge more on products. The reason I write about the products I do is because for a long time, I was afraid to splurge on products because I didn't want them to be a waste of money if they didn't work. By writing about what works for me, I hope to encourage people to try some of the higher end products based on my experiences with some comfort that they might actually be worth the money!
Well, that makes perfectly good sense. I wouldn't want to buy products just to review for this site either. I guess I was asking you for something that just isn't your bag. My apologies.
I am excited to try the Goody Quick Dry Rollers, so thanks again for that. If I ever do have extra money for splurges I would feel confident that your recommendations are worth the money.
If you can't find the Goody (they are surprisingly hard to locate) I was at Sally Beauty yesterday, and they have many similar styles there.
Ah ha! I am a Clinique Stay Matte Pressed Powder girl, but upon reading your recommendation, I think I'll next be trying the Maybelline… for a fraction of the cost to boot! Also, I'm going to try to hunt down the Bobbi Brown perfume for a test-sniff… (; (I'm Canadian… I wonder if they sell Bobbi Brown somewhere in Vancouver?) Anything that reminds me of the beach would be much appreciated right now!
wow. $170 is a pair of jeans for me!
but i appreciate the lower end products.
can i ask about returning a product? if you do go with a higher end product but it doesn't work out for you – what's your experience with returns? possible?
I understand we all have our budgets, but I would rather spend money on my skin than on jeans most of the time. I look at my skin as a lifetime investment.
I buy all of my high end skin care at Neiman Marcus and they have a very generous 365 day for basically any reason return policy. Sephora is also fairly liberal, but I don't think anyone can top Neiman's in the return department.
It is also of note that the Natura Bisse peel? Lasts close to a year. You can get 20-30 peels out of it.
I agree with you, your skin is an investment! Take good care of it ladies! At least get on a routine that you can afford and stick to it.
I have blemish-prone skin that is dry this time of year (but still blemish prone! I am so lucky!) and I was wondering about the Benefit Dr. Feelgood. Would it help dry skin look a little smoother so that my foundation would look more even? Since you have oily skin I assume all the products you recommend are good for those that tend to break out, but just in case, I'm wondering about that too.
Thanks for the great list!