Beauty

My Recent Beauty Finds

So a new Sephora opened up in Hoboken and, well, I guess I kind of turned into a beauty guru. Just kidding. But it was pretty exciting. It’s a “studio” store, which pretty much means it has a smaller but more curated selection of brands and items. When I moved to Hoboken, I was surprised that there wasn’t a makeup store (or a J. Crew for that matter). I thought it’d be the perfect spot for a Sephora or even a Blue Mercury. When I heard rumors about a Sephora opening up, I was pretty excited! (We’re also getting a DryBar soon too!)

Anyway, here are some of the beauty finds I’ve recently tried and LOVED.

Recent Beauty Buys

ONE // Living Proof Dry Shampoo

I decided to buy this during the beauty insider event going on a couple of weeks ago. I have been a huge fan of the DryBar dry shampoo (still love it, FYI) and recently started using Batiste for an inexpensive alternative. A few of my friends swear by Living Proof’s dry shampoo, and it totally lived up to the hype. First of all, it smells great!!! All of Living Proof’s scents are amazing– my hairdresser uses it exclusively! It also works ridiculously well. Sometimes I wonder if it’s doing anything because it doesn’t have as much of a white spray when I first use it, and then after letting it dry and running my fingers through my hair, bam! Perfect hair. No joke, I’ve been able to make my (at-home) blowouts last for three days. Usually, I’m lucky if I can get to two. It does an exceptional job post-workouts too. If you’re doing a sweaty spin class, you might need to wash your hair, but a regular/light sweat is manageable with this dry shampoo.

Oaui Wave Spray Review

TWO // Ouai Wave Spray

While I was in Sephora during opening weekend, I overheard two customers raving about how much they loved this wave spray. I am always looking for a good product to tame my hair. It’s a seemingly never ending battle. I didn’t want to invest in the full bottle, so I went with the travel size to test it first. Let’s just say, I might invest in a lifetime supply.

The above picture is AIR DRIED HAIR. Air dried curls with no frizz!!! This product is definitely not for every hair type. I think you have to have some kind of natural curl or wave to work with and I wouldn’t use it on fine hair. The hair needs to be coarse enough to stand up to the product and the product needs enough natural curl to work with. If you have fine straight hair and use it, I would imagine your hair would have a post-pool straw feeling.

It’s kind of like hairspray and sea salt texturizer in one bottle. I don’t love the way my hair feels with it; it’s not sticky but it definitely has a very slight residue. But man, the look is worth it. It’d be great to use if you’re into styling your hair in braids or updos too to give you that extra hold or stick.

Jade Roller

THREE // Jade Roller

I’ve seen these jade facial rollers everywhere lately and honestly don’t completely understand the benefits. That said, I received one in a press mailing (I’m 95% sure it was gifted from Garnier, but I had a bunch of boxes to open one day and I can’t remember!) and was intrigued enough to try. Again, no idea if it really “works,” but I do know that I freaking loved how it felt! I don’t believe in the whole crystal movement (but you do you if it works). The jade roller is very cool to the touch and felt amazing on my skin. My first time using it, I did my nightly routine complete with serum + moisturizer and sat in bed reading while I rolled my face. It feels part ridiculous and part luxurious. My sinuses have been a little swollen, probably from seasonal allergies, and the jade roller brought a little relief. I don’t know if I’d buy one for myself, but I think it might become my go-to gift for friends this year!!

FOUR // Bobbi Brown Foundation

I ran out of foundation two weeks ago and spent a few too many mornings trying to squeeze out every last drop from various bottles. I finally went to the new Sephora and walked out with two new foundations. The first didn’t work for me, but the second, this Bobbi Brown foundation was perfect. I’m super picky because I don’t wear a ton of makeup and think foundations can get “clownish” very quickly. The Bobbi Brown formula goes on so nicely– I use a beauty blender– and stays put all day long. Love that it has SPF, and it’s “buildable” so I can put a little more on a problem area or go extra light when I just want a little coverage.

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16 Comments

Tai

I have a bottle of Ouai spray sitting in my closet that I used once and haven’t touched since. This has totally inspired me to try again! I would love to be able to wear my hair naturally.

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Anna

Ever since I was a little girl I was told to never wear foundation because it could give you acne but now that I am much older I want to try foundation. I don’t wear a lot of makeup in general so I’m afraid of that cakey look but I’m definitely going to check out Bobbi Brown!

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Lili

The Living Proof dry shampoo works wonderfully, but the scent is overpowering. Unlike perfume, I constantly notice the smell of my own hair, even just sitting at my desk at work. People who sit next to me can smell it and my husband has commented on it while eating dinner. I really wish that they would bring out an unscented version. It would give me more flexibility on days that I’m visiting scent-free facilities (e.g. medical offices).

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Dorota

I could never be a beauty guru because when I saw your first picture and the third item from the left in it I was like: “what the hell is that?” 🙂 I never used a skin roller, nor a foundation, but I think your Sephora shopping spree looks great. Btw. your hair looks cool too.
Dorota

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Jasmin O

Have you used the roller after leaving it in the fridge for a bit… because that feels incredible!

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Lisa Liberati

I just watched the video on the Wave Spray on Sephora’s website…did you use those clips and blow dry it like the video showed or did you just spray it in your damp hair and that was it? Thanks! Neat finds

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Shannon Mahaney

Thank you for sharing your review of the Jade roller. I’ve been researching them a bit because I’m intrigued but haven’t yet bought one.

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