12 Top Summer Essentials

I am not a fan of the heat, so summer is a struggle for me - is it October yet? I want to delve into all the fall makeup collections that have been popping up on beauty blogs. Alas, it's only mid-July so I rely on certain products to get me through the heat and the dog days of summer. I thought I would share (I'm thoughtful like that) my most relied upon products to help me stay beautiful despite oily hair, shiny skin, and stinky arm pits (sorry but I had to go there)!

Summer MVP's - Most Valuable Products

• BIC Soleil Sensitive Skin Razors - This is my go to razor when shaving. I think the fact that is comes in a cheerful sunny array of colors is a bonus. 

• The Art of Shaving Pre Shave Oil - I rub this on areas that are prone to knicks with a razor like my knees and around my ankle to stave off cuts. 

• Tend Skin Ingrown Hair Solution - When wearing tank tops we expose our armpits more and no one wants to see razor bumps. Tend Skin truly has eliminated razor bumps from my life - can I get a hip, hip hooray? 

• Oil absorbing papers - powder can be essential but I prefer blotting papers to not clog my pores while still fighting shine. 

• Dove Prescription Strength Deodorant - this is a no-brainer that we sweat more during June, July, and August so I rely on the prescription strength of this stuff to keep me smelling nice. 

• Skinceuticals Sport UV Defense SPF 45 - You can never be too careful in the sun and I like that this stuff goes on thick and is water and humidity proof. I even apply some to my arms, decollate, and arms. 

• Chantecaille Ultra Sun Protection SPF 50 PA +++ Is it a sunscreen, a primer or both? I like that this helps my makeup stay on longer and helps keep the shine that I normally get in my T-Zone at bay.

• Fresh Sugar Lip Balm with SPF 15 - an often overlooked area when it comes to sun protection is our lips. Can you imagine how painful sunburned lips would be - I'm cringing just thinking about it! Yet, lip gloss can actually reflect the sun's harmful rays. So baby your lips with some moisturizing lip balm with SPF already built in!  

• Dry shampoo by Ojon Hair - my hair naturally turns more oily as the temperature gauge shoots North, so to get me through the hump of washing my hair every day I like dry shampoo as an alternate. I only like to wash it every other day because the oils our hair produces is actually good for it. Washing too often can strip the hair of natural oils and make it oilier. I have been known to do the whole baby powder trick, but I could never master it. I would just end up with baby powder everywhere. I feel more mature and refined using this dry shampoo plus it also adds mad volume to my hair - bonus! 

• Aloe Vera Gel - Sometimes despite our best efforts we still manage to get sun burned. If you do nothing feels better than the instant cooling effect of Aloe Vera (store it in the fridge for added cooling benefits).  

• Kerastase Masque UV Defense Active- a protecting hair mask that deep conditions. It also helps perserve my hair's color while imparting lasting shine to my strands.  

• Summer is about having fun and wearing bold, bright colors  Le Metier De Beaute's nail lacquer Wango Tango is the epitome of a chic, yet "fun" color . I think this is an awesome color to wear when sporting your Tory Burch sandals. 

What is your #1 Summer Essential? 

Staples everyone girl should have (or want)

Ok, we all want to know the products that we should have in our stash to make us look more Cindy Crawford less (fill in the blank to whoever you would not want to look like). So what are these magic products? Well, stop reading. I don't know, but if I did, you can bet I would be a gazillionaire. Admit it, I had you going for a nanosecond. Here is a list, however, of what I deem to be great products (take that however you want) to add to your arsenal:

A dependable sun screen

We all know how damaging the sun can be, so for me (a rosacea sufferer) sunscreen is paramount. There are two I really love.  One I really love is La Mer's The SPF 30 UV Protecting Fluid. It's light, non-greasy, absorbs well and doesn't cake my makeup after applying it (I hate when that happens).  It retails for $65.00 and is pricey, but seriously this stuff lasts forever and you only need a little to go a long way. Besides, my motto is "you only have one face". What good is buying all this makeup if your skin doesn't look good? I don't spend a lot of time outdoors so the SPF of 30 is adequate for me. If you need a little more oomph and SPF power, another great sunscreen is Skinceutical's Sport Defense SPF 45. This stuff is water and sweat resistant (perfect for trips to the beach), but does go on heavier than say La Mer's SPF.

SPF 30

A really good, faithful concealer 

I happen to l-o-v-e La Mer's The Radiant Concealer with SPF 25. This is the closest thing I have found to a magic eraser. I love that I can dab some on any redness around my nose, and apply it to my under eyes and get away without having to do full on foundation (on a good day). I purchased this concealer at http://www.cremedelamer.com for $65.00. I prefer to order LaMer online, because, not only do they offer complimentary shipping, but they also include two samples with every order. Often they run promotions throwing in a generous sized sample (a terrific way to trial a new product without the commitment). Plus, you can see it comes with this concealer brush saving you--if you do not already have one.

Concealer in 'Porcelain'

A blush that makes you look you like you are not five minutes from death's door 

I love, love, love Edward Bess' compact rouge in 'Love Affair'. For $38.00 this little baby is slim enough to fit into your makeup bag without taking over and has a mirror attached! I like to dab a little on the apples of my cheeks and blend for a very pretty, flushed look. You can order Edward Bess from Neiman Marcus.

Compact Rouge in 'Love Affair'

The perfect lip balm

Hello, my name is Jenn, and I am a chapstickaholic. I've tried lots of lip balms ranging from the high end (La Mer), to the mid-range (Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment), to the drugstore variety (Burt's Bees) and the one I keep coming back to is Burt's Bees. Honestly, price point wise, nobody has anything on Burt's Bees. I buy mine at Target for $5.49 for a two pack! I know Burt's Bees will appeal to those who are all about natural cosmetics, this stuff is 100% natural and they are against animal testing (double woohoo!). Who doesn't love that?

Lip Balm

Mascara that gives the illusion you are wearing false eyelashes 

I guess I could always just wear false eyelashes, but a). I'm far too lazy, and b). my 19 month old would not be impressed (trust me). So to save me the hassle from actually wearing fake eyelashes, I turn to Le Metier De Beaute's Anamorphic Lash Mascara (for hazel eyes the aubergine color is terrific at bringing out the green). When the makeup artist first applied this to my eyes, I was floored at how good they looked. You can find this at Neiman Marcus for $34.00.

Mascara in Aubergine 

Don't forget your eyebrows!

Lastly, I am obsessed with great eyebrows, but unfortunately, I was not blessed with them. How I would kill for Camilla Belle's eyebrows! I'm dying just looking at her picture.

Camilla Belle

 Anyways, I digress...one way I try to achieve great eyebrows is by using an eyebrow gel everyday. They come in a range of colors, but I prefer the clear, that way you don't have to worry about it blurring outside your natural eyebrow arch and looking unnatural. The one I like best is Anastasia's Clear Brow Gel for $21.00, found at Nordstrom's. I like the way it holds up for most of the day and doesn't flake. Really, people, Anastasia has built a career around eyebrows, she knows what she is talking about. Here's a tip - if you are in a jam and find yourself without any brow gel, simply spray hairspray onto an old toothbrush and brush the hairs up and away--viola instant eye brow gel.

Brow Gel in Clear

What are your must haves? I love to hear about new products!