i’ve been beauty obsessed for as long as i can remember. but probably not in the way you’re imagining. stereotypical femininity was never a natural trait of mine, even as a kid. i was a huge tomboy. no, seriously. not in a “i’m not like other girls” kind of way, but in a “i have no confidence and don’t understand how to fit in” way. i wore my hair up in a ponytail and a big sweatshirt and jeans every single day until maybe, high school?
but i was still a product of the 90s and early 2000s. those flashy commercials caught my eye; every product felt fresh and exciting. bonne bell’s lip smacker balms and glosses, bath & body works sprays, OG urban decay eyeshadow palettes, gap perfumes, hard candy nail polish, jessica simpson’s edible dessert (remember the whipped cream and glitter body powder?) makeup line, curious and fantasy by britney. simply iconic.
the american girl real beauty line at bath & body works also felt like a massive launch. i’ll never forget the day my middle school bff’s mom (such an angel) took us to the mall, knowing how excited we were since the products were finally out, and bought us both whatever item we wanted. i’m almost positive i went with their tropical fruit body lotion. it smelled heavenly and i treasured it for years, even after it absolutely expired. so grateful for her generosity, to this day <3
the years went by and i started to understand and respect makeup as an art form. making faces by kevyn aucoin quickly became my guide; i was obsessed with transformation. experimenting with cheap makeup actually became fun for me. wet n wild, l’oreal hip eyeshadows, early e.l.f. products. i did, unfortunately, have a short-lived obsession with blue eyeshadow/mascara. yes, i would wear them together. so rough.
modeling came into my life out of the blue, as a fun idea to try out. i had a test shoot at 15/16 that launched me full force into an industry that i was not prepared for. there are sometimes expectations you have to meet in order to book a job, like being able to do your own hair and makeup. these days, clients almost always invest in professionals (as they should!!!). i felt an enormous pressure to practice new methods and try out cult-favorite products-drugstore and luxe.
being immersed in a creative industry at such an early age molded me into the person i am today. i often look back and i cannot believe i had some of the opportunities that were presented to me. i said yes to (almost) every photoshoot, runway show, or movie/tv opportunity, knowing how much i would learn from others on set. that makeup artist or hair stylist you’re working with probably has 20+ years of experience and would LOVE to teach you some new tricks while you’re sitting in their chair. (i’d love to do a deep dive on my time in the modeling industry, so if you’d like to read, please let me know!)
fast forward to today, jen, at age 28. i’m still a huge tomboy. i still don’t always embrace my feminine side. i still don’t wear much makeup, and sometimes, when i do my makeup, i do it poorly.
with that (a condensed background of my life involving all things beauty) being said, i’d love to give you my list of tested and loved luxury products. the price points are a tough pill to swallow, but i promise, i wouldn’t add them on unless they were actually life-changing.
the beauty industry felt especially oversaturated last year, so i experimented with a lot of the most raved about skincare, makeup, and haircare products to see what the buzz was about. let’s just say…i made a lot of returns and was pretty disappointed with a lot of new releases. this list is for fun, so please don’t feel pressure to buy one or more items right away. save this list for a future purchase and splurge on a new body scrub in a few months. because why not?!?! <3
*not sponsored!*
skincare:
slushy serum moisturizer crush by innbeauty project. my most used product of 2023; repurchased this every few months.
plum beauty oil by le prunier. a difficult price tag at $72. this is a true luxury purchase. one bottle lasts me well over six months and i only used at night. (i didn’t end up repurchasing because, honestly, i can’t afford it right now. i’ll be buying again after my next paycheck and during the next credo sale! don’t worry, i’ll post about it when the time comes.)
glowy super gel in starglow by saie beauty. no explanation needed here; the most gorgeous, gentle shine with or without makeup. i always buy the mini size!
lipnights overnight lip mask by rms beauty. became a new staple for me in 2023. i either use this or aquaphor at night.
reevolve radiance locking primer by rms beauty. oh this is stuff soooo good. i’ve been obsessed with this refillable primer since the release. it leaves you with such a hydrated and natural glow and truly sinks into your skin.
plump + juicy vegan collagen spray-on serum by kosas. thank you madel <3 for getting me this for my birthday last june! it’s so lovely for use in the summer time during the warmer months.
easy does it foaming cleanser by one love organics. a super simple cleanser that is suitable for people with very sensitive skin. (aka me)
unseen sunscreen spf 40 by supergoop! if you know me…you know this is my favorite sunscreen. i’ll talk about this forever. an important note: i’ve heard that it makes some people breakout, so try a small amount on your face before totally committing.
kp body scrub by fur. i think i’ve tried out 1,000 body scrubs. this is the only one that doesn’t leave a residue on my skin. an important note: this should only be used on your arms, legs, and underarm area. it’s a chemical and physical scrub with 14% alpha-hydroxy acids, so be aware that it’s a bit stronger than traditional options.
makeup:
sun melt in fair bronze by saie beauty along with the base brush. i blame tik tok for this one! my favorite cream bronzer in the summer; it has a special way of melting into your skin. this densely packed brush is fabulous for applying any other product as well.
redimension hydra dew luminizer by rms beauty. another refillable product here, and boy do i love it. how i justify the price: i’ve been using for over 5 months and there is still so much left. i genuinely don’t think i’ll finish it up until next fall.
liplights cream lip gloss by rms beauty. any of their color options are gorgeous. my favorite so far is bare. it’s pretty over a lip liner or lipstick when you want a simple-but natural-gloss.
radiant creamy concealer by nars. i’m using the color vanilla this winter. "i so pale." :(
haircare:
television perfect hair shampoo by r+co. tyler and i stayed at the georgian hotel in santa monica at the end of our trip last november (thank you maison kitsune for the opportunity, we love you forever and ever! <3) and our shower had this incredible shampoo and conditioner. i was immediately hooked after the first use; the scent is wildly good. how i justify the price: using this only once per week as a refresh wash for my hair or before any major events.
fine hair shampoo by ouai. sam at cutler salon gave me my favorite haircut ever last summer and recommended this shampoo to me. nice and lightweight, and doesn’t completely strip your hair after washing. just leaves you feeling clean!
hair alchemy resilience shampoo by oribe. alright, she’s expensive. i actually purchased a mini size to try out because the price tag was overwhelming. i used this shampoo before any photoshoots i had in 2023 and it made my hair look so good.
lotion thermique heat protecting spray by kerastase. this is becoming a best seller for kerastase and i can totally understand why. the entire bottle will last you for months and months; you only need one or two pumps before your blowdry.
did you try out any of my favorite luxury products of 2023? did you love them, or totally hate them? i’d love to hear from you!
thank you so much, friends, for reading. i’ll be posting my top drugstore products of 2023 sometime soon as well. i hope you enjoyed, and as always, i appreciate your support. :)
sincerely,
your friend, jen
i forgot about that american girl real beauty stuff and i'm FREAKING OUT
I feel like Supergoop unseen sunscreen is also such a good makeup primer too!! My makeup stays in place all day when I use it! Need to try the r+co.! I've been eyeing their products for so long!