My passion for beauty products is profound. No, scratch that. My passion for amazing, effective, natural beauty products is profound. And after almost 20 years exploring and experimenting in the cosmetics world plus nearly three years managing a beauty boutique, products now have to meet some ridiculously discerning standards in order to win a spot in my bathroom.

To my fellow women who, in our eternal quest not only to look our best but to BE our best, have had to learn a whole new language in which the lexicon is often ambiguous, you are not alone: I feel your frustration. Adjectives including “natural”, “organic” and “results” remain largely unregulated thus contributing to an industry where they are frequently abused. We want so badly to have faith that it could be true when the multi-million dollar ad touts “we creamed the $700 cream” when, in reality, said company has only claimed that their product moisturizes longer than the other and they don’t even say for how long. Let’s face it, most of us wash our face at least once a day, so while a cream that can moisturize my face for five hundred hours is possibly impressive, it is also wholly unnecessary. But I digress…

So here is my proposal. I have included for both your perusal and reference my 5 Signs That You Have Found a Great Product followed by my Top 5 Products I Don’t Want to Live Without (after all, I could live without them but I really wouldn’t want to). Check them out, maybe try one or two of my faves, and see if you don’t love them too.

The 5 Signs That You Have Found a Great Product:

1. You used up the whole bottle/tube/jar and didn’t think twice before buying another one, and another one…and another one.

2. You had to tell all your friends about it, even the one who seems to just use “whatever is lying around” and still look great…and that friend loved it too.

3. You find yourself using the smallest amount possible to save what you have left, rather than using huge blobs/squirts/dollops of it in a feeble attempt to use it up more quickly so that a) you can go buy something else and b) you won’t have to feel guilty about throwing the rest of the unspectacular product away.

4. IT WORKS. Sure, we’ve all been sucked in by beautiful packaging, an intoxicating scent or a decadent texture, only to be disappointed with the results, but a product that delivers on its promises, and I’m guessing that you bought it hoping that it would, is like a winning scratch off card: fun to buy, exciting to use, and when it’s all said and done you’re a winner!

5. You have stopped looking for another product to replace it…for the time being. Sure, maybe in a year your skin will be drier or your hair will be colored, but for now, this product does exactly what you want it to and it does it beautifully.

The Top 5 Products I Don’t Want to Live Without:

1. Mineral Makeup. The loose, 100% mineral kind. Although I am currently a user of the best-selling mineral makeup in the country, I’m also in the midst of exploring some of the newer, lesser known brands out there to find the best one, so sometime very soon I will be posting those result; until then I prefer not to name names. That being said, MINERAL MAKEUP HAS CHANGED MY LIFE. From oily, breakout prone skin to sensitive irritated skin, mineral makeup works on everyone beautifully. It covers, it blends, it glowifies (my favorite effect), and it has natural SPF. The trick to loving this makeup: have someone who knows the makeup show you how to apply it.

2. Rare Elements Essential Conditioner. No contest, this is the best conditioner I have ever used. With its blend of pure butters, oils and botanicals from places like Nepal and Brazil, Rare Elements will turn even damaged, super-dry hair into silk and the more you use it, the better it gets. It’s completely free of synthetic silicones and all the other chemical nasties, it’s super-concentrated, and it actually restores and repairs your hair. The shampoo and restorative oil in this line are amazing too, and thanks to their special blend of pure essential oils all three smell amazing.

3. Sanre Organic Skinfood Sparkling Aloe Day Cream. My newest find, Sanre was created by a local mother and daughter and only uses pure, natural, organic ingredients and essential oils. After a recent trip to Israel, my face was showing all the signs of 10 non-stop days and an accumulated 27 hours on a plane. This face cream literally rebalanced, brightened, and healed by face within a matter of days, plus it has natural SPF30. I made my roommate try it and now she and her boyfriend are both in love with it too…which explains why my jar is nearly empty! Available online and at select Whole Foods.

4. Kiss my Face Obsessively Natural Moisture Shave in Cool Mint. Whether used on the face (for the guys, of course) or the body, razor burn, irritation and in-grown hairs don’t stand a chance. Ok, it’s not paraben free (yet) but it is free of alcohol, dyes and synthetic fragrances, it contains a long list of nourishing and soothing botanicals and the recyclable 4oz tube (for only $5) last for months. This has been a staple in my bathroom since my sophomore year of college, and it’s going to remain one for a long time to come. It also comes in five other delicious scents plus unscented. My roommate Dan says, “Regular shaving cream just seems stupid now, this one works better and there’s less mess.” To this, my other roommate Sarah added, “It lathers great and I get a much closer shave-plus it tingles!” Available online and at Whole Foods.

5. Mama Mio O-Mega Body Oil. One of my favorite reps, sent me a bottle of this to try a few months ago and I am completely hooked. It’s a perfect blend of natural oils, including powerhouse Argan, each chosen for its concentration of Omega 3, 6, and 9; these are nature’s superheroes in building skin’s strength and elasticity. After a shower, smooth it on. It sinks in immediately, never feels greasy, and leaves your skin fully moisturized and smelling delicious all day thanks to Mama Mio’s signature Gravitas essential oil blend.

Hopefully, one of these fantastic products will inspire you to come back and see what other goodies I unearth (pun intended) in future articles. Also, feel free to leave comments about my recommendations or use the contact form on the “About” page if you would like help finding a few fabulous products that are specifically tailored to your needs.

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