Tried + True {Christina from Down and Out Chic}

Not only does she have a great name, but she's got fantastic taste. So you can see why I was absolutely overjoyed when Christina from Down and Out Chic agreed to share her favorite beauty products with us. Her blog is one of my daily must-reads; definitely hop over there if you haven't had the experience. Christina is super stylish, and she knows how to find a great deal...a truly enviable combination. Now if only everyone who shares her name could have such effortless style. Sigh.

Let me begin by saying that I love beauty products and absolutely cannot go into places like Sephora without a friend who will stop me from buying too much. Even with all of the options out there, I learned a lot about skin care from my grandmother who died without more than maybe two wrinkles (I'm not kidding). She didn't use anything fancy on her face, but she was adamant about moisturizer and would often cut open aloe leaves and slather the goo all over her hair and skin. She believed that with beauty products, less is more. I think I agree.

1. I've been using Purity by Philosophy for about a year now and I've even invested in the largest size available. This is a gentle cleanser that doesn't dry my skin out but it gets the job done. I'd be hard pressed to find a basic facial cleanser I like more than this.

2. I think you can compare facial scrub to floss. A daily cleanser is like toothpaste and we all use it, no questions asked, but floss is a whole other issue. Many of us neglect scrubs just like we neglect flossing...it's sometimes a pain, but it's totally worth it. I use St. Ives Apricot Scrub Renew and Firm formula. This is a gentle, inexpensive cleanser that I can use a few times a week. I always feel like I glow afterwards.

3. I fell in love with Bare Escentuals bareMinerals when a friend did my make up for a wedding a couple of years ago. I remember thinking, "my skin looks flawless, omg." Currently, I'm liking the Mineral Veil 'Feather Light." This formula has a pearlescent finish that adds a dewy sort of sheen (perfect for winter, maybe not so good for the summer).

4. My hair has gone through every length possible the past few years and the one products that remains consistent is Loreal tex playball. It's a lightweight pomade that adds texture and I fear that it may have been discontinued. It's lasted me FOREVER until recently when B started using is (what?!). It smells divine.

5. I'm kind of ashamed to say it, but the ONLY lip balm I really like is Carmex. I've tried sooooo many different lip balms from medicated to all natural and organic, and I always come back to Carmex. Carmex recently came out with strawberry and cherry flavors which means I will not be breaking this habit any time soon.

6. If you have an observant eye and happen to be in my home you would notice bobby pins lying in very random places. In fact, you'd notice a lot of them strewn about. This is because I'm growing my hair out and constantly have them in my pockets and/or hair and I have a really bad habit of not keeping up with them. Bobby pins are one of my very favorite things and I want to kiss the person that invented them.

A big thank you to Christina for contributing this fantastic list. I've always been a huge fan of Carmex and bobby pins. I especially love having product recommendations from friends.

Living on a budget and trying new products can be stressful. I always feel obligated to finish up bottles of bad decisions just because I don't want to waste the money. My friend Emily said that to me once; I think of it every day because I'm right in the middle of one of those bad decisions. So, my friends, don't let that happen to you! Check out the previous posts in my Tried + True series before you fork over your hard earned cash.