The Beauty Council: Beauty products I am thankful for

Today is a day most of us will be spending with friends and family. The main cook of the family will be up early to put the turkey in the oven and over the course of the day everyone will slowly start to gather. Hugs and Kisses all around, laughs abound. The men napping and watching football, women chatting and kids running wild. There is something about Thanksgiving that puts a smile on my face.

Beyond the stress and chaos that can sometimes come with making sure everything is just right, at the center of it all is a time for us to reflect and give thanks. We give thanks for a variety of things, it's different for everyone, but no matter what we all have something to be thankful for.

As beauty bloggers the members of the Beauty Council wanted to share the beauty products we are thankful for. Skin care was a major focus for me this year so my list is pretty much all skin care related.

I'm a cold natured person, always freezing. I'm so bad I have heater running under my desk at work all year round. I also take really hot showers, I know this is not good for my skin but oh well I don't plan to stop. One of the things about that though is it dries my skin out. I am really picky about lotions for this reason, I cannot stand dry skin. You have read plenty of posts from me this year about the brand tatcha, if I could name my top brand for 2014 they would be it. This Indigo Body Butter is one of the best body butters I have ever used, If you have very dry skin you will instantly fall in love with this whipped blue/purple silk in a a jar. Now I'll be honest with you, this cost way more than I would normally spend on a body moisturizer so I don't use it everyday. See my full review on the tatcha Indigo line here.

My Grandma would always tell me a women who doesn't take care of her hands will give away her age. As we age we know to take care of our face and necks but the chest and hands sometimes don't get the same t.l.c. In addition to my hands and cuticles getting dry from cleaning, and washing dishes I am obsessed with keeping them moisturized to prevent wrinkles. The amount of cuticle care products I have borders on rediculous but this one from Carol's Daughter which contains both jojoba and lemon all is one of my favorites, and it smells great too. One of the main reasons I love this cuticle oil is that is contains jojoba. Jojoba is one of the few oils with molecules small enough to penetrate the nail bed thus allowing the oil to go deeper between the nail layers to condition, soften, heal and moisturize.

For the times when that huge zit pops up to ruin your life EradiKate to the rescue. This is one of those products that you may not think about but is great to have on hand. When a monster pimple decides to pay me a visit I just dab a little of this sulphur liquid on it and it typically dries up in 24-48 hours. Resist the urge to pick and pop and grab this instead.

Ugh me and this nails this year, we have been through it. I use strengtheners to keep them long and strong for swatching,but sometimes the strengtheners dry them out a bit and when they get long the break. Not just a break though like the corners will snap off. This Jessica Cosmetics bend don't break base coat has solved that problem. It works well alone and in conjunction with other nail hardeners I use to keep my nails strong but flexible.

I cannot sing the praises of this brand any louder, my saving grace. For a few months starting late last year, I followed a strict skin care regimen using Mario Badescu, and my skin completely transformed. I mentioned a few times in different posts about a bad reaction I had to a product last September that had my skin so bad I cried. I never had acne growing up and the disruption that product caused on my face was horrendous, Mario Badescu products saved my skin and helped get everything into balance. I switch out some products now but these two are staples. I only need the glycolic cleanser every few days, so I use that in conjunction with whatever other cleanser I'm using at the moment. The Mario Badescu special enzyme cleansing gel is another everyday cleanser that is in my favorites rotation.

You will hear me say that my Clarisonic is one of the best beauty investments I have made. I still believe that but these little gems are a lot more budget friendly and also a staple in my routine. Konjac is a fibrous vegetable grown in Korea that contains many vitamins and minerals. Don't ask me how they do it but somehow they are able to make a sponge out of this plant that washes, cleanses and exfoliates.

You don't need to use a separate wash with these sponges although you can if you want. You will find that when using with a separate cleanser you will use less product. If you have seen these popping up in the stores and are curious about them go ahead and give them a try. I have been using one on and off for the better part of this year. My boyfriend just started using one as well and I have a body one that I'm testing now, so be on the lookout for a more in depth post about these coming soon.

Hydration, hydration, hydraton, keep saying that fast so we won' forget it. Sooth, re-hydrate and set makeup all with this cool mist from Evian. Oh remember I mentioned above how I take hot showers. I also waste time in the bathroom before making my way to the vanity to finish my skincare routine and start my makeup which leaves my skin parched. A lot of serums and moisturizers are absobed better when applied to damp skin so sometimes I will also mist my face before applying my serum or moisturizer. The uses for this Evian spray are really endless and it's a product I can' live without. In the summer grab the smaller travel sized cans and keep one in your purse your skin will thank me.

So there you have it my list of beauty products I am thankful for, I hope they never stop being made. Are there any products that have made a difference to you that you are now thankful for? Maybe a lipstick that makes you feel confident, or a product that saved your skin, I would love for you to tell me about them.

Check out the products that the rest of the Beauty Council ladies are thankful for by visiting their sites below. I hope everyone in the U.S. who celebrates Thanksgiving has a wonderful day full of good food, fun and fellowship. I am thankful for all of you who take the time to stop by and keep up with me, CHEERS!
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