I Like These Products pt. 1

Quarantine has been an interesting time for most of us. I have gone through spurts of absolutely no online shopping and then some weeks I have so many packages coming I have to make a list. Regardless, I’ve had more time to research products, discover new things, and upgrade a few items that I use frequently.

When it comes to shopping my main goal is to shop small, secondhand, and local when I can. Especially with the current worldwide pandemic, I am being extra mindful to shop small and support all of the owners who are struggling. However, like I mentioned, it can be hard to get everything I need this way. Also, some items are gifted to me from companies or from family and friends. Today’s post is reserved for the things I’m loving that aren’t from a small business; those will be saved for their own post soon because they are deserving of special attention.

I don’t usually try enough things to share a monthly favorite post, so I’ve decided to just call these ‘I Like These Products’ and share them every so often when I have enough I’m in love with. I hope that’s good with you!

Fresh Rose Petal-Soft Lip Cream

This product was sent to me for free for review (Thanks Influenster!) and I am absolutely obsessed. I am extremely picky with lip balms due to ingredients but also if they actually hydrate the lips. This one is light and nourishing and feels so good on the lips. Before trying this one, my favorite was the Bite Beauty Agave Lip Mask, which I still love but haven’t tried since they reformulated and repackaged it. While I do usually prefer a squeeze tube to a pot, I keep this one in my bathroom and put it on morning and night after I brush my teeth. Kind of debating buying a second one for my purse since it’s that good, but will probably wait until it cools down, since pot balms are not my favorite in the heat in the summer.

PMD Clean - Smart Facial Cleansing Device

I received my PMD Clean in my last Causebox (which is a whole other favorite that I highly recommend if you want a good ethical subscription box. If you want me to get into that more, leave a comment below or DM me so I know you want to hear my opinion on it). Click here to get $10 off your first Causebox

Anyways, while I didn’t pick this out myself, I couldn’t be happier for it. The entire brush is made out of silicone and has a two-sided head. The brush side has tiny little silicone bristles that gently cleanse your skin while the other side has slight divets to help you massage your products in. There are 2 cleansing settings and 2 massage settings and I especially love the massage side. The best part is that the PMD Clean is water resistant and you can use it in the shower. I love to use it once a day after my workouts to get a really good clean! I also love incorporating into my weekly at home facial nights. After my masks, I use it to massage in my serums and oils and it feels so soothing and good.

Welly Face Saver Clear Spot Bandages

I have tried quite a few zit stickers since they came out and these are definitely at the top of my list as far as effectiveness goes. If you’ve never heard of zit patches, they are hydro-colloid bandages that you put on a zit when it’s coming to head. They absorb excess fluid from surface level wounds (i.e. blemishes). This means that they only work on surface level zits, so don’t expect a miracle on anything deep and cystic. I am obsessed with the Welly brand in general because all of their bandages come in cute tins that are perfect to reuse (ex: I love to keep them for travel for small items…well back when I could travel haha). However, these face saver bandages are extra clutch right now with the mask-cne I’ve been struggling with here and there throughout the pandemic. I just pop one of these stickers over my blemish at night and remove it in the morning and it’s way flatter! I definitely recommend keeping a pack of these on hand if you find that you randomly break out!

Morphe Continuous Setting Mist

When it comes to items I use in my makeup kit, I definitely choose performance over ingredients. Unless a client as requested something specific, I use my tried and true products. That being said, I had been using the classic Urban Decay All-Nighter Setting Spray for YEARS. It works well for any skin type and really helps the makeup stay on. However, I’ve always hated the mechanism of the spray bottle because no matter how gentle you try to be, you scare your clients when you spray it. haha Enter the Morphe Continuous Setting Mist. It works just as well as the All Nighter spray, is less than half the price AND has a gentle continuous spray mechanism. Also, whenever I do weddings, at least half of my clients every time tell me how much they love the smell. Highly recommend.

Kristen Ess The One Signature Shampoo & Conditioner

I know I’m probably the last person to try Kristen Ess hair products, but I’m really not a hair person, as you probably know! I don’t do a lot with my hair so I like simple hair products. I randomly picked up this duo over quarantine when Mikey and I were running out of shampoo and we loved it so I’ve already repurchased it in the larger size with pumps. It smells great (Mikey likes it too) and is a great lightly clarifying shampoo for my hair. I have pretty fine and straight hair, but I only wash it every couple of days, so I need a good cleanse when I do.

Fine-Tip Multi Colored Gel Pens

Am I the only one who is obsessed with pens? I always have been, but I hadn’t had a good set of gel pens in a while. When I was little I had every kind and color under the sun! There’s something about writing in fun colors in my planner that makes me happy and more productive. I am a firm believer in making your planner a happy and creative place so that you are more likely to want to use it and accomplish tasks. These are a great dupe for the Muji gel pens. I didn’t realize they weren’t actually Muji brand until I received them, but they are still great. I love the 0.5 mm fine tip and the range of colors is great too!

Meilliner 25 pack of Assorted Dual-Tip Highlighters

On that same note, I bought this huge 25 pack of Dual-Tip Highlighters thinking they were actual Zebra Mildliners (Mental note: ANDREA READ THE FINE PRINT). I like the color range and again, they do a great job of making my planner happier and prettier. I prefer to highlight tasks when they are completed instead of crossing them out, so this wide range of colors allows me to always have the colors I need to coordinate with my different weeks.

Dried Lavender

In May when I turned 30 one of my best friends gave me some dried lavender. I put it on my dining room table in a vase and it is still going strong. I can’t recommend this enough for yourself or when you need a little something for a friend (instead of flowers), because it lasts so much longer and smells amazing too! Plus you don’t have to worry about watering anything because it’s already dried. The only thing I would warn you about is that it is very delicate. If you touch the branches too much, the dried lavender buds will fall off, so keep it out of reach if you have kids or animals so it doesn’t get everywhere! Dried Eucalyptus is also a great one to try.

Amazon House Dress

I discovered this dress from Meredith over at @tinybitsofhappiness_. If you don’t follow her on IG, you need to. Her words are great, her recommendations are great, her dog Stella is so adorable. She’s basically gold and you should be following her. If you saw my studio redesign from about a year ago, she made my beautiful custom Andrea Fontana Beauty doormat! Anyways, back to the dress. She introduced me to this Amazon dress and it has quickly become my go to at least 2 times a week (likely more haha). It is so comfortable, makes you feel like you are way more put together than you are, and comes in SO many colors. I would suggest sizing up if you want that really comfortable flowy fit like I wanted. Also I do not dry because I’m always worried Amazon things will shrink. It’s not the most amazing quality, but it’s pretty damn great for under $30! Pre-COVID, my 2020 goal was to only buy secondhand clothing for the entire year. I’m proud to say that even despite quarantine, I have done a pretty good job at sticking to this goal. I think this is the first time I’ve broken it to buy something new. Well worth it, thanks Mere!

OLLY Sleep Melatonin Gummies

I used to have a solid bath routine as a pre-wedding ritual the night before weddings. I would always make sure that I had a calming evening to ensure good sleep the night before a big day. However, moving from my old apartment means that I no longer have a bathtub so I had to adjust my routine. Now, I take a nice long hot shower, get in bed early to read, and enjoy some OLLY Melatonin Gummies about 30 minutes before I want to go to sleep…haha I only use these a couple times a month, but I love them whenever I do. Obviously, make sure you check with your doctor before adding any new supplements to your routine.

What have you been loving lately? Comment below and let me know!

Best,

Andrea

Disclosure: Some of the above links are Affiliate links meaning that I make a commission off the purchase of the product through my link. This does not affect the price of the product on your end. I would never recommend a product that I didn't love and all opinions are my own. I am thankful for you choosing to purchase through my links, as it helps me create more content for Andrea Fontana Beauty. 

My Recent Favorite Products

It’s been a little while since I’ve talked about some favorite products on here, so today I thought I’d share what I have been loving recently. I’ve discovered some new to me products and also re-fallen in love with some products I already owned. Have you discovered anything good lately?

Bite Beauty Agave Lip Mask in Smashed

After hearing so many talk about how amazing this is, I finally picked up my own while in Chicago last month. Since then, it hasn’t left my purse and gets applied almost every day. I love the slight red tinge because it wakes my lips up and enhances their natural color. This is the best lip moisturizer I’ve ever used, as it doesn’t contain petroleum!

Mac Extra Dimension Skinfinish in Superb

When I moved at the end of August, I went through my entire personal makeup collection and got rid of about 75% of it! I only kept things I knew I wanted to continue to use, which is when I rediscovered how much I love this Skinfinish as an every day blush and eyeshadow shade. It’s so easy to swipe on and gives you a nice sheen too, so you can totally skip the highlighter too on days when you’re in a rush!

Laura Mercier Foundation Primer Radiance

This product was sent to me by Influenster for free for reviewing purposes and I fell in love with it! It reminds me a lot of Loreals Glotion, except if it was a primer. I love using it for days when I don’t wear full coverage foundation because it makes my skin super glowy and healthy looking.

Kaja Beauty Moon Crystal Sparkling Eye Pigment in Rose Quartz

My best friend Margaret and I discovered this brand in a Sephora in Madison, Wisconsin in November and both picked up a few products from them. These Moon Crystal sparkling eye pigments are amazing as quick and easy eyeshadows for day to day use! I love the Rose Quartz shade because it’s super warm and reminds me of when I wear blush on my eyelids. I can’t wait to pick up more shades. The formula is easy to apply with your fingers and blend out. Then it sets well and lasts all day. I also love that it is the perfect amount of glitter for daily use; not too much.

Hydroflask 40 oz.

I’ve had my Hydroflask for awhile now, but I haven’t talked about it on the blog yet, so I figured I’d throw it in too. There is no greater feeling than waking up in the morning super thirsty and having ice still in your water bottle from the night before. I love the straw top because I drink more water with straws. I take this water bottle EVERYWHERE I go. The only thing I would warn you about is if you want yours to fit in your car’s cup holder, you may want the skinnier bottle shape. It doesn’t bother me because I put it on the passenger front seat when I’m driving.

Kitsch Spiral Hair ties 8 pk for Brunettes

These are my new favorite hair ties. I love how they simultaneously hold my hair in so tightly, yet don’t feel tight at all. They are tight enough from running which is a must for me too. I also love how comfortable they are when they are on your wrist. Bonus, my niece loves them so they are a great baby entertainer when you’re in a pinch! hahaha

Quip Rosegold Toothbrush

I have been using this toothbrush for over 6 months now and I LOVE it. I love that it’s a subscription, so every 3 months a new tube of toothpaste and a replacement head comes in the mail without me every having to think about picking them up from the store. I love the rose gold handle because it looks beautiful in the bathroom. Even though I sometimes feel like a kid, I secretly love that when you turn on the vibration, it does a special buzz every 30 seconds, and turns off when you’ve brushed for long enough. One less thing I have to think about!

Weleda Skin food Light

I received this as a birthday present from my friends last May and I have fallen in love with it. I will do an updated skincare routine soon because I’ve discovered some new products, but I wanted to let you know that if you have loved the Original Weleda Skin Food in the past, you have to try this one out too. I keep them both on hand and use whichever one is more necessary for my skin, that day. I will always keep both the Original and the Light on hand now because they mix well with other skincare products and are awesome on their own as well!

Have you discovered anything great lately? Let me know in a comment below!

Have a beautiful day,

Andrea

Disclosure: Amazon links are Amazon Affiliate links meaning that I make a small commission off the purchase of the product through my link. This does not affect the price of the product. I would never recommend a product that I didn't love and all opinions are my own. I am thankful for you choosing to purchase through my links, as it helps me create more content for Andrea Fontana Beauty.

The Glow Lounge at Kenneth Brandt Salon & Spa

When my good friend Daelynn asked me to come into Kenneth Brandt and play with some ‘new to the spa’ Dermalogica products and tools, you KNOW it was one of the quickest yeses to come out of my mouth. Kenneth Brandt Salon & Spa was first an Aveda based salon/spa but has since been adding other lines to it.

My only experience with Dermalogica was from my days as a Benefit Cosmetics Arch Expert years ago. It’s the line that Ulta’s use for their skin therapy treatments, but I never managed to get in the chair and try them out. So I was really excited to meet Georgia (@kb.georgiaolson) and have a fun skin date!

In order to get the full experience you’ll have to visit Kenneth Brandt (@kennethbrandtsalon yourself, but in this post I wanted to share some of my favorite parts of my treatment that I think make a great spa experience. If you’re new here, I used to be the spa director of a spa and have done hundreds of facials. I’m all about details and think every bit matters.

First off, I loved that I was offered a drink when I arrived. I chose the Aveda tea which is heaven and I was so excited to have it since it had been years since I had drank some. I love that the Glow Lounge is in the basement because it feels separate from the hustle of the salon and cozy.

The first thing I noticed was that the chair was super comfortable. It wasn’t quite a bed, so it wasn’t completely flat and uncomfortable. I have back issues so comfort is a big thing for me if I’m going to be laying down for a little while.

Georgia was so sweet and easy to talk to. Even though we had tons of things in common, I can tell she enjoys all the conversations she gets to have with her guests based on how easy she was to talk to. I personally like to talk during services so it was nice that I was able to connect with her and have fun!

She started the treatment with a cleanser but I was super excited for her to add the Dermalogica Daily Superfoliant to the mix because it’s an amped up version of a product I already know and love from Dermalogica (the daily Microfoliant). This one has charcoal added to the rice starch powder so it’s great to detox and exfoliate the skin. (Spoiler: this is the product I bought at the end of my treatment because I couldn’t leave without it)!

After a really great mask, we got into the tools, which you can probably guess I am ALL about. First, she added a serum to my face then used the Conture Toning System on my face to stimulate and tone my skin. The tool has a little head that created waves of suction on my face, kind of like a fish sucking. That’s the analogy that Georgia used, and I totally agree that that is what it felt like! haha I was shocked at how calming and good it felt.

After the Conture toning, Georgia did some blue light therapy on me (the also offer red light for Anti-Aging) to help with my post-birthday breakout situation that was still dealing with. Your girl couldn’t stop celebrating with cake and Oreos and that’s fine! The blue light helps to kill bacteria that leads to breakouts so I was happy to enjoy that.

After some other products like moisturizer, eye scream, SPF and more, I was all finished and I felt great. My skin was GLOWING so smart move on Daelynn’s part for naming this the Glow Lounge because that’s what it did to me. I felt relaxed and refreshed and cannot wait to go back and see Georgia again!

Look for a future post on my thoughts on the Dermalogica Daily Superfoliant, once I use it a little longer. In the mean time, feel free to reach out to me, Georgia, or Kenneth Brandt Salon and Spa directly, to get more information about the beautiful new Glow Lounge.

Thank you again to Daelynn and Georgia for letting me come in and have some fun last week!

GO GET YOUR GLOW ON,

Andrea

Disclaimer: While the spa treatment was gifted to me, the product was purchased with my own money. All opinions are my own and I was not paid to write this review. Kenneth Brandt is just really GREAT!

Amazon Favorites

Am I the only one who is curious what other people buy on Amazon? Haha I’m so curious because you can find absolutely everything on there these days! Today I’m sharing some of my favorite products that I have found on Amazon that are not beauty related. If you’re curious about those, you can always click on the ‘My Favorite Things’ tab and most of the items there can be found on Amazon.

Uni-Ball Vision Needle Rollerball Pens:

These are my favorite pens and I love this pack because of the variety of colors. I love to organize things in my planner based on color and these are great for that!

Neewer 18-inch Dimmable Ring Light with Stand and Carrying Bag:

I get asked all the time which ring light I use and this is it! It’s pretty adorable for what it is, and has already been to a lot of places with me in one year! I would recommend it if you’re looking for a good light that isn’t going to break the bank.

OontZ Angle 3 Bluetooth Wireless Speaker:

I got my boyfriend this speaker for Christmas just as an extra to have and I was pleasantly surprised with how good of quality the sound is for the price! If you need an inexpensive speaker, check this one out.

Gift Republic Bucket List Movie Poster:

This was another gift that I highly recommend for any movie, music, etc. buffs. I really love how you can frame it and use it as art when you’re done because the graphics are beautiful for each item after you scratch them off!

Stainless Steal Loop Apple Watch Band:

I wanted to have an apple watch band that looked a little nicer for when I have special events and dress up. I like this watch band for that purpose but prefer the one below for every day and working out use!

Nylon Sport Loop Apple Watch Band:

I can’t wear the silicone apple watch bands that most people use for working out because I developed a bad allergic reaction to them. However, I don’t like wearing the stainless steel one above when running because I don’t like feeling the watch move around. I prefer to not be able to notice my watch. Therefore I tested out this nylon one and I love it. It has a Velcro closure that is really solid and secure and this one is my favorite apple watch band.

Organic Miso Paste:

This is my favorite white Miso Paste to have on hand for when I want to make a quick miso soup!

ALINK Clear Straight Glass Drinking Straws:

These are my favorite reusable straws because you can see through them to make sure they are clean. Also they come with a little brush to clean them which is really important and useful!

Youdgee Meat Digital Thermometer:

If you want to make sure your meat turns out perfectly, this is a really important tool to have in your kitchen! I use this thing every time I make meat to make sure I am not over or undercooking anything.

Lodge Cast Iron Pan:

I love the Lodge cast iron pans (I also have the cast iron grill pan) and they are amazing for the price. Such good quality and are so great for searing something on the stove and finishing it in the oven.

Sea Team 6 Pc Multicolored Portable Travel Toiletry Bags:

I bought this 6 pack for my makeup kit, to organize products, but I’ve found great uses for these besides in my kit. It’s just really useful to have many bags like this for traveling, purse organization and so much more! I love the mesh because then if I add any brushes or sponges that are still a bit damp, they can air out and dry.

Moulin Ladies Pastel Color Jelly Digital Watch:

Before I got my apple watch, I needed something to get me through bridal season that was inexpensive. I have never gotten so many compliments on a watch before! Haha I still can’t believe how great this watch was for how little it cost me. It did not look cheap and worked really well! Highly recommend, even if you just want a pop of color on your wrist in the spring.

What are some of your favorites from Amazon? Comment below and let me know!

Have a beautiful day,

Andrea

Disclosure: Amazon links are Amazon Affiliate links meaning that I make a commission off the purchase of the product through my link. I would never recommend a product that I didn't love and all opinions are my own. I am thankful for you choosing to purchase through my links, as it helps me create more content for Andrea Fontana Beauty.