With all the traveling I have been doing, having a great skincare routine, a simple makeup routine, and two great fragrances are essential. I am not saying you should/need to purchase any of these products, but these are the products that work for me during every season.

Facial Wash:

L’Occitane Aqua Réotier Water Gel Cleanser: 1.3 oz and retails for $6.00. A basic gentle cleanser to use for a morning cleanse only. https://www.loccitane.com/en-us/aqua-reotier-cleanser-11GN040A19.html.

Youth to The People Superfood Antioxidant Cleanser: 2 oz and retails for $10.00. I use this both as a morning and night cleanser. The only con is it may leave your skin a tad tight, and this is coming from someone with oily skin. https://www.sephora.com/product/kale-spinach-green-tea-age-prevention-cleanser-P411387?skuId=2181030&icid2=products%20grid:p411387.

Bliss Makeup Melt Dry/Wet Gentle Jelly Cleanser with Rose Flower: 2 oz and retails for $2.99.  I about just threw this cleanser away because, as a regular everyday cleanser, it does nothing. Then I discovered that as a “first” cleanser, it’s excellent, especially when you don’t want to chance to bring any type of oil cleanser. https://www.target.com/p/bliss-makeup-melt-dry-wet-gentle-jelly-cleanser-with-rose-flower-2-fl-oz/-/A-75574402

 Mario Badescu Travel Size Glycolic Foaming Cleanser: 2 oz and retails for $8.00. This is my favorite cleanser to use morning or night. I suffer from mild hyperpigmentation, and this helps to exfoliate my skin gently. A bonus is that it doesn’t dry out my skin. https://www.ulta.com/travel-size-glycolic-foaming-cleanser?productId=pimprod2004777

Calendula Deep Cleansing Foaming Face Wash: 2.5 oz and retails for $14.00. Kiehls was the first “high end” skincare brand that I ever tried and fell in love with. I was impressed with their knowledge and the fact that the products were natural. This was before natural and clean was a “trend.” I use this as a night cleanser because it’s just that powerful. Full disclosure: if you happen to miss washing your face one night, I would highly recommend using this in the morning. There is a slight smell, so if you are sensitive to that, this product might not be for you. https://www.kiehls.com/skincare/travel-size-products/calendula-deep-cleansing-foaming-face-wash/3605970895976.html?cgid=travel-size#start=10&cgid=travel-size

Moisturizers:

ROVECTIN Skin Essentials Barrier Repair Face Oil: 6.1 oz and retails at $30.00. When I started to become interested in Asian skincare, there was only Soko Glam so that I can vouch for their curated products. This face oil is not only light and non-greasy but makes a great primer if you wear makeup. https://sokoglam.com/collections/face-oil/products/rovectin-skin-essentials-barrier-repair-face-oil

La Roche-Posay Lipikar Balm Intense Repair Moisturizing Cream: I don’t know where or how much I paid for this product. But what I do know is that it works, especially when dealing with hotels’ hard water.

First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair® Cream Intense Hydration Mini: 2 oz and retails at $12.00. An OG moisturizer. I will use this when running out of my other favorite moisturizers. https://www.sephora.com/product/ultra-repair-r-cream-intense-hydration-mini-P425872?icid2=products%20grid:p425872

Body Oils/Lotions:

Shea Fabulous Oil by L’Occitane: 3.4 oz and retails at $44.00. For the longest time, I have struggled to find a body oil that wasn’t greasy or had a weird smell. The search is over; I have entirely fallen in love with this product. The only downside is the slight smell, so this might not be the one for you if you are sensitive to smell. https://www.loccitane.com/en-us/shea-fabulous-oil-01HF100K17.html

Jergens Ultra Healing Lotion: 2 oz and retails at .99. This is my go-to lotion for when I travel because hotel shower water is hard on the skin. This lotion is very rich, which helps with that problem. https://www.target.com/p/jergens-ultra-healing-lotion-2oz/-/A-14012764

Terre de Lumière L’Eau Beautifying Body Milk by L’Occitane: 1.7 oz and retails at $10.50. I use this in place of Jergens when I want a little shimmer. https://www.loccitane.com/en-us/terre-de-lumiere-leau-beautifying-body-milk-18LC050TL17ET.html

Other Bits and Bobs:

Supergoop!Everyday Sunscreen for Face & Body Broad Spectrum SPF 50 PA ++++: 2.4 oz and retails at $22.00. This right here is a game-changer for African Americans using sunscreen!! For years I have struggled to find a sunscreen that didn’t leave me looking like Casper the Friendly Ghost. This product doesn’t do that, and it doesn’t have a weird smell that most sunscreens have. https://www.sephora.com/product/everyday-sunscreen-broad-spectrum-spf-50-P386194?icid2=products%20grid:p386194:product

SEPHORA COLLECTION Brightening Eye Cream – Hydrate & Depuff: .67 oz and retails at $16.00. Since I’m new to the eye cream game, I really can’t say if this is the best one, but what I do know is that it feels fantastic when I put it on in the morning.  https://www.sephora.com/product/brightening-eye-cream-hydrate-depuff-P438619?icid2=products%20grid:p438619

Kiehls Ultra Facial Toner: 2.5 oz and retails at $8.00. This is my go-to travel toner. No complaints, and it works just fine. It does come out thick, so you can pour them into your palm if you forget your cotton rounds. https://www.kiehls.com/skincare/travel-size-products/ultra-facial-toner/3605975099683.html?cgid=travel-size#start=12&cgid=travel-size

Fragrances:

D.S. & Durga Bowmakers: 10 mL and retails at $72.00. I am not a fruity, flowery, girly perfume girl. And what I also don’t love is that most fragrance companies are starting to smell the same. So, when I visited the Mosaic District in Falls Church (which I will talk about in another post) and saw Arielle Shoshana, an independent perfume store, I was very skeptical. Yet, I was blown away by this brand; it was like they went into my brain and made my perfect fragrance.  You can wear it all year round, but it is a more fall/winter fragrance. https://www.arielleshoshana.com/collections/fragrances/products/bowmakers

Gallivant – Brooklyn: 1.0 oz and retails at $95.00. As much as I love my Bowmakers, I knew I needed a lighter one. When I went back to the Mosaic District, Arielle Shoshanna was my first stop. This fragrance is very soft and flirty yet still has warmth and musk, which I love. https://www.arielleshoshana.com/collections/fragrances/products/brooklyn

Makeup:

CLINIQUE Even Better Foundation Makeup Broad Spectrum SPF 15: Retails at $29.50. I am not a foundation girl, but this foundation is excellent!! It’s very light yet covers up everything. You can still see and feel your face. https://www.sephora.com/product/even-better-makeup-spf-15-P234967?icid2=products%20grid:p234967:product

FENTY BEAUTY by Rihanna Pro Filt’r Instant Retouch Primer: .5 oz and retails at $16.00. I love this primer, and I’m usually not a primer person. It makes your skin look “filtered” even before the foundation. https://www.sephora.com/product/pro-filtr-instant-retouch-primer-P04897543?icid2=products%20grid:p04897543&skuId=2173573

HUDA BEAUTY The Overachiever High Coverage Concealer: .34 oz and retails at $30.00. THE concealer for me because it will cover everything. I can use this and nothing else. I will say you don’t need much; usually, I use a pea size, and that’s it. https://www.sephora.com/product/overachiever-concealer-P437078?icid2=products%20grid:p437078:product

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