Hi Friends! I’m Natalie Mason. I live in Charleston, SC and I am mom to Sterling 12 , Frances Moon 8 and our mini golden doodle Dolly.

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Botox, Chemical Peels + 12 Beauty Items you Need

May 15, 2018

The older I have gotten the more important skincare has become to me.  From an early age my mom instilled the importance of washing of your face and moisturizing, so that is something I have done for years.  Now I have enjoyed trying out new anti- aging and skincare products.  The problem is there are so many options- at home masks, facials, botox, chemical peels, fillers the options are endless.  It is sometimes overwhelming.

I have done botox twice now.  The first time I hated it.   I have really arched eyebrows so the botox made them even higher.  I looked like a clown.  I remember my dad said “what happened to your face”- haha.  The good thing about botox is that it does eventually dissolve.  The next time I had it was better but I still just didn’t love it.  I realize the more often you get it the better they are able to see how your face will react to it, so I should probably try it again.  It has been over a year since I had my last botox and I am honestly not sure when I will get it again.  I have forehead wrinkles but you know what they don’t bother me that much.  I don’t like when your face is frozen from too much botox so for now I am taking a break from it.

One thing I especially love to do is chemical peels.  I do this at my dermatologist office every 8-10 weeks and it makes such a difference on my skin.  They basically scrape away a light layer of your skin and when you leave it feels smooth as a baby. I also love to do lots of at home treatments ( I am a face mask addict).

Today I wanted to share a few beauty and skincare favorites that I think make a huge difference in your routine.  I know they have made a difference in my skin.  Trust me I have tried many products and these are real winners in my book.

My robe print is old but this is the identical one from plum Pretty Sugar in a different print- Robe.  The mirrored pictured above is amazing for putting on make up.  My mom, sister and I all have one.  It magnifies 8x which is kind of scary but awesome at the same time.   It lights up automatically as your face approaches.

Simple Human Mirror

 

 

These are my tried and true beauty favorites that I think you will love as well.  A few of these have been mentioned before because I love them that much.  I order almost all my beauty items from Nordstrom, they have such a great selection of so many lines and quick free shipping.

Charlotte Tilbury Beauty Light Wand

This baby is amazing.  It is super easy to use and it really helps highlight your face.  I use it on my cheekbones and undeer my eye brows.  It helps to illuminate and brighten. Trust me on this one.

Dr Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Peel

These pads work wonders on your skin.  I use them about 3-4 nights a week.  It is a 2 step process.  I first wash and clean my face and if I am doing a face mask I do that next.  Then I use these pads.  Pad 1 exfoliates and removes dead skin.  Pad 2 nourishes the new skin with anti-aging ingredients.  If you are just trying to start a good skincare routine this would be my main recommendation.  It is an easy at home process that really yields results.

 

Exfolikate 

This is hands down the best exfoliator I have used.  I keep this in the shower and use it almost daily. I let it sit on my face about 1 minute after applying and wash off.

 

Rose Face Mask

This is a great weekly face mask.   This contains cucumber, aloe vera, algae, rose water and rose petals – it is super soothing.  I use it with the Rose Serum, it is a great combo.

Fresh Rose Serum

This is a new serum I am crazy about.  I love to use it paired with the Fresh Rose mask.  It is a great combo.  The rosewater really helps to soothe and nourish the skin.  It also provides 24 hour moisture.

Elemis Pro Collagen Marine Cream

I have been using this cream for over a year now thanks to the rec from Liz at Sequins and Stripes.  It is wonderful.   Light weight yet moisturizing and it smells amazing. It is free from parabens as well.  It helps to tighten skin and reduce fine lines.

Elemis Face Wash

Another Elemis favorite,  this face wash is great.  It really removes your make-up and leaves your skin feeling energized and clean.  It lasts forever too!  I am still using a bottle I bought last Summer.

 

Dr. Dennis Gross C+ Collagen Brighten eye Cream

I have the worst under eye circles.  Like if I am not wearing concealer it looks like I have two black eyes.  This is one of the best eye creams I have used.  It not only helps to firm your under eye area and reduce fine lines but the light reflections blur imperfections and lighten under eye circles.

Kopari Coconut face Cream

I love every single Kopari product I have tried.  They are free of parabens and sulfates.  This face cream smells amazing (beachy) and it really moisturizes your skin.

Fresh Lip Tint in Dream

I love all the fresh lip tines.  They contain SPF so they protect your lips and hydrate the same time.  This new color is so pretty.  The perfect pink.  They are my go to lip colors during the day.

 

Peter Thomas Roth Waterdrench Eye Patches

These are another great fix for under eye issues.  I like to keep these in the fridge so they are chilled.  I usually put them on in the morning for about 20 mins while I work.  You can instantly feel your skin tighten and it feels so smooth afterwards.

Charlotte Tilbury Overnight Bronze Mask

This product doesn’t have great reviews but I actually really like it.  So true story I have never had a spray tan and have not been to the tanning bed since my high school years and I am super picky about self tanners.  This over night mask is so easy to use and provides the perfect subtle hint of color.   You apply it at night before bed and after a few days your skin will have the perfect sun kissed glow.  It is not too drastic which I like just the perfect subtle hint of tan.

Charlotte Tilbury is also offering a great gift with purchase-  the Multi-Miracle Glow Cleanser, Mask & Balm for Baby Soft Skin and Wonderglow Instant Soft-Focus Beauty Flash (0.52 oz. each) with your $150 Charlotte Tilbury purchase.

You can shop all my beauty favs below- Thanks to Nordstrom for partnering on this post.

 

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  1. Olivia K says:

    Thank you for your honesty, I love to hear what real women do for aging gracefully, it’s so silly how it sometimes seems so taboo.

  2. Jenna says:

    Skincare seems SO overwhelming! I have def seen changes in my skin since reaching my mid-late 30s. Would love to see a video of your entire nighttime routine and morning routine for skincare. I get confused as to what should go first, how many products should i use everyday etc (serums, moisturizers, eye creams). Thank you!

    • Izabela says:

      Hi Jenna, My Name is Carmen,i am a skin care therapist,i do facials treatments in a Medical Spa in New York,i would be more than happy to help you out! 1st on the skin after you wash your face,you should apply a serum (hyaluronic perfect for hydration during summer) also a good vitamin C serum is great in preventing future damage on the skin you can apply it also in the morning , 2nd after the serum , should be your moisturizer,and last step should be your sunscreen with 45 or 50 SPF because that will give you the highest protection against the sun. In the night time you can wash off your face,removing any makeup, use toner,and apply your night time cream.
      Exfoliate once a week. Regular facials done by professionals should help a lot to slow down the aging process. A healthy diet also helps keeping your skin healthy. I hope my advices are useful,thank you!

  3. Kristen says:

    Loved reading this post. I’m a huge Fresh fan… but I’ve been wanting to try Drunk Elephant. Have you tried any and liked them?

  4. Carol says:

    I’m curious about who did your Botox. I’ve found eye surgeons are most informed as to which ocular muscle should or should not be injected. But I have also found very well trained nurse practioners. ..cheapest is not nest in this field.

  5. Sarah says:

    YES Carol! The level of expertise is SO important for Botox. Natalie – if you were only getting it in your forehead, it should NOT have raised your eyebrows. Honestly, it should have lowered them if placed as typical in the forehead. A skilled MD or nurse practitioner is able to inject Botox (on the first time) in the correct locations and in the correct amounts to provide the look you want. E.g. not frozen, help with symmetry, etc. If they can’t, it’s not the place to go. Sure there can be some fine tuning over time, but it should get you close to what you are expecting. If they are just doing one or two injections, it’s probably not right. It should be very small amounts spread out to give you an even look. My eyebrow were slightly uneven before my first visit, and the dr. was able to inject the Botox subtley in the correct areas to perfectly align them. (SORRY – I’m a Botox enthusiast! I think if people do it right, it’s fantastic. It’s the ppl who go overboard or who go on the cheap that give it a bad name!)

  6. Kristen says:

    I started seeing an aesthetician a couple years ago and the first radial thing she did to me was take me off moisturizer. At first I thought it was weird, and my skin was a bit dry at first, but now? I do not miss it and it’s been a couple years. She also put me on Cosmedix products. But like you, I’ve become obsessed with getting peels and facials through her. Noticed a HUGE difference after several months of seeing her. My skin was really scarred from acne and red and it’s practically clear now!

  7. BARBARA says:

    Hi Jenna, My name is Barbara I’m a Paramedical Esthecian. I enjoyed reading your site. Are these products owned by you or do you purchase them retail?

  8. Diane says:

    I love Botox (I’m 56 years old) and always go to a facial plastic surgeon. I would also use an Oculoplastic Surgeon. My plastic surgeon purposefully gives me a “Botox eyelift” with the injections. I’m sure you could explain to them you do not want that effect. I enjoy your blog!

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