It’s been a minute since I shared the stuff I can’t live without. I was just re-ordering goodies and I realized it was about time for an update.  This is the real deal, the real stuff that I absolutely use all the time and am excited about as the weather (hopefully) begins to warm up.

First: Hair obsessions

I might be a little slow on my product understanding. I was raised in a time when Aqua Net was the gold standard and I’m probably playing catch up. There is so much more to hair product than hairspray these days. At least this part, I knew.

But embarrassingly, I have just realized that there is a difference between dry shampoo and texturizing spray. I have now been educated as to the difference. I have settled on a favorite of each, and I use them each daily. 

AND - I almost NEVER use hairspray any more. Here is why:

Dry shampoo: Hair Goals by Tarte

Dry shampoo is kind of like what it sounds. It gets you through the “greasies” of second day hair. If you are blessed to be the kind of person to wash your hair every other day, or even more seldom than that, this is what you spray on your roots to keep them from getting stinky and greasy. That is the easy part.

If you are a greasy human like myself, (Eastern European descent, anyone?) and even with the advent of modern wonders still have to wash your hair daily to avoid an oil well catastrophe like society has not seen since the Saved By the Bell episode where they drill for oil on the football field, then this is a life saver. I use it DAILY on the hairs that frame my face to keep it from getting greasy and stuck to my face or to itself by 3pm. I can even wash my hair the night before (HELLO daylight savings time making it impossible to wake up!) and use this to keep my hair looking fresh the next day.

I love the brand, Tarte, because the smell is very light and does not linger. It works quickly, efficiently, and holds up throughout the day. I have sampled a great deal of dry shampoos and this one is the best so far. PLUS I LOVE this brand, they make all kinds of vegan products, seem to care about the Earth and life, and I LOVE the quality of their products. You can find the Tarte dry shampoo spray at Sephora, here!

Texturizing spray: Kevin Murphy

So this is not dry shampoo. I used to think it was. I was wrong.

It’s better.

On days I would have previously used hairspray, I use this instead. It holds my hair with a light hold of hairspray but WITHOUT BEING STICKY.

Allow me to repeat: NOT STICKY.

In fact, it does better than that. I spray it at the crown of my head and kind of in that general area under the top layer of hair and it lifts and gives it volume. It is a miracle.

I use it on days I wear my hair wavy or curl it and I wear it on days that I just blow dry my hair straight. I spray around the layers that frame my face to kind of keep them back a bit and I spray around the crown of my head for some lift.

I was pretty devoted to the Aveda light hold hairspray - which I still truly love for when I need a more solid hold. I hate having sticky hair so I use it a little more sparingly and for work days and just regular days when I am not trying to be fancy I love Kevin Murphy Doo Over. I got it as a gift, as I have said before, around the holidays. I have been using it for three months and I think the bottle is getting close to being empty so I just ordered a two pack on Amazon. I can no longer live without it.

It’s more of a light hold and it gives an incredible LIFT to my hair. I use it at the crown of my head, then under and around the layers when I have curls or waves, and then just on the pieces that frame my face.

These two hair products have become as critical to my routine as the Diorshow mascara I use daily. They will be even more crucial as we enter the warmer months and I don’t want sweaty or sticky hair ruining my summer!

Second: Dresses by Cece

My next fave is a definite sign of spring! Dressing for work by the time early spring rolls around is just a pain. I am always sick and tired of the same sweaters and winter clothes I have been wearing since October and I’m ready to change it up a bit.

I have a fantastic pink dress by Cece that I got a few years ago. I have worn it for baby showers, Easter, or just out to dinner. It might be on the “loud” side for a law office, but I love how well made it is. Plus it’s cute!

With that in mind I decided to try a few of their dresses for work. I was pleased to find that the quality is still top notch.  These dresses are lined and very well made. They’re not too short (I’m 5’6”) for the office. I’m not trying to cause a scandal in the legal profession! I chose basic black so I can wear them with pink in the spring and summer, then with orange or other fall colors, and then my red heels and sparkly jewelry around the holidays. 

The best part? They’re super comfortable. 

What can I say? A LBD is right for any occasion.

You can find the pink dress here (they still sell it!), the black dress with the ruffles here (it’s in a cute floral pattern now!), and the third dress with the sleeve detail here.

Third: Clarins self tanning gel!

It is technically spring now, although we still expect to see some sad snow flurries in our neck of the woods a few more times. As the weather warms up I find myself wearing more dresses and skirts but I can barely stand the ghastly appearance of my legs. The It will be a while before the sun is capable of hitting my legs, but I just need some color now!  

So last week I actually left my house to do some shopping. (GASP!) In fact, I go to the mall so infrequently that my poor, sweet daughter Madeline wanted to know why we were “going to visit Santa.” Because that is the only time I ever take her to the mall. To see Santa.

I felt so guilty that I took my girl to Nordstrom and we sampled perfume like proper ladies!

While I was there I sampled some self tanners to see how they smelled. Self tanners have come a long way since the 1990’s but the smell and orange-y glow still haunt me. Trying this stuff out is critical.

Hands down the best was La Mer, but with a price tag of $100, that is outside of the realm of things I am willing to pay for. My next favorite and the one I purchased is the Clarins self tanning gel.  

I LOVE IT!

When it comes to self tanner I like to have options. I like the Dr. Dennis Gross tanning wipes for a whole body tan, and I like to have some gradual tan options to use on my legs on a regular basis. Last year I did a self tanner review and the wipes definitely came out on top. I used them throughout most of the spring and summer.

In the spring I don’t usually get the self tanning wipes going until I start showing some skin. My legs though. Ugh. So pale. I have been using this all week and I am really happy with the results. The color is gradual enough that I don’t look like a Cheeto. It’s a gel so it goes on really smoothly and rubs in dry. I typically use it after I get out of the shower after “exfoliating” (for me: shaving my legs.) Then I rub a layer of light lotion into my legs to help even it all out. It smells really nice. They also make a lotion if you prefer lotion to gel.

And apparently you can use it on your face?

You can find the gel here and the lotion here!

Finally: Pomegranate seeds!

I found these at Trader Joe’s and I am obsessed. I put them in Greek yogurt and they are absolutely delicious. I would not be one to do the hard work of cracking open a pomegranate and trying to extract the seeds so thankfully Trader Joe’s has them pre-packaged for gals like me that literally cannot.

They’re supposed to be full of antioxidants too! Delicious and good for you!

Happy Spring everyone! (Or “spring” as we say up here.)