I found a few beauty products this week at Target that I thought I’d try. You know, in my never-ending search for timeless health and beauty? And I was thinking why oh why does that timeless health and beauty always have to cost so much? Because I have a serious addiction to pricy beauty products. But I was very careful about reading labels and tried really hard to ignore the in-your-face advertising I’d seen for some of this stuff, you know, telling you that you are ultimately going to look like the gorgeous model they use in all of the Aveeno ads? She’s so pretty in a natural and not at all a makes-me-feel-bad-about-my-own-self way.

I like Aveeno products, but they’re always kind of all over the place with ingredients. I am trying these days not to use anything with petrolatum by-products or with mineral oil. Petroleum because, well, that’s something that the “green” folks say I should start with omitting and mineral oil because, well, it makes me break out like a 14-year old boy going through puberty. I should add here that I’m kind of bummed about the whole petroleum thing because I am an Aquaphor addict. That stuff is seriously a magic salve and I’m not sure how I’m going to replace it. I can’t bring myself to toss my giant tub, barely touched, so I’m putting it under the sink. For now.

I have really sensitive skin, oily but dry at the same time and prone to break-outs when a product doesn’t agree with me. When I was a teen and had a pimple, I’d slather on a benzoyl peroxide product until I couldn’t talk because my face was so dry and I’d wake up with a white spot on my pillowcase and dry, cracking skin. So I’d use Swiss Ives Apricot face scrub, remember the one in the orange tub? It was, and still is, to me, the gold standard in scrubs. I’ve been dedicated to it since, but recently have been reading that with my skin type I should not be using a scrub. Which is tough because I want nothing more than to scrub down when this time of the year hits.

In addition, I’m also starting to need to use anti-aging products, but they are usually chock-full of things that are thick and oily and you know what that’s going to do to me. But this product by Aveeno is the best of both worlds. Oil-free. Super-light scrub beads in it. No ingredients on my “no thank you” list. And under $10. I’m liking it. A lot. Think I’ll stick with it for a while. And although I don’t believe I’m going to see any magical turning back of the clock on my face (I believe you won’t see that without a visit to the dermatologist), I like the way it feels. My skin feels clean after I use it, not tight at all. A keeper!

Then I found my new favorite lip balm. And I do know something about lip balm. I am an addict. I have drawers full of the stuff. And Burt’s Bees has always been a favorite of mine. Especially their original formula that comes in the little yellow tin. I used it all through college. It smells good, it tastes good and when I found it at Target, I was instantly transported back to a different time. I was young, fit and care-free with naturally glossy lips. Well, turns out that as a grown-up, I do not like pots of lip stuff. I don’t care to put my finger in anything that I’m then going to swipe on my mouth. So this little tin is now sitting by my bed and I use it right before I turn in for the night. When I’m all squeaky clean. But Burt’s Bees has a new balm that has pomegranate in it and smells awesome and it’s a stick and it tastes good and I swear that it leaves the slightest, faintest hint of color on your lips. I bought three tubes. They were like $3 each.

The last product was, in my humble opinion, a dud. Mascara by Maybelline. Define-A-Lash, to be exact. Nice ingredients list, promises of natural lashes. And although I’ve been a devoted user of Clinique Naturally Glossy mascara for years, I opted to try this new one. Let’s just say that I will be sending it to my younger and poor grad student sister. The brush was like some medieval torture device, it poked both of my eyes when I used it the first (and only) time. Not to mention I had those spidery lashes that are just not a nice look on anyone. Not a winner. Not even going to link to it. Seriously, I do not like to wear mascara because I find it always looks like I’m wearing mascara, but the one by Clinique is incredible and honestly, everyone who I know who has tried it has quickly become a loyalist to it.

And I should put in a disclaimer that I don’t really know what I’m talking about in a professional way when it comes to beauty products. Other than that I am a complete beauty product junkie, always have been, since the age of 12 when I got my first pimple (yes, I still remember that day. Vividly.). I have tried everything. Literally. Try me…