As part of the Ambassador Program I received product samples and compensation from NOW® to thank me for my participation, but the product selection and all opinions are genuinely my own. #NOWWellness
Summer may be officially over, but in many parts of the country – including Michigan where I currently live – we’re still enjoying warm summer days. In fact, earlier this week I spent an entire afternoon at the beach, swimming in the clear waters of beautiful Lake Michigan and feeding seagulls. Funny thing, I think I participated in more summer activities toward the very end of summer and in the early fall days than I did throughout the entire summer season, haha!
Today I wanted to share with you three of my favorite NOW products that are helping my skin transition from summer to fall. These effective and affordable treatments have been in constant use for the past few weeks, and I love having them as part of my daily beauty routine.
What did mom always tell you to do after a day at the beach? Slather your body in aloe vera gel to soothe the skin, of course! I’ve been faithful to NOW® Solutions Aloe Soothing Gel ($7.99 for 8 fl oz) for the past 2 years, because I think it’s different from other similar products I tried in the past. I don’t really tan anymore [SPF50+ for life!], but being in the sun still makes me feel hot and look a little pink sometimes. This gel helps moisturize and replenish the skin exposed to harsh elements, like wind, sand, snow, or sea/lake/pool water. I love that it feels lightweight and doesn’t give my skin that greasy lotiony look. I don’t mind it as much if I’m staying at home, but if I go outside I prefer a more matte appearance.
Along with aloe vera, NOW also included cucumber extract, allantoin, arginine, panthenol, and Vitamin E to soothe exposed skin and restore moisture. Give it a try and come back to thank me later!
Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice*, Carbomer, Sodium Hydroxymethylglycinate, Potassium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol, Cucumis Sativus (Cucumber) Fruit Extract, Allantoin, Glycerin, Panthenol, Tocopherol (Vitamin E) (soy), Arginine, Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Oil. *Certified Organic
NOW® Solutions 100% Pure Lanolin ($11.99 for 7 oz) is a great affordable alternative for a certain cult department store lip mask. For half the cost you get 13 times the amount of product, so one jar will go a long way. If you like making your own skincare at home, pure lanolin can be a great occlusive base in natural skin-protecting products. I personally like using it on its own as an alternative for petroleum jelly on areas of the skin that need shielding from the elements, like my lips, knees, and elbows. They get incredibly dry as soon as cold wind starts blowing, and a thin layer of lanolin aids in skin renewal while providing a lightweight protective barrier. A single overnight application makes my chapped lips look so much better in the morning!
Derived from the wool of sheep, lanolin is surprisingly similar to our own natural skin oils, which is what makes it such a unique and universal natural ointment. However, because it is obtained from an animal source, it’s obviously not going to be a good choice if you lead a vegan lifestyle. For a vegan alternative to lanolin, look for products containing plant-derived stearin. The effect is not quite the same, but it’s probably the closest natural & cruelty-free option.
Ingredients: 100% pure lanolin.
Top to Bottom: NOW® Solutions 100% Pure Lanolin, Aloe Soothing Gel, Cocoa Butter Lotion.
Last, but definitely not least, NOW® Solutions Cocoa Butter Lotion ($8.99 for 8 fl oz) is easily one of my favorite body treatments. It’s rich and comforting, and it works so well to nourish the dry skin during the fall and winter months, making it feel soft and protected. It has a thick balmy consistency, and has that familiar sweet scent of cocoa butter. Even though the formula is rich and buttery, the lotion melts into the skin without leaving it looking greasy or feeling sticky. The formula is also enriched with almond oil, allantoin, aloe vera, and rhodiola extract that aid in protecting the skin from environmental stressors and help the skin keep more moisture.
Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice*, Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter, Cetearyl Alcohol, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Glyceryl Stearate SE, Brassica Abyssinica (Abyssinian) Seed Oil, Glycerin, Phenoxyethanol & Ethylhexylglycerin, Cetearyl Alcohol & Cetearyl Glucoside, Stearic Acid (vegetable source), Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E) (soy), Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Natural French Vanilla Fragrance, Potassium Sorbate, Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Powder*, Xanthan Gum, Allantoin, Retinyl Palmitate (Vitamin A), Panthenol, Citric Acid, Rhodiola Rosea Root Extract. *Certified Organic
I’ve been more minimalistic with my skin care and body care products lately, partially due to lack of time, and partially due to personal preference. It turns out that a lot of the products I love can serve multiple purposes, so cutting down the number of bottles on my shelf did not make my routine any less effective. It will be a while before I adopt the ultra-minimalist approach like some of my friends have, but my current choices make me very happy.
Do you still remember my 15-step Korean skincare routine? Now that was something else! I think we all go through these minimalist and maximalist stages when it comes to clothing, makeup, skin care, and life in general. I am somewhere in the middle of the road right now, and I’m enjoying every step. Just a few months ago I used to have an entire basket dedicated to various body products. These days I am using the Cocoa Butter Lotion during the night time, Aloe Soothing Gel after my morning shower, a body sunscreen during the day, and that’s it. Sometimes, simple is best, don’t you think?
Which late summer / early fall beauty products do you consider a must have in your beauty routine? Have you tried affordable skincare from NOW Solutions? Let me know in the comments below!
NOW® Solutions products are not tested on animals.
