Five Face Masks You Need in Your Life Right Now

*Affiliate links used.

As much as I love fall in New England, there is one particular downside to the changing seasons. Every time the weather cools off my face gets completely out of whack. Yes, give it a few months and I will have completed the transformation from full-on summer oil slick to a winter-fied combination complexion, but in the meantime I know I'm going to be a bit out of sorts.

That being said, I've learned a thing or two about skincare over the years, and this time around I'm much better prepared. The secret? I'm keeping an arsenal of face masks on hand for combating whatever crazy turn my face decides to take next. Feeling a bit parched? Got a mask for that. Pores looking clogged? Got a mask for that. Need to calm some irritation and redness? Okay, you get the picture.

While I've got a considerable number of awesome face masks at the ready, today I've got five cream-of-the-crop selections to share that'll help you tackle your different skin concerns. So whether you're going to spend the next month doing damage control like me, or just love having an extra excuse for 20 minutes of me-time each week, hopefully one of these picks will help you out!

SimplyScrub Body Scrub Review

*PR Samples

In today's day and age of beauty, it seems that more and more brands are constantly trying to do it all. Companies are launching entire new collections left and right, to the point where it's almost overwhelming. Not only can I not keep up, but I also start to seriously question whether or not everything we're seeing is up to the same standards of previous launches.

That being said, to be introduced to a brand that does one thing, but that does it so well, is an entirely refreshing change of pace. That brand, my lovely readers, is called SimplyScrub. As their name so clearly suggests, SimplyScrub is all about delivering you quality, 100% organic body scrubs that won't cost you an arm and a leg. They have four delicious formulas to choose from, each with a slightly different flair, but all providing the same intensely hydrating, skin smoothing benefits. They ever so graciously sent me all four scents to try and review for you all (two in full sized jars, and two in samples) and I'm finally ready to report back on how they turned out!

Promise Organic Argan Body Collection

As an ingredient-conscious, green-leaning beauty blogger there's nothing that gets me more excited  than products packed full of natural goodness. Unfortunately, organic beauty can be as expensive as it is smart, and (much like a trip to Whole Foods) can put a serious dent in your bank account. Every time I consider spending $58 on a 1 oz jar of Tata Harper's Resurfacing Mask the cries of desperation from my wallet keep me from pulling the trigger. I know from experience that its a total quality product, but that kind of premium is just way out of the price range of so many people (myself included).

Fortunately, budget-friendly green beauty brands are starting to pop up in drugstores around the country, and I for one am totally stoked about it. One of my newest obsessions is Promise Organic. Sold exclusively at CVS with all products under the $15 mark, Promise Organic is making ingredient-conscious beauty easily accessible to everyone. Their products are packed full of naturally-sourced, powerhouse ingredients that would easily have you thinking they cost three times as much as they do. I honestly don't know how they've managed to stay under the radar for so long, because everything I've tried from the brand has seriously impressed me!

Skincare Week: An Intro to Facial Oils

When it comes to skincare trends, face oils are currently having a bit of a moment. It seems like every other day there's a new nut or plant or tree that's being pressed into the latest and greatest luxury oil (although I'm sure the communities where they are coming from have been utilizing them already for years). As someone who within the last decade was terrified of anything with the word "oil" in it, embracing this skincare trend was another counterintuitive step towards getting my face in check. I'm definitely still in the process of learning what differentiates one oil from the next, and if there is such a thing as a "best" oil for my particular skin.

Skincare Week: Masks & Peels for All Your Skin Concerns

Let's be real. Most of our lives are crazy busy. Whether you've got midterms to study for, kids running around, a 10 hour shift to work, or a social calendar with very little wiggle room, a lot of us understand the struggle to find a little me-time. And while the idea of heading off to the spa for a weekly facial might sound glorious, most of us don't have the time or money to indulge in that kind of fantasy. That being said, if you can find 10 minutes in your week to incorporate a face mask or peel into your bedtime skincare routine, both your brain and your body will seriously reap the benefits. Even with an awesome regime of cleansing and moisturizing, sometimes our skin needs a little extra boost of exfoliation, hydration, or nourishment to look and feel its best.

These face masks and peels are some of my personal favorites, and address a number of skin concerns, from dryness to dullness to congestion or hyperpigmentation. Most of them take less than 10 minutes to use and are surprisingly easy to make time for. As a quick aside, some of these masks and peels contain absolutely zero physical exfoliants, while others of them do. If you're currently suffering from active acne, I'd recommend steering clear of any kind of skincare product with physical exfoliants, as they can irritate blemishes and unintentionally spread bacteria, worsening the problem. A mask with a chemical exfoliant (AHAs, glycolic acid, fruit enzymes, etc.) on the other hand, breaks down and removes dead skin and debris in a more gentle way. Just remember that prescription acne treatments can sensitize your skin, and if you're under the care of a dermatologist, you may want to check with them before adding any kind of product like this to your skincare routine!

Skincare Week: Rethink Your Cleansing Game

When it comes to skincare, perhaps the most basic and essential step is washing your face. We all know that dirt, grime, pollutants, and makeup build up on our skin throughout the day, and that letting them sit there (especially while we sleep) can lead to breakouts, congestion, and irritation. That being said, how you go about cleansing can do just as much harm as good. A lot cleansers on the market contain harsh, irritating ingredients that strip your skin of essential moisture and throw it out of balance.

My fellow oily and acne-proned people will understand this struggle, as so many cleansers geared towards our skin type are the worst offenders. If you've ever felt that "squeaky clean" feeling after you've finished washing your face, you know what I mean. Your face feels dry as the Sahara for a few hours, and then the oil returns with a vengeance. It's an endless cycle, perpetuated by tricksy marketing ploys. Oils are not your enemy! Especially if you have oily skin. Your face needs sebum to protect itself from the elements. Sure it can be annoying when you've got way more than is necessary, but your skin will never learn how to regulate itself better if you keep washing all of it away.

These 5 cleansers have completely changed the way I think about washing my face. You'll notice a few common threads between them. They're gentle, suitable for all skin types, and free of irritating ingredients. They're also primarily made of oils, butters, and other nourishing ingredients that might seem totally unsuitable for an oily skinned gal like myself. But since I've made the switch over to gentle, hydrating cleansers, my skin has only been transformed for the better. I've got less breakouts, less congestion, and my skin generally gets less oily throughout the day. Each one of these formulas has its own unique benefits, while still being friendly to any skin type. Hopefully at least one of them piques your curiosity!

Treat Yourself to All Natural Luxury With Tokyo Factory

I've been having a bit of a moment lately with all natural beauty products. Crafted with pure, simple, powerful ingredients and no artificial nastiness, green beauty is kind of a no-brainer. Now, I haven't made the transition to being 100% green, but when given the option I definitely find myself leaning towards the natural or organic option. One of my latest all-natural beauty discoveries is Tokyo Factory. This LA-based company handcrafts gorgeous, artisan soaps, skincare, and candles that are not only all-natural, but also vegan and cruelty-free.

I was clued into this amazing brand by Oly Shamrik over at TLV Birdie Blog, which has quickly become my go-to source for green beauty reviews. Oly's aesthetic is blow-your-mind gorgeous, and her posts are informative and lovely to read. If you've got a spare minute I highly recommend heading over to her site and taking a look around, although you may find it easy to totally get sucked in and lose track of time! TLV Birdie also hosts a number of really incredible giveaways, which is also how this post came to be. I wouldn't call myself a particularly lucky person, so when I found out that I was the winner of this amazing bundle of Tokyo Factory goodies I was completely shocked and overjoyed. After having a good month or so to test and play with everything I'm really excited to share my thoughts with you all.

Maple Holistics Lavender Hybrid Bath Soak and Vitamin C Serum Reviews*

It's amazing how much junk we're tempted to put into our bodies on a day to day basis. Processed foods, sugary drinks, artificial dyes and flavorings - they're everywhere you turn (and sometimes in incredibly sneaky places). Take your beauty products, for example. If you were to reach into your bathroom cabinet and grab out of bottle, how likely would it be that the ingredients list on the back would be full of fillers and chemicals that you can't pronounce? Now, I'm not one to judge, as I too have tried my fair share of non-natural beauty products. However I find myself getting the most excited about the ones that are full of essential oils, plant butters, and other vitamin and nutrient rich ingredients that I know I can feel good about using.

Which of course is why I enthusiastically accepted Maple Holistics offer to let me try out a few of their products. Using the finest natural ingredients possible, their products are formulated to provide a number of therapeutic benefits for your body from head to toe. As an avid bath lover, I had to give their Lavender Hybrid Salts a try, and their Vitamin C Serum sounded delightful. I've been using them both for a few weeks now and have totally fallen in love!

A Little Bit of Luxury: Korres Wild Rose Vitamin C Petal Peel

*This post contains affiliate links.

We all know taking good care of our skin is important. Too many days of damaging sun and nights where we fail to take off our makeup from exhaustion can lead to breakouts, congestion, or signs of aging and stress. To keep your skin looking and feeling its best, it's important to invest in a skincare routine. Not just money wise, but time and consistency wise. Making it a habit to cleanse your skin morning and night, using SPF, and moisturizing are the absolute basics, but incorporating a mask or peel can also make a world of difference. When I saw the recently launched Korres Wild Rose Vitamin C Petal Peel ($64) on the Sephora website I was immediately intrigued. This at-home chemical peel uses Alpha Hydroxy Acids to help dissolve away dead skin, dirt, and excess sebum, leaving your skin feeling fresh and refined. With a price tag over $60 its definitely a splurgey product, however if you consider the cost of a single facial you might get at a spa it actually seems quite reasonable. Plus, doing this kind of treatment at home means that you know exactly what is going on your skin!

Coola SPF 30 Makeup Setting Spray Review

It's no surprise that I seriously enjoy testing out beauty products. But when you get to the point where you feel like you've seen it all and tried it all, it gets harder and harder to get excited about new launches. There are only so many neutral eyeshadow palettes, felt-tipped black eyeliner pens, and matte lipsticks you can try before everything starts to look and feel the same. After a while you start wondering if you're mumbling "long-wearing...buttery...opaque finish..." in your sleep. Once in a while, though, a brand will come out with something innovative, something mind-blowing and revolutionary. Something that has people saying "I MUST TRY THIS" and impulsively pressing the "add to cart" button on the Sephora website. Hence where I'm going with this super rambley rant of mine. The COOLA SPF30 Makeup Setting Spray ($36) is one of those could-be-genius beauty products that I couldn't wait to get my hands on. A lightweight spray that locks down makeup AND provides you with SPF? You've got to admit, it sounds pretty brilliant. And after a few weeks worth of use, it's finally time to let you know whether or not I got myself excited for good reason.

La Bella Figura Nourishing Body Elixir & Travel Therapy Botanical Mood Booster Reviews

Happy Friday, friends! It's been a loooong week and I am more than ready for 5:00pm to get here. On a slightly happier note, I wanted to share something awesome that happened last week. There are tons of amazing giveaways happening constantly on Instagram, and I try to enter as many as I see. I figure, even if the chances are small, you can't win if you don't try! However, fortune was apparently smiling up on me because I was lucky enough to win a prize from BeauTeaBar during one of their recent loop giveaways! First off, I think it had to be fate that this particular shop was the one I ended up winning from because they are all about natural, good for you beauty products and tea. You know, just two of my favorite things on the planet. I had never heard of BeauTeaBar before learning about them through the loop, and I'm so glad that I did! I've been perusing their website and everything about it is fabulous. They have a great selection of products for sale that will please any ingredient conscious shopper, and Marissa, the shop's founder, seems fierce, fantastic, and totally down to earth. I'd have tea with her any day!

The prize I won from the BeauTeaBar shop was a duo of La Bella Figura goodies valued at $140! I felt so lucky to have received such a generous prize and couldn't wait for it to arrive.

Michael Todd Beauty Mask Madness Review

Winter has been INTENSE in New England this year. Giant snowstorms are apparently the new weekly thing, and the temperatures have been sustaining themselves at what feels like sub-artic levels. My poor skin feels like it's constantly taking a beating, between stuck indoors with stale, super dry air, alternating with being exposed to frostbite inducing winds every time I need to venture out of the house. Fortunately my bestie gifted me an amazing set of masks from Michael Todd Beauty for Christmas, which I've been using on the regular to keep dry, irritated, and generally cranky skin at bay.

9 Natural Beauty Brands You Should Be Trying

As a self-proclaimed beauty junkie I've tried A LOT of different products over the years. While there are a lot of things I consider when writing a review (packaging, performance, and cost, to name a few) I've been more conscious than ever about what is on the ingredients list. So many companies opt to use potentially harmful chemicals and substances in their products to lower their manufacturing costs. As someone who cares about what I'm putting on and into my body I've started to gravitate toward natural and organic beauty brands that offer quality products that I can feel good about using. Here's a quick look at 9 of my favorite companies and some of the products I've tried.