Cassie DeNisco

Sephora Skincare Haul

July 20, 2020

After a long 3 months of no Sephora, I went all out the second I could get back into a store on a Sephora skincare haul. Some of these products I just needed to repurchase and others were brand new for me to try. Quarantine opened my eyes to the importance of taking care of your skin so that was what drew me to this major Sephora Skincare Haul for summer.

Clinique Clarifying Lotion $27

This product was a repurchase for me. I love using this as a toner because I feel like it helps to really leave my skin clean and exfoliated. I used to use the Clinique three step line but I found that this product is the real winner for me and my skin.

Drunk Elephant T.L.C Serum $90

I went through all of quarantine without this Drunk Elephant product and I realized how much I miss it. This T.L.C serum seriously changed my skin. I put this on at night before bed and I wake up with the smoothest skin. The price tag is pretty high but for the fact that this helps me reset my skin in one night, I will continue to rebuy.

Sephora Brightening Eye Cream $17

I have tried the Sephora skin line before and you can see my review of it here but I didn’t get around to trying this product. I noticed that I don’t really need help with fine lines so I wanted to make sure I was using a brightening product. The reviews seem really great and I love how affordable this product is.

Sephora Collection Nourishing Moisturizer $17

Similar to the product above, I haven’t tried the moisturize by Sephora yet. I used to use their All Day Hydrator but I was looking for something less sticky. This product is so affordable and the reviews online were awesome. I’m hoping it’s not heavy or too tacky, which was something I didn’t like about the hydrator.

Ouai Treatment Masque $32

This isn’t a skincare product but I used the Olaplex hair mask but found it was too expensive for no real results. I heard really great things about this masque and was hoping to replace the Olaplex one with this in my hair care routine.

Supergoop! Unseen Sunscreen $34

Wear your sunscreen kids!! Whether it’s summer or not, sunscreen is so important and something I wasn’t taking seriously. I found all sunscreens to be way too heavy or leaving a weird feeling on my skin. The reviews for this product were amazing and seemed to state this does the opposite of everything I hate about normal sunscreens so I’m excited to give this a try.

Brazilian Bum Bum Cream Mini $20

Shout out to Sephora for honoring Quarantine birthdays! I did not purchase this, it was my birthday reward but I am so pumped to try it. I honestly have heard nothing but great things about this product. It helps to firm your skin so I was happy to choose it as my birthday gift.

I hope my Sephora skincare haul for summer inspires you to try a new product. I have spoken in the past on my blog about how important skin care is when you’re young so it’s never too late to start. Let me know if you’ve tried any of these products or if you have any Sephora recommendations!

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My Updated Skincare Routine

July 6, 2020

Last summer at the start of my blog, I shared my 2019 skincare routine, which you can find here. This summer I’m back with some of the same products and new ones that I am absolutely obsessed with for an updated skincare routine. Keeping your skin healthy from an early age is so important and having a good skincare routine early on will set you up for success.

Face Wash

Finding a good face wash for your skin type is hard, so I stopped trying. I went back to my tried and true product, Cetaphil and it really just does the job. It cleanses my skin, doesn’t break me out, and is super gentle. I highly recommend this is you have sensitive skin like me because I kept finding that other face washes would leave my skin either way too dry or break me out.

Toner

I am still using my Clinique toner. This just really does the job and helps to exfoliate my skin. I did attempt to make the change to witch hazel but after some research, I realized it wasn’t going to help my skin in the long run. I use the cotton rounds and apply this after I wash my face and my skin is left soft and clean.

Moisturizer

I switch up my moisturizer depending on the time of day. In the morning, I love to use the Clinique Dramatically Different Gel moisturizer. I love this one because its light and for the summer, does the job but isn’t too thick. At night, or after being in the sun for too long, I use the Drunk Elephant whipped cream. This is thick so I use it at night to reset my skin for the next day.

Eye Cream

I actually got this eye cream for free to try and I fell in love with it. The name might sound weird but this algae eye cream by Biossance is literally so good. It’s thick and feels amazing on the skin. I am absolutely obsessed with it. I love a thicker eye cream because it just feels like its working better than one thats thinner.

Other Face Products

Other products that I love but aren’t a part of my daily skincare routine are my jade roller, face brush, and face steamer. I love using these products once or a few times a week to help reset my skin. Facial steam once a week helps to open my pores and get out impurities. I like to jade roll in the mornings to help with puffiness and I try to use electric face brush a few times a week to exfoliate. One other products that I have been loving is an eyelash serum. I got this one from Amazon, and it absolutely has helped my lashes grow!

Skincare is so important and is something that you should start early. Creating good habits while you’re young will help to alleviate some problems as you age. What is something that’s a part of your skincare routine that you can’t live without?

Follow me on Instagram @cassiedenisco !

Moisturizers for Winter You Need

November 17, 2019

If you live in the North East then you know that it’s way too cold for November. Now of course we’re supposed to start having colder weather but this is just way too soon. I’m not here for it. Just this past week we had wind chills in the single digits!! With the change in temperature brings changes in your skin and the need for moisturizers for winter. Most of our household heat sources cause our skin to be extremely dry and just being out in the cold leads to your skin just not being great. I’ve found that having thick moisturizers for winter are key to keep skin hydrated and looking great. Here are my top 3 for winter:

Drunk Elephant Lala Retro Whipped Cream $60

This is actually a new favorite of mine. I only recently found this moisturizer but I absolutely love it. It definitely is very thick so I like to only use it at night when trying to really reset my skin but I wake up with a glowy, supple skin. It is pricy but a little truly goes a long way with this product. I highly recommend this moisturizer if you have really rough dry skin in the winter.

2. Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizer $27

This is my all time favorite go to moisturizer. I use this both in the summer and winter. It’s a really light moisturizer but it gets the job done. I like to use it in the morning for winter when I don’t want my face to feel so heavy with so many products. It definitely helps to make your skin look and feel different. It a real bang for you buck and lasts forever because you just need a dime size amount to moisturize your entire face!

3. Sephora All Day Hydrator $16

I wrote my Sephora Skin care review in June and I am still in love with this product. It is very light similar to the Clinique but it does keep my skin feeling hydrated all day which is what the product claims to do. It’s so inexpensive that I highly suggest you just try it out and see how you feel about it becau nse it is really great. I find myself wanting it to be a bit thicker when I put it on but it is a great morning product! Shop here!

Whether you try them all or just one, remember that moisturizers are the key to keeping your skin healthy for winter. Maintaining moisture is essential in the dry months of winter so finding your go to moisturizers for winter are essential. Skin care needs to be an all year round process, especially during the winter so be sure to love your skin a little extra in those months!

I hope this is helpful when trying to navigate the crazy world of skin care products. There are so many great products but these are all my top go to products. Stay hydrated and warm this winter!

My Fall Night Routine

November 3, 2019

Fall is totally my favorite time of year because of the change in weather. Summer is fun but the coziness of fall is my absolute favorite. My first night routine post was pre puppy so everything is so different now. I thought it would be fun to show you my chill fall night routine. Here’s a night in my life!

10/30/19

I get home different times from dance but the first thing I always do is take a shower. Because I’m a dance teacher and I’m moving around for my job, it’s inevitable that I’m going to need to shower. After that I start my dinner. Usually I’ll have already meal prepped for it, meaning that I have already cut up the veggies and the meat and just need to throw it all in the oven. Prepping it beforehand seriously makes like so much easier and it helps me to make sure that I’m eating healthy. While we eat, we like to feed Sky too around 7. This ensures that she eats but also that she won’t be around begging us for food. She usually doesn’t but just in case she decides to start that habit she can’t.

After dinner in my fall night routine, I like to hop right into skin and hair care. Usually while we eat I like to keep my hair up in a towel. It soaks up the water and then I use the It’s a 10 leave in conditioner to detangle it. I really love it because it makes my hair so smooth. It also acts as a heat protectant for when I’ll style my hair in the morning. After that, I’ll always wash my face in the shower so I start using my Drunk Elephant and Clinique products. I use my Clinique toner first and then go in with Drunk Elephant’s T.L.C Framboos and Eye cream. Skin care is so important so no matter how tired you are make sure you get to it!!

Once all of that is done in my fall night routine, it’s finally time to walk Sky and head to bed to watch a show. Since I’m writing this in October we did watch American Horror Story and Halloweentown High last night to get us in the Halloween spirit. Sky will usually head right to bed once I put her in my bed which means that I have time to actually sit and watch a show without her running around and being her crazy little self. I usually will walk her one more time around 10pm before bed and then I’m in bed before 10:30 since someone likes to wake up at 7am.

I hope you enjoyed reading my fall night routine! It’s pretty chill and relaxing which I need after a long day with the puppy, school, work, and my internship. Let me know in the comments below if you do anything special for your fall night routine.

Follow me on Instagram: @cassiedenisco !

My October Favorites

October 30, 2019

I cannot believe that October is practically over as I write this. October was such a fun first month with Sky but was also a month where I found a lot of my new favorite things! I’ve put together my list of October favorites that you totally need to try in November!

Clinque Extra Gentle Cleansing Foam

If you read my skincare routine, then you know that I am obsessed with my Clinique face wash. I recently stumbled across this new version with foam and I fell in love. I feel like it does such a better job of cleaning my face. I love to use this with my face brush and I swear that my face is so smooth every time.

Yogi Detox Tea

I’ve recently been more into having tea before bed because it is getting so cold. I love this detox tea because I feel like it helps me digest all the food I’ve eaten during the day and I often wake up not bloated. I know some detox teas do a number on your stomach, but this one doesn’t seem to do anything crazy to me except make me less bloated.

Wild Fable Puffer Jacket

Okay, I know that I just uploaded my favorite fall jackets post, but I didn’t have this amazing one yet. Target seriously does it again with this one. This jacket was only $30 and is so trendy and cute. It’s the perfect mix between comfy puffer and boxy cute jacket. For the price, run don’t walk to Target for this one!!

Good and Gather Snacks

I am obsessed with Target’s new healthy line of food. Good and Gather from Target is all organic and is seriously so yummy. The apple cinnamon bars remind me of a fig newton but like with apple pie filling. I also think these Lemon Bars are so yummy and might be even better than Rx bars. These bars were definitely cheaper and their whole line is worth checking out.

Purple Halloween Lights

These lights added a fun glow to my room for all of those October nights watching a Halloween movie. I actually think I might leave them up at least until before Christmas because I love these. I wanted to include them here because they might go on sale after Halloween!

Selena Gomez’s New Music

This is a more recent favorite but I am absolutely obsessed with Selena’s new songs. I’ve been listening to them non-stop. Younger me is living for the Bieber Gomez drama and the fact that she dropped some awesome songs about it just makes it even better. Follow me here on Apple Music!

Thanks for reading my October favorites. October was such a fun month and I am literally obsessed with all of these awesome products that I have tried. Let me know in the comments below what your October favorites were or if you’ve tried any of mine!

Follow me on Instagram: @cassiedenisco

Fall Foundations I Can’t Live Without

October 20, 2019

Something I rarely talk about here on the blog is makeup. I definitely don’t wear it that often but I find myself in the winter putting it on more often. I self-tan a lot over the winter and I also just feel like no matter what you do, your skin is just duller in the winter. Although I am wearing foundation, I make sure it’s still clean and not too heavy. There is literally nothing I hate more then a thick and cakey foundation that you’ll wear on your skin all day. Most of my favorite foundations are actually CC creams or tinted moisturizers because they provide coverage but they’re not too heavy. Choosing your fall foundations might be hard but it’s so important to set your skin up for success in the winter.

Disclaimer: I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

It Cosmetics CC Cream

This seriously is my go to winter foundation. It helps to keep my skin moisturized in the winter months and gives me some coverage to help with the dullness in my skin. Buyers beware though, the shade range is very little. I wear Light but honestly it only looks great when I’m self tanned. I like to apply this with a beauty blender because I feel like it helps to blend it out much easier.

Tarte Amazonian Clay

Don’t be afraid of this foundations because it may look like full coverage. I find that if I use a little bit, it not only covers but its also not cakey at all. This foundation is seriously one of my favorites of all time because it’s create in the summer and winter. It’s super moisturizing for those winter months which is something that I really like to have. If I’m using it in the summer, I just apply extra setting powder and I know I’m good for the day. Highly suggest trying this one out and this has a much wider shade range. I also like to apply this with a beauty blender.

Bare Minerals Complexion Rescue

Bare Minerals is definitely stepping up their game and coming into modern times. I used to use Bare when I was in middle school and needed something for my sensitive skin. Now I like Bare minerals because of how light coverage this foundation is. I really think that this is merely a tinted moisturizer but it is so great. It’s not heavy on my skin at all and it feels like its barely there. This product is also awesome because it comes in a gel formula and also a face stick. Seriously an amazing product and definitely a go to for a fall foundations.

As you can tell, my reoccuring theme is that I do not like heavy coverage foundations. If I’m going to wear makeup, I want something that’s barely there and these are definitely my top three. Fall foundations are so important because as the air gets cooler, your skin starts to need more moisture. By choosing a lighter, more moisturizing fall foundation, you’re sure to keep your skin happy and healthy all winter long!

Check out my latest Blog Post here!

Face Masks for Glowing Skin

July 14, 2019

My favorite part of a Sunday night is easily a face mask. I love resetting my skin with a face mask because they help to purify your skin and reveal your healthy, glowing skin. With so many face masks on the market these days, it’s easy to get overwhelmed when you walk into Sephora or Ulta to try to pick one out. I have tried so many types of face masks and products and these are my top 3 face mask brands for healthy, glowing skin.

GlamGlow:

I think the name says it all. I love these face masks because they are some of the best products I have ever tried. I love their Supermud mask because it really helps to clear up your skin. I like to leave it on for like 30 minutes and when you’re ready to take it off, you can start to see how it sinks into your pores and really helps to clean them out. Sometimes I’ll use the Supermud as a spot treatment as well because its really great at clearing up acne. GlamGlow masks are super expensive so I highly suggest you get the small sample kit, Glow Essentials Masks, so that you can try them out and see which mask you love the most.

Drunk Elephant:

I may sound like a broken record but Drunk Elephant products are AMAZING. This baby facial mask really helps to perfect my skin and help even it out. It does tingle a bit when I apply it but I kind of like it because it feels like its working. I put this mask on for like 20 minutes and any little bumps or imperfections on my skin will disappear by the morning. This face mask is pricy, I’m not going to lie to you but I think its worth it for you to give it a shot.

Sephora Collection :

I am obsessed with this mud mask! For the price, it really is a steal because it leaves my skin so bright and glowing. This mask reminds me a bit of the Supermud by GlamGlow so you might want to check this one out before you make the commitment to the Supermud. I do caution though that this one is definitely not as powerful at skin clearing as the Glam Glow mask but I literally love this mask because it does exactly what I want a mask to do. After using it my skin is left so soft and looking amazing.

Neutrogena:

Now I know that a lot of us are college kids on a budget who prefer to not break the bank on a face mask which is why I tried out this clay/cleanser mask from Neutrogena. I was seriously impressed with this mask. It does exactly what it says it will do on the package. I also love that its super affordable and you get a lot of product for the price. I also thought it was super cool that you can use this as a cleanser too because when wet it turns into a milky, creamy soap to wash off.

I am so obsessed with all of these face mask! They seriously are the best in helping to reset my skin and give it that glow that I’m looking for. Let me know if you’ve tried out any of these products in the comments below!

My Simple Skin Care Routine

June 26, 2019

I have always gotten compliments about my skin. From the even skin tone to the smooth complexion, people always ask me what I do to maintain it. My skin care routine is so simple that when I tell people they are seriously baffled. Let’s see what you think!

Step 1: Clinique Liquid Face Soap

I use this product morning and night as my primary face wash. I love it because it’s not scented and seriously cleans my skin. In the morning I’ll put a dime size amount of this product on my face brush and massage it into my skin for about a minute. At night, I’m usually super lazy and just rub this into my skin with my hands and then rinse it off. I always make sure to pat dry with a towel and not rub my face.

Step 2: Clinique Clarifying Lotion Exfoliator

This product might sound like a moisturizer but it’s not. I use it as a toner with my little cotton rounds morning and night. I love wiping my day off and actually seeing all the dirt and grossness coming off my skin. This product is pretty tough but they make a gentler one for more sensitive skin.

Step 3: Drunk Elephant Serums

It should be no surprise that the final step in my skin routine is Drunk Elephant. I use the T.L.C Framboos Serum at night and the B Hydra Serum in the morning. I seriously cannot get over how amazing these products are. I know how expensive they can be but they’re clean beauty and have seriously transformed my skin.

Other than the these 4 products, I don’t usually use anything else. On an occasion I’ll use a face mask from Sephora Collection, Glam Glow or Drunk Elephant but sometimes I find that face masks actually break me out. For break outs I love using the Mario Badescu drying lotion. Putting a small amount on a Q Tip and sleeping with it on my breakout literally helps it to reduce in size and redness over night.

Another major step in my skin routine is water. I can’t stress enough that water is key to clear, healthy skin. Seriously, if you don’t believe me then believe the results I’ve had. Drinking water is not only good for you but great for your skin. Water and these products has turned into my skin care holy grail. I very rarely find products that work as well as these do so I will never trade them! Just a reminder that drinking water is key but all skin types are different . These are only my results and may or may not be the same results you have.

4 Ways to Heal Your Sunburn Fast

June 18, 2019

I get asked all the time how I get so tan over the summer. I used to lay out in the sun with only tanning oil on but once I became more aware of the harmful effects of sun damage to your skin, I quickly made skin care my top priority. This post is dedicated to healing that painful sunburn that we all get a least once a summer.

Quality Sun Tan Lotion

Let me tell you, this may seem like the most obvious tip but a lot of people don’t take the quality of their sunscreen into consideration. Quality suntan lotion is generally a little more pricy then the cheap stuff but it is so worth the cost. For example, this Hawaiian Tropic’s sunscreen has built in moisturizers so that even if your skin starts to burn, it has moisturizer on it to start working fast to reduce the burn. I also love Sun Bum’s products as well. It’s important that you’re getting quality suntan lotions so that you can prevent the burns before they happen and prevent long term skin damage.

2. Don’t Exfoliate or Peel Your Skin

It might be extremely tempting to sit and peel off that dead skin or use an exfoliating scrub in the shower but DON’T DO IT!! Stripping off that dead skin prior to it naturally coming off will leave your skin extremely damaged and stripped of the moisture that it needs to recover. That dead skin is helping retain the moisture that your skin will need to heal. You can purchase Sun Balm’s to apply to the peeling skin that can help speed up the process of your the dead skin coming off if you don’t like the way it looks.

3. Moisturize Immediately

I swear by this tip to keep my skin tan and not getting burnt. Even if I’m red after being out in the sun, whenever I get out of it I make sure to use an “after sun” moisturizer that is designed to help replenish what my skin lost from being out all day. Moisturizing is your best friend in the summer and so many people neglect this step. I really believe that moisturizing after I get out of the sun and using a sun lotion infused with moisturizer, I get the best tans that are long lasting.

4. Solarcaine

I was so surprised when people have never heard of this product. Solar Cane is basically used like aloe except its in a spray bottle and is cooling when applied. I don’t like to use aloe because it’s too sticky for me and also rubbing damaged skin isn’t the best idea. This product does the job of aloe except works so much better for some reason. I’ve seen people who get the worst sunburns put this on right after being in the sun and they’re not even pink. I highly recommend getting this and adding it to your after sun routine. It also will help take away the pain and burning sensation that sunburn leaves.

I also just want to put out a disclaimer that being out in the sun all day is not good for you. I love laying out and getting tan but as I get older, I realize more and more how harmful sun rays can be to your skin. A once in awhile sunburn is not the end of the world but please be cautious this summer because sun damage is irreversible.

My Productive Morning Routine

June 12, 2019

It took me so long to get to this point of actually enjoying my mornings, so if I can get into a productive routine in the morning so can you!

7:00am

I start every morning at 7:00am regardless of if I have anything major planned for the day or not. I find waking up every morning at the same time helps me to fall asleep around the same time every night. It helps me to regulate my sleep schedule and start my day. I always make sure to have some water as soon as I wake up to jumpstart my day.

7:30am

I’m not going to lie to you, the first thirty minutes to an hour of my day are spent in bed on my phone. I know it’s a terrible habit to have but it’s just the perfect opportunity to get it out of the way and not get distracted by my phone throughout the day. As soon as I finish on my phone, I immediately make my bed. This step is so important if you’re one who has trouble getting out of bed. Get up and make your bed so that you aren’t tempted to get back in it!

7:45am

By this point in the morning, I am usually awake enough to wash my face. I start with my Clinque face wash on my facial brush. Then I use the Clinque toner that matches my face wash with a little cotton round. I finish off my face routine with the Drunk Elephant B-Hydra Serum. I don’t typically use make up so I find that this skin combo leaves my face with a really great glow for the day. While I’m here, I’ll typically brush my teeth at this point too.

8:00am

I typically like to workout in the morning on an empty stomach so when I’m getting dressed and ready for the day, I’ll put on my workout gear for either a workout class, at home workout, or if I’m going to the gym. I like working out in the morning because it gets me pumped for the day and I get it out of the way.

9:30am

After whatever workout I end up doing, I’ll sometimes shower depending on what it was. Because I workout again at night in the dance classes that I teach, I’ll generally do strength training in the morning since I’m doing cardio at night. After that I’ll get fully dressed for the day and do something to my hair.

10:00am

My morning has already been so busy but by 10 am I’m sitting down at my desk either doing work for clients, writing blogs posts, or doing lesson plans for my dance class that night. During the school year, all of my classes are online so I’ll substitute this work for my homework. I’ll usually work until like 3pm so that I have enough time to get ready for whatever classes I’m teaching.

11:30am

Like I said in my what I eat in a day, I intermittent fast and food combine so by this point in the day I like to have my bowl of fruit as my breakfast. I think by this point my day turns into full work mode so my day starts to shift from morning to afternoon really quickly.

I hope my little morning routine inspires you to wake up early and be productive. Keep in mind, by 11:30 I’m usually already done with 50 oz of water. The morning doesn’t have to be such an annoying part of the day that everyone hates. Doing little things like spending some time scrolling on your phone or getting a morning workout in help to make it more fun and make you want to wakeup everyday. Don’t forget to subscribe down below so you stay updated with all my latest posts!

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