By Audra H. Anders for The Aha! Connection
Recently the Aha! Style Editor and I were lucky enough to celebrate a mini empty-nester spring break weekend in Houston, TX with our hubbies… The weather was excellent, the food was delicious, and the shopping….well it was hilarious. She has more style and shopping savvy in her pinky finger than I have in my whole body!
But neither of us had any idea that in Houston’s Rice Village pretty much every store offers free tequila shots to shoppers and a fair amount of them have singing cowboys with guitars that serenade you while you shop. I am not kidding. We also had GLUTEN FREE NUTELLA CREPES for an afternoon snack. Pure heaven.
We shared an excellent authentic Oaxcan Mexican meal (and $30 margaritas—yes they are a thing and one is PLENTY) at Xochi with our hubbies and another couple and then an amazing post baseball game dinner outside at Hungry’s. We highly recommend both for those of you planning to travel to Houston anytime soon.
But back to shopping….
I had asked for anti-wrinkle advice and the next thing you know we are in Sephora and she and a lovely Houston Sephora employee are dabbing concealer under my eyes trying to find the right color. It took a while. By the time we got out of there I had bought all the following products and have had so much fun changing up my skin care and make-up routine. I still don’t know what I’m doing but I’m on the right track and hopefully preventing a few wrinkles along the way.
Here’s the list of products…..have fun shopping!
L’Oréal
Voluminous Lash Paradise Primer
L’Oréal’s Voluminous Lash Paradise Primer is a pink-tinted mascara primer that thickens lashes with voluptuous volume and helps to enhance mascara wear.
Benefits
- Thickens lashes for voluptuous volume
- Helps enhance the wear of your mascara
- To use, glide brush from lash base to lash tip, allow primer to dry before applying mascara on top
Click here to purchase at Ulta
Fenty Beauty by Rihanna
Full Frontal Volume, Lift & Curl Mascara
(Recommended by our Houston Sephora friend who had the most naturally beautiful eyelashes I’ve ever seen. We both bought this new mascara!)
What it is: A do-it-all mascara that is designed to expose every lash, featuring an exclusive flat-to-fat brush that instantly volumizes, lifts, lengthens, and curls.
Ingredient Callouts: This product is also cruelty-free and gluten-free.
What Else You Need to Know: Get full-on lashes with this water-resistant formula that is shown to volumize, lengthen, lift, and curl lashes. It features an exclusive flat-to-fat brush: The fat side loads and lifts lashes; the flat side defines and curls. The long-wear formula keeps lashes exposed all day.
tarte
Maracuja Creaseless Undereye Concealer
Highlighted Ingredients:
– Maracuja: Rich in essential fatty acids and vitamin C for firmer, brighter, smoother-looking skin, and exceptional hydration.
– Vitamin C: Provides antioxidant benefits and fights free radicals to diminish visible, premature signs of aging, while brightening skin.
– Vitamin E: A natural preservative that also acts as an emollient and antioxidant.
Ingredient Callouts: Free of parabens, phthalates, mineral oil, and triclosan. This product is also vegan, cruelty-free, and gluten-free.
What Else You Need to Know: Creaseless Concealer completely covers dark circles, hyperpigmentation, redness, pimples, and tattoos. The waterproof formula doesn’t crease or sit in fine lines. It’s also powered by vitamin-C-rich maracuja for brighter, firmer, and smoother-looking skin. This product is dermatologist-tested, hypoallergenic, and waterproof.
LANEIGE
Lip Sleeping Mask
Skin Type: Normal, Dry, Combination, and Oily
Skincare Concerns: Fine Lines/Wrinkles, Dryness, and Dullness
Highlighted Ingredients:
– Berry Mix Complex™: Rich in vitamin C and antioxidants.
– Moisture Wrap™ technology: Locks in moisture for long-lasting hydration.
Ingredient Callouts: Free of parabens and phthalates.
What Else You Need to Know: LANEIGE Lip Sleeping Mask is a special intensive-care mask for lips. With exclusive Moisture Wrap™ Technology and nourishing Berry Mix Complex™, this hydrating lip mask delivers intense moisture and antioxidants while you sleep.
This product is an Allure Best of Beauty award winner.
