North 7th & Bedford

Let me preface this post by saying that I got ALL of these things for free – this isn’t a sponsored post! It’s rare that I get something for nothing and end up loving it. Don’t get me wrong, I love free things! (Who doesn’t?!). But I know my taste and usually prefer to shop for myself when it comes to scent, lip color or any type of facial product. That said, here are the things that have been on constant repeat in my daily beauty routine and I didn’t pay a dime for…

1. Milk Cooling Water – I got this for free the other day from UrbanOutfitters which was incredibly fitting because I’ve been having a lot of under eye problems. The skin under my eyes feels a little rough and when I wake up my eyes feel puffy. Cue Milk Cooling Water…fused with seawater and caffeine in a gel stick presentation to depuff and give you a nice glow. Pro tip: throw it in the fridge that way it feels extra cool when you apply.
2. Glossier Generation G – Okay, who isn’t obsessed with Glossier, right? I use their Haloscope pretty much every single day. However, a few days ago my work friend Maggie from Life On Broome came to my desk with a gift in hand. She had ordered Generation G in color Zip but didn’t love the color so she wondered if maybe I wanted it…duh, of course! I have been wearing it almost every day and I love it. It’s long lasting and small enough to throw into any pouch I’m carrying around. Forever grateful, Maggie!
3. Benefit They’re Real – I used to buy this mascara ALL the time and then somehow just stopped. However, the other day I was at Sephora and they threw in a free sample of it. I’m hooked again! The volume, length, curl and definition this mascara gives is awesome. My good friend Melissa mentioned how she likes this mascara too but it dries out too quickly. We came to this conclusion…buy the travel size version!
4. Diptyque L’Ombre dans l’Eau – This amazing rose and blackcurrant scent came to me via my friend Gabrielle over at LeBrooklynette. The smell reminds me of a beautiful flower garden and makes me feel like I’m in a Joseph Kahn video. Thanks, G, for making me feel like a million bucks.
5. Hourglass Girl Lip Stylo – Yet another Sephora freebie. I guess I had a lot of points to use? Anyway, I was offered this lip stylo in the Peacemaker colorway and I was SO close to saying no but I am so happy I said yes. The color is like nothing I would ever buy – very neutral – but I love it! I tend to go for reds or orange lip colors but this one has become a staple for me. I thought because of my darker skin tone it wouldn’t look good but I’m a neutral believer now.

What products have you been loving lately?