For hundreds of years, people have been writing thank you notes for all kinds of reasons: gifts received, dinners cooked, donations made, etc.  Etiquette rules state that it is simply the right thing to do. I agree, so today I’m taking the time to thank some of my very favorite products for making my daily life just a wee bit better. (This being a blog, the online thank you is the only option I have. Having said that, the emailed thank you note simply does not cut it, a hand written card sent via snail mail is always your best bet…but that is another blog altogether).

Let us begin…

#1.  Thank you Origins, for making Vita-Zing an SPF 15 sunscreen that not only protects your face from the suns damaging rays, but also smoothes out your skin so you look like you’ve slept well the night before. This is my go to city sunscreen whether I’m biking on a hot summer day or traveling throughout Europe. A pea sized dot is all you need to cover your face and go. No other makeup is required, you’re protected and your skin looks great.  For $35 it’s ama-zing!

#2.  Thank you, Trish McEvoy for your Flawless Lip Primer.  This product goes on before your lipstick or gloss and it conditions, fills in and smoothes out the texture of your lips so that your lip color lasts and lasts.  This item is colorless so it doesn’t alter the actual color of your lipstick, nor is it concealer-like in texture like some other lip primer products.  Your lips just feel and look great.

#3.  Thank you Fresh twice, for giving us Umbrian clay.  Umbrian Clay Mattifying Mask ($48) and Umbrian Clay Purifying Treatment Bar ($38) are two of my very favorite things to help detoxify my skin. The first of these two products is actually a 3 in 1, not only is it a mask, it can be used as a cleanser and a spot treatment for zits. It’s best for normal to oily skin and has all natural ingredients like chamomile and lavender (to soothe the skin), sandalwood oil (which has astringent properties) and Umbrian clay from Italy which is what detoxifies your skin. If that doesn’t impress the nature lovers out there, the Treatment Bar should knock your socks off (or your zits off,  we are talking complexions here). The bar can also be used as a mask as well as a cleanser, but it’s ingredients are simple: Umbrian Clay! That’s it! That’s all! How’s that for simplicity?

#4.  Most importantly, thank you readers of TRUTHisBEAUT-E for sticking with me during my first year of blogging! I love doing it and I love hearing all of your feedback. Here’s to another year of clean skin,  clear complexions and more blogs of course…

xo Elisa