      My usual Must-Haves list is comprised of designer clothing and accessories that I have-to-have or am lusting over and can't afford. These days, the must-have items on my list are necessary beauty products during a pandemic. Never thought I'd say that! I'm sensitive to scents and hate the smell of hand sanitizer, but it's a necessary product to have on hand! I was so happy when NCLA Beauty launched a small lineup of Hands Clean sanitizer available in lavender, eucalyptus, watermelon and unscented. You can pre-order these little bottles of hand sanitizer at Revolve. I got lip fillers (and botox) a few days before the stay-at-home order came into effect AND my lips are perfect - BUT, now I have to wear a face mask. Enough said! I'm happy to see many of my favorite clothing brands producing face masks - I know the quality is there. I pre-ordered three cute GRLFRND masks at Revolve. The best place to order cheeky, cloth face masks is Etsy. You can also order personalized masks. If you want a hefty mask with replaceable filters, there are many online stores to choose from. I believe face masks will be around for a while and everyone should have at least one. It seems like many people are struggling with DIY beauty these days. Most rely on hair, nail and tanning salons to keep their beauty in check. Fortunately, I prefer to do my own gel nails and apply self tanner at home. I do however get my hair colored every three weeks and had to learn a new skill during these unusual times. dpHUE is my go-to hair coloring brand. The dpHUE root touch-up kit is easy to use, the color is perfect and the solution completely covers roots (even greys). Paired with the dpHUE gloss, this color touch-up duo is perfect for someone who requires single process coloring. I posted a lengthy DIY root touch-up video a few weeks ago - Scroll down a little.. Another necessary step in most beauty routines is waxing or threading the upper lip and eyebrows. The Tweezerman Smooth Finish Facial Hair Remover is an excellent DIY threading tool. You simply twist the handles, while gliding the coil spring along your upper-lip. It's painful, but does a great job removing unwanted hair. You can purchase this Tweezerman beauty tool at Sephora. Being able to do your own nails is a necessary skill to have. You never know when your go-to salons (and the entire world) may close for months! I was introduced to gel nails a few years ago and went to the salon four times before deciding to do it myself. I purchased gel polish in a variety of nude shades, base and top coat polish, remover, foils and an LED nail lamp. My go-to brand is CND. I recently discovered Static Nails. The lineup includes reusable press-on nails (I gotta try these) and long-wear polish that promises to last up to 10 days. The shades are gorgeous and it seems like either one would be easier than applying/removing gel polish. Of course, I have a few items in my cart! Admittedly, I like tanning beds. BUT, the last place I wanna be is baking inside a horizontal UV radiation bed that someone else just laid in. SO, I'm going back to DIY self-tanning. My go-to brand is St. Tropez. I've been using it for years. BUT, as of late, I'm experimenting with new brands. I'm going to apply Luna Bronze Self Tanning Lotion later today.. This process takes a little practice. I suggest purchasing a light color, a tanning mitt and body exfoliator. Read the instructions carefully and stay away from water and excessive activities that will make you sweat for at least 6 hours. Applying self-tanner is a quick way to enhance your stay-at-home skin. On the bright side, if you screw it up, nobody will see it - Unless you post pics. 
Due to stay-at-home regulations and temporary business closures, my hair salon is closed. AHH.. I gotta cover these grays! SO, I'm using the dpHUE Root Touch-Up Kit (black) and am coloring my hair for the first time. I was nervous, BUT the process was easy - I'm beyond happy with the results. I LOVE this DIY hair color kit and highly recommend dpHue. Hmm.. How many people are gonna adopt DIY hair coloring and abandon their monthly salon visit? At home coloring is a fraction of the price AND you don't even have to change out of your pj's. 
Famed beauty vlogger, Farah Dhukai, is one lucky girl. She's absolutely stunning, is blessed with perfect hair, has a widely successful online presence AND her husband created a small product line as a solution to her beauty needs! This girl gets a lot of hate online - people do love to complain. Albeit, she could be a total bitch off camera, but I think her quirky online personality is endearing. She's funny, her DIY beauty tips are unique and her tutorials are super entertaining. I say f**k em! They're just jealous! I'm sure you've heard of Farsali Rose Gold Elixir. The facial oil containing tiny bits of 24-karat gold launched in July 2015. The must-have moisturizer became widely popular on social media. Sephora launched Farsali Rose Gold Elixir and Farsali Unicorn Essence on their website in February 2017 - the Rose Gold Elixir sold out in 24 hours. The popular cosmetic brand is slowly expanding, launched Unicorn Tears (now Unicorn Essence) in 2016 and Sephora launched Farsali Jelly Beam this past January. I'd be happy to test drive any product this company releases.. Farsali Unicorn Essence was originally named Unicorn Tears - umm.. kinda sad! Beauty vloggers and bloggers took to Instagram AGAIN, this time dripping Unicorn Essence or Tears down their face. It's a little weird, but intriguing nevertheless. Unicorn drama aside - this skin enhancing, antioxidant serum contains açaí berry, goji berry, elderberry and blueberry. Combined, these extracts contain anti-aging properties and tons of vitamin C. The water-based formula soaks into your skin nicely, is non-greasy and leaves your skin feeling moisturized. The light solution is a pretty pink with micro sparkles. I guess unicorns cry pink, sparkly tears?! It smells nice too - the light scent is sweet and lingers. I don't love it as much as I do the Rose Gold Elixir, but if you have time for one more step in your routine, this product is delightful.
I was super excited to try the Farsali Jelly Beam Illuminator. This gel-to-powder highlighter is concentrated and LOADED with pigment. If you want a high-shine look, you'll love this stuff. The gel-like formula goes on nicely and quickly turns to powder - I found it a little difficult to blend, but the pale, peachy-pink color and high shine is gorgeous and effective. This is not an everyday kinda highlighter. Farsali Jelly Beam Illuminator is good, but not enough to replace my go-to highlighter, Benefit Cosmetics Watt's Up! Cream-to-Powder Highlighter. While I'm sure I won't use the FarsaliJelly Beam Illuminator on my face, I will however combine Jelly Beam with my body moisturizer to add a little shimmer to my shoulders, décolletage and legs. Oh, and a little goes a long way.
Farsali Rose Gold Elixir is a facial oil with tiny particles of 24-karat gold floating in it. This beauty oil has forever changed my makeup routine and enhanced my look dramatically. I apply my tinted primer, tinted moisturizer (and maybe foundation). Then I apply 'many' drops of the elixir to my damp beautyblender and gently blend for perfect coverage. I use the same beautyblender (and Farsali Rose Gold Elixir) to blend my concealer, under eye brightener and cream-to-powder highlighter. This 24-karat gold infused beauty oil is amazing.
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