This post is brought to you by Ulta Beauty & Her Campus Media!

I attended Her Conference over the weekend on behalf of Ulta Beauty. It’s a yearly event organized by Her Campus that spans two day. There are amazing keynote speakers (the leaders of the Women’s March, Troian Bellisario, Lisa Sugar, just to name a few) informative panels and yummy snacks! The conference as a whole was extremely inspiring, and I am very grateful for Ulta Beauty and Her Campus for inviting me.

At Her Conference, Ulta Beauty had a Beauty Bar where you could get touch ups for your hair or your makeup! I came in a ponytail but wanted to spruce things up so I got the cutest braid bun. It keeps the hair out of your face and off your neck in the summer heat while still looking polished and put together. This hairstyle is definitely a summer must-have!

It’s surprising really quick & easy to do:
1. Put hair in ponytail.
2. Braid hair.
3. Twist braid and wrap around center of head, securing every few inches or so with bobby pins.
4. Pull a few strands loose to frame your face. Done!

In the spirit of summer, I rounded up four of my top beauty product must-haves for summer. I tried to keep it balanced with two skincare picks and two makeup picks.

1. Philosophy Travel Size Pore Extractor Mask

With summer comes sweat and dirt and blackheads!! It’s something I struggle with once the weather starts to get hot, especially around my nose and forehead area. This mask features purifying white clay, salicylic acid (treats acne) and natural exfoliants to draw out all the dirt in your pores. I apply it after I wash my face, leave it on for 5-10 minutes and then rinse with warm water. The good thing about this mask is that it leaves your face feeling like it’s been deeply cleansed but not dry. Just a note, this mask is really effective but it’s strong so I don’t use it more than once or twice a week.

2. Ulta Beauty Collection Waterfull Gel-Cream Moisturizer

I am obsessed with the texture of this moisturizer. My skin leans towards the oily side when it’s warmer so I like to use lightweight gel moisturizers for the summer. This is lightweight but seriously hydrating. It has hyaluronic acid and algae extracts which help replenish moisture without greasiness. Once you put it on, it’s really cooling and absorbs into the skin quickly, making it a good base for your makeup.

I loveee the two textures of these products. The mask is super creamy and subtlety gritty from the exfoliants. The moisturizer is has a nice bounce to it and feels as light as water.

For my two makeup picks, I chose the two palettes I was most excited about this summer!! I feel like everyone on social media has been raving about these two and I would have to agree. So good! Perfect for summer.

3. Becca x Chrissy Teigen Glow Face Palette

I’m obsessed with Chrissy Teigen so I was very excited when I first heard about her collab with Becca Cosmetics. This palette contains shades of highlighter, blush and bronzer all hand-picked by Chrissy. I feel like these shades are perfect for a summer glow, like the just got back from a tropical vacation type of look. I was worried at first that these colors would be too dark for me but they’re surprisingly flattering on all skin tones.

The face palette contains:

• Highlighter in Beach Nectar: juicy apricot shade infused with gold
• Highlighter in Rose Gold: Chrissy’s favorite subtle gold infused with sweet rose
• Bronzer in Malibu Soleil: medium amber evokes a dreamy “all day at the beach” tan, with a soft splash of light so skin looks kissed by the sun
• Blush in Hibiscus Bloom: delectable, golden pink coral

How amazing are these shade descriptions, haha! A little fun thing I’ve discovered, the bronzer in Malibu Soleil also is amazing as an eyeshadow.

4. Urban Decay Naked Heat Palette

Social media has been buzzing over this palette. The shades are totally up my alley, since I’ve been really into warm browns. I think they’re so flattering as an eyeshadow and give your eyes more depth.  You only need a tiny amount because the eyeshadows are all very pigmented. A little goes a long way! I’ll admit that eyeshadow is probably the makeup product that I’m the worst at applying. The brush that’s included is a life saver because it blends the shadows really well and makes it much easier to apply.

Shades:

• Ounce (ivory shimmer)
• Chaser (light nude matte)
• Sauced (soft terra-cotta matte)
• Low Blow (brown matte)
• Lumbre (copper shimmer w/gold pearl shift)
• He Devil (burnt red matte)
• Dirty Talk (metallic burnt red)
• Scorched (metallic deep red w/gold micro-shimmer, this is favorite)
• Cayenne (deep terra – cotta matte)
• En Fuego (burgundy matte)
• Ashes (deep reddish – brown matte)
• Ember (deep metallic copper – burgundy)

Has anyone tried these products? What are some of your summer beauty must-haves?