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in Lifestyle, Uncategorized · April 17, 2015

My All-Time Faves: Beauty

Thanks for joining me in today’s installment of my all-time favorite things. Today I’m talking everything beauty! You might remember a few weeks ago I shared what’s in my makeup bag and you might wonder how today is any different. That post just focused on makeup, while today it’s everything to do with beauty: hair, skin car, nails, and more. Also, if you have any questions you would like me to answer, leave them in a comment, tweet me, or email me – I’m pulling together a Q&A/FAQ post for Monday!

All-Time Favorites: Beauty - Kate the (Almost) Great
Rusk clarifying shampoo – $14 – I only use this once a week so that I’m not stripping my hair of its natural oils
Rusk full shampoo – $14 – I use this the rest of the week!
Dove Daily Moisture conditioner
Bumble & Bumble straight blow dry – $30 – If you go to Sephora stores, they usually have a small version near the cash register for cheaper!
Biosilk silk therapy – $25 – I’ve been using this since my junior year of college when I lost a lot of hair from my arthritis and it has really helped it stay healthy and reduced how much I lose! 
OGX Renewing argan oil of Morocco weightless healing dry oil – $8
Revlon Pro Stylist Shine Boosting hair dryer – $25 – I got this going into my freshman year of college and I’m so obsessed with it that I bring it with me on short trips because I don’t trust other hair dryers
Lush No Drought dry shampoo –  $14 – Using dry shampoo every other day instead of washing it every day has also helped how much hair I lose.
Best Hair Products - Kate the (Almost) Great
Essie nail polish – $8.50 each – My favorite colors:
Butler Please, Lapis of Luxury, Watermelon, Shop Til I Drop,
Mint Candy Apple, Mojito Madness
Sally Hanson Insta-dry polish – $4.50 each – Seriously dries SO fast! My fav colors:
Petal Pusher, Slick Slate, Pink Blink
Jamberry nail wraps – $15 for a sheet, which is enough for 2 mani pedis with leftovers
Best Essie Colors - Kate the (Almost) Great
First Aid Beauty facial cleanser – $10 – I got a free sample of it and loved it so much that I keep going back for more (and got a large tube of it for Christmas … seriously)
Garnier charcoal scrub – $8
Clean & Clear Advantage oil-free acne moisturizer – $8
Clean & Clear Advantage spot treatment – $8 – It’s expensive for how much you buy, but I absolutely swear by it and recommend it to everyone.
Sephora Collection paper masks – $25 – You can get individual ones for $5, and they also come in eye masks
Top Beauty Products - Kate the (Almost) Great

For what makeup I use over and over, check out what’s in my makeup bag!

Disclaimer: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission if you click on them or buy from them. Read my full disclosure policy here for more information.

What are your all-time favorite beauty products? I’d love to hear about them!

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Kate Mitchell

Kate Mitchell is a blogger, chronic illness patient, and advocate who helps people understand chronic illness and helps chronic illness patients live their best lives.

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  1. Kelly Louise says

    June 12, 2015 at 2:07 pm

    the First Aid Beauty cleanser is soooooo good! I love it too!

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  6. Kate the (Almost) Great | Boston Lifestyle Blog - July 2016 Favorites - Kate the (Almost) Great | Boston Lifestyle Blog says:
    August 3, 2016 at 8:01 am

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Some housekeeping! 1) I am not sponsored. 2) These Some housekeeping! 1) I am not sponsored. 2) These were recommended by my foot surgeon. When you have RA affecting most joints and tarsal coalitions, good sneakers are essential. 

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Video: 3 pairs of HOKA sneakers on wood floor. Kate’s hand picks up one and tosses it out of view. White text reads “My Hoka system” and there are captions in a black box. 

#AlmostGreatLife #TarsalCoalition #RheumatoidDisease #RheumatoidArthritis
In July 2025, it will have been 15 years since my In July 2025, it will have been 15 years since my RA diagnosis. Here's how I've changed since then!⁣
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(And I'm not talking about how my health has changed!)⁣
▪ I trust myself and my instincts a LOT more⁣
▪ I understand my body's limitations AND the best ways o get around them to have the life I want⁣
▪ I love using mobility aids as they make my life a lot better⁣
▪ I cook and bake a lot more⁣
▪ Work-life balance is not an option for me: it's a requirement⁣
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How have you changed since your diagnosis?⁣
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I’m Kate, a chronic illness patient and advocate sharing what my life is like with 7+ chronic illnesses. Follow me for more and check out my blog at katethealmostgreat.com⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
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ID: Kate sits at a desk with her head in her hand. On her desk are notebooks and pens. She is a brunette white woman wearing an olive dress, gray stone necklace, and round tortoiseshell glasses. ⁣
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#AlmostGreatHealth #RheumatoidArthritis #arthritis #SpoonieLife #healthblogger #autoimmune #autoimmunedisease #chronicallyill #healthblog #chronicallyill #disability #disabled #invisibleillness #DisabledAndCute #spoonielife #RheumatoidDisease
Week 18 of #2025Weekly ⁣ ⁣ This week was prima Week 18 of #2025Weekly ⁣
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This week was primarily about getting things set and wrapped up before a heavy appointment week, including my infusion, next week. ⁣
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1️⃣ Meal prepping (the finished product of this salad has a lot more ingredients, including protein, but it doesn’t looks as aesthetically pleasing once they’re in there) ⁣
2️⃣ Started the week at the doctor and with a cortisone shot in my knee. He was very impressed with me and I had to point out that when you start your cortisone shots with some in your ankle area - which has a lot more stuff in it and requires being done under x-ray) your knee is truly nothing.⁣
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⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣I’m Kate, a chronic illness patient and advocate sharing what my life is like with 7+ chronic illnesses. Follow me for more and check out my blog at katethealmostgreat.com⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
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IDs: ⁣
1️⃣ Cut up vegetables in a clear glass container⁣
2️⃣ Kate takes a selfie in a doctor's office. She's a brunette white woman wearing a green t-shirt, blue mask, round tortoiseshell glasses, and silver Claddagh necklace.⁣
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#AlmostGreatHealth #AlmostGreatLife #ChronicallyIll #InvisibleIllness #RheumatoidArthritis #RheumatoidDisease #Rheum #Arthritis #ArthritisAwareness #AutoimmuneDisease #Autoimmune #SpoonieLife
Drop your suggestions in the comments _______ Drop your suggestions in the comments 

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Video: the view of a sun setting over a lake as seen through the trees. Upbeat music plays. Top text reads “How To Deal with Unsolicited Advice”. Then a series of messages pop up. The are: 
“Sorry, my mom said I can’t do that”

“Didn’t you hear? The new pope said that was heresy.” (Ideal if you’re not Catholic)

“I have to wait until mercury isn’t in retrograde, and it’s always in retrograde”

“My psychic said that will kill me”

#AlmostGreatHealth #ChronicallyIll #ChronicIllnessHumor #ChronicPainHumor #InvisiblyIll
Having decades-long health problems sometimes mean Having decades-long health problems sometimes means coming across something in your health history that you completely forgot about⁣
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I’m Kate, a chronic illness patient and advocate. Follow me for more content for chronic illness patients and their loved ones!⁣
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⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ID: Screenshot of a thread post written by Kate Mitchell | Kate the (Almost) Great with the username katethealmostgreat. ⁣⁣The background is dark teal. All text is what’s above the first black square.⁣⁣⁣
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#AlmostGreatHealth #rheumatoidarthritis #arthritis #spoonielife #healthblogger #autoimmune #autoimmunedisease #chronicallyill #healthblog #dysautonomia #fibro #fibromyalgia #endo #chronicallyill #disability #disabled #invisibleillness #spoonielife #healthblogger
Here are some ways I practice self care, aka talki Here are some ways I practice self care, aka talking care of myself AND who I am as a person separate from illness⁣
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This is my Wonderful Things jar. Every day, I write down something wonderful or good that happened that day. ⁣
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I know it looks like I'm forcing Harley to sit like this, but he was making this face before I put my arm around him. Dog snuggle time is the best!⁣
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I got a Kindle this year and it has been amazing. It's so much easier on my body than lugging around books and it makes borrowing from the library a lot easier.⁣
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Yes, I share this all the time, but filling my pill boxes every 3 weeks make it so I stick with all of my medications. But the self-care part of this is that I don't have to take the time to refill a box every single week.⁣
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I’m Kate, a chronic illness patient and advocate sharing what my life is like with 7+ chronic illnesses. Follow me for more and check out my blog at katethealmostgreat.com⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
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IDs: ⁣
1️⃣ A glass jar on a desk with a lot of multi-color post-its inside⁣
2️⃣ Kate has her face in a golden retriever who is slumped onto her. They're in a teal room with a red rug. Kate is a brunette white woman wearing red pants and a gray sweater.⁣
3️⃣ A Kindle on dark mode in Kate's lap⁣
4️⃣ 3 open pill cases on a yellow bedspread ⁣
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#AlmostGreatHealth #AlmostGreatLife #SelfCare #ChronicallyIll #ChronicallyAwesome #SpoonieLife #Spoonie #ChronicLife #ButYouDontLookSick #InvisibleIllness #MentalHealthMatters #RetrieversOfInstagram #Readers #Kindle #WonderfulThings #GratitudePractice
What I Bring To the Doctor _______ Video: a pa What I Bring To the Doctor 

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Video: a pan of an exam room. White text reads “What I Bring To the Doctor ” and the “1. Planner/notebook
2. List of current medications 
3. Notes on my biggest concerns and questions 
4. My kindle for wait time” 
The intro to Maroon 5’s Priceless plays. 

#AlmostGreatHealth #ChronicIllness #ChronicPain #RheumatoidArthritis #SjogrensSyndrome #Fibromyalgia #Endometriosis
💃🏼 Week 17 of #2025Weekly 💃🏼⁣
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1️⃣ She’s married!! ⁣
2️⃣ She married the best person in the world for her!!!!!⁣
3️⃣ I got dressed up! ⁣
4️⃣ The reality of doing fun things with chronic illness and pain is that then you have to recover from the fun things. It took … a while. One million percent worth it, but this is why I don’t do big events on a regular basis. ⁣
5️⃣ And then I had to be a person again for an appointment!⁣
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I’m Kate, a chronic illness patient and advocate sharing what my life is like with 7+ chronic illnesses. Follow me for more and check out my blog at katethealmostgreat.com⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
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IDs: ⁣
1️⃣ Kate stands hugging Emmie. They're both white woman. Emmie is in a wedding dress and Kate is in a red dress and wearing round tortiseshell glasses.⁣
2️⃣ Kate and Emmie stand next to Matt, Emmie's husband. He is a white man.⁣
3️⃣ Kate takes a mirror selfie. she's in the same red dress but now also wears a jean jacket and holds a cane and mask.⁣
4️⃣ Kate takes a selfie while giving a thumbs up. She looks tired. She's now wearing a pink flowery dress. ⁣
5️⃣ Kate takes a mirror selfie. She's wearing black shorts, a gray shirt, a jean jacket, a blue mask, and black aviator sunglasses. She has a bag over her shoulder and holds a cane.⁣
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#AlmostGreatHealth #AlmostGreatLife #ChronicallyIll #InvisibleIllness #SpoonieLife #RheumatoidArthritis #RheumatoidDisease #Autoimmune #ButYouDontLookSick #AutoimmuneDisease #SpoonieLife #InvisibleIllness #DisabledAndCute
On the one hand, you should always believe what pe On the one hand, you should always believe what people tell you about their bodies.⁣
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On the other hand, I’ve had so much ridiculous and unconnected health things happen that I do understand why people might not believe me.⁣
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⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣I’m Kate, a chronic illness patient and advocate. Follow me for more content for chronic illness patients and their loved ones!⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
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⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ID: Screenshots of a thread posts written by Kate Mitchell | Kate the (Almost) Great with the username katethealmostgreat. ⁣⁣The background is dark teal. All text is what’s above the first black square.⁣⁣
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#AlmostGreatHealth #ChronicallyIll #ChronicPain #Autoimmune #AutoimmuneDisease #RheumatoidArthritis #RheumatoidDisease #SpoonieLife #InvisibleIllness
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