March Favorites

Hola, beauties!! Welcome back & if you're new here, welcome! Can you believe that March is already come and gone?? It went by so fast! I cannot believe the year is always 25% over!! Also, March was my birthday month--the 24th , to be exact---& I'm just grateful that I got to see 25! (Shout out to my fellow Aries peeps !) Anyway, I have quite another hefty favorites for March  and wanted to share them with you guys! So, if you're interested in learning all about my March  favorites, then just keep reading!


Beauty

Makeup

• Jordana Fabubrow Eyebrow Pencil --Dark Brown (retail $2.99)

I would say that out of all the drugstore brow pencils that are actual pencils, this is the absolute best! I spoke about this also in my Beauty Supply 5 post for brow products, so I won't spend too long talking about it. Lately, every time I do my brows, I use just this and a brow gel , then I'm good to go! So once again , if you haven't tried this out, you need to! 

• Wet N Wild Photofocus Concealer---Dark Cocoa (retail $4.99)

Wet N Wild has seriously been killing the game with their products the last couple years, and this concealer is no exception! The website describes this concealer as "creamy, luminous, high coverage & tested to be white-cast free under 7 different photo lighting conditions". I personally would say I agree with some of its claims---It's definitely creamy, gives a nice illumination to the skin  & does not give off a white cast , but to me, it's  more of a medium coverage instead of high.  I have hyperpigmentation around my eye area & found myself having to add a little more concealer for coverage. Also, it may depend on the tool you use to blend it out --personally, a small brush provides me better coverage than a beauty sponge. Regardless, I think this is a bomb concealer & am glad that WNW is finally offering options for us deeper skin folks !

*the shade pictured is NOT the shade I mentioned

• NYX HD Concealer--Nutmeg (retail $4.99)

Before I started using the WNW , I could not put this one down! Compared to other concealers I've tried, this one has more of a drier formula, so you kind of have to work fast to blend it out. But, the coverage is phenomenal! It provides medium to full coverage & has little to no creasing (if set properly). This guy was honestly sitting in my collection, but I'm so glad I dusted it off and put it to use! It blends out nice with both a brush and sponge, but I do prefer to use a sponge with this one. I've since bought a backup, as well as two other shades.

• Ulta Collection Eye Primer---Nude Matte (retail $12.00)

I'm not too into the Ulta brand , though I'm an Ulta junkie lol. I got this eye primer in one of those free gift with purchase  deals & decided to try it out on a whim. OMG, did this blow me away! The old eye primer Ulta had creased horribly and was super watery, but this one applied very smoothly  with my finger or a small concealer brush & held every shimmer or matte shadow in place all day long!! I think that this could be a possible dupe for the Urban Decay Primer Potion in Eden for a more affordable price (maybe another Dupe , Dud or Better in the future??)  I would say if you have a problem with oily lids, this will be your best friend!! If you have drier lids, you might not like this so much. 

• Elf Hydrating Under Eye Primer (retail $3.00)

This little guy was definitely a hidden gem! Honestly, I thought it was a complete gimmick, but since incorporating this into my makeup routine, my concealer has been going on so much smoother and lasts a lot longer , as well! This product claims to reduce the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles and puffiness & I've been noticing a difference with the puffiness for sure! I look more awake & bright eyed! I know Hard Candy has one out, so maybe I will compare the two at some point, but I absolutely love this & will continue to!

• Tarte Taretist Matte Lip Paint--TBT (retail $20.00)

I'm not too into  high end lip products, but this one intrigued me. Described on the Tarte website as a true mauve shade, it's a great everyday color! Mauve, rose and brown are for sure the colors that are on everybody's lips nowadays. But, what really made me love this is the formula--it is SOOOOOOOOO comfortable!! The finish is a velvety matte, so your lips won't feel so cracked to the point that you want to rip your lips off. I've been mixing this with other lippies & liners nonstop! It's a little too pink on me to wear alone, but if you're lighter , this would be beautiful on you by itself! If you're darker, you may have to throw a darker liner with it to warm it up. But, I'm super impressed, Tarte! I know it's kind of pricey for a liquid lipstick , but it's worth it to me because of the amazing formula! There are cheaper liquid lipsticks out there, but not all have an amazing formula.  I'm for sure going to explore and  see if I can find other shades that I enjoy. 

• Ecotools Complexion Buffer Brush (retail $6.99)

Ecotools has been one of my favorite brush brands for quite some time (click here to learn why) , so when I had seen that they revamped their brushes in honor of their 10 year anniversary, I knew I had to try some out!  I picked up this one and another one I'll be mentioning soon, but I'm always looking for a good flat top brush for my foundation & this one has held up to that standard! It is a little more flimsy with the hairs of the brush, but still blends out my foundation beautifully. Since it is on the smaller side, I also use this to blend out my concealer & it does amazing at that as well!!

• Ecotools Full Powder Brush (retail $8.99)

The large, fluffy, tapered head makes blending out my powder effortless! You can do a light coverage or go super full coverage with it ! I've been using this over my other powder brushes for the last almost 2 months because I cannot get enough of the finish and it's soooooo soft!! 

• Milani Color Statement lipstick---Teddy Bare (retails $5.99) 

Milani would definitely be one of my top three brands of lipstick for the drugstore!  They're reasonably priced, the formula is great & there's a color for everyone!! Teddy Bare was one of the first colors I purchased & recently, I've been falling back in love with it! I first saw it on Youtube a few years ago & fell in love with the color! Marketed as a cool natural brown on the Milani website, it's a perfect nude for deeper skin tones! It's hard for me as a chocolate girl to find a bomb nude shade without looking like Tyrone Biggums, but this is one of my top nude shades! Plus, it's a cream/glossy finish, so if you're not into the super stark matte lips or love applying gloss , you will love this because it's a one stop shop! And the smell is so yummy--it smells like watermelon (the matte shades have more of a vanilla scent).

• Palladio Herbal Lipstick---Rum Raisin (retail $6.49)

Palladio does not get nearly enough love as it should. The now Sally's--exclusive brand has some amazing products, one being this lipstick. It's a gorgeous brown/rose/mauve color that is great for everyday wear but can also be mixed with other lip products to vamp it up or tone it down. Like the Milani lipstick I just mentioned, it's a cream glossy finish, so another one stop shop product! This does have a sweet  smell also, not as sweet as the Milani lipstick, but still nice. They no longer carry this color , which sucks, but it's an amazing lipstick that I'll be sad about when I use it up. 

• Black Radiance True Complexion Contour Palette---Medium to Dark (retails $7.99)

I meant to talk about this forever ago, but better late than never . Ya'll........I LOVE THIS!!! I used this nonstop when I first got it last year & hit pan within a couple months on the contour shade, but I had given it a rest to try out some other contour/bronzing products, but I will always go back to this.  It blends out like a dream, has good pigmentation, and is affordable! Black Radiance is another brand that is very underrated & really caters to us women of color. I really wish more stores would sell this brand because in my opinion, it would do super well! Anyway , back to the palette: the fact that there's a contour that will actually show up on my skin tone is a winner for sure! It's not too warm to where I look orange, but not too gray that I end up looking ashy. All my caramel ---dark chocolate girls, you need this!!

Skincare

• Dirty Works Pore-fect Facial Scrub (retail $8.00)

This brand is very reminiscent of Soap & Glory to me, but a little bit cheaper. I found this scrub at Marshall's for about $5 & I am obsessed! It has Menthol in it, and it is sooooooo cooling and refreshing, especially when I use it in the shower!! It's perfect when my skin feels kind of gunky or my sinuses are acting up.

• Equate Beauty Original Clean Astringent for Sensitive Skin (retail $2.97)

One part of skin care that I've been really lazy about is toning. Hate to say it , but it's true. I only really tone my skin when I'm breaking out or when I wear a lot of makeup that day. I've actually had this bottle for a few years, but it works like a dream! My mom had noticed one day that I had a lot of build up around my nose, so she put some of my astringent to a Q-tip and applied it to my nose & when I tell you my nose was so much smoother, it really was like baby soft! Since then, I try to make it a point to tone my skin at least once daily--usually at night. Since incorporating toning, I haven't been breaking out a lot & my skin has been a lot smoother. I'm definitely going to look for other toners & astringents to try out!

• Pur-lisse Blue Lotus 4-in-1 Eye Adore Serum (retails $65.00 for 0.5 oz)

I received a deluxe size sample in one of my ipsy bags & this has made such a big difference in my under eye circles! My under eye circles have not been nearly as puffy, I don't look as tired and I look more youthful! You need the tiniest bit of this stuff! The only real downside is the price---$65 for the full size?!!? ehh, I'm gonna have to wait on that one. But using this serum has shown me how important it is to incorporate eye skin care into my routine. So, I'm gonna be on the hunt for some great eye products in the skincare department. But if you feel like splurging , this is a great one!

Body Care

• Shea Moisture Lavender & Wild Orchid Bath, Body & Massage Oil (retail $9.99)

I've been rocking with Shea Moisture for almost 5 years now because they have great ingredients in their products, offer so many options & they don't break the bank! I've been using the hair products since the very beginning of my hair journey, but just started dabbling into the body products for the last couple years. I discovered this oil on clearance at Walgreens & am obsessed with it!! The lavender scent is very calming and relaxing & the shea butter gives me intense moisture! I've been noticing that the drier areas of my skin really enjoy it (my neck & chest area have MAJOR dry patches and this helps so, so much!) So, if you wanted to start using a body oil, I highly recommend this one! And if you don't really care for lavender, there's many other options in the line! I also own the Superfruit & Raw Shea Butter scents.

• Tone Brazilian Glam Body Wash (retail $2.92)

I've been crazy about Tone body washes lately, & this one is no exception! This is the newest addition & it has been knocking my socks off! You can smell the sweet fruityness of the Maracuja & Brazil Nut oil, the metallic aqua teal packaging just draws you in & the foamy lather cleanses the skin without overdrying! There are other great body wash brands out there like Olay, Dove, Caress, B&BW....but I think that Tone could definitely hold a candle to those for a fraction of the cost!! I've only seen this brand and Walmart and Target , so check out those places from some affordable yet great quality body wash!

Hair

• Shea Moisture Manuka Honey & Mafura Oil Intensive Hydration Complex (retail $10.99)

I first heard about this line from the Glamtwinz on Youtube & they raved about the deep conditioner & the oil, which is this product. I am kicking myself for not trying this out sooner!  I'm OBSESSED with this oil! It works great for a hot oil treatment, scalp massages, taking out my twists & sealing in moisture! I've been noticing since I've started using this , my hair has been retaining more moisture and my scalp has not been feeling so dry!! Shea Moisture has been one of my favorite brands from the beginning because they offer many different product lines for so many hair issues!! Literally , ANYONE can find something they enjoy from SM! I absolutely recommend this for anyone who is looking for a great oil to hydrate the hair, soothe the scalp, seal in moisture or just in the mood for something new to add to their hair routine! 

• Creme of Nature Butterlicious Curls Curl Hydration Buttercreme (retail $6.99)

This has been my jam the whole month!! I'm always trying out different hair products because I'm so afraid of falling in love with a product, then it gets discontinued which always happens to me...ughhh....but Creme of Nature better not EVER get rid of this! This helps define my 4c curls, leaves my hair super soft and hydrated & smells amazing! It's clean yet perfumey, but I'm crazy about how it works! I even have used this when it's super cold and my hair did not harden or get crunchy whatsoever!! I usually use this as my moisturizer and styler on my wash days and I get bomb results every time!

• Madame CJ Walker Beauty Culture Brassica Seed Oil (retail $26.00)

This oil is absolutely phenomenal👄💕 it made my hair MAD soft and smells like red velvet cake!! I received a sample size from Influenster to test out & I am in love! It claims to be a natural alternative to silicone , so the hair can feel smoother, silkier, shiny & moisturized. And, I have to agree 100%! I used this as a pre-wash treatment to soften up my hair and I am just obsessed! The only downsides for me is the price and the availability. This brand is exclusive to Sephora and the nearest one to me is about 35 minutes & it's $26 for only 1.7 oz, but I am really thinking of picking up the full size because I really did notice a difference in my hair, plus it smelling like red velvet cake is a nice touch as well!

• CurlPro by Wet Brush (retail $9.99)

A few months ago, I was having nightmare knots and tangles on my ends & felt like I had to trim my hair constantly to get rid of them. So, I actually got a recommendation on Snapchat from a friend of mine to try looking into a good detangling brush. So, on a trip to Sally's for some other things, I happen to find this brush among the Denman brushes & what intrigued me about this was the fact that it said even the coarse curl patterns could use it. I have pretty coarse hair , so anything that helps me get through it  is something that always catches my attention. I was completely blown away by this brush!! It cuts my detangling time in half  and removes all the shedded hair with ease!!

• Kinky Curly Knot Today Natural Leave In/Detangler (retail $12.99)

Yet another product I'm kicking myself for being so late on trying. I heard about this WAYYYYYYY back in the beginning of my natural hair journey when I big chopped. I just never got around to trying it out because it was about $20 at the time, and that's a little steep to me. But I happened to catch it for $13, so I figured cool, I can finally give this a whirl. Ya'll, I had ZERO tangles or knots. This was like an instant staple for me!! I could literally glide my fingers through my hair, which I really have never been able to do! It is a little more on the lightweight side when it comes to moisture, so I do have to pair this with another product that more moisturizing, but as a detangler---bae, all day everyday.

Food

• Lancaster Caramel Soft Cremes--Sea Salt & Caramel (retails $2.99)

I'm not a huge candy eater, but I've been crazy about these! Caramel has been my go-to candy lately & I love some sea salt caramel. It's buttery yet sweet, but not so sweet to the point that it hurts my teeth. If you have not tried these out, you need to!!

Fashion

• Ambience Double Breasted Fleece Bomber Jacket (retail $25.95)

I been wearing the crap out of this jacket since I ordered it! I ordered it on Wet Seal during their going out of business sale & it has been everything to me! I picked up the burgundy color because I don't have a lot of burgundy clothing pieces , so I felt that I could add this for a nice deep pop of color! I think it's perfect for days that it's little on the chilly side but still a little warm.

Miscellaneous

• Andrea Leigh:  I've been loving her beauty channel all month!! She seems like such a sweetheart & super funny to watch!! 
• Crowned in My Curls: My girl Layonna has been slaying my life!! She was actually the one that I'm referring to regarding the whole detangling brush tangent I mentioned earlier. I actually found her on Snapchat doing a takeover and just really felt like I could relate to her! 

Well, we have finally made it to the end of this favorites post!! Hopefully you've found some good products within this list to try out for yourselves! Let me know some of your favorites or not so favorites from March! Thanks for reading, and like always, Stay Beautiful!