| Loves | April Beauty Favorites 2021

| Loves | April Beauty Favorites 2021 

April was all about self-care and hair! I've never been much of a hair person until I started coloring it and it's strange but I feel like my colored hair has to be styled to look good. With styling and coloring, my hair tends to need extra love and after I got back from my vacation last month, my hair was pretty fried. I took this month to really nourishing my hair and body from head to toe. Of course, there's always makeup I want to highlight but this month, I'm giving love to some drugstore faves! 

1. Revlon ColorStay Creme Eyeshadow in Espresso - This cream eyeshadow has become a fast favorite! I actually took this on vacation with me and I ended up reaching for it most days for a quick and very polished look. What I love about this cream eyeshadow is the creamy and rich texture that blends seamlessly and lasts on the eyes without a primer. This particular shade is a very complex matte cool-toned greige! It has a slightly warm and subtly rosy undertone that is very apparent when you blend the cream shadow out. I love layering both warm and cool-toned eyeshadows on top for a complex look. 

2. Revlon ColorStay Satin Ink Liquid Lipstick - I moved away from using long-wearing lip colors because most of them are uncomfortable but this one has an extremely comfortable formula! This liquid lip color is intensely pigmented and provides full color in one swipe! The formula does feel a bit tacky even after it has "set" but it isn't uncomfortable. For a long-wearing and satin-textured lip color, this formula is really impressive. It lasts so long on the lips, even when eating and drinking. There will be some transfer but even when it fades, it fades very evenly. The color range is massive! From wearable nude shades to deep and vampy colors, this shade range has something for everyone. I highly recommend this affordable and long-wearing formula! 

3. Merit Shade Slick Tinted Lip Oil in Au Natural - These days I just something comfortable on my lips and this lip oil feels incredible! It feels very smooth, cushiony, and hydrating! This lip oil just glides over the lips and fills in the lines on your lips. It has the smoothest texture and luscious texture just makes you want to rub your lips together! The texture is just so plush and luxurious, I just want to wear it every second of every day! This is by far, the best lip oil formula I have tried and I am obsessed! I love the natural tint of color and how juicy my lips look with this oil on. It never feels greasy or oily, it just feels hydrating. 

4. Josie Maran Retinol Eye Cream - I have been using this eye cream for over a month now and I'm so impressed with this formula! I am normally extremely wary about using new eye creams because I am so prone to getting milia. This eye cream has a very unusually solid formula it is almost a hard balm, you have to scrape a little off and use your finger to melt the product and spread it over your skin. While the formula feels hydrating on the skin, it doesn't feel heavy, greasy, or too rich at all. It feels shockingly lightweight but it is so nourishing to the skin. I have noticed my under-eye area looking so much smoother, softer, and hydrated in the mornings. This eye cream has not caused me to develop any new milia at all and in fact, I think it's actually helped reduce my existing milia! I really love this formula and it's definitely one that I will buy again! 

5. Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Moisture Essence - I've been wanting Elemis to come out with an essence and I am so excited to now have one as part of my routine. This nourishing and hydrating water instantly soaks into the skin, leaving the skin plump, hydrated, and fresh. I find that I only need very little essence and it hydrates my skin instantly but also, over time, it helps really nourish my skin and prevents my skin from becoming dehydrated. My dry skin has been drinking up this formula and it's been keeping my skin so happy!

6. Elemis Pro-Collagen Renewal Serum - This retinol alternative is extremely gentle and doesn't leave my skin feeling sensitive or irritated after using it back-to-back days. The texture of this serum is so light and feels exactly like water! It just instantly soaks into the skin and it feels hydrating. Overnight, it really smooths, plumps, and reduces lines on the face. It does take several uses to see some results but it really does work similarly to retinol! I love that this product pairs so well with other products without causing irritation. It doesn't feel like I have anything on my skin but it just works its magic over time! 

7. Peter Thomas Roth PRO Strength Niacinamide Discoloration Treatment - I've had this treatment hanging out in my collection for some time but I haven't really used it consistently until this month. This creamy niacinamide treatment is very light and I often layer it under my evening face cream. After consistently using it for several weeks, I have noticed a HUGE improvement in my sunspots! My complexion looks brighter and more luminous overall. My dark spots specifically have really improved and I will continue to use this treatment. I am very impressed with the results so far. 

8. Sol de Janeiro Triple Brazilian Butter™ Hair Repair Treatment Mask - When I came back from a week-long vacation in the sun, my hair was so dry and felt destroyed. Despite my efforts to protect it, my hair barely survived the week. I came back with knotted, dry, and brittle locks. This hair mask completely recovered my hair in one use! I have been using this mask for months and I am so impressed with the way it completely transforms the texture of my hair! It is incredibly hydrating, smoothing, and softening. My hair comes out silky smooth, soft, and luscious after using this mask! It is a MUST-HAVE!

9. The Inky List PCA Bond Repair - Again, my hair is dry because I probably need a haircut and my hair is color-treated but despite not having a trim for six months, my hair still feels and looks healthier than ever. Well, I've been dousing my hair in this repairing mist and it has really been keeping my hair so healthy! By now, my hair is usually extremely long and tangled, even when I'm not styling it. This mist is lightweight and you don't even feel it in your hair. It just works wonders for making each strand smooth, soft, and silky. I'm able to brush through my hair easily and my hair is much shinier. It's just overall incredibly healthy despite all the work I've done to it. 

10. Maison Margiela REPLICA Matcha Meditation - Wow! OMG! I think I found my signature fragrance. Well, I think I had one but as we get older I think our tastes change and with that, our signature fragrance. I am obsessed with all things matcha and green tea. My favorite drink is a matcha latte, which I have spent countless dollars on. So, when I saw this new fragrance release and its notes, I jumped on it immediately, and let me tell you, it doesn't disappoint! This fragrance has everything I want in a green tea fragrance, the green tea is the star but with a bit of floral and a sweet creaminess. Essentially, it's a matcha latte with some more floral notes. The first spritz is very floral and citrus, which will throw you off a bit but right after the matcha comes in strong and then the sweet creaminess of the white chocolate. You'll have to love white florals, which I do because the initial notes are green tea, bergamot, and mandarin orange mixed with the middle notes of jasmine and orange blossom. I love the way this dries down to a slightly woody but sweet and creamy white chocolate with a touch of green tea. It's seriously a dreamy fragrance for anyone who's obessesd with matcha! It actually does bring me so much peace and takes me back to memories of drinking matcha lattes with my friend in our favorite local coffee shop. I think they really did recreate a moment in my life and bottled it up. 

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