It's been a month. Who else feels me? Keep reading to hear my thoughts on what I emptied in April.
Skincare
Andalou Naturals Pumpkin Honey Glycolic Exfoliating Mask (1.7 fl oz for $15, available at Whole Foods & Amazon)
I'm a big fan of this wash-off mask, and I truly think it's a dupe for the SF Overtime mask, but more effective. It's formulated with vitamin c, glycolic acid, fruit stem cells, manuka honey, and organic pumpkin puree to gently exfoliate while also brightening the skin. I've had this jar for about a year, and would use it on and off in my night routine when I needed an extra boost of radiance. The shit does tingle a little bit though, so just be wary. I don't have sensitive skin and it's never bothered me, but just a note. On the website it actually states: "As soon as it's been applied, you will feel a tingle on the skin, this is how you know that the AHA's are actively working to dissolve dry surface cells." So that's what we're working with. It also smells slightly of pumpkin (which I personally cannot stand) but I know some of you go crazy for that ish. I would repurchase this mask simply because it's effective and the price point is perfect.
Black Girl Sunscreen (3 fl oz for $18.99, available at Black Girl Sunscreen & Target)
A sunscreen created by us, for us. I cannot stress enough how much I love this sunscreen. It's lightweight, can be used all over the body, has SPF 30, and obviously leaves no white cast. In fact, it leaves such a gorgeous glow! I have one more bottle as backup, and recommend this sunscreen to everyone and their mama. AND there's a BGS Kids version! Which I love to slather all over my daughter. Do yourself a favor and get on the BGS train! (Use Ashley's code "skinclasshero"to get 20% off and free shipping on every order!) A forever repurchase.
Bybi Beauty Mega Mist Natural Hyaluronic Acid Mist* (1.1 fl oz for ~$33, available at Bybi Beauty)
So I didn't love this mist but I didn't hate it. I hated the nozzle; I had to really shake the bottle before I applied or else the formula would get everywhere. It also felt slightly hydrating, but nothing to write home about. The website says it's formulated with "a high concentration of hyaluronic acid; aloe vera, algae, and pomegranate to help soothe skin that's feeling dry or sensitive." I also can't stand the scent. It's like fake-fruity-candy scented. No thank you. For the price, and how effective it was for me, I probably would not repurchase.
Byroe Rice Cleansing Sorbet* (3.4 fl oz for $72, available at Byroe New York)
This is one of the nicest cleansing balms I've ever used. You can tell that it's made to make your skin feel silky smooth after removing all of your makeup. I could have a full cake face and you really only need a scoop of this to remove all traces of makeup (other than pesky waterproof eye makeup). It barely has a scent, if anything it smells "clean". It comes with a spatula to dish out the exact amount that you need for application. I will admit that on some days I went a little overboard which is why I think I emptied it way quicker than I should have. I just loved the product 😩. Unfortunately, I don't have it like that, so I don't think I'll repurchase it atm. I'll stick with my trusty Green Clean for now. If one day I win the lottery, I'm sure I'll buy a lifetime supply of this stuff 🤩.
CeraVe Skin Renewing Vitamin C Serum (1 fl oz for $20, available at Target)
I was out a vitamin C serum, and so many people rave about the effectiveness of most of CeraVe's products so I thought I would try this one out. It's formulated with 10% vitamin c, ceramides (which CeraVe is known for), and hyaluronic acid for a boost of hydration. It comes in a metallic/foil tube, which caused problems for me down the road. It is a thin consistency which seemed to absorb into my skin quickly enough, and I didn't have any problems with pilling with other products on top. It lasted me about a month before I ran out. But after exposing it to air over and over again when using it, towards the end of the month the color changed and I don't know if that messed with the efficacy. I didn't notice any brightening or evening of my skin tone after a straight month of use, so I don't think I would repurchase.
Fresh Soy Makeup Removing Face Wash* (5.1 oz for $38, available at Sephora)
I was gifted a size of this cult-fave cleanser what feels like forever ago, and it took me a long time to get through it. Mostly because I just really don't like it. I would only reach for it every once in a while, and eventually I just said fuck it and decided to just grind through the rest of the tube just to be rid of it. I think the hype is so high around this product that when I finally got to try it out for the first time I was disturbingly underwhelmed. The fake cucumber fresh scent really irks me, and I think it does a decent job cleansing but there is no reason why it should be priced as high as it is. There are so many cleansers that are cheaper that do such are better at cleansing, imho. I would not repurchase.
Glossier BDC in Original (0.5 oz for $12, available at Glossier)
UNPOPULAR OPINION ALERT: This is my favorite Balm Dotcom It's unscented, and super moisturizing and lasts so much longer on my lips than the other shades of BDCs that I've tried. Original is also supposed to double as a skin salve, which I've used a handful of times on my cuticles and the dry spots in between my pointer finger and my thumb. I love using it to moisturize my lips before I add lipstick, or if I don't have a night mask at my immediate disposal I'll use a thick amount of this as an overnight mask! I have a million other lip balms right now, so I won't currently repurchase, but maybe one day!
Glossier Bubblewrap (0.74 fl oz for $26, available at Glossier)
I like this as a no-frills, ultra-hydrating eye cream. It's lightweight but really seems to pack a punch with hydration. Most of the eye creams I own tend to be brightening, but this is solely for hydration purposes. It's formulated with hyaluronic acid, squalane, avocado oil, and antioxidant-rich blueberry extract. It's super lightweight and leaves a nice hydrated finish. It works incredibly well with the Stretch Concealer, and really any other concealer I've added on top. It also lasted me what feels like 100 years of consistent use. The metal tubing also makes it feel very luxurious. I would repurchase.
Image Skincare Clear Cell Medicated Acne Scrub (4 fl oz for $32, available at Image Skincare)
This was recommended to me by my aesthetician and I used it consistently once or twice a week in the shower. I really liked the results I would see after using it. The only thing I hated was that it has microbeads in it (or if not actual microbeads than certainly an ingredient that feels like microbeads), so I would only use a little bit at a time in order to not cause any micro-tears. I don't know that I would repurchase this as I like to use more chemical exfoliants instead these days. I'm currently alternating between Krave Beauty's Kale-lah-luh-AHA &
SkyOrganics Organic Rosehip Oil* (1 oz for $13, available at SkyOrganics and Amazon)
I was gifted this beautiful oil when I did a collaboration with the brand, and it's become easily one of my favorite oils. In general my skin loves rosehip as an ingredient, so I was excited to use this one up. It's been the only oil I've used in my PM routine for the last two months or so, and I tend to use a generous amount each night. It could have lasted me probably another month if I wasn't so heavy-handed. Compared to the Good Molecules Cold Pressed Rosehip Seed Oil this one is definitely thicker, but I like how it makes my skin look hella supple in the morning. I would definitely repurchase this oil in the future.
Versed All-in-One Hydrating Milk* (4 fl oz for $18, available at Versed & Target)
I was sent this toner back in December before it's launch in January. I actually started out loving this toner and somehow grew to hate it. I don't really understand what happened, but as I got closer and closer to the bottom of the bottle, it would start to tingle on my skin when I applied it. So I kinda stopped using it before it was completely empty because of that. It's formulated with algae extract, coconut water, and bamboo extract to leave skin velvety-soft and remove all traces of makeup. It's supposed to be a three-in-one product; a makeup remover, a cleansing milk, and a hydrating toner. I recently bought it's sister Daily Brightening Solution which I'm liking a lot so far. I wouldn't repurchase this toner though, unfortunately it wasn't for me.
Versed Look Alive Hydrating Plumping Mask (1.5 fl oz for $10, available at Versed & Target)
This mask comes in a really cute pouch, and says that it has enough product to be applied to your skin 12+ times. It's got a gel consistency and it gently washes off with warm water. It's formulated with aloe leaf juice, rosehip seed oil, and a plant-based collagen alternative that smoothes texture, increases elasticity, and binds moisture to the skin to prevent moisture loss. I love how hydrating and cooling it feels. It's a cute mask for when you need a little dose of hydration. I don't think I would repurchase at the moment because I have a lot of hydrating masks in my arsenal, but I love the price point and how bouncy my skin looks after using it.
Makeup
Milk Makeup Hydrogrip Primer (1.52 oz for $32, available at Sephora)
I love this primer. Point, blank, period. And I don't even truly believe in primer. But this product gives me the perfect tacky consistency to adhere to foundation or tinted moisturizer, or whatever I decide my base will be. My makeup always looks smoother when I use it. A while back I used either a few 100-point Sephora perks or maybe they were free samples, but I had a lot of the mini/sample size trials. I finally bit the bullet and purchased a full size bottle as backup. The big bottle should last me a while, but I would definitely repurchase.
Colourpop Blotted Lip in Bee's Knees (DECLUTTER)
People said that this was Colourpop's dupe for Glossier's Gen G, but I've never personally tried a Gen G so I can't speak to that. I really liked this formula, and the shade Bee's Knees is like this gorgeous pink hue that looks gorgeous on my skin tone. It is a blotted lip formula so if I was reaching for this I would tend to exfoliate my lips first before applying because it absolutely shows all of the cracks and creases in your lips. It's a buildable formula so the color looks beautiful after a few swipes. The only downside with this one, which I think was a problem with Gen G as well was that the product would fall out of the tube and move around way too much--it felt really unstable. And unfortunately, Colourpop doesn't make this formula anymore, instead they make the liquid version of blotted lips which I also love. I've had this tube for way too long so I haven't reached for it in a very long time so I figured I'd just declutter. I love the idea of a blotted lip, and Bobbi Brown Crushed Lipsticks are some of my favorites if you're looking for that type of formula.
Bite Beauty Multistick in Cerise (DECLUTTER)
Bite is still one of my favorite makeup brands in the game. These multi sticks are really old and you can't find them anywhere except places like TJMaxx & Marshalls these days. This shade was actually the first shade that I ever used as blush on my cheeks, so I've held in near and dear to my heart. The formula has to be warmed up on the back of your hand but it's incredibly pigmented, and I also tended to use it on my lips and eyes for a monochromatic look. These have been discontinued and I've had this one for over a year and it started to show these little white dots on the side so I decided to declutter. This formula will be missed and I hope Bite decides to bring it back!
Fenty Beauty Pro Filt'r Soft Matte Longwear Foundation (1.08 oz for $35, available at Sephora & Fenty Beauty)
One of my favorite foundations, basically ever. I'm sure I'm biased because it's Rih, but 🤷🏾♀️. I wear the shade 420 which I never thought would be my shade because when I apply it runs a little on the red side. But somehow it oxidizes to be my perfect foundation shade. It's been a while since I emptied a foundation, but it was literally the only foundation I wore until maybe the beginning of this year. This is a definite repurchase in my book, the formula has never steered me wrong so I can't wait to pick it up again. I might get re-shade matched since they expanded the shade range.
*PR/Gifted