March signals the end of summer here in Australia... bye bye summer đđ» Umm also am I the only one stressing out that we are now in April? I swear it was only Christmas/New Year yesterday!! Here is my top ten things that I loved in the month of March:
Dr. Bronner's Pure Castile Soap
For years now I have been using the Thankyou Baby Shampoo to wash my makeup brushes and sponges. It has never failed me and worked well in getting everything squeaky clean. However recently, I purchased the Dr. Bronner's Pure Castile Soap in the almond scent from a health food store. For years now I've seen some beauty YouTuber's use this soap and rave about it when cleaning their brushes. Now I know why! đ This soap is really the shiz. You need the smallest amount and it cleans your brushes like nothing else. I also LOVE the smell of almonds (for those that have the Method Wood Cleaner you'll know what I am talking about đ) which makes the tedious task of brush washing that much more enjoyable. When reading the label, it also says you can use it on yourself, for cleaning all sorts of things... the skies the limit! As mentioned, I picked mine up from a health food store but you can order it direct from Dr. Bronner's website and a 237mL bottle will set you back $12.95.
Rexona Clinical Protection - Summer Strength
I have been a consumer of the Rexona Clinical Strength antiperspirant for years now. When I saw that Rexona were bringing out a spray version, it was obvious that I was going to give it a go. I don't think it is as powerful as the cream stick version as I still experience some sweating while wearing it, but I did feel fresh and BO-free! I went with the Summer Strength sent as it was summer when I bought it (derrrr) and the smell is gorgeous. It is refreshing but doesn't make me smell like a baby đ¶đ» . I picked up mine from Chemist Warehouse for $8.99. Oh and all you natural deodorant wearing people... yes I know I shouldn't be using this. But I am still on the hunt for a natural deodorant that works well for me. If you know of a natural deodorant that not only keeps you smelling fresh but stops some perspiration, let me know in the comments.
Urban Decay Brow Beater
Like the hunt for the perfect foundation, concealer or SPF, I am always on a mission to find the best eyebrow products that are dark enough but cool toned, for my almost jet black brows. It is almost impossible as every dark brown I have tried is too warm toned and the black options are too harsh. Wait, I just realised that I am literally the Goldilocks of eyebrow pencils đ»! So when I came across this brow pencil from Urban Decay while walking through Mecca, I was so bloody excited. The shade is called Dark and it is literally a dark brown that is cool toned (hallelujah đđ»), ideal for my brows. The pencil is tiny too, perfect for drawing small hair like strokes. It is very reminiscent of the Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz or the Benefit Precisely, My Brow pencils. Both of which I love, they are just too darn expensive at $38 and $43 a pop. Granted this is $33 from Mecca but it is still cheaper than the other two... am I right or am I right?!
Nip + Fab Glycolic Fix Daily Cleansing Pads
If you've already read my blog post about my skin and taking it for granted you'll note that I am trying to make my skin be the best version that it can be. If you haven't read it yet... pause on this post and read it now!! An area I want to work on is overall texture and the way to tackle this is to resurface the skin using chemical exfoliants. I picked up the Nip+Fab Glycolic Cleansing Face Pads in a pack of 60 from the last Priceline skincare sale. I'm almost through them and find that it is making a difference. Notably the texture and bumps on my cheekbones where I place my highlighter đđ» . You can pick this up at Priceline for $34.99. Otherwise Jess' hot tip is to wait till there is a 50% skincare sale!
Maybelline SuperStay Matte Ink Lipstick
As it stands, this is hands down THE best liquid lipstick I have ever used. So much so that I have it in 13 different colours đ. If you haven't tried it yet, I urge you to give it a go. I literally put it on at say 6am and it lasts all day, even during lunch, beverages etc. I come home, have dinner and when I am getting ready for bed, it is still going strong đȘđ». It isn't drying at all, it is kinda always tacky so the moisture isn't sucked out of your lips which is what I appreciate the most with this formula. I wish Maybelline would make even more shades because I love it so much. In the month of March, I noticed I was wearing the above shade more than usual; 80 - Ruler. Its a pinky toned red that isn't too bright but not too dark. It is a great every day colour that is all occasions appropriate. You can pick this up from Woolies, Coles, Kmart, any chemist or Priceline for $19.95 when not on special.
ELF 16HR Camo Concealer
Just like trying to find the best eyebrow pencil out there, I am on a hunt for the best concealer that doesn't crease, helps to hide my dark circles, isn't the price of my first unborn child and is brightening under the eyes. That is almost near to impossible and at times seems like I am trying to find a unicorn đŠ . Then along comes ELF 16HR Camo Concealer. This stuff is magical! It is super high coverage, doesn't crease (I don't even need to set it if I don't want to) and only costs $10 from Kmart. The only downside is that there isn't the greatest shade range (in Australia that is) and if you are quite tanned or have a darker complexion, you are screwed, unless you are going for the reverse panda-eyes look đŒ . It took me buying three different shades to find the one that I now use religiously every day; Medium Sand. I reckon soon they'll expand on it as it has only just hit Australia. You can only buy this in-store at Kmart at the moment but word on the street is that ELF is coming to Priceline later this year đđ».
Mario Badescu Facial Spray
Lavender. I swear there is nothing more soothing or calming than the scent of Lavender... maybe some Enya. That is why this facial spray is one of my favourites for March. I use this when I want a pick me up, when my face is feeling tired, to set my makeup... really it is Mario Badescu Facial Spay time no matter the occasion. If you are after a facial spray to use any time; not just for setting your makeup, I would recommend this one for you. They also have Rose and Cucumber scents; I have the rose đč which I too love but at the moment I am totes digging lavender. I buy the smaller bottle so it fits in my bathroom vanity but a normal sized bottle is $18 from Mecca.
Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray
Can someone say expensive but totally worth it? đ”đ€ Seriously I don't know what is with this product, but it is sooooo bloody good. If you're after that sexy Sports Illustrated meets Victoria's Secret model-esque tousled hair, the Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray will help you out. The only product I've been able to find similar is the Ouai Texturizing Hair Spray. This spray helps to make your hair look stylishly dishevelled while providing a tonne of volume. I bought the purse size from David Jones for $28 as I didn't want to commit to the full sized version at $63! Oh and it smells amazing too. When I run out of this size, I think I will bite the bullet and buy the full sized one as I really do enjoy it. I just will only be able to eat beans on toast for the next few weeks because of it đ€Ł.
IT Cosmetics CC+ Oil-Free Matte Cream
You know I am a fan of SPF as the sun is a key contributor of ageing, but I am also normal to combination skin (oily in my t-zone). So when I found out that IT Cosmetics were making an oil-free matte version of their amazing original CC Cream, I was straight on to the Sephora Australia website to order it. I went with a lighter shade of Light-Medium for this formula as I had Medium in the original, which works, but more-so when I am tanned. This CC cream is expensive (it is $61 for a tube) but it is totally worth it as it is jammed packed full of great ingredients and is a physical barrier sunscreen (SPF 40) which is amazing. It is also high coverage for a CC cream so on days that I use this as my SPF, I don't use a foundation. So I guess if you aren't using a foundation, the cost of this cream is warranted as you don't need to spend money on any foundation! #winning đđ»ââïž
MUD Defining Contour & Highlighting Palette
I used to be a snob when it came to makeup that was only available from a grocery store i.e. Coles or Woolworths. But I came across the brand MUD (Make-Up Design) after watching YouTuber Crystal Conte create an entire makeup look with this brand. In this tutorial she used this contour and highlighting palette, so like with any other time I see something new and shiny, I bought it around 10 months ago but didn't use it all that much. At the beginning of March I smashed my go-to contour from NYX (it is actually a blush in shade Taupe) on the bathroom floor đȘ so I decided to use this guy again. I was pleasantly surprised at how much I loved how it looked that day, therefore since then I have continued to use it all month long. I only really use the cool toned contour shade (bottom right pan) for both my cheek and nose contour and then the highlight shade for when I want a natural glow. This can only be purchased from Woolworths for $9.95 however this one can't be ordered online (it might be a click and collect doo-dad though) so you will need to go in-store.
So that is it, my top 10 favourites for March. Was there anything in my favourites that you enjoy or have never seen before? What were your favourite items in March? Leave your comments below as I would love to hear what you were digging too!
Toodles đ
Jess
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