Monthly Favorites: April 2020 Edition

[BrendaBT]

Hello, BIC! Is that time of the month already, it’s time for us to share all the beauty products we’ve been loving all month long. This month, I’ve tried my best to keep a daily routine going to maintain a sense of normalcy and productivity. I am very appreciative for all of you - not only for giving the best beauty advice but for all the love, mutual support and daily positivity. All my favorite products this month have been things I’ve discovered through the Community 🙂 

Here is the list of my April favorites:

• Briogeo Don't Despair, Repair!™ Deep Conditioning Hair Mask 8 oz/ 237 mL 
• CHARLOTTE TILBURY - Matte Revolution Lipstick- Pillow Talk Collection - Pillow Talk 
• Kosas Revealer Super Creamy + Brightening Concealer with Caffeine and Hyaluronic Acid Tone 05 W 
• PAT McGRATH LABS LUST: Lip Gloss Gold Allure 
• Youth To The People Adaptogen Deep Moisturizing Cream with Ashwagandha + Reishi 2 oz/ 60 mL 

What are your April favorites? And what is one thing you have in your basket for the Spring Sales Event? Click the reply button below to share!

[Loretta55]

I am happy that I was able to cheer you up @lnum! BTW I live on the other side of the Hudson. Believe it or not I have not traveled to NYC in about 18 months.

[lnum]

I’d say we envy each other, I like getting away especially during the fall to upstate/western NY. @Loretta55 

[Loretta55]

My coworker and I were talking about taking a scenic train ride through Upstate NY into Canada this fall @lnum . Now who knows what any of us will be doing this fall. Even a ride in the countryside would be wonderful. Western NJ has some beautiful areas .

[lnum]

@Loretta55 I think driving up somewhere and going hiking is still ok! There’s lots of space to spread out and there will be beautiful fall colors. I think the summer is going to be tough without the beach and things to do, but we’re all in this together I’m sure we will find ways to have fun and engage “together” but separately. 

[Loretta55]

You are correct @lnum. At the beginning of the Pandemic my employer gave me a letter stating that I am an essential employee. The police were enforcing the stay at home rule. I believe that the hiking trails were also off limits due to social distancing.

[lnum]

@Loretta55 Yes most everything is still shut down for us through May 15. But this summer I’m sure restrictions will be relaxed with social distancing in place, or at least I hope. If not, I’ll have to start doing a daily mask challenge and crazy makeup looks to keep myself entertained. 😂

[Loretta55]

My skin looks pretty good right now @lnum. I have only been wearing lip balm. I really need to work on perfecting my eye shadow and eyeliner game. At this point that is the only part of my face that anyone could see clearly when I am in public are my eyes.

[lnum]

Same here, I’ve only been wearing lip balm! Occasionally I’ll put on eyeliner, mascara, blush, lipstick, and finishing powder if I have to be on Zoom calls with folks outside my organization. I find that nobody is close enough to even see eyeshadow so you’re probably ok with liner and mascara, I’m all for easy routines these days. @Loretta55 

[Loretta55]

I wear funky eyeglasses @lnum. Worse case scenario I put on a small amount of my Too Faced Matte Chocolate Bronzer as eyeshadow and mascara and I feel presentable.

[lnum]

I saw your other post don’t you have an entire chocolate vault to get through? Better start! 😅😂 @Loretta55 

[Loretta55]

When I return to work on Sunday I plan on using one of the chocolate palettes @lnum .

[lnum]

Good luck and be safe! @Loretta55 

[Loretta55]

Thank you @lnum.

[eshoe]

March-April Favorites 🙂

[tastelikewater]

Now that I think about it, everything I mention in this post I'm wearing today!

Spoiler

Barefaced except for gloss, eep!

[LindaTT]

Your skin looks great! Very glowy.

[jen81]

The Paulas Choice Toner is 🙌. I have been using it for years! It keeps my skin from developing dry patches. Sometimes I shake it pour a quarters worth into my palm and add a few drops facial oil and pat on my skin. It’s like a moisturizing serum. My face isn’t greasy and it absorbs really quickly. I don’t think you. An beat the ingredients in this toner. @tastelikewater 

[TiffanyTrangVo]

Hi! I wanna ask about youth to the people cream, is it good? And it works on dry and acnes skin?

[GeorginaBT]

Yaaaas I'm with you on the Briogeo Don't Despair, Repair!™ Deep Conditioning Hair Mask 8 oz/ 237 mL love @BrendaBT! I just finished the one in my shower - time to crack open another one from my stash. 🙂 

My April faves are:

• KORA Organics Turmeric Brightening Pore Scrub + Exfoliating Mask 3.38 oz / 100 mL - I know quite a few of us on Team BIC have been loving this mask recently! A common theme with my skincare faves this month is that a couple of them specifically target dark spots/hyperpigmentation, one of the big concerns I'm trying to tackle at the moment. This mask definitely helps! I like that it doubles as an exfoliant, too. 
• Mario Badescu Vitamin C Serum 1 oz/ 29 mL - Also using this to combat dark spots! I've been using this specific Vitamin C serum for a couple years now, and it's a great constant to have in my routine. I really notice the difference when I pick it back up after going a couple weeks without it. 
• THE ORDINARY - Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 - Another constant for me; this one is always good for keeping my skin feeling plump and hydrated. 
• GLOW RECIPE - Watermelon Pink Juice Oil-Free Moisturizer - I've returned to this moisturizer after trying it a while ago, and love it more than ever. I've been struggling with pimples lately, and switching the this moisturizer seemed to help. I think it's a really great one for oily skin, and keeping my oil at bay has helped reduce acne due to buildup. 
• Olaplex No. 3 Hair Repair Perfector 8.5 oz / 250 mL - This might just be a fave for the rest of time. Just picked up the value size for the Spring Savings Event ❤️ My bleached hair loooooves it. 

[haleyvvvv]

Oooh, @BrendaBT, love the Briogeo Don't Despair, it's so necessary during this time with all of the sheltering in place. And Pillow Talk is gorgeous!! Nice faves.

My April Faves

I'm on the search for a dry shampoo I like. I really the Bumble and Bumble Dry Shampoo. I like the scent (rare for me), the little bit of cooking and how well this absorbs oil without being white cast-y.

The combo of the QMS eye cream during the day and the Murad Retinol Youth Renewal Eye Serum 0.5 oz/ 15 mL with LANEIGE - Eye Sleeping Mask a few times a week at night is really helping my eyes look better, my circles aren't as dark and the whole area is more hydrated and smooth. I started using these around the same time so difficult to tell what's doing the job the most. 

I am loving the Peter Thomas Roth Water Drench Hyaluronic Acid Moisturizer 1.7 oz/ 50 mL. I know there was some controversy about this, but I feel like it's a great lightweight moisturizer. It applied so well and leaves my skin soft and hydrated and smooth. It definitely needs an oil over top I think, because of the HA.

My fave fave this month is the FIRST AID BEAUTY - FAB Pharma Arnica Relief & Rescue Mask. I feel like, finally, a great calming mask that truly excels at both the reducing redness and irritation but is also nourishing and hydrating. I think it's like what the ORIGINS - Dr. Andrew Weil For Origins™ Mega-Mushroom Relief & Resilience Soothing Face Mask purports to do (without the terrible scent) and the REN Clean Skincare Evercalm™ Ultra Comforting Rescue Mask 1.7 oz/ 50 mL (without sinking as much into the skin).

And the BIC. I've been spending a lot of time on here this month especially and it's super great. 🥰😍💖🥳

Love-Hates and Hate to Love

So, the Shiseido Waso:Quick Gentle Cleanser, definitely is an gentle make up remover that doesn't irritate my skin. But it doesn't spread well, and so you have to be really quick to use it and it starts to emulsify even without adding water, so it's just a little difficult to use.

I really like the Dose of Colors iiluvsarahii palette. There's some fun pops of color and shimmer/glitter shades and some mattes to round out to do a full look. However, oof, the black shimmer glitter shade is a mess. Looks so good but gets everywhere. It didn't helped that I dropped it a few times and it's not the sturdiest.

I hate that I love the Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Ultra-Fine Mist 2.53 oz/ 75 mL. I'm going through this so fast. And at the price point, I don't see myself necessarily buying this every month almost. There really isn't enough volume to justify it. I do love the scent!! And it definitely adds spritz of hydration. I think since I'm home all day, I'm using a lot more. Everytime I walk past where its stored, I spray another layer. So it might last slightly longer when I'm not staying home. I dunno. I wish so many sprays weren't rose scented.

Fails

I'm adding a Fails bit to this month. I like hearing about both.

Ooof, the Dermalogica Sound Sleep Cocoon Night Gel-Cream 1.7 oz/ 50 mL would be great if it didn't smell like patchouli. Ugh too scented. It does leave my skin hydrated and soft, but bleh.

I can not figure out the purpose of this Elemis mask. It says that it's for brightening on the website and has some Vitamin C and some fruit acids, so maybe is supposed to help retexture. But then it's called a nourishing mask, and is super creamy and absorbs into the skin like a calming mask, and has fatty acids to help plump the skin. It's trying to do too many things and isn't excelling at any of them. Meh.

[CookieGirl1]

@haleyvvvv and TBH, the few Elemis Superfood products that I've tried all smelled kinda weird...me no like.