Monthly Favorites: March 2022 Edition!

[GeorginaBT]

Spring is here, BIC! 🌷 The weather in California has been warming up, and I’ve been loving every bit of it. My skin, on the other hand, has not been its happiest lately, so I’ve called in a few anti-acne reinforcements to help me out … and I’m ready to add other recommendations to my shopping list if anyone’s willing to share. 😉 I know I’m not the only one who’s started planning out my Spring Savings Event basket! For more basket-building inspo and details about this season’s promotion, check out Spring Savings Event 2022 Shopping Advice Thread: What’s in Your Basket? 

These are the products I’ve been reaching for the most this month:

• Fenty Beauty by Rihanna Gloss Bomb Heat Universal Lip Luminizer + Plumper Lemon Lava 
• Olaplex No. 4 Bond Maintenance Strengthening and Reparative Hair Shampoo 8.5 oz/ 250 mL 
• The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Masque 
• Peace Out Salicylic Acid Acne Healing Dots 
• Virtue Restorative, Hydrating Treatment Hair Mask with Keratin 

We want to know what beauty products you’ve been sticking with throughout March! Reply below and use the “#” symbol to tag any recent makeup, skincare, hair, fragrance, or wellness faves.  

[SportyGirly125]

@eshoe it reminds me of a BBW scent. 

[faeriegirl]

@SportyGirly125  In the reviews a couple of people said it reminds them of B&BW In the stars. Could that be what it reminds you of?

[SportyGirly125]

@faeriegirl It could be.  I have tried so many BBW scents that I can't remember all the names.

[eshoe]

@SportyGirly125 I saw that you mentioned that, and I ran through the the ones I know of…but cannot yet place it. 

[CookieGirl1]

@faeriegirl have you tried other JVN products?  I feel like I've heard overall good things about the line but I have so many hair goodies I want to try and I can't afford to try them all 😂.

[faeriegirl]

@CookieGirl1  I just got the Volume shampoo and the repairing conditioner. I’ll let you know how they do.

[WinglessOne]

2 days late but listing my March faves anyway. 

March 2022 Favorites

🎁 = generously gifted by Sephora. Thanks again, @TeamBIC!

Skincare: 

• Good Molecules Hyaluronic Acid Boosting Essence - A serious contender to replace my beloved discontinued e.l.f. Hydrating Water Essence for my AM skincare routine. It’s more hydrating than I expected. My skin’s greatly appreciated it during recent cold weather. 
• Paula's Choice 10% Azelaic Acid Booster for Redness Relief 1 oz/ 30 mL - Still my favorite 10% azelaic acid product, compared to The Ordinary’s and FaceTheory’s. Though I like the FaceTheory serum’s milky formula, I find the Paula’s Choice cream is faster at reducing acne, possibly because it contains 0.5% salicylic acid. And I like the Paula’s Choice cream texture better than The Ordinary’s. 

Makeup: 

• Jouer Cosmetics Essential High Coverage Concealer Pen Amber (my color corrector shade) - A repeat fave. While testing the GXVE gratis package, I tried a different brand’s new-to-me concealer which confirmed my love of Jouer’s concealer pens. 😄 They have the perfect cream texture for my skin. 
• GXVE BY GWEN STEFANI I’m Still Here Longwear Clean Matte Liquid Lipstick Original Recipe 🎁 - One of the extremely few liquid matte lipstick formulas I can comfortably wear over my usual lip balm (Aquaphor Ointment) plus MAC Prep + Prime Lip. No cracking into vertical lip lines, dried out lips, or transfer to cups/glasses. Kinda reminds me of Pat McGrath’s first generation “Labs vault” liquid mattes (I haven’t tried the current version), which I also like.
• GXVE BY GWEN STEFANI Line It Up Clean 24-Hr Gel Pencil Waterproof Eyeliner Bathwater 🎁 - Applies easily with no uncomfy skin tugging. I get 60-90 seconds of playtime (for smudging and blending out) before this liner locks down to a transfer-proof finish on my hooded eyes. And I’m in love with this metallic cobalt blue. 
• Hindash Beautopsy palette - The more I play with it, the more I enjoy customizing my own shades to use pretty much anywhere on my face. Eye looks can go from very subtle neutral to boldly editorial with this palette. Various shades can be used as blush, finishing powder, brow powder, or contour. These mattes are silky and buildable, so they’re easy to work with. 

Nails: 

• Butter London Horsepower Nail Rescue Basecoat - After a month of use, it’s now my favorite base coat by anyone. Extends my manicures from the usual 3-4 chip-free days to 5-7 days—and I’m not gentle on my nails. I originally bought a mini bottle to test and will definitely buy a full size bottle soon. 
• Poetry Cowgirl Nail Polish Midnight Society - A duochrome (red to blackened burgundy) jelly that’s fun of multicolored flakes and silver reflective pinpoint glitter. Lovely topper that can be opaque in 3-4 coats. Photos don’t do this polish justice, but I tried in the Show Me Your Nails 2.0 thread. This was a Polish Pickup limited edition shade so, unfortunately, it’s no longer available to purchase. 
• ILNP Eclipse - An old favorite polish. It’s a multichrome (red, black, orange, fiery amber) shade that’s beautiful on its own. It’s also the perfect base color for Midnight Society: just deep enough to amplify the latter’s flakes while complimenting its color shift. 

[erikarosenim]

@WinglessOne 

Thanks for the review onthe Good molecules. I've had a couple of their products in my cart.

[WinglessOne]

@erikarosenim  If you order them, I hope they work for you! I've used and enjoyed their Niacinamide Brightening Toner, mostly for its niacinamide and arbutin content. And I'm still a big fan of Good Molecules Caffeine Energizing Hydrogel Eye Patches. (The only eye patches I like better are JayJun's green tea patches.) 

[greeneyedgirl107]

@WinglessOne I remember when you first started testing out the GM Essence.  Glad to hear you like it so much!  

[WinglessOne]

@greeneyedgirl107  It's not as hydrating as the old e.l.f. essence, but it's done very well during my cold weather testing. It'll lessen the blow when I finally finish my last bottle ever of Hydrating Water Essence. 

[greeneyedgirl107]

@WinglessOne I was just checking today to see if Ulta had it, and still no.  Once it gets cold again I may just need to seek it out elsewhere (points be darned!) since I know it has your seal of approval.

[alexasteph]

I've really enjoyed a couple of perfumes this month -

Lancôme Idôle Eau de Parfum 

Floral Street Sunflower Pop Eau De Parfum 1.7 oz/ 50 mL Eau de Parfum Spray 

I was able to score Idole during 21 Days of Beauty and Sunflower Pop with a 20% Fragrance coupon from Sephora so there isn't much better than getting two new perfumes for a good deal! I think SP might be my favorite fragrance ever and Idole is just very lovely and feminine. 

[CookieGirl1]

@alexasteph I love the Idole fragrance! 

[GeorginaBT]

@alexasteph "Favorite fragrance ever" !! Nothing better than finding a holy grail like that. 😍 Especially with fragrance since it's so personal! 

[AlexBT]

@GeorginaBT I'm also lovin' my Lemon Lava! I'm on a lip plumper kick this month, switching between my Fenty heat and the PATRICK TA Major Volume Plumping Lip Gloss 2 CC's - both gifts from @LexBT! 💋

And of course gotta give it up for my Dyson Dyson Airwrap™ Styler. Considering the investment, I was determined to love it at all costs (haha), and luckily I haven't had to try too hard! It's refreshing to actually enjoy doing my hair again vs. it feeling like a chore, plus it makes me feel better that I'm not doing too much heat damage by using it all the time! Since I have pretty long hair, I also bought the Dyson Airwrap™ 0.8” Long Barrel Attachment, which gives me nice beachy waves. 🏄‍ I also feel like the long barrel attachments make my curls last longer than the ones that come with the set! 

[GeorginaBT]

@AlexBT Oooh, I didn't know you've been using the long barrel attachment! You have to give us all an Airwrap 101 tutorial one of these days... 🤩

That Patrick Ta gloss! 💕 I have a few things from him on my list - I'm obsessed with PATRICK TA Major Headlines Double-Take Crème & Powder Blush Duo She's So LA and there are new shades I need to swatch IRL!! 

[Mellmars1185]

@AlexBT I got a notification that the Dyson Dyson Airwrap™ Styler was in stock but it sells out soo quickly!

[AlexBT]

@Mellmars1185 the challenge of catching it when it's in stock is half the fun! 🤣

[Mellmars1185]

@AlexBT Very true! I ended up getting the dyson blow dryer holiday edition. Maybe if I am lucky enough I can get the matching air wrap!

[SportyGirly125]

@AlexBT Aww love your favorites 😍 The airwrap sounds lovely