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Monthly Favorites: March 2023 Edition!

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Happy March, Beauty Insider Community! 🍀🌈😎 The days are getting longer again, and I for one am very much looking forward to the warmer weather rolling in. This month, I just happened to surround myself with beauty products that are all new to me – even though several of them might not be new to others (better late than never on the holy grail discoveries! 😊).

 

Here are my favorites for the month of March:

 

Now you, BIC! Leave a comment below and let us know what makeup, skincare, hair, and fragrance goodies you’ve been reaching for most lately. Don’t forget to use the “#” symbol to tag those faves!

Re: Monthly Favorites: March 2023 Edition!

Love your Glossier favorites @GeorginaBT and the LM looks so pretty! 

I kept going back to these on the daily it seems. 

 

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Augustinus Bader The Rich Cream with TFC8® Face Moisturizer is my first step to feeling like my skin is moisturized but not too much so. Best consistency and never sticky. 

Westman Atelier Lit Up Glow Highlighter Stick Pärla - love to use this under and over blush in particular 

MERIT Flush Balm Cream Blush Apres - perfect creamy flush 

Westman Atelier Eye Pods Cream Eyeshadows Rendez Vous Frappe is perfect on it’s own or as a base especially under this Dior single in Beige Mitzah ( Also love VBB new shadow sticks- I use to line or all over- this is Bottle Green. Love to see this in Sephora at some point! 🙃)

tarte mini tartelette ™ tubing mascara Black has become my go to for the last coat of mascara . So smooth and deep black , this is the first tubing mascara I’ve really liked I think. 

GXVE BY GWEN STEFANI Original Me Clean High-Performance Matte Lipstick Old School Me is my perfect deep berry red. Never dry and leaves the best stain. She knows her lips! 💄

 

Re: Monthly Favorites: March 2023 Edition!

Re: Monthly Favorites: March 2023 Edition!

Yay, I'm glad to see you're enjoying your Glossier Cloud Paint shades, @GeorginaBT! Cloud Paints are still my favorite cream blushes. 🙂 

 

And wow, it's been a looong time since I last posted in a monthly faves thread. Here's what I loved most in March: 

 

Showing the empty Abib box because the cleanser bar was wet—because I did my PM skincare routine before taking this photo.Showing the empty Abib box because the cleanser bar was wet—because I did my PM skincare routine before taking this photo.

Swatches and details: 

 

Spoiler
Abib Calming Facial Soap Heartleaf Stone - I tested this fragrance-free cleanser nightly all month long and I'm 100% in love with it. First time I used it, my face felt almost too clean—nearing that dangerous “squeaky clean” feel—while I rinsed the cleanser off (it rinses off easily), so I was worried. But immediately after, my skin felt soft and lightly moisturized, not coated with a film or residue but also not dry or tight at all. It costs more than my usual PM cleanser (CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser Bar) but I'll have to repurchase it, lest my facial skin rebel. 😄 I’m tracking how long this bar lasts; there’s a chance it’ll outlast the CeraVe bar, despite being smaller (100g vs 128g), and that could help justify the extra cost. Meanwhile, I’ll still use the CeraVe bar on the rest of my body. 
 
Ingredient nerd-out: 
Spoiler
My skin LOVES houttuynia cordata, aka heartleaf plant. I discovered that the first time I used Abib’s Heartleaf Fit mask, which is still my favorite sheet mask ever. That ingredient’s also in this cleanser bar, in 2 forms: powder and extract. Heartleaf is antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, humectant, and antibacterial. This powerhouse ingredient calms my skin nicely. 
 
This cleanser bar contains several other skin soothers: purslane (also an excellent antioxidant), honeysuckle, marshmallow leaf, rosemary extract, and yerba mate. It also contains 3 oils (jojoba, linseed, and sweet almond) and several surfactants—which isn’t bad since none of those surfactants are very harsh. The oils make this bar emollient and rather slippery when wet; dont ask how many times Ive dropped it. 😄 It creates a richly emollient lather, making it a joy to use. I know some folks need fragrance to make a cleanser enjoyable; for me, texture and rinsability matter more. Abibs Heartleaf Stone knocks that outta the park. I hope they never discontinue or drastically reformulate this cleanser bar. Itperfect for me. 
Laura Mercier High Vibe Lip Color, shade Pop - in the March hauls thread, I called this the perfect substitute for Urban Decay Vice bullet shade Firebird—one of my favorite lipstick shades that didn’t carry over to UD’s Vice reformulation. I think I like Pop even more than Firebird: Pop has a stronger blurple flip and doesn’t bleed/feather at all. Here's the swatch photo I posted in the March hauls thread: 

Lipstick swatches, including my old UD Vice Firebird to compare with LM Pop.Lipstick swatches, including my old UD Vice Firebird to compare with LM Pop.
Sonia G. Mini Keyaki Buffer - Sonia wasn’t exaggerating when she called this saikoho goat brush magical. I use it to apply the next 2 items on this list, especially when I want to tone down a too-shiny sunscreen or mask a zinc oxide SPF white cast. I don’t need to worry about this buffer brush moving my sunscreen around: it has just the right density to fluffiness ratio to make buffing powders a breeze. If/when I restart travel, this brush will always accompany me. But I’ll also keep using it at home, along with my other Mini Keyaki brushes. Using these brushes always reminds me of taiko drums and Japanese temples, 2 things keyaki wood’s often used to build. That connection makes using the brushes very calming and peaceful to me. 
 
SEPHORA COLLECTION MicroSmooth Baked Powder Foundation 40 Tan - a mineral powder foundation that gives me sheer coverage and a natural skin finish, without caking up on my face. It blurs the lines between my skin tones, but I use it mostly to mask a sunscreen cast or shiny finish. 
 
MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural, shade Medium Deep - another mineral powder foundation offering sheer to medium coverage. I use it the same way as the Sephora MicroSmooth foundation. 
 
Swatch comparison of both powder foundations, for the heck of it: 

I’d swatch ‘em on my hand but, um, you wouldn’t be able to see them. :DI’d swatch ‘em on my hand but, um, you wouldn’t be able to see them. 😄
Danessa Myricks Beauty Yummy Skin Blurring Balm Powder 7 - I use this on and around my nose to tone down surface redness and help control oil. My favorite application method is to tap and gently press-blend it onto my skin with a finger since I don’t cover my whole face with it. This balm is better than cream/liquid foundation, concealer, and powder foundation for this part of my face (my oily zone) and needs no setting powder. 
 
Laura Geller Baked Blush-n-Brighten Marbleized Blush, shade Sunswept - completely forgot I had this until March, when I randomly found it and tried it as a perimeter hyperpigmentation warmer. It’s been quite good at that for my specific skin tones. Since it’s shimmery (but not what I’d call straight-up highlighter shimmery), it also brightens that skin. 

Butter London - I use 1 of these 3 products + a top coat on my bare nails” days (when Im giving my nails a break from nail polish or too tired to give myself a full manicure): 
 
  • Jelly Preserve, shades Victoria Plum and Strawberry Rhubarb - sheer washes of color that can also act as color-tweaking base coats. 
  • Mellow the Yellow Nail Brightening Treatmentmoderately color-corrects yellowing. Also, its sheer iridescent pearl + violet looks very pretty on its own. 


Boy Smells Violet Ends - the first Boy Smells fragrance I ever bought. On me, its a peppery tobacco spiced leather + iris + violet, with some bergamot, a fruity sweetness (probably the rhubarb Boy Smells says is in there), a wood note (not cedar or sandalwood), some olibanum, and a hint of black tea. 

It begins as your favorite sassy aunt or uncle, wearing their decades-old leather jacket and filling their tobacco pipe, handing you an open tin of loose leaf bergamot black tea and telling you to take a slice of the freshly baked rhubarb pie on their kitchen table beside a pepper grinder and a vase of violets and irises. It dries down to you and that same relative swapping 
remember when" stories while lounging on an old leather sofa in front of a lit fireplace after sunset, warm pipe smoke in the air, more violets and irises on the coffee table, crickets chirping somewhere in the night. 

 

 

Re: Monthly Favorites: March 2023 Edition!

Those are lovely favorites @GeorginaBT; the Tatcha moisturizer is a beauty, inside and out! 💜

Oils played a starring role in my March favorites.
March 2023 FavoritesMarch 2023 Favorites
Product Details
Spoiler
Tatcha Hinoki Oil made my favorites list to start the year and it is still part of my weekly self-care rituals, but Bio-Oil Skincare Oil has been a daily favorite this month, serving up some TLC for both my cuticles, arms, legs, shoulders ... pretty much everywhere.
 
OLEHENRIKSEN Hydrabarrier Nourishing Face Oil 1 oz / 30 mL  has been a gift to my skin with the record rainfall and cold temps that have inundated the Bay Area for most of March. It absorbs quickly, leaves my skin soft and supple, keeps my skin barrier happy, healthy and well-nourished without feeling or looking heavy, sticky or greasy. 
 
HAUS LABS BY LADY GAGA PhD Hybrid Lip Oil Tint were the best treatment for my lips - one quick swipe was all I needed for a good dose of moisture and gorgeous color. ❤️It was hard to choose between HAUS LABS BY LADY GAGA PhD Hybrid Lip Oil Secondary (gratis) and HAUS LABS BY LADY GAGA PhD Hybrid Lip Oil Hue, so in the end, I included 'em both in my March fave
 
I'm rediscovering my love for JVN Complete Nourishing Hair Oil Shine Drops 1.7 oz/ 50 mL  month and month again since it's been in my 2023 project pan - tames flyaways, hydrates my tresses and leaves my hair looking soft, smooth, and shiny (but not greasy or oily).  Ohhh, it also smells amazing - a soft, sparkly blend of citrus and florals. 
 
I have all three SEPHORA COLLECTION Shower Oil  on my shelf and rotate each in and out of my gym bag. My skin feels soft and smooth after using these shower oils. The warm and delicate scent on the SEPHORA COLLECTION Shower Oil Argan 6.76 oz / 200 mL  version creates a comfy, cozy vibe that's proved helpful for unwinding and healing for an emotionally draining month.
 
Favorite Thread for March is once again the Makeup Madness Challenge thread. I looooove this challenge. It brings a smile to my heart (and face) every year when I see it show up on the Community home page. Win or lose, I love seeing and hearing about everyone's fave product(s). Thank you for continuing to bring this one back time and time again @TeamBIC!

 

Re: Monthly Favorites: March 2023 Edition!

A few of these are BIC-inspired, naturally 😁 happens to me every month!

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Spoiler
I jumped at this new VOLUSPA Barbados Grapefruit Jar Candle 18 oz / 510 g 1 wick candle, but it unfortunately did not start out a love. I lit it in the living room, and could not notice a scent, even after a couple of hours of burning. I moved it into a much smaller room, and huge difference. It still does not have a very strong throw, but what a fresh, sweet and bright scent it has once I found its right home.

@AlexBT talked up the Kosas Revealer Super Creamy + Brightening Concealer with Caffeine and Hyaluronic Acid last month, so I thought I would give it a go. I am so glad I did! I find it to be lightweight and easy to blend. The wand size is perfect, allowing me to apply just the right amount (instead over overdoing it).
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The Sephora Collection Moisturizer from a holiday kit (this is not on the site) is bouncy and incredibly nourishing. I love that it absorbs quickly, too. fresh Rose Face Mask 3.3 oz/ 100 mL might have been the first wash off mask I ever used. I still love it, years later. The Gucci L'Obscur Lengthening Mascara 1 Eve Black truly gives my lashes a much longer-than-they-are appearance. I loved Victoria Beckham Beauty Sea Grey so much, I picked up the Smokey Quartz (and Sequin Green). The sparkle in these liners 
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The cute fluffy wrist bands are to prevent water from dripping down my arms during my skincare routine, and were a brilliant little gift from @SportyGirly125. I might need to find myself a second pair, as these are getting plenty of use twice a day! The little clips are great for holding my hair back, from Natural Life. A few days ago a sweet little girl complimented me on one of them, and her words have stuck with me all week. Never underestimate the power of a kind word! 

 

Re: Monthly Favorites: March 2023 Edition!

@eshoe ,

Your Voluspa Barbados Grapefruit Candle catches my attention! 

Thank you for the VBB eyeliner swatches!  I don't have these, but that may just be temporary now!

Re: Monthly Favorites: March 2023 Edition!

@tsavorite do you have Cocoa? I think that might be next on my list. Hoping Sephora carries VBB sometime in the future 🤞

Re: Monthly Favorites: March 2023 Edition!

@eshoe ,

I don't have Cocoa yet.  I don't have browns or black from VBB.  I only have VBB shimmery eyeliners, plus a blue without shimmer.  Cocoa sounds like a great choice!  I would also like to see Sephora carry VBB.

Re: Monthly Favorites: March 2023 Edition!

The shimmery ones are so pretty, @tsavorite. I wish I did not love the shiny stuff so much, but oh well 😂

Re: Monthly Favorites: March 2023 Edition!

Nice picks for this month. Those wrist bands are such a smart idea!  @eshoe I can see how that would be helpful 💧😉That is a sweet gift 💖

Re: Monthly Favorites: March 2023 Edition!

If you like to spend time doing skincare, @CynthieLu, I highly recommend those wrist bands. Besides saving water, serum and essence from dripping down your arms, they remind me that I am actively working through a process. Once I remove them, it is a sense of completion☺️ @SportyGirly125 

Re: Monthly Favorites: March 2023 Edition!

I love that mindfulness @eshoe 😇

Re: Monthly Favorites: March 2023 Edition!

@eshoe Lovely items. I have been curious about the Kosas concealer. I keep hearing great things about it. What a great idea to move the candle into a smaller room to help bring out the scent. I am glad you can enjoy it more. The wristbands are so cute. I have seen them before and didn't know if I would use them. Hearing how much ypu like them inspires me to want to try them. The VBB liners are so pretty. Sea Grey almost looks like a light blue.

Re: Monthly Favorites: March 2023 Edition!

The more I wear Sea Grey, @Mellmars1185, the more I suspect I am falling into an ‘80’s time capsule 😂 So yeah, you are on to something there.

 

The wristbands are just practical. I go through a few steps and the liquidy products would make quite a mess. These keep me from having to rinse and dry my arms repeatedly. 

You gotta make lemons out of lemonade, right? Thank goodness a scent emitted in a smaller room, finally. I reuse the jars anyways, so I was prepared to just let this one burn. Now I can treasure it💕

Re: Monthly Favorites: March 2023 Edition!

@eshoe @Glad you love it. It’s from Amazon.

Re: Monthly Favorites: March 2023 Edition!

 I do, @SportyGirly125.  So useful and cute, too!

Re: Monthly Favorites: March 2023 Edition!

@eshoe @If you need the link let me know. 

Re: Monthly Favorites: March 2023 Edition!

Yes if you would please PM it to me, I would appreciate it @SportyGirly125 💖

Re: Monthly Favorites: March 2023 Edition!

@eshoe @Just messaged you 

Re: Monthly Favorites: March 2023 Edition!

Got it, thank you! @SportyGirly125 

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  • Lipstick swatches, including my old UD Vice Firebird to compare with LM Pop.
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  • March 2023 Favorites
  • I’d swatch ‘em on my hand but, um, you wouldn’t be able to see them. :D
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