February 2018 Beauty Favorites

February was the month of love and my favorites completely reflected that. It was all about the lips and getting ready to pucker up! 

1. 

My first February beauty product are the Patchology Lip Renewal Flashpatch. It's a great lip mask to prime your lips! It leaves your lips feeling smooth before applying any lipsticks/ lip glosses. The lip mask formula is very gentle, smells really nice, and doesn't have a bad taste. It's a great mask to do with your girlfriends! Trust me, there will be a lot of fun laughs. 

2. 

During the Winter, my lips are almost always chapped. It has taken me a long time to find a product that actually heels and moisturizes my lips at the same time (besides my favorite regular chapstick). A product I have found that makes my lips feel super smooth is the new Patchology Lip Service gloss-to-balm treatment. I put the lipgloss on right before I hop into bed. Overnight it repairs and hydrates for me to wake up with smooth lips.  It is a thicker consistincy and feels minty fresh when it is on.

3. 

The new soft matte metallic matte lipsticks from NYX are amazing! By far my favorite matte lipsticks! I love the matte look but I alway struggle when the matte lipsticks dry my lips out, leaving cracks. If you have the same issue then these NYX soft metallic matte lipsticks are for you! They have a creamy texture and feels like chapstick. They also stay on for hours without having to reapply. I noticed the darker shades or bright pigmented colors lasted longer than the neutral colors. I also didn't have to put on chapstick on after the matte lipstick like I do with many other matte lipsticks. You can't go wrong with the price either! 

4.

If you're looking to sparkle up your lip life, you should try the new Cover Girl Melting Pout Metallic Lipgloss with cover girl matte lipstick underneath. The metallic top coat completely takes a day look to night. It is glitter filled and makes the lip look super shiny. The Cover Girl Melting Pout Matte Liquid Lipstick is a good base to start with during the day. It's long lasting and will give you a nice pigment too. 

5.

If you're looking to splurge a little for a great lipstick, I highly recommend the Marc Jacobs Liquid Lip Crayon. The lip crayon has a super creamy feeling texture that glides on to the lip beautifully. The colors are very pigmented and last hours! I love the texture it leaves on the lip. My lips tend to get dry after wearing this for a few hours so I like to add a layer or chapstick. My favorite shade is #340 How Rouge! 

6.

For an everyday lip wear, I love the stained lip balm from Doctor Lip Bangs! It gives your lips a fresh tint that looks really natural. The formula leaves lips feeling super tingly-it feels like it immediately starts heeling your lips. Get them at Ricky's!

7.

Another beauty favorite this month is my trusted Foreo facial cleansing brush. This little guy is my best friend during my mornings when I wash my face. This little device vibrates and is a great gentle way to get dead skin cells off of your face. It's battery operated. I love the color too! It is available in an array of fun colors. Shop them at Ricky's! 

8.

After a nice face wash, I use this SkinRx Madecera Cream to hydrate my dry skin during the winter. I have naturally oily skin so I use this product when I need a deep hydration treatment. It's especially great to use after you've used a face scrub. I mix a dollop of this in with my other moisturizers too. It's great to use on the face and the neck. 

9. 

Innisfree custom powder compacts are fun, easy to take on the go, and match any skin shade. You can custom make your own palette from the cover color/ patter, powder finish, and even the applicator. So cool right? I prefer the matte finish since I have oily skin. You dip the sponge down in the compact to get the product. You can control the amount of product you want by how hard you press down. The finish is very subtle and applys on smoothly.

10.

A fun and quite different beauty products I love this month are from the well known brand Almay. The new shadow quads are amazing! I love the colors in each palette! It's a great size to slip into any bag when traveling. Each quad comes with four finishes- matte, glitter, metallic, and satin. My favorite is the glitter because it has a lot of shine but I usually use all four finishes to create one look. First I apply the matte finish on my crease, then the metallic finish in the inner corner. After that, I apply the glitter finish in the very center and blend to the outer corner. I finish off by adding the satin finish by my eyebrow line. This combination creates a natural look with a touch of shine. 

11.

I also love this new Almay Make Them Jelly Highlight. It is a gel like formula that you can apply with your finger or brush to your cheekbone and up to your eyes to give you a glitter holographic glow. i think this product take highlighters to a whole new world! It leaves an iridescent shine on your skin. 

12. 

Aveda's new Invati hair line is great for anyone who has thinning hair. It is hereditary in my family so discovering this product was a life saver! The texture and formula for all products from the shampoo to spray all feel really great. No product leaves hair feeling heavy, greasy, or looking oily. the smell is a natural herbal ginger like smell. I have been using this for a month and a half now and can see a slight difference already. 

XOXO,

Krity

*I get commission for purchases or clicks made through links in this post*

Fall Beauty at Walmart

Growing up in the Midwest, Walmart was an essential place where my family would go to get a few groceries, household items, and occasionally even makeup. My mom and I would shop our favorite makeup brands at affordable prices. It was the fun part of our shopping trip. Well, starting this fall, Walmart is revamping the beauty department to make shopping a luxurious experience instead of a chore! After all, it's the only aisle us women take for ourselves and not our family or house. This amazing revamp with 'on trend' displays and larger assortment of products will be expanding to every store throughout the US. Trust me, you'll want to pop into your local Walmart this September. .

Walmart is adapting to their customer base, carrying makeup for every background, skin tone, skin type, and hair type. America is one big melting pot and being a brown skinned women with frizzy hair, it's important for me to find makeup and hair care that's a perfect fit without breaking the bank. 

Makeup brands like Milani are launching an 'every skin tone shade assortment' makeup collection. And I mean every skin tone! Most Milani products range under $15 too! They have new highlighters that are amazing and in different shades with touches of pink, beige, and white. I also loved their makeup setting spray. I've been using Mac's for a while and spending $26. Now I only need to spend $9. 

I love trying out new face masks! I love Walmart's variety and price point. You can't beat two for $5! Masqueology has a new 'Charcoal Clay Bubble Mask' that I'm really excited to try. Charcoal helps heal the skin while taking out all of the dirt in your pores. Another mask I'm intrigued about is the 'Chin Up' mask Masqueology is launching this holiday season. Our generation is constantly on our phones. I'm totally guilty of that! Well, because I'm constantly looking down, my chin has begun to sag. Sad but true. Well, this new mask is meant to re-lift the chin and give its tightness back! 

Another thing I'm loving about Walmart's beauty revamp are all of the natural products! As I grow older (and a little wiser), I try to be cautious of what I'm putting on my skin. The average woman puts on over a 100 chemicals on her face before leaving the house. I am probably guilty of that, but I am definitely trying to work on it. Walmart is making it easier by providing great natural products at a price I can actually afford! A new brand I got introduced to is Found. Found lists the percentage of how natural is it on all of their products. They also list ingredient information that explains what the main ingredient is and what it does. So cool right? This brand will launch its products at Walmart this September. 

Ladies, we can't forget about our nails! The colors are endless at Walmart between all the brands they carry. You'll definitely find the shade you are looking for. Serendipity, a new brand I was introduced to, is the coolest new nail care innovation! To apply polish, you literally dip your fingers in the polish and everything on your skin comes right off, just the polish stays on. 

XOXO!

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Walmart. The opinions and text are all mine.

Summer Beauty Esstentials

My #1 secret to smooth skin is my cleanser. I live by this product!! I've used this Cetaphil face wash for over 6 years now. It is amazing!! It removes all the dirt in your pores, delicate on the skin, and fragrance free. 

Face lotion and under eye cream is a must no matter what (seriously, no matter what!). Estée Lauder Advanced Time Zone collection is great! Ladies, studies show that you should start to use preventative skin care in your 20's to reduce wrinkles later in life. Yes, I know, it's so sad. Make sure you get the correct kind for your type skin (if you have oily skin, get oil free).

Sunscreen is the #1 essential for summer. No body wants wrinkles! The best thing you can do for your face is keeping in out of the sun. I have really oily skin and I've tried a ton of sunscreens. Instead of wearing sunscreen, face lotion, and foundation this Shiseido BB cream does all three! It has great coverage and doesn't make your face look greasy. 

Primer makes a difference when you wear foundation! This NYX Shine Killer Primer is perfect for the Summer! It removes and prevents your skin from looking shiny. It also feels really good on the skin!

For the nights when I go all out, I love the MAC Studio Fix Foundation. It has full coverage and last all night! It leaves you looking like you have perfect skin. I also mix this with my face lotion if I want a thinner application. I apply this with my kabuki brush for an even layer all around. Check out reviews on other foundations here!

Throughout the day everyone needs a little touch up. Powder is great to help reduce the oily look and this MAC Studio Fix Powder Plus is perfect for that. It mattefiys your skin

Under eye concealer is perfect for those days you're exhausted from partying all night or just working non-stop. This NYX Concealer does wonders! It covers discoloration and under eye bags. I also use this as a base for my eyelids before applying eyeshadow. I add Maybelline Instant Age Rewind concealer when I do a full face makeup as a highlight under the eyes. It's amazing!

Bronzer gives that extra glow that we all need a little bit of. This Nars Bronzing Powder works like magic, literally! It gives the perfect amount of shine and leaves your skin looking perfectly sun kissed.  

Contouring is a simple yet effective way of defining angles with makeup. BH Cosmetics Contour and Blush Palette has the perfect 6 color palette for highlight, contour, and blush and it's only $14! The colors are very pigmented (a little goes a long way). It's perfect for brown girls like myself because the colors are dark enough to see the contouring.

Summer is the perfect time to play with fun eye makeup looks. I love this BH Cosmetics 120 Eyeshadow Palette. There is literally every color imaginable! The colors are vibrant and it's super affordable! I use the NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in the color Milk (listed below) as a base to brighten up colors too. 

My makeup look is never complete without my liquid eyeliner. My go to liquid eyeliner is NYC Liquid Eyeliner. I've tried expensive brands but this one is just as good if not better! I can't live without this product!

The secret to making your eyes look bigger is applying white eyeliner on the bottom. It really works! My favorite is the NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in the color Milk. This product also works great as a primer on the eyelids to make eyeshadow brighter!

Mascara makes the difference. This Estée Lauder Sumptuous Mascara is amazing! It thickens and lengthens lashes. It looks like you have falsys on. It also doesn't clump like a lot of other mascaras. Tip: use mascara on your eyebrows to define and make them look fuller.

I can't live without my chapstick! I've used Burt's Bees for over 8 years now and LOVE it! They prevent and cure chapped lips and protect them from the sun. Yes, lips can get sunburned too (trust me, it really hurts). I keep one in every purse I own. 

Summer is all about wearing bright colors, especially bright lipsticks. Maybelline Color Sensation Vivids lip collection has the richest brightest colors! My favorites are Electric Orange and Fuchsia Flash. To make the color last all day and night, I'll apply a little concelor on my lips before applying the lipstick.

Nail polish! This 4 step nail system by Sephora is great! First you use the nail cleanser, base coat, super fun color of your choice, and last the shiny top coat. This at home manicure system lasts up to 2 weeks and is just as good as the salon! They have hundreds of colors to choose from too!

Don't forget the deodorant, another must have for summer.  Degree is my favorite because it lasts all day long! 

My #1 secret to smooth skin is my cleanser. I live by this product!! I've used this Cetaphil face wash for over 6 years now. It is amazing!! It removes all the dirt in your pores, delicate on the skin, and fragrance free. 

Face lotion and under eye cream is a must no matter what (seriously, no matter what!). Estée Lauder Advanced Time Zone collection is great! Ladies, studies show that you should start to use preventative skin care in your 20's to reduce wrinkles later in life. Yes, I know, it's so sad. Make sure you get the correct kind for your type skin (if you have oily skin, get oil free).

Sunscreen is the #1 essential for summer. No body wants wrinkles! The best thing you can do for your face is keeping in out of the sun. I have really oily skin and I've tried a ton of sunscreens. Instead of wearing sunscreen, face lotion, and foundation this Shiseido BB cream does all three! It has great coverage and doesn't make your face look greasy. 

Primer makes a difference when you wear foundation! This NYX Shine Killer Primer is perfect for the Summer! It removes and prevents your skin from looking shiny. It also feels really good on the skin!

For the nights when I go all out, I love the MAC Studio Fix Foundation. It has full coverage and last all night! It leaves you looking like you have perfect skin. I also mix this with my face lotion if I want a thinner application. I apply this with my kabuki brush for an even layer all around.

Throughout the day everyone needs a little touch up. Powder is great to help reduce the oily look and this MAC Studio Fix Powder Plus is perfect for that. It mattefiys your skin

Under eye concealer is perfect for those days you're exhausted from partying all night or just working non-stop. This NYX Concealer does wonders! It covers discoloration and under eye bags. I also use this as a base for my eyelids before applying eyeshadow. I add Maybelline Instant Age Rewind concealer when I do a full face makeup as a highlight under the eyes. It's amazing!

Bronzer gives that extra glow that we all need a little bit of. This Nars Bronzing Powder works like magic, literally! It gives the perfect amount of shine and leaves your skin looking perfectly sun kissed.  

Contouring is a simple yet effective way of defining angles with makeup. BH Cosmetics Contour and Blush Palette has the perfect 6 color palette for highlight, contour, and blush and it's only $14! The colors are very pigmented (a little goes a long way). It's perfect for brown girls like myself because the colors are dark enough to see the contouring.

Summer is the perfect time to play with fun eye makeup looks. I love this BH Cosmetics 120 Eyeshadow Palette. There is literally every color imaginable! The colors are vibrant and it's super affordable! I use the NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in the color Milk (listed below) as a base to brighten up colors too. 

My makeup look is never complete without my liquid eyeliner. My go to liquid eyeliner is NYC Liquid Eyeliner. I've tried expensive brands but this one is just as good if not better! I can't live without this product!

The secret to making your eyes look bigger is applying white eyeliner on the bottom. It really works! My favorite is the NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in the color Milk. This product also works great as a primer on the eyelids to make eyeshadow brighter!

Mascara makes the difference. This Estée Lauder Sumptuous Mascara is amazing! It thickens and lengthens lashes. It looks like you have falsys on. It also doesn't clump like a lot of other mascaras. Tip: use mascara on your eyebrows to define and make them look fuller.

I can't live without my chapstick! I've used Burt's Bees for over 8 years now and LOVE it! They prevent and cure chapped lips and protect them from the sun. Yes, lips can get sunburned too (trust me, it really hurts). I keep one in every purse I own. 

Summer is all about wearing bright colors, especially bright lipsticks. Maybelline Color Sensation Vivids lip collection has the richest brightest colors! My favorites are Electric Orange and Fuchsia Flash. To make the color last all day and night, I'll apply a little concelor on my lips before applying the lipstick.

Nail polish! This 4 step nail system by Sephora is great! First you use the nail cleanser, base coat, super fun color of your choice, and last the shiny top coat. This at home manicure system lasts up to 2 weeks and is just as good as the salon! They have hundreds of colors to choose from too!

Don't forget the deodorant, another must have for summer.  Degree is my favorite because it lasts all day long!