****Update: Carmex is now selling in China, so I no longer consider them to be cruelty-free. I was unaware of this change at the time of this post. ****
Well, March is over, which means it’s time for another monthly favorites post! March is always one of those weird months where the sun tries to shine, but it’s still cold. I always end up with a bad case of Spring fever around this time of year because I cannot wait for it to be warm and sunny most of the time. To get to my point, March seemed like it would never end! And with snow included, it was just a rather miserable start to Spring, but it’s getting better! JBut enough about that, here are the products I’ve found myself reaching for the most this month!
I’ve rediscovered my Lush Mint Julips Lip Scrub. Initially when I bought this, I found it to be too abrasive. I just decided to grab it one day even though my lips weren’t particularly dry and I’ve been using it ever since! It is pretty rough, but I’ve found it’s working nicely at keeping my lips soft and smooth…plus, it tastes delicious! JI find it helps a bit to use the Mint Julips when there is still a small amount of lip balm on my lips – like shortly after I wake up. It helps the sugar move around a bit better and protects my lips a bit from the graininess of the sugar.
Once I’ve gotten my lips nice and smooth, I still use my Carmex Moisturizing Lip Balm in Vanilla to keep my lips hydrated. I know I’ve mentioned this in previous favorites, but nothing else I have used ever compares to this lip balm for me. It’s a little towards the greasy size of things, although I wouldn’t actually call it greasy. It’s not at all a waxy lip balm, which I prefer. I can’t find the Lime flavor lately, which would be nice for summer. Where’s the Lime, Carmex? I miss it! The Vanilla is great though, so no complaints.
I guess I will stick with lips – my next favorite is from Lippy Girl. It is their Organic Lipstick in Gob Smacked. This lipstick is amazing! It’s not at all drying, it’s incredibly comfortable, and it has serious lasting power! I absolutely adore it! JThe color is a medium bright pink and it’s easy to make it a bit more neutral by blotting it, or leaving it a bit brighter by just leaving it alone. Amazing, amazing lipstick!
Moving on to face products, I recently tried a sample of the Dr. Jart Water Fuse BB Cream. I received it in a BirchBox ages ago, but kept forgetting to try it. Well, this was its month! I’m not usually a huge BB Cream junkie, but I’ve been using this almost every day in March (I picked up a full size almost right away because the sample was incredibly tiny and not very full). It provides good coverage and is buildable. It’s hydrating, but my skin does not get even a little bit greasy as the day wears on. It just feels very comfortable and balancing on my combination skin. This comes in just the one shade, which takes the guessing out of shade matching, but I would be surprised if it matched all skin tones. As long as it works with your skin tone, this is a great BB Cream for combo skin!
Sticking to face products, I have decided that I love the NARS Light Reflecting Loose Setting Powder! I’m not convinced that it really reflects the light or disguises pores better than others, but on my skin it is amazing! It gives my skin a very silky soft feel after applying it. It blends in beautifully and is never cakey. I think best of all, at least for me, it keeps my skin balanced all day! I don’t need to do any touching up or blotting when I use this powder and I absolutely adore it! I like this much better than the ultra-hyped Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder (I don’t like that one much at all on my skin), and it’s about $10 less in price!
Moving on to brows, I purchased the “Journey to NaturalBeauty” set from Tarte on QVC and it includes what may just be my perfect brow pencil! I believe it’s only available in this set right now, but I suspect it will eventually be released by itself in stores. It is called the Brow Architect Brow Shaper and I loveit! I would buy the entire set just for this pencil! It is the perfect shade for my eyebrows because it shows up nicely, but doesn’t look dark or heavy. The pencil is kind of a triangle shape which sounds like a terrible idea, but it actually works brilliantly! You turn the pencil to the thicker side for thicker areas like the beginning of brows, and then turn to the pointed end for the tails or any more delicate patches. There is a spoolie on the other end that I use to comb through my brows after using the pencil to help soften and blend the color. As if all that were not enough, there is a highlighting powder including inside the pencil as well! I didn’t think I would really use it, but I find that I reach for it every time I do my brows! It’s a very subtle, matte shade that just kind of lightens under the brow making me look just a bit more awake without looking “made up.” I cannot say enough good things about this brow pencil!
Finally, I have a hand cream. It is from Out of Africa and it is their Organic Shea Butter Hand Cream in Verbena. This may have replaced my Nubian Heritage Hand Creams! The Out of Africa Hand Cream feels very silky on the skin and is not at all greasy. It absorbs almost instantly and doesn’t have a lasting scent. The scent is very faint straight from the tube and it has a hint of lemon to it. It’s a great non-offensive unisex kind of scent. The cream itself is very hydrating and feel really luxurious! I love it!!! J
So that’s going to wrap up my March favorites. I hope you enjoyed it and I’m looking forward to April as it warms up and the sun shines even brighter! JLet me know what some of your monthly favorites have been in the comments below! JHope you’ve all had a lovely month and, like me, are eagerly awaiting the beauty of Spring and Summer!!!
Comments
great post! I like that Tarte brow pencil too. the whole kit is amazing. I really have to try Lippy Girl & Lush still!
great post! I like that Tarte brow pencil too. the whole kit is amazing. I really have to try Lippy Girl & Lush still!
OK that Tarte brow shaper looks SO good. I haven't seen the Out of Africa brand, but my hands are insanely dry and shea butter work so well for me, so I will definitely be checking it out 😀
OK that Tarte brow shaper looks SO good. I haven't seen the Out of Africa brand, but my hands are insanely dry and shea butter work so well for me, so I will definitely be checking it out 😀
I really do have to try that Lippy Girl lipstick! I've heard so many good things about it. I do have that Tarte brow pencil, it's a good one for sure!
I really do have to try that Lippy Girl lipstick! I've heard so many good things about it. I do have that Tarte brow pencil, it's a good one for sure!
Lippy Girl is great! If you go to VeganCuts.com, the Vegocentric Lipsticks are all available for $15 right now! I think they're normally CAD23, so it's a good deal. I bought a few, but I haven't really had a chance to try them much yet.
I think Lush is usually rather overrated, but some of their products are great. I love the face masks! The closest store is about an hour away though. 🙁
The Tarte kit really is a great kit. I couldn't decide if I should buy it or not because I still have a pretty full tube of the foundation, but I really wanted to try the lip butter and the blushes are always great. Plus the brush was so cute – and it's insanely soft! It surprised me that I liked the brow pencil so much because I wasn't that intrigued when I first saw it. Now I love it! 🙂 My brows are so sparse, but I really don't like to fill them in. The Tarte pencil makes it so quick and easy!
Lippy Girl is great! If you go to VeganCuts.com, the Vegocentric Lipsticks are all available for $15 right now! I think they're normally CAD23, so it's a good deal. I bought a few, but I haven't really had a chance to try them much yet.
I think Lush is usually rather overrated, but some of their products are great. I love the face masks! The closest store is about an hour away though. 🙁
The Tarte kit really is a great kit. I couldn't decide if I should buy it or not because I still have a pretty full tube of the foundation, but I really wanted to try the lip butter and the blushes are always great. Plus the brush was so cute – and it's insanely soft! It surprised me that I liked the brow pencil so much because I wasn't that intrigued when I first saw it. Now I love it! 🙂 My brows are so sparse, but I really don't like to fill them in. The Tarte pencil makes it so quick and easy!
I really love the brow pencil! It's so easy, it works and it stays put! I thought the shape was a bit of weird gimmick at first, but now that I've used it, I love it! It really does make it easier to fill in both thick and thin sections of brows. I wish the pencil was currently available outside the set. I'm sure it will be soon. QVC gets a lot of Tarte products early, but they almost always make it to the shelves a few months later.
I'm not really sure where you can find Out of Africa stuff. I found mine at the grocery store, although I think they stopped carrying it. Whole Foods might carry it, but I haven't looked. I'm sure a google search will find something!
Shea butter really is amazing for dry skin. I used to make soaps and lotions and the like and whenever I added shea butter to a recipe, my hands felt so soft! It's a bit greasy on its own, but mixed with other ingredients, it's amazing stuff! 🙂
I really love the brow pencil! It's so easy, it works and it stays put! I thought the shape was a bit of weird gimmick at first, but now that I've used it, I love it! It really does make it easier to fill in both thick and thin sections of brows. I wish the pencil was currently available outside the set. I'm sure it will be soon. QVC gets a lot of Tarte products early, but they almost always make it to the shelves a few months later.
I'm not really sure where you can find Out of Africa stuff. I found mine at the grocery store, although I think they stopped carrying it. Whole Foods might carry it, but I haven't looked. I'm sure a google search will find something!
Shea butter really is amazing for dry skin. I used to make soaps and lotions and the like and whenever I added shea butter to a recipe, my hands felt so soft! It's a bit greasy on its own, but mixed with other ingredients, it's amazing stuff! 🙂
It appears that many of the lines your promote are not “cruelty free” – NARS, Carmax, Dr. Jarte +…..Would love to see only cruelty free….
It appears that many of the lines your promote are not “cruelty free” – NARS, Carmax, Dr. Jarte +…..Would love to see only cruelty free….
I'm sorry you disagree with some of the brands I've included. I can see why you may disagree with me, and I appreciate you pointing out that to some, these brands may not be what they consider “cruelty free.”
Upon my last check and to the best of my knowledge, NARS is in fact cruelty free, but not vegan. However, I know that their parent company (Shisedo) is not, and to many that makes all associated brands not cruelty free. I used to feel that way as well, but I have decided it's not entirely fair to punish a company for it's parent company's sins.
For instance, The Body Shop does an amazing job of remaining separate from L'Oreal and The Body Shop seems to have an amazing ethical underpinning that I respect. I also am fairly certain The Body Shop would have gone out of business years ago if they had not sold the company. I understand not everyone agrees with this belief, but I am willing to use products from companies that do not test even if they are owned by a company that does.
As for Carmex, they are currently on PETA's list of Companies That DO NOT Test, and though I may not agree with everything PETA does and do not take their words as absolute facts, I do feel that their lists of companies that DO NOT test are fairly accurate. If there's something you know about Carmex and their testing policies that I am unaware of, please let me know!
As for Dr. Jart, I will admit that I am NOT 100% certain that they do not test on animals. Of the information I have gathered about Dr. Jart's animal testing policies (which is pretty slim), it appears that they do not test – or at least were not doing so the last I checked. But, as I said, I do not have absolute certainty on the matter. I have been unable to find any contact information for the company, so contacting them has proven difficult. If you know more about Dr. Jart, or how I can contact them, please let me know.
I appreciate that everyone defines cruelty free a bit differently, andI will try to find a way to be more clear on my classifications in the future.
I'm sorry you disagree with some of the brands I've included. I can see why you may disagree with me, and I appreciate you pointing out that to some, these brands may not be what they consider “cruelty free.”
Upon my last check and to the best of my knowledge, NARS is in fact cruelty free, but not vegan. However, I know that their parent company (Shisedo) is not, and to many that makes all associated brands not cruelty free. I used to feel that way as well, but I have decided it's not entirely fair to punish a company for it's parent company's sins.
For instance, The Body Shop does an amazing job of remaining separate from L'Oreal and The Body Shop seems to have an amazing ethical underpinning that I respect. I also am fairly certain The Body Shop would have gone out of business years ago if they had not sold the company. I understand not everyone agrees with this belief, but I am willing to use products from companies that do not test even if they are owned by a company that does.
As for Carmex, they are currently on PETA's list of Companies That DO NOT Test, and though I may not agree with everything PETA does and do not take their words as absolute facts, I do feel that their lists of companies that DO NOT test are fairly accurate. If there's something you know about Carmex and their testing policies that I am unaware of, please let me know!
As for Dr. Jart, I will admit that I am NOT 100% certain that they do not test on animals. Of the information I have gathered about Dr. Jart's animal testing policies (which is pretty slim), it appears that they do not test – or at least were not doing so the last I checked. But, as I said, I do not have absolute certainty on the matter. I have been unable to find any contact information for the company, so contacting them has proven difficult. If you know more about Dr. Jart, or how I can contact them, please let me know.
I appreciate that everyone defines cruelty free a bit differently, andI will try to find a way to be more clear on my classifications in the future.
I double checked on Carmex last night and, though they do not test on animals, they do appear to be selling in China, so I guess I'm on the hunt for a new lip balm! There are so many out there, but none I've tried have been as good as Carmex. ::sigh::
Thanks for bringing Carmex to my attention! 🙂
I double checked on Carmex last night and, though they do not test on animals, they do appear to be selling in China, so I guess I'm on the hunt for a new lip balm! There are so many out there, but none I've tried have been as good as Carmex. ::sigh::
Thanks for bringing Carmex to my attention! 🙂