Now that I’m completely hooked on the Melanin Haircare products by Naptural85, there’s just one hair product I’d get from Sephora: 💰 Briogeo Don’t Despair Repair deep conditioner. This works so well on my thick curly hair: no matter how dry it might be when I start, it feels so soft after I rinse it out! I’m pretty heavy handed with conditioner, so at $38 I definitely want a discount when purchasing this.

💰 Fresh Vitamin Nectar Antioxidant Glow Water: I learned about this mist from Stephanie Nicole on Youtube, and it’s SO FREAKING NICE!! There’s a citrus scent but it isn’t very strong, the sprayer is nice and adds a good amount of mist without leaving huge droplets on your face. I bought the 100ml size back in November 2019, and I’ve still got a decent amount left, even after using it multiple times a week. I like this as a skincare mist to add hydration to my skin, and as a makeup refreshing mist if my skin looks powdery.

💰 Kate Somerville Exfolikate: My favorite exfoliating product! I like the feeling of gritty exfoliators, and I love that this one also has chemical exfoliators too. The price is STEEP, but I only use it a few times a month, so a travel size would be enough for me. If you have drier skin and/or want to exfoliate more often, take advantage of the sale and go for the larger size.

💰 Inkey List Tranexamic Acid Night Treatment: I did a bunch of research on tranexamic acid before I bought this product because I wasn’t sure if it would be ok on dark skin, but it totally is. I use this a couple nights a week, rotating with retinol on alternate nights, and I’ve noticed a fading of my dark spots that happened quicker than when I was using retinol alone! Definitely keeping this in my routine, and at $15 it’s a steal.

Here’s a product I debated on sharing: 💰 Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Cream. I’m not a fan of the DE brand anymore after hearing horrible customer service stories, and knowing that they’ve told customers that if the products didn’t work for them, there’s something wrong with their skin instead of just admitting that every product isn’t for everyone. However, this moisturizer is the best one I’ve ever used on my skin and I’m upset that it’s from this brand. It’s got a gel-cream texture which is perfect for my oily t-zone and dry cheeks/chin, and it’s full of peptides that are good for balancing out texture and evening skin tone. I also think it makes my skin feel bouncier when I use it consistently. It’s really expensive at $68 so I’d only buy it with a sale, and I’m still looking for a dupe or replacement option, but I do recommend this if you’ve got combination skin.

Holy grail alert! 💰 Biossance Squalane + Peptide Eye Gel is my favorite eye product, full stop. I’ve tried a bunch of eye products, but I keep coming back to this one! It’s got a lightweight gel texture that doesn’t irritate my eyes, it works well underneath every concealer I’ve layered it with, and it adds a good amount of hydration to my skin without making me feel greasy. My dark circles are genetic so I don’t expect this product to change that, but I do notice a difference when my circles are darker from me not getting enough sleep.

Another product I’m cautious about recommending, but I do honestly love: 💰 Herbivore Lapis Facial Oil. I like this oil because the blue tansy that’s included is great for balancing out combination skin, and it’s very lightweight and not greasy feeling at all! I can layer this with other moisturizers if I need more hydration, or use this on it’s own during the summer. Herbivore does not use preservatives in their products because they’re a “natural and clean” brand (I’m not about that clean beauty life, you can read my full thoughts at this post I wrote). Because there’s no preservatives, it’s well known that the products go bad pretty quickly. I refuse to buy a full size of this oil because I don’t want a $72 product going bad before I can finish it, so I stick to minis only. If you can find a travel set I do recommend it, but be warned that if you buy a full size, it might go bad before you’ve used it up.

One of the first sunscreens I found that I actually like using: 💰 Supergoop Unseen Sunscreen. This sunscreen has a silicone primer texture and is completely clear, so there’s no white cast or thick goopy feeling on your skin when you apply it. It works perfectly underneath makeup, and leaves my skin slightly matte if I don’t put makeup on top. I would consider this more of a city sunscreen (using it if I’m running errands or going to work) instead of a beach sunscreen where I’d want more protection, so keep that in mind if you pick this one up.

💰 Cover FX Power Play foundation: I don’t wear foundation a lot, but when I do, I go to this one from Cover FX. It gives me a matte finish that still looks like my skin, and the colors G90 & N90 are the closest match to my skin I’ve ever found! There’s something going on between Cover FX & Sephora because the entire line is currently 50% off (and it has been for a WHILE), so pick it up asap if you can find your color because this is a really good deal!

Something else from Cover FX: 💰 Cover FX Power Play concealer. Again, the shade match from this brand is the closest I’ve gotten to my perfect shade (I bought both G Deep 2 & N Deep 2). At 50% off they’re only $15 each, so snatch it up if you can find your shade! The concealer isn’t cakey on my skin but still gives me good coverage for my dark circles, and it works on my skin even if I’m not putting foundation on with it.

My favorite mascara from Sephora: 💰 Benefit Bad Gal Bang mascara. I remember getting this in gratis when it first launched, and I’ve been in love ever since. It’s got a comb-like wand that separates my lashes really well without clumping them, and that’s exactly what I want from my mascara. Since you should be throwing out mascara after 3-4 months, I would recommend sticking with a mini size instead of buying the full size. I wear mascara 3-4 times a week (only on my top lashes) and I can’t finish a full size in 3-4 months, so I just buy minis.

Runner up for my favorite mascara from Sephora: 💰 Lancome Monsieur Big mascara. This one has a wand with wire bristles which separates lashes while still giving volume. Again, I’d stick to a mini instead of a full size, but you do you boo

💰 Fresh Sugar Lemon lip balm– I’ve raved about this lip balm before, so of course I had to include it in this list. The lemon scent reminds me of lemon meringue pie which is my favoriteeee, and the balm is hydrating and light without feeling sticky. Putting your finger in a lip balm pot while you’re out isn’t the smartest move, but this is a nice at-home fancy lip balm to splurge on.

Need a lip balm you can bring on the go? Try the 💰 Jack Black Intense Therapy lip balm. It’s super moisturizing without feeling thick or greasy, and it’s got SPF 25 to protect your lips! I like the shea butter the best, with the pomegranate as my runner up. If you can find a kit with multiples, I’d recommend that so you can keep a tube everywhere!

If you know anything about me, you know I’m a lip gloss fanatic. One of the best one’s I’ve tried is the 💰 Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb. I bought this the day Fenty Beauty launched, and Rihanna did it right with this formula! The gloss is thick and moisturizing but not gloopy, the original color looks good on everyone I’ve seen it on, and there’s not a ton of glitter mixed in. Highly recommend

Another lip gloss to splurge on: 💰 Bobbi Brown Crushed Oil-Infused Gloss. This feels more like lip balm than gloss, it’s so moisturizing! I’ve tried the colors Free Spirit and Force of Nature, and they’re both really nice nude shades that go well with any look (or no look if you’re just going for mascara and lip gloss like I usually do). Definitely wait for a sale to pick this up, $29 is steep (to me) for one lip gloss.

Last but not least, a more cost effective lip gloss: 💰 Sephora Collection Ultra Shine lip gloss. I’ve gone through 2 tubes of this now and it’s a really good gloss! Not sticky or greasy (see a pattern here?), and the color #17 Browny Touch is my perfect nude shade. If you don’t want to spend a lot on one lip gloss, I definitely recommend trying this one