Hey beauties, it’s March and the first day of spring, and I am so ready for some warmer weather and sunny days. It’s actually a bit rainy here as i’m sitting writing this but i’m still sipping on a half and half, or Arnold Palmer like the sophisticated people say. The weather seems to be lagging on getting the information that it's spring, but that doesn’t mean that we have to wait, so i’m going to drop my top 5 beauty products for the spring and a few makeup trends that I want to see in excess this season!

As usual, we are going to continue to love on our skin because we know that good skin and full edges are really all you need to conquer the world. So drop the heavy moisturizers for the warmer months and incorporate some natural oils into your skincare routine instead. The easiest oil to add is a rosehip oil and the one that I use is by a brand called The Ordinary, and honestly, most of my skin care products are this same brand. We want hydrated skin so grab you some and apply it before bed at night and watch it work for you!

While talking about skin I want to also share this new sunscreen that is on my list of must haves and it’s called Supergoop, which gave me pause initially. I read about it in Allure Magazine and then went to Sephora and got a sample of it, and I absolutely love this sunscreen because it’s the opposite of goop. It’s really lightweight and easy to wear under makeup as a barrier for your skin which yes, black people need to wear!

As a daytime moisturizer I have been using a salve instead of a traditional lotion. The salve I use on myself and in my makeup kit is Hero Salve by Milk Makeup and I swear by this stuff. I use it daily on my skin and it has kept me hydrated throughout the winter months. For actual makeup products, I only have two things that I feel everyone needs to add to their collection if you don’t already and that’s cream blush and a really good black gel liner! The cream blush I recommend is Cloud Paint by Glossier and what I love about this product is that it can be applied with your fingers and is an incredibly lightweight formula. The black liner that I love and even used in these looks from Shop Feline is Maybelline blackest black gel liner. It’s so easy to use and dries to a perfect matte finish.

I know we all just finished seeing all of the New York Fashion Week looks, and as usual I had my eye on the makeup trends that walked the runway.

Here is a short list of my top 5 makeup trends that I want to see us all trying out this spring.

1. Brown Liner

Using a brown liner with some smudge to it is a really easy way to add some drama to liven up your eyes while keeping it daytime friendly.

2. Gold Eyeshadow

I saw quite a bit of gold eyeshadow on the runways and I am a huge fan of gold tones, so of course i’m here for it.

3. Fun Eyeliner

Which is why that Maybelline will come in handy. But try different shapes with your liner and even some different colored liner if you’re feeling into that.

4. Lip Stains

I just think that lip stains are such a fresh alternative to full-on lipstick. It's easy to wear and effortless, which is always a selling point for me.

5. Fresh Faces

Opt for concealer where needed and some powder if you can, if not let’s do some lightweight foundation formulas with a natural finish.

I for one am super excited about these trends and products as you can see I used many of them on the lovely Patrice Best.

So this spring we are carrying on in our newfound Wakandan way, keeping our skin glowing and supple and that’s tea!

~Peace & Light~

All photos by Ted Wimbush. Wardrobe styling by Kesha Linder. Makeup by Brittney Taylor Beauty. Model is Patrice Best.

BRITTNEY TAYLOR

I am a freelance makeup artist located in Cameron, North Carolina. I have been working in this area for three years doing event makeup, as well as print and some runway. This year I will be working to build a bridal artistry business that will be fully mobile. I studied makeup artistry at makeup artist studios in Richmond, Virginia, and from there developed my aesthetic. I spend a lot of time studying past artists, as well as trends today. I believe that everyone is beautiful, and my job is to enhance that!