Shit I Bought and Liked: My Hair Care Era (Plus Sephora Sale Picks!)
My sweet Shitters!
It’s that time of year again… I’m sneezing incessantly while Googling if it’s possible to overdose on OTC allergy medication (apparently that is not advisable). But with the season’s change comes a sale that is the light at the end of a pollen-filled tunnel—Sephora’s.
The sale officially started over the weekend for those of you who spent over $1000 last year at Sephora (I’m not gonna lie, you terrify me). But for us peasants solidly at VIB status, today is our day. We ride at dawn. (Full disclosure: If you happen to actually ride at the ungodly time this was scheduled to send, know that I am 1000% not awake right now. Hopefully my scheduling wizardry worked and this doesn’t contain any errors I will live to regret when I finally do wake up.)
ANYWAYS. It also just so happens that today’s rec is available at Sephora, making now the perfect time to try it on sale! But let’s rewind for a sec so you have the fullll backstory here.
My friend Juliet recently introduced me to her obsession with Babba Rivera, the woman behind the buzzy hair care brand Ceremonia. (Listening to her on the podcast Dream Bigger cemented my own obsession.) Ceremonia is a clean hair care brand (which in the haircare space means the products are free of silicones, sulfates, etc.) that’s rooted in Latinx heritage. Several of their key ingredients are sourced from Latin America, and make for super nourishing, hydrating products. (For context, my hair is wavy, and I’m always looking for ways to make it look smooth, shiny, and relatively frizz-free without much time, effort, or heat.)
I’ve since tried a few things from the brand (I picked up this travel set to sample some of their bestsellers while traveling recently), but the standout to me is their Aceite de Moska hair oil. This stuff smells SO incredible—I’d honestly buy it for the fragrance alone—but it’s also been a godsend for my dry, at-times flaky scalp.
Hair oils can be used all kinds of ways (on ends, lengths, scalp, all three!), but this one is specifically marketed as a pre-shampoo scalp treatment. Ten minutes or so before I go to shower on a wash day, I fill their dropper about three to four times to distribute the oil all over my scalp, and then massage it in with this handy tool (Ceremonia makes their own that’s probably a bit softer, but I’ve been using this one for years to shampoo when I need to extend the life of my manicures).
You can keep the oil in for as long as you want, so if you want to use it as an overnight treatment (cover your pillow with a towel first!) or keep it in all day before washing it out, you can. But it also works if you just put it on just a few minutes before hopping in the shower. Then you just shampoo/condition as usual. Quick! Easy! But still effective.
I‘ve only been using for a month or so now, so I’d be lying if I said I’ve seen a huge change in hair growth yet, but I have noticed a difference in how my scalp looks and feels. Plus, the act of putting it in and luxuriating in the smell makes me feel like the queen of self-care. Move over, Melissa Wood Health!!!!
While we’re talking Sephora, here are some other sale picks I can fully vouch for:
Rare Beauty Mascara: A new favorite! You don’t need to pile on multiple layers to get length (with no clumps!) and I love that it comes off so easily at the end of the night. It also seems to be a favorite of everyone working at Sephora, so if you don’t want to take my word for it, take theirs!
Crown Affair Leave-In Conditioner: Another clean haircare brand! This leave-in conditioner leaves my hair so soft and has minimized a lot of my frizz while air-drying. I comb it into wet hair right after showering and then braid my hair. I let it go an hour or so later for natural, soft waves.
It Cosmetics CC+ Foundation: This is my go-to event foundation. The coverage is fantastic, the finish is still skin-like, and it holds up, rain or shine, through pre-wedding photos all the way through the afterparty. There are a zillion shades to choose from (I wear shade “tan”), so hopefully you can find a pretty exact match.
Makeup Forever Lip Liner: This in Anywhere Caffeine is my go-to for a little lip color, day or night (thank you pre-cancellation Hailey Bieber for the intro—in no world did I think we’d look good in the same lip color, but apparently it flatters several skin tones!). Attempting to get my hands on Endless Cacao next!
Ami Cole Lip Oil: If you’ve been reading recent newsletters, you know this is a standout lip product by an amazing black-owned brand. It’s glossy and hydrating, but not at all sticky. The color Excellence is my go-to—it’s not crazy pigmented, so even though it looks darker, don’t be afraid to try it! I’ll usually layer it on top of the Makeup Forever liner, but it looks great on its own.
Westman Atelier Vital Skin Drops: LOVE. I got this product to have something light and easy to use for everyday (dabbing on a little in the morning just helps me feel put together), and I love how natural it looks. You can build coverage for a more glowy look, and I’m shocked at how good of a match it is for my skin tone. I use shade X.
Youth to the People Superfood Cleanser: My most recent beauty buy! I love the slightly sweet, refreshing scent of this cleanser, and the beautiful, refillable glass bottle that it comes in. The lather feels velvety and it leaves my skin feeling clean but not stripped.
There you have it! Hope everyone scores exactly what they’re looking for (and some fun impulse buys, because what’s a trip to Sephora without a couple of those?!). If you have any q’s or are looking for something specific, drop it in the comments! Always here to help you find what you’re looking for!
Xx,
Priyanka