L.A Colors Makeup Review

Hyperpigmentation, acne, scarring, and eczema, are just a few examples of many types of skin issues. Many factors contribute to the type of skin you have. Genetics, bacteria trapped in skin pores, fungus, viruses, a weak immune system, underlying illnesses, or even just stress can create a skin disorder.

A quick solution to covering up skin blemishes is wearing makeup. An inexpensive makeup brand that you can buy from your local CVS or Dollar Tree is LA Colors. From highlighter to lipgloss, their coverage is superb.

L.A Colors Lipgloss

Image Credit: Walmart

Lipgloss provides the double feat of creating a full coverage of color and moisture. LA Colors Lipgloss is a fan favorite because it allows for a high level of shine/rich color. My personal favorite is the Glossy Lips Collection. The shade “Tropical Punch” is red and is great for darker skin tones. The “Dreamy Pink” shade works well with lighter skin tones. 

Their Sheer Tube Glossy Lip Gloss is cruelty-free, which means they were manufactured by methods that do not harm animals. The price range is $1-$2.

Image Credit: LA Colors

L.A Colors Contour & Highlight

My Small LA Colors Collection

If you have naturally clear skin, wearing contour and highlight by itself is perfectly fine. Contour drives focus on your cheekbones, jawline, and hairline. Highlighter enhances your browbone, forehead, and nose bridge. 

For women of color, the LA Colors ” I Heart Makeup” Contour Palette offers light to darker shades. You can sculpt and define key facial features by blending different contour shades.

Highlighters can give you a shimmery, glowy look. Try out the “So Cheeky” blush and highlight palette to get your unique fabulous look. The cost of either contour or highlight is $6-$7.

Eyeshadow

I never realized the versatility of eyeshadow until I started to look into tutorials of makeup artists using eyeshadow to cover dark circles. Test out different colors even if it means blending more than one together to cancel out the puffy dark bags. Usually, a reddish and deep tan eyeshadow works. L.A Colors Eyeshadow Nude is ideal for mixing & matching. You can purchase this specific eyeshadow at Dollar Tree for $1.25.

Bronze It Up

Image Credit: LA Colors

I personally love bronzer because it reminds me of brown glitter. Its primary purpose is to add a healthy warm look to your skin. Make sure you blend it in along the perimeter of your face. Avoid overdoing it, and put any excess that you have left over on your nose, chin, and neck. For deeper skin tones, look for a reddish undertone bronzer. For lighter skin tones, seek out orange tones. L.A Colors bronzer comes in natural, beachy, spice, tanned, and deep tan matte shades.

Before applying makeup, make sure that you wash your face with lukewarm water. Choose a cleanser that works well with your skin type, lather, and massage. Rinse and then pat dry.

L.A Colors Bronzer, Highlighter, and Lipgloss Application

Makeup is something some women only wear on important occasions. Some like to wear it every day. Regardless of how often you wear it, make sure that you take the necessary steps to protect your skin and don’t apply too much. All in all, I give L.A Colors makeup brand an 8/10 only because I have only tried their lipgloss, highlight, and bronzer. In the future when I try out their concealer, blush, nail tips, mascara, eyeliner, lip liner, and lipstick, I can give a more detailed analysis. If you want to get a glam look without spending too much, L.A Colors is the right pick.

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7 Black-Owned Beauty Brands to Honor This Earth Day

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By: Courtney Henry

From a global pandemic to wildfires, to running through all the names in last year’s hurricane season, our little blueberry in the solar system called Earth could definitely use some TLC these days.

To honor Earth Day 2021 we want you to incorporate sustainability in all parts of your life. Including the skin, hair, and beauty parts. These 7 Black-Owned beauty brands are All Natural and practice ethical sourcing of their clean ingredients so you can feel good about supporting small businesses and rocking your look too. 

Kayla Phillips is the founder of Foxie Cosmetics. A vegan and cruelty-free beauty line that is a little bit rock and roll and all conscious. What she stands for as an artist and activist are very present in her 100% organic bath, body, skin, and hairline that she makes fresh in Nashville, TN. A vegan since she was 14 and a chronic illness warrior, her bestselling bath bombs help you ease your achy muscles, joints, and pains while leaving your skin hydrated and soft.  

Shop Foxie Cosmetics Now

Juvia’s Place boldly goes where no mainstream makeup line has gone before; proudly honoring African roots by offering melanated women and men all the colors of the rainbow. Their entire product line from eyeshadow palettes to foundations in every hue is inspired by the motherland with product names like “The Nubian Royal” and “Deep Dark Kingdom.” All products are 100% cruelty-free and almost all, except one eyeshadow palette, are completely vegan. 

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Most vegan nail polishes, while good for the earth, often have limited color options that come in …you guessed it…muted earth tones and nudes. Nash + Pino stands out from the crowd by offering an extensive shade list that is made without 10 of the most harmful chemicals. The gold glitter option called “bottle service” is a personal favorite.

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Blade and Bloom is the Chicago-based apothecary you never knew you loved. Their aromatherapy fragrance oil collection is thoughtfully curated to give you the peace or exhilaration needed depending on the moment. Perfectly sized for long-distance or everyday travel, they’re made with all-natural essential oils that are vegan with no chemical fillers or organic ingredients inside. 

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Introducing your daily dose of greens…for your face. Made with organic matcha and green tea the ‘Daily Greens Moisturizing Cream’ is chock full of vitamins A, D, and E that melt into your skin and help reduce the appearance of fine lines and dull complexion for a vibrant luminous glow.  With no water used in the formulation, this Oakland-Made hydrating cream is all buttery yum yum for maximum facial moisture. 

Shop The Healing Place Apothecary Now

J’Organic Solutions founder Johanne Joseph loves the kids! Her best-selling healthy hair kit for kids is all-natural and the perfect step-by-step process for mom and baby. The entire line is handmade with NO sulfates, parabens, dyes, or chemicals. Be sure to check out their latest Adult product: ‘The Detanglement Knot Sauce.’ It is a 5 in 1 Moisturizing Cream made with Organic Rice Water and ethically sourced Haitian Castor Oil. It’s all you need for your styling, detangling, curl-defining desires.

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The LIMEGREEN brand name serves as a tribute to Founder Talima Davis’ best friend who was diagnosed with liver cancer due to environmental conditions. Creating non-toxic, effective personal care products is something that is near and dear to their mission. Their Multi-Use Skincare is Natural, Vegan, and small batched with love straight out of Brooklyn. 

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Moroccan Red Clay Benefits

Morroco is a beautiful African country situated in the Northern region. It is known for its vast natural resources and minerals. One popular component of Morocco that has garnered global sales is their red clay, otherwise known as “rhassoul clay”. It has a brownish-red color. It can only be found in the Atlas mountains of Morroco, and it contains numerous healing properties. Research shows that its unique mineral composition can be very beneficial for your hair and skin. 

Rhassoul Clay Benefits For Hair

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Your skin on your scalp contains sebum secretion. When this secretion is imbalanced, it can cause flakiness and irritation on your scalp. Dead skin cells also need to be properly exfoliated. That is where rhassoul clay can come into action. It can clear out your dead skin cells, which in turn creates space for your natural hair to grow. It also balances out the sebum secretion so dandruff can be fought off. 

Rhassoul clay contains saponin contents. This content is commonly used in shampoos. It can also be singled out as a shampoo alternative. Plant materials also contain this natural cleansing agent. To create your own shampoo, just mix ghassoul clay with rose water until it becomes a paste. Add essential oils such as coconut oil and lavender oil. Continue to mix. Massage it into your wet hair and scalp, and then rinse it off. You will feel surprised as to how clean, soft, and healthy your hair feels. 

Moroccan red clay is more well known for its use as a hair clay mask. It is a natural conditioner that will leave your hair feeling soft and silky. A component of sand that is called silica is in this clay. Silica is an exfoliant, and it can give your hair sheen.

Curly hair can make detangling a challenge. But with minerals such as sulfite and magnesium, rhassoul clay can make your hair more manageable. You deserve natural remedies that are not full of damaging toxins.

Rhassoul Hair Mask Recipe

To make a rhassoul hair mask that is unique to your hair texture, you will need these ingredients:

  1. Rhassoul clay powder
  2. Water
  3. Honey
  4. Rosewater
  5. Essential oils

Steps you should take:

  1. How thick you want your hair mask to be is up to you. On average rhassoul clay needs 2 tbsp. of warm water for every 1 tbsp.of clay powder. For 1 clay mask, you will need about 1 to 2 tablespoons of clay.
  2. Mix the warm water in. Make sure to get any lumps out so that it develops into a paste. Using a wooden spoon and bowl is best.
  3. Divide your hair into sections. Apply the mask generously starting at the roots of your hair and working your way to the ends. Wearing gloves is important during this process. The rich texture makes it hard to get off of your skin. Make sure your scalp is well covered as well.
  4. Let the mask permeate your hair. Put a cap on and keep the mask for 20 to 40 minutes. If you have some clay mask over, you can transform it into a face mask.
  5. Now it’s time to rinse it out. When rinsing your hair out you should make sure you are in the shower. Its thick texture makes it hard to get out of your clothes. Take your time to wash it all out. Once you are done, you don’t need to shampoo or condition. The clay mask serves as a 2 in 1 shampoo and conditioner.

Rhassoul Clay Benefits For Skin

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Our skin can easily capture a lot of toxins and waste in the air. We live in a world where chemicals from manufacturing take a toll on our health. Human greed has placed capitalism over our livelihood. So keeping our skin detoxified is up to us.

Clays have detoxifying effects because they contain ions. Clogged pores can cause acne and breakouts. Morrocan red clay brings out the impurities and pollution from the pores in your skin. 

When our skin has excessive oil, it can create pimples and blackheads. Moroccan clay soaks up the extra oil, leaving your skin feeling clean and refreshed.

Eczema and psoriasis have inflammatory effects on your skin. This can negatively impact the appearance of your skin. It gives you a look of discoloration. This might give the impression to others that you don’t wash your skin well when in actuality you might be suffering from a skin disorder. Mix rhassoul clay with some coconut milk and apply it to the affected areas. Leave it on to dry, and then wash it off to get some soothing relief.

Loose pores contribute to loose skin. This can cause premature wrinkling. Moroccan clay has natural astringent properties that can tighten your pores leaving your skin healthier and vibrant. 

Rhassoul Skin Mask Recipe

A rhassoul skin mask is similar to a hair mask. The main difference is that less red clay is needed. It is simple to make and you can add your personal favorite essential oils to make it unique.

Ingredients:

  • One tablespoon of Rhassoul clay powder
  • Two tablespoons of warm water
  • Few drops of a esssential oil

Steps to take:

  1. You need 2 tbsp. of warm water for every 1 tbsp. of clay powder. Only one tablespoon of clay powder is needed for one face mask.
  2. Mix the warm water and clay thoroughly with a wooden spoon. Add in your favorite essential oils. Only a few drops will suffice.
  3. Apply the mask with your fingers and allow it to dry. It should stay on your face for about 10 minutes.
  4. Rinse it off well with warm water. 

Morrocan red clay contains aluminum and magnesium, so you should avoid using it if you have allergies to these minerals. You can purchase Moroccan red clay from most beauty and health food stores.

Rhassoul in Arabic means “to wash.” Their clay has been used by so many different cultures for thousands of years. If you are on this natural hair journey with limited funds, using this clay is a great way to go. It purifies, detoxifies, conditions, and smooths your hair and skin. You deserve to feel beautiful without overspending.

Any questions, comments, or concerns? Sound off below!

Sources:

https://www.healthline.com/health/rhassoul-clay-2#summary

https://www.lagzira.com/blogs/lagzira-london-blog/10-benefits-of-moroccan-clay-powder-ghassoul-for-skin-and-hair