one of the things i am frequently sent dms about when i post on my story are my lips.  more specifically, i am asked about the lipsticks i wear.  so often, people are shocked when they find out that 90% of the lipsticks i wear are matte.

without a doubt, my favorite lipsticks are by kylie cosmetics by kylie jenner.  my go to color is true brown k which is like a neutral for us chocolate girls.  i typically buy the lip kits because it comes with a matching liner.  while my lips are naturally lined, it definitely prevents bleeding and just keeps everything in place across a long day or night.  i recently added in both fenty and colourpop matte lipsticks and i am obsessed.

*clockwise starting from top left – kourt k by kylie cosmetics, true brown k by kylie cosmetics, bad habit by colourpop, undefeated by fenty beauty and last but certainly not least, mary jo k by kylie cosmetics

here’s the thing – matte does not have to mean dry, cracked lips.  my solution?

smith’s minted rose lip balm.

i wear it daily whether i have on lipstick or not because it keeps my lips perfectly hydrated without leaving an oily residue.  if i am in a mall, i will grab it from sephora to rack up those points but if i have no mall trips planned and need it immediately, i just order it from amazon.

on the days where i am wearing lipstick, i apply a layer of this to my lips at the start of my makeup routine, do my entire face (saving my lips and lashes for last) and then apply whatever matte lipstick i have chosen for that day over the minted rose lip balm.  more often than not, i do not ever have to reapply the balm or the lipstick because it all stays perfectly in place without looking dried out.

what are some of your favorite matte lipsticks?  or have you been avoiding them?  if you have, give this a try – i promise you won’t regret it.

happy friday, lovelies!

xoxo,

k. tap

over the years, i have struggled to find products that i consistently love for my hair in all of its stages.  whether i am freshly relaxed, in need of a perm, wearing it in a messy bun, have a weave or am rocking braids seemed to determine what hair products i needed.  when i found myself complimenting my friend sarah on her hair on multiple factime calls, she told me she had been using monat products.  now, sarah and i do not have the same hair type.  but then, she mentioned that another friend of ours, biz, sold her the products.  i do not have the same hair type as biz either, but neither does sarah.  this had me intrigued…

i reached out to biz to see what she could tell me about the products and she explained that while the shampoo or conditioner that she uses may not be for me, monat is a hair care line that has a variety of different options depending on your specific hair needs.  i explained that i have been getting my hair relaxed regularly since grammar school and when my hair is down/straight, i often put heat on it.  i was looking for something hydrating and restorative without being oily because as a black woman, i cannot wash my hair every single day and i need my blowouts to last.  after much discussion and an assessment, it was clear that the best package for me was the hydration system.

the hydration system included the renew shampoo, the replenish masque and the restore leave in conditioner.  there was a special promo where i was able to get some additional products – the one i was obsessed with was the micellar shampoo.  the cost for the aforementioned was just over $70.  while i had never spent that on shampoo and conditioner in one go, i considered a few things:

1. i was supporting a friend and one who i believe to be honest in what she would promote
2. if it did not work out, i had 30 days to get a full refund no matter how much product was left in the bottle(s)
3. i knew these products would last awhile because i do not wash my hair daily (and my non black friends who use these products now wash their hair less because there is not a need to wash daily or even every other day)
4. the products were vegan and cruelty free
5. if i can spend $70 at brunch, i can spend $70 to invest in my hair

during the summer, i spend an unreal amount of time in the pool.  this summer, it was revved up due to me committing to a 30 day workout challenge with my brother.  that is when i was really able to see the difference these products made for my hair.  typically, chlorine strips my hair and makes it brittle, especially with it already being chemically straightened.  yet somehow, at the end of the summer, my hair was the thickest/fullest it had been in at least a year.  it also felt so soft – as if i had been doing daily deep conditioning treatments.  the only thing that changed was me using monat.

while i still use a neutralizing shampoo by motions once a month to rinse the relaxer out of my hair, every other wash is done with monat.  sometimes, due to how much i was in the pool, i was washing my hair four to five times per week.  it showed me that a little product goes a long way.  and now, even with my braids, i use the restore leave in conditioner on my scalp and it has genuinely made such a difference.

something i love is that there is something for everyone.  sarah, biz and i look like a diversity poster for monat but it genuinely works for each of us.  there is a line for men, one for kids and one for pets so no one in your household is left out.

listen – i did not expect to love a hair care line enough to want to sell their products but here i am.  if you are interested in having healthier hair that is lower maintenance, monat is definitely for you.

if you already know you are interested in purchasing these products from me, you can do so here.

if you are still on the fence, i am happy to answer any and all questions whether it be here, via dm, email, text or we can set up a phone call/facetime date – you just let me know!

xoxo,

k. tap