Ready for a beauty products haul? There was a long stretch in early Spring and Summer where I really wasn’t buying much of any beauty products. Fast forward a few months and I noticed my routine needed a bit of a refresh. A few beauty products have caught my eye over the season, and today I’m sharing a little haul of what I’ll be trying out well into Fall. You’ll notice from the haul that some things, specifically the hair purchases, are directly due to the pandemic and my salon still being closed. Alright, let’s get into the beauty products haul!

VIDEO: You can watch the fashion side of the haul here!

New in the Skin Cabinet

My sunscreen of choice for the past year or so has been the REN Clean Skincare brand. After partnering with them on a few campaigns, I really loved their products and continued to purchase on my own. While I still recommend the brand if you’re looking for face sunscreen and this one doesn’t work out, I decided to try the Black Girl Sunscreen this time around. Is there anything more exciting than purchasing a black-owned product and falling in love with it? I’ve seen this brand on Twitter so many times, but I didn’t need to replace my sunscreen until now.

Supergoop’s Unseen Sunscreen also appealed to me because when I tested it in-store, it felt smooth and didn’t leave a white cast. However, Black Girl Sunscreen is much more affordable and I’m their target audience. Naturally, I ended up choosing this option instead. You can pick it up at Target or directly from the brand’s website. It is for face and body use, but I only plan on using it on my face and sticking with Sun Bum for body sunscreen so it can last longer.

I also picked up a new face mask because I was dealing with breakouts and wanted to try something that didn’t feel harsh on the skin. The Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleansing Mask is my first Kiehl’s purchase and it’s leaving a good impression of the brand so far. I limit the use to 1-2 times per month, so I’m still in the testing period, but I really like how my face feels the next day.

Makeup Products Added to the Routine

My most recent purchases have all been makeup related. Working from home means I don’t usually wear as much makeup as I would in the office, but I still like to play around and dress it up on some days. I love a good neutral palette and have been eyeing the Natasha Denona Gold palette for a literal year. Once the Bronze palette came out and I saw the lower price tag, I decided to rip the bandaid off and just get them both. The bronze palette retails for $65 while the gold palette will run you $129. I went with both because I couldn’t decide which one I’d like more. After I spend some time using both palettes, I’ll share a comparison of the two here on the blog. So far, I’ve used both palettes 1-2 times and my initial preference is leaning towards the gold palette.

The other beauty product I picked up is one that I didn’t expect to buy: lip gloss. I know, why am I buying lip gloss when Fenty Beauty has the best formula and when we’re wearing masks out in public? Girl, I don’t know! I saw the new Maybelline Lifter Lipgloss online and the packaging got me! When the first two shades arrived, the formula really sold it. They have that same moisturizing feeling of Fenty gloss without the scent or price tag, so they are a great alternative if you don’t want to spend Sephora prices on a gloss.

Read: Which Fenty Beauty Gloss is Right for You?

I have more coming in the mail to share swatches on the blog, but I also love that the two I have so far are different in opacity. While one is sheer with shimmer, the other has pigment to it. They both look great alone, but I really love wearing them over my Mented Cosmetics lipsticks for a cute nude lip.

Hair Solutions when Salons are Closed

Lastly, I am currently over my hair. My salon is still closed and even if she reopened, I honestly don’t think I’m at that comfort level just yet to go in an intimate setting like a hair or nail salon where people have to touch you. Call me overly cautious, but I decided to just tough it out for now and my hair is in desperate need of a cut. I’m typically not one who wears weave because I don’t have the time or patience, but I did pick up 3 different styles of hair to do a few quick options.

From Amazon, I decided to pick up some passion twists so I can try out the crochet passion twist method. Last year, I DIY’d my own passion twists and it took several hours. I loved the end result, but I want to try out the style this time without having to spend as long in the prep process. Braids and twists are always fun because they prevent me from having to do my hair every day, but I especially love how long I’ll be able to keep them in now that I’m working from home.

Related: What to Know Before DIY’ing Passion Twists

Until I install those twists, I’ve been loving the Kivani Virgin Hair for a cute and quick ponytail. Styling my hair in a low bun has been my go-to all quarantine, so adding some bundles only made sense! It’s another black-owned small business so definitely support them if you’re looking for some hair. I picked up two bundles of the 18″ Brazilian Silky Straight Extensions to achieve the low sleek ponytail look. I may end up dyeing the hair a bit darker to better match my 1B natural color in the light, but overall it blends well.

With passion twists and low ponytails covered, I also decided to get some clip-in hair extensions. My natural curls are looking uneven right now since I haven’t had a haircut in so long, so I thought it would be a great time to whip out the hair straightener and play around with added length. From Diamond Dynasty Virgin Hair (another black-owned company), I ordered 200 grams of the 22″ Brazilian Body Wave clip-in extensions. They aren’t pictured because the hair took forever to get here, but it has since arrived and I’m ready to add this style to my quarantine hair routine.

Related: The Must-Have Hair Accessories for Your Low Maintenance Styles

That covers the beauty products haul for now! If there’s anything I shared that you want to hear more about, let me know and I’ll get a review ready after I use everything for a good amount of time.

What beauty products have you picked up recently?