Hello All!
                Welcome to Nia Imani! It has been quite a while since I posted anything makeup related. Therefore, today’s post is going to be a “favorites”. I have used some many things since I lasted blogged about makeup; I thought it would be best to start with what I have been loving. You know, start slow.
                I plan to have my long waited full coverage foundation routine live on the blog soon! I know what you guys are probably saying… yes, I know, trust me I get it! I promise my full coverage makeup will be up by the end of March. I’m working on a new concept for that post so please stay tuned!
             

   Another little update I want to give is I have been way more active on social media, particularly Instagram. If you have an Instagram please follow me there. I post so much cool content and I share so many things that I don’t share on here. Plus, I will remind you when blog posts go up on there.
              
  With all that said, let’s jump into my current makeup favorites!

I’m going to start with eye products!

• MAC Pro Longwear Paint Pot in Soft Ochre: I have used paint pots from MAC is the past, but I have not used this shade until recently. I love the yellowy, beige tone of Soft Ochre. I love the formula that MAC uses in their paint pots; its creamy, longwearing, crease proof, and easy to blend over. I love them!
• MAC Kohl Power Eye Pencil in Feline: This is hands down my favorite pencil eyeliner formulation. I love how easily this formula blends and how long it wears. Feline is a super black color, it’s perfect for a smoky eye look, and it lasts all day long. I never have to worry about it transferring to my contacts or running; it fool proof. I recommend it to everyone.
• NYX Control Freak Eyebrow Gel: I love that this is a fantastic dupe for Anastasia Beverly Hills Clear Brow Gel. It performs the same way. I am impressed with the quality for the price.
• Ardell Faux Mink Wispies False Eyelashes: These are a softer, more luxurious version of their classic wispies lash style. I like these for lighter makeup looks and more glam events. Also, they are crazy affordable!

Move right along to face products.

• Estee Lauder Double Wear Liquid Foundation: This has been a staple in my collection a very long time, but I have fallen in love all over again. This long wearing, blendable foundation gives me buildable coverage and the perfect shade that does not oxides once so ever. It plays nice with all my other products and controls my shine for at least 5 hours. I highly recommend it to everyone! It is a great foundation.
• Estee Lauder Double Wear Maximum Cover Camouflage Makeup for Face and Body: This is another Double Wear product that I love. This is great for days where to need the fullest coverage possible. This foundation is lightweight and lasts for hours. Although I love this foundation, I would not recommend it for anyone with a dry or dehydrated skin type. It does flat matte which could not be flattering on a dry skin type. Other than that, this is an amazing full coverage foundation.
• Estee Lauder Set. Blur. Finish Perfecting Pressed Powder in Translucent: This has been a favorite of mine. It’s the newest powder from Estee Lauder and it will forever live in my collection. This setting powder is fantastic! It blurs all my imperfections and sets my makeup in place all day. I also love how translucent this powder is. I do not experience a flash back or ashy tones.
• Pearlessence White Charcoal Mattifying Makeup Setting Spray: This has been the most mattifying setting spray I have ever used. It removes all powdery look from the skin, but it doesn’t create a shine or dewiness to the skin. I am obsessed! I am a little upset though that the brand apparently defacto.
• Urban Decay Naked Illuminated Shimmering Powder for face and body in Lit: I love this highlighter. It’s a brown girl’s dream. It is a sheer, golden, glittery/shiny highlighter. It is hard to explain but I really love this product.
• MAC Sheertone Shimmer Blush in Sweet as Cocoa: My go to blush is Sweet as Cocoa. It is the perfect amount of berry and the perfect amount of copper. I love it! I totally recommend it for all brown girls!

I didn’t have a new lip favorites recently!
That’s all folks!
                Thank you for reading today's blog post. I hope you enjoyed the content. If you have any questions, comments, and concerns feel free to leave them in the comments section below or contact me via social media or email. You can find my social media and email in the tab labelled 'contact'. While you are there make sure you follow me on my social media platforms. I post often on Instagram and Facebook.  Also, please remember to share the post and subscribe to the blog. Thank you again! See you next time.

Hey Everyone!

Welcome back to Nia Imani! Today I wanted to share my Current Beauty Favorites with you guys.
A few people asked me to list links to all the products as well as pictures and I will definitely try to do that with this post! I know you guys are looking for my current skin care routine as well as my everyday foundation routine. I am currently having some skin trouble therefore, I am not using much skin care and I haven't used makeup regularly for at least two weeks due to my skin trouble. I will get back to my normal routine soon.

I wanted to thank you all for being patient with me. I know I have a busy schedule and a lot going on and that makes me a bit inconsistent with my activity on the site as well as social media. I am working diligently to become more active on Nia Imani. Please continue to be patient; I promise I will become more active in the coming weeks.

I wanted to thank you guys for a awesome emails! Continue to send me awesome post ideas and questions. Remember I do give complementary skin analysis via email as well.
Any who, with all that said, lets jump into this post!

Let's start with face products!

• Mario Badescu Facial Spray with Aloe, Cucumber and Green Tea: This is one of Mario Badescu's newest products. It's a hydrating, refreshing spray. This spray features aloe, cucumber, and green tea. These ingredients are hydrating, lightweight, and refreshing. It can be used as a toner or refreshing spray. I find this spray removes the powdery makeup look from my skin after powder application. It also makes my makeup look extremely natural. I noticed this spray (unlike the rose version) keeps me matte longer. I highly recommend it for everyone. It is perfect for all skin types and conditions. It retails for $7.00 at Ulta Beauty. The link will be below.
• NYX Total Control Drop Foundation: This stuff is LIFE!!! This can be used on its own as a thin, lightweight foundation or it can be mixed into another foundation or face product to alter the color or it can be mixed into a moisturizer, serum, SPF, or oil for a makeup, skin care hybrid product. This is so similar to the Cover FX Custom Cover Drops its crazy! It lasts all day on my skin, it covers all of my hyperpigmentation and it looks like skin. I usually mix mine with the Benefit Cosmetics Dream Screen SPF 45 they are perfect together especially in the warmer and sunnier months. This product retails for $14.99. Link is below.
• Ecotools Beauty Sponge: This sponge is BOMB.COM! I has a round bottom like a typical beauty blender and a triangular top that allows you to get into hard to reach areas. The triangular side also allows for a super crisp contour. It comes soak up too much product and it find it to be really durable. I purchased mine for $5.99 each. (I have four)
• Soap and Glory One Heck of a Blot Primer: This primer is super lightweight and easy to apply. I find a lot of primers for oily skin can be sticky or lumpy. It reminds me a lot of the hangover primer from Too Faced. I don't find it makes my skin look dry or flaky and it doesn't leave any film behind either. It does prolong the wear of my foundation and does keep me matte a few hours longer than I would have been without it. Its a great drugstore alternative to high end primers. I purchased mine from Ulta Beauty for $14.
• Milani Contour and Highlight Cream and Liquid Duo in Dark/Deep: I was pleasantly surprised by how well this contour and highlight duo worked; the contour is a nice deep, cool toned brown and the highlighter is a super soft, subtle gold. I usually mix the highlight shade into my concealer on my forehead and chin for a soft glow. The contour blends into the skin beautifully and it last all day on the skin. I highly recommend this product for anyone who is into cream contouring. The price varies but, I purchased mine for $9.99. The link is below.
• L.A. Girl Pro Conceal HD Concealer in Fawn: This is an OG Holy grail product for me. I have been using this since high school. Its inexpensive, pigmented, long lasting, and super accessible. They have the best range of shades; they even have corrector shades! I usually get mine from my local beauty supply but, you can pick it up at Ulta. My concealer usually retails for $2.99 or $3.99.
• Milani Baked Blush in Dolce Pink: Anyone who knows me knows its rare for me to kind a blush I liked so for this to have made it into my favorites its a big deal. This is a beautiful bright baby pink blush with a gold shift and tons of shimmer. I feel that it is a dupe for the new Benefit Galafornia blush. It is extremely buildable which I like in a blush to avoid over applying. I also love than I don't need a highlighter when I'm using this product. It is perfect for my everyday spring and summer makeup routine. It retails for $9.49.
• L.A. Girl Pro HD Powder in Banana: This is an awesome, lightweight powder with no flash back under the eyes. The yellow tint is super brightening. The only downside is how small the container is. Makeup Revolution has a powder for $8 powder with way more product. This retails for $5.00.
• Makeup Revolution shimmer brick in rose gold: This is a dupe for the Bobby Brown Rose Gold Shimmer Brick. I find that it is more bronzy than straight rose gold. It is super pigmented, long lasting and I like that it isn't too glittery. They have an amazing variety of shimmer brink shades. I am currently eyeballing the pink one. I do recommend this for people into powder highlighting powders. They run for $7.00 each and I purchased mine from Ulta Beauty.
• Milani Face and Eye Strobe Palette in golden light: This is a great everyday golden highlight. It gives off a great glow, but it isn't too over the top. Milani is definitely stepping their game up! I purchased mine for $13.00.
• NYX Strobe of Genius Illuminating Palette: I really like this palette for abstract highlight shades. It's a great alternative to the Anastasia Beverly Hill palette. I purchased mine at Ulta (was is new... I'm always at Ulta)

On to Eyes:

• ELF Lock-on Liner and Brow Cream in Espresso: This product is crazy pigmented. Like one dip in the pan will fill in both brows. It has a nice color range and I love the price. I would rather spend $4.00 than $18 for the Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow.  
• NYX Cosmic Metal Shadow Palette: This is a beautiful palette. It as six shimmery shadows. This palette has extremely blendable shadows with great color pay off. I highly recommend it.
• Maybelline Line Stiletto Liquid Liner: This another one of my holy grail products, I have been using this for so long its crazy. I love how easy it is to use. I also love how much product is in the container. I feel like most liquid liners run out quite quickly and this lasts a while. I believe it only comes in black for those of you wondering.
• L'Oréal Voluminous Mascara Primer: This stuff is so good! It is better than the Lancôme primer and it is fraction of the price. My lashes get so long and my mascara lasts all day without one problem.  I beyond recommend this product, you all need this mascara primer.

Last but, not least Lips:

• Milani Amore Matte Metallic Lip Crème in Pretty Problematic: I am not a huge fan of the whole metallic lip trend. I think they look weird on me but, this lip crème looks awesome on me. This is a pretty metallic berry lip crème. Milani's lip crème are super comfortable on the lips and the last quite a while. I recommend it for anyone but especially someone with a similar skin tone who is having trouble finding a metallic lip product that works for them.
• Mega Last Liquid Catsuit Matte Lipstick in Video Vixen and Berry Recognize: These lipsticks are the BUSINESS! They last all day and they are beyond comfortable. Plus they are really inexpensive. I can't wait to pick up a few more.
• Sun Bum Suncreen Lip Balm: This is standard lip balm but the thing I really like about it is the high SPF (30). I also love the coconut scent one; it smells and tastes awesome.
• Maybelline Baby Lips Color Balm Crayon in Blush Burst and Toasted Taupe:These are beautiful , extremely hydrating balm crayons for the lips. They give off a decent amount of pigment, tons of shine and a whole bunch of hydration. Its a great alternative to standard lip gloss. I totally recommend them. I can't wait to pick up a few more.
• Shea Moisture Lip Balm: I am clearly obsessed with anything balm like! I love balms because they give a beautiful shine and keep the lips hydrated and plump. This particular lip balm is thick and log lasting. It also has a subtle minty feel. I love it!
• Rimmel Lasting Finish Lip Liner in Coffee Bean: It is another one of my OG products. Its the perfect lip liner for WOC. I can wear this with all lipsticks and it just defines my lip line in the most natural way possible. I will never be without this.

That's all Folks!

Thank you for stopping by Nia Imani. I hope you enjoyed the post. As always please send me any requests or questions you may have. You can send them via social media, the comments section, or my email. The links to all the products are below. Thanks again and have a great day!

Links:

• Mario Badescu Facial Spray with Aloe, Cucumber and Green Tea: http://www.ulta.com/facial-spray-with-aloe-cucumber-green-tea?productId=xlsImpprod15471023&utm_source=mb-blog&utm_campaign=blog-facial-spray-comparison-2-1-17&utm_medium=content
• NYX Total Control Drop Foundation: http://www.ulta.com/total-control-drop-foundation?productId=xlsImpprod15361099
• EcotoolsBeautySponge:http://www.ulta.com/total-perfecting-blender?productId=xlsImpprod15361215
• Soap and Glory One Heck of a Blot Primer: http://www.ulta.com/one-heck-of-a-blot-instant-perfecting-power-primer?productId=xlsImpprod13801019
• Milani Contour and Highlight Cream and Liquid Duo in Dark/Deep: http://www.ulta.com/one-heck-of-a-blot-instant-perfecting-power-primer?productId=xlsImpprod13801019
• L.A. Girl Pro Conceal HD Concealer in Fawn: https://www.lagirlusa.com/products/hd-pro-concealer?variant=7709997509
• Milani Baked Blush in Dolce Pink: https://milanicosmetics.com/Baked-Blush.html
• L.A. Girl Pro HD Powder in Banana: https://www.lagirlusa.com/products/hd-pro-setting-powder?variant=7709717701
• Makeup Revolution shimmer brick in rose gold: http://www.ulta.com/vivid-shimmer-brick?productId=xlsImpprod13661075
• Milani Face and Eye Strobe Palette in golden light: https://milanicosmetics.com/Spotlight-Face-and-Eye-Strobe-Palette.html
• NYX Strobe of Genius Illuminating Palette: http://www.ulta.com/strobe-of-genius?productId=xlsImpprod13591002&sku=2297374&_requestid=15983620
• ELF Lock-on Liner and Brow Cream in Espresso: http://www.elfcosmetics.com/p/lock-on-liner-and-brow-cream
• NYX Cosmic Metal Shadow Palette: http://www.ulta.com/cosmic-metals-shadow-palette?productId=xlsImpprod15361109&sku=2502623&_requestid=15989241
• Maybelline Line Stiletto Liquid Liner: http://www.ulta.com/line-stiletto-ultimate-precision-liquid-eyeliner?productId=xlsImpprod2830021&sku=2206342&_requestid=15991843
• L'Oréal Voluminous Mascara Primer: http://www.ulta.com/voluminous-lash-primer?productId=xlsImpprod14321015&sku=2305256&_requestid=15993860
• Milani Amore Matte Metallic Lip Crème in Pretty Problematic: https://www.walgreens.com/store/c/milani-amore-matte-lip-creme/ID=prod6329786-product
  
• Mega Last Liquid Catsuit Matte Lipstick in Video Vixen and Berry Recognize:http://www.wetnwildbeauty.com/new/megalast-liquid-catsuit-matte-lipstick.html
  
• Sun Bum Suncreen Lip Balm: http://www.ulta.com/sunscreen-lip-balm-spf30?productId=xlsImpprod11941051
  
• Maybelline Baby Lips Color Balm Crayon in Blush Burst and Toasted Taupe: https://www.maybelline.com/lip-makeup/lip-balm/baby-lips-color-balm-crayon
  
• Shea Moisture Lip Balm: http://www.target.com/p/sheamoisture-african-water-mint-ginger-shea-butter-lip-balm-0-5-oz/-/A-51044160
  
• Rimmel Lasting Finish Lip Liner in Coffee Bean: https://www.amazon.com/Rimmel-1000-Kisses-Liner-Coffee/dp/B004IWK312
  

Hello my Loves!

Welcome back to Nia Imani! Today we are going to get into my favorites! I have quite a few so let's jump straight into it. 

Let's start with foundations:

•  L’Oréal Infallible Pro Glow Foundation: I am going to put a review up on this soon so, I don't want to get into too much detail. However, I do want to mention them because I really like them. They last all day on my skin and this doesn’t make me feel sticky or heavy. I think all skin types could use this. 
  • Honest Beauty Everything Tinted Moisturizer (Oil Free Version): This is a really nice tinted moisturizer; it has medium to full coverage and a matte finish. I can say this formula is quite thick so I suggest using your fingers to blend it in or at least warm it up and thin it out with your fingertips. This product lasts all day on my skin. And I stay fairly matte all day as well. I would recommend this to anyone in need of a fuller coverage everyday moisturizer.
    
  • Neutrogena Skin Clearing Foundation: I did a review on this already, but I did want to mention it because I think it’s pretty good. It has really nice buildable coverage, it lasts a while on the skin, and it doesn't irritate my skin. 
  • Maybelline Dream Velvet: I am doing a review on this soon as well, but I am thinking this is my new Holy Grail drugstore foundation. It is fantastic. Nothing compares. Anyone in need of a lightweight, matte finish foundation should give this a go. 
    

Moving on...

• Anastasia Modern Renaissance Palette: This is me in an eyeshadow palette! I love warm, neutral berry tones. Plus Anastasia shadows are always buttery, easy to blend and super pigmented! What more can a girl ask for?! The particular colors I live for are burnt orange, red ochre, antique bronze, Cyprus umber, and realgar. If I am wearing eyeshadow this month it has been this palette. I'm obsessed! I 100% recommend it!
  • Benefit’s New Brow Collection: This is the best eyebrow makeup collection to come out in a long time. Each product is so pigmented and easy to use, they last a long time on the skin and they are waterproof. I can honestly say I don’t see me going back to my Anastasia Beverly Hills Products. My favorite products from the collection are the Goof Proof Eyebrow Pencil, the Ka-Brow Gel-Crème, and the Browvo! Conditioning Primer.
  • Urban Decay Heavy Metal Eyeliners: (These are their glitter liners) These are pretty much like every other brands glitter liners except these don’t burn my eyes or skin like other glitter liners do. Also, they last all day long without touch up or primer underneath. I recommend these for everyone, however people with sensitive skin and/or allergies can benefit the most from these.
  • Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector in Topaz: This is a very subtle liquid highlighter. I often put this on my collar bones, tops of my cheeks, etc. This gives a gentle glow to the skin without making me look greasy or disco ball like. I recommend it for anyone looking for a lightweight, fresh, glow.
  • Laura Gellar Glam Lash Mascara: My boss was talking about how awesome this mascara is one day and I felt the need to try it after that. And man was she right. This mascara gives me so much volume and great separation. It builds up quickly and lasts all day. It’s the perfect everyday mascara!
  • Revlon Lash Adhesive: I am in love with this lash glue. I am highly allergic to latex and there is almost no affordable, easy to access latex free glues on the market except this one. It gets tacky almost immediately, it doesn’t irritate my skin or eyes, it lasts all day long, and it comes in black and clear. I highly recommend this for anyone with a latex allergy who wears false lashes.
  • Youngblood Luminous Crème Blush in Luxe: I usually hate crème blushes. They are generally oily feeling and looking and they cake up and add weird texture to my cheeks. But, this blush is totally different it is truly a crème and it is super pigmented. I usually put this on before I powder my face for a light and fresh look. I highly recommend their blushes for anyone looking for a high quality crème blush.
  • Maybelline Master Fix Setting Powder: This is the best translucent setting powder I have found in a long time. This has zero color and no white cast. This powder goes on so smooth and it mattifies so easily it’s insane. I highly recommend this powder to pretty much anyone! You will not regret it!
  • Pur Minerals Miracle Hydrate and Set: This is the best dewy setting spray of life! First off it smells like oranges or something citrus like. Second, it sinks straight into the skin without making me look or feel oily. It just gives a healthy glow to the skin.  It’s awesome!
  • Urban Decay Primer Potion in Eden: I don't like Urban Decay's primers for the most part but, for some reason this primer is bomb. It has a nice bright yellow undertone which makes all shadows look super bright. It lasts all day with no creasing. It’s fantastic!
  • Bare Minerals Concealer (powder): I love this because it sets my regular concealer and adds extra coverage without making me look or feel cakey. I also noticed it doesn't make my concealer crease. I think it maybe preventing the creasing I usually get.  It works well as a lightweight concealer on its own as well.  I highly recommend this concealer. 

That’s All Folks!!