Signature Minerals

I can't say enough good things about Signature Minerals mineral makeup.  I am absolutely loving the blushes, concealers,correctors, bronzers, and veils.  The best part is that they will send you a sample of every product and every color absolutely FREE!  Yep, that's right, free.  You can order sample packs of 6 (as many as you like) by visiting their Signature Minerals website.  All you have to do is cover the shipping, which is a very fair deal. 

As a woman with "skin of color,"  I have a very difficult time finding cosmetics that match my skin tone.  I recently ordered a 3 pack mineral sampler from another company that came to over $17 (including shipping) and didn't even get a good match.  I really can't afford to try too many colors at that price!  But at Signature Minerals, they make it easy.  You are limited to one free sample per color, but with all the color choices available, who'd want to?

I wanted to give everything a fair trial before writing about it here, so I have been trying it for a few weeks now (the samples are very generous!).  I can honestly say that I will be buying full sized products soon.  The colors are great, the quality is high, and the full sized items are reasonably priced as well.   Also, the shipping is lightning quick.  I ordered my samples on a Saturday afternoon (during non-office hours) and received them the following Tuesday.  So there's no real waiting time for your goodies to arrive, which is another great selling point.

I swatched a few of the blushes to show the wonderful range of colors, as well as the vibrancy, and they really look fantastic when you apply them on your cheeks!

Swatches (top row l-r are gleeful, desert rose, palest pink, pink jazz, adobe sun, dusty mauve; bottom row l-r are:  cocoa bean, caramel kiss, damask, buff apricot desiree, and coral

in the picture:  corrector in sunshine under 8.3 medium to dark beige foundation, cocoa bean and caramel kiss blushes and goddess bronzer for contouring cheeks, jawline, and nose, desert rose blush, radiance veil as highlight on upper cheeks, forehead, and nose, and  translucent veil to 'set' the look

You can get your free samples (and I highly recommend that you do, after all, free is good!) at  http://www.signatureminerals.com/free-sample-pack.html

Look of the Day; NYX Eye Shadows

I am totally loving NYX  loose eyeshadow pigments!  The vibrancy is great.  They're easy to apply, blend well, and last all day  too.  For today's look, I decided to go colorful.  Sometimes I have visions of Mimi from the Drew Carey Show, and I get a little nervous, but so far I haven't hit my Mimi look-alike yet. 

Eyes:  NYX loose pigments (all applied wet) in Jade Pearl on inner corners and inner bottom lash line, Turquoise to center lid and center lower lash line, and True Purple Pearl on outer corners and outer bottom lash line.  Slate blue from Profusion palette in crease and outer 'v'.  E.L.F. Shimmering Facial Whip in Petal as highlight.  E.L.F. Waterproof Eyeliner in Coffee for eyebrow damage control.

Face:  Maybelline Pure Makeup in Pure Beige, Signature Minerals blushes in Cocoa Bean and Caramel Kiss for contouring, Signature Minerals blush in Desert Rose on apples of cheeks, Signature Minerals veil in Radiance as highlight on cheeks, forehead, chin, and nose.

Lips:  Soap & Glory Sexy Motherpucker in Clear (I LOVE this stuff!)

Soap and Glory Sexy Motherpucker

I'm a real sucker for lip plumpers.  Combine that with my love of all things English and puns, and this was just a must have item for me!  For anyone not familiar with the brand, Soap and Glory is an English maker of cosmetics and bath & body items.  Soap and Glory products are available here in the U.S. exclusively through Target.  The packaging is pink and has retro-styling, complete with vintage photos (another great buying point for me, I'm ashamed to admit). They also have a great website, chock full of puns and other funny stuff.

Sexy Motherpucker lip plumper is $9.99 at Target, but being the budget beautiholic that I am, I opted to buy it on ebay for $1.99 with $4.50 shipping.  It took a few days to arrive of course, but it came direct from England (thanks mrcosmeticsuk for the fast shipping!).

I wasn't actually expecting too much from the product, as I was more interested in the kitschy package, mostly as a conversation starter with my friends. The blurb on the box says "new extreme-formula lip plumping gloss with scientifically proven powerfill microspheres that explode in volume up to 10x when they come in contact with water:"  

I was very surprised when I applied this stuff!  It went on smoothly, but a bit gooey.  After a few seconds it began to feel kind of fizzy.  It wasn't that tingly/burning feeling you get with other plumpers.  This was kind of like that sensation you get in your mouth when you take a big sip of soda pop.  It wasn't unpleasant, but it was definitely different!

I took photos before application, immediately after, 5 minutes after, 15 minutes after, and again at 20 minutes after applying.  Although I don't think the results were "cosmetic surgery" different, I definitely noticed something.  The results were not only far better than I expected, they were better than other plumpers that I have tried.

The only bad thing that I can say about it is that the flavor isn't great (kinda soapy with a weird chocolate undertone).  The staying power was great.  It lasted till I wiped it off about 3 hours later.  I will definitely be getting more of this stuff!  The one I bought is clear, so perhaps I'll try some of the other colors available (all in the name of research, of course).  I highly recommend this product to anyone needing a little extra something lip-wise.

Here are the photos:

Before

Immediately After

5 Minutes After

15 Minutes After

20 Minutes After

Look of the Day: Blues

Eyes:  LA Colors Supernatural Palette; white in corners of eye, lightest blue in middle of lid, dark blue on outer edges and lower lash line, darkest blue mixed with black for crease and outer v, lightest blue mixed with white for highlight, Profusion Liquid Eyeliner on upper lash line, Beautique Brunette eyebrow pencil on brows

Face:  Maybelline Mineral Power Powder Foundation in Nude, Signature Minerals blushes in Cocoa Bean and Caramel Kiss for contouring, Signature Minerals Dusty Rose blush on apples of cheeks, Signature Minerals veil in Radiance as highlight

Lips:  Wet & Wild  525D lipstick

1920's Inspired Look

The Roaring 20's was an amazing time of change for women.  It was the beginning of Womens Lib really.  Young women of the 1920's were stepping out of the rigid social and moral confines of the Victorian era, and setting the stage for future generations to come.  While people today may look at a vintage photo of a heavily made-up Flapper and see old fashioned and dated, the truth is that these were wild, wild women in their time!

1920's gals were not only letting their hair down, they were chopping it off.  Before the 20's, women were expected to dress and behave in a very repressed way.  Hair was worn long and pinned up severely, hemlines reached the ankle, sleeves were long, collars high, and makeup was largely taboo.  The new generation of this era not only defied all these rules,.they began to create a very distinct look in clothing and makeup.  Short, sleeveless dresses, bobbed hair, and tons of cosmetics were making their appearance. 

This time was really the beginning of the cosmetics industry.  The makeup available then was primitive and crude.  Eyes were heavily lined with Kohl (often made of goose fat, soot, and lead).  Mascara came in cakes that had to be melted and applied with a stick (can you say risky!).  Lipstick came in one color, red.  Smear-proof lips were preferable, as these women spent long nights dancing to jazz, drinking in speakeasies, and smooching whichever beau caught their eye.  Eye shadow was mostly black or gray, with blue and green showing up later.   Thank goodness for the advances that makeup has made in the 90 years since!

I've always been fascinated with this time period.  Partly because that's when my parents were born, and partly because of the rule breaking behavior that was taking place.  I love old pictures of these brave women in all their gorgeous splendor!  After reading Sophie Kinsella's latest book "Twenties Girl" a few weeks ago, I've been feeling even more interest in the subject.  I decided to explore the decade a bit by creating a 20's inspired makeup look, and here it is:

 

Sally Hansen Smile Brightening Lip Treatment

An old boyfriend once said to me, "You'll try anything new that makes an outrageous claim."  He wasn't saying that as a compliment.  In fact, he was rather disgusted as I was happily spraying (then new) Febreeze on every piece of furniture in my apartment.  In my defense, not only did my furniture smell great, but Febreeze is still on the market today.

Lots of items I have enjoyed are still around today.  Self-tanners, shampoo & conditioner combos, "Pop Rocks" are just a few that come to mind.  Of course, there are those products that just couldn't stand the test of time.  Things like "Fizzies" drink tablets,   "Hubba Bubba" no-stick bubblegum, pet rocks, and the "Ronco Record Cleaner" all went the way of the dinosaur.  But then, who knew vinyl records would go extinct too?

As much as I love to try products that make (sometimes outlandish) claims, I've been pretty slow on the draw lately.  Yesterday however, I spotted Sally Hansen's Smile Brightening Lip Treatment at Big Lots for a bargain $1.50, and my curiosity finally got the best of me.  The packaging makes promises to create brighter looking teeth with a mere swipe of the sponge-tipped applicator.  There were even before and after photos!

The color choices were limited (um two to be exact), but then this was Big Lots, so I picked the darker shade of the two.  When I got home, I enlisted the help of my sweet daughter to test the teeth brightening effects of this stuff.  It has a nice vanilla mint flavor, and glides on smoothly.  As you'll see from the pictures below, there was a slight change in the brightness of my daughters teeth (in the first picture), but it seems to have actually made my teeth look worse in the second one.  Of course lighting has a lot to do with the results as well.

Overall, I'd have to say it's fine as a lip gloss, but don't expect too much as far as a brighter, whiter toothy grin.  I think that the results really depend on your individual tooth color.  But then for $1.50 for a lip gloss, I think it was a pretty good deal.

Be Natural Callus Eliminator

I've just met my new best friend, and it's name is Be Natural Callus Remover!  I've struggled with unsightly feet for as long as I can remember.  No matter what kind, or how much moisturizer I slather on, my poor feet crack, flake, and generally look hideous.  Since sandal weather is now upon us, I decided to try something new.  On my most recent visit to Sally Beauty Supply, I picked up this wonderful foot fixer.

As a professional dog walker, my feet are 50% of my livelihood.  Usually, I spend hours each week tending them with pumice, buffers, sanding blocks, creams, lotions, potions, and powders. Be Natural claims to "break down calluses in 3-5 minutes," which would presumably save me much time which I could then spend testing and blogging about other products. :)

The directions read:  "After soaking, liberally spread Callus Eliminator over callus.  Wear gloves or rinse fingers well after applying.  Allow it to penetrate 3 - 5 minutes depending on callus buildup.  Then wipe away excess and use a file or buffer to gently remove callus.  Wash thoroughly with water after use."

This stuff requires careful attention.  It does just what it promises, but timing is crucial. Leaving it on for more than 3 minutes can lead to irritation, or degrading of the skin. Also, it must never be applied to non-callused, irritated or damaged skin.

The active ingredient in this miracle goop is sodium hydroxide (lye). This made me a bit nervous at first, but when applied as directed it's quite safe.  Within 10 minutes my foot was smooth and callus free!

Bollywood Inspired Look

I Love Bollywood movies!  They're kind of like Elvis movies, but with better costumes.  Another great thing about them is when I turn the subtitles off, I can make up my own dialogue.  That's also very entertaining!

After watching my most recent rental, I felt inspired to create a Bollywood look of my own, so here it is:

Eyes:  NYC Eyeliner in Jet Black (lots)
          Profusion (156 color palette #2) in Browns
          Beautique Eyebrow Pencil in Brunette

Face:  Maybelline Mineral Power in Nude
           Signature Minerals Blush in Damask

Lips:  NYC Lipstick in Mocha 



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BHA vs Sun Damage

I've been reading about the anti-aging properties of Alpha Hydroxy and Beta Hydroxy acids on photo-damaged skin lately.  These gentle exfoliators receive high marks from every source I've found.  I decided to try my own very un-clinical trial to see if all the hype is true.

I have been using Oxy Deep Cleaning Face Wash with 2% Salicylic Acid (which is Beta Hydroxy Acid) for some time, and it really has seemed to improve the overall look of my skin, as well as keeping my breakouts at bay.

For testing purposes, I have been applying the cleanser to the back of my left hand and gently exfoliating with a baby washcloth twice a day for one week.  I have applied moisturizer to both hands as usual, so the only difference is the salicylic acid and washcloth.

Within two days I began to notice a  slight difference.  The fine lines on the treated hand seemed less severe. After 4 days, the difference was obvious.  The overall texture of the skin on my left hand was much improved.  There was no real change between the 4th day and the 7th day, so there is clearly a limit to the improvement that can be expected.  But overall, I'd say that the results were remarkable.

                                           

                                            

Sally Girl Nail Polish

A few weeks ago, Sally Beauty Supply had a sale on their Sally line of nail polishes.  I'm a real sucker for a sale, especially a BOGO, and the color selection was great, so I invested $2 in 3 small bottles.  The old adage, "you get what you pay for," is not always accurate in the bargain beauty hunters world.  Unfortunately it was more than true in this case.

The polish goes on fairly smooth, but dries to a totally dull finish.  It looked like oxidized car paint on an old jalopy.  I put a clear top coat on it to bring it up to a normal finish.

It was chipped pretty badly within 3 hours of application.  This stuff just doesn't have any staying power at all.  It was a Saturday morning, so my hands were basically enjoying a day of leisure.  There wasn't enough activity to really even chip the stuff!

In all, I was sorely disappointed with the product, and definitely won't be buying it again, no matter what tasty colors they have on offer.

Look of the Day

Eyes:  Profusion Palette (in Pinks)
          Profusion Liquid Eyeliner in Black on top lash line
          NYC Jet Black Eyeliner Pencil on bottom lash line

Face:  Purely Cosmetics Silk & Pearl Powder Primer 
          Maybelline Mineral Power in Nude
          Pure Luxe Mineral Foundation in Cocoa and Warm Cream as contour/highlight
          LA Colors Blush in Papaya/Nutmeg

Lips:  NYC Lipstick in Blossom

Look of the Day

I was gifted with a (huge) Profusion 154 Color Palette for Mother's Day, and it's amazing!  Many thanks to my wonderful hubby and my sweet daughter!

I was so excited that I had to create a  look of the day using my new goodies.

Eyes:  Profusion Palette (in browns)
          NYC Brown Eyeliner on bottom lash line 
          Profusion Liquid Eyeliner in Black on top lash line

Face:  Purely Cosmetics Silk & Pearl Powder Primer
          Maybelline Mineral Power in Nude
          LA Colors Papaya/Nutmeg Blush Duo

Lips:  Incolor Lip gloss in Cute

Contouring

Contouring Rocks!  It's like a miracle diet for your face in which you can lose 10 lbs instantly.  Cheekbones appear out of nowhere, jowls fade away, and noses appear straight and perfect with a little creative contouring.

These pictures illustrate where to put the contouring and highlighting shades.  I used the darkest and lightest colors I had available for visibility.  Obviously, I would never actually use these colors, or go out like this! 

Here's an Illustrated Step by Step:

1.  Apply moisturizer, concealer & foundation as usual.

2.  Using a matte brownish color a few shades darker than your foundation,  apply under the cheekbones, at temples, jawline, and also the sides of the nose if you like.  I like to use mineral makeup, so it's easy to blend and create subtle depth. 

3.  Using  a shade lighter than your foundation, highlight the forehead,  chin, center of the nose, and the area above the apples of your cheeks, as well as the area below your cheekbones.  You can highlight the area above the lips  as well.  A shimmery shade works great for highlighting.

4.  At this point, you can use translucent powder to blend everything and soften any harsh lines.  The goal is to create the illusion of shadows and highlights, so you want to keep it as subtle as possible.


5.  Apply blush to the apples of your cheeks as usual, and blend, blend, blend! And there you have it, instant cheekbones, jawline, and more defined nose. 

For this tutorial, I have used Pure Luxe Mineral Makeup foundation in Suntan as a base, Pure Luxe Cocoa foundation as my contouring color, and Pure Luxe foundation in Warm Creme as a highlight, LA Colors Loose Powder in Medium, and LA Colors Papaya Blush. 

Profusion Palette & Liquid Eyeliner

I picked up a mini-haul at the local flea market last week.  There were many great budget items available, and so I agonized over which ones to try.  One vendor even had MAC on offer for $5!  I opted for the Profusion products only because I haven't really heard or read anything about them, and wanted to review them for you.

The colors are vibrant, and there were lots of different palettes available.  In fact, there were more than 4 separate booths selling nothing but Profusion cosmetics, in all price ranges.  I chose a 36 color #2 palette in pearl, and a waterproof liquid eyeliner in black.

From a little online research, I found the Profusion website at profusioncosmetics.com.  They have a huge line of cosmetics at very low prices.  In fact, the online prices are less than the flea market prices, so I assume the vendors are just marking things up to cover their costs/profit margins.

At first glance, the eye shadows seem a little waxy, but the color payoff is great.  The staying power is fantastic.  I wore it to work, and it looked just as fresh at the end of the day.  I'm a professional dog-walker, so when I say I test things "in the field", I mean this literally.  I'm out walking and running in all kinds of weather conditions from 9:30 am to 3:30 pm in South-central Texas heat!  

One thing I did notice about the eye shadows is that they don't apply as well with brushes.  The pigment seems to stick to the brush and not the eye.  I bought some Q-Tip style makeup applicators, and they worked like a charm.  I swatched a couple of colors just to show the vibrancy and intensity of the colors.

                                                         with flash

                                                         without flash

                                                             

I love the eye liner!  It has a felt tip applicator, similar to a thin marker.  This allows for great control during application.  It dried instantly, and did not smear or get clumpy at all.  It did come right off with a make-up wipe, with no residual mess. 

I will post some looks using these goodies soon! 

Look of the Day

Another NYX look!

Eyes:  NYX  Yellow Pearl loose eyeshadow on inner corners of lids, blended with Jade Pearl over eyelid (all applied dry)
         LA Colors Radiant loose eyeshadow on outer v and crease
         Beautique Black Sparkle eyeliner on top and bottom lash lines 
         Beautique Brunette eyebrow pencil on brows (to hide waxident)

Face:  Pure Luxe Mineral Foundation in Suntan used as both concealer and base
           LA Colors blush duo in Papaya/Nutmeg on cheeks

Lips:  N.Y.C. Lipstick in Blossom

Hair:  Beyond the Zone Spike It Hair Cement in Yellow

How to choose the right foundation shade

One of the hardest things for me to do is decide which foundation shade will work for me.  It's hard enough to have nine million choices in front of me at the store, but add harsh indoor lighting and sketchy color descriptions and I am lost!  I've bought so many foundations that look like a perfect match in the store.  Once I get them home and apply them I realize that they're not even close.

Some brands even offer cool plastic shade selectors that are supposed to help you find the perfect shade.  That's great for some ladies, but unfortunately my face is about 10 shades lighter than any other part of me, including my inner arm, where these selectors are designed to go.  This also creates another complication for me, as I need something to help my face blend in with the rest of me without looking like a mask.  But for this post, we'll omit that little personal complication, and just focus on selecting the shade that matches your individual face only.

There are 3 basic  color options for foundations, and all the shades available fall into one of these categories.  They are warm, cool and neutral. Warm shades have a yellow undertone. Cool shades have a pink or reddish undertone.  Neutral shades are an even mix of warm and cool.  If you're in doubt, try a neutral shade.  

Never test a foundation on your hand or arm.  The color of your face is different than these areas, and as such you will not get a good match.  The best way to find the perfect shade is to swatch a few options directly onto your face, and then, if at all possible, have a look at them in natural light.  The shade that disappears into your skin is the right one for your particular skin color.

For illustration purposes, I've swatched some mineral samples from Pure Luxe cosmetics in warms, cools, and neutrals onto my face. Only one shade actually disappears (3rd color from the left), so that would be my match.  The first shot is with flash, and the second one is without.  The lighting does make a difference, but it's pretty obvious in both pics which colors stand out and which one disappears.

Look of the Day

I Love NYX eyeshadows!  They're highly pigmented, blend easily, and come in  tons of vibrant colors.

The Look:

Eyes:  NYX Ultra Pearl Mania in Yellow Pearl on the lid and lower lash line, and True Purple Pearl in crease and lower lash line
          Milani  Silver Charm Eyeshadow Single highlight
          N.Y. C  Eyeliner in Jet Black on bottom lashes
          Incolor Fabuliner Liquid Eyeliner in Black on top lash line

Face:  Maybelline Coverstick in Medium Beige  under eyes
           Maybelline Mineral Power Powder Foundation in Nude
           Milani Royalty Eyeshadow Single as blush

Lips:  L.A. Colors Pink Pearl Lip gloss

N.Y.C. Lippin' Large

I picked up N.Y.C.'s Lippin' Large in Plum Tart yesterday at the grocery store while shopping for salsa ingredients (never mind that the produce section is at the other end of the store, says the beautiholic shyly).  It was a great deal at $3.57, so I figured I'd give it a try.

It reminds me of the Sally Hansen Lip Inflation lip glosses, but with a sheerer finish.  I love the cool, tingly sensation.  The subtle color works great for a natural look, or if you're downplaying the lips.  I don't think it made my lips actually look larger, but it did seem to make them look more hydrated and helped to fill in some of the lines a bit.  Here are before and after shots:

I would definitely buy it again, and will be trying other colors soon.




 

Waxident

I seem to have had a little accident while waxing my eyebrows the other day.  I'm not sure exactly what happened, but I think that the cloth strips I used were a bit too wide and so the wax oozed upward into the "no pluck zone."  So, I thought this would be a perfect opportunity to review a few potential brow fixes!

I went out and purchased the N.Y.C. Browser Brush-On Brow Powder with Grooming Wax in Brunette.  It even comes with a cute little pair of tweezers (which I should have used in the first place!).

There are 2 compartments in a drawer-style compact.  One side holds grooming wax, and the other holds brow powder.  A small brush is included to apply the brow powder and wax.  To use this, you dip the brush into the grooming wax, then into the powder and apply it to the brows in short, upward strokes.

Overall, I think this is a great product for routine brow grooming.  The wax helps to keep stray eyebrow hair from sticking out at odd angles, and the powder fills in some of the natural gaps in a properly groomed set of eyebrows.  The problem for me is that the coverage just wasn't substantial enough to hide my waxident.  I can't wait till my brows grow out to revisit this product.

Welcome to my blog!

Howdy, and thanks for stopping by. I've been enjoying a ton of beauty blogs recently, and thought it might be fun to start my own blog about makeup and beauty, as well as other random thoughts and interests. Also, I really need an outlet to discuss my makeup obsession with like minded people!

Although I've always enjoyed makeup, I've only recently really "gotten into" it, with a focus on beauty on a budget (as I seem to always be on a tight one!).  I love bright colors, and creating new, artistic looks.  My plan is to share my experiences with you, good or bad. There will be product and book reviews, how-to's, and anything else I can think of to share with the world at large. The goal is to be informative, honest, and entertaining; kind of a warts & all view of my world.

Any thoughts or suggestions are always welcome. I hope you will enjoy!